Chapter 152: The Fall of the Sword Saint

Qin Chuan naturally also felt an unprecedented amount of pressure. The continuous, direct frontal collisions had completely shattered the sealing barriers within his body. If not for his astonishing willpower, coupled with the forced circulation of his cultivation technique to mend the damage, his internal organs would likely have been scorched away long ago.

"Life and death, success and failure, all hang on this single strike!"

Steeling his resolve, Qin Chuan completely abandoned any restraint over the surging True Qi of the Nine Yangs within him. Even though the burning sensation at that moment was agonizingly painful, he endured it to the absolute limit, gathering every ounce of his remaining vital energy onto the surface of his body.

Had anyone been watching the battle from the side at this moment, they would have clearly seen Qin Chuan's body enveloped in layers of vital energy barriers, forming countless walls of sheer force. Yet this intangible yet visibly real wall of energy continued to grow thicker, creating an atmosphere that suggested he was fully prepared to perish alongside Yagyu Hoshun's sword qi.

The final frontal clash was triggered instantly as both men unleashed their long-accumulated power. A terrifying sonic boom instantly filled the entire area, and the environment crafted by Yagyu Hoshun's secret arts suddenly shattered into pieces. At the very instant of impact, he also felt an unprecedented and terrifying shockwave violently fling him backward.

Yagyu Hoshun flew through the air like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily against the wall of the old courtyard five or six zhang away before finally coming to a halt. He left a human-shaped indentation in the wall before slowly sliding down to the ground, while the longsword in his hand had long since shattered into several pieces.

Puff!

Yagyu Hoshun instantly spat out a mouthful of blood. His face had turned pale to the extreme, and his momentum lacked any of its former razor-sharp edge, appearing completely withered and demoralized instead. Yet the intense look of hopeful anticipation blazing in his eyes remained locked onto the dust-filled direction of the old house.

For that was where Qin Chuan had been sent flying backward from the impact just moments ago. Yagyu Hoshun refused to believe that his own all-out strike could fail to successfully slay Qin Chuan.

Yagyu Hoshun genuinely found it all utterly incomprehensible. Although Qin Chuan was disguised, his voice made it clear that he was not old. Even if he had begun practicing martial arts from his mother's womb, how could he possibly have grown to such a terrifying degree?

"Could there truly exist such heaven-defying prodigies blessed with miraculous bones and innate talent in this world?"

"Even if such a prodigy exists, they must be guided by a master; otherwise, at such a young age, it is utterly impossible to attain such terrifying strength."

"If he possesses both, wouldn't the probability be even more infinitesimal?"

The more Yagyu Hoshun thought about it, the more desperate he became to witness Qin Chuan's fate. This was likely the sole obsession left in his heart, as well as the belief and strength that kept him conscious at this very moment.

In the distance, the dumbfounded Chiba father and daughter continuously swallowed hard. They were even more desperate to know the outcome concerning Qin Chuan, as this ultimately determined the fate of their entire Chiba family.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Finally, amidst the intense anticipation of the onlookers, heavy footsteps slowly echoed from within the crumbling, dust-shrouded old house. Although the footsteps sounded extremely heavy, they proved the undeniable fact that Qin Chuan was still alive.

Chiba Kaoru almost let out a cry of surprise, but fortunately, Chiba Hengshan covered her mouth just in time. It had to be said that ginger truly grew hotter the older it got.

Although it was now evident that Qin Chuan's life was not in immediate danger, Yagyu Hoshun was also still conscious. It remained uncertain how much combat capability either man truly had left. In other words, victory was by no means completely assured just yet...

"Wait... it seems victory *is* completely assured after all!"

Chiba Hengshan suddenly realized a crucial detail. Although Yagyu Hoshun was still conscious at the moment, his aura was clearly exceptionally weak. If he himself made a move now, it would be the perfect opportunity to settle the outcome with a single strike.

"Daughter, it's our turn to strike," Chiba Hengshan said, lowering his hand with a chillingly cold tone.

Chiba Kaoru was momentarily stunned before she understood her father's intent. Before the former could even organize a stealthy ambush, she had already taken the initiative and dashed forward.

"Yagyu Hoshun, go to hell!"

Chiba Kaoru let out a crisp cry as she thrust forward with her sword, aiming straight for Yagyu Hoshun's heart.

However, Qin Chuan emerged from the smoke and reached Yagyu Hoshun's side a split second earlier. True to form, Yagyu Hoshun gritted his teeth, forced himself to stand up abruptly, and threw a palm strike directly toward the direction from which Qin Chuan was charging.

A terrifying gale whipped up from his palm as Qin Chuan met him blow for blow once again.

Bang!

The collision of their palms produced a muffled explosion of vital energy. The powerful shockwave of residual palm force rippled outward, directly knocking the trailing Chiba Kaoru backward. She flew over ten meters away before stumbling to a halt, a trail of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as sheer terror filled her pretty face.

Chiba Kaoru never could have imagined that Yagyu Hoshun, reduced to the end of his rope and looking on the verge of death, could still unleash such a terrifying attack. Had Qin Chuan not absorbed the brunt of that palm strike a moment earlier, she would likely have lost her life on the spot.

Qin Chuan was knocked backward once more, a trace of blood similarly spilling from the corner of his mouth. In particular, his chest heaved violently, yet his face was not pale; instead, it was as terrifyingly red as a scorched piece of iron. His breathing was rapid and heavy, as if he might fail to draw his next breath at any second.

On the other hand, Yagyu Hoshun fared no better. He collided with the wall again and slid to the ground, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood in succession. His aura fluttered like a dying thread—he was clearly on the brink of death.

"You... how could you possibly... be so strong?"

Yagyu Hoshun's voice was extremely faint. After uttering these words, his aura dimmed even further, and his gaze began to blur and scatter.

"This man must not be left alive!"

Qin Chuan said, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

Chiba Kaoru wanted to make a move, but she had suffered heavy injuries moments ago. Furthermore, seeing Qin Chuan swaying on his feet, she rushed over to support him, leaving her with no hands to spare.

Clearly, however, someone else was far more eager to claim Yagyu Hoshun's life. That person was Chiba Hengshan. The moment Qin Chuan's words left his lips, Chiba Hengshan struck, horizontally slashing his ninja blade toward Yagyu Hoshun's neck.

"Chiba Hengshan, how dare you... dare to kill me?"

A sudden flash of brilliance sparked in Yagyu Hoshun's hazy eyes, resembling a final burst of vitality before death, yet it was accompanied by an unprecedented and primal terror of mortality.

Yagyu Hoshun desperately wanted to dodge, but his current physical state refused to allow him a single evasive movement. He could only watch in horror as the ninja blade rapidly closed in on his neck.

Slash!

A cold gleam flashed, and a thin spray of blood erupted. In an instant, Yagyu Hoshun was decapitated, though his severed head, rolling upon the ground, still wore an expression of terror and lingering resentment in its eyes.

A generation's sword saint had fallen right where he stood!

Chiba Hengshan stared blankly at everything before him. After a momentary daze, a nearly fanatical smile erupted across his face.

"I killed the sword saint! Hahaha!"

At this very moment, Chiba Hengshan felt as though all the suppressed gloom of recent years had been instantly released, bringing an indescribable wave of exhilaration and relief to his entire being.

"Father, come quickly and look at Lord Qin!"

At that precise moment, Chiba Kaoru's anxious voice suddenly rang out from behind him.