Chapter 626: I, Tang Xuanzang, Am Willing to Call You the Strongest Nascent Soul

The scene fell completely silent; no one spoke.

Part of it was shock at Tang Luo's strength, but more than that, they were wondering what this black giant hammer meant.

You call this a sword?

"Wait!"

A Kunlun Sword Pool sword cultivator at the Spirit Transformation stage couldn't hold back and spoke up, "This is a hammer, right? Is he really a sword cultivator?"

"Of course he's a sword cultivator." Lei Zhengyang stepped forward from the crowd, his voice like thunder, carrying to all directions.

These sword cultivators looked toward the back, the resting place of the Void Refinement Supreme Elders; seeing no reaction there, they said nothing further.

Everyone wasn't stupid; how could they possibly jump out eagerly just because the opponent used a hammer, wanting to pin down the pillar of the Soaring Sword Gate?

The black torrent just now was indeed Sword Yuan; this point quite a few people could actually sense completely.

The problem was, that black giant hammer was truly too eye-catching.

That was why someone couldn't help but question it; after all, this was an insult to proper, orthodox sword cultivators like them.

I can smash you to death with a hammer.

Invisible provocation, silent arrogance.

"Those two Golden Core cultivators seem to be Tang Xuanzang's disciples as well." Someone murmured a sentence, and the news spread rapidly.

So it's a hereditary tradition!

"Continue." The Supreme Elder of the Listening Rain Sword Pavilion spoke, his voice sounding a bit impatient.

How come when it's their sect's turn to preside, there are so many messy things; can we not cultivate properly anymore?

Every few days some moth flies into the flame; so annoying.

With the Void Refinement sword cultivator vouching for him, Tang Luo's identity naturally was no longer an issue; the sword cultivator who had raised the doubt even took the initiative to apologize.

Afraid the Soaring Sword Gate would make an issue of this; you must know, suspecting someone of not being a sword cultivator is equivalent to wanting to sentence them to death.

If they really were a non-sword cultivator, even the Soaring Sword Gate would find it hard to escape blame.

This Grand Competition wouldn't even need to be fought; the other sects would definitely seize the chance to bite a large chunk off the Soaring Sword Gate.

Even if relations between sects are relatively friendly, it is still so.

Friendliness is mostly friendliness of interests.

Between sects, there is no such thing as deep, tender affection.

But if he wasn't, and you speak like this without apologizing, the Soaring Sword Gate certainly won't let the matter rest.

This incident thus subsided, and it also diluted the shock brought by Tang Luo's "one hammer defeats the enemy."

Regardless, this Tang Xuanzang who had been blown up so loudly began to take on a concrete, vivid image in the hearts of many sword cultivators.

Powerful, arrogant, regarding no one else.

Unwilling to even bring out a sword peak, directly bringing out — a hammer to injure, absolutely refusing to admit this is a sword.

But one point must be admitted through gritted teeth: the opponent possesses such strength.

You must know, the sword cultivator the Listening Rain Sword Pavilion just sent out was at the late Nascent Soul stage; the Nascent Soul sword cultivators each sect planned to send out were mostly at the late Nascent Soul stage.

The few at the mid Nascent Soul stage were also those of stunning talent, capable of fighting late-stage experts.

Flying onto the sword peak, Lei Zhengyang said to Tang Luo: "This time it's our turn to pick."

In the last bout, the Soaring Sword Gate ranked second; after the Listening Rain Sword Pavilion picked, it was the Soaring Sword Gate's turn — there was no "next one" as Tang Luo had said.

"You pick first." Tang Luo said.

A Nascent Soul sword cultivator nodded and flew out voluntarily, selecting a sword cultivator from the Kunlun Sword Pool.

The two sides had once crossed hands in the previous Grand Competition, with the Soaring Sword Gate winning; they were old opponents, unknown what the outcome would be this time.

Without any nonsense, the two sword cultivators confronted each other in midair for a short time.

Sword lights crisscrossed horizontally and vertically; the strength belonging to Nascent Soul sword cultivators was fully displayed.

Sword Yuan surged and clashed, Sword Intent soared to the heavens.

