Chapter 62: Chapter 60: Sword Skill Domain

Mo Qi didn’t dare to underestimate Zhang Cheng.

The Purity Realm and the Refining God Realm were two entirely different concepts. He wasn’t sure if he could defeat Zhang Cheng.

Moreover, his opponent was the son of the Wolf Fang Sect’s Sect Leader. His trump cards and techniques were surely endless.

The finger Zhang Cheng pointed out magnified infinitely in midair, transforming into a beam of golden light that shot toward him.

Mo Qi quickly raised his stick to block.

CLANG!

The Fire Stick and the golden light collided, producing a deafening metallic clang.

Immense power traveled through the Fire Stick into Mo Qi’s hands, rattling the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers until they went numb and forcing him back several steps.

Zhang Cheng, in contrast, was expressionless, his hands clasped behind his back, completely unmoved.

’So strong. He’s worthy of the Purity Realm,’ Mo Qi thought. Although they had only exchanged a single blow, he knew that Zhang Cheng was far, far stronger than the Refining Essence Ninth Heaven cultivators he had killed.

What he didn’t know was that Zhang Cheng’s heart was not as calm as his placid exterior suggested.

’What a powerful physique! What astonishing strength! And what a hard stick!’ The finger Zhang Cheng had pointed with was now hidden in his sleeve, red, swollen, and trembling slightly. Clearly, he hadn’t gained any advantage from that attack.

’So he was hiding his Cultivation. No wonder he could kill my subordinate.’

"What did you do to San Pang?" Mo Qi asked in a heavy voice, his gaze fixed on the Array in the distance.

"You should be more concerned about yourself!" Zhang Cheng snorted.

’Mo Qi is this strong... All the more reason I can’t let him leave here alive.’

"Heh," Mo Qi chuckled. "You can’t kill me."

"Hahaha."

Instead of anger, Zhang Cheng burst out laughing with an exaggerated expression, as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. "You blocked one finger strike, and now you think you’re qualified to fight me?"

"I know you’re hiding your Cultivation, but from what I can tell, you’re a Half-Step Purity Realm at best—just a hair stronger than the Refining God Ninth Heaven. But you must understand that the gap between a Half-Step Purity Realm and a true Purity Realm is enormous. Didn’t the elders of your Void Sect ever teach you that?"

The moment his words fell, an invisible force appeared without warning and enveloped Mo Qi.

This power was not the Power of Heaven and Earth, nor was it Spiritual Qi True Essence. Divine Sense couldn’t perceive it, yet it undeniably existed.

The air around him grew incredibly viscous. Mo Qi felt as if he were trapped deep in a swamp, his movements severely restricted.

This was only the beginning. As time passed, the force grew stronger and stronger, soon becoming a Power of Imprisonment that rendered Mo Qi completely immobile.

"What kind of technique is this?" Mo Qi exclaimed in shock.

"You don’t even know what a Domain is? I’m starting to seriously doubt whether you’re really from the Void Sect," Zhang Cheng sneered.

Mo Qi felt helpless. Although he had taken Yu Liang as his master, Yu Liang had only taught him Alchemy and hadn’t educated him on these matters.

Yang Ming had mentioned the divisions between Realms to him, but had never gone into detail.

"There’s nothing to be surprised about. When a Cultivator’s Cultivation reaches the Purity Realm, they all develop their own Domain," the Pig Emperor said via telepathy, wagging its tail from its perch on Mo Qi’s shoulder.

"A Domain, simply put, is an application of a Cultivator’s understanding of their own Martial Dao. You can think of it as a kind of aura, or a projection of their presence."

After the Pig Emperor’s explanation, Mo Qi began to understand. He felt as if he had grasped something, yet he couldn’t quite hold on to the ethereal concept.

"Wait, why aren’t you affected by the Domain’s restrictions?" Mo Qi asked, shocked and suspicious.

The Pig Emperor smugly wriggled its plump body, its little tail wagging even more energetically.

"Hmph. Do you even know who I am? You think some crappy Domain can trap me?"

"Speak plainly!"

