Chapter 234: The Battle at the Peak of Swordsmanship

“Dark Dragon—truly an excellent sword!” Hearing Rod’s words, Duan Tianren on the other side seemed to think of something as he frowned slightly and murmured to himself, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Naturally, Rod only knew this much about the Dark Dragon; as for the material of its blade, he certainly wouldn’t know.
As the two drew their swords, the atmosphere reached its peak—everyone knew the battle was about to begin. All eyes were fixed on the arena. While the fight on the other side had already started, the two on Rod’s side still stood there with their swords in hand.
Ziyang had a clear advantage, leveraging his mastery of both magic and martial arts to hold a firm upper hand. His terrifying talent gave him a huge edge, leaving the other warrior struggling.
As for magicians, none appeared in this competition. Magicians were a ranged combat profession; they wouldn’t be foolish enough to engage in a one-on-one fight with warriors. Close combat was their weakness—no magician would be so insane as to challenge a warrior to a duel!
Compared to the intense battle on the other side, Rod and Duan Tianren’s side appeared much calmer. Yet everyone knew this was merely the calm before the storm—a storm that would sweep everything away.
The wind howled, Rod’s hair fluttering in the wind, his clothes billowing, giving him an otherworldly appearance. His expression was solemn as he stood there with his sword, his eyes fixed solely on his opponent.
Duan Tianren was the strongest opponent Rod had encountered so far. Truly one of the top ten warriors of Water Curtain City—far beyond comparison to that Kund from the Nash family.
Once again, Rod chose to strike first. Suddenly, he moved, darting forward like lightning.
His sword, “Breaking Heaven,” charged forward with a howling momentum, its blade casting shadows that obscured everyone’s vision.
At the same time, Duan Tianren also drew his sword with remarkable agility. Without any flashy effects, there was a chilling sense of killing intent—something that could only arise after years of training, with a fierce momentum.
Almost simultaneously, the two collided!
In that moment, it seemed as though time itself stopped. The wind howled, and elements surged.
Who tore apart space? Who made the entire world pale in comparison?
Amidst the dazzling sword energy, the two figures moved swiftly, their forms indistinct. All that could be felt was the howling wind, the surging sword energy, and an overwhelming sense of fighting spirit and killing intent.
Behind the veil of light, whose sword energy was fierce and aggressive, and whose remained calm and composed?

“Rod’s sword techniques have reached a perfect level; truly befitting a master swordsman!” On the stands, Lilith couldn’t help but marvel at Rod’s magnificent and flawless sword moves.
“Melon, what do you think?” Lilith turned to Melon for his opinion. As a strong warrior present, he had the most authority to speak.
“He’s very strong—much improved from the last fight. It seems that the previous battle elevated his swordmanship!” Melon sighed, his gaze complex as he looked down.
How many could astonish him like Rod? How many could draw his full attention? And how many could earn such praise from him?
“Duan Tianren—truly a master of swordsmanship. His seemingly simple techniques manage to counter Rod’s moves one by one. Seeing him reminds me of someone!” Hei Yin, another swordsman in the back, spoke softly.
His words drew everyone’s attention, and soon all eyes were on him!
“Yi Jian Qing Cheng, the Sword God Ye Wu Chen!” Those few words caused almost everyone present to change expression.
“One of the three great warriors from a century ago, the pinnacle of swordsmanship—Yi Jian Qing Cheng, Ye Wu Chen!” Even someone like Sognar was moved.
“Yi Jian Qing Cheng, Ye Wu Chen… Heh, for a century, he has been the king of swordsmanship! No one can compare to him. If there’s anyone close, it’s Duan Tianren these past years—his style is the most similar. With his extraordinary swordsmanship, he truly stands above us all!” Hei Yin said with respect. If anyone could earn his admiration, it was probably Duan Tianren.
It wasn’t because of Duan Tianren’s overwhelming strength—Hei Yin ranked sixth among the top ten strongmen of Water Screen City, and even among the Dark Source’s top fifty, he was barely notable. And that was just for their generation; the old masters weren’t even counted! Hei Yin was also among them, so it was hard to say who would win in a fight between them.
What Hei Yin admired was Duan Tianren’s terrifying sword techniques—endless and relentless. After fighting once, though they ended in a draw, Hei Yin was firmly at a disadvantage. In terms of swordsmanship, Hei Yin admitted defeat.
Of course, these weren’t enough to earn such admiration from Hei Yin. After all, there were countless sword masters in the Dark Source who could defeat Duan Tianren.
As for those who could surpass him in understanding swordsmanship, there were probably none! Today’s Rod might be able to rival him—both had the deepest understanding and mastery of swordsmanship.
For those who wield swords, once they grasp the essence of swordsmanship, it’s only a matter of time before they reach that pinnacle. That’s why Hei Yin admired him so much.

