I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon?-Chapter 74: The Sword Saint Is Broken! Qi Deviation?
Outside Sword Valley.
An incessant clamor of voices filled the air.
The crowd from Jianghai City hurried through the forest, their faces alight with excitement as they rushed toward the center of Sword Valley, eager to catch a glimpse of the Sword God.
"Haha, that Sword Saint was so aggressive, insisting our Jianghai Sword God come out and fight. I didn’t expect him to be so weak, though!"
"After this battle, it looks like the so-called Sword Saint is going to become a laughingstock."
"Pah! What damn Sword Saint? He even destroyed our Jianghai’s Martial Arts Holy Land! Someone who could do something so dishonorable doesn’t deserve the title of Sword Saint at all!"
As they spoke, they were about to reach the center of Sword Valley.
Some of the Star Martial Artists with stronger Perception Power immediately sensed Qin Yang’s form turn transparent before vanishing into thin air.
"Huh?"
Elder Li let out a surprised cry, also noticing that something was off with the Sword God’s aura.
It was as if he had simply vanished from existence.
.........
「Inside Sword Valley.」
A cool wind swept through, thick with Sword Qi.
The three of them stared at the empty space where Qin Yang had been, as if the battle just now had been nothing but a dream.
"What’s going on?"
Huyan Sword, his face a mask of astonishment, walked over to where Qin Yang had stood and circled the spot.
’A living, breathing person just vanished like that? Besides, this didn’t look like the traces of a supreme Body Technique. It was more like a ghost meeting the sun, silently dissolving into nothing!’
The situation was so bizarre that even Li Zixuan, standing nearby, was completely bewildered.
’Just a moment ago, my teacher was right beside me! And then he just up and left? He moved so fast I couldn’t react at all!’
"Master, where is the Jianghai Sword God?" Huyan Sword asked, turning to the Grassland Sword Saint.
But as his words faded, Yu Wenxuan didn’t respond.
He walked to the spot where Qin Yang had vanished, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression shifting several times.
Excitement, contemplation, embarrassment... A storm of complex emotions flashed across his face until, finally, his gaze turned incomparably grim.
He knew that as a master at the Peak of Grandmaster, his Perception Power was extremely formidable.
If the Jianghai Sword God had used a Body Technique, it would have been impossible for him to leave absolutely no trace.
But now, the surrounding space was perfectly still, without the slightest sign of a ripple.
Therefore, the only possible explanation was...
A Clone!
’The Jianghai Sword God himself hadn’t come at all! I was actually fighting a Clone for so long? And I lost!’
At this thought, Yu Wenxuan’s vision swam. A furious rage surged through him, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood!
"PTUI!"
A spray of blood mist erupted, dyeing a large patch of ground red and adding a touch of tragedy to the scene.
"Master!"
Huyan Sword jumped in fright and rushed forward to support Yu Wenxuan. "Master, what’s wrong?"
"Hahahaha..."
Yu Wenxuan laughed wretchedly. The coppery taste of blood filled his throat as a continuous stream trickled from the corner of his mouth. He murmured in despair:
"A Clone... It was only a Clone..."
"Jianghai Sword God, so in your eyes... this is all I amount to..."
His despair erupted in an instant.
At that moment, he finally realized just how vast the gap was between himself and the Jianghai Sword God.
It was like a chasm between mountains and oceans, impossible to cross in a single lifetime.
’I gave my all in that battle, yet I couldn’t even defeat his Clone!’
Thinking of this,
Yu Wenxuan’s Sword Heart...
Shattered.
The sky gradually brightened as the sun climbed higher. He stared up at the vast heavens, leaning against his disciple, letting blood flow freely from his mouth and nose.
He stretched out a hand as withered as a dead branch, grasping toward the sea of clouds above.
Again and again.
As if trying to seize something... 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
But the sky remained forever out of reach, eternally unattainable...
Finally, under the watchful eyes of Li Zixuan and Huyan Sword, he lowered his futile hand, closed his eyes in despair, and passed out on the spot.
"Master!"
Seeing this, Huyan Sword’s face filled with panic. He quickly steadied Yu Wenxuan, his mind reeling.
He had never seen his master in such a state.
His Sword Heart was destroyed, his face a mask of collapse—it was a clear precursor to cultivation deviation!
At this thought, Huyan Sword didn’t dare hesitate. He immediately helped Yu Wenxuan up and left Sword Valley.
Soon, Li Zixuan was the only one left in the empty Sword Valley.
She silently watched the master and disciple leave, letting out a sigh of relief in her heart.
"So, that was just Teacher’s Clone."
Li Zixuan chuckled, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she gazed at the spot where Qin Yang had disappeared.
’Just how powerful was the Grassland Sword Saint? When he drew his sword, the entirety of Jianghai City had to bow to his might. And yet, Teacher had actually defeated such a powerful man using only a Clone! He hadn’t even shown up in person... It’s outrageous! Just how powerful is Teacher’s true strength!?’
Just as Li Zixuan was lost in thought,
Suddenly!
The sound of several figures cutting through the air echoed around her as the crowd from Jianghai City finally arrived on the scene.
The moment they landed, they were stunned by the devastating scene around them.
In the gorge, deep craters of all sizes pocked the landscape, and lingering Sword Intent hung in the air, making it feel like the ruins of an Ancient Battlefield.
The rock faces had collapsed, nearly grinding the area into a flat plain.
It was a clear testament to how ferocious the battle had been!
"Xuanxuan, are you all right?!"
Elder Li, who was leading the group, took a step forward and came before Li Zixuan. When he heard from the Commander that his disciple had rushed into Sword Valley, his heart had sunk.
For someone at the Postnatal Realm to get involved in a Grandmaster-level battle was an extremely dangerous situation.
A single shockwave from the fight could have been enough to kill her.
And given how spectacular the clash between the Sword God and Sword Saint had been? The chances of Li Zixuan surviving were minuscule.
Elder Li had even been bracing for the worst.
But fortunately, from the looks of it, Li Zixuan seemed to be unharmed.
"I’m fine, Master."
Li Zixuan shook her head slightly and gave a little wave.
Hearing this, the weight on Elder Li’s heart was finally lifted.
After all, Li Zixuan’s family had entrusted her to his care.
If she had been seriously injured, he would have had a hard time answering to her family.
At that moment, a stern, sharp voice suddenly rang out.
"Everyone, split into emergency teams and inspect the scene!"
The Chief Commander of the Star Martial Police Bureau ordered the people around him, dispatching teams to assess the situation. Once the arrangements were made, he also walked over to Li Zixuan’s side.
"Miss Li, you were here in Sword Valley just now. Could you tell us everything you witnessed? This is just a routine procedure. I apologize for the trouble."
"Yes."
Li Zixuan nodded lightly. "Please ask, Chief Commander."
"Alright. Don’t be nervous. We just need to clarify a few things."
The Chief Commander, his expression serious, took a notebook from his pocket and began questioning Li Zixuan in a formal, methodical manner, asking mostly about the details of the battle in Sword Valley.
After all, Yu Wenxuan’s destruction of Sword Valley was, without a doubt, a violation of regulations.
The necessary paperwork still had to be filed.
A moment later, the Chief Commander put down his pen and handed the notebook to Elder Li.
Elder Li took it and glanced through it, getting a clear picture of what had happened. He looked at Li Zixuan again and asked one last question:
"Xuanxuan, where is Lord Sword God? Why don’t I see him?"
"Oh, that... Master, he didn’t actually come. The one here before was just a Clone..."
"What?"
Hearing this, Elder Li’s eyes widened in shock. "The one who defeated the Sword Saint... was just one of his Clones?"
