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- Chapter 533 - The Chosen Ones' Swordsmanship Competition (Part 2)
Chapter 533 The Chosen Ones’ Swordsmanship Competition (Part 2)
At that moment, it was hard for Li Tianlan to describe his feelings.
As the Sword Emperor of Zhongzhou State, Wang Tianzong stood in front of the Wang family of Beihai. For Li Tianlan, no matter in Martial Arts or in the future, Wang Tianzong could be considered his biggest enemy ever.
The most important thing was that Wang Tianzong’s will was extremely firm.
He didn’t have a unique condition like the Heavenly King Heart of Wind and Thunder Veins. Even among his peers, he was not the best in terms of aptitude.
But such a person, step by step, had stepped onto the Peak of the Invincible Realm, and then broken through the Half-step Invincible Realm. Now, he was only one step away from the Chosen One.
The most important thing was that it seemed that this step could not stop Wang Tianzong.
The premonition in Li Tianlan’s heart was very clear. Wang Tianzong would definitely be able to break through, and it wouldn’t take long.
It was also because of this that he had fought with Wang Tianzong at his peak.
His Sword Intent was perfect.
His Sword Intent was supreme.
It was no exaggeration to say that Li Tianlan could now guide anyone in swordsmanship.
What he lacked was the realm of Martial Arts, or Sword Energy.
But in terms of height, he could be said to be the highest in Martial Arts.
Therefore, after borrowing Deity’s Sword Energy, his combat capability had been even more powerful than Deity’s.
That was the reason why the earth-shattering sword strike between him and Wang Tianzong had been so powerful.
That strike was perfect in terms of Sword Intent, but it was slightly weaker in terms of explosive power. The gap between them was so dim that it was hard for even the Half-step Chosen One to detect it, let alone an Invincible Realm Peak expert.
What Wang Tianzong needed right now was a perfect Sword Intent.
Li Tianlan believed that the sword strike could inspire him a lot. If Wang Tianzong used this sword as his foundation to make a breakthrough, even if he could succeed, it would still be a little weak.
This was a silent misleading, which was tantamount to putting a huge stone in Wang Tianzong’s way of swordsmanship.
However, Wang Tianzong had seen the weakness of this sword strike and had even completed it. Hence, the huge stone on the path of swordsmanship became a bridge to the sky.
Li Tianlan took a sip of the wine in his glass and took a deep look at Wang Tianzong. After a long time, he sincerely said, “Awesome.”
Wang Tianzong said blandly, “I’m flattered.” He was neither proud nor unhappy.
Li Tianlan’s realm was not high, and his combat capability was no big deal in Wang Tianzong’s eyes. But in the whole Dark World, he was the only one who was qualified to compete with Wang Tianzong in swordsmanship.
Just by this, it was worthy for Wang Tianzong to put Li Tianlan on the same level as himself.
“But you haven’t made a breakthrough yet,” Li Tianlan said slowly.
If Wang Tianzong could really complete the Sword Intent of that sword strike, it was enough to show that his swordsmanship had really reached the advanced level. The person he was facing right now should be a Chosen One.
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
Wang Tianzong said calmly, “If I break through now, I have an 80% chance to make it. But since I can be very sure later, why do I only need 80%?”
Li Tianlan was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, “You’re right.”
Wang Tianzong didn’t say much and raised his glass.
The two of them drank up the wine in one gulp. Wang Tianzong poured two more cups and then put the empty wine bottle aside.
Li Tianlan played with the cup in his hand and looked at Wang Tianzong with a mixture of emotions in his calm eyes.
Wang Tianzong suddenly asked, “What are you thinking about?”
The Trial Day had come to an end.
It could be said that the overall situation in Eastern Europe had already been formed.
If it weren’t for the heaven-sent opportunity, it would be impossible for Wang Tianzong to have attacked Li Tianlan in Eastern Europe.
Therefore, he was particularly calm today.
“You’ve got everything ready.”
Li Tianlan sighed softly, lit a cigarette, and took a deep breath.
Wang Tianzong smiled and did not deny it.
After completing Li Tianlan’s sword strike, a real road had appeared ahead of him.
It could even be said that he was already very close to becoming a true Chosen One.
There was no need for him to make a breakthrough now. He was just waiting for a chance in silence.
As for the preparations before the breakthrough, whether it was his physical state, Sword Energy, Sword Intent, sword momentum, or mentality, Wang Tianzong had been perfect.
The only thing he lacked now was a sword that could give full play to all his combat power.
At the same time, the Coldness of Nine States was also being forged.
Right now, he truly no longer needed to prepare for anything. All he needed to do was wait.
This was the perfect path that belonged to Wang Tianzong.
More than 20 years ago, since the collapse of the Li family, Wang Tianzong had officially broken through the Invincible Realm.
