My Swordsmanship Has No Upper Limit

SPLASH...

The torrential downpour fell as if a river were spilling from the heavens, blotting out the daylight and shrouding Crescent Lake in a hazy mist. The storm also eased Di Yun’s tense nerves.

"Now, you... Huh?"

Di Yun turned to face Zhong Ming, ready to say something, but the words died on his lips. His brow furrowed sharply.

That imperious figure, who looked down upon all creation, hadn’t been battered into a sorry state by the driving wind and rain. Nor had his aura diminished as Di Yun had predicted.

An overwhelmingly powerful and domineering aura still clung to Zhong Ming, giving him the dangerously terrifying presence of an abyss or a vast sea. More than that, a unique majesty radiated from him, weighing down on everyone and making their spirits heavy.

At this sight, Di Yun’s pupils contracted, and his heart skipped a beat.

’The storm obscuring the sky has no effect on him... No, that’s not right. It is having an effect.’

Gazing intently at Zhong Ming, Di Yun breathed a sigh of relief. He realized that while Zhong Ming’s aura was still overwhelmingly powerful, it lacked the sublime, unparalleled quality of the day before. This Zhong Ming had fallen from the Divine Altar to the realm of the beatable.

"I can take him!"

Di Yun made his judgment. At the lake’s edge, the eyes of the True Inheritance disciples from the various Major Sects lit up, and whispers spread through the curtain of rain:

"The Sun is blocked. Zhong Ming can’t enhance his aura any further."

"That’s not his only disadvantage. Di Yun definitely took some Elixir Pills or is carrying a treasure to protect his Divine Soul. Zhong Ming’s greatest strength, his Pupil Technique, has been neutralized!"

As the crowd murmured, Miaoyun of the Celestial Sound Sect turned her gaze to Nangong Die, an inscrutable expression in her eyes.

’Although I don’t know what prompted you to make this choice, betting everything on Zhong Ming is your biggest mistake.’

’This time, I’ve won.’

’When Zhong Ming is defeated, your reputation will be dragged down and buried along with his. From this day forward, you will no longer be qualified to compete with me!’

Nangong Die felt Miaoyun’s gaze, and the scorn within it. She met it with a look of equal contempt.

And just as the two women stared each other down, each convinced the other was mistaken, the battle at the center of Crescent Lake erupted.

WHOOO—

A clear, piercing flute note rang out, cutting through the wind and rain to echo between heaven and earth. Then, a bizarre scene unfolded. The torrential rain and howling gales seemed to be guided by an unseen hand; the storm itself moved in time with the flute’s melody.

RUSH...

The next moment, the flute’s melody suddenly grew impassioned. All at once, the wind and rain hanging in the sky froze in place. Then, the storm itself condensed, transforming into innumerable, crystal-clear longswords of pure water.

There were thousands of these Water Swords, and their tips were all locked onto Zhong Ming at the center of Crescent Lake.

HUMMM!

Nearly ten thousand longswords hummed in unison, filling the air between heaven and earth with a sharp, piercing intent.

"Interesting."

This grand display did not intimidate Zhong Ming. Instead, a flash of interest appeared in his eyes as the corners of his lips curled into a slight smile:

"Using sound waves to manipulate the rhythm of heaven and earth... the Celestial Sound Sect’s Cultivation Techniques are certainly something special."

Zhong Ming himself possessed an ability related to the rhythm of sound waves—Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples!

When a clear droplet of water condensed from his Divine Soul fell from high within his Sea of Consciousness and into his Heart Lake, ripples would spread outward. These ripples would then reflect everything in the world around him into his Sea of Consciousness.

Furthermore, in this process, the spreading ripples allowed Zhong Ming to feel the breath and pulse of all creation, and to perceive the true essence of things.

This ability was somewhat similar to what Di Yun was now demonstrating.

However, after sensing it carefully, Zhong Ming had to admit that the Celestial Sound Sect’s Cultivation Technique was stronger than Longxi Peak’s.

’My Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples can only sense the breath of the natural world. He, on the other hand, can not only sense it, but also control it with a Melody, pouring his will, his emotions, and even his Divine Soul into the music.’

’When this special Melody reverberates between heaven and earth, he can command the Power of Heaven and Earth with minimal effort. And whether the tune is stirring or soothing, when combined with his intent, it can even amplify that power.’

’And if I’m not mistaken, the Celestial Sound Sect must have different melodies corresponding to natural phenomena like wind, rain, thunder, lightning, Flame, darkness, mountains... and so on.’

As his cultivation deepened, so too did his breadth of knowledge. Now, with a single glance, he had more or less figured out Di Yun’s abilities.

And he was right. Di Yun was currently using the [Celestial Sound Secret Technique: Azure Sea Sword Tide Melody]. This technique specialized in manipulating the Power of Steam, allowing him to transform it into a relentless tide of swords that crushed enemies in wave after successive wave.

Because he wasn’t controlling the steam directly, but rather guiding it with a Melody, the range of Di Yun’s manipulation was immense. It even reached the level of Foundation Establishment. The steam from the entire Crescent Lake was now under his command. Thousands of Water Swords hung in the air. The overwhelming, oppressive presence made every Cultivator by the lakeside gasp.

"So powerful!"

"That’s a True Inheritance disciple from a Major Sect for you."

"Zhong Ming is in big trouble this time."

Not many of the Cultivators by the lakeside argued with that last statement.

The main reason was that Zhong Ming had previously defeated his opponents with a single glance. But now, he simply stood by and watched as Di Yun unleashed the full extent of his power. To some, this ’indifference’ looked a lot like helplessness.

"Alas, his Pupil Technique really has been countered!"