Chapter 215 - Killing the Fraudulent Number One Sword of the Divine Continent!
Yun Xiao moved so swiftly that it left the Supreme Marshal, Sword Saint Sun, and the others a bit on edge.
"The Nine Divine Guards are all off on their missions, what do we do now?" Su Lianlian asked, worry tinting her voice.
The Divine Dawn Empress had just emphasized the gravity of the situation—not to let Yun Xiao out of sight.
"No worries!" the Supreme Marshal said, his gaze deep and knowing, "He's got his own rhythm. Let him shine!"
"As long as it's not a trap set by the demons or devils, it should be alright," Nangong Xi murmured, pursing her lips. "But Yun Xiao is alone, and Violet Sky boasts a thousand Sword Cultivators. I'll shadow him discreetly, ready to back him up if needed."
"Good! Stay safe, and use the Thunder Crystal for communication if necessary," Sword Saint Sun instructed, needing to stay behind to guard against a sudden attack on the Divine Dawn Palace.
"I'm going too," You Yue announced.
"This bunch from Violet Sky really gets on my nerves," Su Lianlian said, biting her lip, anger sparkling in her eyes. Clearly, she too intended to follow.
"Yun Xiao can be impulsive. So, you three aunts keep an eye on him," the Supreme Marshal advised. He had faith in these three Tomb Masters.
"Understood." Nangong Xi nodded, and the three women turned, their swords carrying them away. Unlike Yun Xiao's flashy departure, they flew low, weaving through the streets of the Heavenly Realm.
Three aunties were on a covert mission, guarding from the shadows.
"The clash between the two great sword lineages of the Divine Continent might reach its climax in half an hour," the Supreme Marshal said, watching them leave, his eyes shining.
Sword Saint Sun's eyes sparkled with sword energy as he declared, "The Sword Realm shall prevail!"
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The Sword Dao Monument! Restored and re-erected, it stood tall before the gates of the Heavenly Realm. Looking towards the gates from this spot, one could see an ominous demon cloud gathering, filled with a billion snarls and growls, looming over the Heavenly Realm.
It was an army of 100 million demons! Their demon fog was like an endless gaping maw, ready to devour the entire Heavenly Realm. And the Sword Dao Monument was their first target!
Although the spirits of the billion ancestors had already entered the cycle of reincarnation, this monument remained significant for the Heavenly Realm, the Divine Continent, and humanity—a symbol of spiritual faith.
Now, a thousand Sword Cultivators in violet robes stood atop the monument, their clothes billowing, an aura of solemn might around them. They all grasped their shimmering Sword Souls, their blades pointing defiantly at the sky!
There stood Sword Saint Yu Qian, the so-called Number One Sword of the Divine Continent, a figure of unwavering resolve, his face stern and dignified. He had removed his hat, revealing a face with sharp, commanding features, his entire being as sharp as the edge of a sword, exuding an air of righteousness.
Before him lay hundreds of battle-weary soldiers from the Nine Heavens Immortal Army. On one side stood elite Sword Cultivators, and on the other, common soldiers, their strengths worlds apart. The soldiers didn't last long against such odds, crumbling swiftly.
Behind the two forces was the grotesque dog-headed human statue, imprisoning the spirits of over eight hundred thousand, their ghostly wails still piercing the air.
Sword Saint Yu Qian, observing these young soldiers clad in magic armor, pointed his sword! The longsword in his hand was the Upper Nebula grade Violet Sun Sword Soul, burning like a violet sun with fierce flames.
"Bunch of fools, blind to reality," Sword Saint Yu Qian scoffed with a cold smile. "Still so insistent on wasting your lives to cover for Divine Dawn's folly? Is it worth it?"
"Don't listen to his nonsense! So what if he's called the Number One Sword in the Divine Continent? He's just another lapdog of the demons!" Chen Mo bellowed. Bloodied and defiant, the fifth eldest of the Chen Clan glared at Sword Saint Yu Qian. "Hold on, brothers, reinforcements will come! Trust in our Empress!"
The few hundred soldiers of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army, their youthful faces marred with blood, tightened their grip on their magic weapons. Confusion clouded their minds from the relentless battle.
"Marshal Mo, are we really taking on the whole Demon Continent alone?"
"People from Violet Sky say it's our Empress who provoked this. The Demon Continent and the Five Immortal Empires are uniting against us, to root out a cancer in humanity..."
"Did our Empress really err...?"
Their courage wasn't faltering, but with the Demon Continent's army bearing down and Violet Sky's Sword Cultivators mercilessly slaughtering them, while the Divine Dawn Empress remained hidden in her palace, doubt began to seep in.
In just a few hours, the morale built up from the War of Immortals in the Heavenly Realm had started to waver under the corrupting influence of demons and false demons.
