Chapter 96: Dao Discussion on the Platform

The news of the duel between Lin Xuan and Ye Chen at the Dao Discussion Platform spread through the upper circles of the Imperial Capital within a single day, as if it had grown wings.

One was Lin Xuan, the "variable" who had recently risen to fame, was mysterious and unfathomable, rode a Green Phoenix, and had consecutively slain multiple Nascent Soul powerhouses; the other was Ye Chen, the "Son of Destiny," who had long been famous in the Imperial Capital, possessed a Thunder Sword Body, and was hailed as the pride of the younger generation's sword path.

The collision between these two was undoubtedly full of spectacle, attracting countless gazes. Whether they wanted to probe Lin Xuan's background, see if Ye Chen's sword edge was still sharp, or simply wanted to watch the excitement, everyone turned their eyes toward the Dao Discussion Platform three days later.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Dao Discussion Platform was located in the central area of the Imperial Capital. It was a massive, circular platform suspended in mid-air, constructed from unknown black boulders. Its surface was covered in dense runes, emitting a powerful aura of spatial stability and energy isolation. Surrounding the platform were circular stands resembling a Roman coliseum, which were already packed with people, not a single seat left empty.

Young disciples from major clans, sect elites, and even some older figures rarely seen on ordinary days appeared in the stands. The Zhao family, the Wang family, the Imperial family, the Heavenly Mystery Academy, the Divine Weapon Pavilion, the Medicine King Valley... forces from all sides gathered. Lin Xuan could even sense several extremely subtle yet abyss-like powerful spiritual senses sweeping over the Dao Discussion Platform; those were the attentions of Soul Transformation cultivators!

Huangfu Hao and that elderly servant sat in a private box in the Imperial family area, their expressions grave. The scholar from the Heavenly Mystery Academy also quietly appeared, observing silently from an inconspicuous corner. Further away, some figures shrouded in shadows or starlight flickered in and out of view.

Noon was approaching.

A white sword light, like thunder from the nine heavens, tore through the sky and landed precisely on one end of the Dao Discussion Platform, revealing Ye Chen’s figure, which stood as straight as a pine. He held his long sword in his arms and stood with his eyes closed. The aura around his body merged with the long sword in his arms; the person was the sword, and the sword was the person. An invisible, incomparably sharp sword intent field had already spread out, causing the audience in the front rows near the Dao Discussion Platform to feel a stinging sensation on their skin.

"Ye Chen's sword intent is even more terrifying than before!"

"He really has broken through to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul! With this kind of momentum, who at the same level can withstand him?"

"That Lin Xuan is afraid to be in dire straits..."

The crowd discussed among themselves, most favoring Ye Chen.

Just then, a green rainbow swept over leisurely from the direction of Chengdong. It was not fast, but it carried an indescribable composure and weight. The green rainbow landed on the other end of the Dao Discussion Platform, and as the light dissipated, it was Lin Xuan.

He did not have an earth-shattering entrance like Ye Chen; he simply stood there calmly, his green robes fluttering slightly, his aura restrained, looking like an ordinary traveling scholar. On his shoulder, the shrunken Green Phoenix, Feng Xi, stood proudly, its cyan-gold eyes scanning the entire arena with a hint of a divine bird's disdain.

Their gazes met in the air.

Without a word, their invisible auras had already begun to collide!

Ye Chen's sword intent surged, and it seemed as if countless tiny electric snakes were slithering through the air, emitting "crackle" sounds. As for Lin Xuan, he was like an unfathomable ancient well, absorbing all the incoming sword intent and dissolving it into nothingness.

Was the difference in skill immediately apparent? No, it was that the depth was unfathomable!

The referee of the Dao Discussion Platform, a late-stage Nascent Soul official from the Imperial Ministry of Rites, loudly announced the rules: "On the Dao Discussion Platform, the focus is on sparring; stop at the point of contact. Do not intentionally take lives; violators will be severely punished! Now, begin!"

The moment the words fell—

"Clang!"

