Chapter 258: Chapter 256: Heaven-Opening Axe

"Yanm Tianjue, do you dare to fight?"

A cold glint flickered in Jiang Chen’s eyes. A towering will to fight erupted from him, burning like a blazing fire.

’If I want to establish the Heaven-Soaring Alliance and attract enough powerful members, I must display sufficient strength!’

Even though he had already killed Zuo Qing and Tian Kun, two experts from the Inner Sect’s Celestial Pride List, they weren’t significant enough.

Only Yanm Tianjue, the man standing before him, was an opponent capable of truly intimidating others.

Fifty-first on the Inner Sect’s Celestial Pride List, with a cultivation at the Celestial Martial Realm Sixth Stage.

Known as the Heaven-Opening Axe!

This was a true expert!

Even Elder Zhang, who guarded the Inner Sect’s Sword Pool, was only at this level of cultivation. An expert like Yanm Tianjue stood among the absolute top tier, even in a place like the Saint Martial Sword Sect, which was teeming with masters.

Yanm Tianjue narrowed his eyes and said coolly, "You want to challenge me?"

His calm voice was tinged with astonishment.

Apparently, even he hadn’t expected Jiang Chen to dare challenge him.

After all, his cultivation had reached the Heavenly Destiny Realm Seventh Stage. With his heaven-defying combat power, he held the fifty-first rank on the Inner Sect’s Celestial Pride List.

Even some Inner Sect Elders had to treat him as a peer.

In the past, what expert didn’t take a detour in fear the moment they heard his title, the Heaven-Opening Axe?

But now, a mere Outer Sect Disciple actually dared to challenge him.

This made Yanm Tianjue’s expression turn ugly. Coupled with the fact that Jiang Chen had already slain two great masters of the Celestial Alliance, anger had long been brewing in Yanm Tianjue’s heart. A cold light flickered in his eyes, his face thick with mockery and disdain, and his killing intent was palpable. "Jiang Chen, I suppose your confidence must have swelled after killing Zuo Qing and Tian Kun, huh? How dare you challenge me? Fine, I’ll fight you!"

"I will grant you three moves. If you can withstand three of my attacks without dying, then I shall leave you with an intact corpse!"

Yanm Tianjue’s words were filled with immense confidence.

Three moves!

This declaration stunned the crowd.

"Jiang Chen is strong, yes. Even Tian Kun, ranked eighty-sixth on the Inner Sect’s Celestial Pride List, was no match for him. But against Yanm Tianjue, he has absolutely no chance of winning!"

"The Heaven-Opening Axe isn’t a title for nothing!"

"Compared to Yanm Tianjue, Zuo Qing and Tian Kun are in a completely different league."

"Jiang Chen is being too reckless. Challenging Yanm Tianjue? It seems just as Yanm Tianjue said, his confidence has gotten the better of him!"

In the Saint Martial Dynasty, there were the Three Lists of Heaven, Earth, and Spirit.

The Spirit List recorded the strongest True Martial Realm masters in the Saint Martial Dynasty, while the Earth List recorded the strongest in the Heavenly Destiny Realm.

Neither Zuo Qing nor Tian Kun had managed to break into the top two hundred of the Earth List.

But Yanm Tianjue was different.

He had already entered the top two hundred of the Earth List, ranked one hundred and eighty-seventh.

One must understand that the Earth List chronicled countless Heavenly Destiny Realm masters from across the vast Saint Martial Dynasty. For Yanm Tianjue to steadily hold the one hundred and seventy-eighth spot was a testament to his strength.

He was simply incomparable to the likes of Zuo Qing and Tian Kun!

Jiang Chen stared calmly at Yanm Tianjue and asked coolly, "Are you done talking?"

"Hm?"

Yanm Tianjue faltered.

Jiang Chen picked at his ear and said impatiently, "If you’re done, then let’s get started. I’ve never killed an expert on the Earth List before. Today’s a good day to be the first!"

BOOM—

The entire Cuiwei Pavilion erupted.

Kill an expert from the Earth List?

Everyone’s gaze toward Jiang Chen was exceptionally strange. Some even began to jeer. "Kill an expert from the Earth List? Who does Jiang Chen think he is? Does he really believe he’s invincible just because he killed Zuo Qing and Tian Kun? How stupid!"

