Chapter 1069: Old Man, Try a Sword First

"It's not that it can't be understood that way..." Mei Ji-ren smiled, neither affirming nor denying.

Truth be told, the concept of "Thorough Divine Sense" first emerged during the previous generation's Ten Sovereigns Battle. Kuilai Han used this to establish his reputation as the foremost among the Ten Sovereigns, even though it wasn't officially recognized. But everyone acknowledged it, so in the bards' songs, even the Eight Venerables were ranked second in the Ten Sovereigns' ballads, yielding the top spot.

Undoubtedly, after the Ten Sovereigns, "Thorough Divine Sense" exploded in popularity. Kuilai Han's "Divine Punishment Calamity" was considered the first generation of Thorough Divine Sense. To commemorate this epoch-making feat, any subsequent methods of using "Sense" derived from "Divine Punishment Calamity" were classified as "Second Generation Thorough Divine Sense."

Mei Ji-ren was an older generation figure; naturally, he wouldn't lower himself to participate in the juniors' Ten Sovereigns Battle at that time, so he didn't witness firsthand what "Thorough Divine Sense" looked like. What he demonstrates now is merely something he deduced himself, based on the concept of "Thorough Divine Sense." Calling it "Second Generation Thorough Divine Sense" wouldn't be an exaggeration, but Mei Ji-ren dared not overstep by claiming it truly fell within the scope of "Thorough Divine Sense."

The proficient become teachers. He felt that to truly earn the "name," he would need to discuss principles with Kuilai Han and gain his personal acknowledgment. However, Mei Ji-ren didn't much care for such empty titles.

He only knew that this technique of his, which combined swordsmanship, spiritual force, and will, manifested from the true essence of the present divine Buddha, was not inferior to Holy Power, and might even surpass it. Why is "Thorough Divine Sense" so powerful? It's because, for Spirit Refiners below the Half-Saint level, it's the only power that holds even a slight possibility of overturning "Saint"-level strength!

Here, "Saint" refers to a "Saint Emperor." When "Divine Punishment Calamity" first appeared, it hadn't reached this level. But this path had only just begun to be developed at the time, so its limitations were normal. Everyone saw its bright potential. Now, decades later, no one can say for sure what cultivation level or combat strength the creator of the first generation Thorough Divine Sense possesses.

Perhaps he broke through to Half-Saint and perfected this path, making him capable of fighting Saint Emperors; if so, another path to sainthood in the Spirit Refiner era would have been developed. Or perhaps, to research this path, he suppressed his cultivation to the Grand Void realm. But now, decades later, no one can say if a Grand Void master like him, wielding such abilities, could contend with Half-Saints, Saint Emperors, or even Ancestral Origin power... This, more than the former, is truly terrifying!

Because a Half-Saint who breaks through on such a foundation would likely be unrivaled among Half-Saints, and upon achieving sainthood, would undoubtedly be among the peaks.

Jiang Buyi was so consumed by jealousy for Mei Ji-ren that his eyes seemed to spit fire. When "Thorough Divine Sense" first appeared, he recognized its potential and was among the first to research it. However, like most people, for decades, these laymen could only watch as Second Generation Thorough Divine Sense abilities like "Sword Sense" and "Votive Power" emerged in the hands of geniuses of that era, such as the Eight Venerables and the Grudgeful Buddha.

Yet, when he looked at himself... He had achieved nothing, merely wasting time! And now, just when he thought the older generation's minds were rigid and couldn't keep up with the latest powers of the new era, a person of similar age to him had forged a path for "Second Generation Thorough Divine Sense."

"I can tolerate not having it, as long as no one else does.""But I cannot accept that I don't have it, yet an old fellow of my generation has secretly mastered it!"

Jiang Buyi felt the will emanating from Mei Ji-ren, a will that surpassed his own Saint-level. Before the manifestation of the present divine Buddha, this old sword cultivator was, in his eyes, merely a mortal below the Half-Saint level — for Half-Saints, anyone who hasn't reached the Saint level, no matter how old or experienced, is just that! But now, this man, by merely displaying his will, had surpassed him.