On the surface of the calm Blue Lake, ripples appeared one after another.

After a fierce battle of two hours, it ultimately ended with the Soaring Sword Gate's sword cultivator winning by a narrow margin, winning another point for the sect.

Just looking at his condition, it was not optimistic.

He cannot recover in a short time; if someone challenges this victor next, it's basically a free gift.

Fortunately, the next one to come out and pick was the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.

The Shu Mountain Sword Sect's entire style is very rigid; they like to fight strong opponents, and there is a very high probability they will pick Tang Luo for a hearty battle.

It is this kind of Sword Dao that allows Shu Mountain to occupy a seat among the Seven Great Sects with the fewest numbers.

Of course, sect numbers are also very useful.

Despite the saying "If numbers are useful, why would I cultivate immortality, why would I practice the sword," everyone in the cultivation world cultivates immortality, they are not mortals.

Even three experts cannot ignore the condition of numbers.

Unless they break through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage, only then is there a certain possibility of ignoring numbers.

And the Tribulation Transcendence stage's greatest "enemies" are various heavenly thunder tribulations, earth fire tribulations, and one's own "decline tribulations," often resulting in periods of weakness.

Without a powerful sect as backing, even if they survive the tribulations, they are highly likely to die at someone else's hands.

The importance of a powerful sect as backing goes without saying.

Picking someone to fight cannot be entirely left to the sword cultivator's temperament to act recklessly; in the end, sect interests must definitely be considered.

Lei Zhengyang said softly to Tang Luo: "If you get picked again, you can put on a bit of a performance..."

"Okay." Tang Luo nodded, agreeing.

A Shu Mountain Sword Sect sword cultivator flew out, sword pointing at the Soaring Sword Gate: "Tang Xuanzang."

Right now they haven't lost to the point of painstaking effort, considering strategy and tactics.

"Good."

Tang Luo's voice came from the Sword Peak, and another black torrent surged out from the Sword Peak.

Lei Zhengyang whipped his head around, nearly twisting his neck; so much for the promised performance!

How is it the same as just now.

The Shu Mountain sword cultivator did not ride his sword to attack, but instead gripped the hilt with both hands, raised it high, and chopped down from above toward the black torrent.

A gigantic sword shadow emerged, as if to cleave the vault of heaven in two.

The sword shadow slammed into the black torrent.

Everything seemed to freeze for a second, then violent power surged in all directions.

The Blue Lake underfoot rippled with even more waves than before, and the gale formed even blew away the clouds and mist shrouding the Sword Peak.

The sword shadow vanished, the Shu Mountain sword cultivator maintaining his sword-striking posture.

The black torrent was split in half by his single sword, yet he could not stop the approach of the giant black hammer.

The hammer circled beneath the stalled blade, spinning as it flew toward this sword cultivator's head, stopping one second before crushing his skull.

"I lose."

The Shu Mountain sword cultivator straightforwardly admitted defeat; the collision of sword and hammer had shattered all his power, leaving him unable to move.

Staying airborne without falling was already his limit.

With the Shu Mountain sword cultivator's concession, the giant black hammer disintegrated on its own, leaving only a portion of the handle — a black short staff — which flew back to the Sword Peak.

The Shu Mountain sword cultivator finally caught his breath and slowly flew toward the Sword Peak.

"Take two swords from me, not bad." Tang Luo's voice rang out.

That sword cultivator's figure swayed, nearly falling off.

"..."

"Wasn't it agreed to put on a performance?" Lei Zhengyang said.

"Right, the last one was one sword, this one two swords, the next will be three swords." Tang Luo was very experienced; "Next everyone will wonder just how many swords I'll use. Because they'll choose me then, perfect performance."

"... This is your performance?"

"As long as the effect is achieved." Tang Luo said, "Different paths, same destination. Look, if I fight for three days and three nights and barely win, then fight another three days and three nights and barely win, everyone isn't stupid, they'll definitely see I'm holding back strength, deliberately luring them to challenge me. Better to be a bit more arrogant; you have to know, sword cultivators all have pride."

