Chapter 43: The Primordial Spirit Sword Technique
Returning courtesy when kindness is received, Wang Heng chose to dissipate the residual power, treating the exchange as a draw.
However, in reality, Wang Heng had a slight edge in their confrontation.
Both were nurtured by their respective Immortal King families as prominent cultivators in their realm. Their training and resources were quite similar, with Wang Heng quenching his thirst with divine fruits and undergoing baptisms with top-tier elixirs. Shi Jintian was not far behind in enjoying top-notch cultivation resources of his own.
Nonetheless, the visible gap existed in the concentration of their bloodlines.
Wang Heng was the son of an Immortal King, while Shi Jintian's ancestral connection to an Immortal King was much more distant. Were it not for the reemergence of his ancestral blood, he would not stand as the exemplary leader of the Shi clan at their cultivation level.
It’s important to note that the Shi clan is prolific, with countless descendants of Immortal Kings. To distinguish oneself amongst such vast numbers is no easy task.
In contrast, the Wang family’s lineage is singular, with only one direct successor.
Moreover, the source of an Immortal King's bloodline, essentially their own power, significantly impacts the prowess of their descendants.
That is why Wang Heng surpassed Shi Jintian by a margin.
Defeating him in a domain that is not Wang Heng’s forte already highlights a difference in their capabilities.
It’s worth mentioning that Wang Heng’s greatest strength lies in the path of the Primordial Spirit, not in physical prowess or the vigor of his blood.
“Sigh, there's no need to continue. Wang Ancestor's vital energy and physique surpass mine," Shi Jintian said with a smile, ceasing his actions.
"Fellow Daoist Shi, you overpraise me. I would say we are evenly matched," Wang Heng humbly replied, devoid of any arrogance.
"The top in the Realm of Dao, truly deserving of the title," Yucheng Zun exclaimed, sincerely impressed by Wang Heng’s prowess in battle.
He too had sparred with Shi Jintian and knew the power of the Great Blood Hand, a forbidden technique of the Shi Clan Immortal Kings. Once unleashed, it was as though heaven and earth were collapsing, leaving all in darkness, hard to withstand.
"This bout focused on the strength of vital energy. It surely isn't the strongest side of Wang Ancestor. To say Wang Ancestor didn't inherit the Immortal King's primordial spirit gifts, I'd never believe it," Feng Qin from the True Phoenix Clan spoke up, dressed in a resplendent phoenix robe, her voice melodious like the music of the heavens.
"Indeed, we have yet to witness Wang Ancestor at his strongest. As one unworthy, I, Li Daoge, wish to seek guidance," said Li Daoge, the successor of the Qian Kun Sect, as he nodded, cupping his hands respectfully toward Wang Heng.
Possessing notable achievements in the field of the primordial spirit, he often relied on this path to defeat his opponents. Now encountering another expert in this way, he naturally didn’t want to miss the chance for a spar.
"Very well, be careful, Daoist Li."
Wang Heng nodded, taking a deep breath, as he readied himself to utilize his initially mastered 'Chaos Quelling Technique'.
This opponent was no weakling, hailing from the Qian Kun Sect, a formidable Immortal King-level force. Each generation’s successor achieved significant accomplishments, like Qingwei Lord and Great Scarlet Lord, all standing in the pinnacle domains of the ancient world.
As the chosen successor of the Qian Kun Sect in this lifetime, Li Daoge was naturally extraordinary.
Facing such an opponent, Wang Heng dared not let his guard down.
He harnessed the ancient black characters floating within his Purple Abode, causing them to coalesce around his primordial spirit, eventually forming into a black seed. To be precise, it was a pitch-black sword embryo, and as soon as it emerged, it began ravenously consuming Wang Heng's primordial spirit energy, its momentum rapidly growing fierce.
Yet soon enough, the black sword embryo became more restrained, and as it absorbed more of the primordial spirit energy, it grew increasingly profound, emitting an entrancing obsidian glow.
'Buzz!'
The sword embryo began to rise slowly from Wang Heng's Purple Abode, and as it leaped from his crown, all of heaven and earth fell into silence, as if it was the only existence in the world.
'Primordial Spirit Sword Technique!'
Shi Jintian, Feng Qin, Yucheng Zun, Li Daoge, and others exchanged glances, shock evident in their eyes.
This grand technique was indeed defying the heavens, ranking among the three supreme sword techniques alongside the Grass Sword Technique and the Celestial Tribulation Sword Technique. Once unleashed, it could slay until the cosmos dried up, leaving all things withered.
In past times, this technique existed only in legend, with hardly anyone having witnessed it firsthand, as it was known to be within the grasp of only the Wang Family's Celestial King, who had achieved countless glorious victories with it, yet never displayed it before the world.
The grand congregation at the Southern Sea's Purple Bamboo Grove had brought the incredible martial art into the world when Wang Heng, the son of the Wang family's Celestial King, showcased it publicly.
Faced with Wang Heng, Li Daoge felt an overwhelming pressure that surged like a tide. Even before striking, the Primordial Spirit Sword Technique caused a piercing sensation to his seated spiritual essence within the Purple Abode, a testament to the technique's formidable power.
"Ancestor Wang, there's no need to hold back," Li Daoge spoke with resolute eyes. "I wish to gauge the true difference between us."
Gifted from a young age, Li Daoge possessed an extraordinary affinity with the Dao, grasping any principle with ease. His profound wisdom allowed him to overcome numerous obstacles, eventually earning the most remarkable Dao seed of the Qian Kun Sect, with which he fused, becoming its strongest heir in the Seed Dao Realm.
Even his master and the Great Scarlet Lord personally guided him on his path.
Li Daoge's cultivation journey had been a smooth one, and he was determined to become an unparalleled force like his master.
Yet this road was fraught with hurdles, demanding relentless self-surpassing to achieve success.
Realizing the gap between himself and Wang Heng was a necessary step in transcending oneself.
Understanding Li Daoge's intentions, Wang Heng nodded, holding nothing back. From his lower dantian, the Supreme Soul Seed—the ultimate soul essence inseparable from flesh and blood—erupted with incomparable Dao rules, flowing through his veins and body, converging swiftly within the Purple Abode, and finally entering the black sword embryo hovering above his head.
The process was rapid, occurring in an instant.
The Primordial Spirit Sword Embryo, enhanced by the supreme soul seed, underwent a qualitative transformation.
The dark sword embryo became increasingly solidified and immeasurably heavy, emanating a profound sense of gravity.
Wang Heng did not hold back as he propelled the Primordial Spirit Sword Embryo towards Li Daoge.
In that instant, time and space seemed to halt. The laws of heaven and earth were swayed by this sword embryo, leaving everything in stillness.
Those observing, including Li Daoge, experienced an illusion: while their minds raced, their bodies remained incapacitated, only able to make slow motions, helpless against the rapidly approaching dark sword embryo.
"Break!" shouted Li Daoge, as celestial symbols spilled forth from his body, striving to shake off the immobilizing force.
Summoning all his strength, he finally disrupted the influence, regaining his movement.
Revitalized, Li Daoge's primordial spirit radiated with brilliant light. Clad in armor, he stepped forward like a deity.