Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 472

Volume 3 - Chapter 144: Defeating Chiguang with a Single Sword – Part 2

As one of the Geniuses, who among them doesn’t carry an air of boundless pride?

“I’m rather curious to see your duel with Chiguang and find out what cards you both hold,” the young man said, narrowing his eyes. He added, “But since you’ve run into me first, you might have to reveal a bit of your hand ahead of schedule.”

While speaking, he activated the array. In an instant, his power surged as he summoned the Heavenly Avatar. The blade in his hand ignited with pitch-black flames, slashing ferociously toward Li Hao.

His Heavenly Avatar also manifested a blade, mirroring his movements as both slashes fell simultaneously. The space around them seemed to fracture slightly, the blade intent within powerful enough to split the earth itself.

Li Hao felt the vast might and oppressive aura. The Earth and Heaven Meridian faintly activated, appearing behind him as it drew in an immense torrent of energy from the heavens and the earth. He condensed it into a strand of sword energy and slashed forward effortlessly.

The supreme softness overcame the extreme hardness. The sword energy, as delicate as silk, seamlessly adhered to the opposing blade, penetrating into the Heavenly Avatar.

With a resounding explosion, the Heavenly Avatar shattered. The sword energy grazed the young man’s neck, leaving a thin line of blood.

Li Hao withdrew his hand as the web-like Earth and Heaven Meridian behind him receded and vanished.

The young man standing within the ruins of his Heavenly Avatar was stunned, his face pale and uneasy.

He had hoped to force Li Hao to reveal some true techniques. However, Li Hao’s swordsmanship was beyond terrifying. Though Li Hao had briefly activated the Earth and Heaven Meridian, it was merely to gather some energy, far from being his trump card.

When the young man conceded, Li Hao cupped his hands in a polite gesture and stepped down from the platform.

Returning to his seat, he noticed the ink on his brush, hovering above the inkstone, was about to drip. Quickly, he picked it up, adjusted the brush tip in the inkstone, and resumed his painting.

His seamless movements left those who had been watching him speechless.

Compared to fighting, it seemed Li Hao cared more about his artwork.

“Yet again, it ends with a single sword. Who will be able to force him to use a second one?”

“He’s too strong. Perhaps only Chiguang can suppress him.”

“Who would have thought a loose cultivator could reach such monstrous levels? My master always says that cultivation depends on the individual. Even if your talent is mediocre, joining a holy land won’t necessarily lead to great accomplishments. I finally believe it now!”

“Look at him. It’s as if he hasn’t even warmed up yet. Unbelievable.”

The crowd below the platform buzzed with discussion.

Lin Qingying observed Li Hao’s focused demeanor and recalled his daily routine in the small courtyard—sculpting and painting. A faint smile appeared on her flawless, serene face, like a flower blooming on a snow-capped mountain, stunning and otherworldly.

She knew Li Hao wasn’t pretending to be nonchalant; he genuinely enjoyed these pursuits.

Others might not understand, but having seen it countless times, she had long grasped Li Hao’s nature.

“He reminds me so much of someone I once knew,” Bian Ruxue said softly from nearby.

As fellow saints from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, they stood relatively close to each other.

Lin Qingying was surprised and looked over. “Who?”

Bian Ruxue’s eyes held a distant glimmer of memory as she murmured, “When I was a child, there was a Genius who spent his days painting and playing chess, showing little interest in martial arts. Yet his talent in martial arts was terrifying, rivaling the holy sons of the sacred lands. Unfortunately, he was too playful at heart.”

Lin Qingying was momentarily dazed. Bian Ruxue had come from the mortal realm, and there had been such a prodigy in the mortal realm?

“Is that really playfulness?” Lin Qingying remarked. “He was simply doing what he loved. Isn’t the goal of cultivation to follow one’s heart and live freely? He has already achieved that freedom.”

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Li Hao, her eyes tinged with envy.

Bian Ruxue turned to her and said, “Isn’t your pursuit to become a saint of the sword?”

“Yes... and no,” Lin Qingying replied, her eyes lingering on the figure painting in the distance. “If there’s someone to accompany me, then mastering swordsmanship wouldn’t be absolutely necessary. After all, our pursuit in becoming saints is ultimately about freedom.”

