CHAPTER 380: CHAPTER 380: WOUNDING TIAN ZHAOQUAN_1

A terrifying sword intent and aura caused most of the cultivators present to feel an inexplicable shiver!

Merely witnessing the power of this sword gave them the illusion of impending doom, as if they were about to perish beneath the blade. This was especially true for Tian Zhaoquan, who directly faced the Sword Light’s sharp edge.

Even though he was a late-stage cultivator of the Spirit Sea Realm, with skin as smooth as jade, the sight was enough to raise goosebumps on him...

"BOOM!"

The palm strike Tian Zhaoquan had launched was directly shattered by the Sword Light, vanishing into thin air!

Without losing any momentum, the Sword Light continued its assault towards Tian Zhaoquan, as if intent on felling this insubordinate Hall Master of the Affairs Hall from his lofty position!

"BANG!"

"BANG!"

"BANG!"

In the blink of an eye, Tian Zhaoquan successively slammed out several palm strikes.

Boundless, invisible, and formless nature’s spiritual energy compressed and coalesced, forming massive, murky palm imprints that resembled mountain peaks.

Bearing immense power and unpredictable might, they lunged towards the incoming Sword Light.

However, Shen Mo didn’t hold back at all with this sword strike.

He utilized the most powerful technique he had mastered from the All-Encompassing Sword Canon: the Starfall Sword Form.

It was fueled by nearly thirty percent of his Mana. Combined with enhancements from his cultivation method, vitality, sword intent, and Skills, it was arguably his most potent conventional offensive technique, aside from Sacrificial Magic!

Its might was like a falling meteor. The Sword Light blazed across the land, its edge sharp enough to pierce the very heavens.

When Tian Zhaoquan, full of rage, struck out with his palm, he realized something was awry the moment it contacted the terrifying sword Qi. By the time he thought of using other methods to deal with it, it was already too late.

"RUMBLE!"

"RUMBLE!"

Each palm imprint, like a mountain peak being cleaved, instantly shattered and dispersed.

The moment the Starfall Sword Qi struck, Tian Zhaoquan’s hand emitted a radiant glow as he pressed it defensively towards the Sword Light.

"BOOM!"

A blinding light ignited, and amidst the earth-shaking explosion, Tian Zhaoquan’s figure was sent flying.

Shen Mo didn’t need to make another move. The aftershock of the sword Qi completely dispersed the emerald green smoke engulfing Tian Zhiyu. His body was blasted to the ground, causing a small hill to collapse entirely.

"Insolent brat..."

Tian Zhaoquan, who had been blasted several miles away, reappeared before Shen Mo, spirit light flickering around his body.

However, everyone present saw his right hand hanging limply at his side. A long, thin wound had appeared on his palm, and under the torment of the lingering sword Qi, it stubbornly refused to heal. Bright red blood dripped from his fingertips!

He hadn’t completely defended against that terrifying sword Qi; moreover, his Dao Body had been wounded by the sharp blade.

Seeing this, all the Riverside Sect disciples watching the battle were utterly shocked!

It should be noted that before becoming the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall, Tian Zhaoquan had also been a core disciple of the sect.

The profundity of his cultivation method and the skillfulness of his techniques far surpassed those of ordinary Riverside Sect Elders of the same rank who had risen from disciple status. This was even more true when compared to Class III experts from minor immortal sects, cultivation families, rogue cultivators, or the Marine Race!

Yet now, he had been wounded by a single sword strike from Shen Mo...

This wasn’t to say Tian Zhaoquan was weak; rather, it was a testament to Shen Mo’s astonishing Proficiency in Swordsmanship!

Even the Supreme Elder, seated serenely amidst the clouds, was quite amazed upon witnessing this sword technique and couldn’t help but click his tongue in wonder.

The cultivators from the various sects were stunned. After a brief silence, an uproar ensued, and noisy discussions filled the entire vast battle arena.

On an inconspicuous small hill, Zhao Lingyin and Clam Girl Ming Yu stood together, observing the unfolding spectacle.

