Chapter 308-309 (Patreon)

308. Threat

Lin Fei stood behind Sovereign Yuan. He searched for several days before finally finding him.

Sovereign Yuan turned, laying eyes upon Lin Fei. "Sovereign Lin, having manifested the Saber Domain, I assume your Dao is that of the saber," he remarked calmly.

"Saber Dao?" Lin Fei shook his head, "No, you are mistaken. I don't tread the Saber Dao. Even though I have cultivated the Saber Domain, I have never contemplated embracing the Saber Dao. The saber technique and Saber Domain are merely instruments to guard my Dao. My pursuit is the Dao of Immortality! Whether it be the Martial Dao, the Saber Dao, or any other, I am willing to explore any that grants me eternity."

Lin Fei spoke with an unwavering tone. His devotion wasn't singularly to the Saber Dao. For him, being devoid of the Saber Dao didn't mean being devoid of life's purpose. Lin Fei wasn't that fanatical. From the very beginning, Lin Fei had always trodden the Path of Immortality, and this conviction remained steadfast, impervious to doubt.

"The Dao of Immortality..." Sovereign Yuan contemplated, not probing further. Everyone has their own Dao. Who, amongst those who attained the title of Martial Sovereign, did not possess their own Dao? The only difference was the strength of their conviction. Sovereign Yuan didn't need to gauge others' determination; his own unwavering belief was sufficient.

"Sovereign Lin, reaching this place must've taken some effort on your part. What brings you to me?" Sovereign Yuan inquired directly.

"It's simple," Lin Fei replied. "Though I don't tread the Saber Dao, I wish to enhance my Saber Domain. To do so, I believe only immense pressure can hone it. And your Sword Domain is apt for that."

Sovereign Yuan instantly understood. Lin Fei came to spar, to harness the power of Sovereign Yuan's Sword Domain to elevate his Saber Domain.

Sovereign Yuan fell silent. Assisting would be effortless, even beneficial for him. Perhaps their realms could mutually elevate. But, he also bore pride.

"Why should I aid you?"

Lin Fei had defeated Sovereign Yuan. To claim that this left no dent in Sovereign Yuan's pride would be false. Now, he was expected to assist Lin Fei in advancing the Saber Domain. Sovereign Yuan was reluctant.

"Why aid me?" Lin Fei responded with a smile.

"Helping me is akin to helping yourself," Lin Fei said calmly. "Refuse, and you die. For I shall end you."

The atmosphere immediately grew tense, almost palpable. Both parties fell silent.

"You'd kill me?" Sovereign Yuan's eyes frosted over even more. "In the Xia residence, you indeed bested me, Sovereign Lin. But if I wish to leave, none can halt me. Not even you."

His confidence was unmistakable. He had been defeated by Lin Fei, yes, but to kill him? Impossible. If he chose to leave, Lin Fei couldn't stop him.

"Is that so?" Lin Fei countered, "Observe this saber technique, Sovereign Yuan."

With a single stride, the Life Wheel behind Lin Fei manifested. Atop the Life Wheel shimmered three layers of light, representing three Divine Abilities.

Sovereign Yuan recalled clearly: back in the duels at the Xia family, Lin Fei's Life Wheel displayed only two. Meaning, that at that time, Lin Fei possessed merely two Divine Abilities. Now, a third had appeared. In such a brief span, Lin Fei had cultivated yet another Divine Ability.

Sovereign Yuan's focus shifted to the currently displayed third Divine Ability. Countless energies from the Life Wheel coalesced into a saber in the void. A saber, spanning tens of meters, looked enigmatic. It lacked the might to move mountains, to obliterate all or the grandeur of the heavens. Yet, a mere glance and Sovereign Yuan felt a tremor in his heart. This saber was no ordinary blade, or rather, this Divine Ability was extraordinary.

Yet Lin Fei had merely displayed this Divine Ability, not even invoking his Saber Domain.