The sword in Ye Chen's arms suddenly unsheathed! The blade was long and narrow, wreathed in purple electricity, and was named "Startling Thunder"! The moment the sword emerged, a thunderclap seemed to resound through the heavens and earth. A purple thunder sword aura, condensed to the extreme, was like lightning tearing through the firmament; it had already crossed a hundred feet and stabbed straight at Lin Xuan's face!

Fast! Ruthless! Accurate!

This sword contained all of Ye Chen's understanding of the Thunder Sword Path, without holding back in the slightest!

A gasp erupted from the crowd below; many had not even seen how Ye Chen drew his sword!

Facing this sword as swift as a thunderbolt, Lin Xuan finally moved.

He did not dodge, nor did he draw his sword. He simply raised his right hand, pressed his index and middle fingers together, a point of chaotic radiance swirling at his fingertips, and gently pinched the incoming thunder sword aura.

"Ding—!"

A crisp, melodious sound of metal clashing rang out, yet it seemed to echo in everyone's heart!

That thunder sword aura, which could pierce mountains and tear apart Nascent Soul cultivators, was actually steadily held by his two fingers! The violent thunder power at the tip of the sword aura surged frantically, yet it could not shake those two fingers in the slightest, as if it had struck an eternal, unchanging barrier of chaos!

"What?!"

"He caught Ye Chen's Startling Thunder sword with his bare hands?!"

"How is this possible?!"

The entire arena was in an uproar; everyone widened their eyes in disbelief.

Ye Chen's pupils also shrank violently, but his will was firm, and he did not lose heart. With a flick of his wrist, the Startling Thunder sword emitted a hum, and the sword aura suddenly exploded, turning into countless fine purple electric snakes. Like living creatures, they bypassed Lin Xuan's fingers and bit at his entire body from all directions!

Thousand Snake Thunder Prison Sword!

Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged. The fingers that held the sword aura trembled slightly, and an invisible chaotic ripple spread out with him at the center.

The moment those violent electric snakes touched the chaotic ripple, they were like falling into a quagmire; their speed plummeted, the thunder light on them rapidly dimmed and decomposed, and finally, they were annihilated into nothingness!

He still stood in his original spot, not even a corner of his clothing damaged.

"If this is all you have, then you disappoint me too much." Lin Xuan spoke indifferently and released his fingers, and the remaining sword aura dissipated along with them.

Ye Chen's expression was grave to the extreme. He knew Lin Xuan was strong, but he had not expected him to be this strong! He had caught his full-strength sword with his bare hands without even using his true methods!

"Good! Very good!" Ye Chen laughed instead of getting angry, his fighting spirit burning to the extreme in his eyes. "This is what it means to be my opponent, Ye Chen! Take my next sword!"

He held the sword with both hands, raising it above his head. His spiritual power erupted like a volcano, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth! Above the Dao Discussion Platform, the wind and clouds changed color, dark clouds gathered, and thick bolts of thunder shuttled and roared within the clouds!

"Nine Heavens... Imperial Thunder True Art!"

Ye Chen roared, the Startling Thunder sword pointing toward the firmament! A massive purple pillar of light shot up from the tip of the sword, plunging into the dark clouds!

"Rumble—!"

Within the dark clouds, the thunder seemed to have been summoned, gathering frantically and finally transforming into nine ferocious, roaring thunder dragons composed entirely of destructive lightning. Each one emitted a terrifying power comparable to a full-strength strike of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and with the momentum to destroy the world, they lunged at Lin Xuan from nine different directions!

Nine Dragons Devouring Heaven! This was the strongest sword technique Ye Chen could currently perform!

The entire Dao Discussion Platform was illuminated in purple and white by the blinding thunder light, and the violent energy caused the protective formation to ripple violently! The audience below all changed color, hurriedly circulating their spiritual power to resist the leaking pressure.

"Ye Chen actually mastered the Nine Heavens Imperial Thunder True Art!"

"Below Soul Transformation, who can withstand this sword?!"

"That Lin Xuan is finished!"

Facing this earth-shattering strike, Lin Xuan finally put away his previous casualness. In his eyes, chaotic radiance swirled, as if galaxies were turning and all things were being born and destroyed.

He did not use the Chaos Immortal-Slaying Sword Embryo, nor did he manifest the Starry Nether Domain. He simply raised his right hand slowly, spread his five fingers, and pressed them into the void toward the nine thunder dragons descending from the sky.

