Supreme Emptiness

Chapter 2208: Chapter 2252: Second Preaching in a Dream

Before the trial began, who could have imagined that Liu Qingxian, the one with the weakest cultivation and the shortest time spent comprehending the Sword Dao, would persist until now?

At this moment, she was already drenched in sweat. Her face was pale, entirely devoid of color. Her eyes were tightly shut, her eyelids twitching constantly, and her eyelashes trembling slightly. Her lips were gradually turning black. This was a sign of her consciousness being overdrawn. If this continued, her soul would most likely be damaged.

However, it was precisely because she was pushing her limits that her Sword Dao Crystal was steadily closing the gap with Yan Rushi’s. Both of their Sword Dao Crystals were now about the size of a ball. Liu Qingxian’s was merely slightly smaller, and this gap was still shrinking!

Yan Rushi’s perpetually arrogant expression finally revealed a hint of unease. At this moment, she had also reached her limit. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to parry the phantom’s sword moves. She would be defeated in just a few more moves at most.

"Are you cheating? How can you still be holding on?" Yan Rushi asked weakly.

Liu Qingxian didn’t respond to her; instead, she continued to face her opponent. Every time she withstood a sword strike from the phantom, her lips darkened a shade more, and an expression of agony gradually surfaced on her face.

The Great Sages present could all see these ominous signs.

Fuyun Great Sage raised her eyebrows and said to Jiang Fan, "Her soul is damaged. She cannot continue."

Jiang Fan’s heart also leaped into his throat. There was no Five-Colored Soul Purification Bottle from the Poisonous World here. If her soul was destroyed, no one would be able to save her. Yet, seeing Liu Qingxian gritting her teeth and persisting, he forcibly suppressed his anxiety and said, "She knows her limits."

Fuyun Great Sage opened her mouth but didn’t dare to dissuade them. This concerned the legacy of a Sword Saint; she didn’t dare make decisions on Liu Qingxian’s behalf. She only hoped that the girl knew her own limits and wouldn’t end up reduced to ashes.

THUD!

With a muffled sound, Yan Rushi failed to hold on. A sharp pain pierced through her consciousness. Not daring to linger in the fight, she withdrew from the battle and plummeted from the arena. Ignoring her injuries, she looked at Liu Qingxian, who was still locked in bitter combat, and couldn’t help but scream, "What are you still holding on for? Do you want to die?"

Anyone could see that Liu Qingxian was risking her life to close that final gap. If she endured any longer, her soul could very well shatter!

At that moment, the phantom unleashed another powerful strike.

Liu Qingxian’s consciousness held its ground tenaciously, struggling to parry with her swordsmanship. The result was that the sword slashed into her soul, cleaving it open!

The endless agony elicited a miserable groan from Liu Qingxian, and her body fell to her knees with a heavy THUD.

Jiang Fan’s breath hitched, and he was about to rush forward.

"Don’t come over!" Liu Qingxian hugged her head. Her consciousness had already plunged into immense chaos; she couldn’t even distinguish the sky from the earth.

She had only one conviction.

Surpass Yan Rushi!

The Sword Dao Crystal above her head was already identical to Yan Rushi’s. If she took one more move, she would surpass her!

Jiang Fan saw through her intentions and shouted, "One more strike and your body and soul will be annihilated!"

As a bystander with a clear view, he could tell that in Liu Qingxian’s current state, she absolutely couldn’t withstand the next sword strike. Taking it forcefully would only result in her soul exploding!

Liu Qingxian struggled to her feet and replied without looking back, "This is my path!

"I make my own decisions!"

As she spoke, she met the phantom’s final sword strike head-on.

The expressions of the Sages present changed drastically.

"Are you still not going to stop her?"

"Her Sword Dao can’t block this strike!"

"She will definitely die!"

The expressions of the Great Sages shifted. With their experience, there was no reason why Liu Qingxian could survive this strike. Fuyun Great Sage even felt the urge to intervene. However, since the Saint kept his eyes closed and remained silent, she didn’t dare act rashly.

