Li Qiye had already talked about going easy on the saber saint even before the start of the battle. This could have invited ridicules in the past because of the saint’s cultivation. It was indeed impressive among the young generation. Perhaps not even Eight Formation True Emperor could take him on.
Now, Li Qiye spoke as if he was so certain of victory. Of course, no one opened their mouth because they knew that a fierce battle was going to ensue.
The one paying the most attention was Tang Hexiang. He attentively stared at the two while holding his spear tight enough that his fingers started to turn white. The guy resembled a bow fully drawn, ready to shoot at any moment.
“I should thank you for showing mercy then.” The saber saint showed no sign of anger and took a deep breath before slowly unsheathed his saber, issuing a metallic hum.
During this slow process, the saber and the sheath had a clear sound from the friction, almost like a song of sorts. More and more of the flashy glint inched out. Once the entire blade left its cover, its brilliance rushed out all at once.
“Clang!” The saber hummed loudly and clearly like jade and gold hitting each other with a trace of grand dao contained within.
Space rippled as a result. Though he has yet to emit his explosive aura, the saber intent was in full swing. His saber stood tall among the heaven and earth, completely immovable. No one could take half a step past him and his eventual slash.
“Clang!” Another hymn came about, not from the blade itself this time around but from the saber saint.
As he held the saber with both arms, he became an invincible saber with incomparable sharpness. The snow-white rays coming from him could cut through all.
He seemed to be one with his saber - he is the saber and the saber is him. This sharp saber intent was enough to make the crowd shudder with fear.
“Boom!” He finally released his energy and majestic aura, turning him into a mighty mountain - towering, powerful, and immense.
“Lin.” People recognized this aura of his.
“He might have the most energy among the young generation.” One ancestor claimed.
Lin was a merit law focused on energy. Although its user would have a slow time amassing and increasing their overall energy level, the grand completion of this merit law would yield a massive amount far exceeding others.
The saber saint’s energy level wasn’t only pure and thick, it also had a regal presence akin to a rainbow reaching for the sun.
This regal force made him look like a king and changed the color of his violet robe to a yellow shade - that of an imperial king.
Say, a while ago, he was a noble, then now, he was a saber king - able to rule the world as long as his weapon was in his grasp. The combination of his ample energy and this particular regal force made him quite peerless and stately.
“This is my minor achievement in the dao of the saber. I named it, Imperial Saber.”
The saint didn’t resort to using the merit laws from the sages of Waterfront Pavilion, not the True Emperor ones either. Instead, he chose his own creation.
“Imperial Saber... the name is apt.” One spectator saw the magnificent state of the saint and agreed.
“Well done. Temperament, energy, and dao are all fused together in harmony.” Li Qiye praised.
“Please.” The saber saint pointed his saber forward with a solemn expression. He remained courteous in battle since to him, showing respect to the enemy was the same as showing respect to himself.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Since you’re using the Imperial Slash, I’ll be using a Fiendish Slash then.”
His eyes slightly focused, resulting in a deafening explosion. An evil flame engulfed his body and devastated the area around him.
He instantly turned into an unequaled devil king with eighteen black wings. All existences only served as his food.
“Damn!” This oppressive power boost startled the crowd, forcing some of them to drop butt-first on the ground.
“What evil merit law is this?!” One guy quivered.
“It’s not a merit law.” An ancestor carefully gazed at Li Qiye before concluding: “It’s a direct transformation process.”
“A single thought to become a devil...” The saber saint became even more serious. He has seen many strange things during his journey so the guy realized the terror of Li Qiye’s ability.
“Clank!” Li Qiye raised his hand and an evil saber emerged from the flame.
It possessed an aura drowning out the world, turning it into a fiendish hell. This saber seemed to have been empowered by evil energy a million times over.
It pulsed with a dark flame, adding to the image of him being a devil king even more. Just one slash could reap countless lives.
“I’ve been bored for a while now so let’s play with this form.” Li Qiye casually swung his saber around to warm up, not looking like a serious combatant at all.
No one dared to say anything about his flippant attitude. Only respect and awe permeated the crowd after seeing his transformation.
“Please, your move.” The saber saint was ready. He was a king with an orthodox grand dao. Just standing there made him look like an inviolable ruler.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “I will be a bully if I were to go first since you won’t have the chance to retaliate. You may start with three moves before your inevitable defeat.”
The saber saint didn’t take offense to such arrogant words at all.
“Very well, excuse me then.” He didn’t refuse and took a deep breath before taking his stance.
“Boom!” His regal aura erupted, capable of toppling the mountains and overturning the seas.
“Clank!” He made his move, bereft of flashy movements yet enough to flatten the world.
Dangers and difficulties became trivial before this regal slash, only a broad and open road lay before him.
“The Path of a King!” He roared and unleashed his attack. Who knows if he was the one performing the slash or if his saber willed it so.
This was a technique-less slash, only a dao of the saber that could calm the universe.
The move naturally astonished the spectators. All along, they searched for refined and fatal techniques.
However, these techniques seemed meaningless and feeble before this regal dao of the saber saint.