The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 267: A Sword From Nowhere

A Sword From Nowhere . . .

As Cha Eun Xiao readied himself for a second strike, Nan Tianxing leaped into action, a wicked laugh escaping his lips. He taunted his opponent with a cruel edge in his voice, "Feng Monarch, you're significantly weaker than me. My victory is all but assured. It's in your best interest to surrender willingly. Become my slave; it's a fate far better than ending up as a lifeless corpse!"

Cha Eun Xiao responded with a disdainful humph, his patience wearing thin, but he refrained from uttering a word.

Meanwhile, Nan Tianxing soared into the air, his entire body enveloped in a pulsating blue aura. This radiant energy seemed to erode the very fabric of space, like an advancing tide.

With a swift motion of his sleeve, he unleashed a fierce strike, channeling an immense force towards the space behind Cha Eun Xiao. The power contained in this single palm strike was enough to force Cha Eun Xiao into a physical defense, leaving him with little choice.

Nan Tianxing had astutely recognized that Cha Eun Xiao's greatest advantage lay in his agility and maneuverability. Engaging in a protracted battle would consume precious time and effort, and the growing brightness in the sky hinted that their tumultuous skirmish had not gone unnoticed.

They were currently within the borders of the Kingdom of Chen, a realm teeming with formidable individuals. Any unusual commotion had the potential to attract the attention of ambitious figures eager to seize any opportunity.

To Nan Tianxing, Feng Zhiling – or Cha Eun Xiao – represented an invaluable treasure. Capturing him would be a major boon, and he had no intention of sharing his prize with others. Moreover, the auction they were discussing was scheduled to proceed as planned. Whether Cha Eun Xiao lived or died, it would not deter the auction from taking place.

Determined to swiftly resolve the unfolding chaos, Nan Tianxing knew he had to bring this situation to an end as quickly as possible. His primary objective was to subdue and capture Feng Zhiling, who he envisioned as a prized possession. Once Feng Zhiling was under his control, Nan Tianxing intended to act as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, taking his time to deal with the captured individual.

Nan Tianxing's heart surged with anticipation as he contemplated the numerous advantages Feng Zhiling would bring to him. He was confident that with time, Feng Zhiling would succumb to his will.

Motivated by this desire, Nan Tianxing opted for a decisive strategy. He decided to employ an area-of-effect attack to force Cha Eun Xiao into a direct confrontation. He believed that due to the significant difference in their cultivation levels, a face-to-face battle would ensure his victory.

He thought to himself, "As long as I can compel you to confront me head-on, you will have nowhere to hide. No matter how adept you are at evasion, it won't avail you. You will simply be overwhelmed. One absolute power can overcome ten strategies. That's the rule."

It was undeniable that Nan Tianxing's approach was indeed the most effective way to combat Cha Eun Xiao, despite its high energy expenditure.

Nan Tianxing descended upon Cha Eun Xiao with the force of a mountain, his determination unwavering. Cha Eun Xiao realized that he had no alternative but to take action. While he understood that directly defending against this attack would exact a heavy toll, he had no other recourse but to raise his hand and confront it head-on.

A thunderous collision echoed through the air as Cha Eun Xiao was forcefully pushed back several steps, teetering on the verge of collapse. The outcome of their clash was clear, revealing the victor in this encounter.

Nan Tianxing, though he had restrained his power out of concern for Cha Eun Xiao's life, had still subjected him to a tremendous shock. Cha Eun Xiao's internal organs felt as though they had been violently shaken, and his arms were on the brink of shattering.

With an air of superiority, Nan Tianxing coldly remarked, "Feng Monarch, I used only thirty percent of my full power in that palm strike."

Cha Eun Xiao responded with a bitter laugh, quipping, "Is that so? It appears my life is quite precious, then."

Nan Tianxing's eyes gleamed with ferocity as he retorted, "Indeed, Feng Monarch, your life is extraordinarily valuable. In fact, it is priceless. Once you become my slave, you will come to understand just how truly precious your life is."

With a sinister grin, Nan Tianxing playfully ran his tongue across his lips before speaking with a dark amusement, "Allow me to share another secret with you. I have a penchant for individuals with unyielding spirits. Converting a strong-willed man into a subservient, pliable servant, one who kneels before me willingly, ready to endure my whims and torments without question, a servant who obeys my every command... The sense of accomplishment is exhilarating. It's as satisfying as transforming a virtuous maiden into a seductress in the bedroom. However, it's unfortunate that you will never experience what I do."

His tone grew colder as he continued, "Because you are destined to be the one who provides me with that satisfaction."

In response, Cha Eun Xiao remained impassive, a subtle smile gracing his lips. "Do you genuinely believe you can achieve that? Haha. Throughout our prolonged battle, you've deliberately lowered your voice and sought to control every sound within this vicinity. I presume it's because you're keen on keeping this little secret to yourself, correct? You aim to conceal it from others. That palm strike you unleashed, indeed, it was only at thirty percent of your power. My guess is that you needed to divert energy to maintain control over the sound within this area, leaving you with insufficient strength for a full-on attack. You've managed to assert control over this confined space effectively, but remember, the capital is teeming with formidable cultivators right now. If I concentrate on breaking just one point in this space and raise my voice, all your carefully laid plans will crumble. You're essentially daydreaming in broad daylight. What a fool."

Cha Eun Xiao's piercing insight revealed Nan Tianxing's hidden intentions, casting a shadow over the latter's face. He responded slowly, his tone dripping with menace, "You may attempt it, but I assure you that none of your words will escape this space. How could you possibly breach my control over this area with your meager cultivation? Furthermore, should you dare to offend me once more, your life from this point forward will become progressively more arduous."

"Oh, really? Then I shall give it a try," Cha Eun Xiao replied calmly as he rose to his feet. His eyes flickered like lightning, and his hands assumed a claw-like stance, producing audible cracks as his fingers flexed. His hair seemed to defy gravity, billowing around him despite the absence of a breeze. Evidently, he had pushed his internal spiritual energy to the extreme.

The moisture in the air, created by the gelid qi, grew even colder. Without warning, Cha Eun Xiao pressed his palms together with a resounding crack as the bones in his fingers audibly snapped.

A sharp metallic sound pierced the air as Cha Eun Xiao conjured a longsword seemingly from thin air. The blade shimmered with an ethereal, cold light, casting an icy radiance across the surroundings.

Water vapor coalesced into ice, and the ice took on the form of the sword. With each passing moment, the gelid qi grew denser, causing the sword's material to gleam even brighter. In just a matter of seconds, a longsword emerged—a weapon that appeared to have been hewn from millennia-old ice.

Cha Eun Xiao continued to emanate gelid qi to nourish the ice sword, infusing it with an otherworldly power. Among the many potential weapons that could pose a threat to Nan Tianxing, this was the sole one he could summon in an instant. It was the Ice Soul Sword.

Though it retained the essence of ice, it had undergone a profound transformation, no longer a mere frozen blade. Crafting this sword marked only the initial phase of Cha Eun Xiao's intricate plan to vanquish his adversary.

Having invested copious amounts of energy and time in amassing his strength—drawing upon his saint soul power and spiritual energy—Cha Eun Xiao now stood at the precipice of a pivotal moment. In essence, his prior apparent failure had been an elaborate ruse, a cleverly concealed strategy poised to unfold.

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