69: Chapter 69 Ultimate Showdown

I stood in the Trial Grounds, my legs feeling like they were filled with lead, and my bones creaking with every movement.

Having taken down three inner sect disciples in a row—Zhou Ziheng, Zhao Tiezhu, and Lin Qingshui—my condition right now, to use a local saying, was basically—falling apart.

The hidden injuries in my meridians were acting up, flaring in waves and making me wince in pain.

But I just stood there in the center of the arena, unmoving.

Because the person standing opposite me was Qin Wuji.

The Chief Disciple of the Inner Sect, level 25, a master of complete Sword Intent.

With just those labels, anyone would have to think twice before facing him.

But when has Chen Ergou ever been someone to think twice? If I were the type to hesitate, I wouldn't have dared to square off directly against Long Aotian back in the Novice Village.

Qin Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes spotless, his long hair tied back with a black ribbon. Just standing there, he looked like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

He glanced at me and spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it could be heard clearly throughout the entire Trial Grounds.

"You have already won three matches and could have passed. Why continue?"

That was a good question.

The inner sect disciples around us were whispering; some said I didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, some said I was crazy, and others said I was just playing the hero.

I grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. Although there was still a trace of blood on the corner of my mouth from when I took down Lin Qingshui, it didn't matter.

"Because I want to know how far I am from the strongest."

Once these words were spoken, the whole arena went quiet.

A flash of appreciation crossed Qin Wuji's eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly for an instant, almost imperceptibly. But I knew that he must have found me somewhat interesting.

"Very well," he said, his voice calm, but an overwhelming pressure instantly surged up. "Then I will fulfill your wish."

As soon as he finished speaking, he moved.

I swear, I have never seen a sword this fast in my life.

It wasn't the flashy kind of fast; it was the kind where you couldn't even see how he attacked.

A flash of white light streaked past, a chill touched my face, and a lock of my hair drifted down.

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on my back.

This was only the first strike, damn it!

I hurriedly dodged to the side and drew my sword to block. Just as I raised my blade, Qin Wuji's second strike arrived.

That sword carried a complete Sword Intent, heavy as if a small mountain were pressing down on me.

"Clang!"

The web of my thumb split open on the spot, and the force sent me staggering back seven or eight steps, plowing two grooves into the stone floor beneath my feet.

Too strong.

This was an opponent on a completely different level.

Qin Wuji's swordsmanship was fluid and natural. Every strike was precise, with no wasted movement and no flashy techniques—just a simple thrust, a chop, and a slash.

But every strike carried his complete Sword Intent. The pressure was like standing by the ocean, with wave after wave crashing against you, leaving you unable to catch your breath.

I was beaten without any ability to fight back.

I barely blocked the third strike, but my knees gave way, and I fell to one knee.

With the fourth strike, my sword was knocked out of my hand.

The fifth strike— "Pfft!"

A sword grazed my shoulder, and blood instantly gushed out. The system frantically popped up health warnings, but I ignored them completely.

I gritted my teeth, climbed up from the ground, retrieved my sword, and got back into my stance.

Qin Wuji glanced at me, said nothing, and continued to strike.

The sixth strike, the seventh, the eighth...

I was knocked flying strike after strike, hitting the ground, climbing up, getting knocked flying again, and getting up again.

The blood from my shoulder flowed down my arm, staining the stone floor red. The hidden injuries in my meridians were getting worse; every movement felt like a knife twisting inside me.

But I simply refused to kneel.

The entire arena was silent.

Those inner sect disciples who had been mocking me earlier were now silent. They watched a blood-soaked person stand up again and again, their eyes full of disbelief.

To be honest, it really hurt. I, Chen Ergou, am not made of iron; anyone would collapse after taking so many hits. But in my mind, I was thinking about one thing—

I remembered back in the Novice Village, when I was chased and beaten, without even a decent weapon, crouching in a corner eating a steamed bun.

I remembered when I was running my stall, and someone overturned it, scattering my goods everywhere, and I had to crouch on the ground picking them up one by one.

I remembered the match against Long Aotian, where I was covered in injuries but managed to fight him to a draw.

I remembered the Martial Arts Tournament, where everyone thought I wouldn't make it, but I fought match after match until I finally stood on the highest podium.

In this life, when have I, Chen Ergou, ever been afraid?

"Come on!" I roared, my voice cracking. "Come again!"

Qin Wuji's sword paused.

In that instant, I caught a glimpse of his eyes—there was no contempt, no disdain, but instead, a hint of... respect?

Then he continued to strike, but this time was different from before. It was faster, heavier, and sharper.

