Chapter 39: The Phantom Swordsman's Trial

Jiang Cheng stood firm, his sword gleaming under the eerie glow of the temple's ancient array. The phantom swordsman, shrouded in mist-like energy, exuded an overwhelming presence. His form flickered between reality and illusion, as if bound to the remnants of an era long past.

"You seek power, yet power alone is meaningless without understanding," the phantom said, his voice layered with wisdom and challenge. "Prove that your sword is worthy."

Without further warning, the phantom moved.

A single step. A single slash.

Jiang Cheng barely had time to react. The speed was beyond anything he had faced before. He activated Heaven Blitzing Step, shifting his body just in time to evade the strike. Yet, even as he dodged, a thin line of blood appeared on his cheek—the phantom's sword had grazed him.

"Fast!" Jiang Cheng thought, his eyes narrowing. "I couldn't even see the trajectory!"

He adjusted his stance, his battle spirit igniting. Vajra Diamond Body surged through his veins, reinforcing his defense as he prepared for the next attack.

The phantom didn't speak. Instead, he advanced with an ethereal grace, unleashing a barrage of strikes. Jiang Cheng countered with Impenetrable Fortress, his sword parrying each blow with precise movements. Sparks flew as steel clashed against spectral energy.

"His technique… it's flawless!"

Jiang Cheng wasn't just fighting a powerful foe—he was witnessing a master's swordsmanship firsthand. Every move of the phantom was a lesson, every strike a test.

A sudden shift in the air.

Jiang Cheng felt it before he saw it—the phantom's footwork changing. In a flash, the phantom disappeared and reappeared behind him.

Cloudstep!

Jiang Cheng spun around, barely deflecting the attack. The force sent him skidding backward, his arms numb from the impact. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't keep up with this opponent by relying on defense alone.

"I have to break through!"

His grip tightened on his sword. He had been training endlessly, refining his techniques, but now was the time to merge them—to evolve them beyond their original forms.

The phantom rushed at him again, his sword descending like a crescent moon.

Jiang Cheng stepped forward.

He fused Speed of the Wind God with Cloudstep, his movement becoming fluid and unpredictable. He channeled Void Severing Edge, feeling its dangerous power course through him.

One slash.

The air trembled. A deep black void streaked across the temple.

The phantom's attack stopped midair. The space between them distorted. For the first time, the phantom's glowing eyes flickered with recognition.

"You… comprehend the void?"

Jiang Cheng exhaled, feeling the toll of using Void Severing Edge. Even after refining his body, wielding this technique was like holding the edge of a storm.

But he had done it.

The phantom chuckled, his form beginning to fade. "You have proven yourself… The inheritance is yours."

A pulse of golden light erupted from the array beneath Jiang Cheng's feet. The temple trembled, and ancient inscriptions glowed brightly.

A sword materialized before him.

Not just any sword. This was the weapon of a forgotten legend. Its blade shimmered with a power beyond comprehension.

Jiang Cheng reached out, gripping the hilt. The moment his fingers closed around it, knowledge flooded his mind—techniques, insights, a forgotten path of swordsmanship that defied the heavens themselves.

His eyes burned with determination.

"This is only the beginning."

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