Chapter 1717 (Raw 1729):
"Saber of Misfortune?" Xiao Chen muttered to himself, standing up. Feeling confused, he sought advice from the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's remnant soul. Is there really such an interpretation?
Do you believe him?
Although the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's voice coming from the dragon seal sounded weak, there was still disdain in it.
Feeling certain in his heart, Xiao Chen said, I take it that this monk is lying?
Naturally. I interacted with these monks quite a lot. They were always rattling on about the divine, as though everyone in the world was drunk, and they were the only ones awake. It is merely a different Dao; there is no need to understand too much. However, it is true that every master of that saber died by their own saber.
Xiao Chen fell speechless for a while. After such a long explanation, it turns out that what Zhen Yuan said was true.
The facts are so. However, that monk spoke about handing it to the Buddhist sect for safekeeping; that is clearly his own selfish desire. Can you not see it? Furthermore, the reason why all the masters of the Tyrant Saber ended up dying by their own saber was merely their own conceit and stubbornness. Their understanding of the way of the hegemon was wrong.
The way of the hegemon was never about monopolizing the world. If one stubbornly clung to their ways, being obstinate and self-opinionated, trampling the world under one's feet, not to leaving a path of survival for others, how could heaven leave a path of survival for such a person? Even if such a person did not obtain the Tyrant Saber, they would still end up in a sorry state.
Xiao Chen understood. So, it is not a problem with the saber but the person wielding the saber. The saber just magnified the weakness of their heart.
That's right. Just like that person there, Shangguan Lei, right? I wonder who taught him. With such temper and character, even if he does not have the Tyrant Saber, he is destined to come to a sorry end. He took a wrong path leading in a completely different direction. If he manages to obtain the Tyrant Saber, he will definitely end up dying by the saber.
After that, falsehoods about the saber will spread, bringing up the name Saber of Misfortune. Then, there will be people expounding on religion again. Tell me, is there any reason to blame the saber?
The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor's explanation cleared up all of Xiao Chen's doubts. It was the same as Xiao Chen expected.
Xiao Chen's wounds had already recovered. The three experts of the blessed lands were all present.
However, one person was still missing.
The Black Lotus Church Holy Son remained hidden somewhere, waiting for Xiao Chen to show up.
This fellow was even more cautious than Xiao Chen expected. Even a Dao Tool did not tempt him.
Never mind. Even if he does not appear, I have to make an appearance soon.
If this Black Lotus Church Holy Son still thinks that I am only as strong as I was at the Buddha Seeking Platform, I will teach him a painful lesson.
It's time to go and retrieve the saber!
Xiao Chen's figure moved like the wind. Using the new Fish Dragon Art, he quickly traveled through this Fiendish Demon Battlefield with its huge pressure and vast Spiritual Energy.
—
On the other side, Shangguan Lei and Wang Yueming did not believe the Profound Light Temple's Zhen Yuan.
The two were sure that Zhen Yuan had selfish reasons and just wanted to bring the Dao Tool back to the Profound Light Temple.
Zhen Yuan looked at Shangguan Lei and Wang Yueming. Then, he sank into deep thought. If these two were to team up, he would not be a match for them.
Whether this Tyrant Saber was the Saber of Misfortune or not, no matter which of these two obtained it, their strength would increase exponentially in a short time.
This would not be a good thing for the Profound Light Temple, which was in competition with their sects. The Buddhist sects also required their incense, fame, and their own forces. They were not separated from the mundane, not pure.
Zhen Yuan himself was in direct competition with these two. For both personal reasons and the good of his sect, he absolutely could not let the other parties obtain this saber.
However, doing so while still appearing benevolent would be really difficult.
Zhen Yuan thought for a moment before saying, "I have a suggestion. I wonder if the two of you are willing to listen."
A cold light appeared in Shangguan Lei's eyes as he said, "Speak."
Wang Yueming nodded, indicating his willingness to listen.
