Fly the Sword

Chen Xia did not like being controlled.

Especially here in the dead Star River, he wanted to go wherever he pleased. This was ownerless territory, so who had the right to order him to stop?

Moreover, the gentleman in white, ranked 2996 on the Human Ranking, had a really bad attitude. He forcibly stopped Chen Xia and even reported his name?

Who the hell are you? Let me report your name!

Chen Xia was already somewhat affected by his inner demons, so the words "you bastard" slipped out.

Ma Xiaohong sat to the side with a shocked expression. She wondered if all cultivators greeted each other so directly, or if it was only Chen Xia who was so direct.

The gentleman in white was naturally unable to tolerate this. His eyebrows furrowed as he waved his hand and let out a sword cry. A sharp flying sword broke through the air, extending like a thin wire as it pierced straight into Chen Xia’s chest.

A cold look flashed in the gentleman in white’s eyes. He was a cultivator on the Human Ranking, a prodigy at the eighth layer of the Heaven Mending Realm. He would not tolerate others ridiculing him.

He did not know where these two people came from, but he had checked them out earlier. He found that the girl had just reached the third layer of the Great Death Realm, while the man was unclear, but his spiritual power was not high - he estimated only at the initial stage of the Heaven Mending Realm.

For such a lowly cultivator to dare speak to him in this manner, the gentleman in white was truly angry. He immediately decided to teach Chen Xia a lesson and at least severely injure him if not kill him.

The flying sword seemed to pierce Chen Xia’s body without any reaction.

The gentleman in white let out a cold snort and frowned as he spoke.

"You can eat carelessly, but you can't speak carelessly. Remember this lesson well, if you can make it out of the Great Death Realm alive."

He spoke solemnly, lecturing on the philosophies of life.

Yet a calm voice replied with a laugh, "I want to eat carelessly, and I want to speak even more carelessly."

The gentleman in white's eyes widened in shock. Frowning, he looked up to see Chen Xia smiling lightly back at him. One of Chen Xia’s hands was flat out, as though pinching something.

Squinting, he finally saw what was being pinched.

It was his sword!

Chen Xia reversed his grip on the sword, casually flicking it towards the gentleman in white's body. He softly spat out,

"Go."

In an instant, the flying sword spun around, bringing with it vast spiritual energy in this windless Star River. It sliced through the void, transforming into a pitch black wire that whistled past the gentleman in white's ear before embedding itself in the lifeless stars in the distance.

After three breaths, the lifeless star it had pierced exploded into smithereens.

The gentleman in white's clothes billowed violently as cold sweat rolled down his face. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Two choices," Chen Xia said with a smile.

"One, take a sword from me. Two, lead me to find Xu Zhen of the Immortal Realm."

The gentleman in white froze for a moment before quickly bending down in greeting, smiling enthusiastically.

"After you, sir!"

And so, he became their guide.

Chen Xia still stood atop the small star, letting the gentleman in white take the lead. He asked, "How long will it take?"

"Around half a month," the gentleman in white fawningly replied.

Chen Xia was surprised and turned to look at him. "How far away are you people from the Immortal Realm cultivators that it takes half a month to get there?"

"It's quite far. After all, I'm only a cultivator on the Human Ranking. At least an Earth Ranking cultivator is needed to access the central regions."

As the gentleman in white said this, his gaze kept darting towards Chen Xia, filled with curiosity. He really wanted to know what ranking list Chen Xia was on and his position.

However, seeing that this powerful man did not even bat an eye at the mention of Earth Ranking cultivators, and directly spoke of wanting to find Xu Zhen of the Immortal Realm, his identity was surely not lower than an Earth Ranking cultivator.

Could it be... was there a possibility... that he was a Heaven Ranking cultivator?

"Ah!" The gentleman in white couldn't help but cry out softly, hurriedly suppressing this thought. He felt that it shouldn't be a Heaven Ranking cultivator, at most an Earth Ranking one.

But...

His brows furrowed in struggle.

Soon, his head was slapped by Chen Xia. "Stop mumbling. Lead the way quickly."

"Yes, yes." The gentleman in white hurriedly nodded and began leading the way. Along the journey, his gaze kept darting at Chen Xia, filled with inexplicable reverence and admiration.

This made Chen Xia frown repeatedly. He said, "Don't get any funny ideas about me. I don't do that kind of thing."

"No, no, definitely not." The gentleman in white hurriedly shook his head. After some hesitation, he finally asked, "I'm just curious to know what ranking list you are on and your position there. I really can't help asking."

Chen Xia shook his head. "I don't know either."

He really didn't know because rumors of him being the co-master of the Lightning Sword had not reached the secluded Chen Xia.

Xuan Li had also not told Chen Xia about such news, so Chen Xia truly did not know that the various major sects' record keepers had placed him on the Heaven Ranking.

"Then..." The gentleman in white hesitated before looking at the delicate Ma Xiaohong by Chen Xia's side. He continued asking, "What about her?"

Ma Xiaohong half hid behind Chen Xia, peeking over but not daring to meet the gentleman in white's gaze, also unsure of how to reply.

She had grown used to being so timid, only opening up when alone with Chen Xia.

Chen Xia also looked at Ma Xiaohong, hesitatingly replying, "If she could be ranked, it would probably be at the bottom of the Livestock Ranking."

This was indeed an honest evaluation based on Ma Xiaohong's combat strength.

The key point was that Ma Xiaohong, hiding behind, also nodded in agreement. Her expression showed no dissatisfaction at all, as though she felt the evaluation of being at the bottom of the Livestock Ranking suited her status.

This left the gentleman in white completely confused. He scratched his head, his gaze shifting between Chen Xia and Ma Xiaohong as he suddenly had a realization. He asked Chen Xia again,

"If you could be ranked, where do you think you would place?"

His expression was full of anticipation, hoping to hear the words he wished for.

Chen Xia contemplated briefly before calmly replying,

"Considering only one-on-one combat, it would probably be the Heaven Ranking..."

The gentleman in white's eyes instantly widened in pleasant surprise. He had actually met a top prodigy of the Heaven Ranking!

"First place," Chen Xia added.

The pleasant surprise on the gentleman in white's face instantly disappeared.

First place on the Heaven Ranking?

Blowing smoke up my ass, huh?

He rolled his eyes, feeling that Chen Xia must have been speaking nonsense. It was still debatable whether he was truly a Heaven Ranking cultivator or just boasting.

The youthful gentleman in white had yet to realize that Chen Xia was speaking pure truth.

Because considering only one-on-one combat, Chen Xia had his greatest trump card.

The past and future skill.

This was a divine skill for one-on-one combat. Although it had many restrictions, it was enough to deal with these peak Heaven Mending Realm prodigies.

The gentleman in white did not believe him but also did not dare to slight Chen Xia. He continued leading the way. After traveling for a few days, he stopped and spoke solemnly, "The territories occupied by Earth Ranking cultivators are up ahead. If we rashly enter, it may lead to conflict. We'll have to slow our pace and communicate well with the Earth Ranking cultivators."

"No need." Chen Xia shook his head. The bronze sword already hovered behind him, commanding the nine most powerful dao swords in his sea of ​​knowledge to form a sharp sword formation. He calmly added,

"Swords, clear the way."