297: Li Xuanfeng's battle

Three thousand li outside the Azure Profound Sect, deep within an ancient mountain range.

Two sharp streams of Sword Intent soared into the sky, tearing apart the clouds above the valley.

The air was permeated with an invisible sharpness, vegetation lay low, and subtle sword marks were etched onto the surface of the rocks.

In the center of the valley, next to a spring eye suffused with Chaos Qi, a peculiar plant swayed gently.

Its entire body resembled carved jade, no taller than three chi, shaped like an orchid, yet the edges of every leaf shimmered with visible silver radiance.

That radiance was not Spiritual Qi, but Innate Sword Qi condensed to its absolute limit!

The space surrounding the plant was slightly distorted, emitting a faint hum of swords.

Sword Heart Grass!

Legend held that it was a sacred object, birthed only after the Sword Qi and the essence of heaven and earth converged for tens of thousands of years at the site where an ancient Sword Cultivator great power had achieved Nirvana.

For a Sword Cultivator, it was a supreme treasure for tempering Sword Intent and improving the grade of one's life-bound Flying Sword.

On either side of the spring eye, two individuals faced off.

The man on the eastern side wore the star-patterned white robe unique to the Yaoguang Holy Land. His figure was tall and straight, his face handsome, and his demeanor carried an Innate arrogance.

Merely by standing there, invisible Sword Qi circulated around him, subtly drawing resonance from the power of the surrounding stars.

It was none other than the Saint of the Yaoguang Holy Land, Mo Yiqian!

Barely thirty years old, his Cultivation had reached the Heavenly Human Realm Peak. Hailed as the leader of the younger generation's sword Dao in the Central Domain, he certainly possessed the qualifications to look down upon his peers.

His gaze burned as he fixed it upon the Sword Heart Grass, then he coldly swept his eyes over the obstructionist opposite him, his voice carrying a hint of anger: "This item is fated to be mine. Your Excellency, step back."

The person on the western side, however, wore an ordinary blue robe, dressed like a Loose Cultivator wandering the world. His appearance was unremarkable, save for a pair of eyes that were clear and tranquil.

The fluctuation of his Aura was at the Heavenly Human Realm Middle Stage. He was Li Xuanfeng, who had disguised his identity and appearance to gain experience after descending the mountain.

Facing Mo Yiqian's imposing Aura and the suppression of his Realm, Li Xuanfeng's expression remained unchanged. He spoke calmly, his voice steady: "Heaven and Earth spiritual treasures belong to whoever finds them. If Your Excellency wishes to take it by force, you must first consult the sword in my hand."

"Hmph, overestimating yourself!"

Mo Yiqian sneered, his patience exhausted. He joined his fingers like a sword and pointed into the air!

Swoosh—!

A stream of Star Sword Qi, condensed to its absolute limit, resembled a meteor tearing through the night sky. It instantly pierced the air with a sharp shriek, aimed directly at Li Xuanfeng's glabella!

This single finger strike appeared casual, yet it was as fast as lightning and incomparably sharp, revealing Mo Yiqian's profound Cultivation and exquisite mastery of the sword Dao.

An ordinary Heavenly Human Realm Middle Stage Cultivator would likely not even have a chance to react to this strike before being instantly and severely wounded!

However, facing this sudden, vicious, and swift strike, Li Xuanfeng seemed to have anticipated it.

His feet remained still, yet his body swayed lightly like a willow catkin in the wind.

That sharp finger-sword narrowly grazed past his temple, the sharp Qi energy it carried silently severing a few strands of his hair, yet failing to harm him in the slightest.

The remaining force of the finger-sword did not diminish, slamming into the rock wall behind and instantly boring a bottomless hole with edges as smooth as a mirror.

When the strike missed, a hint of surprise flashed in Mo Yiqian's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by a fiercer Battle Intent.

"A little interesting! Try taking another sword strike from me!"

He stopped probing. With a flash of light in his hand, the renowned Yaoguang Holy Sword was already in his grasp.

The sword body flowed with illusory starlight, and an even vaster and mightier sword pressure instantly enveloped the entire valley!

Star brilliance enveloped his body, fully revealing his Heavenly Human Realm Peak Cultivation. Every swing of the Yaoguang Holy Sword in his hand drew upon the power of the surrounding stars, making his sword momentum grand and imposing, carrying an arrogance that sought to crush everything.