"Domains vary from person to person. This kid’s is just too weak," the Pig Emperor said with disdain.

Weak?

Mo Qi tried to break free, but he quickly discovered that the more he struggled, the stronger the restraining force became.

By circulating all his Essence Energy and exerting his full strength, he managed to take just one small step forward.

Though he still hadn’t broken free from the Domain, the sight left Zhang Cheng speechless with shock.

’Who in the world is he? How can he move within my Domain using pure Physical Strength?!’

’I can’t let this drag on!’

Not wanting any unexpected complications, Zhang Cheng summoned a longsword into his hand and thrust it toward Mo Qi’s heart.

Mo Qi’s pupils contracted sharply. Trapped in his opponent’s Domain, dodging was impossible.

If this sword struck true, he would undoubtedly die.

With his heart meridians severed, not even the miraculous Chaos Scripture could save him.

At the same time, the Pig Emperor’s eyes narrowed, its gaze locked onto Zhang Cheng’s longsword. Its expression was a mixture of hesitation and anticipation.

The longsword was now just an inch from Mo Qi’s heart. In another instant, he would die by the blade.

Suddenly, Mo Qi’s spirit jolted, and he entered a peculiar state. It was as if the world had frozen still.

The feeling was familiar.

He closed his eyes, and scenes from his years of practicing his Sword Skill flooded his mind.

A kitchen knife, a single strand of hair, and splitting it into thirteen thousand six hundred threads without the aid of any external force.

’That’s it! This feeling of absolute focus on the task at hand, ignoring everything else!’

’Blade, come!’

An Obsidian kitchen knife appeared in Mo Qi’s hand, moving with his thoughts.

SHIIING!

In that instant, Mo Qi felt as if he and the kitchen knife in his hand had become one.

A peculiar aura blossomed from within him. Countless glints of blade light created a crisp ringing sound as they scraped against the air.

His body suddenly felt light. The Domain that had imprisoned him seemed to vanish, and everything around him returned to normal.

’So, this is a Domain!’

When it came to Sword Skill—to the sheer familiarity and mastery of a kitchen knife—no one could compare to Mo Qi.

It’s as they say: every trade produces its own champion.

Others’ Martial Dao Domains might stem from their fists and feet, or from weapons like axes, halberds, hooks, and spears.

But Mo Qi’s Domain was his Sword Skill, honed by slicing strands of hair!

TING!

The longsword struck the kitchen knife.

The Pig Emperor, which had raised its trotter, lowered it again. A look of delight spread across its face as it breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Cheng’s face fell in utter shock. "How is that possible!"

’Where did that kitchen knife come from?!’

He hadn’t seen Mo Qi draw the blade at all; he hadn’t even seen him raise his hand.

In a daze, a kitchen knife had inexplicably appeared in Mo Qi’s hand and was suddenly blocking his chest.

’Did I miss something just now?’

His first strike having failed, Zhang Cheng had no time to think. He raised his sword and slashed at Mo Qi’s neck.

"Consider yourself lucky for blocking it once. Let’s see you block it a second time!"

Zhang Cheng hadn’t yet realized that Mo Qi was no longer suppressed by his Domain.

CLANG!

Mo Qi raised his knife, blocking Zhang Cheng’s sword.

This time, Zhang Cheng saw Mo Qi’s movement perfectly clearly.

"Impossible!" Zhang Cheng cried out. He quickly checked—his Domain was still active!

"Nothing is impossible. You’re not the only one who can manifest a Domain," Mo Qi chuckled.

The moment his Sword Skill Domain took shape, Zhang Cheng’s own Domain became completely ineffective.

"You were toying with me?" Zhang Cheng roared in fury.

He had no idea Mo Qi’s Domain had only just formed a second ago. Even if he did, he wouldn’t have believed it.

"Hmph! So what if you have a Domain? You’ll still die!"

Zhang Cheng quickly composed himself, any trace of his earlier disdain for Mo Qi gone. He held his longsword out in front of him, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat a mouthful of Essence Blood onto the blade.

"Feed the Spirit with blood, heed my command, Sword Slash Eight Directions!"