Time flowed on relentlessly.
Inside the Unrivaled Sword Valley, Jiang Chen would advance a certain distance, then stop to cultivate arduously. He devoured Dragon Qi and endured the ever-increasing pressure of the Dragon Aura.
As a result, his cultivation and strength were constantly on the rise.
「In the blink of an eye, a month and a half had passed.」
Over the past month and a half, Jiang Chen had journeyed from the initial sixty-kilometer mark all the way to the ninety-five-kilometer point.
At this moment, before him stood a young man, bare-fisted and radiating a golden light. He was a practitioner of the Golden Buddha Body, a Saint Tier High-level Body Refining Technique. Chains formed from golden Buddhist Scripture coiled around his body, emitting a faint golden glow.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The young man’s physical body had also reached the peak of the Saint Tier High-level, and as he clashed repeatedly with Jiang Chen, their collisions produced thunderous roars.
The sounds were deafening, like crashing thunder.
BANG!
Their fists slammed violently into one another.
The terrifying force sent both of them recoiling simultaneously. Jiang Chen took a full five steps back before stopping, while the young man opposite him retreated ten steps before steadying himself.
A flush crept up the young man’s face. The golden light around him retracted as he cupped his fists at Jiang Chen. "Brother Jiang, as expected, you are still a cut above!"
"Brother Luuo, you let me win," Jiang Chen replied with a faint smile.
This man’s name was Luuo Zehui. He was a Martial Fool who spent his years in the Unrivaled Sword Valley, using the Dragon Qi to temper his body in his quest to cultivate the Golden Buddha Body to its absolute limit. After meeting Jiang Chen, the two had gotten to know each other and frequently sparred.
Luuo Zehui shook his head with a wry smile. "You’re a monster. When you first arrived, your physical body was only about as strong as mine. Now, just a few days later, you’ve already had a breakthrough. Brother Jiang, has your body’s strength reached the level of a Demigod Weapon?"
Body Refining Martial Artists.
Their physical bodies were generally stronger than those of other Martial Artists at the same level. For instance, Martial Artists who didn’t focus on Body Refining would only have bodies comparable to an ordinary Celestial-tier Profound Weapon even when they reached the Emperor Realm.
Even if they reached the Late-stage Emperor Realm or even Emperor Realm Perfection, without deliberately training their physique, their bodies would only be as strong as a low-grade Saint-tier Profound Weapon.
But it was a different story for Body Refining Martial Artists. The best among them, like Jiang Chen, could possess a body comparable to a Saint Tier High-level Profound Weapon while still in the Human Emperor Realm. Once they stepped into the Emperor Realm, their physical bodies could be promoted to the level of a Demigod Weapon. As for a body rivaling a Divine Soldier—that was already the domain of a Divine Body.
Across the vast Qiankun Continent, only a scant few individuals could refine their physical bodies to the Divine Weapon Level while in the Emperor Realm!
Jiang Chen shook his head with a wry smile. "I’m still a little ways off. Perhaps I’ll reach the level of a Demigod Weapon after I break through to the Emperor Realm." After a pause, Jiang Chen looked toward the end of the Unrivaled Sword Valley and said, "Brother Luuo, I’m going to keep moving forward."
"Brother Jiang, have you forgotten my warning?" Luuo Zehui reminded him, his expression grave. "Most of us who occupy the final stages of the Unrivaled Sword Valley are either using the Dragon Qi to enhance our physiques or are here for the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword itself. If you run into someone like me who’s just focused on body improvement, they won’t give you trouble. But you want to enter the deepest part of the valley, where the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword lies! The madman there won’t let anyone compete for the sword. Anyone who gets close is killed!"
Jiang Chen just smiled. "It’s no problem."
With that, he began walking toward the deepest part of the Unrivaled Sword Valley.
With every step Jiang Chen took, a new gash would split open on his skin. The terrifying Dragon Qi and Dragon Aura had reached their zenith.
This five-kilometer stretch would normally take but the blink of an eye to cross, yet within the Unrivaled Sword Valley, it took Jiang Chen three full days and nights.
His entire body was covered in golden blood, and a brilliant, golden aura of vitality surged into the sky.
Jiang Chen seemed like a Golden Body cast from pure gold, striding forward like a meteor. The THUD, THUD, THUD of his footsteps was heart-stopping.
Ninety-eight kilometers!
Ninety-nine kilometers!
Finally... one hundred kilometers!
HUMMM!
Everything ahead underwent an earth-shattering transformation. The terrifying Dragon Qi and Dragon Aura in the surroundings vanished without a trace. Before Jiang Chen appeared a massive cavern. Inside, a colossal figure lay coiled, ten thousand zhang long and covered in azure Dragon Scales.
The terrifying Dragon Aura and Dragon Qi emanated directly from its body.
This was the Flood Dragon that had failed its tribulation!
"After more than five hundred years, someone has finally set foot here!" An ancient voice suddenly rang out by his ear.
"Junior Jiang Chen, I apologize for the intrusion, Senior!" Jiang Chen froze, looking all around.
’Aren’t they saying there’s a stubborn fanatic at the end of the Unrivaled Sword Valley who’s been here for centuries? Why don’t I see him?’
"Little fellow, are you looking for me?"
HUMMM!
A figure appeared above the Flood Dragon’s brow.
He wore a peaceful smile, and his deep eyes, like a starry sky, were inscrutable as they gazed at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen bowed to him and asked, "I am Junior Jiang Chen. May I ask who Senior is?"
"I am... Duann Tianya!"
Duann Tianya smiled, his eyes sweeping over Jiang Chen. "I established this Unrivaled Sword Valley. Strictly speaking, the first ninety-nine kilometers are genuinely for you to cultivate and push your own potential. But the last kilometer is a test—a test of whether you have the courage to press forward without hesitation. Over the years, I deliberately cultivated the legend of a homicidal maniac at the end of the Unrivaled Sword Valley, one who forbids anyone from approaching the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword, all to test if anyone possessed the courage!"
"So that’s how it is."
Jiang Chen nodded to himself.
’A Swordsman must press forward relentlessly, with unrivaled sharpness!’
The Ancient Azure Dragon Sword was a Divine Soldier; naturally, Duann Tianya wouldn’t let someone obtain it so easily.
Just as he had said, under the deterrent of the madman he had fabricated, very few top geniuses were willing to take the risk. After all, if their talent was great enough, the powers backing them would also award them with great treasures—even a Divine Soldier was not out of the question!
Duann Tianya smiled faintly and said, "Young Jiang Chen, since you were able to make it here, you have passed the test. This also proves you have a destiny with the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword. The sword is within this Dragon Blood Pool, where it has been tempered by Dragon Blood for hundreds of years. As long as you absorb all the Dragon Blood in the pool, you will naturally earn the Ancient Azure Dragon Sword’s recognition!"
"The Dragon Blood Pool?"
Startled, Jiang Chen followed Duann Tianya and flew onto the Flood Dragon’s back.
In the center of the coiled Flood Dragon, there was indeed a pool of Dragon Blood emitting an incomparably rich and vital energy. At the very bottom of the Dragon Blood Pool, a simple, ancient longsword was faintly visible.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, a solemn light in his eyes. ’Dragon Blood... to think there’s so much Dragon Blood here. Once I devour and refine all of it, I should be able to step into the Emperor Realm, right?’
At this thought.
Jiang Chen took a powerful dive, plunging straight into the Dragon Blood Pool...