CHAPTER 499: CHAPTER 498 SAINT-LEVEL SWORD TECHNIQUE_1

Upon realizing this, "Xie Zhiqiu" immediately turned and fled.

Seeing this, Ling Chen swiftly raised his Red Sky Sword and pursued him at full strength.

"A cornered foe should not be pursued. Don’t chase him any further; my power won’t hold out much longer," the Red Sky Sword Saint’s voice suddenly rang out, just as Ling Chen was about to give chase.

Hearing this, Ling Chen abruptly halted. Without the power left by the Red Sky Sword Saint, he would be no match for the Undying Old Demon.

Ling Chen said, "If this demon escapes today, I’m afraid there will be great trouble in the future."

A worried expression appeared on Ling Chen’s face. A Saint-level demon, if allowed to recover his strength, the entire Martial World would face a bloodbath.

"Although a catastrophe is unavoidable," the Red Sky Sword Saint said faintly, "the body the Undying Old Demon has possessed only has cultivation at the Grand Master level. It won’t be easy for him to regain the strength of his Peak Period. At the very fastest, it would take at least three to five years."

"That’s a relief." Ling Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. If there were a three to five-year buffer, things wouldn’t be too desperate for now.

"I’m sorry, Senior. If I hadn’t mistakenly entered this place, I fear this demon wouldn’t have been released," Ling Chen said apologetically.

The Red Sky Sword Saint separated from Ling Chen’s body, his image coalescing before Ling Chen. He spoke slowly, "Young one, this matter is not your fault. However, now that this demon has been released, he is an immense threat to the entire world. I hope you can shoulder the responsibility to find him before the Undying Old Demon makes his comeback, lest he wreak havoc."

Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. "I wish I could, but with my current strength, I doubt I’ll be a match for this demon, even after three to five years."

"You’re being too modest." The Red Sky Sword Saint shook his head, then smiled. "There is a will within your body, an existence that makes even me tremble. With its help, you might not be unable to reach the Saint Realm within three to five years. If I may be so bold, who is that personage?"

"Er..." Ling Chen was a little embarrassed; he hadn’t expected the Human Emperor’s will to be detected.

The Red Sky Sword Saint didn’t know the exact origin of the will within Ling Chen’s body, but he could sense an unapproachably terrifying pressure from that existence. He knew it must belong to a peerless, great figure.

"COUGH..." Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, the Human Emperor coughed, causing Ling Chen to stop abruptly. He then gave a dry laugh and said, "My master has a very peculiar temperament and is unwilling to reveal his identity. I hope Senior won’t take offense."

He thought for a moment and felt the Human Emperor’s concerns were justified. Although the Red Sky Sword Saint appeared to be a good person, the possibility that he harbored ill intentions couldn’t be dismissed. After all, if the Undying Old Demon could possess Yun Tianhe, there was no guarantee the Red Sky Sword Saint wouldn’t try to possess him. Perhaps the only reason he hadn’t made a move was his apprehension regarding the Human Emperor’s presence.

Of course, this might just be his own speculation, judging a gentleman by the standards of a lesser man, but one could not be too careful. In such times, it was better to be cautious.

"I understand." The Red Sky Sword Saint didn’t seem to mind at all; on the contrary, he laughed freely. "Experts always have their eccentricities. Young one, this fragmented will of mine cannot last much longer. Before I vanish, I have something to give you."

Staring at Ling Chen, the Red Sky Sword Saint pondered for a moment. Suddenly, he extended his palm, and a crimson sphere of light materialized, condensing until it was the size of an egg.

With two fingers, he tapped Ling Chen’s glabella, and the crimson sphere of light sank into Ling Chen’s forehead, disappearing from sight.

"Refine it, and it should significantly increase your strength. However, you cannot completely refine it right now. Most of the Energy will remain latent within your body, which I believe will be of no small benefit to you."

Ling Chen stared blankly at the Red Sky Sword Saint. As this power was extracted, the Sword Saint’s already faint form became even dimmer, almost lightless.

"Senior..." Ling Chen pursed his lips, finding it difficult to accept such a profound gift.

Just moments ago, he had been wary of the Sword Saint; now, he felt incredibly shallow.

"Within this, there is not only Energy beneficial to you but also the sword technique I am most proud of." As the Red Sky Sword Saint’s voice fell, an image appeared in Ling Chen’s mind: a figure holding a Long Sword, demonstrating an exceedingly exquisite Swordsmanship.

The entire Swordsmanship comprised nine moves. Each move and stance seemed to be etched into Ling Chen’s mind, leaving such a profound impression that it felt as though he had learned it instantaneously.

"This sword technique is called the Red Sky Sword Technique. It is a Saint-level Swordsmanship I created myself. While mastering it won’t necessarily make you invincible across the land, it will be more than enough for self-preservation."

"A Saint-level Swordsmanship?" Ling Chen’s eyes lit up. The strongest martial art he currently possessed, the Dragon Seeking Sword Technique, was merely a King-Level, upper-grade Swordsmanship. Yet now, the Red Sky Sword Saint was imparting to him the Red Sky Sword Technique, a Saint-level Swordsmanship!

"This junior will engrave Senior’s profound kindness in his heart," Ling Chen said in a low voice.

"Young one, remember the pact between us. You absolutely must not allow the Undying Old Demon to bring disaster to the world. Otherwise, the entire Continent will be unable to escape a great catastrophe," said the Red Sky Sword Saint.

"Please rest assured, Senior. Even if I have to risk my life, I will do my utmost to deal with this demon," Ling Chen said, cupping his fist.

"With that, I can rest easy." The Red Sky Sword Saint smiled, a hint of weariness appearing on his face. His eyes slowly began to close, and his form gradually turned transparent.

"Senior, is there any way to save you?" Ling Chen asked urgently upon seeing this.

Having received such great benevolence, how could he not repay it?

The Red Sky Sword Saint’s gaze was gentle. He seemed to offer a faint smile, then his eyes closed completely. A hoarse voice drifted into Ling Chen’s ears, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the immutable laws of this world; how can they be arbitrarily altered by human power? I have received your sentiment."

"If, in the days to come, you encounter trouble you cannot resolve, take this Red Sky Sword to Lingyue Island in Yangzhou. Find a woman named Shen Bingxin; she will help you overcome the ordeal!"

With that said, the figure in Ling Chen’s vision gradually dissipated, fading into nothingness.

At this moment, this great figure of the Sword Saint level had well and truly perished.

Ling Chen stood ramrod straight and respectfully bowed to where the Red Sky Sword Saint had been. Leaving aside the many gifts the Sword Saint had bestowed upon him, his conduct alone was enough to earn Ling Chen’s profound admiration.

To sacrifice his life for the common good, staking his very existence to trap the Undying Old Demon here—such deeds filled Ling Chen with nothing but admiration and awe, leaving no room for any other emotion.

"Lingyue Island in Yangzhou?" A contemplative look appeared on Ling Chen’s face. He had read about Yangzhou in books; it was one of the Nine Provinces, part of the Nine Provinces Land which formed the core of the Tianyuan Continent. Compared to that, the Cloud Outland was merely a small, remote, and undeveloped place.

When the time was right, he would naturally leave this small Five Country Territory and venture into that wider world to develop.