Chapter 1512: Four Taels Spirit Sword Deflects a Thousand Catties, the Myriad Jun Emperor Sword Breaks Defense on Its Own

Ghostly energy filled the sky like retreating tides, transforming into whip-like and vine-like forms before retracting entirely into the body.

White hair faded back to black, the nine tails coiled around the waist, and the three blood marks on the forehead vanished and faded away.

In his ghost beast transformation, Xu Xiaoshou had been wildly arrogant and unbeatable, but with the sound of sword humming, he now seemed like a sharp sword sheathed, returning to his simple and unadorned self.

At that moment, the many ancient sword cultivators around Yujing City all tensed up in unison.

It's coming...

Ye Xiaotian held his breath and focused, comparing this returned-to-nature form of Xu Xiaoshou with the surrounding sword immortals, especially Mei Siren, and felt the same way:

It's really coming...

The outward flamboyance receded, revealing the restrained aura typical of ancient sword cultivators.

"Buzz—"

The Emperor Sword Du Zun, one of the five great chaotic divine artifacts, clashed with the third-grade spirit sword Cang Ku in midair, unleashing an astonishing sword intent.

That sword intent nearly solidified, intertwining and merging, seemingly evenly matched.

But after just a few breaths, it shifted overwhelmingly, transforming into surging golden sword energy that swept over Yujing City and surged in all directions.

"Shii..."

Cang Ku was shaken down, falling into its master's hand, looking aggrieved as it complained.

This scene was recorded by Feng Zhongzui, who held the Dao Mirror, and transmitted to the five domains of the continent.

In their first clash, Cang Ku was clearly outmatched, sparking a wave of doubts:

"Is that Cang Ku? It looks like just an ordinary spirit sword... fourth-grade? Third-grade? It's certainly valuable, but does it match Xu Xiaoshou's noble status?"

"Xu Xiaoshou has four swords, right? What about Yan Meng? Even an ordinary spirit sword would shatter from a hit by Emperor Sword Du Zun. Is he joking around with this broken sword?"

"No way. I heard he used Cang Ku to slay Rao Jian Sheng. Cang Ku isn't some ordinary thing—it rises like a dragon when meeting wind and clouds!"

"Pfft! Sounds good, but I remember he used four swords back then?"

"Nonsense! I saw it with my own eyes—he used Yan Meng, the flame sword Yan Meng, combined with Jin Zhao Bai Yan. That's Xu Xiaoshou's exclusive weapon!"

"Everyone, stop arguing. Maybe he's nurturing the sword. Didn't Qing Ju rise through being 'named' like that?"

"How ridiculous! Not every sword has Qing Ju's potential, and not everyone has the Eighth Sword Immortal's flair."

"Cang Ku? Let me make a bold prediction—it's going to break!"

Before the battle even began, Xu Xiaoshou vaguely saw threads of qi, like silk and mist, drifting from the laws of heaven and earth in all directions.

These strands of qi eventually flowed into the body of Cang Ku, making its emotions even more dejected and its fighting spirit more lethargic.

It was nothing like its earlier proud state.

After being touched by Emperor Sword Du Zun, it had softened, and now even its spirit was weary.

"Name..."

His perception swept across the surroundings, but no one reacted to it.

Only Lei Shuangxing seemed to sense something, reaching out to touch whatever was before him.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly understood.

This was the real "name" that only those who had cultivated Jian Shu and developed "Jian Nian" could see, something that could nourish all things!

However, a name born of success and fame could create beings like the Ba Zun An or Qing Ju; but a name tainted by defeat and doubt seemed to have the opposite effect, unable to provide any nourishment to Cang Ku.

"Not so."

Xu Xiaoshou stood still in the air, deep in thought.

This massive "name," almost substantial and gathered from the five domains, if he ultimately suffered a defeat, might leave Cang Ku irreparably broken.

But if he won!

All doubts would turn to illusion.

And after reaching the extreme low, it would become the foundation for Cang Ku to leap like a fish to dragon gate and achieve great fame.

"In my own dark past before success, I was the same—that's how you got the name 'Cang Ku'."

"Besides, you're just a mere third-grade spirit sword right now?"

"Are they wrong to doubt you?"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes gleamed with silver Jian Nian. As he murmured to himself, he extended his fingers and gently stroked the body of Cang Ku.

The black sword hummed and trembled, soon letting out a contented groan, instantly forgetting all external doubts.

