Chapter 2085: Battle Against Master Kong

The opponent's moves appeared intricate and complex, but in reality, there were only twelve moves in total.

Just like his Heavenly Dao Sword Technique, which actually had only one move but could be used in battle for a thousand moves without repetition—all were derivations.

Focus on intent, not form; where intent lies, the move exists.

After deducing these twelve moves in his mind, Zhang Xuan was somewhat astonished.

This hammer technique, like the Lingyun Sword God Technique he had practiced before, was divided into twelve moves and also required a specific order.

Correct!

With the moves entering his mind, he could now utilize the Library of Heaven's Path. With a thought, he integrated the twelve moves of the Heavenly Dao Hammer Technique, and the correct order appeared before him. Power circulated in his body according to that order as he swung continuously.

Boom!

After only two cycles, he felt power surge within him, and a sudden enlightenment dawned in his mind.

This is... the Divine Hammer Intent!

His face twitched.

He hadn't expected that integrating the opponent's hammer technique into his body would directly form the Heavenly Dao Hammer Technique, and moreover, like the Divine Sword Intent he had comprehended before, it had reached the level of a true deity.

Bang! Bang!

Having comprehended the Divine Hammer Intent, the burly man before him was now full of flaws and no longer a match. In just a few moves, Zhang Xuan hammered him to the ground.

His vision blurred, and he found himself standing before the painting again.

Crack! Crack!

Zhang Xuan quickly looked up and saw that the colorful painting before him had lost its dazzling colors, turning into black and white, identical to the one he had seen earlier.

Zhang Xuan blinked.

Could it be... that entering the painting and comprehending a divine martial technique would cause the painting to dim?

If so...

Master Kong once entered the Divine Hall and seized a 'divine' character, and the founding patriarch of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion seized half a 'divine' character... Could it be this one?

Among the eight paintings, one was dull and lusterless, just like the one with the hammer-wielding man; another, holding a long sword, was colorful but half its color had faded, which could correspond to half a 'divine' character.

No wonder the twelve moves of the hammer technique were somewhat similar to the twelve moves of the Lingyun Sword God Technique...

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

The Lingyun Sword God Technique also had twelve moves, identical to the hammer technique before him. He had found it strange earlier, but now he understood what was going on.

The founding patriarch of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion must have fought to a draw with the figure in the painting, thus obtaining only half a character. Although he learned twelve moves from the opponent, he never found the correct order to practice them.

This was why the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, even without the Tongtian Bridge, could produce pseudo-gods, but their numbers were extremely scarce, incomparable to powerful forces like the Tongtian Hall.

Having comprehended the twelve moves of the hammer technique, does that mean I have already seized a 'divine' character, just like Master Kong back then?

If he wasn't mistaken, this place should be where Master Kong and the founding patriarch had forcefully entered.

What just happened was equivalent to seizing a character!

No wonder, in the past thousands of years, no one except these two had succeeded. Defeating the figures in the paintings was indeed no simple task.

Having comprehended 'Heaven Has Compassion,' his cultivation had reached the late stage of the Pseudo-God realm. In terms of combat power, except for Master Kong, he was absolutely the number one person on the continent throughout history!

With such strength, having learned the Heavenly Dao Hammer Technique and mastered the opponent's moves, he barely managed to win...

The difficulty was unimaginable!

For others, they didn't have the Library of Heaven's Path to learn martial techniques, nor the ability to find the correct order and fully integrate it after just two glances.

Having seized a 'divine' character, you may proceed forward!

As he was pondering, stone steps appeared again, extending upward with no end in sight.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to step onto them, he suddenly stopped, a thought arising in his mind.

Since there's still time... since I'm here, why not seize the characters from the other paintings as well?

From entering the painting to learning the hammer technique and defeating the opponent, it seemed like a long time, but in reality, it took no more than ten minutes. According to the water clock's calculation, at most a quarter had passed!

Since there was plenty of time, and he was already here... of course, he should seize more characters!

After all, he was not just the sect master of one sect but of several; he couldn't play favorites!

With this thought, he smiled slightly, flickered over to the colorful painting of the figure holding a long sword, and lightly touched it.

As before, he entered it!

The figure in the painting immediately thrust a sword at him.

Zhang Xuan swung his long sword, his Divine Sword Intent spreading out.

Three breaths later, the opponent lay on the ground, turning into a pool of ink.

Completed the half 'divine' character of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion... he chuckled softly.

For this half divine character, countless descendants of the Sword Pavilion had strived one after another without success. He had fulfilled their wish.

After this painting turned completely black and white, Zhang Xuan approached a painting depicting a martial technique and, without hesitation, entered it again.

Five minutes later, he reappeared, and the painting had turned gray.

With the first experience, while engaging the opponent, he simultaneously stole his techniques and formed the Heavenly Dao techniques, making the process more than twice as fast!

With even more experience for the remaining four paintings, he went through all of them in less than a quarter of an hour. After finishing, he stepped onto the stone steps and continued toward the third floor.