It was clear as day... As long as Mei Ji-ren attained the Half-Saint rank, he would undoubtedly achieve sainthood! And if he decided to join one of the Five Great Saint Emperor families, his chances of becoming a Saint Emperor, however small, would still be tens of millions of times higher than his own, which were practically zero!

"What is it called?" Jiang Buyi reined in his almost erupting jealousy, knowing that such a thing couldn't be seized by force, unlike mere possessions.

"It didn't have a name originally, because this is its first appearance..." Mei Ji-ren smiled, but from his words, one could discern the immense pressure of facing the Half-Saint. This power, unused for so many years, had to be displayed now to deter and counterattack, all to save Xu Xiaoshou and because he faced a Half-Saint. And since this power had now been revealed... Then it truly deserved a name of its own.

Mei Ji-ren remained standing on the earth pillar, not having moved his feet an inch while facing the Half-Saint. After murmuring to himself, he twirled his fingers in thought before speaking again:

"'The Eight Venerables are incredibly arrogant, naming his Second Generation Thorough Divine Sense 'Sword Sense' by combining his 'sword' and 'sense.' It's utterly audacious.'""'At first, I, this old man, merely thought the junior was overambitious and conceited. But after researching this path myself... sigh, I came to acknowledge him.'""'The waves behind push the waves in front – one must admit, some people are truly remarkable. Decades before dull-witted sword cultivators like myself, the Eight Venerables indeed had sufficient qualifications to name 'Sword Sense' first.'""'This old man, however, cannot...'"

As Mei Ji-ren spoke, his robes billowed without a breeze, his entire aura shifted, and his form slowly floated into the air. He drew his hands back, clasping them behind his waist. In an instant, the monster on his back seemed to answer a summons, twisting and forcefully merging into his body. As the monster vanished, the oppressive feeling it brought also disappeared. But the next second...

"Clang, clang, clang—" The metallic clang of weapons rang incessantly, and the resonance of swords echoed throughout heaven and earth. At that instant, Mei Ji-ren, who had reabsorbed the present divine Buddha monster... With one foot, he stepped on the Ten Hell Kings; with a flick of his hand, a formless green sword appeared in his palm; as he opened his eyes, nine swords formed a constellation around him, the bustling mortal world manifested, and all things began to chant, like sword apprentices in a private school reciting lessons at dawn; wherever his gaze fell, the landscape within a ten-thousand-mile radius transformed, becoming bizarre and magnificent. Broken wood and floating stones became swords, and ten thousand swords paid homage, returning to a single origin. —The present divine Buddha monster had vanished, but Mei Ji-ren himself had become the monster's true form!

"Boom!" Before he even moved, the ground beneath Jiang Buyi's feet shattered, and his body retreated bit by bit. With Mei Ji-ren's reabsorption of the monster and the display of his aura, the ground beneath his opponent, the only place to stand, was obliterated, forcing him to tread on spatial black holes, utterly bewildered.

"This..." Jiang Buyi was stunned. If the Great Dao exists in heaven and earth, a Dao that cannot be spoken, and a name that cannot be named, then at this moment, in Jiang Buyi's eyes, in Xu Xiaoshou's eyes... the Dao had taken shape and gained a name: Mei Ji-ren!

Mei Ji-ren, having absorbed all the phenomena of the present divine Buddha into himself, now embodied all traces of the Nine Great Sword Arts, appearing like an avatar of the Dao, with an extraordinary bearing, as if about to achieve sainthood on the spot. Yet, up to this point, despite possessing power that could contend with a Saint, there was still no hint of Saint intent on him!

"What even *is* a Sword Saint?" Xu Xiaoshou clutched the back of his head, goosebumps erupting all over his body, feeling his horizons vastly expanded. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, yet he understood that Mei Ji-ren in this state had already surpassed the Sword Immortal and Grand Void levels. Even if he wasn't called a "Sword Saint," it was because Master Ji-ren himself didn't want to be, not because he was incapable. But then the question arose... If *this* wasn't called a "Sword Saint," then in all the world, who would dare presumptuously claim to be a "Sword Saint" from now on?