"Shii—"

Cang Ku straightened again, tense and ready.

Jian Nian flowed between the sword wielder and the sword, constantly growing and flickering with a devouring luster.

Beibei withdrew her gaze from the black sword, not attacking immediately, but instead advised:

"You only have one chance. Switch back to your four swords now, and it won't break... That's not how you nurture a sword."

Xu Xiaoshou lifted his eyes and smiled faintly. "That's exactly how I came through."

"Good! No regrets if you dare!" Beibei shouted sharply, and Emperor Sword Du Zun burst into dazzling golden light.

She knew Xu Xiaoshou's sword skills well and never underestimated him.

Since warnings were useless, giving her all was the best respect to her opponent!

"Wan Jian Shu..."

She spread her palms, and the sword in them trembled wildly, slowly rising higher as its momentum built layer by layer.

The sword momentum condensed in an instant, and the battle erupted just as quickly!

The people of Yujing City felt as if they were still immersed in Xu Xiaoshou's verbal sparring one moment, and in the next, all the spirit swords in the entire city flew up.

"Buzz buzz buzz..."

Ten thousand swords returned to their sect.

This was the true worship of ten thousand swords.

Not Void Condensation Sword Art, but the real ten thousand swords of Yujing City!

"First realm, Absolute Imperial Rule?"

Xu Xiaoshou gripped Cang Ku, which was also being pulled, and glanced sideways without immediately countering.

As a high-level psychological figure, he let Beibei continue because he was confident she couldn't beat him.

As a lower-level practitioner of Wan Jian Shu, he wanted to learn from her, so he needed her to release her sword art fully.

"Jian Dao Pan."

Without hesitation, Xu Xiaoshou stepped onto the Jian Dao Pan, entering the state of unity with heaven and man.

Viewing it this way, Beibei's sword seemed different.

"Not just Wan Jian Shu?"

When Emperor Sword Du Zun rose above Beibei's head, its noble imperial aura pulled at all the spirit swords around Yujing City.

It wasn't just Xu Xiaoshou's sword that was affected.

At the same time, the major ancient sword cultivators also lowered their eyes and tightly gripped their own swords, which had suddenly unsheathed and nearly been drawn away.

"Chou Shen Zhang, Tai Cheng Jian, Ting Chen, Hu, Mei Zi Yu, Xi Jiao..." Feng Zhongzui listed them off as if reciting treasures, sweeping them one by one with the Dao Mirror, his excitement palpable:

"You might not know what these swords mean, but let me tell you, each one has the potential of a famous sword!"

"Even if Mei Zi Yu of Gu Lao and Xi Jiao of Yang Lao aren't renowned worldwide yet, you'll know when the Seven Sword Immortals list is sealed."

"And now, all these swords—whether famous or not—are nearly being drawn by Bei Jian Xian. What does that mean?"

"Wan Jian Shu's first realm, Absolute Imperial Rule?"

"No! More than that!"

Feng Zhongzui was spitting as he spoke, answering his own question: "Most of my Feng family practices Wan Jian Shu, and it doesn't have this effect. This is the influence of Emperor Sword Du Zun!"

Feng Tingchen glanced over with a sullen face.

Feng Zhongzui's enthusiasm stalled, and he quickly turned the mirror away, adding: "Old family head, am I wrong?"

Feng Tingchen's face didn't improve; in fact, it darkened more.

"You're not wrong." Mei Siren turned his head and said, "You know quite a bit."

Feng Zhongzui was overjoyed, as if he'd received the greatest encouragement, and continued chattering:

"Emperor Sword Du Zun is the sword that best complements Wan Jian Shu."

"The more auxiliary swords there are, the stronger its power becomes!"

"My Feng family has schemed... ahem, dreamed about this sword for so long, and today we finally see it perfectly matched with an ancient sword cultivator."

"If I'm not mistaken, Bei Jian Xian will use Emperor Sword Du Zun to command the names of swords from all directions, amplifying herself... Here it comes!"

Feng Zhongzui talked a lot, but his insight into swords was spot-on.

Just as his words fell, Emperor Sword Du Zun above Beibei's head buzzed with a sound that suppressed eternity:

"Wan Jian Chao Bai, I Jian Du Zun!"

This voice seemed to come from ancient times, from the swords themselves, but in reality, it was Beibei's words turning illusion into reality.

As the sound settled, a golden dragon shadow leaped from the sword.

