Suppression by Sword Intent

Suppression by Sword Intent...

Upon hearing Qin Wentian's bold declaration, Zong Peng's surging sword qi intensified, and an ancient-sword Astral Soul materialized above his head, bathed in four different colors. It radiated an aura promising complete annihilation, and the sword qi swept across the entire sky and earth.

Qin Wentian had dared to claim that Zong Peng was unqualified?

"How powerful," the spectators murmured, shivers running down their spines. Before Qin Wentian's arrival, Zong Peng had been the most formidable contender with the highest chance of becoming the Sword Son. His fourth Astral Soul originated from the 5th Heavenly Layer, appearing as a sword of shadows, formless and elusive, exuding immense might.

Qin Wentian seemed completely unperturbed. He didn't even spare a glance for Zong Peng.

Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on Zong Hong and stepped forward. A palpable, oppressive surge of sword-might engulfed Zong Hong, but it was not a tyrannical or malicious force. Instead, it radiated righteousness and majesty, bearing down on Zong Hong's Sword Heart.

Qin Wentian stared directly at him, and in the center of his forehead, it seemed as though a third eye had opened, focusing its gaze on Zong Hong as well.

"That night, who told you to seek me out?"

With each step, Qin Wentian's willpower surged into Zong Hong's consciousness, gradually eroding his resolve.

The suffocating aura made it almost impossible for Zong Hong to breathe. He screamed, "Zong Peng!" as his body convulsed.

"Qin Wen, you've gone too far with your bullying!" Zong Peng roared in anger, stepping forward. Qin Wentian turned his gaze to him, and the fierce willpower from that formidable third eye immediately halted Zong Peng in his tracks.

Ignoring Zong Peng, Qin Wentian shifted his gaze back to Zong Hong and calmly continued, "As a sword cultivator, your heart lacks resolve, which is why others can manipulate you. Go back and reflect on this."

As his voice faded, Qin Wentian pressed his palms forward. In an instant, Zong Hong was propelled backward by the sheer force, landing on a training platform far away.

Coughing up blood, Zong Hong's face underwent a sudden transformation. In that fleeting moment, it felt as though time itself had stretched into an eternity. Facing off against Qin Wentian was akin to confronting an insurmountable mountain, looming above him, casting a shadow over his every effort. The gap between them was simply too vast.

However, Qin Wentian's earlier words had ignited a spark in Zong Hong's mind. His Sword Heart wasn't firm enough, allowing others to manipulate him?

"In front of my eyes, you dared to bully the weaker ones?" The elder in the air roared with fury, his sword intent growing increasingly terrifying.

Qin Wentian raised his head, his expression unwavering. He resembled a razor-sharp sword, locking eyes with the elder without flinching.

"Elder, allow me to handle this unruly character," Zong Peng declared, drawing a deep breath. The air resonated with the melodious hum of swords. In mid-air, his fourth Astral Nova shone with brilliant swordlight, filling the entire space with a symphony of sword cries. The onlookers retreated, fearful of getting too close.

With potent sword intent, one could eliminate opponents from a distance. Zong Peng had achieved the Heavenly Dipper Realm two years ago and successfully condensed his fourth Astral Nova, making him exceedingly formidable. The battle intent in his eyes surged, seemingly dominating the heavens as he locked onto Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian's gaze shifted toward Zong Peng. Zong Hong's actions had been manipulated by Zong Peng. This person standing before him was undeniably cunning. He sought to steal the position of Sword Son, but chose not to act openly. Instead, he began by tarnishing Qin Wentian's reputation, making it challenging for him to establish a foothold in the Zong Clan.

One word could describe Zong Peng's character: despicable.

"Peng!" Qin Wentian advanced, causing the heavens and earth to tremble. A regal sword aura erupted, setting off a chain reaction as swords hanging on the spectators' backs began to vibrate violently, creating an unending chorus of hissing blades.

In an instant, hundreds upon hundreds of swords hissed in unison, producing an uninterrupted symphony.

Zong Peng flicked a finger, and his fourth, most powerful Astral Nova shot forward with explosive speed. However, in that same moment, Qin Wentian took another step forward, and the ancient sword sheathed on his back shifted slightly upward. The kingly sword aura swept over everything, forcibly halting Zong Peng's Astral Nova in mid-air. It quivered violently, unable to advance even an inch.

This astonishing sight left everyone present wide-eyed in disbelief. Zong Peng, in particular, froze as his own sword aura seemed to lose its vigor, becoming sluggish.

His Astral Nova encountered a formidable obstacle, hindering its advance. It struggled, as if caught in an invisible vice.

"Attack!"

Zong Peng's rage reverberated through the air as he continued to push forward with his finger. In an instant, sword-might whistled, coalescing around his Astral Nova, driving it forward with relentless determination.

Yet, at that very moment, Qin Wentian took another deliberate step forward. This simple movement drew all the surrounding sword qi into one powerful surge. He was the origin, the sovereign of this realm's sword Dao.

"Rumble!"

An overwhelming sword intent, like the eerie wails of vengeful spirits, radiated from Qin Wentian. Zong Peng's forcibly advancing Astral Nova once again slowed to a crawl.

Witnessing this recurring scene, Zong Peng's dignity crumbled. Frustration and anger coursed through him as he shot into the sky, arriving beside his Astral Nova. His Mandate of Swords erupted in a frenzy, infusing his Astral Nova with his unyielding will.

With a commanding gesture, his Mandate transformed into a curtain of swords, enveloping his Nova. It blazed with resplendent light, as though determined to outshine the sun.

"With your wretched character, you aren't worthy of my blade," Qin Wentian remarked calmly, his words echoing through the void. The spectators' amazement had already reached its zenith, with no room for further escalation.

