Chapter 290 – The Second Sword … … … The true essence that protected Jiang Baoyun’s body was much stronger than a normal martial artist’s, but in front of Lin Ming, it was no different to thin paper! Jiang Baoyun could clearly remember just what a pitiful state Mugu Buyu had ended up in after he had tried to defend against Lin Ming’s all-out attack! “Big Dipper Sword Step!” Jiang Baoyun fiercely bit down on his tongue to restore his numbed body with the intense shock of pain. His movement instantly recovered, and he stormed backwards. Even so, he was still caught up in the fist wind. A vast and incomparable power of vibration immediately fluxed into Jiang Baoyun’s organs, nearly causing his heart to stop. Jiang Baoyun’s throat tasted copper, and blood leaked from the corners of his mouth. As for his Sword Spirit Avatar, it was even worse. Lin Ming punched its face and azure true essence erupted! The Sword Spirit Avatar had no true essence protecting its body, its defensive power was zero. Because of this, once Lin Ming punched it, its entire head blew apart! And its body began to slowly fade away. Jiang Baoyun’s face whitened, his body staggering backwards as the backlash struck him. As long as his true self didn’t perish, then his Sword Spirit Avatar could be considered immortal. But the Avatar was still linked to his main body. Once it was forcefully scattered, Jiang Baoyun would also suffer great damage. “Fierce!” Jiang Baoyun wiped the blood from the corners of his lips. The reason that he had chosen to attack Lin Ming with ranged strikes from the very start was because he feared Lin Ming’s utterly terrifying explosive force. Because of the existence of that coiling dragon steel needle, Jiang Baoyun had kept a good distance between them. He was confident in his own speed and reflexes to dodge that steel needle, but if he was in close range, then that certainty was no longer there! He had suddenly used the Big Dipper Sword Step, and flashed in front of Lin Ming at a speed that neared teleportation, instantly using his strongest instant sword strike. Jiang Baoyun thought that at such an extreme speed, it would be impossible for Lin Ming to react with that coiling dragon steel needle. However, he had never thought that Lin Ming’s body seemed to have fused with the energy from the coiling dragon steel needle, and the power of thunder was highly compressed within him. As soon as he approached, Lin Ming had exploded with the power of thunder, and the result was that he had taken a big loss. Jiang Baoyun was a swordsman, he was proud of his formidable melee combat abilities. He never thought that one day there would actually be someone who would force him away from melee distance! The feeling that Lin Ming exuded was just as if he were a dangerous vicious beast, unapproachable! As soon as the Sword Spirit Avatar was blown apart by Lin Ming’s fist and Jiang Baoyun was injured, the entire audience sucked in collective breath of cold air. “This battle in too intense! In an instant, the two of them are already severely wounded!” A 17 year old Seven Profound Valleys disciple said. With his cultivation, he could only see fuzzy afterimages of Lin Ming and Jiang Baoyun’s movements. “Both receiving heavy wounds? You are too na?ve! I don’t know how severe Jiang Baoyun’s wounds are, but Lin Ming’s are just nothing. When Jiang Baoyun and his Sword Spirit Avatar’s swords pierced him, they was only a quarter of a foot in!” A disciple who participated in the Total Faction Martial Meeting said. His cultivation was already at the Pulse Condensation period, and his eyesight was much better than most people present. A quarter of a foot was only a few inches. To a Pulse Condensation period martial artist, this wound was not considered a severe injury at all. Jiang Baoyun’s sword was indeed swift and sharp, but most of the sword potential had been scattered by that Purple Flood Dragon Divine Thunder. Not only that, but with the added protection of the azure true essence, the swords hadn’t managed to pierce deeply. Plus, there was also the enormous body defense capability enhancements that Lin Ming had obtained in the Sorcerer Pagoda. Ultimately, this was only considered a minor wound. “It was just a split second of a melee fight, and yet Jiang Baoyun already suffered such a loss. Lin Ming is just a powder keg that’s ready to blow up any time. Who would dare to fight him in close-range like this!?” “He took