My Swordsmanship Has No Upper Limit

"Of course. The heritage of a Major Sect isn’t just for show, and their True Disciples are no fools. Zhong Ming’s abilities have been on display for a while now. How could they not have thought of a way to counter him?"

"That’s why I said it was a mistake for him to challenge the entire city by himself. Even the strongest Cultivator has a weakness. Since he’s treating the prodigies of Qinghe Prefecture City as his opponents, he can’t blame every Cultivator in the city for targeting him. And with so many talented people, there’s bound to be one he can’t deal with on his own."

Zhong Ming’s apparent "helplessness" caused some to sigh. Di Yun... thought so as well.

As the flute’s song swelled to a crescendo, the thousands upon thousands of Water Swords formed a churning, roaring celestial river suspended high in the sky. Billowing Sword Qi surged within it, threatening to rip apart the curtain of rain.

As the celestial river took form, Di Yun breathed an inward sigh of relief and called out to Zhong Ming. ’What’s the point of success if you can’t show it off?’ He was certain victory was his and decided to add a little flair to the moment.

"Zhong Ming, do you see? This is the true power of a True Disciple from my Celestial Sound Sect."

"I didn’t bother with you before simply because I wasn’t interested. But now that I’ve decided to act, even slightly, it is your doom!"

"Oh...?" Di Yun’s words momentarily drew Zhong Ming’s attention from the flute’s melody. He looked straight at Di Yun, his voice lazy yet carrying an undeniable pressure. "You think you’ve won?"

"Isn’t it obvious? The Celestial River Sword Qi I have formed is unstoppable!"

His words only made the smile on Zhong Ming’s face widen, becoming a mocking, domineering sneer. "Your Celestial River Sword Qi? Heh. Why don’t you call out to it and see if it answers?"

"???"

"Preposterous!" Di Yun didn’t understand what Zhong Ming meant. Besides, he had neither the interest nor the energy to continue their conversation. Guiding the thousands of Water Swords into a Celestial River Torrent was already consuming a great deal of his Heart Spirit.

Seeing that Zhong Ming had no intention of surrendering, Di Yun couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath. He poured all of his Magical Power, Divine Soul, and intent into the bamboo flute, his Magical Artifact, commanding it to play its most passionate Melody.

He wanted to end the battle quickly and bask in the glory of victory.

SHREEE!

The passionate melody of the flute transformed into the shriek of a sword, piercing the heavens! Spurred on by the sound, the Celestial River Torrent suspended in the air was like an enraged dragon breaking its bonds, like a cascading flood, as it furiously charged toward Zhong Ming.

BOOM!

By using his flute to channel the Power of Heaven and Earth, Di Yun had created a truly immense Celestial River Torrent. As this torrent of Sword Qi surged forward, the very air seemed to groan under the pressure, letting out a deafening roar.

In terms of sheer destructive power, this attack had already reached the Foundation Establishment realm.

And yet, faced with this cataclysmic strike, Zhong Ming remained standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression terrifyingly serene.

Not until the Celestial River Torrent was nearly upon him did he finally speak. His voice was not loud, yet it cut through the cacophony with a domineering tone that seemed to command all of creation. "Celestial Sound Sect... your attacks are impressive in scale, but you rely too heavily on guiding and borrowing power. In the end, your actual control over your Magic Techniques is... lacking."

Before his words had even faded, a dragon’s cry, so loud it shook the heavens, suddenly erupted!

ROOOAAAR!

Amid the earth-shattering roar, Zhong Ming’s form began to change.

A pair of shining, brilliant antlers sprouted from his head. His sharp eyes transformed, their pupils becoming vertical slits. One was an interweaving mix of gold and red, the other a deep azure, both seeming to hold infinite mystery and majesty.

But Zhong Ming’s transformation was not yet complete. A long tail in an Energy State, shimmering with starlight, extended from behind him.

Dragon horns, vertical pupils, a long tail... In that moment, Zhong Ming had transformed into a draconic figure! An overwhelming wave of Long Wei erupted from him.

Once his transformation was complete, Zhong Ming lowered his gaze to the Sword Qi Torrent rushing toward him. He didn’t dodge. He didn’t block. He didn’t even move a single step.