All the famous and spirit swords present had a portion of their power borrowed and fused into it.

Amid the shower of golden light, the dragon shadow surged into Beibei's body, dyeing her white clothes with noble gold, as if crowning her with an invisible crown.

"Boom!"

Void sword energy rampaged, and the ten thousand swords of Yujing City bowed down.

Feng Zhongzui knew the effects well and zoomed out the image to capture the surging waves of sword energy.

Across the five domains, everyone watching the Dao Mirror saw:

"This guy talks way too much..."

"Can your Feng family send a message to shut him up?"

Many were still complaining about Feng Zhongzui's endless chatter, but the mirror's image shifted, revealing a noble golden figure.

The image quickly swept past the person and slowed on the sword in Bei Jian Xian's hand, now bathed in golden light and transformed.

"Emperor Sword!"

The sword was rendered from base to tip.

From the fierce, authoritative golden patterns on the guard...

To the double-edged dark silver blade with a central dragon motif, exuding lethal intent...

It had the nobility of an emperor and the silent authority of one, let alone now with its edge fully bared!

The crowd covered their faces in shock, recoiling as if the sword might burst from the mirror.

The Dao Mirror could transmit many things.

Besides the shock and harm of the scene, sword intent, sword energy, and sword momentum could be conveyed almost fully.

At that moment, before the Burial Sword Tomb, the demon sword Wan Bing Mo Zhu and the blood sword Jue Se Yao Ji; at Half Moon Bay, the demon sword Nu Lan Zhi Sheng; at Can Yue Immortal City, the Kong Dong Wu Xiang Jian...

All famous swords stirred.

Before these swords in front of the mirrors could suppress their agitation, Bei Jian Xian, holding Emperor Sword Du Zun, struck with a cold expression, aiming straight at Xu Xiaoshou and Cang Ku.

"Absolute Imperial Rule, submit!"

With a thunderous boom, ripples spread through the mirror world, unleashing waves of golden energy that nearly drowned the viewers.

It wasn't an illusion!

That momentum pressed through the air, making people feel like drowning seaweed, swaying on the verge of capsizing.

"What kind of sword art is this?"

"Is Absolute Imperial Rule supposed to have this effect? Isn't it just momentum suppression?"

"Damn, why isn't Feng Zhongzui talking now? He blabbers when he shouldn't and stays silent when he should..."

After a brief pause, an extremely excited voice rang out:

"Hai Dao, the vast sea without bounds!"

"Everyone, you're not seeing things—this is one of the highest paths among the three thousand sword paths..."

Absolute Imperial Rule?

Hai Dao?

Standing on Jian Dao Pan, Xu Xiaoshou was like a gluttonous beast that never sated, frantically digesting the vast "knowledge" it had consumed.

He didn't activate his Dao Fields or Dao Seeds to boost himself with the sword path mystical array.

Because he realized his sword art realm wasn't low at all.

Beibei's sword style was indeed boosted by Emperor Sword Du Zun and powerful, but not unbeatable.

In fact, as soon as she struck, combined with Feng Zhongzui's explanation, Xu Xiaoshou understood it.

Compared to Xiao Zun An's "one poem, one sword; one sword, one song" on Void Island, or Mei Siren's "Red Plum Three Flows, each flow stronger than the last"...

Beibei's sword was certainly strong.

But it was too basic—just copying answers from examples, very superficial!

She could only use one sword flow at a time, at most adding something more complex like "Hai Dao" from the three thousand sword paths, with the rest relying on Emperor Sword Du Zun.

Meanwhile, Xiao Dazui's and Mei Siren's swords had transcended the sword itself, playing with combinations of sword flows, even combinations of sword arts.

The Dao Mirror finished transmitting Bei Jian Xian's highlight moment, and Feng Zhongzui timely switched to Xu Xiaoshou.

He, like everyone else before the mirror, wanted to see how Xu Xiaoshou would respond.

But when the image shifted, all they saw was a figure in the storm, clothes billowing wildly, black hair fluttering, yet standing firm and carefree.

He lightly ran his fingers over the sword blade and murmured:

"Cang Ku, do you want to slay a god?"

In an instant, everyone before the mirrors stood up.

Some were captivated by Xu Xiaoshou's calm demeanor, others witnessed the origin of his "Xu Xiaoshou" notoriety.

Gu Qing pointed at the figure and turned back in anger: "He's too arrogant... Little shimei, he's way too arrogant!"