"Brother Shangguan, if you take the saber, are you sure that you can deal with Brother Wang and me working together against you?" Zhen Yuan asked as he looked at Shangguan Lei.
Shangguan Lei remained silent for a while. He was unwilling to accept it, but he still answered honestly, "I can't."
Then, Zhen Yuan looked at Yang Yueming. Wang Yueming shook his head and said, "Same."
"Alright. Since that is so, how about the three of us make a gentlemen's agreement? Whichever of you two can block a palm strike from me will get the saber. If no one can block it, then it goes to me, and the Profound Light Temple will hold on to it for safekeeping."
Shangguan Lei smiled coldly and asked, "However, what if both of us block it?"
Zhen Yuan smiled back and replied, "Then, I will withdraw from the fight for the Dao Tool and lead the Potala Mountain's disciples away from this conflict."
"Great. It is settled, then. The three of us will swear to the dead Sovereign Emperor's will. If anyone breaks the oath, they will die." Wang Yueming did not consider at all, directly choosing to agree.
No matter what, he felt confident of blocking a palm strike from Zhen Yuan.
Shangguan Lei did not hesitate, either. If he really could not block a palm strike from Zhen Yuan, he could forget about living.
"Great!"
Zhen Yuan revealed a smile. After the three reached an agreement, they prepared to swear the oath.
The onlookers all revealed shocked expressions, feeling that Zhen Yuan was crazy and that he underestimated Shangguan Lei and Wang Yueming too much.
The atmosphere immediately turned tense. After fighting for half a day for the Dao Tool, this matter needed to reach a conclusion.
Everyone knew whom this Dao Tool would end up with eventually. Was the monk, Zhen Yuan, bragging again?
However, just at this moment, something strange happened!
The Tyrant Saber in Zhen Yuan's hand suddenly started jerking uncontrollably, struggling to escape his grip.
A vast tyrannical aura surged out from the saber's scabbard, and strong winds immediately blew in the surroundings, kicking up boundless dust.
It was like there was something that strongly attracted the Tyrant Saber, inciting it to struggle with all its might. Even Zhen Yuan felt that he could no longer contain it.
A loud voice rang out, "Come back!"
"Whoosh!" The Tyrant Saber flew out, zooming to its master.
The expressions of Zhen Yuan, Shangguan Lei, and Wang Yueming, who already finished their discussions and were ready to swear the oath, changed dramatically. They did not understand what had happened.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
All three of them soared into the air and pursued the Tyrant Saber. However, they were only halfway when they discovered a white figure on a small hill in front.
This figure stretched out his hand and firmly grasped the Tyrant Saber.
"Xiao Chen!"
As Xiao Chen looked at the three travel-worn people giving chase, he enjoyed the fantastic expressions on their faces.
He could not help laughing. "I say, the three of you, before you try to settle whom this saber belongs to in public, shouldn't you ask its original owner first?"
Shangguan Lei's face sank. "I was wondering who managed to take out this saber. It turns out to be you! I was just worried about finding you. Now, you delivered yourself to me."
Before Shangguan Lei finished speaking, a saber appeared in his hand. Then, his figure flashed, charging towards Xiao Chen.
After entering deep thought, Wang Yueming gently withdrew the folding fan in his hand, not making a move.
It was Zhen Yuan's expression that was the most interesting. His scheme had nearly worked. Unexpectedly, right before it did, it fell through.
Anyone would feel depressed about that.
Fortunately, Zhen Yuan came from a Buddhist sect, and his mental state was stronger than regular people's, so he calmed down very quickly.
When Xiao Chen saw Shangguan Lei charging over, his face turned serious. Without even thinking, Xiao Chen placed his hand on the Tyrant Saber's handle.
In the next moment, Xiao Chen drew the saber.
The saber unsheathed by one centimeter, looking like a flash of lightning that tore through the sky.
"Boom!"
Thunder roared in the sky, and two different Great Dao disks immediately appeared behind Xiao Chen.