With one hand still clasped behind his back, he issued a single, irrefutable command: "Wind, Rain, and Thunder! Heed my call!"

HMMMM—!

As Zhong Ming shouted, a domineering will that seemed capable of suppressing all creation spread out like a ripple across the sky around Crescent Lake.

Under the influence of that domineering will, the howling gales, the pouring rain, and even the roaring Thunderbolt all paused for a single, fleeting instant.

Although everything returned to normal an instant later, those with sensitive perception realized that this corner of the world—this wind and this rain—now had a new master.

Zhong Ming. He had seized command of the Wind, Rain, and Thunder with his Thought alone.

Well... this was also because the expert from the Celestial Sound Sect had only summoned the storm, not taken control of it.

By changing the weather from a great distance, the Celestial Sound Sect elder could still claim it was a natural phenomenon. But if the wind and rain had been infused with his will, it would have been a different story.

Major Sects have their reputations to uphold. Especially since Zhong Ming was associated with Prince Qinghe’s Mansion, the elder couldn’t just bully a junior.

HMMMM!

The natural storm was now under the command of Zhong Ming’s draconic will. And since Di Yun’s Celestial River Sword Qi was formed from the very same water vapor, it naturally fell under Zhong Ming’s dominion as well!

The Sword Qi Torrent, which had been surging and roaring as if to destroy everything in its path, was now frozen in midair. It was a mere three inches from Zhong Ming.

But those three inches might as well have been an eternity.

As Zhong Ming lowered his gaze, the Sword Qi Torrent began to tremble violently, as if two completely different wills were vying for control over it. It let out a mournful HUMMM.

This scene made Di Yun’s heart skip a beat, then freeze over.

"Impossible!"

He couldn’t accept what he was seeing. His face went pale as he cried out in disbelief:

"But... you’re only supposed to have a strong Divine Soul...!"

Before he could finish, Di Yun froze. Strictly speaking, what was happening was still a contest of Divine Soul and will. In that sense, it didn’t fundamentally contradict their analysis.

The only difference was that he had never expected Zhong Ming to have comprehended the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme and possess a Dragon Aspect. It meant that besides direct attacks, his Divine Soul could also command the wind and rain.

"I won’t lose!"

SKREEE—!

Realizing the situation was beyond saving, he could only pour every last ounce of his strength into playing the Azure Sea Sword Tide Melody, trying desperately to seize back control of the Sword Qi Torrent.

But it was useless.

Even as he poured his very being into the bamboo flute, he was no match for Zhong Ming.

The Dragon Race’s innate dominion over Wind, Rain, and Thunder was already superior to Di Yun’s guidance through Melody.

More critically, Zhong Ming’s Divine Soul and intent were simply too powerful. His intent was already Breaking the Norms, and his Divine Soul was close to it. Add to that his domineering Sword Heart, born of the principle [Heaven and Earth, Only I am Supreme], and the combination of these three factors meant that any Cultivator of the same realm trying to vie with him for control of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was like a mantis trying to stop a cart.

And that was precisely what was happening now.

’I am the strongest. My Dominating Thought can command all things!’

HMMMM!

Zhong Ming’s whisper was like a divine oracle echoing between heaven and earth.

This self-hypnosis pushed his Divine Will and Domination to an even greater height. This powerful, domineering Divine Thought, combined with the Dragon Flood Dragon’s innate Talent for controlling water, allowed Zhong Ming to peel Di Yun’s Divine Soul Thought away from the Sword Qi Torrent, inch by painful inch.

"Agh... No!"

Even at the last moment, when Di Yun burned his own Essence Blood and swallowed an Elixir Pill to unchain his Divine Soul for one last, frenzied burst of power, it was all for naught.

Zhong Ming’s domineering Divine Thought forced him to watch helplessly as control of the Sword Qi Torrent he had painstakingly created was stolen away, bit by bit. He could only watch as Zhong Ming branded it with his own mark.

"No!"

This sense of powerlessness made the veins on Di Yun’s forehead bulge. He bit through the tip of his tongue, but even as blood streamed from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth, he could not change the final outcome. Dominion over the Sword Qi Torrent had been utterly seized by Zhong Ming.

"Condense!"

The next moment, with a low cry from Zhong Ming, the Sword Qi River transformed into the shape of a Flood Dragon and coiled affectionately around him.