Divine Emperor Demon Emperor

Looking at Chang Qing on the Martial Arts Arena, the Fifth Prince’s mood slowly calmed. No one knew that Chang Qing was actually his older brother’s personal Guard.

The world knew Chang Qing only as a student of Yanhuang Academy’s Genius Class. No one knew that he was an orphan the Fifth Prince’s older brother had taken in as a child, or that his very enrollment in Yanhuang Academy had been his brother’s arrangement.

The Fifth Prince’s older brother was, naturally, the current Crown Prince—the man who stood at the pinnacle of Yanhuang Country’s younger generation.

The Fifth Prince had begged his older brother a full seven times to get Chang Qing to participate. Though he didn’t know the full extent of Chang Qing’s power, he could tell from his brother’s expression that he had absolute confidence in him.

"You are no match for me," Chang Qing stated plainly. Looking at Lin Yun, he spoke as if it were a simple matter of fact, his voice devoid of threat or arrogance.

Hearing this, Lin Yun’s expression remained unchanged. Although he couldn’t get a read on Chang Qing, he had already come this far. It was impossible for him to back down now.

"How can we know the outcome until we fight?" Lin Yun retorted.

"You are very talented. Personally, I have no wish to kill you, but my hands are tied. There is someone whose command I cannot refuse. Tell me your last wishes. If it is within my power, I will fulfill them for you." As Chang Qing spoke softly, the Longsword at his waist was already unsheathed.

The blade was slender and pure silver. With the sword in his right hand and his left clasped behind his back, Chang Qing’s entire aura transformed the very instant the Longsword left its sheath.

It became incredibly sharp, so much so that no one dared to look at him directly. At that moment, Lin Yun finally sensed Chang Qing’s Cultivation: the Ninth Layer Limit of the Qi Sea Realm, just one step away from breaking through to the Primordial Ocean Realm.

To have reached the Ninth Layer Limit of the Qi Sea Realm at only twenty-eight years old was astounding. Lin Yun was certain that even an ordinary Martial Artist at the First Layer of the Primordial Ocean Realm would be no match for Chang Qing.

"I can help you fulfill one last wish," Chang Qing said, his sharp aura erupting from him.

"I have no last wishes, and I don’t believe I will die here." Chang Qing was strong—undoubtedly so. But facing him, Lin Yun felt his own blood begin to boil with excitement. This was a formidable opponent, perhaps the most powerful person he had ever encountered.

In the stands, Kang Lai’s face was etched with shock as he sensed Chang Qing’s Cultivation and aura. He muttered to himself, ’He’s actually become this powerful... Even I might not be a match for him now.’

In contrast to Kang Lai’s shock, the Fifth Prince was overjoyed. Chang Qing’s strength was already on par with Kang Lai’s. In fact, if Chang Qing were to challenge Kang Lai now, the tenth spot on the Yanhuang List would likely change hands.

"Haha! Facing a genius from the Yanhuang List, Lin Yun, I refuse to believe you can still win!" the Fifth Prince sneered.

It wasn’t just the Fifth Prince and Kang Lai; all the young masters from the Noble Families were stunned by Chang Qing’s power. Even those who had been optimistic about Lin Yun no longer believed he could overcome this final hurdle.

The referee, an expert from the Royal Family at the Primordial Ocean Realm, sighed inwardly. ’What a pity. If his opponent weren’t Chang Qing, he might have actually cleared this final trial.’ Lin Yun’s strength had surprised him, but Chang Qing’s was even more astonishing.

"In that case, let’s fight." Since Lin Yun had no last wishes, Chang Qing didn’t press the issue. After speaking that one cool phrase, his figure vanished, reappearing before Lin Yun in the blink of an eye.

The incredible speed startled Lin Yun. He instinctively brought the Bone Spear up to guard his chest, but he was a step too slow. The Longsword sliced a gash across his chest.

Lin Yun had failed to block the very first strike. In a single clash, Chang Qing demonstrated his overwhelming power. It wasn’t just his speed; his Swordsmanship was also superb.

"You are too weak..." Chang Qing stated coolly, not pressing his attack. His eyes, as he looked at Lin Yun, held no trace of emotion.

’Interesting. I can finally have a battle where I can go all out.’ Contrary to everyone’s expectations, not only did Lin Yun show no fear, but the aura emanating from him began to climb steadily.

His Elemental Power fluctuations surged from the First Layer of the Qi Sea Realm straight to the Second Layer. Now at the Second Layer, the two Cultivation Techniques within Lin Yun’s body ran at their absolute limit, causing a purple-gold Elemental Power to manifest around him.

He had originally planned to keep his Cultivation at the Second Layer of the Qi Sea Realm a secret until he challenged the top ten geniuses on the Yanhuang List, but he had never expected to encounter Chang Qing.

"I see. So you were hiding your strength," Chang Qing remarked, his expression still calm. "But in my eyes, there is no difference between the Second Layer of the Qi Sea Realm and the First."

"We’ll see about that after we fight." With that, Lin Yun thrust his Bone Spear forward, taking the initiative to attack.

Knowing Chang Qing was incredibly fast, Lin Yun also pushed his Inch Step to its limit. Having faintly touched upon its True Intent, the footwork became unpredictable. Chang Qing, who had previously held the advantage in speed, now found himself evenly matched with Lin Yun.

The two clashed endlessly on the Martial Arts Arena. Their speed and power far surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Artist at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Sea Realm; every strike they exchanged was powerful enough to instantly kill one.

After a fierce exchange, Lin Yun’s lower Cultivation finally became a factor. He was struck twice by Chang Qing’s sword. While the wounds weren’t serious, compared to the unscathed Chang Qing, Lin Yun was now clearly at a disadvantage.

"Now, I will use my full power. Face the Nine Swords of the Gentleman!"

The Nine Swords of the Gentleman was Chang Qing’s signature Martial Skill. No one knew its origin, only that the Crown Prince had purchased this Swordsmanship technique from the sole major power in the Southeast Domain.

As an Earth Level Low Grade Martial Technique, the Nine Swords of the Gentleman was absurdly difficult to cultivate, to the point where an ordinary person could never hope to master it. Even the Crown Prince himself had been unable to make any significant headway with it.

For someone of the Crown Prince’s status, spending all his time on a single Earth Level Low Grade Martial Technique was simply not practical. Therefore, he had bestowed this Swordsmanship upon Chang Qing.

What the Crown Prince had not expected was that Chang Qing’s affinity for the Nine Swords of the Gentleman was ridiculously high. He mastered it at a speed dozens of times faster than an ordinary person. It could be said that when it came to the Nine Swords of the Gentleman, the Crown Prince was inferior to Chang Qing.

This was the origin of Chang Qing’s title, the Gentleman’s Sword.

As its name suggested, the Nine Swords of the Gentleman consisted of only nine moves. Each sword strike was imbued with the vast Heaven and Earth Righteous Qi, and the technique embodied not only ferocious attacks but also the many noble qualities of a gentleman.

"What a formidable Swordsmanship," Lin Yun praised sincerely as he watched Chang Qing execute the Nine Swords of the Gentleman.

With a simple thrust, Chang Qing at this moment truly lived up to his title as the Gentleman’s Sword. The Longsword in his hand moved with both sharp lethality and elegant grace.

Facing a Chang Qing who was now using his full power, Lin Yun dared not be careless in the slightest. He unleashed the Red Flame Spear Technique to its limit, and his Bone Spear, wreathed in dense flames, clashed violently against the Longsword in Chang Qing’s hand.