Sword Tower, 2nd Floor.
The puppet Jiang Chen faced was even stronger.
'Peak of the Second Stage? I can crush any expert at the same level with my Profound Yellow Undying Technique alone. Plus, I've already reached Great Success in Sword Flash, the First Technique of the Aurora Sword Technique my father taught me. This puppet doesn't stand a chance!'
With determination and confidence in his eyes, Jiang Chen let out a cold snort and charged toward the puppet.
SWOOSH—
He struck, his sword a flash of light at the apex of speed, vanishing in an instant.
The sword whistled from his hand, like a single star flaring to life against the night sky before vanishing completely.
Jiang Chen had already brushed past the puppet. He sheathed his longsword.
The puppet staggered two steps, then fell to its knees with a THUD. Its head had been severed by Jiang Chen's single strike.
The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water, taking less than a single breath of time!
'I wonder if absorbing the Spiritual Qi from the 2nd Floor will be enough for me to break through to the Third Stage of Martial Arts?' Jiang Chen sat cross-legged and spent an hour devouring the Spiritual Qi, but unfortunately, he failed to break through. 'It seems the higher the realm, the more Spiritual Qi you need. Time to check out the 3rd Floor!'
The Sword Tower Puppet on the 3rd Floor was at the Peak of the Third Stage of Martial Arts.
It took Jiang Chen a considerable amount of effort to finally slay it. After absorbing the Spiritual Qi from the 3rd Floor of the Sword Tower, his body erupted in a brilliant yellow light.
Three halos appeared around his Martial Soul.
Yellow Tier Third Grade!
His cultivation also advanced as a matter of course, and he stepped into the Third Stage of Martial Arts. Jiang Chen let out a long sigh of relief, a blazing fighting spirit in his eyes. 'Good thing my initial decision was correct. Spending seven days on the 1st Floor to hone my Swordsmanship was the right call. Otherwise, passing the second and third floors wouldn't have been this easy. Time to head to the 4th Floor of the Sword Tower!'
Jiang Chen stepped onto the 4th Floor of the Sword Tower.
Just as he was preparing to challenge the Sword Tower Puppet, an enraged roar suddenly came from outside the Sword Tower: "Jiang Chen, get your ass out here and die!"
'Huh? That voice... it sounds like Jiang Rui's older brother, Jiang Zhi. How does he know I'm here?'
Jiang Chen was taken aback, having guessed the person's identity. As he hesitated, more curses came from outside the Sword Tower.
"Jiang Chen, you bastard! Get out here and face me in a fair fight!"
"If you're scared, come out and kneel before my brother and repent for three days and three nights, and I might just spare you."
"Jiang Chen, you piece of trash, you coward, you weakling! If you have any guts, then come out! What kind of man hides in the Sword Tower like a turtle in its shell? You're disgracing your father, Jiang Taixu!"
The taunts were utterly vile.
Jiang Chen's expression turned livid. 'So, Jiang Zhi. You're just courting death!'
He snorted coldly and strode out of the Sword Tower.
「Meanwhile...」
The commotion Jiang Zhi was causing had also attracted a number of Jiang Family disciples, who gathered around and stared at Jiang Zhi in astonishment. "Isn't that Jiang Zhi? He's a powerful expert at the Peak of the Third Stage of Martial Arts and one of the best of the family's younger generation. Why is he here challenging Jiang Chen? This is the Sword Tower. How could a good-for-nothing like Jiang Chen possibly be inside?"
"He must have the wrong person, right? Didn't the Jiang Family say that Jiang Chen only awakened a Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul, making him a total piece of trash?"
"A piece of trash with a Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul trying to clear the Sword Tower? Isn't that just asking for death?"
The noisy crowd suddenly fell silent as all eyes turned to the exit of the Sword Tower.
A slender, youthful figure slowly walked out.
The young man's steps were steady, and his figure was as tall and straight as a pine tree in the snow. A hint of coldness tinged his solitary pride. His gaze swept past the crowd before finally landing on Jiang Zhi. "You were looking for me?" he asked faintly.
