Chapter 443 – A Clumsy Swordsman (2/2)

His true essence was insufficient to endure this level of battle.

The cultivations of these individuals were not at all weaker than Guan Bai's, and a powerful figure like Xue Xingchuan even far surpassed him. However, they were not people that walked the path of the sword.

It was impossible for them to read from Chen Changsheng's swordplay his self-confidence.

Zhou Ziheng was a person that walked the path of the sword, but he was also one of the people involved, so he also could not read it.

He believed that he had seen through Chen Changsheng's weakness, causing his self-confidence to be reborn.

He gazed at Chen Changsheng, his lips revealing a mocking smile as he prepared to say a few words.

Chen Changsheng gave him no chance. He directly thrust his sword at him.

At this time, the gate of the Orthodox Academy was very quiet, like the moment before daybreak, or the eve of a storm.

At these times, there would often be the cry of a bird, or a swallow flying low. And then the sun would break over the horizon, the rain would come crashing down.

This was a sort of tempo.

Chen Changsheng's attack very simply broke this tempo.

Because this tempo was broken, both Zhou Ziheng and the spectators felt extremely uneasy.

The sun had arrived too quickly, the rain had too abruptly descended.

Too sudden.

From the awning came the sounds of tables and chairs abruptly being overturned.

In the tea house, Xue Xingchuan quickly stood up, his face filled with disbelief.

In a battle, breaking an opponent's tempo was a very common sight.

The problem was that there were very few people that could do it as naturally as Chen Changsheng.

The true reason for their shock lay within, because it was highly likely that this indicated that this battle's tempo...had actually been in Chen Changsheng's hands the entire time!

The gap between Star Condensation and Ethereal Opening was extraordinarily vast. In this sort of battle, the latter could struggle bitterly, engage in bloody battle, and explode with talent. They could even be like Wang Po and miraculously break through in the middle of the battle. But for the weaker side to actually be in control of the battle's tempo the entire time, to completely use the mentality of an expert to face his opponent, just what sort of self-confidence was this!?

Just where did his self-confidence come from!?

Some of the people under the awning had been able to understand, and as a result tossed their tea cups away in absolute shock and kicked over their tables and chairs.

In the tea house, Xue Xingchuan has also understood, so he quickly stood up, so shocked that he could find nothing to say.

Chen Changsheng's self-confidence was in his sword.

This single sword.

The first sword which he sent towards Zhou Ziheng.

This sword so wondrous that it seemed made by the heavens.

This sword that was absolutely unavoidable.

This sword that had already cut off Zhou Ziheng's every path of retreat.

If Zhou Ziheng had decided to retreat with his fastest speed the moment Chen Changsheng had launched his attack, then perhaps he would still have a chance, but he did not.

Because he was in the Star Condensation Realm, while Chen Changsheng was in the Ethereal Opening Realm. When he represented the Temple Seminary in challenging the Orthodox Academy, everyone had felt that it was an example of the strong bullying the weak and looked upon him with extreme contempt. Under these circumstances, if he were to be forced back by Chen Changsheng's one attack, he would be losing face. Of course, he knew that this one attack of Chen Changsheng's was assuredly very powerful. Whether it was based on the rumors that he was the Pope's junior or that he had traveled together for many days with that master of the path of the sword, this attack was inevitably not simple. Thus, he also chose to not receive, but rather avoid it.

As a result, he realized in amazement that Chen Changsheng's sword gave off the feeling that he could not avoid it.

Just what sort of sword was this?

At the most dangerous moment, Zhou Ziheng finally renounced all obsessions and returned to the mindset of a swordsman. With a clear whistle, the longsword slashed down several times through the air.

A protective screen that was difficult to describe was birthed from his sword energy, cutting him off from Chen Changsheng.

On that protective screen faintly flowed beautiful starlight. That starlight had come from his sword, but its source was an even higher and more distant place—the sky.

This was the most powerful method of Star Condensation experts and was also precisely the reason why the Star Condensation Realm was so named.

Star Condensation experts were able to use their true essence to forcefully reverse the flow of starlight, as if their Fated Stars had entered their bodies. From this, they were able to form their own domain called the Star Domain. The Star Domain was a world formed from themselves. Within, the radiance of the stars would flow without end. It was nigh-perfect and could be described as impregnable. It could only be crushed by an even higher cultivation or an even more powerful true essence.

When a Meditation Realm cultivating genius fought an Ethereal Opening Realm cultivator, there was still a slight possibility of surpassing cultivation levels and obtaining victory. For instance, Luoluo's innate blood talent was extremely tyrannical. At the Meditation Realm, she could fight against ordinary cultivators at the initial level of Ethereal Opening. However, an Ethereal Opening Realm cultivator wanting to obtain victory over a Star Condensation cultivator was basically impossible, precisely because of the existence of the Star Domain.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, Zhou Ziheng did not want to use the Star Domain, because that would be far too unseemly.

But at this moment, he had to use it because Chen Changsheng's sword was truly too frightening.

In front of the Orthodox Academy, starlight shone as if it wished to vie with the sun in radiance.

Shocked cries rose up from the crowd, and it was also possible to hear the sounds of cursing.

Under the awning, some people had sat back down, especially those powerful figures that supported the Tianhai clan. They even revealed smiles.

However, Xue Xingchuan did not sit back down. He continued to watch the battle.

In his Star Domain, Zhou Ziheng had an extremely ugly expression. Even if he won today's battle, he had won in too unsightly a fashion.

But victory was always better than defeat.

Separated by the faint star radiance and watching Chen Changsheng's sword, he wanted to tell his opponent ‘although you cannot defeat me, that you forced me to reveal my Star Domain is something to be proud of.’

These words were not bad, carrying some of the bearing of a capable senior.

Zhou Ziheng thought this way. After Chen Changsheng's sword was blocked by his Star Domain and his own sword easily obtained victory, he was prepared to say similar words before the crowd.

And then, he heard a soft squelch.

What sound was this?

That was the sound of a sword piercing into his body.

That was the sound of Chen Changsheng's sword piercing into his body.

Chen Changsheng's sword, without the slightest pause, pierced through his Star Domain and stabbed into his chest.

His face instantly paled and his mind filled with an inconceivable shock. He yelled in rage, ”How can this be!”

Several howls of shock erupted from beneath the awning. ”Just what's going on here!”