Disorientation Array . . .
Cha Eun Xiao closed his eyes, and the jade stele's dissolution gradually slowed, no longer melting as swiftly as it initially had. It progressively decelerated.
He comprehended that this deceleration signified not the conclusion but the inception of the true trial. His mind became filled with illusions that stirred his emotions.
The delusions that now occupied his thoughts transcended mere illusions; they seemed like reflections of a reality that had infiltrated his consciousness. Initially, he saw an elegant scholar, donned in white robes and cradling a purple jade flute, strolling leisurely before his eyes. Yet, this apparition was but the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scholar, the spectacular starry sky—the boundless universe—materialized, as though the scholar's casual steps unwittingly beckoned forth the entire cosmos.
His every movement propelled the starry firmament, and his stroll served the universe!
Cha Eun Xiao's psyche became entrapped in the infinite expanse of the starry sky. The man in the white robe had conjured something that Cha Eun found himself powerless to resist. At a crucial juncture, East-rising Purple Qi surged forth. The ascending purple energy swirled around, and the man in white robes vanished.
Yet, his profound gaze appeared to linger on Cha Eun Xiao.
The ensuing moment, Cha Eun Xiao emerged from the illusion, only to undergo a secondary reaction—his innate cultivator's intuition registered danger. An intense feeling of peril overtook him, and his entire body throbbed.
From the distant reaches of the celestial heavens, a minuscule point of light materialized. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into an expansive and piercing sword light, radiating throughout the universe.
It was an awe-inspiring sword.
A figure clothed in black wielded the lengthy blade, exuding an air of even greater resoluteness and fortitude than the sword itself. He soared through the heavens, obliterating stars in his wake. Not even the dust and debris could obscure the brilliance of the sword's light.
The man in black bore a handsome countenance, yet his demeanor exuded an icy detachment, his eyes devoid of sentiment as if all before his sword was condemned to oblivion.
The sword attack mounted by Ning Biluo, vengeful as it was, paled in comparison to this individual's strike. Even Han Bingxue, renowned for his coldness, proved no match for this man. A natural disparity set them apart, with Han Bingxue's aloofness veering toward pretentiousness, while the man in black was genuinely frigid. He required no frigid props to convey his iciness!
His presence and his sword, both exceeded the chill of ice.
"The power of this sword strike..." Cha Eun Xiao gasped. "It could potentially annihilate the universe and its stars... Just how mighty is this man and his swordsmanship to produce such destruction?"
Though he had never ventured to the Human Realm Upon Heavens, he was certain that not even the most formidable figures in that realm could unleash a sword strike akin to the one delivered by this man.
It was undeniably the pinnacle of swordplay.
The magnificent sword radiance sped past, and Cha Eun Xiao was left speechless, utterly absorbed in the shock of the moment, much like he had been ensnared within the starry sky conjured by the man in white robes.
And then, an unexpected occurrence unfolded.
From afar, an imposing saber light erupted. The instant it manifested, it illuminated the entire expanse of space. All the stars burst into fragments as it appeared.
In terms of outcomes, the saber exhibited a level of destruction equivalent to that of the sword. However, it diverged in the means of devastation. The sword systematically disintegrated the stars as it traversed the heavens, whereas the saber struck the entire domain, obliterating every star simultaneously.
The saber attack effectively transformed the entire spatial expanse into a monstrous dark void, spanning tens of millions of miles in width and length.
Ultimately, the entire fabric of space succumbed to the saber's onslaught.
Following the saber's resplendent radiance, a colossal, imposing figure soared into view. Upon his appearance, an aura of indomitable might and ferocity pervaded the firmament. It was as though this man stood on the very ground, yet reached the celestial heavens, dominating and filling the entire expanse.
This incredible display of saber proficiency was an enigma to Cha Eun Xiao. He prided himself on his extensive knowledge of weaponry and martial arts but had always held a special affinity for the sword. Therefore, despite the saber's greater potency and its capacity to elicit a more awe-inspiring reaction, it was the sword that left him in greater wonder. In fact, it served as a reassuring anchor after the staggering display of the sword's might.
An intriguing thought struck Cha Eun Xiao. If the likes of Li Wuliang or any other adept saber practitioner were to witness the recent events, it would undoubtedly be a source of sheer satisfaction for them.
As the saber light coursed through the cosmos...
A colossal golden dragon, stretching tens of thousands of meters in length, unfurled within moments.
Following the golden dragon, a resplendent phoenix materialized.
The phoenix's wings were so expansive that Cha Eun Xiao could not discern their boundaries within the vast cosmos.
After the phoenix, the entire universe burst into full bloom with an array of exotic flowers, their unprecedented beauty casting an enchanting aura across the expanse. These blossoms took on a dreamlike hue, rendering the scene breathtaking.
Blooms flourished and proliferated one after another. A sight capable of captivating anyone who beheld it.
However, deep within Cha Eun Xiao's heart, an undercurrent of dread began to swell.
...
One magnificent figure after another appeared in a series of splendid vignettes.
He was left flabbergasted, shocked repeatedly.
Unbeknownst to him, his dantian had been subjected to a relentless series of shocks.
His dantian showed signs of fissures. Inadvertently, he became ensnared within the disorienting maelstrom, struggling to find an escape.
Should his dantian shatter, it would signify utter failure. In fact, the very fabric of his existence might disintegrate, rendering him incapable of achieving anything further in his life.
Were it not for the initial intervention of the East-rising Purple Qi, which rescued him from his initial astonishment, Cha Eun Xiao would have been wholly lost amid the starry sky, the sword, and the saber scenes. The saber display had offered some relief from the stupefaction elicited by the sword. The initial three scenarios equipped him with a measure of resistance. Otherwise, the sight of the golden dragon, the phoenix, and the radiant blossoms would have promptly ensnared him in a bewildering trance.