Chapter 55: Swordplay Genius (Part 5)

"Shen Chen of Yujian Manor, please enlighten me."
Su Chen's gaze was like a peak, his entire being like a sharp sword, hovering between heaven and earth.
Upon hearing this, Yan Chong cursed and hurriedly retreated into the distance.
With just one glance, he was certain that he was no match for the Sword Demon disciple.
This was a terrifying person.
Su Chen knew this all too well.
His hand gripping the sword hilt trembled.
A swordsman is courageous and unyielding.
"Not bad, a swordsman."
Cao Tianming was somewhat surprised.
Su Chen actually dared to attack him.
However, he decided to show mercy and strike with his sword.
With just this one strike, sword light crisscrossed, Su Chen's sword-wielding body erupted, thousands of sword energies condensed into one sword.
It generated a terrifying tremor.
Su Chen's clothes ripped open, and fine cracks appeared on the Tribulation Dust Sword in his hand.
With a groan, fragments of his internal organs splattered out along with blood.
Su Chen stared blankly at the sword in his hand until Cao Tianming walked past him and entered the inner room, bringing him back to his senses.
Behind him, a deep trench appeared.
Even the defensive array had been destroyed by a single sword strike.
'This is a monster!'
Su Chen swallowed the blood in his mouth. His internal organs had been torn apart by the sword energy; one strike had almost killed him instantly.
He understood that he still had a long way to go before becoming such a monster.
'Brother Shen, you actually survived!'
Yan Chong returned, excited to see Su Chen alive, and stepped forward.
Boom!
A gleaming spear pierced the air with lightning speed, aiming straight for Su Chen's head.
Su Chen, with a single hand gathering sword energy, deflected the unstoppable attack, aiming for Su Chen's shoulder. He endured the pain and used the momentum to retreat.
Seeing that his attack hadn't killed Su Chen, Yan Chong's concerned expression instantly transformed into one of cold indifference, like a venomous snake. He looked at Su Chen: "Brother Shen, I didn't expect you to be so wary of me."
Yan Chong was confident he hadn't made a mistake with that attack.
The only possibility was that Su Chen had never trusted him.
Su Chen grimaced, his mouth filled with blood: "Brother Yan, we've only known each other for a few days. I dare not risk my life on your shoulders."
Yan Chong smiled coldly: "Even if you dodged once, how many times can you dodge while you're severely injured?"
"Don't struggle. Hand over the sword techniques of the Imperial Sword Manor to me, and perhaps, out of consideration for our past acquaintance, I'll let you die easily, without suffering endless torment."
A bright smile appeared on Su Chen's face.
He threw the Tribulation Dust Sword from his hand, which transformed into a nine-colored sword beam.
"Are you trying to self-destruct your natal sword? Are you insane?"
Yan Chong cursed.
With his natal sword shattered, Su Chen would be crippled, if not dead.
Su Chen didn't care; staying alive was the most important thing.
The self-destruction of his natal sword would hold back Yan Chong.
Su Chen directly mounted Tiger Hair: "Go, leave the Heavenly Void Palace!"
Tiger Hair hesitated for a moment, but still obeyed Su Chen's command, leaving the Heavenly Void Palace and finding a secluded place to wait for Su Chen.
Inside the Heavenly Void Palace, Yan Chong's furious curses echoed.
But soon, the sounds of fighting resumed.
The injured Yan Chong was also being targeted by other prodigies.
Su Chen swallowed a king-grade medicinal herb whole, without a second thought, not caring about waste.
His injuries were too severe.
A disciple of the Sword Demon—this was undoubtedly a top-tier prodigy in swordsmanship.
He had already been lucky to survive a single sword strike.
Then he was ambushed and killed by Yan Chong.
His injuries were even more severe.
A fierce glint flashed in Su Chen's eyes.
By self-destructing his natal sword, Yan Chong was destined to suffer.
If Yan Chong hadn't died… Su Chen would definitely kill him!
…
Half a month later
Although Su Chen still had internal injuries, he appeared outwardly fine.
He glanced at Hu Mao, who was guarding outside the cave, and said calmly, "You saved my life, I won't mistreat you. From now on, you will be the guardian spirit beast of my Imperial Sword Manor, receiving generations of offerings from my Imperial Sword Manor."
Tiger Hair wondered to himself, 'Isn't this just generation after generation of laborers? Why don't you just break my master-servant contract?'
Tiger Hair didn't say it aloud.
He followed Su Chen, dejected, seemingly resigned to his fate.
Inside the Heavenly Void Palace, he hadn't attacked Su Chen; now, the opportunity was gone.
Even if he killed Su Chen inside the Heavenly Void Palace, he couldn't possibly survive. It all seemed to be destiny.
Su Chen, recovering from his injuries, began searching for Yan Chong's whereabouts.
"Yan Chong is dead?"
Su Chen was somewhat surprised. The Yan family's genius had no means of self-preservation, dying so hastily.
It seemed that the self-destruction had attracted many ruthless individuals who joined forces to surround and kill Yan Chong.
Death is the end.
Su Chen no longer needed to seek revenge on Yan Chong.
The Heavenly Void Tomb reopened.
Many prodigies perished within.
This is a tomb.
It's destined to bury many bones.
Su Chen's luck was quite good; his gains were substantial.
He wasn't far from breaking through to the Profound Realm.
After returning to the Imperial Sword Manor, Su Chen began his seclusion.
More than a year later, Su Chen emerged from seclusion; his cultivation had broken through to the Profound Realm.
That year, he was twenty-two years old.
The entire Imperial Sword Manor was overjoyed.
Their young master had broken through to the Profound Realm; the Imperial Sword Manor had gained another king, and a king with a promising future at that.
Just as Su Chen's reputation reached its peak, a rumor quickly spread.
The rumor claimed that Su Chen had fought with a disciple of the Sword Demon from the Heavenly Sword Holy Land and was easily defeated by him with a single sword strike.
Such a genius was no match for the Sword Demon disciple's single sword strike.
Su Chen held the report in his hand, his mind racing with thoughts.
"Someone deliberately spread this news to highlight the young sword demon's power by using my reputation."
"Or... to sow discord between me and that young sword demon?"
This tactic is clumsy.
For a young, ambitious genius, it's the best open scheme.
But Su Chen isn't a naive newcomer.
He naturally wouldn't be easily provoked.
However, there was one thing Su Chen hadn't expected.
Shen Tianyi actually came to his door, his face grim.
"Chen'er, did you really lose to that young sword demon?"
Su Chen nodded, admitting it.
Losing to the young sword demon wasn't shameful.
Shen Tianyi's face flushed red: "Impossible! The Sword Control Body of my Imperial Sword Manor is the most advanced physique in swordsmanship. You've mastered the Sword Control Body; you should be the number one sword prodigy in the world. No one can surpass you!"
Looking at the crazed Shen Tianyi, Su Chen suddenly felt pathetic.
A frog in a well.
So what if he has a sword-wielding body?
There are far too many powerful physiques in this world.
Before leaving, Shen Tianyi gave Su Chen a deep look.
He seemed to have made up his mind.
Su Chen felt a chill.
"Is this old guy going to do something crazy again?"
He had always felt that this grandfather was suspicious.
Thinking of this, Su Chen felt a chill in his heart, his eyes turning icy.
If Shen Tianyi had any designs on him,
he would definitely strike first.