Chapter 164 - 162: Slaying Shangguan Yun
The Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi was the ultimate killing move recorded in the *Celestial Fire Secret Manual*. To unleash it, one had to cultivate the Burning Earth Sword Technique to its apex, comprehend Sword Intent, and then combine it with the Celestial Fire’s Power.
Cultivation Techniques and Secret Arts of this level were something only those at the Primordial Pill Realm and above were qualified to practice. Chen Yuan had never even attempted to cultivate it before.
Now that he had comprehended the profound changes of ’Intent’, he was finally able to use his Sword Intent to condense the Celestial Fire Sword Qi and execute this move.
Gasping for breath, Chen Yuan consumed an elixir to restore his Qi Blood, and only then did he recover some of his strength.
In the first two floors, Chen Yuan had only been greatly exhausted and suffered some superficial wounds.
Only on this final floor were his Inner Viscera injured by the Sword Intent.
However, his physique, having been completely reborn by that Divine Pill, was also incredibly tough.
Even with such severe injuries, as soon as the elixir’s power entered his body, he immediately began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
When his injuries were ninety percent healed, Chen Yuan stood up, ready to see what the reward for the Middle Three Floors trial was.
On the coffin behind the white-robed swordsman was a Jade Box, which held the reward for this trial.
But just then, Chen Yuan let out a soft sound of surprise, noticing something on the ground.
The Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi was immensely powerful. The white-robed swordsman’s body, which was already a dried-up corpse, wasn’t physically strong to begin with.
Thus, under the bombardment of countless Sword Qi, it had been completely reduced to fragments and ash.
But amidst the fragments and ash, a Bronze Token remained undamaged.
Chen Yuan walked over to take a look. Four large, ancient words were inscribed on it. The script was somewhat different from the modern script of the Great Xia, but similar enough that he could faintly make out the four words: ’Celestial Abyss Sword Tomb’.
’Celestial Abyss Sword Tomb?’
Chen Yuan pondered for a moment. He had never heard this name before, neither in the current Jianghu nor in the original story’s plot.
’It must be the faction the white-robed swordsman came from, but that was ten thousand years ago. It probably collapsed and disappeared long ago.’
Still, although this Bronze Token appeared to be made of ordinary bronze, it had remained completely unscathed under his Heaven-Burning Destruction Sword Qi. Its material was definitely extraordinary.
After a moment of thought, Chen Yuan tossed it directly into his Qiankun Bag.
The Jade Box behind the coffin wasn’t large, only about the size of his palm.
Chen Yuan opened it, and a golden light blossomed forth, but the item inside made him stare in bewilderment.
’A silkworm?’
Inside was a thumb-sized, white and tender silkworm that was emitting a golden glow.
It was chubby in appearance and seemed to be in a deep sleep.
But even after ten thousand years, Chen Yuan could sense an incredibly potent Life Force from it.
There was no explanation on the outside of the Jade Box, but for it to be the reward for passing the trial of the Middle Three Floors, its origins had to be extraordinary.
Putting away the Jade Box, Chen Yuan planned to show it to Liu Suifeng after returning to Zhenwu Hall.
Liu Suifeng was extremely well-read, almost like a walking encyclopedia.
Stepping out of the third floor, he found himself at the exit area shared by the other halls.
There was no one outside, but there were signs of entry at the entrance to the lower three floors. It seemed Shangguan Jue and Xu Wenzhou had already broken through to the lower levels and begun the final trial.
Chen Yuan found the hall that Shangguan Yun and his group had entered. A cold glint appeared in his eyes as he strode inside.
To enter these halls of the Middle Three Floors, one needed to use Primordial Stones for activation, but one could freely enter from the exits.
This wasn’t a design flaw in the Myriad Phenomena Ninefold Tower; it was intentional.
After all, this was a place for the Palace of Myriad Phenomena to test its younger disciples, not to slaughter them all. Thus, some backdoors had been deliberately left open.
