I Am Loaded with Passive Skills
Chapter 3642 - 1774: One Sword (Part 2)

Chapter 3642: Chapter 1774: One Sword (Part 2)

Cao Erzhu burst into laughter. After laughing, he sank his energy into his core, his tiger-like eyes widened:

"Come!"

"If I take a step back, then I’m not called Cao Erzhu!"

The white-robed man stood motionless holding his lamp.

The enemy did not move, and neither did Cao Erzhu.

The white-robed man continued to hold the lamp, waiting.

He did not move, and Cao Erzhu still remained still.

The white-robed man shook his head silently, the remnant lamp in his hand flickered lightly, the candlelight momentarily extinguished and then suddenly reignited within a breath.

"Boom!"

Above the Nine Heavens, a giant fissure yawned open.

It was as if the gates of hell had been opened, and from within emerged a weapon... no, it wasn’t even a sword.

It was merely a light!

A ghostly cyan-colored, foot-long sword light!

Yet when this sword light appeared, tens of thousands of phantom beasts collapsed, and the night was split into day again.

The sword light first appeared in the sky.

The next moment, it was already in front of his face.

"This speed..."

"How can it be so fast!"

Cao Erzhu had already lifted his foot, instinctively ready to retreat, realizing just then that this person wanted him to make the first move.

Was retreat even an option?

Boasts had been made, either he braced against it or he would have to change his name in the future... to Cao Sanzhu?

"Impossible!"

"That name is terribly awful!"

Cao Erzhu had no hesitation, directly using his best move, unleashing all the God Punishment Tribulation he had cultivated over his life, bellowing loudly:

"God Firmament Leader!"

Thunder roared, and behind Erzhu rose a lightning giant hundreds of feet tall, clad in blue lightning armor, draped with a purple lightning great cloak, one hand wielding a shield, the other an axe.

The giant stomped and crushed a wine barrel underfoot, lightning storm scattered all around, its shield and axe crossed in front of Cao Erzhu, blocking the sword light.

"Clang——"

The ghostly cyan sword light slashed down, the sharp sound of metal clashing piercing the ears.

Cao Erzhu’s eyes bulged, his cheeks puffed, his entire chest ballooning like a balloon, yet he braced himself without deflating.

Bracing!

Was it effective?

In one breath, with a click, the axe and shield were severed...

In two breaths, with a tear, the giant was decapitated...

In three breaths, with a thunderous explosion, the God Firmament Leader burst into fireworks!

"Impossible!"

Cao Erzhu was finally terrified, unable to suppress the panic welling up on his face.

In his entire cultivation journey until now, spanning twenty-seven years.

From the onset, battling demi-saints, confronting Holy Emperors, facing Ancestral Gods, the road was arduous, but he had managed to ward off danger without incident.

In Cao Erzhu’s memory, the Holy Emperor was none other than Rao Wangze.

What was the level of Wangze Holy Emperor?

Even sitting still, he could be possessed by Cursed Yin.

Standing up to fight, his level was only on par with the Hallmaster Dao.

What about the Hallmaster Dao?

The Hallmaster Dao was merely a demi-saint, not considered one of the combat-type Ten High Nobles.

The Holy Emperor, that’s the extent of it, even the original body coming down could only do so much, even with the Ancestral God’s will controlling the Holy Emperor’s body, that’s all the power he could exert!

"But..."

Yet the person before him wasn’t even the original Holy Emperor, nor a thought incarnation of the Holy Emperor, just an ordinary "form."

The sword he produced didn’t involve any domain, it wasn’t some Fengdu Sword, just a simple and utterly plain soul sword light.

Cao Erzhu’s Dao heart wavered, and when the sword light reflected on his face, he fell into a trance:

"Twenty years of God Punishment Tribulation, can’t compare to such an ordinary sword?"

...

"Hoo!"

The hammer swung into the air.

Little Erzhu turned pale, blown back three and a half steps by the gust.

His father did not let the hammer fall, it stopped mid-air, gazing mockingly:

"You’re scared by this?"

Little Erzhu pouted, walked back to the front, puffed out his chest stoutly:

"Not scared!"

His father laughed and shook his head.

His father was indeed his father, different from everyone he met later.

He didn’t mock, nor did he intend to teach any profound path, he just stated the truth:

"This hammer of mine, with thirty years of strength, you should be afraid."

Clang!

The heavy hammer struck down, a massive sound erupted.

What was splattered out wasn’t just sparks, but sword light!

...

"I..."

The world seemed to press the pause button.

Cao Erzhu understood something, that if he retreated at this moment, he might still have a chance for survival under the sword.

But Little Erzhu would retreat, Cao Erzhu would not retreat.

I can stand and die, won’t retreat to become Sanzhu.

"Tear!"

As the sword light pierced through the self, his consciousness buzzed and squirmed, returning to the blacksmith shop learning to wield the hammer in his childhood.

"Dad, you’re ranked number one among the Ten High Nobles, does that mean they all can’t beat you?"

"No."

"Ah? No? Then who is the first ranking?"

"It depends on the criteria."

"Hm, what criteria could there be?"

