Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

"Jiang Chen!"

Bai Ling walked over.

She had arrived a while ago, but she’d seen Hex Junchen nearby and waited until now to come over.

Jiang Chen nodded at Bai Ling, recalling that she had previously mentioned taking him to the Tenth Hall after the grand competition.

But...

From his earlier clash with Li Yunlong, Jiang Chen sensed that his opponent hadn’t been using his full strength. He wasn’t completely confident about their fight tomorrow and had been planning to return to his master Qii Daotian’s valley to train hard for one more night.

Before Jiang Chen could speak, Bai Ling tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and said, "Jiang Chen, I’m taking you somewhere!"

"Hmm?"

Jiang Chen paused, taken aback.

Bai Ling said, "You’ve already fought Li Yunlong. You should know how terrifying he is, right?"

Jiang Chen nodded.

’I have to admit, Li Yunlong is incredibly strong. If I face him, it’s hard to say who would win unless I use my God-Devouring Talent!’

Bai Ling continued, "I originally thought there was a huge gap between you and Li Yunlong. A moment ago, I was prepared to intervene and save your life if it looked like you were losing. However, after watching your battle with him, I’ve changed my mind. The place I’m taking you now should help you advance your strength even further!"

"Even further? Senior Sister Bai, what is this place?" Jiang Chen asked, his interest piqued.

Bai Ling said calmly, "Just come with me. I won’t harm you."

Jiang Chen was silent for a moment.

Ever since Yandu City, Bai Ling had consistently helped him. He knew she would never do anything to harm him.

He looked at the Black Emperor and Lui Yifa and said, "Little Black, take Afa to our master’s place first. Bring him back here tomorrow at noon!"

"Understood. Don’t worry, just go!" the Black Emperor nodded.

Lui Yifa said, "Boss, you can do it!"

"Just focus on recovering. Tomorrow, I’ll get revenge for you!" Jiang Chen patted his shoulder.

Lui Yifa nodded emphatically, and then the Black Emperor dragged him away, flying toward Qii Daotian’s valley.

Jiang Chen then followed Bai Ling, leaving the Earth Martial Hall and heading toward the location of the Tenth Hall.

The Saint Martial Sword Sect’s Inner Sect had a total of Ten Halls. From the First Hall to the Tenth Hall, all were located atop the peaks of the Inner Sect.

However...

They weren’t built on the peaks, but rather, their entrances were on the peaks.

"The Saint Martial Sword Sect has a million disciples, with two to three hundred thousand of them being Inner Sect Disciples. It would be impossible for them all to live on the mountaintops. Therefore, the founding ancestor of the Saint Martial Sword Sect used his immense Divine Techniques to create ten Void Realms. Each Void Realm contains one of the halls, with the entrance located on a peak!"

As the two flew side-by-side through the air, Bai Ling explained, "The place I’m taking you is the Lingxi Tower, located within the Tenth Hall. Inside the Lingxi Tower is a Lingxi Mirror. You can comprehend the Martial Dao before this mirror, see your own shortcomings, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say your cultivation progress could advance a thousand miles in a single day!"

Jiang Chen silently committed the name Lingxi Mirror to memory.

Bai Ling held a high status in the Tenth Hall, so she quickly brought Jiang Chen to the Lingxi Tower.

Outsiders were forbidden from entering these Void Realms.

They were extremely secure!

Thus, even a place as precious as the Lingxi Tower was left unguarded. Bai Ling said, "Go on in! I’ll come for you before noon tomorrow."

"Thank you, Senior Sister Bai!"

Jiang Chen said gratefully.

Bai Ling waved her hand. "If you really want to thank me, then the best repayment would be to choose to enter my Tenth Hall when you’re promoted to the Inner Sect!"

"Definitely!"

Jiang Chen nodded solemnly and then entered the Lingxi Tower.

Watching Jiang Chen’s figure disappear into the Lingxi Tower, a look of expectation appeared in her eyes. ’In just one short year, he’s grown from a little guy at the Martial Arts Realm to this level. Such talent is truly terrifying... It’s just a shame the Celestial Alliance won’t let you go so easily. Sigh, this is all I can do to help. The rest is up to you!’

...

「Inside the Lingxi Tower.」

It was a spacious, octagonal room. As soon as Jiang Chen stepped inside, the great door shut automatically.

FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

Bright beams of light shot out from all directions, brilliantly illuminating the entire space.

In the center was a meditation cushion.

Jiang Chen walked over and sat on the cushion.

RUMBLE!

The entire Lingxi Tower began to tremble. The radiant walls spun violently, and when the light finally receded, Jiang Chen found that bright mirrors had appeared on all sides. They stood vertically, flush against the walls, while the floor and ceiling rippled like water before transforming into two enormous mirrors as well.

Above, below, left, and right—there were mirrors everywhere.

They all reflected the image of him sitting on the cushion. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’So this is the Lingxi Mirror? Senior Sister Bai Ling said I could see my own shortcomings here and correct them. I wonder what my shortcomings actually are...’

’During my fight with Li Yunlong, he must have been probing my strength. If I fight him again, I’ll have to either raise my Fire Sword Intent to the Tier Two level and master the Fourth Technique of the Infinite Sword Technique, Endless Universe, or I’ll have no choice but to use my God-Devouring Talent!’

Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced, and he frowned. ’But the God-Devouring Talent is my final trump card. If I expose even that, my future struggles against the Celestial Alliance will become much more dangerous. It seems I have to push myself. I must at least succeed in raising my Fire Sword Intent to Tier Two, or master the Fourth Technique of the Infinite Sword Technique!’

INHALE! EXHALE!

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and stared intently at the surrounding Lingxi Mirrors.

The mirrors were all filled with his reflection. Above, below, left, and right—everywhere he looked, he saw himself.

It was a disorienting sight.

A wave of drowsiness washed over him.

Jiang Chen’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he slowly closed his eyes.

DRIP—

Within an expanse of darkness, a single drop of water fell, sending ripples spreading out in all directions through the calm void.

In the darkness,

two lotuses, one cyan and one blue, suddenly appeared. They were buds, ready to bloom. They were followed by the appearance of a red lotus.

The red lotus was slightly smaller!

’Is this my Wind Sword Intent, Water Sword Intent, and Fire Sword Intent? This Lingxi Mirror is truly miraculous. My Wind and Water Sword Intents are both Tier Two Martial Dao True Intents, so those two lotuses are larger. My Fire Sword Intent is only at Tier One High Level, so its lotus is much smaller... But what does this mean?’

As Jiang Chen pondered this,

the cyan and blue lotuses before him bloomed one after the other.

A spring breeze turned to rain, and the rain became a downpour.

Eventually, it gathered into rivers, which rolled into the vast ocean.

This was the scene of the blue lotus blooming.

A gentle breeze caressed, a gale raged, and a storm ravaged the world.

This was the scene of the cyan lotus.

’Water, the Sea of All Rivers. Wind, omnipresent...’ Jiang Chen watched with his own eyes as a gentle breeze grew into a storm, as a droplet became a drizzle, the drizzle a downpour, the downpour a river, and the river a sea.

His understanding of Wind Sword Intent and Water Sword Intent grew ever clearer.

BOOM!

Following the blooming of the other two lotuses, the red lotus also burst open. On each of its petals were tiny sparks, like stars in the night sky.

The sparks drifted down, landing upon a vast prairie.

One by one, the small flames were extinguished.

Jiang Chen shook his head. ’The prairie is so vast, and it’s been nourished by wind and rain. Isn’t a tiny spark falling here just seeking its own demise?’

However...

Almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, the sparks that had seemingly been extinguished flared up again with a red glow. They grew brighter and hotter until, finally, they ignited a small clump of grass beside them.

The grass caught fire, and the flames spread like a plague.

RUMBLE!

A blazing fire burned, spreading across the entire prairie.

A flash of insight struck Jiang Chen’s mind, and a look of ecstasy appeared on his face. "A single spark can start a prairie fire! I understand... Hahaha, I finally understand! My Fire Sword Intent was born from my Wind Sword Intent, but somewhere along the way in my cultivation, I forgot that. I was always trying to comprehend Fire Sword Intent on its own. Now I finally get it! The reason a single spark can burn down a prairie is because of the wind! Fire borrows the wind’s power!"

"Hahaha, break through! Tier Two Fire Sword Intent!"

A sharp light flickered in Jiang Chen’s eyes as he let out a low roar.

He pointed a finger.

At his fingertip, a small red spark flickered as if it could go out at any moment. Jiang Chen’s expression remained calm as he activated his Wind Sword Intent, enveloping the tiny flame.

The Fire Spiritual Qi and Wind Spiritual Qi in the air rushed toward him. With a BOOM, a ball of fire erupted from his fingertip.

It transformed into a fire tornado that surged forward!

Tier Two Fire Sword Intent!

A joyous expression covered Jiang Chen’s face. ’I’ve finally broken through. My Wind, Water, and Fire Sword Intents have all reached the Tier Two level. Next, it’s time to cultivate the Endless Universe technique!’ He began to comprehend Endless Universe.

The Infinite Sword Technique was an Earth-Tier High-Level Martial Skill.

Jiang Chen had mastered the first three techniques, but he had never been able to grasp the essence of the fourth. He calmed his mind and continued his comprehension.

Time passed slowly...

「In the blink of an eye, it was the next day, nearing noon.」

Inside the Lingxi Tower,

"Endless Universe!"

Jiang Chen thrust his sword. The Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth trembled violently as a surge of Heaven-Breaking Sword Qi shot toward the sky, forming a cage that seemed to trap the world itself.

Within the world-cage, streams of Sword Qi raged wildly.

BOOM—

The entire world-cage shook violently.

Everything within it was reduced to nothingness!

With such power, even a master at the Heavenly Destiny Realm would die if trapped by this technique!

A smile appeared on Jiang Chen’s face. "I finally succeeded!"

He was about to continue his comprehension when Bai Ling’s voice came from outside the door. "Jiang Chen, it’s time to go to the Earth Martial Hall!"

"Coming!"

Jiang Chen called out, sheathed his sword, and left the Lingxi Tower.

Bai Ling, dressed in white, was already waiting outside. She looked Jiang Chen up and down, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "Somehow, you seem different from yesterday. It’s like you’ve gained a more ferocious aura."

"I had a bit of a breakthrough!"

Jiang Chen said with a smile.

Fire Sword Intent was ferocious and destructive, so it naturally lent him a bit of that disposition.

Bai Ling blinked. "Are you confident about facing Li Yunlong?"

Jiang Chen grinned, full of confidence. "Killing him will be as easy as killing a chicken!"