"Divine Ability, Dual-World Saber! Strike!"

With that declaration, Lin Fei's saber slashed forth in an instant. There was no earth-shattering prowess with this move. On the surface, it seemed a common saber strike. However, once that blade descended, an alarm rang in Sovereign Yuan's heart. An immense danger enveloped him, a sensation suggesting that if he failed to block this saber, his end would be certain.

Sovereign Yuan's senses were incredibly sharp, and they had never betrayed him before. Yet, now, he felt an ominous premonition. There was only one reason for it: this saber was immensely powerful.

"Clang!"

Without a hint of hesitation, Sovereign Yuan drew his sword. As it left its sheath, a Sword Domain erupted instantaneously. Furthermore, the Vajra Unbreakable Chains Divine Ability enveloped him. This particular sword unleashed a radiant beam spanning hundreds of meters, tearing through the sky. Within the Sword Domain, it felt as though countless sharp blades hovered just above, each amplifying the power of Sovereign Yuan's strike, elevating it to earth-shattering proportions.

Yet, when the sword met Lin Fei's saber's glow, "Crack!" – the sword shattered!

Simultaneously, two peculiar forces targeted the Sovereign Yuan. The Vajra Unbreakable Chains around him held for a mere moment before disintegrating. Sovereign Yuan felt as if a mysterious force had struck his consciousness. His mind went blank, and his body began disintegrating, turning into ashes bit by bit.

Sovereign Yuan's Sword Domain swiftly contracted, vibrating as if resisting a formidable force. In the end, the Sword Domain held firm. The power of Lin Fei's Dual-World Saber had been entirely depleted.

Sovereign Yuan survived. However, his situation was dire. One could even say he was in a terribly disheveled state. Nearly half of his body had vanished. His face was ghastly pale, and though his mind wasn't entirely blank, it felt like a heavy blow had struck his consciousness, almost scattering it. The agony was almost unbearable.

Sovereign Yuan, with the support of his Sword Domain, managed to deplete the power of Lin Fei's Dual-World Saber. But it's worth noting that Lin Fei had only used the Dual-World Saber Divine Ability. He hadn't invoked his Saber Domain or any other Divine Abilities. Just a single strike of the Dual-World Saber and Sovereign Yuan was almost overwhelmed. He had narrowly escaped death.

"What kind of Divine Ability is this?" Sovereign Yuan asked in a deep voice, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Fei.

"It's the Saber Dao Divine Ability, Dual-World Saber," Lin Fei responded. "The saber divides into two realms. One side results in physical death, and the other leads to spiritual annihilation. Sovereign Yuan, the fact that you could withstand a single saber indeed surprised me. But, how about the second saber? The third? Or countless more? How many can you fend off?"

Lin Fei's words rendered Sovereign Yuan silent. True, he had managed to block one saber, and perhaps, by pushing his limits, he might block two or even three. Even if he unleashed his ace Divine Ability, how many more sabers could he possibly block? Moreover, Lin Fei still had other Divine Abilities up his sleeve.

At that moment, Sovereign Yuan had to admit that Lin Fei truly possessed the strength to kill him!

Neither spoke. The two of them simply stood still, locked in a distant standoff. Lin Fei waited patiently for Sovereign Yuan's response. His demands might seem domineering, but it was actually a win-win.

Lin Fei was determined to employ every means necessary to achieve his objective. As for whether Sovereign Yuan would agree, Lin Fei was uncertain. He was only sure of one thing: if Sovereign Yuan didn't comply, then he would unleash another saber, two sabers, or countless more until he slew Sovereign Yuan. It wasn't merely a threat; he meant every word.

309. Mastery

"I want to learn the Divine Ability, Dual-World Saber!" Sovereign Yuan declared, "In exchange, I will spar with you using my Sword Domain against your Saber Domain."