"Criteria of trickery first, power god top, with combat... truly hard to distinguish."

"Hm, then what about attack? The attack strength of this hammer!"

"In terms of attack, no one surpasses ancient swordsman, the most genius ancient swordsman, whose attack has no limit."

"Bazhun’an Uncle, so strong?"

"It’s not just Bazhun’an, not only the Ten High Nobles, Gou Hua and You Mei, each are on par with others, it just depends on who takes that step first."

"Which step?"

"That step."

Erzhu still wanted to ask, as from beginning to end, he hadn’t heard his father mention Kui Leihan.

His father was already shaking his head, unwilling to say more.

With a hammer strike once more, memories shattered, and everything returned to reality.

...

"Dang!"

The sound echoed from the dream realm to reality, from Qingyuan Mountain to Sacred Mountain Gui Zhe.

Cao Erzhu did not retreat, he had already closed his eyes awaiting death, never expecting the heavy hammer sound heard in his mind was not an illusion, but came from...

"Father?"

As soon as he opened his eyes, the sword light had already disappeared?

Under the sound of that heavy hammer, was it shattered into dust?

Cao Erzhu looked around, his spiritual senses scanned underground — his father was not by his side!

"Is it an illusion?"

"Or was it that father far away at Qingyuan Mountain, struck only once, and shattered the Holy Emperor’s sword?"

Cao Erzhu’s pupils shook.

No matter which guess, he found it far-fetched.

Half a year ago he felt there were always others stronger beyond him; beyond the sky there is yet a sky;

For the past half year, he thought Erzhu and Shou alike, the world without startling talent;

Half a year later, he realized the vastness of the sea, he was but a grain.

— Between the skies and earth, clouds and mud in the Spiritual Cultivators’ realm, how could there be such a massive difference?

"Heh."

The Holy Emperor’s Statue softly chuckled.

Having said one sword strike, it was just one sword strike, no matter who tried to block it.

Cao Erzhu’s face turned pale, his feet unmoving.

Regardless, he had won this round, yet felt no sense of victory, only the experience of defeat.

He gazed over.

The Holy Emperor’s Statue gazed over at him.

Cao Erzhu took a deep breath, clasped his fists respectfully and asked, "May I know senior’s honorable name?"

The Holy Emperor’s Statue shook its head slightly, without paying any attention, its figure gradually faded, leaving behind a serene sound:

"Tell Bazhun’an, bathe, change clothes, burn incense, calmly rest... Hua will arrive shortly."

...

"Where is Lord Li?"

In the Apricot Realm, Crystal Palace, Cao Erzhu asked the moment he caught someone.

The guard stared at the deep sword scar visible to the bone on the forehead of the big structure, shook his head hesitantly, respectfully replied:

"Lord Erzhu, I don’t know, Lord Li comes and goes without a trace, perhaps only Lord Shou knows his whereabouts."

"Where is Lord Shou?"

"Lord Erzhu, I don’t know, Lord Shou is even more unpredictable; his whereabouts should only be known by Lord Li."

Cao Erzhu was taken aback.

Cao Erzhu chose to spare this guard who was clearly a Shou scholar — the Apricot Realm’s Shou behavior was becoming heavier.

He was about to inquire with Senior Dragon Apricot, and report recent events to Big Brother Shou, when a voice called from behind:

"Lord Erzhu, what are you seeking Lord Shou for?"

Cao Erzhu turned back, with a brief urgency, he gestured with clasped fists to the demi-saint: "Senior Zang Ren."

Demi-Saint Zang Ren chuckled, it was merely allegiance made earlier; what right did he have to be called senior?

In my current state, though a Half-Saint, I only obtained a deputy position within "Zhiwu Zhu."

Your father and you, regardless of who, could tackle a demi-saint Zang Ren with one punch, alright.

Zang Ren said: "Lord Erzhu, I was drinking with Mr. Zhu earlier, he said that Lord Shou and Lord Li have left the Apricot Realm."

Oh?

Did Big Brother Shou leave Apricot Realm to look for Ms. Zhiwen?

No, it can’t be, if that was the case, he certainly wouldn’t take Lord Li along.

And since he took him, it surely wasn’t to find Bazhun’an Uncle for Cultivation Name, nor to the blacksmith shop to find father for cultivation.

I don’t know why, but father dislikes Lord Li.

"What did they go for?"

Cao Erzhu pondered with no result, had to ask.

He remembered over the past half year, Big Brother Shou, aside from cultivating, rarely showed himself on Shengshen Continent.

Did he have an epiphany?

Does he want to enjoy the admiration of thousands again?

Zang Ren shook his head ambiguously: "They said they went for cultivating, trained for half a year, real combat experience, but I’m not quite clear..."

Big Brother Shou, still needs training?

Cao Erzhu opened his mouth but not a word could come out.

Realizing he had only dreamed, and couldn’t help but go out for a walk, ending up in such more troubling situations.

He sighed deeply, turning to leave the Crystal Palace.

Zang Ren contemplated the sword scar, his sight following him:

"Where is Lord Erzhu going?"

Cao Erzhu didn’t turn back, waved his hand and said:

"Going home to practice hammering!"