Chapter 115 - One Sword Shattering Ten Thousand!
Forbidden Tower, a towering black edifice, reaching straight into the clouds, stood with imposing dignity. It loomed like a tyrant ruling over all creation.
Beneath the Forbidden Tower was a space encircled by ebony walls, named the Forbidden Arena. This was the training and sparring grounds for the Sword Cultivators of the Tower, its floor laid with dark bricks.
Everywhere the eye met, there was black! Overpowering, indifferent, and above discussion.
By now, it was well past midnight, with no light in the sky. The torches atop the Forbidden Tower burned fiercely, illuminating the Forbidden Arena. Their flames danced wildly, creating a solemn atmosphere.
A total of five thousand elite Sword Cultivators gathered in this arena!
With their backs to the Forbidden Tower, they fixed their cold gazes on the arena's grand entrance. Their stares were like that of five thousand soaring eagles, poised high in the sky, waiting for prey to fall into their trap.
Among them, those wearing black and red robes were from the Forbidden Tower, each one a genius and powerhouse!
Those donned in blue and green robes were from Sword Heaven, and though this was the Forbidden Tower, the folks from Sword Heaven outnumbered the rest.
Despite the two factions having clashed to near death the previous night, they appeared tonight as if they were the closest of kin. The cultivators from the Forbidden Tower seemed hardly bothered by the Sword Heaven cultivators overshadowing them.
Put simply, it was a case of marital spats resolving themselves by bedtime. Though, the fights did get rather brutal...
BOOM! Suddenly, the entire Forbidden Tower shook violently. Overwhelming waves of spiritual energy pressed down from the tower's pinnacle, causing the whole Forbidden Arena to tremble.
"It's Ye Guying!"
"Such a powerful presence..."
The five thousand Sword Cultivators visibly shuddered. After a moment of awe, they broke into smiles.
"Truly deserving of the Dao Seed Talent!"
"I bet he's going to emerge ahead of schedule, huh?"
"Once he steps out, we can surely see him defeat Yun Xiao. Let's gift him an extra sword thrust as a welcome present!"
At those words, the crowd erupted in laughter. However, the thought that Ye Guying was still unaware of his family's demise added a touch of awkwardness to the mood.
"We're just waiting for Ye Guying to ascend to the Heavenly Realm and bring glory to our Sword Realm!"
"The way of the sword always produces champions!"
The Forbidden Tower crowd boasted superior numbers and with the Dao Seed Talent leading the charge, they were itching to wipe away the humiliation they suffered. To think a mere youth made them the laughing stock, sending their reputations plummeting to rock bottom.
Among the throng, the figure cloaked in black, the Tower Lord, and the white-haired Sword Lord stood out, radiating cold authority. Everyone was waiting!
"It's time!"
"Flying all the way from that distant mortal realm with an entire team on their Sovereign Swords must have taken quite a toll!"
Yun Xiao, unskilled in riding the Sovereign Sword back then, had taken three grueling months to cover this distance.
HUM! A ray of sword light materialized mysteriously from above, coming to a sudden halt before the Tower Lord, Sword Lord, and others. At its helm stood a young maiden in a blue skirt.
Xiao Xue'er, one of the few remaining Heaven Chosen of the Forbidden Tower and little sister to Xiao Xing'er, beamed with pride.
"Xue'er, you've done us proud!" Madame Xiao, overwhelmed with emotion, stepped forward to embrace the blue-skirted girl.
"Yes, I was lucky to stumble upon this little wretch."
In Xiao Xue'er's hand was a burlap sack. Before the eager eyes of thousands, she tore the sack open, revealing a woman in a black gown, bound in icy chains, her body marred with bloody wounds and a slash across her face.
SPLASH! A bucket of cold water splashed onto the bound woman, the sting from her wounds jolting her awake. As her eyes adjusted, they widened at the sight of over five thousand elite Sword Cultivators, at least five hundred of whom clearly outmatched her.
Where was she? The imposing and stern Forbidden Tower offered a clear answer. Clever as she was, she pieced it all together in an instant.
Facing the indifferent faces of the Sword Lord, Tower Lord, Madame Xiao, Xiao Xue'er, and others, she showed no fear, her cold eyes mocking. "A band of top-tier Sword Cultivators in their floating sanctuary, rather than saving the world, you deploy in such force to capture a mere Azure Spirit Sword Sect member like me? To threaten a junior? Do you posers really think you deserve to be called Sword Immortals?"
With that, she shut her eyes firmly. Delicate in appearance, her spirit was indomitable. An image of a young man in white flashed in her mind... Junior Brother Yun, take care. Until our paths cross again.
Zhao Xuanran would never allow herself to be the hindrance in Yun Xiao's journey to greatness. This life's bond was cherished, and if fate dictated an untimely end, she was at peace.
She felt a deep contentment in her heart, wishing only to fulfill her purpose.
The Northern Wastelands was now no more, her long-held grudges erased. Aside from matters of her father, she had no other lingering attachments. And as long as she didn't become a liability, what difficulty could a mere Sword Tempering Pill pose?
