Under the dim light of night,Yun Xiao approached and gently knocked on the door.
"Senior Sister Zhao, Yun Xiao is here," he announced softly.
Inside, he heard a quick shuffle and the clatter of a basin. A delicate voice called out, "What brings you here at this hour?"
"Didn't Senior Sister tap three times on the sword scroll today, hinting that I should visit?" Yun Xiao teased.
A pause, then the door opened, revealing Senior Sister Zhao, who shot him an exasperated look. "Don't talk nonsense. Hurry up; we must go to Cloud Palace."
"Are you scared?" Yun Xiao asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm afraid of your nonsense," she muttered, biting her lip.
Yun Xiao noticed the flush on her face and, emboldened, stepped into her room behind her. Inside, the room was sparsely furnished: just a simple bed, a desk, and a few belongings. On the desk, a letter in neat, graceful handwriting caught his eye.
"What are you writing?" Yun Xiao asked, ignoring her glare.
"Just a letter," she said, eyes shifting.
"To whom?" he pressed.
Senior Sister Zhao sighed. "To someone far away, in Ten Thousand Swords Sea. My... mother."
Yun Xiao was startled. He hadn't realized Senior Sister Zhao had family in Ten Thousand Swords Sea, a distant land renowned for its powerful Sword Cloud faction.
"Mother?" Yun Xiao echoed. Senior Sister Zhao nodded, looking out the window, her expression solemn.
"My mother is from Sword Cloud," she explained. "It's one of the major sects across Ten Thousand Swords Sea, as powerful as our Taboo Tower here."
Yun Xiao's interest deepened, and Senior Sister Zhao began to tell him about her past. Her mother, a high-ranking member of Sword Cloud, had never accepted her father and had abandoned him and Senior Sister Zhao, seeing them as liabilities that sullied her pursuit of pure swordsmanship. Zhao's father had been banished from Sword Cloud, leaving the family in Blue Soul to fend for themselves, all but forgotten by the powerful sect.
A silence settled between them until Yun Xiao spoke up, breaking the tension. "So you're writing to Sword Cloud for help?"
"Yes, but they're unlikely to respond," she said bitterly. "They won't get involved unless it directly threatens their sacred Sword Souls. But if I mention your recent achievements, they might take notice."
Yun Xiao gave a nod of resolve. "Senior Sister Zhao, whatever you need to do, I'll support you."
"Yun Xiao, this might make you a target," she warned. "You may gain resources and attention, but also danger."
"What's life without a few risks?" Yun Xiao replied, his tone steely. He was determined to support her, no matter the cost.
Later that night, on the highest peak of Sword Pavilion, three figures stood in the cold wind. Ye Tiance, flanked by two allies, gazed northward as a dark figure appeared. It was Jiang Yue, a monster lord from the Northern Wilds, notorious for her fierce power.
Jiang Yue had come to aid Ye Tiance in his quest for vengeance against Sword Pavilion, particularly against Zhao Jianxing. She held no love for the pavilion; she and Ye Tiance were united in their desire to see it fall. As they conspired, their dark plans became clear: they intended to attack that very night, taking advantage of Sword Pavilion's weakened defenses.
In the deep night at the Sword Pavilion, the surroundings were dark as ink.Yun Xiao and Senior Sister Zhao were coming back to the gate of the Overwhelming Palace when they heard echoes of earth-shattering war cry reached all the way to Sword Pavilion.Both of them ran to different directions following the sounds.
Yun Xiao arrived on the scene where a woman, whose face was still obscured, breathed softly with a voice as gentle as an orchid. Her graceful figure was surrounded by a faint fragrance, and it seemed as though many were calling out to him. Yet, in his daze, all he could truly hear was the woman murmuring in her sleep. Her gentle humming was enchanting, dreamlike, a melody that lingered around him like a soft cloud.
"What?" Yun Xiao suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, forcing him to step back.
He looked up to see a woman, bloodied and clutching her wounded body.
"Jiang Yue!"