two sword stabs as if they were nothing; he’s just like a vicious beast in human form! This is Jiang Baoyun’s sword we’re talking about, it’s not some random nobody’s sword!” “Lin Ming has to be the same as Mugu Buyu. His body must have been transformed in some way, otherwise how can a human body be so tenacious?” As the audience spoke, the bleeding in Lin Ming’s front and back wounds had already stopped. At this time, Lin Ming had stimulated the power of blood vitality in his body to the max, rapidly regenerating the wounds on his body. After he had passed through the life and death smelting trial in the Sorcerer Pagoda, the power of blood vitality in his body far surpassed a martial artist at the same level. If one had powerful blood vitality, then not only would they have excellent endurance, but exorbitant regenerative capabilities. Although it was impossible to make a complete recovery in a short period of time, stopping some bleeding only took a few breaths. Jiang Baoyun looked at Lin Ming, and took a deep breath. “I understand now. You are not someone that I can deal with by just using my Blue Peak Sword.” As Jiang Baoyun said this, he took out his sword case and withdrew that jet black sword. Finally, he had taken out the Black Crystal Sword. “Jiang Baoyun’s taken out his second sword!” “He’s finally used it! I wonder what sort of amazing final sword skill he can use with this sword?” The entire audience was looking at the sword in Jiang Baoyun’s hand with a curious excitement. This dark blade had no reflection; it didn’t have the appearance that it was made from wood or metal, and it didn’t resemble jade either. No one was able to tell exactly what sort of materials this blade was made from. After Jiang Baoyun extracted the Black Crystal Sword, he casually tossed away the Blue Peak Sword. Suddenly, the Sword Spirit Avatar that Lin Ming had scattered with a punch turned into a hazy blue sword energy that swirled around the Blue Peak Sword, wrapping around it. A moment later, a new Sword Spirit Avatar appeared, and the original Blue Peak Sword disappeared. As the Sword Spirit Avatar was reformed, its body seemed even more lifelike, and the sword energy that emanated from its body was much more powerful; it was truly startling. “The sword and Sword Spirit Avatar combined! Jiang Baoyun’s comprehension of the sword path is just too amazing!” “Two swords, the Sword Spirit Avatar uses one, and the true self uses the second. This is just too exciting! Heavens, this is what a true dual wielding swordsman is like!” In the stands above, a Sword Faction disciple was staring at Jiang Baoyun’s swords with obsession shining in his red eyes. If he could one day obtain two earth-step treasure swords and coordinate them with a Sword Spirit Avatar after becoming one with the sword, then what sort of concept would that be? The orthodox swordsman took the lone sword as their king. This was because it was easier to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship with a single blade. But for those with the same cultivation or lower, a dual wielder’s attack power was much higher. If they could learn Jiang Baoyun’s technique, then could take dual swords as their king, and still reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. This alone was enough to cause any Sword Faction disciple to go crazy with desire! It could be said that Jiang Baoyun had discovered his own unique dual sword method. Of course, to study such a dual sword method was extremely demanding, and one also needed to have a Sword Spirit in order to do so. “You finally take out your Black Crystal Sword? I thought you would have done so earlier.” Lin Ming had some apprehension and dread towards this Black Crystal Sword. Jiang Baoyun let loose a long breath, saying with a smile. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but as of right now, I don’t have full control over this sword. And moreover, my Black Crystal Sword’s strongest attack is a soul attack. Unfortunately… it seems soul attacks aren’t too effective on you.” “Mm? Soul attack?” Lin Ming was stunned. A sword strike can contain a soul attack? Jiang Baoyun had actually managed to reach this step? Lin Ming had long thought about fusing the Samsara martial intent soul attack into his spear moves. However, all of his attempts so far had failed. Before the finals of this Total Faction Martial Meeting, Lin Ming had almost solely used soul attacks, and that was because he wished to gain deeper insights into the Samsara martial intent through constant use. And now, Lin Ming had defeated masters like Bi Tinghua with his soul attack, and his understanding of his Samsara martial intent had reached a new level, much more profound than it used to be. Yet he was still unable to have his spear moves contain any degree of soul attack as before. ‘How strange! Jiang Baoyun is a swordsman, and he cultivates the sword with all his heart. How could be possibly split his time to cultivate his soul force? If his soul force isn’t strong, then how could he use soul attacks?’ Zheng– The Black Crystal Sword let out a strange, long sound that carried a peculiar penetrating power. It was as if it were resounding closely near the ears of everyone present. As the cold winter sunlight illuminated the stage, it shined onto the Black Crystal Sword. But there seemed to be a cold and deep aura around the Black Crystal Sword, as if it had its own force field, swallowing any light that came near it. “Lin Ming, I said just now that I cannot control the power of my Black Crystal Sword. If it truly strikes you, you might be severely wounded or even die. Of course, the one that is severely wounded might be you, or it might be me.” Before Lin Ming had displayed the Purple Flood Dragon Divine Thunder, Jiang Baoyun had already taken him as an opponent of the same level. He didn’t feel the least bit of contempt or disregard towards him. At that time, the strength that Lin Ming had revealed was far inferior to Jiang Baoyun, and the reason that Jiang Baoyun had taken Lin Ming as an equal opponent was purely because his swordsman intuition told him so. “Good! I just want to personally experience your soul attack!” Lin Ming was filled with anticipation as he looked forwards to Jiang Baoyun’s soul attack. He wanted to gain some insights from Jiang Baoyun’s sword technique in battle, and he was also curious as to how a top swordsman like Jiang Baoyun who cultivated the sword path with all his heart would use a soul attack. As Lin Ming flourished the spear in his hands, his entire body combusted in an inferno of azure true essence; he looked just like a deep blue pyre of energy. He had already opened the Heretical God Force. Although the Heretical God Force could not last for several dozen breaths of time, it was more than enough for this final battle! The audience began to surge with wave after wave of cheers and screams, the excitement in the arena reaching a fever high. Qin Xingxuan nervously clenched her hands. Jiang Baoyun had said that even he wasn’t able to control his ultimate sword. A soul injury was difficult to treat. Although Qin Xingxuan knew that Lin Ming’s soul defense was extraordinary, her concern for him was causing chaos in her mind. It felt as if her heart was stuck in her throat. “Big Dipper Sword Step!” On the martial stage, Jiang Baoyun crossed over a hundred feet as if it didn’t exist, his speed was almost like teleportation. This was also why Lin Ming didn’t waste any of his time, and opened the Heretical God Force ahead of time. “Black Crystal Sword!” Jiang Baoyun slashed out with the Black Crystal Sword. At that moment, it was as if all sound had disappeared, and all the nearby light was being sucked into the Black Crystal Sword. “Hah!” An invisible sword potential violently fluctuated outwards. In the moment that Jiang Baoyun slashed out, all of the sword-wielding martial artists in the arena experienced a shock. They could feel their swords vibrating, as if they wanted to escape from their sheaths! Lin Ming could clearly feel his own azure true essence being constantly cut apart. This sword wasn’t fast, but it contained an immeasurably calm feeling. Power of the True Dragon! Lin Ming swept out with his spear, and the shade of a Azure Dragon appeared behind him; the power of a True Dragon burst forth! “Roar!” The booming cry of a dragon thundered into the skies. Lin Ming’s spear thrust out, containing an indomitable momentum. It was like the air itself was exploding in its wake! Light twisted as an azure energy and deep black energy collided together. Time suddenly seemed to slow to a halt, with no intense explosion occurring. In that moment, Jiang Baoyun’s sword energy pierced through Lin Ming’s azure true essence, splitting atop of his spearpoint. There was a black stream of light that sunk into the Heavy Profound Soft Spear, piercing into Lin Ming’s body!