Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 102

“Good heavens, is this even a fighting style?”

“So crude and brutal, completely unrefined?”

The crowd was stunned, utterly dumbfounded.

Legendary duels between grandmasters were supposed to be majestic, effortless, and awe-inspiring—like immortals clashing in the heavens.

It was said that years ago, when Ye Zhantian of the Huaxia Dragon Group fought Lin Zhenyu, leader of the Great Circle Gang, in a legendary battle on West Lake, their sleeves could form walls, and raindrops turned into arrows. The clash stirred waves over ten meters high.

But Jiang Tian’s current fighting style—poking eyes, kicking groins—what was the difference between this and a street brawl? (If one ignored the fact that Jiang Tian was flying in midair, that is.)

“Disgraceful!” Shen Mange scoffed with disdain.

Yet Hong Tianzhao himself was horrified. The moment Jiang Tian closed in, an overwhelming pressure enveloped him, as if he were trapped in a vat of cement—completely immobilized, forced to endure Jiang Tian’s eye-poking.

“It seems this brat’s physical strength is monstrous. In close combat, I’d be at a severe disadvantage!”

Realizing this, Hong Tianzhao roared and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes with his Flamegold Sword—horizontal slashes, vertical chops, upward thrusts, downward cuts—sending out hundreds of sword Qi blades in an instant.

The Qi blades hung suspended in the air, shimmering with flames, reflecting the blinding sunlight.

Finally, with a thunderous shout, he brought his sword down in a decisive strike:

“Supreme Technique of the Raging Sea Sword Art—Fiery Dragon Emerges from the Depths!”

CRACK!

The hundreds of sword Qi blades surged forward, linking together to form a golden “sword dragon” over three meters long.

Wherever the dragon passed, scorching heat followed, cracking even the mountain rocks beneath.

The sheer force of this attack could fluster even veteran grandmasters.

With a draconic roar, the sword dragon twisted and coiled, trapping Jiang Tian within its grasp before its maw lunged toward him as he landed on the platform.

“The ultimate move of the Raging Sea Sword Art! And with the Flamegold Sword amplifying its power, this is unstoppable!” Bu Suanzi gasped in awe.

“Hmph, this despicable bastard is definitely dead now!” Shen Mange declared with absolute certainty.

“Is this the might of a grandmaster? A dragon of fire!”

Chen Bo’s face turned deathly pale, his eyes bulging as if he were witnessing a deity.

“Is… is this even human?” Jiang Lin’s delicate face lost all color. To her, Hong Tianzhao was no longer a man but a god capable of overturning seas and rivers.

“His mastery of sword Qi has reached perfection!”

Old Qiu stomped his foot in frustration. “Why isn’t Master Jiang dodging? He’s in real danger now!”

The “Fiery Dragon” sword Qi was lethally sharp, capable of cutting through anything, and the searing flames made it even deadlier. Any ordinary grandmaster would either rely on a defensive treasure or retreat immediately.

Yet Jiang Tian stood his ground.

Old Qiu sighed inwardly. “Despite his unparalleled talent, Master Jiang is still too inexperienced in battle. He’s fallen into a perilous situation.”

The surrounding martial artists and onlookers were dazzled, their minds reeling from the spectacle.

Meanwhile, after unleashing his ultimate technique, Hong Tianzhao smirked, raising his sword with cold confidence.

“Jiang Taichu, how do you like my Fiery Dragon Emerges from the Depths?”

“Like it? It’s utter trash.”

Trapped within the fiery sword dragon, Jiang Tian remained utterly composed, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

“Arrogant brat! You’re about to die, yet you still dare to mock me?”

Hong Tianzhao was so enraged he nearly jumped in fury.

But just as the dragon’s maw was about to devour Jiang Tian—

CRACK!

Jiang Tian’s jade-white hand shot out, effortlessly gripping the sword Qi—and crushed it to pieces.

“Impossible!” Hong Tianzhao’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.

“Pathetic.”

Jiang Tian’s right hand casually restrained the dragon’s head as he shook his head in disappointment.

Then, with his left fist raised high, he twisted his body and delivered a light punch to the dragon’s midsection.

To the untrained eye, the punch seemed feeble, like a child mimicking Tai Chi in a park.

But those who understood trembled in terror.

This single punch carried the force of a meteor crashing from the heavens—or Mount Buzhou collapsing.

BOOM!

The sword dragon shattered instantly under Jiang Tian’s strike.