"Chaos... Return to Ruins."

As his low voice sounded, a tiny chaotic vortex that seemed to swallow all light appeared out of thin air in front of his palm!

The vortex was only the size of a fist at first, yet it emitted a heart-palpitating aura of annihilation. It rotated slowly, as if connected to the ultimate destination of the universe—the Return to Ruins!

The moment the nine thunder dragons of overwhelming power touched the chaotic vortex, they seemed to have encountered their natural nemesis! Their violent thunder power and destructive energy were frantically swallowed, pulled, crushed, and finally transformed into the most primordial spiritual energy by that tiny vortex, being absorbed!

Nine Dragons Devouring Heaven? In front of Chaos Return to Ruins, it was nothing but nourishment!

In the blink of an eye, the nine thunder dragons that had changed the color of the world vanished without a trace, like clay oxen entering the sea! Only the slowly rotating chaotic vortex, which seemed to have grown a size larger, remained suspended in front of Lin Xuan's palm.

Between heaven and earth, there was dead silence.

Everyone felt as if their throats had been gripped, unable to make a sound. Whether they favored Ye Chen or were looking forward to Lin Xuan's performance, everyone was completely shocked by this unbelievable scene!

What kind of divine ability was that? To be able to swallow Ye Chen's ultimate strike so easily?!

Ye Chen's face was pale, and the hand holding the Startling Thunder sword trembled slightly. He looked at the chaotic vortex, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of bewilderment. His strongest attack was actually so vulnerable?

Lin Xuan gently clenched his palm, and the chaotic vortex quietly dissipated. He looked at Ye Chen and said calmly, "Your sword is fast enough and sharp enough, but... your Dao is not deep enough."

Before the words had even faded, he pressed his fingers together like a sword and pointed at Ye Chen from a distance.

This time, he did not hold back. A point of gray starlight condensed at his fingertip, instantly crossing space to appear before Ye Chen's brow! It was the Annihilation Star Finger, which fused the power of Starry Annihilation!

Ye Chen's hair stood on end as he felt an unprecedented threat of death! He roared, holding the Startling Thunder sword horizontally in front of him, pouring all his spiritual power into it without reservation. The sword erupted with unprecedented, brilliant thunder light!

"Clang—!!!"

The finger force struck the body of the Startling Thunder sword!

Time seemed to freeze for an instant.

The next moment, under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, the high-quality magic treasure-level flying sword "Startling Thunder" began to shatter inch by inch from the point where it was struck! Like broken glazed glass, it turned into countless fragments and splashed in all directions!

The remaining power of the finger force tapped lightly on Ye Chen's brow.

Ye Chen's body stiffened violently, as if struck by lightning. A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily into the light curtain at the edge of the Dao Discussion Platform. He slid down, kneeling on one knee, his aura instantly withered to the extreme.

Defeated!

Ye Chen, hailed as the pride of the younger generation's sword path in the Imperial Capital, had actually been defeated!

And defeated so thoroughly! Even his natal flying sword had been shattered by the opponent with a single finger!

The entire arena was dead silent; one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone looked at the green-robed figure still standing calmly on the Dao Discussion Platform with eyes like they were looking at a monster.

Lin Xuan—from this moment on, this name would truly explode in the sky of the Imperial Capital like a thunderclap!

His gaze swept over the silent stands, lingering slightly on the directions of the Zhao family, the Imperial family, and those few subtle auras. Then, he turned, took a step, and vanished from the spot, leaving only faint words echoing over the Dao Discussion Platform:

"If the younger generation of the Imperial Capital stops here, it is... too uninteresting."

Arrogant! Incomparably arrogant!

But no one dared to speak up to refute him!

Because he had the qualifications to be arrogant!

In this battle, Lin Xuan officially announced his arrival with an unrivaled posture. The deep waters of the Imperial Capital were destined to be stirred into monstrous waves because of him!

In a corner of the stands, a meaningful smile seemed to appear on the blurred face of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion Master.

And in a secret location shrouded in starlight, a cold voice whispered:

"Chaos... has indeed appeared. The plan must be accelerated."