Lei Zhengyang nodded helplessly, damn it, it actually makes sense; if he weren't one of our own, he'd want to fight Tang Xuanzang himself.

No, even as one of our own, the urge to make a move is hard to suppress.

"Then, can you get up from my seat?" Lei Zhengyang looked at Tang Luo and said.

Just now Lei Zhengyang stepped out for a bit, and Tang Luo took his seat.

"No, if you're putting on an act you have to do the full set." Tang Luo flatly refused Lei Zhengyang.

I'll be Sect Master later, you adapt in advance now.

As the clouds and mist shrouding the Sword Peak were blown away, everyone could clearly see that Tang Xuanzang, who had acted twice already, was now sitting in a chair, not having moved at all.

Even Sect Master Lei Zhengyang stood beside him, a face full of helplessness.

Such arrogance and recklessness, treating everyone else as nothing; by comparison, his disciple could be called gentle and refined.

Hit him, hit his head!

Everyone was very angry.

After the Kunlun Sword Pool sword cultivator stepped forward, without hesitation, he chose Tang Luo again.

This time, it was three hammers.

The Kunlun sword cultivator was defeated and left the stage.

"Three swords, not bad." Tang Luo commented again.

That Kunlun sword cultivator couldn't hold it in and spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, falling into the Blue Lake just like the Listening Rain Sword Pavilion sword cultivator.

He was fished out very quickly.

Three swords? This is clearly a hammer! You're not a sword cultivator at all!

Hidden Sword Manor, Star Sword Sect, Ten Thousand Swords Valley — the Nascent Soul sword cultivators of these three sects couldn't hold back either.

Three appearances, three battles against Tang Xuanzang.

They were respectively defeated with records of four hammers, five hammers, three hammers.

"You don't even have the qualification to make me stand up from this chair." His gaze sweeping across the six sects' Sword Peaks, Tang Luo's voice was cold with a hint of disappointment.

The six Sword Peaks instantly churned with sword qi, even including some hot-tempered Spirit Severing sword cultivators whose gazes were like swords, stabbing at Tang Luo.

Tang Luo showed not the slightest weakness, sweeping his gaze across them one by one, mockery pushed to the extreme.

"Cough."

A light cough instantly dispersed the churning sword qi, returning everything to calm.

The Supreme Elder of the Soaring Heaven Sword Gate said: "Continue. Sword cultivators speak with the swords in their hands."

Seemingly a bit angry, glare all you want, just hit him!

Listening Rain Sword Pavilion sent out another sword cultivator, no nonsense, sword pointed at Tang Luo.

The spinning flying sword tore through the long sky, sword light ripping apart everything around it, sharp edge piercing through!

This one sword was enough to pierce through mountains.

Yet this sword could only hover futilely before Tang Luo's palm, a portion of its power venting out.

"Boom!"

The huge booming sound even made the Sword Peak tremble.

The chair Tang Luo was sitting on was just an ordinary chair; cracks appeared one after another, shattering.

The ground was also crisscrossed with sword marks.

Two-thirds of the tournament had passed, and ninety percent of sword cultivators chose to challenge Tang Luo.

As the chair shattered, Tang Luo finally stood up.

However, that was all; with a casual flick, the flying sword completely escaped its master's control, stabbing into the small island on Blue Lake and blasting out a deep pit.

Tang Luo stepped forward, lotuses blooming beneath his feet, treading on empty air.

He looked at that Shu Mountain Sword Sect and spoke: "Not bad, able to make me stand up — I, Tang Xuanzang, am willing to call you the strongest Nascent Soul."

"Strongest Nascent Soul?"

"Is he excluding himself?"

"Isn't he also Nascent Soul?"

The many sword cultivators watching were somewhat puzzled; these words sounded a bit off.

The next breath, everyone understood why Tang Xuanzang would say this.

White long hair fluttered, the robes on his body stirred slightly.

A suffocatingly overbearing sword intent flashed and vanished; silently, Spirit Severing was achieved!

The Seven Gates Grand Competition, borrowing many Nascent Soul experts to hone his sword, advancing to Spirit Severing?!

At least in others' eyes, that was the result.