"It's such a pity that I couldn't witness him ascend to the heavens..." At this thought, a twinge of regret seeped in. But it didn't waver her resolution. Her gaze intensified in an instant, her heart set on a singular intention. To end her life and shatter her own sword.
In a mere flash, a dark Sword Soul emerged in her hand. Magic power roared into it, sword marks surged, and her soul seemed to disperse.
The Tower Lord, Sword Lord, and Madame Xiao, among others, were caught completely off guard.
Who could have predicted that the moment this hostage opened her eyes, her first impulse would be to end her own life? Just how deeply did she care about that young man to make such a final decision?
With a thunderous rumble, the Sword Lord and Tower Lord exerted their full might to suppress her.
"Of course, she's Ning Yan's wretched offspring! Just as lowly!" At a mere glimpse of the woman in the black dress, rage contorted Madame Xiao's face. A Sword Soul abruptly appeared in her hand as she sneered, slashing towards the woman. "Thinking of ending your life with that shattered sword? How about I sever your limbs, cripple your Dantian, and let a few lowly demons defile you daily? Let's see if Yun Xiao comes running then."
She wanted to laugh. Did she think suicide would be effective? It might work on others, but not on that sixteen-year-old brimming with youthful vigor and naivety. If she died here, Yun Xiao would only be drawn even closer. That's why Madame Xiao wasn't afraid of her dying.
Before the woman in black could shatter her sword, Madame Xiao aimed to slash her arm first. Five thousand people looked on, their faces impassive. Just then, a shrill, piercing scream resounded through the Forbidden Arena.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH! A beam of azure light shot in from outside the gate, instantly piercing the skulls of several Sword Cultivators in its path. Wherever the azure light passed, heads exploded!
BOOM BOOM BOOM! Blood rained as sword rays shimmered brightly!
"Huh?" Madame XIao's skin crawled as she swung her sword, sensing a sudden sense of danger. A shiver ran down her spine, and she spun around just in time to see a blood red dragon made out of sword energy lunging towards her!
"No!" The alarmed cries of the Sword Lord and Tower Lord echoed in her ears.
"He's already here?" Madame Xiao's heart nearly shattered from the shock! The Flying Sword, bristling with fury beyond comprehension, ran through her. In an instant, her arms, skull, body, and thighs were pulverized into a bloody powder!
BOOM! Her entire form exploded into a mist of blood, not even letting out a scream as it splattered into thousands of fragments onto the Sword Lord and Tower Lord, dyeing their black and white robes crimson with blood!
The Sword Lord reached out and grasped his robe, feeling the sticky softness under his hand. He looked down to see half of a blazing red eyeball... Yes, only half! The other half had exploded. These remains... they were all Madame Xiao’s! A living person, blown to smithereens in an instance!
This sight was like a sledgehammer to the heads of the five thousand elite Sword Cultivators!
BOOM BOOM BOOM! The azure Flying Sword’s momentum remained undiminished as it plunged into the Forbidden Tower, piercing through dozens of walls. The collapse of the walls made the entire Forbidden Tower teeter dangerously amid a cloud of dust.
This only showed how powerful this single Flying Sword was.
"Sun Moon Divine Light, Rainbow Through the Sun!!” the Tower Lord's face was smeared with blood. This was the most violent and terrifying Rainbow Through the Sun he had ever seen! Truly unstoppable, killing whoever came into its path!
"My dear Xiao Yu..." The Sword Lord clutching the half eyeball in his hand, his heart seemed to cease beating, and his face contorted into a grimace of extreme pain!
"Madame Xiao!” Five thousand elite Sword Cultivators from Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower watched the entrance of the Forbidden Arena with parched throats!
BOOM! The two massive black gates were kicked open with one powerful leg. The heavy iron door panels crashed into the crowd, instantly crushing dozens into pulp!
Outside the gate, a youth clad in white, wielding a single sword, strode in.
Both the Sword Lord and the Tower Lord, along with five thousand Sword Cultivators, recoiled in shock. Murderous intent surged like a tempest in their eyes, crimson veins pulsating with rage.
HUM HUM! All five thousand drew their Sword Souls, their overwhelming Sword Aura forming a dark cloud of blades, bearing down on Yun Xiao.
Within the crowd, only the lady in the black gown slightly trembled. Amidst her resolute gaze emerged a hint of warmth... He had come! She trusted him! Only by doing so would she do justice to his bravery at this moment.
"If such a youth is called a foolish ruler, then he's quite the marvelous fool, isn't he?" Zhao Xuanran mused, her eyes misting over. In this world, no one understood him better than she did. After all, she had been to the Cloud Nation and heard his tales. In this dark battleground, she was the sole light in Yun Xiao's eyes.
Yun Xiao scanned the area below the dark tower, where five thousand Sword Souls gleamed with varied radiance. They lit up the night sky but sent a chill to the heart.
"Yun! Xiao!" The Sword Lord and the Tower Lord spat out the two syllables, teeth grinding in fury.
"Shhh..." Yun Xiao raised a finger to his lips and whispered, "Save it. The dead don't get lines."
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