Over a thousand sword forms, sword-intent surging.
Now, with all his spiritual qi exhausted, Evan Lin can only rely on sword-intent and sword forms to resist the tribulation thunder crashing down overhead.
These sword forms are the embodiment of the Nine Mysteries Immortal Lord's understanding of the sword.
Each sword form is like a swordsman dancing, sword moves surging like waves.
Some sword-intent is like a fierce beast, brimming with ferocity.
Some sword forms flow like water, ceaseless and gentle.
As all one thousand four hundred forty sword forms unfurl in the sky, everyone beneath Hong Kong Island instinctively feels a chilling, razor-sharp aura.
It's like a blade right before them.
It feels as if a sword edge is slowly grazing across their bodies.
Even from a great distance, even with no sword in sight, the sensation is so real that some martial artists instinctively circulate their inner strength, trying to defend themselves.
All the truly hidden masters widen their eyes at this moment.
The fierce, surging sword-intent shakes the soul far more than any terrifying internal force.
In Evan Lin's hand, the Dustleave Sword spins out several sword-flowers, its blade cutting through the sky and unleashing even fiercer sword-intent.
This has already gone beyond the definition of mere moves.
With not a trace of spiritual qi or internal force to empower it, the net of one thousand four hundred forty sword-intents collides instantly with the tribulation.
Sword-intent and Heaven's will grind against each other.
Thunder rumbles again and again.
That tribulation lightning, already filled with vast, majestic power, is completely entangled by sword-intent after a single boom.
Lightning flashes everywhere.
The first strike fails to land.
The eye of the tribulation is filled with rage.
It's furious that this teenager dares to defy Heaven and fight for his fate!
Just late-stage Foundation Establishment.
Where did he get the guts?
The second bolt transforms into a sword, gathering layer upon layer of blue lightning into swords hanging in midair.
Each sword moves with the current, carrying sword-intent completely different from Evan Lin's, and instantly charges into the net of swords.
"Heaven's Dao."
Evan Lin lets out a cold snort, glancing around.
The thousand-plus sword-intents and the tribulation's sword-intent clash even more fiercely.
It's like two armies facing off, warriors charging into battle.
Dustleave never stops in Evan's hand, sword forms spinning one after another in the air.
Ahead, over three hundred sword-intents formed from tribulation lightning aim straight for Evan's brow.
Evan's expression doesn't change; he meets them with cold eyes, steps forward, fusing completely with Dustleave.
Dustleave's ancient sword tip thrusts ahead—one sword against a hundred. The tribulation lightning explodes at the tip, wave after wave of frenzied sword-intent, filled with terrifying pressure and killing intent, surges toward Evan like a tide.
Inside the Soul-Sacrifice Beauty Scroll, Zhao Liuli watches the scene, utterly shocked.
Her expression is complicated as she gazes at the killing aura filling the sky.
The divine might of Heavenly Tribulation.
Yet the sword-wielding youth, bold and unrestrained, shines so brightly.
He seems like the only light in this pitch-black, silent world.
Misty Rain, Enlightenment, Sudden-Clarity.
The three swords surge forward, intertwining with the tribulation's sword-intent. The longer they fight, the fiercer they grow; battle-intent and sword-intent both erupt.
But after all, the three swords are just ordinary swords.
Every clash leaves another crack or chip on their blades.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The power of the second Heavenly Tribulation reaches its peak.
After a single moment of breathless pause...
Hundreds of lightning-forged sword-intents converge into a single point.
At first glance, it's a short blue-violet sword, barely seven inches long, hovering above Evan's head.
The world falls silent for a moment.
All the wind and thunder vanish from the surroundings.
Between heaven and earth, only this sword stands.
Sensing that terrifying aura, Dustleave in Evan's hand lets out a series of bright, ringing sword-cries.
In those sword-cries is a battle-intent that faces death without fear, a domineering will to advance, and the thrill of meeting an opponent head-on.
Misty Rain, Enlightenment, and Sudden-Clarity form up above Evan's head, their blades aimed straight at the blue-violet sword overhead.
Evan's face is cool and calm as he looks up; his arm holding Dustleave is already covered in wounds.
The attack styles of sword-intent and sword-qi are completely different.
This is a contest of Dao power, true strength in the realm of Heaven's Dao. One slip, and it's a disaster with no return.
It's like the True Word Spell Evan used before.
Purely using sword forms and sword-intent requires almost no spiritual qi, but puts enormous strain on the body.
Evan is only at late-stage Foundation Establishment now, low on spiritual qi, so he can only take this risky path.
Even though it looks like he's holding off the second tribulation for now...
Evan's body has already taken massive damage.
Agonizing pain wracks his nerves, as if a thousand blades were slicing him apart piece by piece.
Evan ignores the searing pain inside his body.
A true powerhouse is someone who endures pain others can't, forges ahead with unwavering resolve, and faces life or death with the determination to either reach the very peak or fall into hell.
A long, steady breath.
Evan's expression is cold and hard, not relaxing in the slightest.
The final sword-intent of the second tribulation is about to descend.
One sword to decide life or death.
That blue-violet sword of light hangs above his head.
Finally, after gathering all the tribulation lightning around it...
That long sword moves again without warning.
It thrusts at Evan with lightning speed.
The surroundings are utterly calm, like an ancient well.
At the moment the sword comes, there's no wind, the clouds don't move, no lightning flashes, no earth-shaking thunder—just a silent sword.
Yet on that silent blade is all the energy of the second tribulation!
Tzing!
Misty Rain Sword leaps skyward, carrying sword-intent, and crashes into the tribulation sword.
But with a crisp snap...
The Misty Rain Sword, which had withstood countless Heaven's Dao sword-intents before, shatters without surprise and falls from the sky.
Enlightenment follows close behind, its blade executing dozens of sword forms—one sword becoming a hundred.
Another crisp snap.
All the sword forms vanish without a trace.
Enlightenment Sword shatters and falls.
Sudden-Clarity lets out a brilliant sword-cry, condensing sword-intent in its blade, tip against tip, pressing against the blue-violet sword.
In an instant...
Sudden-Clarity breaks as well.
Three swords broken in a moment.
The blue-violet sword, brimming with unmatched domineering terror, points straight at Evan.
The three swords fall to the ground beside Evan.
Evan looks at Dustleave in his hand: "I don't know where you came from, but today might be the day you break."
"But no matter what, I'll promise you this: If I'm here, the sword is here. If the sword dies, I die."
Evan speaks softly, his tone cold and clear.
Sensing Evan's determination to live and die together, Dustleave lets out a long, ringing cry.
Evan turns to face the blue-violet sword, which arrives before him in an instant.
Sword in hand.
He charges forward.