I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Thanks to the terrifying performances in the quarter-finals, more and more Cultivators were drawn to the semi-finals. Even the Demon Race, who hadn't paid much attention before, now flocked to Sky City from all corners of the Pure Land. Although they didn't quite understand why their Emperor was so supportive of the event, for the Demon Race, their appreciation for power was the same as it was for Human Cultivators.

By now, the Holy Hall was packed to capacity. The Sect Leaders and Hall Masters from every major Sect, essentially anyone with any sort of standing in the Four Directions Small Thousand World, had arrived. Without a doubt, in the Four Directions Small Thousand World, the Holy Hall reigned supreme.

Yang Yingtian and Yang Molong's fortunes had also risen with the tide. Back then, Yang Yingtian had made the wisest of choices, leading to the Yang Family Castle's glory today. The Eight Great Castles Alliance was still thriving, but it was now an ally of the Holy Hall. Given Wang Meng's current status, the Yang Family Castle no longer harbored any great ambitions. After witnessing the standards of the Star Alliance, they understood all too clearly that they were merely frogs in a well.

Those qualified to come to the Holy Mountain were all leaders of their respective Sects, representing several thousand Cultivation Sects of all sizes.

In the Four Directions Small Thousand World, at the Starlight Cultivation Academy, and in the Slaughter Space, many of Wang Meng's friends and rivals were also waiting in anticipation.

Yan Yuyue's feelings were especially complicated. The path of Cultivation was truly like sailing against the current... or perhaps the Holy Hall's progress was just too ferocious. A faint touch of melancholy always lingered in her heart.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the first match of the semi-finals began: Lin Jinghao of the No Illusion Demon Sect versus Bu Qingyun of the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Lin Jinghao and Bu Qingyun were certainly no strangers to each other. Before the battle at the Other Shore, Bu Qingyun hadn't been favored. This Sect Leader's Disciple, who carried the prestigious name of the Cyan Cloud Sect, had not displayed any particularly domineering power. Coupled with the decline of Classical Sword Cultivators, few had high expectations for him. Yet, who would have thought that Bu Qingyun would fight his way into the semi-finals, one step at a time.

Lin Jinghao, on the other hand, was a different story. He was widely acknowledged as one of the great "prodigies." Their match was, without a doubt, a classic battle between Saint and Demon.

In terms of overall aura, Lin Jinghao held an overwhelming advantage. Even the Saint Cultivators felt it would be difficult for Bu Qingyun to challenge Lin Jinghao. The current standard-bearer for the Saint Cultivators was Wang Meng. The state of the quarter-finalists reflected the current balance of power between Saints and Demons: the Saints were waning as the Demons grew stronger. It all depended on whether Wang Meng, the "anomaly," could continue to work miracles.

"Lin Jinghao is so damn lucky. How is a guy like Bu Qingyun supposed to be his opponent? This is the best luck you can get, second only to drawing the Dragon Princess."

"It's already an incredible achievement for Bu Qingyun to have made it this far. He'll probably just do his best to put up a fight against Lin Jinghao."

"It can't be helped. If you exclude the anomaly that is the Holy Hall, the Saint Cultivators were nearly wiped out. Bu Qingyun hasn't really faced any strong challengers on his path here."

"Yeah, come to think of it, the Holy Hall is the one that's been plowing through the competition. That unassuming-looking fatty took out Ghost Crown Prince Wu Wang and Purple Dragon to get here. It's pretty insane when you stop and think about it."

The crowd chattered on. Clearly, among the eight remaining fighters, Bu Qingyun was ranked near the bottom, having gotten there partly by luck. At the very least, some of the eliminated contestants were certainly stronger than him.

Those familiar with Lin Jinghao, however, felt something was off. Today… the Demon Crown Prince wasn't holding his fan. No wonder it felt like something was missing.

"Brother Bu, it has been ten years since our last battle," Lin Jinghao said.

"That battle doesn't count. Your Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body was not yet complete."

Bu Qingyun replied. Facing Lin Jinghao, he was his same old self. But no one had expected that Lin Jinghao and Bu Qingyun had fought before.

