Chapter 2483: Chapter 98: Only I Am Powerless Yet Press On

When they parted outside the Maple Forest City Region, Xiang Qian was still at the Ascending Dragon Realm, whereas Jiang Wang had already achieved the Inner Mansion.

At that time, Xiang Qian found his true self again, vowed grandly to compete with Jiang Wang for the title of invincible in the Inner Mansion Realm.

Jiang Wang also said he would use Xiang Qian to hone his sword.

Now, several years had passed, and Xiang Qian had been in the Inner Mansion for years, while Jiang Wang had already reached the stage of God Arrives.

Yet Xiang Qian still had this question.

Because he had not forgotten their old promise.

In countless long nights where starlight shone like water, he always recalled the conversation between two young souls in front of the monument of blood debts.

True duels within the same Inner Mansion level were no longer possible, but asking Jiang Wang to witness his sword, should suffice to discern strength and weakness—three years apart, am I now invincible at this level?

Jiang Wang simply said: "Of course."

Xiang Qian then slowly closed his eyes, the experiences of the past few years flowed like water, and when he once again opened his dead-fish-like eyes, they were filled with sword light, sharp enough to stab!

He did nothing else, just casually lifted his index finger upwards.

Like splashing ink on mountain and water, a stroke of wild freedom.

Whoosh!

A sudden sharp whistle erupted, as if piercing the eardrums of the listeners.

Many riders following behind the carriage looked up to the sky at the sound, only to see a tail-like rainbow rising through the parted layer of clouds!

In Jiang Wang’s eyes which had turned red-gold, it was not just an extreme sharpness, but a precise description. Describing the journey traveled, describing Xiang Qian’s desolation, his unwillingness, his occasional struggle, and prolonged pain!

In pain, in hopelessness, what was born was "only I."

Jiang Wang clearly saw that such a small, handle-less sword was penetrating the air barrier again and again with terrifying speed, crashing straight toward the day.

This speed was definitely the limit that ordinary Neifu Cultivators could achieve.

But it was not the limit of this sword strike.

The sword issued by Xiang Qian with just a lifted finger accelerated with each breath.

Each time stacking, flying faster and faster.

It accelerated a total of eighteen times!

In the end, it even pierced through the sky wind, escaping the view of the Qianyang Red Pupil!

Just this feat alone, in the entire realm of Inner Mansion, it could hardly be matched.

No wonder it overwhelmed everyone at the Sword Pavilion, made Sikong Jingxiao so furious he wanted to hang him upside down.

Jiang Wang was both astonished and impressed.

Chu Yao even poked his head out of the carriage, squinting hard at the sky before saying: "Uncle Master, where is your sword? Did you lose it?"

Xiang Qian nonchalantly raised his index finger in response. A thread of condensed sword light was spinning at his fingertip.

He lifelessly and weakly narrated, "After parting with you, I first went to Rui Country to test my skills, fearing they had gotten rusty, and found my feeling again. Then I went to Luo Country, Wan Country... and then to Jade Capital Mountain."

Jiang Wang remarked objectively: "With your killing power at the Ascending Dragon Realm, even on Jade Capital Mountain, there should be no match for you." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Xiang Qian continued, "Those Taoists did not make things difficult for me, they even hoped I would come again when I reached God Arrives; they were much stronger in accepting challenges than those people at the Sword Pavilion... After coming down from Jade Capital Mountain, I went all the way south, reached Qing Country, and achieved Inner Mansion by the Wei River. Afterwards, I passed Wu Pass, reached Yu Yuan, but did not go deep. Coming out of Yu Yuan, I traveled east, passed Xuan, Qiao, past Chuguo, through Li, crossing Yue, until stopping at the Sword Pavilion."

Jiang Wang asked, "Who did you challenge in the Chu Country?"

He knew it could not have been Zuo Guangshu because Zuo Guangshu had never mentioned it in his letters. But if Xiang Qian’s opponent was Qu Shunhua, and if Qu Shunhua was not stingy with using Hetian, then the victory between these two in the Inner Mansion Realm would be hard to predict.

Xiang Qian said, "Originally intended to challenge Xiang Bei, but he was in closed cultivation, so I missed him. I challenged Dou Min of the Duke of Wei’s Mansion of Great Chu."

Jiang Wang knew that Xiang Bei opted for closed cultivation after reaching the Mountain and Sea Realm, but didn’t know it had lasted so long.

Thinking for a moment, he said, "Xiang Bei has superior talent, unmatched and domineering. But even his Swallow Thieves Dominate Body would find it hard to withstand this sword of yours. The variable in your victory or defeat lies in whether he can perform at the Spiritual Soul Level with his innate Heavy Pupils, but you have Longguang Shooting Fight guarding Tongtian Palace... his chances are slim. Of course, not knowing the results of his closed cultivation, my judgment is based on prior contact."

Xiang Qian slowly said, "Throughout my journey from north to south, from west to east, I lost only one match on Qin Zhizhen’s hands. In that battle, I stepped into the Inner Mansion at the last moment and lost badly."

Jiang Wang said, "If you and Qin Zhizhen had entered the Inner Mansion simultaneously, he probably wouldn’t be your match. But he is someone who becomes more terrifying the further he goes. Compared to his peak state in the Inner Mansion Realm with your current Inner Mansion state, the outcome is uncertain."

With his present insight, he surely could accurately assess Xiang Qian’s strength from just now’s sword strike.

Xiang Qian lowered his gaze, "Even Qin Zhizhen at his peak Inner Mansion state is not as extreme as you were in the Inner Mansion Realm; there’s been no match for you in history. Are you saying... that now, I still fall short of your extreme Inner Mansion state?"

Jiang Wang earnestly said, "There’s a chance now to beat the me at that time, but the odds are seventy to thirty."

"I get seventy and you thirty?" Xiang Qian asked.

Jiang Wang smiled without speaking.

Xiang Qian, spiritless and weak, sighed, "The road is long and arduous!"

"Not continuing?" Jiang Wang asked.

Xiang Qian laughed heartily, "The one who understands me is Jiang Qingyang!"