Originally, seeing the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall personally intervene, both women, despite their confidence in Shen Mo, couldn’t help but show looks of concern.

Ming Yu, who held no fear for the high-ranking figures of the Riverside Sect, even cursed aloud, berating Tian Zhaoquan for being an old disrespectful and shameless man!

Now, seeing this turn of events, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Ming Yu’s face lit up with a smile, and she said cheerfully, "That old man relies on his high status and shows no regard for the rules. He deserved to be taught a lesson by Brother Shen!"

Zhao Lingyin, being an inner disciple of the Riverside Sect, naturally couldn’t be as overt as Ming Yu, but the joy in her eyes was impossible to conceal.

"Since Shen defeated Tian Zhiyu this time, he’ll be a core disciple of the sect in the future."

"We won’t have to worry about the Tian Family or Tian Zhaoquan openly causing him trouble anymore. If they resort to underhanded tactics, with his current abilities, he won’t be afraid!"

"The higher his status, the greater his chances of safely surviving the Demon Tide."

Although during the Demon Tide, no one in the Riverside Sect, whether high-ranking or an ordinary disciple, could remain uninvolved.

However, judging by the previous Demon Tide, which lasted nearly a hundred years, the ones who suffered the most tragic casualties were still the ordinary inner and outer disciples...

Of course, besides status, cultivation and strength were also greatly related.

Then again, the higher one’s status in the Riverside Sect, the more abundant the cultivation resources received, which greatly benefited strength improvement. These factors were all interlinked.

Shen Mo securing a core disciple position would naturally bring immense benefits.

Otherwise, Tian Zhaoquan wouldn’t have schemed so hard to ensure Tian Zhiyu didn’t lose this position!

Seeing Tian Zhaoquan take out his magic treasure and appear intent on fighting Shen Mo, Peak Master Zhou Shili of Stars Peak descended from the clouds, hovering in the air before Shen Mo. His eyes, carrying a sharp glint, stared coldly at the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall.

Tian Zhaoquan forcefully used his Mana to seal the wound on his palm, staunching the bleeding. He then bowed to Zhou Shili, about to say something.

Just then, Peak Master Yuan Jing of Bright Moon Peak took out a Daoist bell and struck it heavily.

"DONG——"

The loud, resonant toll of the bell, along with Yuan Jing’s voice, carried his announcement in all directions: "In this battle, Shen Mo of Stars Peak is victorious!"

Tian Zhaoquan glanced downwards. He saw an Elder from Rising Sun Peak digging out the heavily injured and unconscious Tian Zhiyu from the collapsed hill, feeding him Healing Pills, and using magic to help straighten his disordered internal Mana.

Seeing the situation was settled, Tian Zhaoquan resumed his usual warm and gentle demeanor. He offered an apology to Zhou Shili and then flew towards Tian Zhiyu.

"Lad, well done!" Zhou Shili patted Shen Mo’s shoulder, praising him.

The proficiency in cultivation methods and the powerful techniques Shen Mo displayed in this battle were so incredible that even he, a cultivator half a step into the Golden Core Realm, found them somewhat unbelievable!

Especially the spiritual level cultivation method he had imparted to Shen Mo, the "Constellation Great Hand Seal"...

Its profundity seemed even greater than his own, a Senior who had meticulously studied this technique for decades!

Not to mention his terrifying Proficiency in Swordsmanship and the increasingly formidable display of his Three-headed Six-armed divine Skill—all of these showcased this new disciple’s exceptional talent and vast capabilities.

When Shen Mo had climbed to the 736th stone step during the Tianshan Mountain ascent, he was hailed as a cultivation genius rarely seen in decades... It now seemed he was indeed worthy of the name!

Of course, when cultivation reached their level, any serendipitous encounters or opportunities one might have were their own personal possessions.

He wasn’t so petty as to envy a disciple’s achievements and force him to hand over the cultivation method for the Three-headed Six-armed form, or any other fortuitous opportunity he might have chanced upon.