43: Defeat Tiandu, the Emperor launches a rebellion

Nangong Mingyue's reply made the atmosphere between them a bit subtle.

"Wait for me here."

Jiang Chen looked at her and said.

Nangong Mingyue nodded subconsciously.

Jiang Chen turned around, took a step, and his figure returned to the ruins of the battle stage.

His gaze swept over, landing on Lin Fan's previous position, and with a casual wave, a ring flew into his palm.

"Waste utilization is not bad," Jiang Chen played with the ring, and with a sweep of his Divine Thought, he put it into his storage space.

After doing all this, he finally raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over the True Disciple seats.

His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire square, "Is there anyone else who wants to come up and fight me?"

As soon as these words came out, the entire venue fell silent.

Everyone's eyes subconsciously gathered on Xiao Tiandu, Song Ningxue, Qing Linghe, and Wen Yan.

Wen Yan was the first to move; he unfurled his peach blossom fan with a whoosh, cupped his hands to Jiang Chen from afar, a smile on his face, "Saint's Divine Might is unmatched, Junior Brother I am truly convinced and concede defeat!"

His words made many Disciples snicker, but they dared not actually laugh out loud.

Qing Linghe also stood up, nodding slightly in Jiang Chen's direction, her voice cool and clear: "I admit defeat."

She had always been unconcerned with worldly affairs and had no interest in this ranking to begin with; moreover, after witnessing Jiang Chen's terrifying strength, she had no thought of fighting whatsoever.

Next, it was Song Ningxue.

She wore a white fitted suit, standing tall and straight, her face, usually as cold as ice, now held an extremely complex expression.

She looked at the white-clad figure on the battle stage, recalling his furious appearance for Nangong Mingyue, and then the scene of Lin Fan being crushed into dust by his thunderous methods.

She had lost to Lin Fan, yet Jiang Chen had crushed Lin Fan as if he were an ant.

This disparity made her feel a sense of powerlessness.

She took a deep breath, her voice still cold, "I am not your opponent."

Three True Disciples, one after another, admitted defeat.

Now, all the pressure, all the gazes, were focused on the last person.

The head of the True Disciples, Xiao Tiandu.

Under everyone's gaze, Xiao Tiandu slowly stood up.

He didn't speak, but merely gripped his sword hilt, walking steadily, step by step, towards the battle stage.

With each step he took, the incomparably sharp Sword Intent on his body grew stronger.

When he finally stood opposite Jiang Chen, his entire being was like a peerless divine sword drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed, wrapped in lightning!

"Wen Yan and the others can admit defeat. But I cannot."

Xiao Tiandu spoke, his voice as steady as a mountain, locking onto Jiang Chen, "As a Sword Cultivator, I have my Dao to walk."

He paused, and the thunderous Sword Intent on his body erupted, stirring up the wind and clouds.

"Saint, please enlighten me!"

He was not intimidated by Jiang Chen's Aura; instead, his Battle Intent soared to the sky.

This was Xiao Tiandu, a pure seeker of the Dao who regarded the Dao of the Sword as everything.

On the high platform, Jiang Shengtian and the others also watched with great interest.

They also wanted to know who would be superior between the two most outstanding Prodigies of this generation in Hongtian Holy Land.

However, facing the battle-ready Xiao Tiandu, Jiang Chen merely frowned slightly.

"I am in a very bad mood right now."

He glanced in the direction of the high platform; Nangong Mingyue was still standing there, and although her injuries had healed, her face was still a bit pale.

A suppressed irritation rose in Jiang Chen's heart.

He turned back to Xiao Tiandu, his tone flat: "Your sword is not bad. Another day, when I'm in a better mood, I can have a good match with you."

These words were extremely plain, yet also extremely arrogant!

"You!" Even with Xiao Tiandu's steady Heart-Nature, Jiang Chen's words ignited his anger.

Xiao Tiandu, since he began cultivating, had never been so disrespected by his peers!

"Whether to fight or not is not for you to decide!" Xiao Tiandu roared, no longer suppressing his power.

