Chapter 1399: Chapter 1400: Swordsmanship That Exists Only in Legends
Li Xiaobai chuckled merrily, utterly indifferent to the provocations from the younger generation.
Mere Saint Realm cultivation level no longer warranted his attention. Having ascended to the Transcendent First Layer, he was now an invincible existence within the Central Origin Realm.
“Senior, while your renown is well-deserved, I urge you not to underestimate others. I hope you will engage with your full strength, for that would be the greatest respect you could show us juniors!”
One of the younger cultivators said.
Their gazes had been fixed on the hand with which he had blocked Ma Niubi earlier. There was no trace of energy flowing from it—just an ordinary outstretched hand. They could not discern his strength or cultivation level from that alone.
“Enough talk. Make your move.”
Li Xiaobai shook his head with an amused smile, curling a finger to beckon them forward.
The crowd of young geniuses felt provoked. From his gaze, they saw no seriousness, only disdain. He did not see them as worthy opponents—he did not even place them in his eyes!
“If that’s the case, then forgive me, Senior!”
Jin Hu took a step forward, his stride bold and confident, cracking his knuckles as his aura surged upwards. Crimson wings unfurled behind him, piercing the heavens.
The air became saturated with the acrid scent of scorching heat. Waves of fiery energy surged forth, forcing the crowd to back away, wary of being caught in the terrifying display of power.
Li Xiaobai squinted slightly. He could tell that the technique being used by the figure before him was unusual. This was the aura of a Phoenix. Previously, such wondrous techniques did not exist within the Central Origin Realm.
Indeed, as he had heard, five hundred years had passed, and everything had changed. New cultivators, new cultivation techniques, yet none of it held any significance for him.
“Heaven Phoenix Art!”
Jin Hu let out a ferocious roar. His entire body was bathed in the blazing light of a tempestuous flame. A golden beak shimmered at the edge of his lips, and his form seemed to transform into a magnificent golden-red Phoenix, spreading its wings in the air.
In a flash, his figure blurred into a golden whirlwind, slamming downward to engulf Li Xiaobai directly.
“This is the Phoenix Secret Art!”
“Rumors say that days ago, someone encountered a young prodigy tearing apart a divine dragon deep in the ocean. Supposedly, he used this very secret technique when he did it. Could it be this Jin Hu is that dragon-slayer?”
“Unbelievable. The Phoenix Art isn’t passed down through any sect—it must have been discovered in some Secret Realm!”
“Such profound fortune! No wonder he’s cultivated to such a remarkable degree. Truly incredible—he’s the real definition of a chosen genius!”
The surrounding cultivators marveled aloud at Jin Hu’s display.
To possess such power at such a young age, while flaunting extraordinary Divine Skills, marked him as someone with limitless potential—a promising candidate to ascend to the Upper Realm someday.
[Attribute Points +200 million…]
[Attribute Points +200 million…]
[Attribute Points +200 million…]
[…]
On the system panel, the attribute value kept jumping, accumulating nonstop. The damage was quite notable. For a member of the younger generation, his performance was indeed commendable—far superior to the young cultivators of the past.
But alas, to Li Xiaobai, who had long since become invincible in this world, it amounted to nothing—a mere momentary curiosity at best.
The dust and smoke dispersed.
Revealing two silhouettes within. One was cloaked in crimson, their violent flames surging upward and burning through the sky. The other stood plain and unremarkable, devoid of any energy fluctuations, yet stood there calmly with hands clasped behind his back, unharmed within the inferno.
“How is this possible!”
“My cultivation technique is ineffective?”
“This is Phoenix fire—is it possible that he blocked it with just his physical body?”
Jin Hu’s pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with disbelief. His Divine Skills had failed to harm Li Xiaobai in the slightest. From beginning to end, the man hadn’t moved an inch, hadn’t even defended himself or activated any technique—instead, his physical body had completely shrugged off the Phoenix Art, without so much as a scratch.
