Chapter 960: Heavenly Sword Crosses the Lei Jie!

"Since the Jiang clan chief has allowed me to contemplate this, there must be some subtlety I failed to notice..."

Thinking of this, the Heavenly Sword Ancestor no longer hesitated; he immediately clenched his five fingers and crushed it!

The crystal shattered into dust, scattering everywhere and falling to the ground.

In an instant, a sudden transformation occurred.

Hum—

A clear, ringing sword cry suddenly arose from all directions, with no discernible source!

In the Heavenly Sword Ancestor's perception, a terrifying sword intent filled the entire cave space, enveloping his very body.

Merely sensing it, he couldn't help but turn pale with shock!

For this sword intent carried a horrifying realm, as if capable of slaying all things under heaven—its terror far surpassed his own by a thousandfold!

Indeed, without exaggeration, before this sword intent, he felt not the slightest courage to fight—it was as if merely glancing at it revealed the outcome: to touch it... meant certain death!

"Sacred-level sword intent—this is true Sacred-level sword intent! Nothing like Wang Jizhou's!"

The Heavenly Sword Ancestor's face flushed crimson, his eyes wide, muttering to himself in wild excitement!

Before true Sacred-level sword intent, his once-proud sword cultivation base was pitifully weak—like a mere mayfly!

Had Wang Jizhou's Sacred-level sword intent possessed even one or two percent of this intensity back then, I would not have withstood a single slash—he would have crushed me utterly!

This alone reveals just how impossibly high the Jiang clan chief's sword realm truly is!

Yet even this is far from his true strength!

Recalling the casual slash the Jiang clan chief unleashed against Zhou Tianhan...

That supreme, haughty sword intent, towering over all life, was dozens or even hundreds of times more terrifying than this sliver of sword qi!

"Who stands atop the peak of sword Dao? One glimpse of the white robe, and all sword paths turn empty. Jiang clan chief—you have truly opened my eyes..."

Overwhelmed by awe, the Heavenly Sword Ancestor could not help but sigh.

Immediately after, he closed his eyes and began carefully contemplating the surrounding sword intent.

Fortunately, the Jiang clan chief had already made preparations, allowing him to safely contemplate this sword intent.

Otherwise, forcing it would have left him gravely wounded—or even killed outright—by the sheer pressure alone.

Time passed slowly.

The sword intent emanating from the Heavenly Sword Ancestor continuously climbed, soon surpassing his previous limit and reaching a brand-new realm!

"Incomparable, incomparable! If I can achieve the Sacred realm today, I shall surely visit Cangwu and personally bow to the Jiang clan chief in thanks!"

The Heavenly Sword Ancestor's face lit up with joy, then he let out a hearty laugh: "Perfect, flawless—my accumulation is complete. It is time for me to break through and see for myself what lies beyond the Sword King!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than he surged to his feet.

He tapped his toe, leapt into the air, burst through the cave, and halted atop Gaoshan's peak!

The Heavenly Sword Ancestor stood with feet hovering midair, accompanied by white clouds.

The wild winds howled around him but could not stir him an inch!

He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the heavens, and clenched his right hand, summoning his life-soul sacred weapon.

His sword soul gradually coalesced; the embryonic form of his domain appeared!

Simultaneously, the once-vivid blue sky was suddenly obscured by dark clouds, growing heavy and oppressive.

Boom—boom—boom—

Lines of thunder dragons pierced through the clouds, roaring thunderously toward him!

The Sword Saint Lei Jie had arrived!

"Come then!"

The Heavenly Sword Ancestor laughed aloud, gripping his sacred sword, and leapt straight into the thunderclouds!

With the Jiang clan chief's aid, he had already reached the absolute limit of the Sword King realm—with nowhere left to advance.

Possessing this flawless, perfected state, with not a single flaw to be seen, all conditions prepared—why fear a mere Lei Jie?!

Soon, thunderous roars echoed endlessly from the high heavens!

The commotion was so immense it drew the attention of countless cultivators.

They all looked up at the sky, witnessing the terrifying, monstrous thunder dragons—and the human figure!

"Is this... someone undergoing the Sword Saint Lei Jie?!"

Some sword cultivators with deep sword realms instantly deduced the truth—and were struck with profound shock!

For in all of the Eastern Region, save the White-Robed Sword Saint of Cangwu's Jiang Clan, no one else had ever reached this supreme realm!

Yet now, right before their eyes, someone was attempting to cross this perilous threshold, seeking to become the second Sword Saint!

Countless cultivators trembled with awe, murmuring in wonder.

And on a nearby mountain peak...

Three figures stood.

Nie Wushuang, Jiang Zhi, and Wang Yuhuan.

Because Ning Zhengqi remained in the sect, learning sect management from the sect master, only these three had stayed behind.

Watching the Heavenly Sword Ancestor wield his sacred weapon and defy the Lei Jie, Nie Wushuang's eyes gleamed with longing: "The Sword Saint realm—I never imagined our ancestor could gain the confidence to cross the Lei Jie so quickly."

He had originally expected his ancestor to require years of accumulation before breaking through to Sword Saint.

Yet now, less than a month had passed—and the Sword Saint Lei Jie had already been triggered.

"Hmph! If only I had three thousand years—no, even just a thousand—I would surely touch the threshold of the Sacred realm!"

Nie Wushuang hugged his longsword, dreaming of one day reaching this realm himself.

But his beautiful fantasy was swiftly shattered.

Wang Yuhuan's voice suddenly rang out: "Throughout the Eastern Region's tens of thousands of years, those who have broken through to Sword Saint are few as fingers on one hand—the difficulty far exceeds your imagination."

"Even our Sect Ancestor, whose talent was as formidable as yours, spent several thousand years before barely finding the opportunity to break through. Since your talent does not even match the Sect Ancestor's, how dare you rashly claim you can reach this realm within a mere thousand years?"

Nie Wushuang curled his lips. "Hmph, you dull block of wood; I can't be bothered wasting breath arguing with you."

Wang Yuhuan's expression turned icy. "Oh? Judging by your tone, do you wish to test your sword against mine?"

Nie Wushuang: "........"

Although he did not hold a favorable impression of this dull block of wood, who always insisted on splitting hairs,

he had to admit that the other party's strength was indeed exaggerated to an absurd degree, even bordering on monstrous.