The audience buzzes with excitement as Jiang Yue's words ripple through the air. One hundred Divine Sea pills—a reward that could push even the most restrained disciple to the edge. Even the other elders exchange knowing glances; Jiang Yue alone has the wealth and audacity to back up such a claim. The Sword Seal Array hums with anticipation as the first Jianfeng disciples, eyes blazing with newfound purpose, turn toward their lone target—Yun Xiao.
Outside the barrier, thousands of cultivators murmur, awestruck by Jiang Yue's boldness, while inside, the bloodlust is palpable. Each disciple's Sword Soul shimmers with deadly intent, a mosaic of radiant colors weaving together to form a singular, menacing force.
"Kill!" they shout, their voices merging into a chilling chant.
Jiang Yue stands with the self-assurance of a deity surveying her realm, watching Yun Xiao from a distance, amused and confident in her impending victory. Her smirk widens as Yun Xiao, isolated in the center, catches her gaze. Her confidence wavers for just an instant, an almost imperceptible sting flashing through her mind. His eyes, unyielding and cold, meet hers with an intensity she did not anticipate.
"Kill him! Tear him apart!" she yells, her voice cracking with sudden anger, her finger trembling as she points toward him.
One by one, the disciples surge forward, their collective shout shaking the air. "Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Yet amid the fury, Yun Xiao stands unmoved, a silent force amidst chaos. The chants crash against him like waves against a mountain; his gaze remains steady, his form unyielding. His voice, low but clear, cuts through the frenzied cries:
"Three months ago, I was at death's door, standing alone against a sea of so-called sword immortals, powerless to break free. But today, I am reborn. I have fought through demons and crossed death itself. I will not yield—not a single step."
Suddenly, a fierce light erupts in Yun Xiao's eyes, a glint as cold and sharp as the edge of a blade. He lowers himself into a stance, becoming one with his sword, his aura rising like a violent storm.
In the face of 120 formidable disciples, Yun Xiao's spirit flares, filling the sealed arena with an overwhelming presence that silences even the loudest. He stands like a spear driven into the earth, his spirit unbending and undaunted, as if daring the heavens themselves to challenge him.
Clank!!
A chilling sound echoes through the air as an azure Sword Gang appears in Yun Xiao's palm, swirling with a menacing intensity. His single sword resonates, drowning out the cries of a hundred swords around him. His weapon, alive with a terrifying energy, hovers like a judgment passed by death itself, its 15 azure blades intertwining to form an aura resembling the depths of the underworld.
The white-robed figure, fearless and poised, thrusts his sword forward, his gaze steely and unwavering. Opposite him, the disciples roar in anger and charge, their Sword Souls unleashed in a storm of flying blades. Yun Xiao's fingers deftly control his azure Sword Soul, which whirls like a phantom through the battlefield. As the disciples launch their flying swords in a whirlwind, Yun Xiao remains calm.
In a flash, his azure blade vanishes, splitting the air with a piercing whistle. The next moment, 18 explosions reverberate through the arena, marking where his sword has struck. Blood mists erupt as the chests of 18 disciples rupture, leaving gaping holes where their hearts once beat. Bodies fall in succession, each one flung backward by the force of Yun Xiao's attack, their crimson trails staining the ground.
Jiang Yue stares wide-eyed, her body trembling as Yun Xiao's sword stops just at the tip of her nose. The air around her face is sliced by its deadly presence, leaving a hundred shallow cuts on her skin. Her veil, torn to fragments, flutters to the ground as she backs away, paralyzed by fear.
Yun Xiao's azure Sword Soul has pierced 18 hearts before her eyes, stopping only when it reached her.
Her shock morphs into terror. "Yun Xiao…" she stammers, her eyes meeting his. She knows now, without doubt—if Yun Xiao had wished, she would already be dead.
The disciples' charge falters as they witness Yun Xiao's ruthless skill. Tianyuan's face contorts, rage and fear twisting his expression. "15 Sword Gang…" he whispers, realizing Yun Xiao's power. He, the favored child of the First Sword Reverent, possesses only 11 Sword Gangs. This discrepancy stirs panic among the elders, who stand up, scrutinizing Yun Xiao's every move.
"Encircle and kill him!" Tianyuan orders, his tone desperate yet resolute. "Disperse! Use the flying swords at a distance!"
