The cultivators of the Hundred Broken Mountain Range only knew that the Sword Saint went to the Dynasty’s Battle Domain and made numerous achievements, but what truly happened in between remains unknown to all, including who wounded the Sword Saint so severely upon his return.
Since the Sword Saint returned heavily injured to the Hundred Broken Mountain Range, he has never fought again, and thus no one knows just how strong the Sword Saint truly is.
Indeed, even setting aside this, few have witnessed the Sword Saint in action; the only ones who have, apart from former foes whose graves are brimful of grass, have likely gathered in this realm by now.
Yet, however it may be, countless cultivators cannot accept this scene. It’s crucial to understand that the giant who was just crushed by Sword Intent might not have been the strongest among titans but was still one of the most famous giants over the past century. Yet merely in one encounter, he perished.
"Sword Saint, Sword Saint, this is the true First Generation Sword Saint! All Saints under heaven may be called ’Saint,’ but the word ’Saint’ cannot precede any title."
After the overwhelming shock passed through millions of seas of people, numerous sword cultivators felt an inexplicable surge of fervor— the more shaken they felt, the more their breath quickened.
In the Martial Soul Continent, indeed, there’s an immense accumulation of cultivators entering the Saint Realm over ages. However, they can become Saints, be a giant in a region, but cannot become a Saint of a specific Dao.
A title before Saint denotes the Dao Fruit, symbolizing the ultimate realm ceiling of a Dao, not just any sword cultivator entering the Saint Realm can have a ’sword’ preceding their title, similar to Talisman Saint Qi Yun, symbolizing the realm ceiling of Talisman Dao, as a ’Realm’ and not merely a title.
"All sword cultivators upon entering the Saint Realm may be respectfully called Sword Saint, but it is merely respect. The true Sword Saint can only be one and only one."
The Sword Saint of the Hundred Broken Mountain Range, only that form intimidating the heavens of giants deserves the title of Sword Saint.
For a moment, until this day, the vast multitude akin to a cosmic star river truly witnessed the Sword Saint’s form, gaining new insight into the First Generation Sword Saint.
As the surroundings of the Divine Sword Sect reverberated endlessly, atop the boundless void, numerous giants turned pale, and even those with wavering minds were utterly frightened, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
It’s not that the current Dugu Nan has reached a level to obliterate all formidable foes, but rather the Heart Demon the Sword Saint left in their hearts is extraordinarily terrifying.
Deep within these giants’ hearts, that silhouette has long been an invincible existence. If it weren’t for the opponent’s oil lamp running dry, even given a hundred guts, they wouldn’t dare come to confront the present Sword Saint.
Yet, after a brief terror, countless giants eventually stabilized their figures.
"Fellow Saints, don’t let your Heart Demon crumble. We lost to him one-on-one back then, but now we’ve gathered together with great effort. Even if he regains his former peak, so what?"
"Everyone, stabilize your minds, do not panic and disrupt orders— it’s the enemy’s strategy of attacking the heart."
"Indeed, even if he was strong back then, now it’s just a flash of brilliance before his end, surely he can’t obliterate us all alone, can he?"
"As long as we join forces, we need not fear that our great vendetta will remain unavenged."
Countless strong individuals kept speaking, the more terrified they felt, the more they wanted to muster their forces, trying to build courage while fearing that someone would retreat without battle.
Currently, they can only huddle together for warmth, with numerous Saints and giants collaborating, they have a chance to obliterate that silhouette, yet once one retreats, they’ll surely be defeated one by one.
Moreover, the Sword Saint’s intentions are clear as day; he’s forsaken the chance of a second life and returned his myriad souls not to massacre these mortal enemies, but for the youth atop South Peak at this moment, he wants to carve a blood path for his successor.
But if that youth survives, forcing his master into such dire straits today will eventually lead to a strong return for revenge.
Upon these words.
Countless contemporary giants and warriors in the Saint Realm awoke from a grand dream, remembering the past, as if a deeply buried string in their hearts was struck.
Immediately, a giant of shocking stature stepped forward, facing death without regret and spoke.
"I’ve been terrified long enough over these years, hiding east and west, like a rat in a stinking gutter, afraid to see daylight, trembling with fear. But today, I’m not leaving. The grievances of the past will be settled today."
Seeing someone speak, a giant’s robes fluttered, perching amidst a region, no longer fearful.
"In that battle years ago, I only lost to you by half a move, yet it became the barrier in my life I couldn’t surpass. If I don’t fight you in this life and personally witness your fall, how can I cross the heart’s barrier and enter a higher realm?"
"Hundreds of years have passed, during which I’ve been relentlessly cultivating, closing off from day to night, just for the day when I could openly kill you. Over these years, you’ve grown unfathomable, yet I’ve not been idle either. Let this feud of the years end today."
"South Brother, do you remember me? It’s been three hundred years. You drove me to a point of no return, to a dead end. To kill you, I spared no effort in slaughtering wife and child, severed all ties, all for the day when I could personally rip you to pieces. Today, even if you are still the Dugu Nan of the past, you won’t survive."