Chapter 149: Breakthrough

Li Jiansan flicked his wrist, and a massive golden sword materialized in his hand.

The colossal golden blade radiated a terrifying sword intent that caused the heavens and the earth to shudder, as if it could cleave the nine heavens above and sever the netherworld below!

"Is this Li Jiansan's sword? How formidable!"

"That was the exact weapon the Blood Fiend used when he wrathfully executed the elder. Seeing it today, it is indeed terrifying!"

"It seems to be a fractured blade, heavens! A broken sword in his hands can unleash such astonishing might—what if it were completely intact?"

"Simply incalculable..."

Witnessing this spectacle, many in the audience were struck dumb, staring blankly at Li Jiansan's figure.

With a resounding bang, Li Jiansan took a single step forward; the earth cracked, and the void trembled.

Wielding the towering divine sword, Li Jiansan slashed out with fury!

"Incredible!"

Xu Yan watched Li Jiansan, completely awestruck by his overwhelming presence.

In his eyes, this youth of similar age stood alone, holding a divine sword, holding his ground against the world, and fighting suspended in mid-air!

He had already ascended to a height Xu Yan could never hope to reach.

Xu Yan glanced back at Zixuan, whose eyes were filled with adoration, a deep sorrow welling up within his own gaze...

Swish!

The radiance of Li Jiansan's fractured sword surged violently, spitting out dazzling and piercing sword beams. With a single stroke across the void, the sword light traversed the firmament, carrying a terrifying force as it bombarded the direction of Sun Yiqiu.

In the sky, countless streams of sword illumination surged majestically, forming a heaven-shaking sword glow that suppressed the entire realm.

No words could possibly describe the might of this single strike!

Up to this day, not a single person had been able to receive the sword Qi of Li Jiansan's horizontal slash without suffering any damage.

Even someone as formidable as the mountain-like Mo Yun of that day had appeared completely powerless beneath this sword.

No matter how great a genius Sun Yiqiu might be, he could only hastily raise his sword to block when Li Jiansan delivered his slash.

Boom-crash!

An unprecedented, earth-shattering explosion erupted, resembling a series of terrifying thunderclaps striking from a clear sky.

Dust and debris flew in all directions, boulders were pulverized, the void was fractured, and waves of terrifying energy swept across the land!

Sun Yiqiu's expression drastically changed. "Oh no!"

The moment he raised his sword, Li Jiansan's ferocious sword technique shattered his Earth-grade weapon and ruthlessly cleaved straight into his chest.

"Pfft!"

Suffering a devastating blow, Sun Yiqiu violently vomited a mouthful of blood. A horrific, gaping wound was torn across his chest, and his entire body was hurled heavily onto the ground like a sack of sand.

Only then did the sword light unleashed by Li Jiansan begin to dissipate.

Yet, the lingering shockwave from that single strike carved a fissure a hundred meters long into the ground behind Sun Yiqiu.

Everyone stared at the scene before them in utter horror.

Rumbling sounds echoed ceaselessly between heaven and earth. At this moment, it felt as though the world was collapsing, the sun and moon lost their luster, and everything around them was caught in a violent upheaval.

The onlookers gasped in unison, standing frozen and dumbfounded.

"This power is practically invincible!"

Countless people muttered in shock from below. This brilliant battle was, without a doubt, the pinnacle of anything they had ever witnessed in their lives.

It was enough to etch itself into their memories forever!

"With the dust and smoke billowing everywhere, it's impossible to see the outcome of this ultimate battle. Who actually won?"

Beyond their shock, they were equally eager to know the victor of this duel.

"That's Li Jiansan!"

As the dust gradually settled, the crowd finally made out the figures within.

Amidst the battle arena, a man with flowing black hair stood with an air of indifference, his silhouette appearing immensely majestic.

"As expected of the Grim Reaper, he truly won!"

Many exclaimed in astonishment.

Previously, several inner sect disciples who had been shouting about Sun Yiqiu's invincibility now looked somewhat awkward. After a long moment, realization seemed to dawn upon them, and they cried out in surprise, "Wait, where is Young Master Yiqiu?"

Li Jiansan had won, but what about Sun Yiqiu?

"I must admit, Li Jiansan, you are strong. And thanks to you, I have managed to break through!"

At that moment, not far from Li Jiansan, a massive surge of energy erupted as if driven by a sweeping tempest.

Without a doubt, this person was none other than Sun Yiqiu.

Earlier, he had been cultivating in a spiritual sanctuary, hoping to achieve a breakthrough to the sixth level of the Foundation Establishment stage. Yet, try as he might for days, he had been unable to grasp the opportunity for ascension.

Now, locked in a life-or-death battle with Li Jiansan, pushed to the brink of desperation, he had miraculously achieved a breakthrough in the face of peril, which filled him with elation.

"Now, I can only ask you to die, as a way of thanking you for your assistance!"

Although Sun Yiqiu's hair was disheveled and his garments were torn to shreds, leaving him devoid of his former majesty, his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever.

Even the bloody gash on his chest failed to affect him in the slightest.

Sun Yiqiu's aura skyrocketed violently, rapidly reaching a limit.

At this moment, his strength, speed, and true essence were all at their absolute peak.

Sun Yiqiu sneered, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes, making him resemble a demonic overlord emerging from the deepest netherworld.

"Boom!"

The golden longsword in his hand lashed out fiercely. Instantly, a terrifying sword beam pierced the void, rushing forth like a golden river spanning the firmament, and instantly swallowed the entire world.

Li Jiansan's expression remained calm, and the supreme fractured sword in his hand hummed and trembled.

"Foolish boy, death is at your doorstep and you still don't realize it!"

"Did you really think my current strike would be like the previous one, allowing you to catch it so easily? Don't be so naive."

"Prepare to meet your doom!"

Sun Yiqiu's gaze was cold and venomous, and the power channeled into his weapon grew even more ferocious.

Just as Sun Yiqiu's sword beam was about to reach Li Jiansan, a terrifying sword Qi suddenly burst forth from within the massive golden sword, instantly shattering and dispersing Sun Yiqiu's attack.

"This... how is this possible!"

Sun Yiqiu's pupils contracted violently, and his mind went completely blank.

"A mere ant like you, how could you possibly comprehend the might of our caliber?"

Li Jiansan stood holding his sword, his eyes blazing like the scorching sun, erupting with a fierce, blinding brilliance!

With a stern and radiant gaze, standing tall between heaven and earth like a divine demon, Li Jiansan suddenly raised his arm. It was as if he were initiating divine retribution from the heavens, lifting the chilling sword of the Grim Reaper to tear apart the void and engulf the firmament.

"Boom!"

A single sword descended.

The sky blazed with brilliant light, accompanied by deafening explosions that roared like heavenly thunder.

The dazzling radiance was so intense, akin to a falling sun, that it stripped the world of its color!

"How is he able to unleash such horrifying power? This is bad!"

The instant this sword Qi closed in, Sun Yiqiu suffered a massive impact. The blood in his veins churned violently, and he spat a mouthful of fresh blood.

The agitation sent a sharp, agonizing wave of pain radiating from the wound on his chest.

"Hiss..."

"Too strong!"

"I must run!"

Only a single thought remained in Sun Yiqiu's mind, gripped by the fear that Li Jiansan would slay him in the next second.

An enemy this formidable was something he had never encountered in his life; he could never have imagined that anyone in the Foundation Establishment stage could unleash such terrifying combat prowess.

How laughable that he had previously regarded Li Jiansan as nothing more than an ant.

Yet now, his life and death hung entirely on a whim of that very person.

Such a reversal was utterly absurd.