Lin Jinghao shook his head. "I've heard that the Cyan Cloud Sect has its ultimate art, the Cyan Cloud Heaven-Slaying Sword Technique. I wonder if Brother Bu has mastered it."

Bu Qingyun smiled faintly. "If you wish to witness my Cyan Cloud Sect's ultimate skill, you'll have to prove you're worthy."

Lin Jinghao smiled. "Then what are we waiting for?"

BOOM…

An aura exploded outward. Lin Jinghao was being surprisingly aggressive, activating his Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body right from the start. The imperious Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon soared into the air, looking down on Bu Qingyun.

How could Bu Qingyun, who had no Holy Statue, possibly resist?

Most people even felt that with Lin Jinghao's strength, dealing with Bu Qingyun shouldn't require such a grand display.

As Lin Jinghao's pressure fully unfurled, the Cultivators were stunned to discover… a sword had appeared in his hand.

'Is all this really necessary?'

Jii Wanli and the others' eyes narrowed. They had never taken Bu Qingyun seriously. Classical Sword Cultivators were destined for obsolescence, and with the growing power of Holy Statues, the Cyan Cloud Sect was on a downward path, hardly worth their notice. Although Bu Qingyun had made it to the quarter-finals, they could only attribute it to heaven-defying luck.

In the eyes of the powerful experts, his victory over Zhou Qian had been a complete fluke.

SHING…

He pointed the Long Sword straight ahead, and a surging tide of aura rushed toward Bu Qingyun. Just then, Bu Qingyun moved.

CLANG…

With a crisp ring, the Cyan Cloud Sword was unsheathed. Instantly, Bu Qingyun's aura became like a sharp sword, slashing toward Lin Jinghao.

BOOM…

The two auras clashed violently. Lin Jinghao's aura was split apart, forcing him to take a step back to regain his footing.

In that moment, Bu Qingyun was like the divine sword of the Cyan Cloud Sect itself. The Cyan Cloud Sect was once home to the Saint Cultivation Master, and it was said that all ten thousand sword techniques originated from Cyan Cloud. Its disciples walked the Small Thousand Realm as superior beings. But with the rise of the Power of the Holy Statue, the Cyan Cloud Sect was suppressed, and in recent years, Cultivators seemed to have forgotten its former glory.

Why?

The Star Alliance's Holy Statue Life Artifact Creation Technique focused on tapping into one's Origin Power, making Cultivation faster and more efficient. But the path of the Classical Sword Cultivator was simply too demanding. Success was incredibly rare—a one-in-ten-thousand chance—unlike now, when practically anyone could cultivate.

Mastering classical sword cultivation was indeed difficult. But once it was achieved... one had to remember that from ancient times to the present, it was this lineage of classical cultivation that had always suppressed the Demon Race.

Facing Lin Jinghao, Bu Qingyun no longer intended to hold back. Sword Qi erupted from his body, soaring to the heavens.

His aura became completely tangible, his entire presence like that of a brilliant, sharp sword.

The activation technique of a Classical Sword Cultivator—the Greeting Sword Form.

With just a single, proud stance, he could push back the aura of the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Holy Statue.

The Cyan Cloud Sect's Sect Leader, Wind Celestial Venerable Lu Chenfeng, wore a placid expression. This was, in truth, the final stand for the persistence and dignity of Classical Sword Cultivators. It was their pride.

Classical Sword Cultivators had to put in far more effort than others and required greater talent. But once they succeeded, they were beyond comparison to those Cultivators who took shortcuts.

Perhaps in the future, the number of Cultivators in the Cyan Cloud Sect would decrease, but those who remained would be stronger.

This was Lu Chenfeng's conviction—not to follow the tide. He firmly believed that he was not alone, and that many other Cultivators still adhered to the classical methods of cultivation.

The battle at the Other Shore had also proven to everyone that Classical Sword Cultivators would never be obsolete.

Bu Qingyun's entire aura underwent a world-shaking transformation... How could one describe it? He carried the majesty of a Sword God.

When the Cyan Cloud Sword slashed out, it carried the power to sunder heavens and cleave the earth.

The simple Sword Technique left all the watching Cultivators dumbfounded. 'This is what a Sword Cultivator can do?'

