Chapter 108: How Could He Be a Sword Cultivator?

Dozens of ghosts emerged from the talisman, surging toward Xu Ming like a scene out of a hundred ghosts night parade.

After years of training in the Blood Asura Battalion, Xu Ming had honed his senses to the point where he could discern an opponent's cultivation level from the quality of their spiritual energy. The opponent's energy was thin yet immense, indicating they were likely in the Sea Observation Realm. However, there was a faint aura of transformation akin to a carp leaping over the dragon gate, suggesting they were at the late stage of the Sea Observation Realm.

Xu Ming stepped forward, his fist smashing out. The violent surge of his blood energy scattered the malevolent spirits, clearing a path before him. He took another step, his foot shattering the stone tiles beneath him. Pressing the attack, Xu Ming rapidly closed the distance between them.

The opponent, however, was well aware of the danger of allowing a Soul Condensation Realm martial artist to get close.

"Fall!" Li Hui shouted, his palm pressing downward. A black sigil descended from the sky, aiming for the crown of Xu Ming's head.

Yet Xu Ming remained indifferent. The martial aura radiating from his body formed a protective shield around him, and the sigil shattered upon contact, like an egg striking a boulder.

Li Hui's brow furrowed slightly. With a sharp motion, he pointed forward, unleashing a beam of deathly energy aimed straight at Xu Ming's heart.

Xu Ming's pupils began to change, intricate and incomprehensible runes emerging within his jet-black eyes. This was the first time Xu Ming used his Dao Pattern Eyes in combat.

After his battle with Shen Sheng, Xu Ming had gained the Dao Pattern Eyes but refrained from using them during missions. At the time, his cultivation was too low, and the eyes consumed excessive physical and spiritual energy. More importantly, acting with others made it hard to conceal this ability. Everyone believed Xu Ming was spiritually crippled, so suddenly displaying spiritual power would raise questions he couldn't easily answer. Xu Ming had decided to keep it as a trump card, only to be used in life-or-death situations.

However, in the years since, Xu Ming and his team had never faced a crisis dire enough to warrant its use—until now.

As the Dao Pattern Eyes activated, Xu Ming saw the flow of spiritual energy around him with unparalleled clarity. He could clearly discern the opponent's meridians and the circulation of spiritual energy within their body. The deathly energy beam now seemed painfully slow in his enhanced vision.

Xu Ming sidestepped the attack, planting his left foot firmly on the ground and closing the distance in an instant. His punch struck through Li Hui's chest, piercing his heart. Yet Xu Ming felt no resistance from his strike.

Frowning, Xu Ming retreated.

"Boom!"

The figure before him exploded into a flurry of paper scraps.

"Are you really just a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist?" Li Hui's voice came from behind Xu Ming.

"Of course," Xu Ming replied, spinning on his left foot with a pivot exceeding ninety degrees. His kick struck Li Hui's head, shattering it. Yet once again, there was no blood—only paper fragments scattered in the air.

In an instant, a dozen paper effigies resembling Li Hui emerged, each wielding a large blade as they charged at Xu Ming.

Xu Ming's eyes focused, quickly identifying a path forward. Any paper effigy that blocked his way was reduced to scraps under his fists.

"Oh?" A girl sitting cross-legged on a nearby rooftop tilted her head in curiosity. Resting her chin on her pale hand, she lowered her left leg and straightened her slender waist. Her ink-black eyes blinked as she muttered, "Those eyes... interesting."

Xu Ming unleashed his technique.

"Heaven-Splitting Fist—Thunder Strike!"

With his Dao Pattern Eyes, he easily pinpointed Li Hui's true body. His fist, crackling with thunderous energy specially designed to counter entities of deathly energy, struck with precision.

"Boom!"

Xu Ming's fist smashed forward.

The opponent couldn't evade in time and crossed his arms in front of him to block.

From Xu Ming's fist came the sound of bones shattering and flesh tearing.

Li Hui was sent flying five meters, crashing to the ground, his arms reduced to a mist of blood.

Before Li Hui could scramble to his feet, Xu Ming's next punch was already descending like a hammer from above.

"Damn it! Is this guy really in the Heroic Soul Realm?!" Li Hui leapt up, chanting an incantation. White paper flew out from his storage pouch and gathered around his severed arms, reforming into new limbs identical to the originals.

Despite the restoration, unease filled Li Hui's heart. Reluctantly, he bit his finger and smeared blood onto a talisman.

"Clang!"

A ghost general clad in heavy armor appeared in front of Li Hui, blocking Xu Ming's strike.

"Kill him!"

Li Hui gritted his teeth, his heart aching with loss. Summoning this ghost general had cost him a hundred years of his lifespan!

For someone at the Sea Observation Realm like him, a hundred years of life could very well be the key to breaking through to the Dragon Gate Realm.

This bastard had to die!

The ghost general roared, wielding a massive saber as it leaped toward Xu Ming.

Xu Ming showed no intention of dodging.

Behind him, martial aura began to coalesce rapidly.

A three-meter-tall martial soul manifested behind him—the defining feature of a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist.

Xu Ming's martial soul blocked the ghost general's saber with raw aura while his fists struck the ghost general's chest repeatedly.

Each punch was heavier than the last, like the relentless beating of war drums.

With the final blow, the ghost general shattered into countless wisps of dark energy, dissipating into the air.

"Not good!"

Li Hui panicked, turning to flee.

In his mind, killing a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist should've been as easy as flicking a finger. He'd done it before.

But he never expected Xu Ming to be this powerful—so powerful that Li Hui couldn't even comprehend it.

No matter. If he couldn't win, he could still escape. A Heroic Soul Realm martial artist couldn't even fly—how could he possibly catch up?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Li Hui's throat felt tight, and a sweet metallic taste filled his mouth. Blood spurted out as he looked down in shock. A peachwood sword had pierced through his abdomen.

His body wavered and fell from the air, tumbling across the ground, leaving a trail of blood over ten meters long.

Struggling to rise, Li Hui suddenly felt a crushing weight on his chest. Xu Ming had stepped on him, pinning him to the ground.

"You… you're a sword cultivator!" Li Hui gasped, sensing the lingering sword energy wreaking havoc within his body. He was dazed.

Wasn't this top scholar rumored to be spiritually crippled, incapable of cultivation? How could he be a sword cultivator?!

"I never said I was just a martial artist."

Xu Ming chuckled. His right hand reached out, and the peachwood sword flew back to his grip. With a light flick, Xu Ming sliced away the mask covering Li Hui's face.

"Well, well, so it's the eldest son of the Li family. Looks like the real thing is even more sinister than your portrait. Tell me, Young Master Li, do you know the punishment for attempting to assassinate a sixth-rank imperial officer?"

"I…"

"Boom!"

Before Li Hui could finish his sentence, his entire body exploded into a mist of blood.

Xu Ming frowned, his expression darkening.

"Ding-ling-ling."

The crisp, melodic sound of a bell echoed through the air.

Xu Ming looked up to see a young girl in a black dress walking toward him, her bare feet brushing the ground as she approached.