If a young disciple in another hall couldn’t pass the trial or was in life-threatening danger, they could call for help.
Disciples who had already passed their trials and exited could then re-enter through the exits to rescue them.
Shangguan Yun and his group, of course, knew nothing of this. They thought that once they were inside, no outsiders could enter again.
Chen Yuan stepped into the hall where Shangguan Yun’s group was. At that moment, they were all in a wretched state, sitting cross-legged and healing their wounds.
With their combined strength, the five Condensing Truth Realm martial artists and Shangguan Yun had barely managed to pass the Primordial Pill Realm Level trial.
However, Chen Yuan’s trial had been a true test where he had to immerse his mind and spirit. Although he too had been battered and injured, he had gained significant benefits, and his combat power and cultivation had soared.
Shangguan Yun and his men, on the other hand, had completely ignored the content of the trial, using every means at their disposal to force their way through the Middle Three Floors.
Because they didn’t know what lay in the lower three floors, they hadn’t rushed to exit, choosing instead to heal here first.
Seeing Chen Yuan suddenly walk in, Shangguan Yun and the others were instantly horrified.
"How did you get in!?"
"Through the front door, of course."
The Celestial Blade materialized in Chen Yuan’s hand, its razor-sharp edge and profound, cold Saber Intent instantly apparent.
’Everyone here is going to die anyway. I’m going all out, so there’s no longer any need to hide my identity.’
"What are you doing!?"
Seeing Chen Yuan draw his blade without a word, Shangguan Yun’s expression changed instantly.
But then, Shangguan Yun felt that something wasn’t right.
’Doesn’t Chen Yuan use a black sword? Why has he switched to a saber now? Was a saber his reward from the Trial Hall?’
’But why does this saber look so familiar?’
The next moment, a Starfire ignited within Chen Yuan’s Reincarnation Sea, and the Liaoyuan Celestial Fire instantly enveloped his entire body.
At the same time, Blood Fiend Power coursed into his body. Boundless killing intent surged forth and merged with the Celestial Fire, turning it crimson as blood and as ferocious as flame!
With two supremely powerful states combined into one, and no longer needing to conceal the power of the *Celestial Fire Secret Manual*, Chen Yuan at this moment was in his true peak condition!
The Blood Refining Divine Saber fell. The river of blood that swept forth contained not only an extremely berserk Blood Qi, but also the Liaoyuan Celestial Fire and boundless Blood Fiend!
Before, Chen Yuan’s saber had only possessed power, not profundity.
But now, this strike from Chen Yuan contained a destructive, all-conquering Saber Intent, which fused all other powers within it.
The moment Shangguan Yun saw this saber strike, his face changed completely, twisting in terror.
How could he not recognize this strike?
This was the very same strike that had slain Tian Hengbin and utterly destroyed their plan to ambush and kill him.
And now, the power of this strike was even greater than before—so great that he didn’t even have the courage to resist.
But Shangguan Yun could never have imagined it—how could Chen Jiutian and Chen Yuan possibly be the same person?
A brilliant talent of Zhenwu Hall’s younger generation was actually the successor to the Great Brightness Sect, and both identities had brazenly appeared on the Hidden Dragon Rankings at the same time. It was the biggest joke in the world!
Shangguan Yun retreated hastily, but the five Condensing Truth Realm Martial Artists from the Shangguan Family simultaneously surged forward to meet Chen Yuan’s world-shocking strike.
The Side Branch of the Shangguan Family also cultivated the *Beichen Ice Soul True Skill*, but unlike the Direct Lineage, their version lacked some of the more powerful Secret Techniques.
In an instant, a vast and turbulent torrent of icy qi erupted from the five of them. The five torrents merged, condensing into a Cold Ice Long Sword that stabbed toward Chen Yuan.
Wherever the Cold Ice Long Sword passed, it even froze the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and its Ice Soul Cold Radiance was blinding.