Jiang Zhi was also sizing up Jiang Chen. The corner of his mouth twitched as he sneered, "Finally decided to come out? I was starting to think you'd play the coward till the very end."
"You're not worthy of making me hide," Jiang Chen said indifferently.
Jiang Zhi's expression changed. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and roared, "You bastard, Jiang Chen! Do you still think you're some great young master? How dare you beat my brother into such a state! His hands are completely crippled, with no hope of recovery in this lifetime. I'm here today to get revenge!"
"Do you know why I beat Jiang Rui?" Jiang Chen asked.
Jiang Zhi faltered for a moment, then shook his head and sneered, "I don't need to know the reason. All I know is that you hit my brother, and for that, you deserve to die!"
"Tsk, tsk. So your brother is allowed to hit people, but the person he hits isn't allowed to fight back?" Jiang Chen said, his eyes narrowing.
Jiang Zhi said coldly, "That's right. You're a piece of trash. It was only natural for my brother to hit you. But you dared to fight back, so you deserve to die, and I will have revenge for my brother!"
"What absurd, thuggish logic."
Jiang Chen burst out laughing, but his eyes were like cold stars, filled with a grim intent as he stared coldly at Jiang Zhi. "Since you're so unreasonable and brutish, don't blame me for being merciless!"
"A piece of trash like you dares to shout at me? It seems you still don't know how strong I am. Try and block one slash from me first!"
Jiang Zhi let out a roar like muffled thunder.
He swung his arm, pulling the Battle Blade from the sheath on his back. A silvery blade light flashed, kicking up a swirl of fallen leaves. A chaotic flurry of blade lights descended upon Jiang Chen, threatening to overwhelm him.
The slash was ferocious and came from a tricky angle, aimed straight for Jiang Chen's heart!
This was a killing blow!
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes as killing intent surged within him. 'You'd try to kill me with your first move, without even knowing right from wrong? In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless!'
"Illusionary Steps!"
His footwork suddenly became profound and mysterious. He moved as if treading on the eight trigrams, his path impossible to trace.
It made his movements erratic and impossible to track.
With a single flash of movement, he evaded Jiang Zhi's furious slash, appeared behind him, and launched a palm strike at the back of Jiang Zhi's heart.
"Get lost!"
Every pore on Jiang Zhi's body seemed to open in alarm. His brows knitted together, and the trajectory of his longsword changed as he whipped it wildly behind him. The sharp blade circled his body in a rapid, cylindrical arc, causing Jiang Chen's sudden palm strike to land on the flat of the blade.
CLANG—
The blade shuddered violently. The aftershock of the impact sent Jiang Zhi stumbling forward several steps. His arm went numb, and the webbing between his thumb and forefinger began to split. He narrowed his eyes, a look of horror dawning in them. 'Didn't they say this guy only has a Yellow Tier First Grade Martial Soul? How can he have this much power?'
"Jiang Zhi, you are not my match," Jiang Chen said faintly.
"Arrogant!"
Jiang Zhi snorted coldly, his eyes glittering with icy killing intent. "That was just a warmup, Jiang Chen. Now, I'm getting serious."
"Wild Wave Saber Technique!"
Jiang Zhi charged violently toward Jiang Chen, his Battle Blade swinging continuously. Like great waves sifting through sand, wave after wave of blade-light surged forward.
BANG! BANG! BANG!—
Every time a blade edge hit the ground, it carved a deep gash.
Jiang Chen was forced back again and again. His gaze hardened. 'I'm at too much of a disadvantage fighting him bare-handed.' His eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted a young man in the spectating crowd, standing to the side holding a longsword.
"Brother, may I borrow your sword?!"
Jiang Chen shouted to the young man.
The young man was taken aback for a moment, then immediately tossed his longsword to him. "Catch!"
"Many thanks!"
Jiang Chen caught the hilt, drew the longsword from its sheath with a SHING, and exclaimed, "A fine sword!" Then, with a flick of his finger, he made the blade ring out. "Jiang Zhi, taste my sword!"