Bian Ruxue’s eyes filled with disappointment as she looked away and said indifferently, “You won’t go far on the path of the sword.”

With that, she ended the conversation.

Lin Qingying discerned her thoughts, smiled faintly without anger, and chose not to respond. She understood that their personalities were fundamentally different—they were not the same kind of people.

...

As the battles on the platform grew increasingly intense, everyone except Li Hao and Chiguang showcased remarkable strength. The top ten matches progressed steadily, but the much-anticipated duel between Li Hao and Chiguang did not occur early. It was only when both advanced to the finals that they finally faced each other.

“I thought we’d see this battle earlier, but it seems fate saved it for the grand finale.”

“This feels like a destined showdown!”

“Which is stronger, divine abilities or the way of the sword? The debate has raged for centuries. Perhaps this battle will finally settle it.”

The audience’s excitement reached a fever pitch as the final battle began.

Li Hao, having completed portraits of the other nine Unparalleled Geniuses, set aside his painting tools. This act alone convinced many that he was finally taking the match seriously.

Chiguang, the first to step onto the platform, saw Li Hao putting away his art supplies and smiled faintly. In previous battles, Li Hao seemed more invested in his painting. Now, however, he appeared to be serious.

Still, forcing him to reveal more of his abilities would depend on Chiguang’s skill...

Chiguang’s eyes gleamed as he glanced at the audience below. His gaze briefly lingered on a few figures in kasayas with shaved heads before he refocused on the fight.

At this moment, Li Hao stepped onto the platform as well.

Having sketched all the other Geniuses, Li Hao had already discerned that Chiguang was a cut above the rest in this tournament’s top ten, second only to himself.

From his observations, the others’ artistic potential hovered around 22,000 experience points, but Chiguang’s was 35,000—a staggering difference.

For comparison, the gap between Chiguang and a semi-saint was just over 10,000 experience points.

“As expected, this final match is ours,” Chiguang said calmly as the array formation activated.

Li Hao nodded slightly. “I’ll be in your care.”

Chiguang raised an eyebrow. He had initially felt a sense of camaraderie with Li Hao as a fellow prodigy, but Li Hao’s indifferent demeanor made it clear he did not share the sentiment.

Though Chiguang had previously looked down on Li Hao for devoting his energy to non-martial pursuits, the earlier rounds had made him acknowledge Li Hao as a worthy adversary—perhaps even the only one here capable of keeping pace with him.

But Chiguang’s true goal lay far beyond this battle. His ultimate opponents awaited him in the greater battlefields representing the Canglan Realm.

“I noticed you haven’t drawn your sword in earlier matches. Do you plan to keep it sheathed this time as well?” Chiguang asked, his gaze sharp.

Li Hao, prompted by this question, nodded and retrieved his blade from the spatial realm.

The sword was entirely black, its surface devoid of any sheen, as though it could devour all light.

Chiguang chuckled faintly, flames beginning to flicker around his body. “Let’s see if your sword can sever my fire!”

As he spoke, he suddenly attacked. His aura erupted to its peak as he channeled the Earth and Heaven Meridian, drawing power from the heavens and the earth. With this surge of energy, he unleashed his devastating fire-based divine ability.

“It’s starting!”

The eyes of many Geniuses who had previously lost to Chiguang widened with apprehension.

Chiguang’s fire-based divine ability was fearsome—it was guaranteed to strike its target, leaving no room for evasion. Facing such a technique, one could only endure its onslaught.

The question remained: would Li Hao’s swordsmanship be compromised under the flames’ assault?

The moment Chiguang attacked, Li Hao felt a surge of fiery anger rising in his heart. The emotion burned within him, setting his blood aflame and stirring a tempest of violent impulses.

However, in the next instant, a glint of cold light flashed in his eyes. From deep within his core, an unyielding sword intent surged forth, extinguishing the flames of fury.

Raising his hand, he swung his sword.

The pitch-black blade burst forth with radiant Sun and Moon Sword Radiance, blazing as brilliantly as the midday sun, its light scorching and dazzling as it enveloped the entire platform.

With one swing of the sword, the radiant sun seemed to explode, transforming into an overwhelming wave of heat, surging relentlessly toward Chiguang to crush him beneath its might!

“My swordsmanship…”

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