Boom… A shrill roar came from the arena, chaos reigned, dust filled the air, and the bluestone arena was destroyed. The barrier fluctuated; if not for the ten top divine-level experts maintaining it at full strength, it would have shattered by now.
The clash between the two sword masters was so fast it was astonishing. Swordsmanship emphasizes flexibility and variability, with speed holding absolute importance in battle. Though many couldn’t fully comprehend the fluid movements, feeling the seamless sword techniques and fierce sword energy, along with the dazzling exchanges, was indeed a pleasure to witness.
However, the thick dust in the arena made it difficult for many to see clearly what was happening.
“Is Rod defeated?”
“Is Duan Tianren defeated?”
These thoughts flashed through everyone’s mind. The previous clash had been incredibly powerful, clearly a head-on battle of sheer strength—perhaps one move could determine the winner, so speculation arose.
The two were evenly matched. Rod was mysterious, while Duan Tianren was extraordinary, each with their own strengths, making it hard to say who would win.
Without prior matches as reference, everyone would undoubtedly choose Duan Tianren as the winner. Yet Rod’s miraculous performance began to shake some people’s confidence.
“Dragon Roar!” A furious roar echoed, soaring into the sky as if to reach every ear.
“Breaking Waves!” A confident shout let everyone know he was still fine, proving that he, hailed as the best swordsmaster of the Dark Source, wasn’t just a name in the air.
Two beams of light cut through the dusty haze, revealing the trajectories of their attacks.
“Dragon Roar—it’s Rod’s Dragon Roar!”
“Breaking Waves—Duan Tianren’s most powerful move, said to be able to instantly kill a late-stage divine-level warrior!”
The stands erupted in uproar. Rod’s Dragon Roar had become well-known recently. It was his strongest move, capable of killing divine-level warriors. As for Duan Tianren’s Breaking Waves, it was the move that made him famous—when he first reached the late-stage divine level, a provocateur challenged him. With Breaking Waves, no one could compete, and that late-stage divine-level warrior was killed on the spot!
After that battle, Duan Tianren became utterly famous, solidifying his status as the best swordsmaster. Now, hailed as the number one, his mastery of swordsmanship was evident. Just imagine how powerful his Breaking Waves must be now—after years without being used, seeing it today was exhilarating.
Just this alone made watching this match worth it—absolutely worth it.
A long howl sounded—Rod’s Dragon Roar, like a long dragon soaring high into the sky with a piercing cry.

As for Duan Lang on the other side, although there was no visible indication of his power, in reality, he was by no means inferior. Everyone could sense a distortion in the sky—the space was twisting. Yes, that’s right; suddenly, the space twisted. Duan Lang truly lived up to his name—capable of cutting through waves and distorting space-time to sever anything in its path. The next moment, it seemed as if time had passed through millennia, yet it never arrived as expected. Time seemed to freeze, and the scene became quiet. Everyone stared at what was happening, even ignoring another battle at that moment. Finally, under the gazes of all, they clashed. There were no explosive sounds or chaotic scenes as imagined—only peace and tranquility. It felt somewhat illusory yet real; this confrontation was a blend of reality and fantasy, making people feel as if they were in a dream. Moments later, or perhaps after thousands of years, a terrifyingly intense light rose into the air. People were stunned to see that the space where Rod struck also twisted, giving way to darkness—as space was finally torn apart. The light grew stronger, more terrifying, and blinding. The black hole expanded, seemingly stretching under immense force, with endless darkness emerging. Combined with the glow of the light, it made people unable to keep their eyes open and see clearly inside. The two fighters stood firm, unmoved. This was truly a battle at the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Would Rod win, or Duan Tianren? Would Long Yin’s strength, driven by his ferocity and dominance, break through all obstacles and defenses, or would Duan Lang’s calmness reverse time and space, or would his lethal intent triumph through spatial distortion to achieve a surprise victory? No one knew. At that moment, everyone hoped and awaited the final outcome. Finally, those who had adapted to the light could see clearly inside. Everyone held their breath, afraid to breathe loudly, fearing it might disturb these two in their ultimate duel. Everyone knew this was a decisive battle for swordsmanship, a fight for the title of the greatest swordsman—it was far more than just a competition for entry into the Netherworld. The space in front of the two had become utterly distorted, like two sheets of transparent paper folded together, or like a water curtain disturbed to form waves.

Even the strongest among them were filled with shock, for they saw that the two warriors’ weapons did not collide at all. Instead, the space in front of them twisted, and they engaged in a spatial battle through those distorted forces. Their weapons did not merge—not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t. The distortion of space and time forced them into a different style of combat—this was the true clash of strong warriors, this was the true art of swordsmanship.