"More than stupid, he’s just completely overestimating himself."

"Every expert on the Earth List far surpasses others of the same rank! What cultivation level is Jiang Chen even at? He hasn’t even reached Heavenly Destiny, and he thinks he can kill Yanm Tianjue? Ridiculous!"

Yanm Tianjue shook his head, speechless. He shrugged, gesturing for Jiang Chen to listen to the crowd’s discussion, and sneered, "Did you hear what everyone is saying? I admit your strength exceeds our expectations. You’re a rare genius. If you had advanced to the Heavenly Destiny Realm, perhaps I would be a little wary of you. But you haven’t even reached Heavenly Destiny, and you want to kill me? Hahaha..."

"Three!"

But Jiang Chen just counted nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t heard Yanm Tianjue’s words or the crowd’s ridicule.

Yanm Tianjue faltered, then frowned. "Three? What do you mean?"

"I’m giving you three breaths to say your last words!" Jiang Chen glanced at him and said coolly, "Two! You have one breath left to leave your final testament!"

"..."

Yanm Tianjue’s gaze darkened, his expression instantly turning grim.

Like a venomous snake, he flicked his tongue across the corner of his mouth, revealing a bloodthirsty killing intent.

Jiang Chen’s actions had thoroughly enraged him.

"One!"

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and uttered the last number.

Almost simultaneously, Jiang Chen’s body flickered and split into ten avatars, all charging at Yanm Tianjue from different directions.

"The Shadow Body Technique? Tian Kun might have been fooled by your avatars, but to me, this is nothing more than child’s play! Jiang Chen, since you insist on seeking death, don’t blame me for being merciless!" Yanm Tianjue muttered to himself as a chilling light burst from his body.

The surrounding air roiled as if it were boiling water.

A colossal, gleaming axe appeared in his hand.

It was a High-grade Earth Tier Profound Weapon!

Moreover, it was a Top-Grade Battleaxe, infinitely close to becoming a Celestial-tier Profound Weapon. The cold light glinting from its edge alone was like a baring, snarling dragon, revealing its sharp, serrated fangs.

"Heaven-Opening Divine Axe Technique—Tornado Slash!"

Yanm Tianjue spread his arms, gripped the Battle Axe’s handle with both hands, and swung it fiercely.

The axe-light soared, forming a silver band of light that circled his body. The band then expanded rapidly, slashing down toward the ten "Jiang Chens."

SHHNNK—

Wherever the axe-light passed, it left a wake of utter destruction, annihilating everything it touched. One after another, the "Jiang Chens" were shattered. In the blink of an eye, nine of them were obliterated, vanishing without a trace.

A cold smile appeared on Yanm Tianjue’s face. "There’s the real one... Jiang Chen, that was the first move. Don’t disappoint me!"

"So this is the Heaven-Opening Axe? Fast, but unfortunately, far too weak!"

Jiang Chen smiled nonchalantly, unperturbed.

The Dustfall Sword suddenly struck.

’You have Heaven’s Edge, but I have the Great Sun Without Limits!’

The silver axe-light and the fiery Sword Qi Blazing Sun collided violently. With a deafening BOOM, a terrifying Energy Storm erupted from the point of impact, blasting outward in all directions.

In the area between the two of them, everything was turned to dust.

Then, silence.

Jiang Chen stood with his sword in hand, his gaze calm as he stared at the axe-wielding Yanm Tianjue. He spoke slowly, "So this is the power of the one ranked one hundred and eighty-seventh on the Earth List? If that’s all, then the Earth List is a real disappointment!"

Yanm Tianjue let out a sinister chuckle, his killing intent growing even stronger. He said coldly, "I only used thirty percent of my power in that last strike. Jiang Chen, for this next move, I will use seventy percent. Let’s see if you can take it!"

The moment his voice fell, Yanm Tianjue shot into the sky. He brought his massive Battle Axe down from above, the silver axe-light converging into a thin line that seemed intent on splitting the heavens in two. At the same time, his cold, murderous voice rang out...

"Heaven-Opening Divine Axe Technique—Heaven’s Edge!"

[Fourth update!]