One was the Thunder Great Dao, and the other was the Saber Great Dao that Xiao Chen first comprehended. The two Great Dao mixed and mingled. The Saber Dao and the Thunder Dao complemented Xiao Chen's Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, simply a perfect combination.
Shangguan Lei's expression turned grave. He no longer dared to hold back. He roared, "Purple Thunder Seven Strikes!"
As Shangguan Lei's saber descended in the air, he hacked seven times.
Each stroke triggered a boom of thunder that shook the sky. As the thunder rumbled, the ground quaked.
"Rumble…!" After three strikes, it felt like only majestic thunder remained in this place.
The sky changed color, and thunderclouds roiled. The sky turned dry and arid. The saber in Shangguan Lei's hand grew increasingly brighter as it absorbed more lightning, becoming as resplendent as the blazing sun.
Each saber strike drove a boundless and vast amount of lightning-attributed energy, each one a peak strike from Shangguan Lei. However, every time he hacked, he surpassed his previous peak.
Seven peak strikes. Seven powerful arcs of lightning layered over each other. As Shangguan Lei's saber was about to land, a thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky and infused into a three-kilometer-long saber light.
Before this terrifying saber strike landed, it pressed the hill under Xiao Chen's feet down into a pit.
"Resolving the Mundane!"
After unsheathing the Tyrant Saber, Xiao Chen did not hold back, either. The Purple Thunder Seven Strikes of his opponent was something that could threaten a Star Venerate.
If Xiao Chen was careless, he would be the one defeated, even if he wielded the Tyrant Saber.
A swastika appeared on Xiao Chen's forehead. At this moment, his expression seemed devoid of humanity.
When one surpassed the mundane, the seven emotions and six desires no longer existed. Resolve the mundane and attain eternity!
The Tyrant Saber carried a neither-joyful-nor-grieving intent; it was like a stone-faced Buddha that looked past human emotions as it descended.
A huge Kāśyapa Buddha appeared behind Xiao Chen. As Xiao Chen launched his saber strike, it drew its Buddhist monk's knife and mercilessly struck out with it as well.
It was clearly a Buddha. However, it did not give off the gentle and warm feeling of Buddhism. This move was totally different from Buddhist sect Martial Techniques. This was the Mahāmāyā Abstinence Violation Saber Technique.
Shangguan Lei, who was exchanging moves with Xiao Chen, strangely felt like he had committed an egregious sin.
Even the benevolent Buddha turned merciless and decided to kill him. He could not help panicking, and a small opening appeared in his mental state.
As the two sabers collided, this weak opening expanded infinitely when the two powerful Martial Techniques clashed.
"Crack!"
There was a crisp 'clang, and then Shangguan Lei's Treasure Tool broke with a loud sound. Blood leaked out between his lips. The instant his saber broke, his momentum dropped to rock bottom. Then, the two layers of Dao Might coming from Xiao Chen shoved Shangguan Lei back.
When Shangguan Lei's feet touched the ground, he showed an extremely unsightly expression as he looked at the broken saber in his hand. He also had a horrific saber wound on his chest.
In one breath, the Tyrant Saber had cut through his bones and flesh, nearly chopping him in half.
However, no blood leaked out. The saber intent was overly tyrannical, lingering in the wound and sealing it, keeping it in its current state and preventing any blood from leaking out.
"Plop!" The pain felt so intense that Shangguan Lei wanted to roar, but no sound came out. Then, he fell to the ground face-first in a faint.
As for Xiao Chen, his arm was already numb, the flesh on his palm split open. The instant the sabers collided, the bones in his right hand holding the saber had cracked. Another moment longer and his entire arm would have been crippled.
"Clang!"
Xiao Chen returned the saber into its scabbard. Then, he said with a cold expression, "This is my, Xiao Chen's, saber. Aside from me, no one has the right to decide whom it goes to. That includes you, Zhen Yuan."
Xiao Chen's gaze swept around before latching on to Zhen Yuan. The other party appeared eager to fight, clearly wanting to take advantage of the situation to attack.
