Chapter 1099: Chapter 1099

"Basic Sword Technique? He calls this a Basic Sword Technique?"

Zhang Menglong's words undoubtedly challenged everyone's perception present.

A martial artist of the True Martial Eighth Grade can break a Ninth Grade Sword Technique of a Heaven-breaking First Realm martial artist with just a Basic Sword Technique?

If such a swordsmanship truly exists, calling it a Heaven-grade Sword Technique would be far too conservative. Even if told now that this is a 'Cosmic Level' sword technique, they would surely believe.

Xing Wuji recalled that strike just now; indeed, there was nothing special about Zhang Menglong's swordsmanship. He didn't even feel a powerful mystic qi fluctuation; it gave him the illusion of a random stab.

Yet, this seemingly random stab precisely hit the weak point of his sword technique. If this sword strike were performed by someone of the same level, it would have done more than just break his technique.

If Zhang Menglong truly used just a Basic Sword Technique, then only one explanation exists: his understanding of Sword Dao far surpasses, even exceeding the understanding of sword techniques by those in the Mystic-Breaking Realm. This is the deepest mystery of Sword Dao.

"To be prophesied as a Demon Spawn, you certainly have extraordinary qualities," Xing Wuji was forced to praise Zhang Menglong's uniqueness, "Below the Heaven-breaking Realm, you are the strongest and most potential person I've ever seen."

"Do you want to learn?" Zhang Menglong smiled, "I find you quite agreeable, why not learn cooking with me… or rather, learn swordsmanship with me."

"Hahaha, it's been a long time since I've seen such an interesting young person like you. If it weren't for the imperial command, even if you are said to be a Demon Spawn, I would've liked to be your friend anyway; however, I'm sorry, I still can't let you step forward any further."

Not far away, the sword deeply embedded in the steps began to buzz; with a sharp scratch, the longsword soared into the sky, hovering behind Xing Wuji.

Xing Wuji released his hand, and the other sword in his hand also detached under an invisible force. The two swords floated behind him, seemingly crafting an arcane pattern.

"This... this is the art of the Sword Array!"

A prince suddenly exclaimed.

"Hasn't this sort of thing been lost for countless years? The last Sword Array Master disappeared thousands of years ago; how could Xing Wuji know this?"

"Sword Array Master, ah, that is a powerful martial artist above both Sword Cultivators and Body Cultivators!" The princes showed envious expressions; a Sword Array Master is undoubtedly the strongest martial artist on the entire Haotian Continent, bar none!

It is an ancient art of sword control. Sword Array Masters combine Sword Dao and formation arts, using mystic qi to control swords in battle. The more powerful the Sword Array Master, the more swords they can control at once, and with unique Sword Array martial arts, the unleashed power is terrifying.

The most basic sword array consists of two swords, and each sword can display 100% of a Sword Array Master's strength. Thus, a sword array made up of two swords is equivalent to two people of the same level.

Imagine, two martial artists fighting with equal strength, but the opponent has the equivalent of an extra person; this battle is nearly without suspense.

This is merely an entry-level sword array. Legend has it, that powerful Sword Array Masters can control thousands of Flying Swords, and as the number of swords increases, the sword array they can deploy becomes increasingly powerful, even with a single sword exerting several times its normal combat power.

Therefore, legendary Sword Array Masters are incredibly terrifying; skip-level fighting seems like slaughtering cabbage, and they excel at group fighting, the kind where one person beats up a group of opponents.

It is said that long ago, a Sect provoked a Sword Array Master. The Sect's strongest was a martial artist of the Mystic-Breaking Third Realm, and within the Sect were five Mystic-Breaking Realm Elders and over a dozen Heaven-breaking Realm Elders.

That Sword Array Master, only at the Mystery-Breaking First Realm level, came alone to the Sect. Hundreds of Flying Swords crisscrossed within the Sect, and within just half an hour, he left triumphantly, leaving the Sect littered with corpses.

Naturally, with such power comes a high threshold. First, it requires a certain level of understanding of Sword Dao and formation arts, as well as strong spiritual power to control such a large number of swords.

This condition alone deters countless people, and each sword array is extraordinarily precious. The more swords required by the array, the higher the demands on the Sword Array Master. Some advanced Sword Array Masters can hardly find their inheritors even in their entire lifetime, which is one reason they have vanished in the river of history.

Another point, the cost of being a Sword Array Master is incredibly high!

For an ordinary True Martial Ninth Grade martial artist, acquiring a Ninth Grade Spirit Weapon nearly exhausts all their possessions; some even struggle to get an Eighth Grade Spirit Weapon.

But the swords forming a sword array must be of the same grade. Using inferior swords greatly reduces the array's power; using too superior swords requires several times the financial resources.

So practically every Sword Array Master is financially destitute.

Of course, it's not that they are truly poor, it's just that all their wealth is spent on swords.

To this day, their Sacred Gold Dynasty has never produced a true Sword Array Master!

"Our Sacred Gold Dynasty's martial arts library shouldn't have any sword arrays, right?" the princes uncertainly said. If there were, they would be the most qualified to practice it.

Though Xing Wuji is a Heaven-breaking Realm martial artist, to the princes and princesses, he is merely a servant. Why should he have learned such things?

This leads to discussing Xing Wuji's father. His father was the greatest General in the history of the Sacred Gold Dynasty, Heaven-breaking Second Realm, and one of the kingdom's Guardians.

In his youth, during a very brutal battle, he fell into an abyss surrounded by enemies. He luckily survived, and according to the setting of "there is always an encounter in the abyss," he found a cave, left by a Sword Array Master.

He was seriously injured escaping powerful enemies and died from his wounds there, but he left behind his sword array inheritance.

But because Xing Wuji's father lacked a sufficiently outstanding talent for spiritual power, he could never master it, so he passed the sword array to his son, Xing Wuji, who happened to be that one-in-a-millennium talent for learning the sword array.

It was a sword array capable of controlling up to seven swords, but due to the lack of guidance, after decades of arduous training, he could control only two swords. However, even so, it was enough to become his most potent killing move, and this was his first-time showcasing his sword array skills in public.

"He even used such a trump card; it seems this Demon Spawn is doomed today."

"Forcing Xing Wuji to this degree is indeed something to be proud of."

"Truly enviable, being one in a million as a Sword Array Master."

"Hmph! He is someone from the royal family, so what he has belongs to the royal family. We'll have him contribute this sword array art later."

Already, many are eyeing Xing Wuji's sword array masteries.

"This is my final warning. Do not advance any further, or I will truly act."

"Alas," Zhang Menglong sighed, "I wanted to keep a low profile, but you force me to show off. Just two swords—do you call that a sword array?"

"What do you mean by that?" Xing Wuji had always taken pride in being a Sword Array Master, but from Zhang Menglong's expression, he seemed utterly dismissive!

"Do you want to see a real sword array?" Zhang Menglong slightly smiled, as a vast spiritual power surged like an ocean...