Chapter 1168: Defeat

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“This can’t be real!”

Baili Jingwei’s face twitched as he staggered, “The Patriarch got pushed back?! No way!”

The rest were overwhelmed as well. The Invincible Sword showed signs of losing. This had never happened before, ever.

Emperor Baili Jings.h.i.+ felt drained, slumping to the ground in shock. 

[If the Patriarch falls, the empire that lasted thousands of years will come cras.h.i.+ng down!]

Danqing Shen believed Zhuo Fan could do it, but to see it actualized was another thing. His power was beyond anything they knew, and the old monster only got out alive thanks to the Sundering Sword taking the brunt.

The little monster’s understanding of the Soaring Sword Art was simply insane. The Shangguan clan had held onto the same sword for centuries, yet none could display what he could in a hundred years.

Shangguan Feiyun felt his throat dry.

[The Soaring Sword Art can do that? Why didn’t I realize?]

Only young Sanzi stood straighter, looking at Zhuo Fan’s right hand and wiping his mouth of blood.

Zhuo Fan’s understanding of the Soaring Sword Art came from his observations and insights into the Soaring Qilin’s power With Zhuo Fan using a Qilin arm to unleash the Soaring Sword Art, the power multiplied. 

It went as far as beyond what the old monster could take even with his peak Sundering Sword Art.

Everyone looked tense at the fight. The Invincible Sword turned grave for once, facing his strongest adversary yet with a cold glint in his eyes.

Crack~

The snapping sounds reached his ears and Baili Yutian’s heart shook. He saw the armor on his chest sporting cracks from the Soaring Sword strike.

[Providence…]

Baili Yutian sighed.

[I hoped to finish this challenge with my past self from a hundred years ago and reach the top with dignity. But he is too powerful. I have to give everything for any chance at seeing the new world.] 

Baili Yutian smirked, looking at Zhuo Fan with fire in his eyes, “Zhuo Fan, come, let’s finish this peak showdown!”

“Gladly!”

Flicking the demonic sword, Zhuo Fan shouted back. They both shone red once more, using his power to slash and unleash another deadly Soaring Sword wave at Baili Yutian.

The Invincible Sword would no longer defend, but dodge instead, using the Sundering Sword as cover.

Soaring Sword wave flitted past, grazing the Sundering Sword, yet the great power was enough to push on the cracked chest plate and spread the damage.

[The Soaring Sword Art is truly frightening, holding so much power just within its aura alone. But it’s almost time…]

The Invincible Sword turned to Zhuo Fan again after dodging, only to find him coming straight for his life right behind the sword wave, “Ha-ha-ha, the Soaring Sword Art is the strongest, but it is hardly enough to take you down. I’ll have to do it up close and personal!”

Bam!

Zhuo Fan flared scarlet and hacked. The Invincible Sword rushed to block with his sword, resulting in a loud clang as the swords collided. But under Zhuo Fan’s power, the Invincible Sword faltered, with the demonic sword pressing on the Sundering Sword and into his chest.

Crack~

The Invincible Sword’s armor got more cracks, faster and faster, covered all over in black veins and ready to crumble.

The Invincible Sword gnashed his teeth and stared at the youth just a foot from him without fear. His red face strained as he pushed, roaring and shoving Zhuo Fan back.

“Kid, you dare come close to me with such gall? Absurd! Thunderstorm!”

The Invincible Sword shouted and waved the Sundering Sword, making the sky rain down thousands of thunder swords at Zhuo Fan from all directions.

Zhuo Fan was in enemy territory, with the world’s energy here in the other’s control. He could no longer use the Heaven Sealing Sword Art to seal the strikes. In a Genesis Stage fight, each had their own domain and charging into another’s territory was the same as throwing away his advantage, the world energy he controlled. It was beyond dangerous. None would do it without utmost certainty of victory.

Zhuo Fan took such incomprehensible risk to fight Baili Yutian up close, only to find out the strike did not end his opponent, suffering retaliation instead.

Zhuo Fan was the one in dire straits now.

Baili Jingwei’s side cheered with renewed hope.

Zhuo Fan was ever calm, the demonic sword’s golden line s.h.i.+ning bright and unleas.h.i.+ng a scorching heat. 

“Decimating Sword Art, Decimating Heaven!”

Whoosh~

He waved at the sky, sending searing waves in all directions. In moments, golden flames formed in the sky as thick firewalls put a barrier between him and the sky. The purple lightning waves landed on the flamewalls, hissing to nothing. 

The Decimating Sword Art was similar to the Sundering Sword Art, both preferring raw power, but the difference was with the Decimating Sword Art being partial to some flexibility. Hard, but not brutal. By using this trait, gentleness overcame strength and burned the incoming waves of attacks to nothing.

Baili Yutian’s wide sword wave attack used with word power was stopped for moments, ample time.

Whoosh~

With the Invincible Sword isolated from the sky, Zhuo Fan had removed both of their ties to the world power and now flashed in Baili Yutian’s face once more, his arm flaring scarlet and using Soaring Sword Art to slash at his opponent’s head.

Hum~

A scarlet glow came out of the blade’s edge, forcing Baili Yutian to gnash his teeth and block with his sword for the second time. Now though, with such a close distance, the sword wave proved even more powerful. Baili Yutian had no way of deflecting it, letting the divine sword push into his chest and closer to his heart. No amount of strength helped. 

The Invincible Sword’s cracked armor crumbled to pieces and the Soaring Sword’s power entered his heart, making him cough three crimson mouthfuls of blood. He shot back like a meteor, slamming hard into the ground, forcing up a cloud of dust and entrails as his force pulverized hundreds of thousands of the empire’s soldiers.

Baili Jingwei’s group was quick, ducking out of the shockwave, with Danqing Shen’s group doing their best to protect the convicts.

Once dust settled, Zhuo Fan hovered above, but the purple tinged sky was no more. It was a testament to the Invincible Sword losing control, or better yet, the man himself was…

Baili Jingwei’s eyes shook, looking at the dozens of miles big crater with dead eyes, “How could the Patriarch just… lose?”

“Baili Yutian is dead, we won!”

Seeing no thunder in the sky, Zither Sword King took a deep breath and roared in excitement.

Zhuo Fan’s Soaring Sword Art was too d.a.m.n strong.

[Not even the Invincible Sword could take it on, for if he had even a bit of strength left, the purple lightning in the sky would’ve stayed.]

Devil Palace and the four lands’ convicts cheered as well. 

[To think that the great Invincible Sword had got to see this day.]

Only the Bali Sword Kings and the empire’s soldiers slumped on the ground in disbelief.

[The Patriarch couldn’t have lost!]

Regardless of their wants and needs, the purple was gone and the empire had fallen. The invincible nation knocked down from its pedestal on high along with its invincible G.o.d.

While some rejoiced, others mourned. Along with the frantic glee there were equally opposite sorrow and lament. Zhuo Fan kept staring at the crater even now.

[The sword was strong, but only enough to damage the old man, not kill him…]

Sss~

Thunder crackled then as purple lightning spread across the sky once more.

An even greater power pressed down, taking the breath away from all onlookers.

An aged voice came from the crater, “I never thought it’d come to this. But now, Zhuo Fan…”