The shockwave sent everyone tumbling, some even vomiting blood from the impact.

Broken sword Qi scattered like deadly petals, riddling the surroundings with holes.

When the dust settled—

Jiang Tian strolled out leisurely, completely unharmed, his expression relaxed.

“Now this is a bit more interesting. Hong Tianzhao, got any other tricks? Show me.”

“He… destroyed my Fiery Dragon with his bare hands?!”

Hong Tianzhao’s face turned ashen. For the first time, fear flickered in his eyes.

He was on the verge of madness.

His sword dragon could shred a car to pieces—yet Jiang Tian had shattered it with a single punch.

Was there no justice in this world?!

“I’ve never seen such a terrifying physique. This kind of physical power belongs only to ancient legends!” Bu Suanzi muttered in shock.

“I underestimated him…” Shen Mange’s face paled. For the first time, she questioned whether setting up this deadly trap had been a mistake.

“He’s not human! He’s a demon! A monster!”

“Oh god, I actually bullied a monster like him… I’m dead. I’m so dead!”

Chen Bo collapsed, his pants soaked—he had pissed himself in terror.

“Hong Tianzhao, you’ve had your turn. Now it’s mine.”

Jiang Tian’s tone was calm, almost indifferent.

Before Hong Tianzhao could decide whether to fight or beg for mercy—

“Sever the Starry River!”

With a flick of his finger, Jiang Tian unleashed a sword Qi blade as wide as a door, sweeping toward Hong Tianzhao like a tidal wave.

“Heavenly Sword Formation!”

Hong Tianzhao’s pupils shrank as the blade loomed closer.

He stomped the ground, and countless golden sword Qi erupted around him, forming a blazing barrier.

“The Heavenly Sword Formation! The ultimate defensive technique of the Raging Sea Sword Art!” Shen Mange trembled.

This barrier was said to withstand bullets—even artillery shells—for a short time.

“Is this your last resort?”

Jiang Tian smirked and slashed downward.

SLASH!

The “Sever the Starry River” blade tore through the formation like a hot knife through butter.

THUD!

Hong Tianzhao’s head flew into the air, blood spraying meters high before raining down like crimson petals.

His headless body crumpled to the ground.

Hong Tianzhao—Grandmaster of the Huaxia Divine Rankings, Patriarch of the Hong Family in Hubei—was dead.

Silence.

Everyone stared, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

Jiang Tian had killed experts in succession, shattered a sword dragon barehanded, and bisected Hong Tianzhao’s ultimate defense with a single strike.

Was this even human?

Terror gripped the crowd. None dared resist—only fear remained.

“Now… do you submit?”

Jiang Tian stood calmly in the bloodstained arena, his pristine white robes untouched by dust or flame, like an immortal untouched by mortal filth.

“We submit!”

The Lu Family’s guards and retainers knelt, kowtowing in reverence.

“We surrender!”

The disciples of the Pi Gua Fist School followed, foreheads pressed to the ground.

“The Tang Sect of Sichuan vows to retreat upon encountering Master Jiang in the future!”

“The Golden Blade Wang Family of Luoyang submits!”

One by one, the martial artists and factions knelt, their voices trembling.

“My useless cousin… is actually this powerful? Like a god!”

Jiang Lin watched in disbelief as these mighty warriors prostrated themselves before Jiang Tian.

Then her gaze landed on Chen Bo, still kneeling in the crowd.

“You piece of trash! You still dare to bully me?”

She stormed over, gloating. “You wanted me to kneel before?”

“M-Miss Jiang! I’ll never dare again!”

Terrified of Jiang Tian’s wrath, Chen Bo kowtowed frantically.

“Slap yourself!”

Jiang Lin yanked off her shoe, gripped his chin, and rained down blows.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

The crisp sounds echoed across the silent arena.

She beat him until his face was swollen, blood and snot flying, teeth nearly knocked loose.

“Mercy, Miss Jiang! I’ll never dare again! AHH—IT HURTS!”

Chen Bo wailed, but Jiang Lin had never felt such exhilaration in her life.

As she struck him, she recalled Jiang Tian’s words:

“In life-and-death battles, you need more than cunning and diplomacy—you need courage as vast as the heavens, the will to fight to the bitter end!”

“You’re shrewd and adaptable, but you lack the courage to fight until death!”

Back then, she had thought Jiang Tian was nothing but an arrogant fool.

Now she realized—those words were pure gold.

And Jiang Tian had the power to back them up.