Sovereign Yuan ceased his words, setting forth his conditions, with the Dual-World Saber as the currency of exchange. The strike from just a moment ago truly sent chills down his spine. That saber technique was too captivating, surpassing any Divine Ability that Sovereign Yuan had ever seen. Even though the Dual-World Saber was rooted in the saber dao, any Divine Ability can be cultivated. And Sovereign Yuan desired to master this particular saber technique.

Lin Fei observed Sovereign Yuan in silence. The latter resembled a sword: cold and resolute. Even if Lin Fei declined the exchange and killed Sovereign Yuan, it would be impossible to coerce him into helping hone Lin Fei's Saber Domain. This was Sovereign Yuan's indomitable spirit.

"Agreed!" Lin Fei responded. While the Dual-World Saber was indeed a top-tier Great Divine Ability, he realized after acquiring it just how challenging it was to cultivate. Even for beginners, mastering it seemed like an insurmountable task. Without hesitation, Lin Fei handed over the Dual-World Saber scripture to Sovereign Yuan.

After a careful look, Sovereign Yuan promptly returned the manual to Lin Fei, remarking, "No wonder Sovereign Lin agreed so readily. I cannot cultivate this Divine Ability!"

Sovereign Yuan had aspirations to become a Martial King. He did not want to waste time on a Divine Ability if he couldn't cultivate it. Even if one manages to initiate the practice, a Divine Ability requires mastery, transcendence, and eventual perfection. How much time and effort would that consume?

Lin Fei's choice to cultivate the Dual-World Saber earned him Sovereign Yuan's newfound respect. At least in terms of talent for the Dual-World Saber, Lin Fei surpassed Sovereign Yuan.

"Do you want to refine your Saber Domain?" Sovereign Yuan questioned, "It indeed is a sound approach. However, the extent to which your Saber Domain can be enhanced depends entirely on you."

A humming sound resonated.

In the next moment, Sovereign Yuan released his Sword Domain. Lin Fei did the same with his Saber Domain. What ensued was a pure contest between the two domains: Saber against Sword. With the sharpening pressure from Sovereign Yuan's transcendent Sword Domain, Lin Fei's Saber Domain finally began to ascend.

5%, 10%, 15%, 20%... Lin Fei's Saber Domain steadily climbed. Thus, a day, two days, three days passed... Lin Fei and Sovereign Yuan settled on the mountain together, sparring daily to compare and contrast their Saber and Sword Domains.

With each passing day, Sovereign Yuan grew increasingly astonished and eventually even numb to the progress. He had always considered himself to possess a top-tier talent in swordsmanship, having cultivated his Sword Domain to the state of Transcendence and even believed reaching perfection was within reach. Yet, every day he felt the progress in Lin Fei's Saber Domain, advancing from beginner stages, little by little, toward mastery.

Moreover, Lin Fei made an exciting discovery. As his Saber Domain grew, his Dual-World Saber Divine Ability was also improving. Though the increments were modest, there was undeniable progress, a delightful two-fold benefit. Over time, a synergy developed between Lin Fei and Sovereign Yuan. Their sparring extended beyond just the domains to also encompass their Divine Abilities. Both being martial experts with distinct Divine Abilities, their exchanges felt seamless.

Furthermore, Sovereign Yuan was experiencing his advancements. His third Divine Ability had already reached the state of transcendence and was on the brink of perfection. But that tiny gap felt insurmountable, impossible to bridge.

However, after sparring with Lin Fei, he sensed a subtle shift in this third Divine Ability, attributed to Lin Fei's Gravity Domain. This third Divine Ability was essentially a life-preserving technique, somewhat akin to an undying state. This was why Sovereign Yuan had never revealed it, as it functioned more passively, focusing on preservation.

Had Lin Fei genuinely attempted to kill Sovereign Yuan, he would have to deploy all his Divine Abilities and expend an extensive amount of time. It was evident Lin Fei had underestimated Sovereign Yuan.