Yun Xiao quickly pieced things together: Jiang Yue was possessed by a malevolent spirit, radiating a dark aura.
"What bit me?" Jiang Yue's eyes glowed with a strange pink light as she stared at Yun Xiao with fierce intensity.
There was a monster within her—and not only one, it seemed.
Sword Pavilion was in grave danger. Yun Xiao's eyes blazed with fury.
"You vile spirit! How dare you invade my Blue Soul Sword Pavilion! Damn it!" Enraged, he unleashed a whirlwind of sword energy, aiming it directly at Jiang Yue's forehead.
In that moment, he put everything on the line. A single strike to the soul!
Jiang Yue's eyes widened, the pink glow fading as a pink mist exploded from her head and attempted to escape.
"Trying to flee?" Yun Xiao's flying sword spun through the air, slicing through the mist.
The mist screeched, echoing the cries of a fox.
"Yun Xiao! You dare to kill my clone? My true self will make you suffer a fate worse than death!" The pink mist condensed into a beautiful fox, with a gaping wound on her chest where Yun Xiao's sword had struck.
"Yuexian!" Jiang Yue gasped as she finally regained control, collapsing in despair, her face streaked with tears.
"So, you're Yuexian? One of Ye Tiance's invited guests?" Yun Xiao sneered.
The pink fox seized the moment, transforming back into mist and attempting to escape. Yun Xiao, however, pursued her swiftly, slicing through her form.
"Is this clone yours?" Yun Xiao grabbed the fox by the neck and slashed his sword down.
With a swift motion, he severed the fox's four tails.
The fox glared at him with venomous hatred, hissing, "You destroyed my clone; you will die for this!"
"You'll die first." Yun Xiao pressed the fox to the ground and mercilessly slashed, cutting her to pieces.
"My true self will..." The fox's voice was abruptly silenced as Yun Xiao's relentless strikes tore her apart.
Without time to scream, her clone was obliterated. Her charm was powerful but fragile in its temporary form, leaving her vulnerable.
Nearby, Jiang Yue was visibly shaken, her face pale.
"Jiang Yue, I never expected someone like you to have the audacity to show up here. Do you really think you belong here? Do you expect Ye Guying to save you?" Yun Xiao taunted, knowing that Ye Tiance's collusion with the dark forces was undeniable.
"She've taken me over…" Jiang Yue's voice was filled with grief, utterly defeated.
"Although you were possessed, you're still watching. Do you want to see me die?"
Yun Xiao prepared to finish her off.
"Junior Brother Yun!" someone shouted from near the palace gates, where a fierce battle was taking place.
Senior Sister Zhao, along with two elders and the blind Old Master Qin, were drenched in blood.
"So many monsters? Is there no way to save them?" Yun Xiao's heart trembled as he felt a surge of anger.
Yuexian's evil influence had already infiltrated Blue Soul Sword Pavilion!
Beyond the Pavilion, he could hear the sounds of clashing swords, and he didn't need to guess that Ye Tiance was preventing anyone from coming to their aid.
"He's letting these demons ravage my Sword Pavilion?"
Those colluding with Ye Tiance waited outside, smugly anticipating the Pavilion's downfall. They had no idea that Yuexian's clone had already been destroyed.
"Ye Tiance, I'll make sure you die like a dog!" Yun Xiao seethed, rushing toward the battle at the palace gates.
"Junior Brother Yun! Quickly!" Qin Tongqi called out.
"These three wolf demons are 800-year-old monster kings! They're equivalent to Divine Sea Sword Sovereigns!" Cai Maomao's voice trembled.
Three Sword Sovereigns!
Yuexian's influence, coupled with three monsters of this level, had made Ye Tiance confident of his victory. But he hadn't counted on Yun Xiao's hidden power.
"An 800-year-old monster king…" Yun Xiao's eyes swept over the wolves, towering figures of iron-gray, their fur sharp as blades and eyes glowing red. Each exuded a deathly gray fog, filled with lethal energy.
