514: Chapter 514 Gamble with the Gale

["This... isn't this just an ordinary iron sword? It doesn't have the aura of an Innate Spirit Treasure?"]

["Yeah, could the rumors be wrong?"]

["Not necessarily. Could it be that Brother Qin..."]

[Someone didn't finish their sentence, but everyone understood the meaning—you were intentionally using a broken sword to amuse yourself at their expense.]

[You smiled and spoke in a calm tone:]

["Since everyone doesn't believe it, why not choose someone to spar with me? I will use this iron sword to respond."]

[Xie Mu gave two dry laughs. "Fellow Daoist Qin must be joking. No one here is your match. It wouldn't be good to damage our friendly relations."]

[Ignoring him, you turned to look at Pavilion Master Sima Jingting.]

["Fellow Daoist Sima also seemed to doubt that there's anything special about my iron sword just now. Why don't the two of us spar?"]

[Pavilion Master Sima Jingting's face stiffened, and his eyelid twitched.]

[He cursed inwardly: As expected, he's coming for me.]

[He forced a smile. "Brother Qin, you flatter me. I don't have an Innate Spirit Treasure, so how could I be your match?"]

[You leaned forward with a smile:]

["How about this."]

["You take three shots at me."]

["I won't strike back."]

["If you can wound me, you win."]

["If you can't, you lose."]

[The wine cup in Pavilion Master Sima Jingting's hand froze.]

[He was stunned for a moment, and then the smile on his face became uncontrollable.]

["For real?"]

["For real. However, we need to add a little wager."]

[Pavilion Master Sima Jingting's smile vanished. "What wager?"]

["I heard that Langgan Pavilion is going to auction a treasure recently called gale essence. Let's use that as the wager."]

[Pavilion Master Sima Jingting narrowed his eyes. "What if you lose?"]

[You laughed.]

["I'm not even fighting back; isn't that enough of a wager?"]

["If you're unwilling, then forget it."]

[After saying that, you made a motion to take back the iron sword.]

["Fine! No problem!" Pavilion Master Sima Jingting quickly agreed.]

[It was as if he was afraid you would back out.]

[He was, after all, at the Soul Transformation Late Stage, while you were only at the Soul Transformation Early Stage.]

[He thought to himself: It's only three moves. Even if you have an Innate Spirit Treasure protecting you, it's impossible for you to remain completely unscathed.]

[As for that gale essence... he could afford to lose it.]

[He quickly stood up and gestured. "Please!"]

[You smiled and slowly stood up. With a flash of your body, you were already ten thousand meters up in the sky.]

[Pavilion Master Sima Jingting didn't hesitate either. With a flicker, he stood suspended in the air, facing you from a distance.]

[The hundred or so people in the hall swarmed out.]

[Some ran, some flew, and some teleported. In the blink of an eye, the square in front of the hall was filled with people.]

[One by one, they tilted their heads back, necks stretched long, staring at the sky.]

["Could it be... that Fellow Daoist Qin's iron sword is truly as miraculous as the rumors say?"]

["Hard to say. Won't we find out soon enough?"]

[Discussions rose and fell as everyone widened their eyes, afraid to miss anything.]

[Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Pavilion Master Sima Jingting finally made his move.]

[He raised his hand and struck out with a palm, letting out a low shout at the same time:]

["Heaven-Burning Palm!"]

[In an instant, the Law of Fire converged frantically, and a hundred-zhang giant palm hovered across the sky.]

[The flames in the palm rolled like lava, and the five fingers burned with deep blue flames. Wherever the giant palm passed, the air was ignited, leaving behind a scorched black trail that lingered for a long time.]

[Below in Ziyang Immortal City, countless people felt a tightness in their chests, as if pressed down by a great mountain, making it hard to breathe.]

[Throughout the city, people stopped in their tracks and looked up at the sky.]

["Look! Someone is fighting!"]

["It's in the sky! Two people are fighting in the sky!"]

["Soul Transformation... those are the legendary Deity Transformation Grand Experts!"]

[Some were terrified, some were excited, and some stared up with their mouths wide open.]

[You looked at this palm strike and frowned slightly.]

[This move was remarkably similar to the Jade Talisman Sima Tao used back then.]

[The difference was—the Law of Fire condensed in this palm was much thicker, clearly activated with the help of some Acquired Spirit Treasure.]

[Its power was enough to threaten a Soul Transformation Late Stage expert.]

[Yet you remained perfectly still.]

[With a thought, the iron sword in front of you emitted a low hum.]

[Buzz—!!!]

[In an instant, the Sword Law between heaven and earth surged like a tide, converging toward you.]

[An invisible Sword Intent Domain formed instantly.]

[The giant flaming palm struck down.]

[Boom—!]

[It struck an invisible wall.]

[Ripples appeared on the surface of the Sword Intent Domain, like a stone thrown into a pond.]

[Then, the giant palm shattered with a bang, turning into a sky full of sparks and dissipating into the night sky.]

[On a certain pavilion within the city below.]

[An old man and a child both looked up at the sky.]

["Old man, is this kid a Spotless Sword Body?" The child tilted his head. "Do you want to take him as your disciple?"]

[The old man didn't respond, staring at the sky with a serious expression.]

["Strange..." he murmured. "His Sword Intent Domain contains a trace of Sword Dao Origin power. But it seems... it doesn't belong to him."]

[The child blinked. "Old man, if I fought him, who would be stronger?"]

[The old man glanced at him.]

["Based on this single strand of Sword Origin power alone, no one within the same realm can defeat him."]

[At the same time, Pavilion Master Sima Jingting's expression in the sky turned somewhat unsightly.]

[The first move was blocked just like that???]

[He regretted it a little; he had been too impulsive.]

[If he had known, he wouldn't have let himself be provoked by you.]

[He steadied his mind, took a deep breath, and pressed his fingers together like a sword, a deep blue light glowing at the tips.]

["Void-Rending Finger!"]

[He flicked a finger.]

[A thin line, almost invisible to the naked eye, shot out from his fingertip—]

[Wherever the thin line passed, space distorted faintly, leaving a faint black mark like a torn wound.]

[On the square, someone gasped:]

["Void-Rending Finger! This is Pavilion Master Sima Jingting's famous Divine Ability!"]

["Look! It pierced through!"]

[Everyone stared intently at the sky.]

[The thin line stabbed into the Sword Intent Domain, and a ripple appeared on the surface.]

[The thin line pierced in three inches.]

[Then, it stopped.]

[It could no longer advance even an inch.]

[Feeling the pressure from the Sword Intent Domain, you smiled.]

[With a thought, the Domain trembled slightly.]

[The thin line was instantly ground to pieces.]

[The square became completely boisterous.]

[City Lord Jia sighed and shook his head. "I am far inferior to him."]

[Xie Mu nodded slowly with a serious expression. "He has some skill. If it were me, it wouldn't be this easy."]

["Look! The third move!"]

[In the sky, Pavilion Master Sima Jingting formed hand seals, and spiritual light surged around him.]

[He gave a low shout and thrust his hands forward:]

["Purgatory of Burning Sky!"]

[In an instant, within a hundred-zhang radius around you, space began to distort.]

[Cracks appeared out of thin air, and deep blue flames gushed out from them.]

[That was no ordinary fire.]

[It was Void Fire overflowing from the spatial cracks, capable of directly burning the Divine Soul.]

[The flames and distorted space intertwined, pressing in on you from all directions.]

[Like an invisible cage, it sought to trap you to death within.]