C10 Breaking Sword Formation Shocking the Entire Audience!!

"What? Someone claims they can shatter the Celestial Sword Formation?"

Like a hurricane, the news swept through the entire Celestial Sect. Disciples flocked in droves, and even elders made their way to see. It had been years since anyone dared challenge the infamous sword formation.

"This kid thinks he can break the Celestial Sword Formation? Is this some kind of joke? At fifteen, he hasn't even reached the Genuine Qi Stage, and yet he boasts he can shatter it?"

"I was expecting a spectacle, but it turns out we've got nothing but a cocky youngster. If he manages to break through, what does that say about the rest of us and our years of dedication?"

"Still, you've got to admire the kid's guts. Let's just enjoy the show. It's not like we have anything better to do during disciple recruitment."

Despite their opinions, everyone shared the same belief: Ling Dao had no chance of breaking the Celestial Sword Formation. It was an unspoken agreement among all present. They were there for entertainment, eager to witness Ling Dao's impending embarrassment.

For millennia, rare geniuses and formidable warriors alike had attempted to unravel the Celestial Sword Formation, all to no avail. Not even the past masters of the Celestial Sect could claim success.

"Young man, activating the Celestial Sword Formation for you is a sheer waste of time. Perhaps you should just leave now, hm?"

The elder, tasked with guarding the formation, spoke with a frosty disdain. In his eyes, allowing Ling Dao to attempt the Celestial Sword Formation was nothing short of sacrilege. The idea of a greenhorn breaking it was laughable.

"The Celestial Sword Formation will be broken by me. Open it!"

Ling Dao's defiant words caused the elder's face to twist with displeasure. Ling Dao's confidence only deepened the insult to the Celestial Sword Formation. The elder huffed in annoyance, his disdain for Ling Dao's audacity palpable.

It seems that the Celestial Sword Formation's absence from the world for so many years has led many to forget just how formidable it truly is. Well, today I shall reactivate the Celestial Sword Formation and give the world a demonstration of its overwhelming might!"

"Activate the formation!"

At the heart of the square lay a deserted area, the very site of the Celestial Sword Formation. The elder directed three deep bows into the void, and the entire plaza shook with a thunderous vibration.

"Bang, bang!"

Ancient longswords burst forth from the earth, rocketing skyward amidst a tremendous uproar. Each blade radiated an intimidating edge, their cold gleam under the sun's rays blindingly brilliant. Precisely 729 of these rustic longswords took their positions in the firmament.

"Enter!"

The elder approached Ling Dao and spoke with a chilling tone. Martial artists of different realms faced distinct challenges within the Celestial Sword Formation. For those in the Body Realm, the formation would only unleash power corresponding to that level, while for Zhenqi realm martial artists, it would manifest the might of the True Qi Realm.

The true test of the Celestial Sword Formation was one's swordsmanship achievements, not sheer strength. Only those who have excelled beyond the founder of the Celestial Sect in the art of the sword stood a chance of shattering the formation. Of course, should an individual's power greatly exceed that of the sect's progenitor, they could rely on their absolute force to break through.

Gazing upon the array of austere longswords filling the sky, Ling Dao remained serene and composed as he stepped into the Celestial Sword Formation. Having braved the Purple Vine Holy Land, he was certainly not intimidated by a mere sword formation. To him, the Celestial Sect was but an ant in the presence of a divine dragon.

"Clang! Clang!"

As Ling Dao entered the formation, the ancient longswords began to resonate with crisp, sonorous tones. All 729 blades stirred to life, as if guided by an unseen hand.

"Elder, may I borrow one of these swords?"

Standing beneath a cascade of 729 longswords, Ling Dao maintained a serene composure, not a trace of panic flickering across his face, much to the surprise of the elder overseeing the Celestial Sword Formation. In such a public setting, it was unthinkable for Ling Dao to reveal the Carefree Sword. Both the Universe Ring and the Carefree Sword were treasures beyond measure. Ling Dao was well aware of the wisdom in keeping one's valuables hidden; at this moment, he couldn't safeguard either one.

"You can have the sword, but I doubt you even know how to wield it!"

At fifteen, not having reached the True Qi realm, and not even qualifying as a fleshly body realm martial artist, the elder certainly didn't see Ling Dao as a formidable opponent. He drew a longsword and tossed it toward Ling Dao from a distance, not out of malice to embarrass him, but simply because there was no need.

"Thanks!"

With the sword in hand, there was a palpable shift in Ling Dao's presence. Previously, he might have been perceived as a frail youth, but now, gripping the longsword, he transformed into a swordsman of proud solitude.

Simultaneously, the 729 ancient longswords plummeted from the sky, targeting Ling Dao. A blanket of sword qi shrouded the land, each blade's force seemingly unified through this energy.

"Quite the impressive sword formation. It appears the founder of the Celestial Sect was a swordcraft prodigy!"

Should anyone else have heard Ling Dao's musings, they might have deemed him mad. After all, the founder of the Celestial Sect was no match for Ling Dao in his past life. And yet, Ling Dao's assessment of the revered Celestial Sword Formation, unbroken for millennia, was merely 'not bad.'

"Bring it on!"

Ling Dao unsheathed his longsword, stepping forward and thrusting it with force. In a blur, his sword seemed to multiply, one becoming ten, ten becoming a hundred, a hundred becoming a thousand, clashing ceaselessly with the ancient blades. His realm was low, and so the power of these longswords was naturally limited.

This was a clash of swordsmanship, not a battle of cultivation levels. Ling Dao's eyes shone brightly, each one mirroring the image of a longsword. His hands moved with such speed that even the seasoned elders could no longer track his movements.

The Celestial Sword Formation was imbued with the profound insights of the Celestial Sect's founder into the art of the sword. Ling Dao's every thrust and parry sought to dismantle the formation, using his own interpretation of swordsmanship to challenge the ancient master's legacy. It was as though two sword geniuses, separated by the ages, were locked in a timeless duel.

"Shatter for me!"

Merging countless sword shadows into a singular force, Ling Dao brandished his longsword and delivered a seemingly simple yet profound slash. This stroke, unremarkable at first glance, was the culmination of his swordsmanship journey. He had every confidence that it would dismantle the Celestial Sword Formation!

"Boom!"

A torrent of sword energy surged into Ling Dao, and with a thunderous roar, all 729 longswords were repelled, their glow extinguished. In that moment of confrontation, Ling Dao had triumphed—the Celestial Sword Formation lay in ruins!

"He... he broke the Celestial Sword Formation?"

"Impossible! How could such a formidable formation be shattered so effortlessly?"

"Are you kidding me? A mere novice, not even advanced in the Physical Body Stage, breaking the Celestial Sword Formation?"