53: Chapter 53 Sword Formation Display, Awe-inspiring in All Directions

The morning light had just climbed onto the metallic edges of the Eastern District's martial stage, and the air still carried the chill of night dew.

Chen Xiaodao stood at the center of the field, his sword still sheathed. The mechanical prosthetic on his left arm glinted with a cold silver luster, looking like an iron branch chiseled out of mountain rock.

He didn't look around or speak; he simply raised his right hand slowly and rested it on the sword hilt.

A dozen or so young clansmen stood at the edge of the square, clutching Jade Slips in their hands, their eyes shining but suppressed by a hint of disbelief.

Someone muttered in a low voice, "Can one person really control twelve machines? I hope it's not just for show again."

The person next to him shook his head. "Didn't you see the look in his eyes when he came out of seclusion last night? Something's different."

Before the words even landed, Chen Xiaodao moved.

Draw—stance—slash!

There was no shout, no flashy movements. As the blade sliced through the air, a dual-frequency oscillation suddenly exploded. A crisp 'crack' rang out in the air, like ice layers splitting apart.

Seven afterimages appeared out of thin air, frozen in place and refusing to dissipate for a long time.

The entire field fell silent for half a beat.

Immediately after, the twelve mechs dormant in their array positions jolted violently. Hatch doors unlocked, spiritual energy flowed back into the joints, and engines hummed low.

They didn't activate their flight Systems; instead, they all drew the spiritual energy longswords from their backs and lined up in the Big Dipper position, sword tips pointing toward the sky.

"It's coming!" someone blurted out.

Chen Xiaodao shifted his footing slightly and tapped twice in the air with his left hand; the neural interface synchronized instantly.

The first mech stepped forward—horizontal slash!

The second followed immediately—upward diagonal strike!

The third leaped and cleaved downward—three streaks of Sword Qi converged in the air, forming a chain reaction wave that rushed straight toward the central target post.

Boom!

Stone chips flew as spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the surface of the target post, yet it did not collapse.

But this was only the beginning.

The fourth and fifth mechs lunged forward in a crisscross pattern, their blades clashing to trigger high-frequency vibrations;

The sixth and seventh flipped through the air, their dual swords merging to slash out an arched wave of air;

The eighth through twelfth mechs charged up simultaneously, their Sword Intent stacking layer upon layer. Finally, Chen Xiaodao himself reined in the rhythm and violently swung his hand—

"Star-Breaking!"

The final blow fell. It was no longer a cleave, but a resonance strike with extremely compressed frequency.

The entire target post disintegrated from within, exploding into powder with a roar, as stone fragments rained down over ten meters away.

No one blinked.

Even the wind seemed to stop.

"This... this wasn't cleaved."

An older clansman squeezed to the front and reached out to touch the incision left on the scorched ground. As his fingertips slid across, there wasn't even a single burr.

His voice trembled. "It was shattered by vibration... Using the frequency of Sword Intent, the stone was torn apart from the inside."

The crowd erupted into an uproar.

"One man leading an array, Sword Intent like a tide!"

A youth shouted excitedly, recording non-stop with his Jade Slip. "I have to send this home quickly and let my father see what true New Sword Dao looks like!"

Laughter, discussion, and exclamations of wonder blended together.

Several young people who had originally been watching coldly with folded arms now also crowded forward. They wanted to ask Chen Xiaodao for details but didn't dare get too close, only daring to stare at his mechanical arm from a distance.

Chen Xiaodao ignored the clamor.

He sheathed his sword, his breathing steady, though fine sweat seeped from his forehead and his chest rose and fell slightly.

He knew this array was extremely draining, but it had to be perfect in one go.

He couldn't test it, couldn't restart, and especially couldn't let the clansmen feel it was 'just so-so.'

He looked up, his gaze passing through the crowd to land on the edge of the high observation platform.

Chen Wuwang had stood there at some unknown point, still in his black robes, his silver hair tied neatly. The three claw marks on his right cheek were particularly clear in the morning light.