Up to now, his Martial Arts seemed to have been smooth all the way. But almost no one could see what Wang Tianzong had suffered for this.
Li Tianlan could imagine the kind of pressure that was as heavy as the mountains and the sea.
There were still two at the Peak of the Invincible Realm in this generation of the Wang family of Beihai. But for many years, Wang Tianzong had been like a lonely man who had shouldered the Wang family of Beihai to advance without retreat in the Dark World.
There had been bloody wars and fights at home and abroad. He could only move forward no matter what he had encountered. He would either rush forward or die on the way forward.
The Wang family of Beihai had been the peak of the world. How could it retreat at such a height?
If he took a step back, all of the Wang family of Beihai would face an abyss.
All the pressure had been pressing down on Wang Tianzong for years.
Under great pressures, Wang Tianzong had finally found a perfect path of his own, straight to the Chosen One.
Li Tianlan was lost in thought.
He also had his own path of perfection.
However, he had encountered some problems on his way. Although there was a possibility to solve these problems after the battle last night, it seemed that it was just a possibility after all.
“I’m thinking about my future.”
Li Tianlan’s voice was calm. He looked at Wang Tianzong and asked calmly, “Do you have any suggestions, Your Majesty?”
One was the Sword Emperor representing the Wang family.
The other was the Marshal of the Li family.
Perhaps just a few minutes ago, both of them hadn’t expected that they would talk in such a deep way.
Wang Tianzong used Li Tianlan’s sword to make up for his path to the Chosen One.
Now, Li Tianlan was consulting Wang Tianzong.
Wang Tianzong didn’t refuse.
His eyes were serious and deep. After thinking for a while, he said slowly, “It’s imperfect if it’s too perfect. Your strength, speed, willpower, and Sword Intent are all perfect. But your current realm is too low. There’s no solution to this problem.”
Li Tianlan let out a bitter laugh and didn’t hide it.
This might be the biggest problem on his path of Martial Arts, or perhaps, it could even be the only one.
If he was in the Invincible Realm at this time, with such perfect conditions, he could definitely break through the Peak of the Invincible Realm in the shortest time and stand on the same level as Wang Tianzong.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t entered the Invincible Realm yet.
The strength, speed, and Sword Intent couldn’t perfectly blend together, which meant that the possibility of entering the Invincible Realm was none.
But only by using the current conditions to break through the Invincible Realm, could he truly reach the supreme Chosen One Realm.
It was like a dead cycle. The road was clear, but Li Tianlan couldn’t walk through it.
Li Tianlan suddenly asked, “In Your Majesty’s eyes, what are the Four Realms of Martial Arts exactly?”
Wang Tianzong chuckled and said blandly, “Martial Arts are Martial Arts. There is no difference between the Four Realms of Martial Arts. Your predecessors divided it into four realms in Martial Arts, just for they wanted to find a path in Martial Arts.”
Li Tianlan’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“There is no problem that can’t be solved. If you want to solve your problem, you have to find a way out of the Four Realms of Martial Arts,” added Wang Tianzong.
Li Tianlan nodded and said calmly, “That’s what I think too.”
Wang Tianzong was silent for a while and said seriously, “But your Martial Arts seem to have bypassed the Four Realms of Martial Arts, and thus, you feel so embarrassed.”
Li Tianlan asked back, “Since the Four Realms of Martial Arts can be bypassed, why can’t the Invincible Realm be bypassed?”
Wang Tianzong’s pupils contracted all of a sudden. He looked at Li Tianlan and didn’t say anything for a long time.
“I saw a person with no realm, no Four Realms of Martial Arts, no Invincible Realm,” Li Tianlan said quietly.
Wang Tianzong nodded and said nothing. Of course, he knew who Li Tianlan was talking about.
The person who had lent the Sword Energy to Li Tianlan the previous night was the one he was talking about now.
Strictly speaking, Deity of the Purgatory of Heaven Capital had no realm. He was neither in the Invincible Realm nor in any realm of the Four Realms of Martial Arts. He cultivated a pure sword, incomparably sharp. If the sword light came out of the sheath, its power was no less than that of a peak Invincible Realm expert.
The battle in the treason case had destroyed the Martial Arts foundation of Deity. He could only find another way to walk on the present road, but it seemed to be his limit.
“I have also seen two lunatics who didn’t take the usual way. One went straight into the Invincible Realm from the Qi-controlling Realm, and the other wanted to go straight into the Invincible Realm from the Fire-flaming Realm,” added Li Tianlan.
Naturally, he knew who Tianlan was talking about.
Wang Tianzong shook his head. “There’s a problem with Tribulation’s state. Although he succeeded, it’s no different from failure. As for Fire Man, even if he succeeded that year, he will become the current Tribulation and also face problems.”