The saber and sword collided, and the powerful force that erupted instantly transformed into a violent storm that swept through the hall.
The five Condensing Truth Realm Martial Artists of the Shangguan Family immediately felt an overwhelmingly powerful force strike them.
The two Shangguan Family martial artists at the Condensing Truth Realm Late Stage stumbled back several steps before steadying themselves.
As for the three martial artists at the Condensing Truth Realm Early and Middle Stages, they immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, their Inner Viscera instantly suffering heavy damage!
Before they could even react, Chen Yuan stepped out from the raging True Qi storm, his body shining with a dazzling Buddha Light.
Accompanied by the sound of Buddhist Chanting, the Six Paths of Vajra Mantra of Master Padmasambhava boomed, directly shattering the Protective True Qi around their bodies.
A flash of the Shocking Saber Light streaked past, and one of the Shangguan Family martial artist’s head instantly fell to the ground.
Shangguan Yun roared in fury, "Chen Yuan! Chen Jiutian! You remnant of the Great Brightness Sect, infiltrating Zhenwu Hall with treacherous intent! You alone occupy two spots on the Hidden Dragon Rankings! If word of this gets out, your reputation will be ruined, and there will be no place for you left in the Jianghu!"
Chen Yuan gave Shangguan Yun a cold smile. "If I kill all of you, who’s going to know?
Shangguan Yun, last time you were lucky to escape so quickly. You only managed to survive because of your Divine Artifact Incarnation.
If you had just stayed hidden in Unrivaled City, I really wouldn’t have been able to do anything to you.
But you just had to try and ambush me on the road. You brought this death upon yourself.
This time, let’s see you try to escape!"
As his voice fell, the True Qi around Chen Yuan’s body erupted with a deafening bang as he lunged straight for Shangguan Yun.
The four remaining Shangguan Family martial artists were still somewhat dazed by Chen Yuan’s previous strike, but they knew they had to protect Shangguan Yun with their lives.
If Shangguan Yun died, they would face death upon returning to Unrivaled City all the same.
But just as they made their move, an immensely vast wellspring of Qi Blood within Chen Yuan’s body suddenly ignited, spraying out toward the four of them.
With the release of the Heart-Burning Karmic Flame, a boundless, black-red sanguine flame erupted.
This bizarre power burned their Qi Blood and True Qi, clinging to them like a maggot on a rotting bone.
The four Shangguan Family martial artists desperately tried to get rid of this power.
The next moment, Chen Yuan brought a palm down. Boundless Blood Fiend surged, and a world-ending calamity of slaughter descended.
Blood Killing Heaven-Seizing Hand!
Under that one palm strike, the two Condensing Truth Realm Early Stage martial artists from the Shangguan Family couldn’t withstand the immense power and were instantly obliterated, their bodies torn to pieces.
The other two at the Condensing Truth Realm Late Stage didn’t fare much better; they spat out mouthfuls of blood and were sent flying backward.
Shangguan Yun, however, paid no mind to these Side Branch martial artists at all. He desperately burned his Qi Blood and True Qi, his body transforming into a streak of dark light as he fled for his life toward the hall’s exit.
But the next moment, the saber’s light was upon him. He could even feel the chilling Saber Intent enveloping him.
Shangguan Yun spun around and desperately threw a palm strike. The Ice Soul Cold Radiance formed a giant Palm Seal, and layers of frost condensed in the air.
But under Chen Yuan’s saber, Shangguan Yun’s resistance was like paper, easily crushed!
Shangguan Yun couldn’t understand. It had been less than two months, so why had Chen Yuan’s power undergone such a complete transformation, becoming this terrifyingly strong?
Back then, he could at least exchange a few blows with Chen Yuan, but now he couldn’t even block a single strike!
But it was a question he no longer had time to ponder.
The saber aura streaked through the air. Shangguan Yun’s head instantly fell, rolling to the very edge of the hall’s exit, only half a step from tumbling out.