In the battle, Mei Ji-ren found it somewhat difficult to rein in his oppressive aura. After all, it was his first time using an unfamiliar ability, and unless absolutely necessary, he genuinely didn't want to counterattack. Then again... We sword cultivators, we advance without retreat! Jiang Buyi had already attacked twice. By the principle of 'no more than three times,' a small counterattack using his aura wouldn't be harmful, would it?

"It's called 'Sword Manifestation'." Mei Ji-ren tried his best to retract his divine abilities, observing the phenomena on his body and saying with a slight frown. He felt that his "Sword Manifestation" was a little inconsistent with his image as a teacher, being truly too ostentatious, so he could only try to rein it in slightly with its name.

Even so, his piercing sword intent at that moment forced Jiang Buyi to use Holy Power to protect himself, retreating nervously a hundred miles away. Now, even a radius of ten thousand miles, nearly half of the Miracle Forest, had become Mei Ji-ren's "Holy Domain." He hadn't even become a Saint, yet he had claimed the strategic advantage. If Jiang Buyi retreated further, he would gain nothing.

Mei Ji-ren was quite helpless about this. The Sword Manifestation was too powerful; he couldn't control it as he wished, so he could only let its sharp edge be fully exposed. Withdrawing his gaze from himself and looking forward, Mei Ji-ren smiled and said, "Half-Saint Jiang, I'll repeat myself: do I now have the qualifications to make you withdraw and give me a little face?"

"Sword Manifestation..." Cold light flickered in Jiang Buyi's narrowed eyes. He absolutely didn't want to give face, but given the current situation, could he gain anything by fighting? Just like Teng Shanhai's previous sacrilege... Mei Ji-ren spoke with nothing but respect, yet in the eyes of a Half-Saint, the only difference between him and a "brainless beast" was a bit of refinement—he was merely a "refined scoundrel"! A Saint cannot be humiliated, cannot be denied! Today, Jiang Buyi had already been forced back a hundred miles. If he truly turned and left, what face would he have left to mingle in the Half-Saint circle?

"'A Saint Slave once said it well... 'If you don't become a Saint, you remain a slave.''" Jiang Buyi's face was grim with coldness, and he responded in a chilling voice. Mei Ji-ren sighed, understanding his opponent's choice, and lamented, "This state of mine won't last long; I can unleash at most three swords. If Half-Saint Jiang wishes to test it, then come."

"The one who should retreat, from beginning to end, is you!" Jiang Buyi bellowed. His Saint's manifestation reformed, but this time, instead of attacking, it retracted into him, just as Mei Ji-ren's had. Instantly, Half-Saint Jiang Buyi erupted with Holy Light, transforming into a celestial, colorful cloud. His aura surged, tearing through a large part of Mei Ji-ren's bizarre and magnificent illusory sword domain. Storms arose, and calamity descended.

Even from his "hidden state," Xu Xiaoshou felt a deathly intent raging in his mind like a mad dog, causing his head to ache to the point of splitting. This was truly a battle of immortals, with mortals suffering the consequences. He retreated again and again, even activating his "Delayed Realm Field" in an attempt to slightly mitigate the oppressive force and pain, yet he still felt his knees tremble, unable to withstand even the lingering power of this level of confrontation.

Mei Ji-ren truly didn't want to fight and continued to persuade. "'This old man's 'Sword Manifestation' is newly formed, and I cannot fully control its power, but what I can confirm is...'""'It can wound a Half-Saint, and perhaps even slay one, though that remains uncertain.'" His expression was grave, with deep worry in his eyes. "Do you truly wish to test this?"

If the Half-Saint didn't die, he would. If the Half-Saint did die, the trouble would be even greater. After much thought, it was best if this fight could be avoided. If it truly came to blows, there was no alternative but to press on with a determined resolve.