Who would have thought that Sovereign Yuan's third Divine Ability was purely a life-preserving technique? With his Sword Domain, three Great Divine Abilities, and a life-preserving ability, killing Sovereign Yuan would be immensely challenging.

In the blink of an eye, over a month passed.

"Boom."

One day, while Lin Fei was engaged in a sparring match with Sovereign Yuan, Lin Fei's Saber Domain began to expand wildly. Concurrently, the sky was filled with flames and saber glows under the coverage of the Saber Domain.

The domain's pressure surged immensely, to the point where even Sovereign Yuan's transcendent Sword Domain was barely holding up against the onslaught.

"Has he broken through?"

Sovereign Yuan felt a chill in his heart. He looked at Lin Fei. This situation only occurs when the Saber Domain breaks through. For a moment, Sovereign Yuan felt a mix of emotions.

In just over a month, Lin Fei's Saber Domain had made a breakthrough. And it was all due to his sword domain's sharpening. This rate of progress and improvement was simply unbelievable!

Meanwhile, Lin Fei's mind roared, and he seemed to hear the system's voice faintly.

"Your Saber Domain, after days of diligent cultivation, has progressed by 100%."

"Your Saber Domain has broken through to mastery!"

In Lin Fei's mind, memories of mastering the Saber Domain appeared. After sorting out these memories, Lin Fei willed it, and

"Buzz."

Saber Domain expanded again, sweeping towards Sovereign Yuan.

Sovereign Yuan understood Lin Fei's intention, immediately releasing his Transcendence sword domain.

"Boom."

Two martial domains. One mastery Saber Domain. One Transcendence sword domain. Both are extremely terrifying martial domains. Now, they were clashing head-on. Even without their Divine Abilities, the power they emitted was already far beyond any top-notch Great Divine Ability.

"Hmm? Your Saber Domain..."

Sovereign Yuan's expression changed instantly. In fact, when Lin Fei's Saber Domain was at beginner level, Sovereign Yuan's sword domain could always suppress it. But now, when Lin Fei's Saber Domain reached mastery, Sovereign Yuan's sword domain could no longer suppress it.

The two were nearly equal. Even if the sword domain had a slight advantage, it was only a slight upper hand. Just using the sword domain, Sovereign Yuan couldn't do anything to Lin Fei. It's worth noting that this is only the mastery level of Saber Domain.

For a moment, Sovereign Yuan felt a mix of emotions. Even if his martial heart was firm, at this moment, he felt some unusual emotions.

"Sovereign Lin, your Saber Domain is now on par with my sword domain." Sovereign Yuan calmly stated. Both of them withdrew their domains.

"System."

Lin Fei thought to himself, immediately calling up the system panel.

Host: Lin Fei

Martial Arts Realm: Early Martial Sovereign

Great Divine Ability: Black Wind Prison: Perfection

Great Divine Ability: Gravity Domain: Perfection

Great Divine Ability: Dual-World Saber: Transcendence (Progress 50% )

Saber Domain: Mastery (Progress 0%)

Indeed, Lin Fei's Saber Domain had reached mastery. However, what surprised Lin Fei more was his Great Divine Ability Dual-World Saber. Its cultivation progress was 0 before.

But now?

The progress of the Dual-World Saber has reached 50%. When did this happen? After thinking back, he realized. It must have been when Saber Domain broke through to mastery that the Dual-World Saber also improved. Perhaps this is the benefit of the saber way Divine Ability.

As Lin Fei's Saber Domain improved, his saber way Divine Ability could also improve. And it directly improved by 50%. That is to say, if Lin Fei's Saber Domain could reach Transcendence, would his Dual-World Saber possibly reach perfection?

For a moment, Lin Fei was filled with excitement.

"Sovereign Yuan, let's continue."

Lin Fei wished he could use every moment of every day to hone his Saber Domain. While he could withstand it, Sovereign Yuan couldn't!