'How could he reach such a level!?'

Frankly, Bu Qingyun's Sword Qi was like a tangible beam of light. Its sharp, silvery radiance was truly blinding.

Lin Jinghao had not underestimated him from the start, because he was one of the few who knew Bu Qingyun's true strength. A person who was so formidable ten years ago, how could he possibly be weak a decade later? It was just that Classical Sword Cultivators believed in effortless action and did not deliberately flaunt their power. This was the disposition of a classical Sect.

Lin Jinghao's Sword Qi surged, and he blasted out a tyrannical Sword Array. He could conjure a Sword Array with a single slash of his sword.

'Just what kind of prodigy was this!?'

Lin Jinghao's Sword Qi was infused with the tyrannical Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Power. What was truly deadly, however, was that the Sword Qi also contained a Spell Technique.

The Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Curse.

Combined with the Demon Sword Technique of the No Illusion Demon Sect, it was virtually impossible to guard against.

His opponent, Bu Qingyun, however, was a Classical Sword Cultivator in the truest sense of the word—cultivating his sword, his body, and his mind!

Impervious to all evil!

What Bu Qingyun pursued was the ultimate dedication to the sword: as long as the sword exists, he exists; if the sword is destroyed, he is destroyed.

Slash!

A dazzling beam of Sword Qi shot forth.

The four great powerhouses nodded frequently. They too were practitioners of classical cultivation. The Star Alliance's reforms had been born of necessity; the future demanded more battle-ready Cultivators, and the talent requirements for classical cultivation were too high, making it impossible to achieve the scale the Star Alliance currently enjoyed.

The Dragon Race and the Demon Race had the most vivid impression of this. The pinnacle of a Classical Sword Cultivator was a monster who could perfectly combine the power of heaven and earth with their own Elemental Power, creating a force even more terrifying than pure Dragon Power.

It was a Sword Technique infused with human creativity.

When such a Skill Technique reached its peak, it would transform into a "Mind Technique."

The Star Alliance's reforms had indeed produced more experts, but in their pursuit of using Soul Power, had they also lost something essential?

No one could say for certain. But Vast Sea remained resolute in promoting the current system, precisely because humanity possessed a unique characteristic: the ability for a hundred flowers to bloom at once.

Promoting the Holy Statue Life Artifact did not mean Classical Cultivators had to disappear. On the contrary, the two paths could complement each other, creating a golden age where Human Cultivators were invincible.

No one had expected that what was supposed to be a one-sided affair had turned into a battle between equals. Lin Jinghao, with his Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body and a Sword Technique that was both magnificent and terrifying, could only fight Bu Qingyun to a draw.

Bu Qingyun's Sword Forms were remarkably simple, yet they possessed an indescribable oppressive power that made them feel impossible to block.

The surrounding crowd was abuzz. So this was the level a Classical Sword Cultivator could reach! Seeing someone without a Holy Statue emit such a sky-piercing aura and effortlessly counter the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body was, in the current climate, a truly shocking sight.

Without a doubt, this battle made the Cyan Cloud Sect famous overnight.

There were indeed many among the Cultivators who were nostalgic for the old ways of cultivation. Their cultivation philosophies differed from the Star Alliance's, but they had no one to lead the way.

Now, the Cyan Cloud Sect was telling them that even within the Star Alliance, the Cyan Cloud Sect still stood, and Classical Sword Cultivators would not disappear!

BOOM…

Lin Jinghao's Sword Qi was fierce and multifaceted, its complexity beyond imagination, exploding in the form of Sword Arrays. Bu Qingyun's Sword Qi was simple and direct, but its power lay in its depth; the ingenuity of his Life Mark Combination was hidden within the combination itself.

The two were extreme representatives of their cultivation paths, one a Saint Cultivator, the other a Demon Cultivator, and their battle was apocalyptic.

"Brother Meng, that phony intellectual's Sword Technique is on par with yours," Zhang Xiaopang muttered. The fatty had a good eye for these things.

Wang Meng smiled faintly. "Bu Qingyun's Sword Technique is truly a masterwork of refinement." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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