Chapter 53: The Ancient and Modern Sword
As its name suggests, the Other Mountain Stone was nothing more than a small pebble, yet it was a top-tier offensive Immortal Artifact. Once thrown, it was guaranteed to hit its target. With this stone in hand, Island Lord Mo was invincible even at the Soul Formation Stage. Even Zhang Konghu, known for his formidable body cultivation, would be on the verge of death if he took a direct hit.
However, Ji Zhi showed no fear.
As the Other Mountain Stone hurtled toward him, he gently swung his sword. The stone’s speed immediately slowed, and by the time it reached Ji Zhi, it had lost all its threat.
“This… is the power of time?” Holy Maiden Jingxin hesitated. She had heard of the legendary Ancient and Modern Sword—said to be forged from the remnants of Ji Family’s ancestor, the fish of the River of Time, when it ascended. It was a fishbone sword capable of affecting time and space, but she didn’t know how exactly it was used.
“Yes,” Jiang Li confirmed, seeing even more clearly than Holy Maiden Jingxin. “That strike disrupted the Other Mountain Stone’s own temporal flow, making it travel for years before reaching Ji Zhi. It lost momentum but, due to its unique trait of always hitting its target, it had no choice but to keep flying toward him.”
Seizing the moment as Island Lord Mo recalled the Other Mountain Stone, Ji Zhi charged forward, slashing multiple times at her.
Island Lord Mo dodged one strike, only for another to land as if perfectly anticipated. This happened repeatedly, leaving her wounded.
Frowning, she locked eyes with Ji Zhi and suddenly realized—the sword wasn’t the key. It wasn’t the Ancient and Modern Sword affecting her movements; it was Ji Zhi’s double pupils, allowing him to see into the future. That was why his strikes landed with such eerie precision.
Realizing this, she knew that close combat would only put her at a disadvantage. She immediately pulled back and threw the Other Mountain Stone again.
This time, the stone multiplied into tens of thousands, blocking all of Ji Zhi’s escape routes, forcing him to endure the attack.
But to everyone’s shock, Ji Zhi gripped his sword with both hands, holding it protectively in front of his chest. As the countless Other Mountain Stones approached, their speed suddenly slowed. It was as if an invisible domain spread outward from Ji Zhi, infinitely stretching time within its boundaries.
Suddenly, a sword aura appeared right where Island Lord Mo stood, striking her before she could react. Instinctively, she teleported to another location—only to be struck again.
No matter where she moved, sword energy materialized at her destination, leaving her unable to evade!
“Island Lord Mo, how do you find the might of the Ancient and Modern Sword?” Ji Zhi, holding the fishbone sword, smiled as if he had expected all of this.
“A perfect match with double pupils!” Island Lord Mo praised. She understood his methods but couldn’t yet think of a way to counter them.
The true power of the Other Mountain Stone had yet to be fully displayed, while the Ancient and Modern Sword had already inflicted several wounds on her. At this point, she knew she had lost.
Though the battle was frustrating, a loss was still a loss. She accepted it.
The sword energy hadn’t caused any critical injuries—an act of mercy from Ji Zhi.
“What just happened?” Holy Maiden Jingxin still couldn’t grasp what Ji Zhi had done.
Jiang Li chuckled. “I’ve suffered from this before. Ji Zhi knew he would be challenged, so he used his double pupils to see who his opponent would be and when and where they would attack. Then, using the Ancient and Modern Sword, he preemptively left behind sword energy in those locations. That energy only manifested now, another ability of the Ancient and Modern Sword.”
“Island Lord Mo lost because she wasn’t familiar with the sword’s abilities. The Other Mountain Stone can strike all things, even shattering space or hitting the River of Time. If she had known its power, she could have thrown the stone at the River of Time, creating ripples to muddle the future. That would have significantly weakened Ji Zhi’s double pupils and the Ancient and Modern Sword.”
With just a few words, Jiang Li laid out the key to defeating Ji Zhi, earning admiration from those present.
“Eastern Sea Dragon King, fight me!”
Now, only the Celestial Gourd of the Tianyuan Dynasty and the Dragon Pearl of the Four Seas remained untested. Most assumed it was the Tianyuan Empress issuing the challenge.
However, she merely frowned. Though she had intended to challenge the Eastern Sea Dragon King, she hadn’t spoken yet.
Clad in imperial robes, the Tianyuan Empress exuded majesty and authority. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, yet the first thing people noticed was not her beauty but the overwhelming presence of a ruler.
“Eastern Sea Dragon King, fight me!” The voice rang out again, and the crowd finally realized—it was Island Lord Mo issuing the challenge.
Although she admitted her loss, the more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She needed another battle to vent her frustration.
Dressed in azure robes, the Eastern Sea Dragon King, with a human body and a dragon’s head, sighed and stepped forward.
Others might not know Island Lord Mo’s true power, but he certainly did.
Among the Six Great Sects, only Penglai Immortal Island was situated overseas, meaning it frequently crossed paths with the Dragon Palace.
When no one used Immortal Artifacts, Mo Ruoyu could take on two Dragon Kings alone. When artifacts were involved, she could fight four.
Sometimes, the Four Seas Dragon Kings wondered—since they were all divine beasts anyway, should they just merge with the Baize Dynasty? The humans were bullying them too much!
No, no, no! I must not think this way. I am no longer the Dragon King of the past! I am now the leader of the Four Seas, the Eastern Sea Dragon King, strengthened by Jiang Li’s Human Sovereign Strength!
My brothers believe in me! They sent me into battle because they trust me to lead the Four Seas to glory!
With this thought, a newfound confidence surged within him. He had never fought Mo Ruoyu after cultivating Jiang Li’s Human Sovereign Strength—today was his chance to make a name for himself!
…
He lost miserably.
Bai Hongtu kept shoving Great Rejuvenation Pills into his mouth like they were free.
As he lay there, the Eastern Sea Dragon King began to suspect—Mo Ruoyu had never beaten him this badly before. Was she going all out because she knew the Dao Sect’s Great Rejuvenation Pills would heal him anyway?
“This old dragon has gotten stronger!” Mo Ruoyu frowned after returning to the stands. Though she had won, she could tell that the Eastern Sea Dragon King was far tougher than before. The Dragon Clan was naturally gifted in body cultivation, and now, his physical strength had clearly improved.
If they both wielded Immortal Artifacts, she estimated she could now only take on three Dragon Kings at once.
“Jiang Li’s Human Sovereign Strength is this effective?” As the Dragon Palace’s neighbor, Mo Ruoyu had heard rumors about the Dragon Clan secretly refining their bodies. She glanced at Jiang Li.
Jiang Li suddenly felt as if he were being targeted.
“Big Brother couldn’t even block the Other Mountain Stone with four Dragon Pearls.”
“Good thing Big Brother went up.”
“Yeah, otherwise, it’d be us lying there.”
The other three Dragon Kings whispered among themselves. With Immortal Artifacts at stake, they had to participate—but not openly. If they stepped up, they’d end up like their big brother.
As the eldest, it was only right that he took the first beating.
To be fair, Dragon Pearls had incredible defensive power. If the Eastern Sea Dragon King had been fighting Bai Hongtu, even a Tribulation Stage cultivator wouldn’t have been able to crack them.
But Immortal Artifacts countered each other. There was nothing he could do.
“Look! The Yin-Yang Heaven Seal is changing!”
…
Thanks to book friends “My Mother Hen” and “Dark Knight” for voting with their monthly tickets.
This is my first time receiving monthly tickets.