She could only watch helplessly as Liu Qingxian used her own Sword Dao to endure that irresistible blow.

CRACK!

The Sword Dao Liu Qingxian unleashed was shattered on the spot. The phantom’s merciless sword slashed toward her incredibly fragile soul.

She let out a long sigh in her heart, "In the end... I still lost!"

As the phantom’s sword cleaved down, she felt an icy chill wash over her whole body. That was the result of her soul extinguishing and turning into specks of light. She was already suspended between life and death.

The last time she was in such perilous circumstances was when she learned that the battle at Boundary Mountain had broken out, and Jiang Fan’s fate there was unknown. Without using her Spirit Beast, she had charged into the vast Snowfield and ended up frozen in the icy tundra. That was the closest she had ever come to death.

Now, this was the second time. This should also be the last time, right?

Her consciousness gradually fell into darkness. Faintly, she seemed to hear Jiang Fan’s shouts. She wanted to respond but couldn’t make a sound. Even her consciousness was sinking uncontrollably until she was completely engulfed in darkness.

"Am I dead?" Liu Qingxian murmured to herself in the dark.

Suddenly, she saw a one-armed old man with his back to her, facing the vast starry sky.

"Senior Sword Saint?

"No... this isn’t Senior Sword Saint...

"This is... a dream sermon!

"A second dream sermon!"

Her previous experience of nearly freezing to death in the tundra had earned her a dream sermon, and from then on, she had embarked on the Sword Dao. This time, once again hovering between life and death, she was receiving another dream sermon!

Her eyes brightened as she watched the Sword Saint swing a strike that was ultimately simple yet contained profound Sword Intent.

In the outside world.

Yan Rushi slowly stood up, gazing at the motionless figure that had already lost all signs of life. A victor’s smile surfaced on her face. "I won!"

Jian Wuchou also gloated over her misfortune, scoffing, "If she had known this would happen, she might as well have submitted to me. Hmph!"

Fuyun Great Sage’s eyes dimmed, and she quickly looked at Jiang Fan with worry.

At this moment, Jiang Fan must be the most heartbroken, right? The person he loved the most had died right in front of him in pursuit of the Martial Path. It was often said that the Martial Path was cruel. No one ever knew if they would meet familiar people again or part with them forever after saying goodbye.

Wasn’t this exactly the case between Jiang Fan and Liu Qingxian?

Sighs also echoed through the crowd. Liu Qingxian had, after all, fallen at the very last step.

Yan Rushi declared loudly, "Senior Sword Saint, I am your Sword Dao inheritor!"

However, the Sword Saint remained silent with his eyes closed. Yan Rushi frowned.

Just as she was feeling bewildered, a terrifying Sword Intent suddenly erupted from the arena. To be exact, it erupted from within Liu Qingxian’s body!

The girl, whose life force had dissipated, suddenly opened her eyes and let out a soft shout: "Reverse Yin and Yang!"

With one strike, heaven and earth above the arena were severed, and yin and yang were inverted. The phantom in front of her was directly annihilated by the strike!

Countless experts were deeply moved, letting out cascading cries of exclamation.

"She actually comprehended a brand-new Sword Dao on the brink of death?"

"That’s right! The Sword Saint’s Dao is an extreme path that favors the unconventional. Only in the depths of despair can a new Sword Dao be birthed."

"She is the Sword Saint’s most favored candidate!"

The crowd looked at the space above her head. That Sword Dao Crystal, originally the size of a ball, was now the size of a human head, far surpassing Yan Rushi’s!

The cross-legged Sword Saint finally opened his eyes slowly. A hint of gratification swirled in his aged eyes. He slowly stood up, smiled, and issued a sacred decree that echoed throughout the entire Martial Vault:

"My Dao is not alone!

"From today onward, Liu Qingxian shall master my Immortal Technique, inherit the Three Thousand Sword Paths, and wield my inherited World Artifact.

"I hereby decree to all Sages of the Martial Vault: seeing her is akin to seeing this Saint.

"Violators shall be jointly executed by all Saint Realm experts of the worldly Martial Vault!"