Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 351: Chapter 347: The Three Great Swords

If you defeat a Sword Cultivator using sheer Cultivation, they may submit to your overwhelming power, but they will never be truly convinced.

But if you defeat them using Sword Technique, the meaning is entirely different.

Within the Celestial Sword Grand Canyon, nearly everyone who had gathered was a Sword Cultivator. This was a grand gathering for them, and its theme was, naturally, the sword.

To determine superiority by the sword, to decide victory by the sword—that is the true way of a Sword Cultivator’s duel.

At this moment, five fierce attacks closed in, surrounding Ning Jiang from all sides.

Ning Jiang snorted coldly. With a stomp of his foot, a piercing aura erupted from his body.

SHIING! SHIING! SHIING! SHIING!

The Treasure Swords of the numerous Martial Artists in the area began to tremble violently, almost breaking free of their owners’ control to be drawn into Ning Jiang’s Sword Momentum.

"Half-Step Sword Intent!"

"More than that—this Half-Step Sword Intent is already extremely close to true Sword Intent."

Surprised cries echoed from the crowd.

In all of Qing Province, not many people had comprehended Half-Step Sword Intent—fewer than ten in total.

Jian Xinghe of the Star Sword Sect had become so famous and known as a prodigy of the Sword Dao precisely because he had comprehended Half-Step Sword Intent at such a young age.

Take the five men besieging Ning Jiang, for example. Their Sword Technique was superb, and each could rank in the top twenty in Qing Province, yet even they had not comprehended Sword Intent.

Comprehending Sword Intent was said to be harder than ascending to the heavens.

The moment this Sword Intent appeared, the five men’s attacks instantly faltered.

A Sword Cultivator who wielded Sword Intent could exert immense pressure on an ordinary one. Had it been complete Sword Intent, Ning Jiang would have been able to control all five of their swords.

As it was, he could only halt their attacks for a brief moment.

But for Ning Jiang, a brief moment was more than enough.

For an expert, a moment’s difference is the difference between life and death.

WHOOSH.

Ning Jiang’s figure flickered, moving like a phantom.

Ten Steps of Impermanence, where I alone dictate life and death.

Within ten steps, he was the Sovereign of life and death, the soul-reaping Yama.

As Ning Jiang’s Cultivation had grown, this Body Technique had gradually lost its utility and faded from use. But that didn’t mean the Technique was completely useless.

On the contrary, in close-quarters combat, Ten Steps of Impermanence could still produce miraculous results.

The five men felt their vision blur as if a ghostly shadow had flashed before them. Then, each of their arms was struck simultaneously, going numb and losing all strength.

"My sword!"

When they came to their senses, they saw that the swords from their hands were now in Ning Jiang’s grasp.

"Masterful. Truly masterful."

The surrounding Sword Cultivators stared, dumbfounded, a sense of admiration for Ning Jiang welling up within them.

"Defeating a Sword Cultivator is easy, but to do what he just did—snatching the swords right out of their hands—is more than ten times harder."

Someone exclaimed in utter amazement.

To a Sword Cultivator, their sword is their life, something they value above all else. Sword Cultivators at their Realm have long since trained to the point where sword and self are one. It could be said that the sword is an extension of their body, moving as easily as a finger on their own hand.

How difficult must it be, then, to snatch away a part of their very body?

Yet Ning Jiang had disarmed them with his bare hands—all five of them!

Such a feat instantly earned the admiration of the many Sword Cultivators present.

The strong will always command respect, no matter the time or place.

"Our skills were inferior. We are thoroughly impressed."

The five men, their faces pale, gracefully conceded defeat.

They knew their strength was truly no match for Ning Jiang’s, so they admitted it without protest. To continue fighting would only be to bring humiliation upon themselves.

Besides, if Ning Jiang could take their swords, he could just as easily have taken their lives.

They had to show proper respect to someone whose strength so clearly surpassed their own.

"They have some self-awareness, at least."

Seeing that they weren’t going to cause any more trouble, Ning Jiang nodded. With a casual toss, he threw the five swords back to them.

"Thank you."

The five men thanked him again. These swords had been with them for many years, equivalent to their very lives, and were incredibly important. That Ning Jiang would return them was a testament to his magnanimity.

After all, they were the ones who had provoked him first. It would have been perfectly reasonable for Ning Jiang to confiscate their swords as punishment.

"Think nothing of it."

Ning Jiang waved his hand dismissively, not bothering to argue with them further.

He reached out with his palm, and a suction force surged forth, pulling at the True Essence of Sword Intent before him.

A moment later, the True Essence of Sword Intent landed in his hand.

The object was palm-sized and completely translucent, radiating a roiling Sword Intent that caused the Sword Intent within his own body to resonate in response.

He could feel his own Sword Intent becoming exceptionally active.

’This is good stuff.’

Ning Jiang sat down cross-legged and, under the envious gazes of the crowd, began to absorb and refine this Sword Intent Fragment.

The others were envious, but even if they had ten times the courage, they wouldn’t dare try to snatch it.

And so, the area fell silent.

While Ning Jiang was refining the True Essence of Sword Intent, more experts began to arrive one after another, drawing the attention of the crowd.

"The Sword Intent has erupted in the Celestial Sword Grand Canyon. The news must be spreading like wildfire. All the famous Sword Cultivators won’t be able to sit still now."

"From this point on, experts will be arriving one after another."

"Look, it’s Chen Ye! He’s a Sword Cultivator from Qing Province, strong enough to rank in the top ten."

"Don’t get too excited. The real party won’t start until the Three Great Swords arrive!"

Excitement appeared on the faces of many of the Sword Cultivators.

Every time Sword Intent erupted in the Celestial Sword Grand Canyon, it sent the Sword Cultivators of Qing Province into a frenzy. It was a rare opportunity to witness the most famous Sword Cultivators in the entire province.

"Oh yeah, the Master of Myriad Swords Sect, Ning Jiang—isn’t he a Sword Cultivator, too? I wonder if he’ll show up."

"What do you all think? How does Ning Jiang’s Swordsmanship rank among the Sword Cultivators of Qing Province? Is he even qualified to challenge the Three Great Swords?"

"Ning Jiang is certainly a monstrous talent, but saying he can challenge the Three Great Swords might be giving him too much credit, don’t you think? I doubt he’s their match."

"The name Myriad Swords Sect is said to be taken from the phrase ’Myriad Swords Return to the Sect,’ which means all swords returning to a single sect. The name subtly implies that they are the leader of the Sword Dao. I heard that even the Three Great Swords have expressed some displeasure with it."

At the mention of the Myriad Swords Sect, complex expressions appeared on the faces of many Sword Cultivators present.

Everyone knew of this newly risen hegemon of Qing Province.

But what concerned them most was the name, Myriad Swords Sect. Its sheer ambition far surpassed that of the Star Sword Sect. The name was so audacious it almost rivaled that of the Celestial Sword Sect, a Super Sect from the Six Eastern Provinces.

Quite a few Sword Cultivators were displeased with this name, finding it far too arrogant.

"Forget it, let’s not talk about this. The Myriad Swords Sect is too powerful now. Not even the Three Great Swords can afford to provoke them."

"Speaking of which, I heard a while ago that some major figure is supposed to be descending upon Qing Province. Any idea if that’s true?"

"A major figure? I’ve heard whispers about that, too. Apparently, even the Three Great Swords went to greet them."

The surrounding discussions did not affect Ning Jiang in the slightest.

One day later, he slowly opened his eyes, and a strand of Sword Qi burst forth from them.

Complete Sword Intent—he was on the verge of comprehending it!

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