However, what violently shook his heart was that the smooth, rounded trajectories drawn by the long sword in the blue-robed man's hand, while seemingly clumsy and slow, acted like a deep-sea vortex, completely drawing in, neutralizing, and redirecting his Star Sword Qi that was powerful enough to tear apart mountains!

His gaze was sharp, yet his heart grew increasingly astonished.

"What exactly is this person's background? He is clearly only at the Heavenly Human Realm Middle Stage, yet his Sword Intent is so condensed and profound! My Star Sword Intent is actually unable to shake his Foundation?"

His Sword Intent was already considered top-tier among the younger generation, incomparably condensed, enough to make contemporary Prodigies pale.

But at this moment, he felt his Sword Intent impacting the opponent's seemingly clumsy sword circles like waves crashing against a reef: vast in momentum, yet unable to truly shatter the opponent!

Furthermore, the oppressive feeling emanating from this blue-robed man's Sword Intent actually reminded him faintly of the previous Saint within the Holy Land who had been immersed in the sword Dao for nearly a hundred years—that same sense of unfathomable depth!

"No! This is impossible!"

Mo Yiqian roared inwardly, his sword momentum changing again, becoming even sharper, "Yaoguang Starfall!"

Thousands of sword lights descended like a meteor shower, covering the area below.

Li Xuanfeng, at the center of the storm, maintained a serene expression. The long sword in his hand carved out smooth, rounded trajectories, defending himself impenetrably.

His Foundation was unimaginably solid!

This level of Cultivation stemmed from the massive allocation of resources by the Azure Profound Sect, and even more so from his ability to go to Zizhu Peak to Cultivate every half month, occasionally receiving guidance from Gu Changge.

Gu Changge's guidance was often straight to the point, pointing directly to the Origin of the Dao, saving him countless detours.

Furthermore, frequently sparring Sword Intent with Junior Brother Fang, whose sword was sharp, treacherous, and destructive, was like dancing on a knife's edge. This forced him to refine his Sword Intent until it was incomparably condensed and his Foundation was incredibly solid, just to barely hold his own.

In comparison, although the Sword Intent of the Yaoguang Saint before him was certainly condensed and razor-sharp, compared to Fang Hanyu's Chaos Sword Intent—which seemed capable of severing Karma and extinguishing all creation—it was like a stream compared to a vast ocean, completely lacking that sense of ultimate pressure.

Indeed, judging solely by the purity and condensation of Sword Intent, Li Xuanfeng was confident that the Sword Intent he had honed alongside Junior Brother Fang was not necessarily inferior to his opponent's!

The commotion from the fierce battle between the two was immense.

Several figures swept in from a distance, hiding outside a safe perimeter to observe. When they clearly saw the two engaged in combat, a chorus of gasps immediately arose.

"It's the Yaoguang Saint Mo Yiqian!"

"Who is his opponent? I've never seen him before! He can actually fight the Holy Land Saint to a standstill?"

"They are equally matched! Absolutely equally matched! Look at the residual shockwaves from the clash of Sword Intent—it's terrifying!"

The exclamations were filled with shock. To be able to stand equal to a Central Domain Saint, this blue-robed Sword Cultivator was enough to shake the region!

The two combatants seemed oblivious to the scrutiny of the surrounding onlookers.

Mo Yiqian's competitive spirit was roused by the onlookers' gasps, and starlight flared intensely in his eyes: "To be able to fight me to this extent, you have reason to be proud! Next, be careful!"

"Northern Star Sword Domain, activate!"

Buzz! Centered on him, an area spanning a hundred zhang instantly transformed into a starry Domain. Stars rotated, and the Sword Intent became chilling.

Within the Domain, Mo Yiqian's speed and strength surged. His sword momentum poured out like a galaxy, and his might doubled!

"Excellent!"

Li Xuanfeng's gaze narrowed. Daring not to be careless, his long sword swept out, carving profound trajectories that resembled the Great Void encompassing all things, neutralizing and redirecting the violent Star Sword Qi one by one.

Although he defended more than he attacked, he remained as steady as a rock.

The onlookers watched, dazzled and their hearts surging with excitement.

"Your Highness the Saint has activated his Domain!"

"That blue-robed man can actually still hold him off? He's too strong!"