204: Chapter 204 The Match Begins! Sword or Staff?

"Whoever manages to break through first shall claim the first merit of this battle."

Li Xuan's voice was not loud, yet it sounded like a decree, like thunder, exploding across the deathly silent Sea of Realms, clearly falling into the ears of every living being.

The Heavenly Court Fleet's Battle Intent ignited instantly.

The gazes of millions of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals converged, falling fervently upon the very front of the fleet, on those two figures—one large, one small, one monkey, one human.

Everyone understood that this opening battle was a public examination by His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor of the newly arrived Victorious Fighting Buddha and the eldest son of the Heavenly Emperor.

The result would not only concern the honor of the first merit but might also invisibly determine the subtle hierarchy of the future Heavenly Court generals.

This was going to be quite a show.

On the other side, on Devils Island behind the Dark Canopy, the three Demonic Lords were stunned upon hearing Li Xuan's words, before erupting into even more unbridled laughter.

"Hahahaha! Did you hear that? He sent two juniors to attack my Dark Canopy?" The Lord of Fear's twisted figure fluctuated violently, laughing almost out of control, "How truly... stupidly adorable!"

"A monkey with barely any fur grown, a babe still nursing—what do they intend to do? Bite it with their teeth?" On the Lord of Plague's sallow face, pustules burst continuously with his wild laughter, spraying foul-smelling venom in all directions.

In their view, this so-called competition was nothing more than a comical final performance by these ignorant intruders before the apocalypse arrived.

Let alone a mere monkey at the Peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm and a babe who looked even weaker, even if eight or ten Grand Unity Golden Immortals joined forces, they would never dream of shaking this absolute defense, condensed from billions of vengeful Souls and fallen Laws, in a short time.

They were too lazy to even make a move, holding a spectator's mindset, preparing to enjoy watching these two clowns smash themselves to pieces against the Dark Canopy, only to be torn apart by the billions of vengeful Souls.

"Hehehe! Little babe, did you hear that? His Majesty has given his word; this time, don't you dare try to snatch it from Old Sun!"

Sun Wukong excitedly hammered his chest, the sound like a beating drum. He carried the golden cudgel on his shoulder, tilted his head, and looked at Li Changsheng provocatively with a "you can't do it" gaze, his monkey face filled with determination to win.

Steal the kill? Not a chance! This time, your Monkey Grandfather must go first!

Unexpectedly, Li Changsheng did not engage in any verbal dispute with him this time.

This born Sword God merely raised his eyelids.

The movement was very light, very slow.

Yet in that instant, the world lost its voice.

The clamorous Chaos currents, the suppressed breathing of the soldiers, the jarring laughter of the Demonic Lords—all fell into deathly silence.

Only a pure, extremely sharp Sword Intent rose from within his small body.

Li Changsheng stood quietly at the bow of the ship, facing the Dark Canopy that radiated endless evil and ominousness, his cold and aloof face showing seriousness for the first time.

He closed his eyes.

It was not cowardice, but rather the gathering of everything that made him a Sword God.

"Hum——"

A barely audible tremor resonated from the depths of his Divine Soul.

A wisp of gray Chaos Qi overflowed from between his brows, wrapping around the simple wooden sword in his hand.

That was neither Immortal Qi nor magic power.

It was a wisp of... Zhu Xian Sword Intent.

It was the most primal killing energy from the Zhu Xian Sword Formation Map, which would cause death upon contact and slay gods wherever it encountered them.

Although it was only a wisp, it was a great killing weapon that transcended all Laws of this world.

Li Xuan bestowing this wisp of Sword Intent upon Li Changsheng was both a test and a protection.

At this moment, this wisp of Zhu Xian Sword Intent resonated perfectly with Li Changsheng's Grandmist Chaos Sword Body.

His Dao of the sword was originally meant to sever everything and destroy everything.

The Zhu Xian Sword Intent pushed this destruction to the extreme.

The two combined, producing a qualitative change that could only be described as terrifying.

Li Changsheng's thin lips parted slightly.

"Rise."

His figure and voice vanished together.

In their place was a streak of gray sword light that pierced through heaven and earth.

Dim, unremarkable, like a death line drawn by a pencil on a scroll.

Yet it was this very death line that made every Grand Unity Golden Immortal present feel their scalps tingle.

Where the sword light passed, space-time was annihilated, and all Laws retreated, as if welcoming a monarch.

It was a pure aura of termination.

Its target was not those three arrogant Demonic Lords, but rather it slashed straight toward that vast and boundless Dark Canopy.

"What?!"

The three Demonic Lords who had been watching the show saw their smiles freeze on their faces.

From that gray sword light, they smelled... death, originating from the depths of their Souls!

How could this be?!

How could a wet-behind-the-ears babe possibly master such terrifying power?!

"Not good! Defend with all your might!" The Lord of Fear reacted first, roaring in terror.

But at the very moment they lost their composure, another attack—diametrically opposite, yet equally domineering—had also descended!

"Hahahaha! Little babe, your sword is too thin; you'd better watch Old Sun's!"

The wild laughter resounded throughout the universe.

Sun Wukong looked at the gray sword light that had already set out, and instead of being alarmed, he was overjoyed; his entire Battle Intent erupted completely at this moment.

"Grow for me—big! Big! Big!"

He threw the ruyi jingu bang violently into the air, chanting as he did so, and the golden cudgel instantly expanded in the wind.

A hundred zhang, a thousand zhang, ten thousand zhang, billions of miles.

In a few breaths, the golden cudgel transformed into an indescribable pillar that supported the heavens.

It was the golden spine that propped up the sky and earth, spanning across the dark Sea of Realms, its brilliant golden light even illuminating the evil black aura of Devils Island.

At this moment, the mass of the golden cudgel had transcended any physical limit; it itself had become the ultimate manifestation of the Law of Force.

"Break for me... shatter!!!"

Sun Wukong's arm muscles knotted, blue veins bulging; he poured all of his magic power, along with his unyielding Battle Intent, into this heaven-destroying, earth-shattering strike!

That golden pillar, large enough to shatter a Star Domain, carried the unparalleled might to tear everything apart, like a Heavenly God swinging a whip of judgment, and smashed fiercely toward the other end of the Dark Canopy.

One was extreme sharpness, the supreme slaughter at the level of Laws.

One was extreme power, the absolute destruction at the physical level.

One large and one small, one gray and one golden, one still and one moving.

Two terrifying attacks, diametrically different yet both having reached the end of their current Realm, simultaneously bombarded that Dark Canopy—which had never been breached since its inception—from two completely different angles and with an unrivaled posture.

Sword, or cudgel?

Li Xuan's multiple-choice question.

These two lawless fellows used their actions to provide the answer.

Only children make choices.

They... want it all!