I gritted my teeth and poured all my remaining internal energy into my sword. The Unrestrained Sword Intent surged crazily within me, and a golden light radiated from the blade.

The two Sword Intents collided.

Qin Wuji's Sword Intent was that kind of upright and honorable complete Sword Intent, vast and unstoppable. My Unrestrained Sword Intent was a wild style, ignoring rules and patterns, but it had a special resilience—the more you suppress it, the harder it rebounds.

Just like a spring; the harder you press, the higher it bounces.

"Hum—"

The two swords crashed together, emitting a piercing hum. I was sent flying backward and rolled across the ground several times before stopping. But I noticed that Qin Wuji had also taken half a step back.

Just half a step.

But that half step meant that my Unrestrained Sword Intent was not completely useless.

Qin Wuji frowned slightly, and then he did something—he sheathed his sword.

He held the sword vertically in front of him, gripping the hilt with both hands, and a terrifying aura emanated from his entire body. The surrounding air began to distort, and the gravel on the ground was swept up by an invisible force.

"Heavenly Constellation Sword Array."

He spat out the four words. His voice wasn't loud, but those four words hit the Trial Grounds like four bombs.

Thirty-six sword auras appeared out of thin air, forming a massive sword array around him. Each sword aura carried a complete Sword Intent; with thirty-six combined, the pressure was incredible. I felt like an ant standing before a giant.

It's over.

How the hell am I supposed to fight this?

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. Sky Breaker, Moon Slash, World Destroyer (incomplete version)—I had used these three moves separately, but I had never tried combining them. The risk was too high; if I unleashed all three at once, it was a question of whether my meridians could handle it.

But now, I had no choice.

"I'll bet it all!"

I bit my tongue and spat a mouthful of blood essence onto the sword. The blade vibrated violently, emitting a hum like a dragon's roar.

The piercing power of Sky Breaker, the sharpness of Moon Slash, and the destructive force of the incomplete World Destroyer—three forces surged into the sword simultaneously.

Gold, cyan, and silver—three-colored light intertwined on the sword, illuminating the entire Trial Grounds. The watching inner sect disciples all widened their eyes, and even the elders on the high platform stood up.

"What kind of swordsmanship is this?" someone exclaimed.

I didn't care about anything else. I closed my eyes, poured all my power into this one strike, and slashed toward Qin Wuji's Heavenly Constellation Sword Array.

"Open—up!"

The three-colored sword aura transformed into a massive beam of light, crashing violently into the Heavenly Constellation Sword Array.

"Boom!"

The entire Trial Grounds shook. Cracks split the ground, gravel flew, and dust filled the air.

My sword aura began to shatter the moment it collided with the Heavenly Constellation Sword Array—a sword array composed of thirty-six complete Sword Intents was not something my cultivation level could take head-on.

But just at the moment when the sword aura was about to collapse completely, my Unrestrained Sword Intent erupted.

The characteristic of rebounding the more it was suppressed was displayed vividly at this moment. The sword aura, already on the verge of shattering, suddenly condensed into an extremely thin line, like a needle, and forcibly tore a crack through the Heavenly Constellation Sword Array.

The crack was tiny, almost invisible. But my sword aura passed right through that crack.

"Ssh—"

A soft sound.

The Heavenly Constellation Sword Array dissipated.

As the dust settled, everyone saw it—a small piece of Qin Wuji's hem had been cut off.

Just that small piece, fluttering to the ground, blindingly white.

I collapsed to the ground, my internal energy completely exhausted, and a tearing pain radiated through my meridians. My vision flickered, and the system frantically popped up red warnings that my HP was below 10%.

But I smiled.

Qin Wuji looked down at his severed hem and was silent for a moment.

Then, he smiled.

That was the first time I had ever seen Qin Wuji smile. It wasn't a polite smile; it was a sincere, heartfelt smile.

"You lost," he said, his voice calm, "but you are the most promising sword cultivator I have ever seen."

I lay on the ground, my mouth covered in blood, but I smiled too.

"Next time, I will definitely beat you."

Qin Wuji didn't speak; he just glanced at me and turned to leave. But in that glance, there was something that made me feel—this guy will be a respectable opponent in the future.

Just then, the system notification sounded.

[Ding! Sword Intent comprehension progress +20, current progress: 65/100]

[Ding! Special achievement unlocked: Defeating the Stronger with the Weak—Hit an opponent with a level gap of more than 3. Reward: EXP x 10000]

[Congratulations to player Chen Ergou for leveling up! Current level: 23]

I looked at the system notifications before me, grinned, and then my vision went black as I completely passed out.