“That can only mean that they still need to continue improving their path.”
Li Tianlan said calmly, “In my opinion, the Four Realms of Martial Arts don’t exist. The so-called Qi-controlling Realm represents speed. The Ice-condensing Realm represents Sword Qi and Sword Intent. The Fire-flaming Realm represents willpower, and the Thunder-shocking Realm represents strength.”
He looked at Wang Tianzong and whispered, “If that’s the case, then what’s the Invincible Realm?”
There seemed to be countless sword lights flashing in Wang Tianzong’s eyes, and he didn’t speak for a while.
“Perfection.”
Li Tianlan said blandly, “If it’s too perfect, it’ll be imperfect? I don’t agree with that. If it’s imperfect because it’s perfect, then it can only mean that such perfection is not real perfection.”
“So…”
Wang Tianzong’s tone was as heavy as the sea. “Do you want to recultivate the Four Realms of Martial Arts?”
Li Tianlan lowered his head and said slowly, “There is no recultivation. As I said, I don’t approve of the so-called Four Realms of Martial Arts, either. I just think, since my strength and speed are too perfect to merge, what if I let them continue to be perfect and reach the real limit?”
Wang Tianzong looked at Li Tianlan and kept silent for a long time.
If there were no Four Realms of Martial Arts, then what was the limit of the human body’s speed? Where was the limit of strength? And where was the limit of Sword Energy?
In the successful cases, at least now, Tribulation, who had cultivated the Qi-controlling Realm, had reached the Invincible Realm. But obviously, the path of Tribulation was not the limit, for he had encountered some problems.
This was Li Tianlan’s current concept.
According to his concept, if he reached the limit of speed, strength, or any condition, he should have the combat capability comparable to the Peak of the Invincible Realm.
The speed alone was equivalent to that of a peak Invincible Realm expert.
His strength was equivalent to that of an expert at the Peak of the Invincible Realm.
When his strength, speed, Sword Energy, Sword Intent, and willpower all reached the Peak of the Invincible Realm, what would the outcome be?
If that day really came, would Li Tianlan still need to merge these things?
Wang Tianzong looked at Li Tianlan. At that moment, he really felt the pressure from Li Tianlan. His body was majestic and heavy, like a brand new world.
“If so, all the realms of Martial Arts are meaningless to you, including the Invincible Realm,” Wang Tianzong said slowly after a long silence.
“Martial Arts don’t need the realm in the first place.”
Li Tianlan looked up at Wang Tianzong and said, “For me, if I really want to divide it into realms, there are only two realms, above and below the Chosen One.”
He laughed gently. “The Invincible Realm? What a joke it is to see the so-called Invincible Realm expert who died last night.”
Below the Chosen One.
Above the Chosen One.
This was the purest form of Martial Arts.
Clear and distinct.
Wang Tianzong took a deep breath, but he didn’t feel at ease. For a moment, he had a feeling of suffocation.
He suddenly didn’t know what to say. After a long time, he shook his head and said with a wry smile, “How brave you are.”
“This is my path,” Li Tianlan said slowly.
This was the inspiration brought to him by Deity’s Sword Energy the previous night, but it could also be considered as his original idea.
However, before he truly encountered any problems, he had never thought about this problem.
Until the Date of Death, when the punch he had failed to throw at Jiang Qiannian made him realize this problem, his thoughts had become clear the previous night.
“That’s feasible,” Wang Tianzong said slowly after a long silence.
The road Li Tianlan saw on his own could be said to be truly amazing and brilliant. But Li Tianlan had his own spirit to show his path, and Wang Tianzong also recognized Li Tianlan’s spirit of choosing the path.
Without such frankness, what kind of proud Chosen One could he be?
“When I succeed in Martial Arts, I should propose a toast to you whether you are alive or dead, no matter what kind of position you take at that time.”
Li Tianlan laughed. Perhaps only he himself knew what Wang Tianzong’s feasible words meant to him.
Wang Tianzong looked at him and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“What is swordsmanship?” he suddenly asked.
“Swordsmanship is swordsmanship.”
Li Tianlan looked calm.
Wang Tianzong nodded and said blandly, “I know my sword. My swordsmanship is a mountain that can contain everything.”
“But your swordsmanship is a sword that can penetrate everything.”
“You and I will become the Chosen Ones, but you’re no match for me.”
His voice was clear and powerful. Every word he said was word-by-word, and the Sword Energy was majestic.
Li Tianlan was silent for a while. Then he picked up the glass in front of him and drank up the last bit of wine in one gulp.
He stood up, walked to the door, and said blandly, “You’re wrong.”
His figure grew farther and farther away, but his voice remained clear all the time. “My swordsmanship is the Dao. It can destroy all things and also contain all things.”