He didn't applaud or speak; he simply curled his lips slightly and gave Chen Xiaodao a faint nod.

With that one look, Chen Xiaodao understood.

It wasn't praising his strength, but saying: You did it.

It was worthy of being carved in stone.

The crowd grew larger and larger, cheers coming in wave after wave. Several children clung to the fence and peered inside, clamoring to learn the "Star-Breaking Slash."

An old deacon stood in a corner. Originally frowning, he now slowly unclenched his fists and sighed in a low voice:

"The younger generation is truly to be feared... This is how our Chen Family should look."

Chen Xiaodao finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, yet it suppressed the noise:

"I practiced this array by myself, but I'm only able to stand here because of the System the Family Head gave me and the mechs the clansmen built. I am no Genius; I just don't want to lose."

After he finished speaking, he turned toward the twelve mechs and beckoned with his hand.

Buzz—

All the mechs simultaneously sheathed their swords, lined up neatly, closed their hatches, and returned to silence.

The entire process was smooth as flowing water, without the slightest delay.

"It is called the 'Astral Pivot Sword Array'," he said with his back to the crowd, his voice steady. "Today was its first public demonstration. It will only get stronger in the future."

Thunderous applause broke out.

The light of Jade Slips flickered incessantly as information spread through the clan at an astonishing speed.

Everyone knew that once this scene got out, the small and large clans in the surrounding areas would all prick up their ears.

On the high platform, Chen Wuwang finally moved.

He walked down the steps slowly, his pace neither hurried nor slow, a faint smile always hanging on his face.

As he passed by several Elders, he said softly, "Prepare the Council Hall. Summon the deacons of every workshop before noon."

His tone was casual, as if he were arranging a meal.

But only he knew that his mind was already racing.

"The Astral Pivot Sword Array's combat response time is currently 1.8 seconds. If the protocol stack is optimized to under 0.9 seconds and paired with a terrain prediction module, any surprise attack within a five-mile radius can be countered."

"A scale of twelve units is already enough to deter petty criminals. If expanded to a hundred units and connected to a long-range power supply tower, the defense line of the Eastern Wasteland border could be directly restructured."

"Now is the perfect time to establish prestige. Once the news spreads, there will surely be fools who try to test us... Then let them see with their own eyes what the combination of technology and Sword Intent looks like."

He walked to the edge of the martial stage and glanced at Chen Xiaodao, who was still surrounded by young clansmen. A rare touch of softness flashed in his eyes.

This child could finally carry a banner.

"Family Head." A deacon quickly followed him, lowering his voice. "Elder Lin sent over three samples of mutated spiritual plants, saying they were what you asked to keep an eye on before."

Chen Wuwang didn't stop. "Leave them. We'll talk about it later."

The deacon was stunned. "Not checking them?"

"No need to rush," he said indifferently. "Some people haven't seen the situation clearly yet. Once they see the power of this sword array, they will naturally come to us to negotiate terms on their own initiative."

He walked out of the martial arts area, his figure gradually receding.

Behind him was the boiling crowd, the still-echoing cheers, and a newly born legend.

Chen Xiaodao stood in place, surrounded by people asking all sorts of questions. Some asked him to perform again, while others begged for guidance on Sword Intent.

He responded to each one, his tone calm and his movements crisp.

Until a youth timidly handed over a Jade Slip, saying he wanted to record the opening stance of the "Star-Breaking Slash."

He took it and drew his sword again.

The sword light flashed, and the afterimages reappeared.

The onlookers held their breath as the Jade Slip automatically captured the trajectory, data streams rolling frantically.

No one noticed that on the mountain ridge to the southeast, a hidden figure quietly retreated, the transmission talisman in their sleeve glowing slightly hot.

The martial stage remained lively.

Sunlight filled the entire square. The mechs stood silent like soldiers, and the Sword Intent had yet to dissipate.

Chen Xiaodao sheathed his sword and looked up at the sky.

He knew that the true storm had only just begun.