The disciples fall back, forming a ring around Yun Xiao, each wielding their swords with renewed caution. Jiang Yue, still shaken, retreats behind Tianyuan, clinging to a semblance of safety.
"Flying sword formation—attack!" Tianyuan's command signals over a hundred disciples to unleash their swords simultaneously, turning the arena into a maelstrom of spinning blades.
But Yun Xiao doesn't flinch. He raises his azure sword, which expands to six chi, glimmering with a deadly edge. Stepping lightly onto his blade, he rises above the whirlwind, moving effortlessly among the storm of swords.
In this chaotic display, Yun Xiao's figure darts and weaves, avoiding every attack with grace, as though he dances on the breeze itself. His white robe remains unmarred, untouched by the flurry of strikes.
"How is he doing this?!" gasps a spectator. "That's the Kaiyang sword technique… but he's taken it to another level!"
"Is that even possible? I've never seen anyone control their sword with such precision!"
On the sidelines, the elders exchange embarrassed glances, each recalling Yun Xiao's unexpected prowess during training. "I couldn't even block his strikes," admits Elder Zheng, a deep blush coloring his cheeks.
Their leader, Grandpa Qin, laughs with unconcealed pride. "This boy is truly a once-in-a-lifetime genius!"
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Yun Xiao pauses, his gaze sweeping across the disciples encircling him, his voice resounding through the silence:
"Enough of this. Now, it's my turn."
Buzz!
Yun Xiao's blade hums with a fierce energy as he charges forward. In a flash, he hurtles through a storm of swords, his figure melded with his weapon, streaking towards his target. His next strike locks onto a female disciple—Simultaneous Yuxuan, the tenth disciple of the revered Sword Sect. Her face drains of colour as Yun Xiao approaches, her hands frantically calling back her flying sword.
Too late.
With a graceful leap, Yun Xiao descends, his Sword Soul shifting into a lethal three-chi form as he grips it with unwavering strength. A swift, deadly motion follows—a silent, blinding slash. Yuxuan's head flies from her shoulders in a spray of red, her lifeless body collapsing to the ground.
"Junior Sister!" Tianyuan and the others roar in despair, their faces twisted with fury. They unleash their flying swords at Yun Xiao, while a few brave souls close in, wielding swords with burning hatred. Yun Xiao's movements blur as he dodges their attacks, his Xiaoyao You technique, guiding him effortlessly through the chaotic storm of blades.
"You think this is anger?" Yun Xiao smirks coldly. "I've only just begun."
With a flick of his wrist, he re-engages, his sword flashing as he closes in once more. The blade morphs seamlessly between forms—now a flying sword, now a governing sword, now back to the palm sword—all in a deadly rhythm of precise, lethal attacks. Yun Xiao's skill with *Three Swords Uniting* astonishes onlookers; even the elders struggle to comprehend the fluid, perfect execution of such advanced techniques.
"Is this... a massacre?" mutters one onlooker, stunned by Yun Xiao's power.
Like a spectral figure cloaked in azure light, Yun Xiao weaves through the remaining disciples. His sword claims life after life, while none can even graze him. In the chaos, he confronts Slow Qian, whose Sword Soul disintegrates beneath Yun Xiao's swift attack. Blood pours from her throat as she crumples, joining the fallen.
Watching from the sidelines, Jiang Yue feels her mind fray. Her comrades, once regarded with awe, fall one after another beneath Yun Xiao's blade. The remaining disciples shrink back in terror, their confidence splintered.
"Work together, don't let him get away with this!" Tianyuan shouts, though his eyes flicker with panic. The few remaining disciples muster what courage they can, rallying around him. "We can wear him down!"
Jiang Yue nods, though her voice quivers. "Yes, just… just wear him down."
But Yun Xiao, noticing their desperate gathering, shows no sign of retreat. He stands upon his sword, his white robes and long hair flowing in the breeze. His fierce gaze sweeps over his remaining foes—now less than a hundred strong. Among them, only Tianyuan and Jiang Yue stand as Divine Sea Realm cultivators; the rest, Dragon Spring or lower, tremble in his presence.
Tianyuan clenches his jaw, muttering to himself, "His technique must drain supernatural power. He can't last forever."
In a last-ditch effort, the disciples rally. Though trembling with fear, they draw their swords once more, clinging to the hope of outlasting his strength.
But Yun Xiao's focus never wavers. His sword thirsts, his gaze steely. To him, only one thing remains: to carve his path through them all.