"Hahahahaha!" Jiang Buyi, transformed into a celestial, colorful cloud, laughed wildly, amused by the arrogance of the man opposite him. A Sword Immortal is a Sword Immortal, and a Grand Void is a Grand Void. If this level could truly transcend ranks and slay a Saint, why would a Half-Saint be called a Half-Saint? "Bring it on!"

Mei Ji-ren sighed again, and slowly closed his eyes. "Then, pardon my offense..." With that said.

His killing intent ignited, and his eyes opened with fury. Mei Ji-ren no longer hesitated. He held his left hand as if cradling a massive scabbard against his chest, while his right hand rose above his head, gently pinching and lifting diagonally upwards. "The sword art has a name, called 'Void.' The path of Void, where reality and illusion coexist, truth and falsehood merge. The myriad realms are originally nothing, but I call them into being." First, a soft murmur arose, then the wind surged, followed by the earth tearing apart, and finally, all things converged into one, forming a massive, ethereal sword in front of Mei Ji-ren's chest, slowly being drawn out.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—" The fragmented, tumultuous sound ceased the colorful clouds, and time seemed to freeze at this moment. Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened. He knew why Mei Ji-ren explained the origin of each sword he unleashed. While this certainly gave Jiang Buyi ample time to react, more importantly... It was teaching time again. Master Ji-ren was so dedicated; he had no choice but to learn.

"This is the first realm of Void Sword Art, the 'Void Stream'!" The massive ethereal sword was finally fully drawn, suspended in mid-air, reminding Xu Xiaoshou of the day Gu Qing-san faced him at the Tiansang City Lord's Mansion. The difference was that, at that time, Gu Qing-san transformed his entire body into a sword suspended in the sky, becoming completely ethereal. However, Master Ji-ren now drew a sword from the void while his body remained still, seemingly capable of following up with more moves.

"'Watch closely, Xu Xiaoshou, what comes next is all for you to learn...'" Mei Ji-ren silently looked up, gazing at the unseen person, and murmured to himself. Finally, he withdrew his gaze, returned to the battlefield, and his voice changed as he roared aloud. "Jiang Buyi, you've already made two moves; now it's my turn...""This old man shall test a sword first!"

Even a clay figurine has three parts of spirit. Swords inherently embody ferocity. Though he was a teacher now, it didn't mean that in his youth, Mei Ji-ren didn't possess the arrogance to cut through all things and destroy everything! And at this very moment, this was his first counterattack after enduring two blows from the Half-Saint!

He had remained silent, but now he would astonish with a single cry! If he didn't draw his sword, so be it; but once drawn, it would surely return stained with blood! The massive ethereal sword was slashed horizontally.

At that instant, heaven and earth twisted, light and shadow shifted, and an inexplicable cold, obscure aura swept forth, chilling everyone to the bone. Mei Ji-ren's lips didn't move, yet layers upon layers of Daoist sounds resonated through the battlefield and into the ears of those observing from the sidelines. "The sword art has a name, called 'Nine.' The path of Nine, reaching the extreme of numbers, giving birth to countless possibilities. Here, the formation is set, and the Ghost Gate shall open!"

As the formless great sword cleaved through the air, the nine swords around Mei Ji-ren flew to follow, forming a formation mid-flight. Then, heaven and earth plunged into the Nine Netherworlds, invisible gates of hell swung open, and an absolute chill suddenly assailed the entire Miracle Forest. "Whoosh—" Ominous entities passed through, and a vast darkness descended.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened. Was this the first realm of Nine Sword Art – Infinite Exhaustion? No, wait. When Gu Qing-er used his Nine Sword Art in White Cave against the Lava Serpent, it clearly displayed the attribute of 'time'... Gu Qing-er used 'time' then, but there was one commonality between his nine swords and Master Ji-ren's current display – a formation! Were the nine swords meant to form a sword formation? Was the time attribute just one of its possibilities? When Master Ji-ren was about to use the nine swords to set up a formation and open the Ghost Gate, was he changing the attribute of this sword formation to 'ghost'? But why choose the 'ghost' attribute? Why open the 'Ghost Gate'? Xu Xiaoshou's eyes suddenly lit up. Could it be that...