"Heavenly Thunder! Sword Come!"

Boom!

Above the Nine Heavens, a thick purple lightning tore through the clouds, striking down with a thunderous crash, directly pouring into the longsword in Xiao Tiandu's hand.

In an instant, the sword light surged, and thunder roared through the sky!

Xiao Tiandu merged with his sword, transforming into a hundred-zhang-long purple Dragon of thunder, roaring, tearing through the Void Realm, and striking down at Jiang Chen's head with world-destroying Divine Might!

This sword strike was the ultimate manifestation of his cultivation and Sword Intent!

Facing this earth-shattering blow, Jiang Chen finally raised his eyes.

A hint of impatience flashed in his deep eyes.

"Very well, if that's the case, I'll grant your wish."

He slowly raised his right hand, two fingers together, forming a sword-finger.

He casually swiped forward at the roaring thunder Dragon.

"Great Luo Sword Art, Falling Star River."

A seemingly unremarkable white Sword Qi flew from his fingertip.

That Sword Qi, initially only three feet long, was so faint it seemed as if it could extinguish at any moment.

Then it rapidly extended and expanded, forming a long river of Sword Qi composed of tens of thousands of tiny Sword Qi.

That raging purple thunder Dragon crashed into the river of swords.

It didn't even stir up a single ripple; from the Dragon's head, it was cut, decomposed, and annihilated by the Sword Qi.

Immediately after, the white Sword Qi, having obliterated the thunder Dragon, its power undiminished, flashed past and appeared before Xiao Tiandu with overwhelming force, stopping just before his glabella.

The sharp Sword Intent pricked his glabella, causing him pain.

Xiao Tiandu froze in place, maintaining his sword-drawing posture, yet his entire body seemed to be immobilized, unable to move.

The lightning in his eyes had long since dissipated, leaving only endless shock and bewilderment.

Defeated?

He was just... broken by a casual finger from the opponent?

The Sword Qi hovering at his glabella carried no killing intent.

In front of that Sword Qi, his proud Thunder Sword Intent was like a child's, laughable and naive.

"I... lost."

After a long while, Xiao Tiandu uttered these three words with difficulty.

All the Aura on his body dissipated at this moment, and he felt as if all his strength had been drained.

Jiang Chen retracted his sword-finger, and the hovering Sword Qi also vanished.

He didn't even spare Xiao Tiandu another glance, turning around and taking a step, returning to the high platform, in front of Nangong Mingyue.

The entire square remained in dead silence.

If Jiang Chen's crushing of Lin Fan relied on the tyrannical Dao Yan Heavenly Demon Body and the Physique's suppression of Devilish Qi.

Then at this moment, Jiang Chen defeating Xiao Tiandu with a single finger was the ultimate understanding and control of the Dao of the Sword.

The outcome of the Grand Competition was now without any suspense.

The Deacon Elder was stunned for a long time before he reacted, announcing the final result with a trembling voice.

"This Holy Land Grand Competition, the champion... Saint, Jiang Chen!"

The voice echoed, but no one cheered.

Everyone was still immersed in that single sword strike, unable to recover for a long time.

However, at this very moment.

An untimely, questioning voice rang out from the highest point of the spectator seats.

"Holy Master Jiang, congratulations."

The Emperor of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, Yuan Canglan, slowly rose from his seat.

He wore a golden Dragon robe and an imperial crown, exuding an imposing Aura without anger.

He first cupped his hands to Jiang Shengtian with a forced smile, then his tone suddenly shifted, becoming sharp.

"However, this Emperor has one matter unclear, and I ask Holy Master Jiang to enlighten us."

His gaze was fixed on Jiang Chen, who had just returned to the high platform.

"Just now, what was that towering Devilish Qi on the Saint about?"

"We Righteous Path Sects are gathered here, and Hongtian Holy Land, as the host, its Saint, the future successor, actually possesses such pure and tyrannical Demonic Path Qi!"

Yuan Canglan's voice, like rolling thunder, boomed in everyone's ears.

"Holy Master Jiang, shouldn't you give all of us an explanation?"