The room on the third floor was equally spacious. This time, there were no paintings or formations. The surroundings were brightly lit, and at a glance, it was empty with nothing.

Stopping in his tracks, Zhang Xuan looked around and said, "Master Kong, if you are here, come out!"

The other party had set a trap, inviting him to walk right into it, and now they should appear.

Sure enough, as his words ended, a tall figure appeared before him.

It was none other than Master Kong!

Eyes narrowing, the Tongchang Sword appeared in his palm. Zhang Xuan stood with cold detachment.

The other party had stopped at nothing to obtain his library, and he had thought they would never dare show their face again. Since they had come before him, it was time to settle life and death!

However, he soon noticed something amiss: "What, does your true self not dare to come?"

The other party was merely a wisp of thought, not the true self.

Could it be that they already knew he had broken through to the Demigod realm, and feared they were no match, so they dared not appear?

Ignoring his words, Master Kong clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, "It is no small feat that you alone passed the trial of seven paintings. However, you must still defeat me to earn the right to obtain the Divine Qi—and the chance to advance to godhood!"

"Defeat you? Then come!"

Seeing that he did not flee, Zhang Xuan ignored his nonsense, swung the Tongchang Sword, and a sword beam slashed straight down.

Knowing his opponent's strength, he used the Divine Sword Intent from the very start.

"I won't take advantage of you!"

With a faint smile, Master Kong moved his mind, and his power, originally at the peak of the Demigod realm, dropped to the same late-stage Demigod as Zhang Xuan's.

With a flick of his finger, a long sword appeared in his palm—its level unknown, but it radiated a piercing cold aura. He lightly shifted his figure and appeared before Zhang Xuan.

Zizi zi!

Sword intent like a dragon, aura like frost.

"So strong..."

An expert knows at a touch whether the other is skilled.

Although Zhang Xuan had only exchanged a few moves with him, he immediately realized that this man—though merely a wisp of Master Kong's thought—was in no way inferior to him in understanding of swordsmanship, and even surpassed him!

At the same level, he had not gained the slightest upper hand!

"How have you become so strong..."

Zhang Xuan was utterly incredulous.

Previously, his clone had fought with him, and they were evenly matched.

Now, at the same level, he was stronger than his clone, and he had comprehended so many divine martial techniques. Under normal circumstances, dealing with a mere wisp of the other's thought should have been an easy victory. How could he have imagined that he would actually be at a disadvantage!

"He is also using the Heavenly Dao martial techniques!"

Soon, he realized the reason he could not win.

This Master Kong before him, like himself, was also using flawless martial techniques. His sword moves contained the laws of the Great Dao, appearing simple yet impossible to defend against.

His own moves targeted flaws, making them hard to guard against, but the other's sword technique could alter the patterns and sequences within the sword moves. Once a move was made, the opponent was already at a disadvantage!

It was as if you intended to thrust upward, but under the influence of his sword technique, the direction of your thrust would automatically change to downward...

It was as if your moves were being controlled. How could one fight like that?

"Could this be the Heavenly Dao Order?"

Zhang Xuan's heart turned cold.

He had heard him mention the Heavenly Dao Order before, but when his clone fought him, it had not been used, so he had not paid it much mind. Now he understood how terrifying it truly was.

Like Kong Shiyao's bloodline power—a word becomes law...

Even if one could find flaws, they were useless in the face of law!

Even if one was eloquent, even if one was full of grievances, as long as one violated the law, one would still be punished.

The other's Heavenly Dao Order was just like that. He had clearly grasped the flaws in his moves, but in the blink of an eye, those flaws became the most correct sequence, becoming an established law... How could he fight?

"I don't believe that at the same level, I will lose..."

Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth, his face ashen.

At the same level, aside from losing to his clone, he had never lost before!

This fellow was just a wisp of Master Kong's thought. How could he be impossible to defeat?

Could it be that his injuries had fully healed and he had completely recovered?

Even so, he refused to believe it was this terrifying!

Holding the sword in his right hand, he unleashed various martial techniques with his left hand, flying through them.

In an instant, Zhang Xuan seemed to become two people—one skilled in swordsmanship, the other in martial techniques—and both had comprehended the Divine Intent. In the Upper Firmament, they could have founded a sect and left a name for eternity.

Fighting like this, his combat power instantly doubled.

"Not bad!"

Master Kong's thought smiled faintly, and likewise held a sword in his right hand while unleashing martial techniques with his left.

He too instantly transformed into two people, his moves matching Zhang Xuan's without falling behind.

Zhang Xuan's scalp tingled.

Could it be... that this was Master Kong's true strength?

Had he really not recovered before, so much so that he couldn't even defeat his clone?

Bang bang bang!

After exchanging over a dozen moves continuously, Zhang Xuan felt that if he continued, he would end up like before in the painting—defeated because of excessive energy consumption. His heart grew more anxious.

Eyes narrowing, a ruthless intent emerged from his heart.

"It seems I can only use the ultimate move of 'Heaven's Affection'..."