Senior Sister Zhao struggled to fend off just one, while the remaining three elders fought for their lives against the other beasts. Old Master Qin, once at the Divine Sea Realm, was now weak with age and blindness. Despite their combined efforts, bloodied wounds appeared on their bodies as the wolves tore into them.
They couldn't hold out much longer!
The Sword Pavilion disciples cried out in panic, while Senior Sister Zhao's face contorted in both rage and frustration.
"You all think you're powerful, but you're helpless to save anyone!" Jiang Yue muttered, her expression blank. Even in her despair, she clung to Ye Guying as her last hope.
"Yun Xiao!" Senior Sister Zhao raised her long black sword, shouting with all her strength.
Hū!
She suddenly charged toward Grandpa Qin's attacker, putting her back toward Yun Xiao, exposing herself to save him. Grandpa Qin had been thrown to the ground by a fierce wolf demon, and she had no choice but to rescue him. Yet, by doing so, she placed herself directly in harm's way.
"A mere child daring to turn her back on me?" sneered the Ningsheng Wolf King, his monstrous grin widening as he lunged toward Zhao Xuanran, a foul-smelling gust following his every move.
Save the others first, even if it means sacrificing herself!
"Senior Sister Zhao!!"
Seeing this, Yun Xiao felt a surge of rage blaze through his chest, murderous intent rising sky-high. A mere dog dares to threaten Senior Sister Zhao?
"Die!!"
Yun Xiao transformed into a swift shadow, charging forward. In his hand, the Sword Soul morphed into a flying sword and shot forth like a whirlwind!
Tenfold Strength!!
The azure flying sword accelerated, each burst propelling it faster and louder until it formed a swirling azure scale storm. With immense force, it slammed into the Ningsheng Wolf King from the side.
The Blue Soul's first flying sword technique!
Yuheng-level sword technique!
"Just a petty trick—" the wolf demon sneered. However, his expression changed instantly before he could finish speaking.
Slice!
The azure storm drove through his eye socket and burst out the back of his head, scattering a massive amount of red and white matter into the air.
Bang!
The flying sword's momentum blew apart the entire head of the wolf demon, sending his body hurtling into the outer wall of the palace, splattering it with monster blood. The whole palace shook from the impact.
An 800-year-old wolf demon king, slain with a single strike!
"Junior Brother Yun…" Cai Maomao, Qin Tong, and the others watched, wide-eyed and awestruck.
Senior Sister Zhao didn't even turn her head, trusting him completely. She knew he would have her back. Now freed, she rushed to rescue Grandpa Qin, her Azure Dragon Wind Fierce Sword forcing back another wolf demon that was about to tear Grandpa Qin's head apart.
"Is Yun Xiao really that powerful?" Grandpa Qin, still trembling, was overcome with relief and gratitude.
But the fight wasn't over yet!
"How dare an evil spirit invade my Blue Soul Sword Pavilion?!" Yun Xiao shouted, fury blazing in his eyes. He grabbed the Heaven-Burying Sword Soul, the blade glowing with a three-foot azure edge. His foot struck the ground with such force that it cracked beneath him.
Buzz!
Like a dragon unleashed, he charged at another wolf demon king. This demon had already injured two elders, who were now covered in blood. Despite their battered state, the three elders held firm, choosing to defend Sword Pavilion even at the risk of their lives.
"That boy…!" the wolf demon king growled in shock. Then he roared in fury, "Snake Sovereign, are you just going to watch?
But before he could act, Yun Xiao was upon him! Dressed in white, his azure sword flashed with dragon-like power, each strike carrying the force of a roaring azure dragon.
Azure Dragon Wind Fierce Strike!
The first sword, to test his opponent's strength!
Yun Xiao's sword pierced forward like a dragon's fang, targeting the wolf demon's chest.
In response, the Ningsheng Wolf King swiped his sharp claws at Yun Xiao. Each claw, half a foot long, glinted like swords, infused with dark sorcery and gray flames. With thunderous power, he swung them toward Yun Xiao!