Su Qianqian smiled at the corner of her lips but said nothing.

At Half Moon Bay, the actor playing Dao Qiong Cang pointed at the mirror and laughed at the actor playing Ba Zun An.

"I don't believe you didn't teach him sword. There's no way Mei Siren could produce such a flamboyant thing."

Ba Zun An didn't even turn his head: "Is it possible that after spending time with you, anyone would pick up some flair? Besides, he's naturally flamboyant."

Outrageous!

Beibei, in her imperial stance, was furious but speechless.

Under the suppression of Absolute Imperial Rule, not only was Xu Xiaoshou's mind unshaken, but he could also casually spout arrogance?

What utter contempt!

Hai Dao was the ultimate attack of Wan Jian Shu, condensing into layered waves of sword intent that could overwhelm and capsize.

This sword aimed for the throat, with Yujing City's ten thousand swords striking together and sword intents from major famous swords surging from all sides—it was like eight directions rallying to protect the emperor.

Yet, even as Beibei's sword thrust toward Xu Xiaoshou's throat, he acted as if he didn't see it.

"Huan Jian Shu?"

Beibei's pupils contracted.

At the same time, she heard Feng Zhongzui's loud cry:

"Huan Jian Shu, that's Huan Jian Shu!"

"Everyone, don't forget—Xu Xiaoshou isn't just Mei Siren's student; before that, he followed the Eighth Sword Immortal for a while."

"And as we all know, the Eighth Sword Immortal excels in Huan Jian Shu, and even his nominal disciple Xiao Kong Dong is skilled in it, so how could Xu Xiaoshou not be?"

Beibei's mind stirred, temporarily changing her sword move and turning the throat-sealing strike into a downward suppression.

"Xin Jian Shu, my heart is clear, break!"

With a booming explosion of golden light, the sea waves shifted from attack to defense, surging around her to try breaking Huan Jian Shu.

At the very least, it should reveal the flaws or boundaries of Huan Jian Shu, right?

Nothing!

Beibei scanned her surroundings; the world was utterly real, without a single flaw.

Had Huan Jian Shu already been dispelled?

Or was Huan Jian Shu still there but undetectable?

Just then, before she could figure it out, she saw Xu Xiaoshou move.

He gently advanced Cang Ku in the slowest, easiest-to-defend, yet most bizarrely hesitant way, stabbing the tip straight into the undefended spot on Beibei's chest.

"Shii..."

This Xu Xiaoshou, who had been under her throat-sealing sword, was so fake it couldn't be faker—no panic, no retreat, no defense, and even his sword-drawing motion was explosively phony, clearly an illusion.

Yet his sword brought the most real pain!

Beibei lowered her head in a daze, watching the blood spread across her chest, feeling the stabbing agony.

Just then, she heard Feng Zhongzui's scream again:

"What did I just see?"

"Xu Xiaoshou used my words to set up Huan Jian Shu, with just a few lines and his bizarre movements, easily tricking Bei Jian Xian?"

"Emperor Sword Du Zun's sword lost its momentum on its own; a mere third-grade spirit sword Cang Ku broke through the defense so easily? Attack the heart first—that's the true Huan Jian Shu!"

Beibei's pupils trembled violently, her face flushing red.

If the earlier stab had pierced her heart but not awakened her, then this "truly piercing" remark was what finally broke her.

No Huan Jian Shu?

Or was Huan Jian Shu not in the moment she thought, but rising from her "realization"?

Then, if she had been bolder and struck earlier, Hai Dao would have severed Xu Xiaoshou's neck?

Regret flooded in!

"Shii..."

Cang Ku withdrew from Beibei's chest and lightly touched her hand, loosening her grip and disarming Emperor Sword Du Zun.

Four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds.

But the victory came too quickly?

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. The intense sword immortal battle he had anticipated, with both sides fighting to the utmost, hadn't materialized.

He had wanted to learn more...

But soon, Xu Xiaoshou cleared his thoughts and realized why, speaking indifferently:

"Ancient sword cultivators hold gods and Buddhas in contempt. In your heart, I'm too elevated, too strong—even without much action from me, you've already lost."

"You didn't lose to me; you lost to yourself."

He paused, and Cang Ku swiftly struck, slicing open a major artery on the side of Beibei's snow-white neck, blood gushing like a spring.

"Borrowing someone's words..."

"My one sword slays the gods and Buddhas in your heart. May you reflect on yourself."