The surrounding crowd was equally stunned. They couldn’t comprehend the scene. Jin Hu’s strength and cultivation were undoubtedly formidable, yet he hadn’t even managed to breach Li Xiaobai’s defenses. To rely solely on a physical body to withstand Divine Skills—was this truly possible?
“Mere flames are nothing to mention. But for a younger generation cultivator, you are quite good. Your cultivation techniques and methods are already at a proficient level.”
Li Xiaobai stood with hands clasped behind his back, his gaze tranquil. He looked at Jin Hu and nodded with a faint smile, like a senior offering guidance to a junior.
“This is impossible!”
“I don’t believe it—how could anyone resist cultivation techniques with their physical body alone? There has to be some trick to this!”
“Phoenix Combat Technique!”
“Immortal God Armor!”
Jin Hu roared, golden flames flashing around him. Once more, he transformed into a blood-drenched, reborn Phoenix, diving aggressively toward Li Xiaobai.
A sharp and unstoppable aura surrounded him. A layer of bronze Immortal Armor materialized on Jin Hu’s body, radiating subtle yet terrifying energy.
Nearby, Chen Yuan, Ma Niubi, and others visibly changed their expressions. This was a Saint Realm cultivator wielding the power of two Divine Fires—a force that, five hundred years ago, would have swept across the Central Origin Realm. On top of that, he now wore Immortal God Armor, a relic from when the Immortal Gods crossed realms. Over half a millennium, these powerful families had unearthed and harnessed a sliver of its power.
Li Xiaobai, having only recently been resurrected, surely wasn’t a match for this.
Just as they stepped forward to intervene, Long Xue stopped them, full of confidence in Li Xiaobai’s abilities.
With the strength to ascend at any moment to the Immortal Gods Realm, how could he possibly falter against Jin Hu’s assault?
“Oh? This Immortal Armor looks familiar. Judging by your appearance, it seems you can activate its power. The major families must have invested quite the effort in their research!”
Li Xiaobai remained nonchalant, though a flicker of surprise danced in his eyes. The bronze armor—a product of the Immortal Gods Realm—had surprisingly been tapped into by these cultivators, who managed to unleash a fraction of its might.
When he had exterminated the vanguard forces of the Immortal Gods Realm back in the day, several Super Sects had each taken one piece of the bronze armor. This one must have come from that collection.
“Senior, forgive my offense!”
Jin Hu’s expression twisted with ferocity, a determination to defeat the opponent taking root in his heart.
But it was all for naught. Even with a shred of power from the Immortal God Armor backing him, he still could not move Li Xiaobai an inch. That seemingly frail figure stood like an insurmountable mountain, unshakeable and indestructible.
[Attribute Points +800 million…]
[Attribute Points +800 million…]
The numbers were overwhelming, levels so extreme they would once have troubled Li Xiaobai greatly.
“This really is a golden era. Even a random young cultivator can exhibit such strength and cultivation. If things had been like this back then, how much struggle could have been avoided?”
Li Xiaobai scratched the area where he’d been hit, as if slightly tickled.
The entire crowd turned to stone. Every cultivator stared at him in shock. He still hadn’t activated his cultivation nor moved a muscle, yet he continued to rely purely on his physical body to endure such monstrous Divine Skills without injury!
“Y-You… What are you? Are you a man or a ghost!”
Jin Hu felt his scalp crawl as a wave of intense dread washed over him.
The realization dawned—the situation had taken a terrible turn. This senior was nothing like what he had imagined—a figure completely beyond his reach!
“Naturally, I am human.”
“Your skills are impressive, but as a senior, it’s only right to offer some guidance. I will strike with a single sword. If you can block it, you may live.”
Li Xiaobai flipped his wrist, casually lifting the longsword above his head, his voice lighthearted and kind.
“That stance…”
The older generation of cultivators couldn’t help but feel their hearts tighten as they witnessed the movement. For years, they hadn’t seen such an audacious sword technique initiation—offering no defense, exposing countless openings. Only one with unparalleled confidence in their swordsmanship dared act so arrogantly.
“A sword technique spoken of only in legends—Sword Imprisonment, Demon’s Wicked Sword!”