Zong Peng, renowned for his might, heard Qin Wentian proclaim that he wasn't even deserving of facing his sword, spoken directly to his face.

At that moment, Qin Wentian's aura erupted, revealing the undeniable truth to all. He and Zong Peng were equals in terms of cultivation, both at the first level of the Heavenly Dipper Realm. However, from his being emanated an overwhelming kingly sword aura, as though he were the sovereign, the ruler of everything before him.

With another step, the chorus of keening swords filled the air, an audible testament to his power. Zong Peng, still confronting Qin Wentian, groaned. He could sense that the Astral Nova he had summoned was on the verge of shattering into fragments.

Astral Novas served as the foundation of Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns. If shattered, even their Yuanfu would be damaged. For Sovereigns who had condensed only one Nova, the shattering of their Nova resulted in the destruction of their Yuanfu. However, those who had condensed four Astral Novas would suffer a significant reduction in their combat capabilities when one was shattered. If the fourth Astral Nova was destroyed, their Yuanfu would be utterly ruined, rendering them mere cripples.

In this moment, Zong Peng faced off against Qin Wentian while feeling his Astral Novas cracking, on the verge of collapse. This was the suppression of Astral Novas. The might of Qin Wentian's sword-type Astral Nova was incomprehensible.

A sharp and distinct sound reverberated, causing the swords strapped to the spectators' backs to shatter into pieces. The entire space resounded with the wailing of fractured blades.

"Urgh..."

Zong Peng tasted a metallic tang rushing up his throat, unable to suppress it any longer as he spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, his face drained of color.

"HOLD!"

The elder hovering above sensed something gravely amiss and attempted to intervene, but Qin Wentian swiftly thrust a finger forward, conjuring a radiant sword that shot toward Zong Peng's Astral Nova.

"Crack, crack..."

A cacophony of shattering echoed through the space, and Zong Peng let out a blood-curdling scream, coughing up several more mouthfuls of crimson. The cracks that had appeared on his Astral Nova grew wider and wider, eventually splintering it into fragments.

The formidable Zong Peng, now lay crippled, his Astral Nova reduced to ruins.

BANG!

Zong Peng's body crashed mercilessly to the ground, his complexion pallid, devoid of vitality. From his aura, it seemed as though his life hung by a thread.

His fourth Astral Nova had been obliterated, rendering him a pitiable cripple.

Zong Peng turned his head with great effort, fixing a venomous glare on Qin Wentian. His eyes brimmed with intense hatred and seething malice.

Zong Peng, who had cultivated tirelessly for many years, had finally achieved the pinnacle by condensing four Astral Novas. This was meant to be the peak of his existence, the moment when he would shine the brightest. Yet, Qin Wentian, who had only been in the Zong Clan for a few days, shattered his Astral Nova in front of the entire clan.

"You are truly ruthless," Zong Peng hissed, his voice laden with icy venom.

Qin Wentian coldly chuckled, "You've been planning against me from the start—slandering my name, issuing a challenge. Your current fate is a result of your own actions. You no longer deserve to be part of the Zong Clan."

Silence hung in the air, the hearts of those present pounding furiously. Even now, they were still struggling to accept the shocking outcome.

Zong Peng's Astral Nova had been shattered by Qin Wentian, and remarkably, Qin Wentian hadn't even unsheathed his sword from the beginning until now!

Qin Wentian had dealt with Zong Peng as easily as he had with Zong Hong—both were child's play.

In this moment, Zong Hong sat on the ground, staring at the unbelievable scene before him.

That day, Zong Peng's words had painted Qin Wentian as narrow-minded and vindictive. Believing that his strength far surpassed Qin Wentian's, Zong Peng had confidently predicted his own victory in the future.

But today, reality had unveiled a different truth: Zong Peng had been completely dominated in battle.

Zong Hong began to question his own actions that day—had he truly been in the right?

Was Zong Peng manipulating him?

Revisiting the events of that day, he couldn't help but feel profound shame at his own inferiority. Qin Wentian appeared even younger than him. Qin Wentian's mastery of the Sword Dao had completely convinced everyone present.

Strength aside, Qin Wentian had actually crippled Zong Peng.

Zong Peng was still a member of their Zong Clan, whereas Qin Wentian was an outsider with a different surname.

What baffled everyone even more was that when the elder called for Qin Wentian to halt, Qin Wentian had ignored the plea, proceeding to disable Zong Peng. When the elder finally intended to intervene, he acted too slowly, arriving a moment too late.

Now, he stood before Zong Peng's shattered Nova, a fierce scowl directed at Qin Wentian. His gaze resembled a piercing blade, seeking to penetrate Qin Wentian's very soul, as an overwhelming aura of death emanated from his being.

"You... Very well, it seems I must rid the clan of this menace on behalf of our clan lord," the elder growled, his power dwarfing Zong Hong's by several magnitudes.

Qin Wentian's gaze remained unflinching as he locked eyes with the elder, his voice icy as he retorted, "I wonder if the elder would take such action if Zong Peng were the one who had crippled me."

"Hmph," the elder snorted, taking a step forward, his malevolence sending shivers down the spines of the onlookers.

Qin Wentian chuckled coldly and, with a flick of his wrist, released the symbolic Sword Son's sword, propelling it into the sky where it hung suspended.

"I've incited the elder's anger because I dared to challenge him. But as the Sword Son, Zong Peng wronged me, defying authority. What's wrong with me crippling him?" Qin Wentian continued to speak icily. "In that case, with the Sword Son's symbol as evidence, I genuinely look forward to witnessing how the elder plans to kill me, the Sword Son of the Zong Clan."

As he finished speaking, Qin Wentian soared into the sky.

He was actually preparing to confront the elder in battle!

This astonishing scene left the spectators dumbfounded, their hearts pounding wildly. The shock of the unfolding events was beyond words.