With a sudden thrust, Yun Xiao's sword erupted with power, piercing fiercely into the wolf demon's claw, driving upward in a sharp arc until it sliced into the lower jaw of the Wolf King.
Clang!
With a push of the hilt, the three-foot-long azure blade shot skyward, penetrating the top of the demon's head! Yun Xiao then delivered a powerful kick to its jaw.
Boom!
The 800-year-old demon wolf was hurled into the air and smashed back down with lifeless eyes, a brutal death without even a chance to fight back.
"One down!" Yun Xiao declared, wasting no time. He retrieved his Heaven-Burying Sword Soul and turned toward his next target.
But suddenly—
A terrified cry came from Grandpa Qin. "A millennia-old Monster Sovereign!"
Panic rippled through Sword Pavilion.
"A second Monster Sovereign in the Northern Desolate?" Elder Zhou's voice trembled with fear.
"Be careful!" Elder Zheng shouted in alarm.
Yun Xiao's heart dropped. Yuexian's true form, the Desolate North's Monster Sovereign, had a second? And it had come to Blue Soul Sword Pavilion? This one might even surpass the strength of the Source Pill Realm expert Ye Tiance!
Yun Xiao spun around.
Before the palace, a thick black fog was spreading rapidly. In the midst of that fog, a massive jet-black serpent emerged, darker than ink, slithering out from the forest, its stinking wind sweeping across the Sword Pavilion grounds!
It appeared so suddenly!
Senior Sister Zhao was still locked in battle with the last wolf demon king, completely unprepared for the arrival of an even stronger Monster Sovereign.
Bang!
The dark serpent lashed out, sending a cloud of demonic fog that instantly bound Senior Sister Zhao. With a vicious swing, it slammed her into the ground.
Senior Sister Zhao's body was soaked in blood. She struggled to move, but pain wracked her frame, leaving her helpless.
The serpent lunged forward, its jaws closing around her as it lifted its head triumphantly, sneering at Yun Xiao with a twisted, arrogant smile.
The beautiful, bloodied figure of Senior Sister Zhao was caught in the serpent's mouth, and it made the Sword Pavilion disciples' hearts shatter with despair.
"Senior Sister Zhao—!!" Yun Xiao's eyes filled with a fierce scarlet rage.
This was the person who had stayed up all night to sew his robes for him...
The snake's wicked eyes glinted, amused, as the blood of his Senior Sister stained its fangs.
Not far away, Ye Tiance, Yao Manxue, and their allies, who had conspired with the monsters, watched with twisted delight, swords drawn to threaten the remaining Sword Pavilion disciples.
"To think a bunch of naive fools like you would throw yourselves into this fight, knowing nothing of the world," Ye Tiance sneered, arrogantly. "How could you ever hope to challenge me, Ye Tiance?"
With his power at the Source Pill Realm, he was unstoppable, using his strength to deceive and oppress others.
"After tonight, there will be no more 'geniuses' in the Sword Pavilion, and my accomplishments will cement me as the true leader of the righteous path!" he boasted.
In this world, demons ran rampant, bringing calamity to the innocent.
Corrupt officials ruled, abusing their power.
The loyal dead lay in graves on the mountainside, their spirits unable to return home. Is this what immortality promised?
If the path of immortality cannot be carved through a sword held high, and if one's soul cannot be reborn with pride, what meaning is there in such a life?
Yun Xiao's blood boiled with anger, fury surging through his mind like flames, turning his gaze blood-red.
"Release her! I will face you, life or death!" he yelled, his sword hand trembling.
The serpent sneered dismissively. "You? A mere insect with a fleeting life, daring to challenge me?"
As it laughed, it bit down again. Senior Sister Zhao's face turned pale, and black blood trickled from her lips. Her life force was slipping away like smoke.
With her vision dimming, she looked at Yun Xiao, her expression softening. "Junior Brother Yun...I guess we'll have that drink in the next life."