"Facing the Demon Continent alone is no concern; we do not fear death. But why are all Five Immortal Empires, our own kin, against us? Have we truly erred?" In this tumultuous Heavenly Realm, the young soldiers stood their ground, not out of fear, but confusion. Why did they stand alone? This wasn't just their question; it was on everyone's lips.
"Nonsense!" Chen Mo's eyes blazed with fury. "Great deeds are never achieved by heeding deceitful whispers. Violet Sky and the demons are one and the same, traitors to humanity seeking glory. They deserve death. The other four Immortal Empires are being coerced by Violet Sky! All we can do is trust in Lil Xi... our Empress! She will step forward and clear the air for everyone!"
"Yes...!" The resolve in the eyes of the hundreds of young soldiers from the Nine Heavens Immortal Army solidified once more.
They hailed from the families of the Heavenly Realm, some even from the ninety-nine territories of the lower realms, chasing dreams and glory, following Divine Dawn to join the Nine Heavens Immortal Army. Now, it seemed like the whole world was shaking their faith!
"I, Chen Mo, may not be the most capable, unworthy of my Chen Clan heritage, but I've never once doubted my loyalty to humanity, to the Heavenly Realm, to my home!" Chen Mo roared, his voice nearly breaking.
Standing before the gates of the Heavenly Realm, they looked back at their land, once a bustling world, now facing the onslaught of a hundred million demons, with traitors and demons dancing hand-in-hand!
"How can we fall when our homes, our families, are right behind us?"
It was this belief that steadied their hearts, corrupted by the storm of public opinion, holding firm in front of the Sword Dao Monument!
"Who's that man in green armor?" Sword Saint Yu Qian on the Sword Dao Monument coldly pointed at Chen Mo.
"Your Excellency Sword Saint! We've identified him; he's a big fish! He's the fifth eldest of the Chen Clan, Chen Xiao's brother!" a plump female Sword Cultivator in green robes respectfully reported.
"Chop off his limbs, seal his wounds, and nail him to the Sword Dao Monument. Let him die slowly," Sword Saint Yu Qian ordered, pointing his sword at Chen Mo.
"Yes!" The Violet Sky Sword Cultivators smirked.
"Dispose of these Nine Heavens Immortal Army soldiers in the same way," Sword Saint Yu Qian added.
"Sword Saint, is this really okay? Violet Sky hasn't openly broken with the Heavenly Realm yet, has it?" the plump woman in green robes asked.
The current conflict, on the surface, was between the Demon Continent and the Heavenly Realm, or even just between the Demon Continent and Yun Xiao! The Demon Continent's army had mobilized, but they hadn't formally declared war. They still lacked that banner!
Unless the Divine Dawn Empress slew Yun Xiao in the afternoon, the war still wasn't official. War banners were the heart of the humans and demons alike, shaping the fighting spirit of armies. A justified cause led to invincibility in battle!
The Demon Continent had not officially declared open hostilities. Yet, the Sword Cultivators of Violet Sky, guests in the Heavenly Realm, were openly slaughtering the Nine Heavens Immortal Army. It was like the eunuchs being more anxious than the Emperor. A line was being crossed!
So, the female Sword Cultivator spoke up.
"Divine Dawn's stubbornness and her use of Yun Xiao to spark a war between the continents mark her as a war criminal of the ages! Her crimes are too numerous to record, undeniable and known to all. The Nine Heavens Immortal Army, mere pawns in this, and those discerning among the humans and demons must see them slain! We of Violet Sky Sword Cultivators, leaders of the Sword Dao, bear the burden of the world's people, striking the first blow for the common folk. To forge peace for generations, we Sword Cultivators gladly embrace death. Attack!" Sword Saint Yu Qian declared, his voice resolute.
"For the people, attack!" Thousands of Violet Sky Sword Cultivators dove in, swords flashing, the air thick with killing intent.
"For the people?" Such twisted words only fueled the rage of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army!
The common folk of Violet Sky were well known to be but cattle for the Demon Continent, yet these Sword Cultivators claimed righteousness?
"What shameless scoundrels!" Chen Mo had no choice but to lead his young comrades in a desperate counterattack, dying to defend their beliefs.
"Dare to resist?" The female Sword Cultivator sneered, joined by five other Late Saint Realm Sword Cultivators.
Six swords pointed at Chen Mo, still only at the Perfect Wind Fire Tribulation Realm. A single sword from one of them could kill him instantly. Yet, six were gunning, each vying for the honor of Violet Sky.
"My dear niece... Forgive your fifth uncle for being so useless. I'll be going to the afterlife first!" Chen Mo muttered, tears welling in his eyes. All his life, he'd achieved little, relying on his older brothers for a comfortable life, yet always feeling stifled.
Today, Chen Mo didn't retreat. For him, it was a death without dishonor, not tarnishing the Chen Clan's name.
Tears flowing, Chen Mo thought of his family and the fate of the Divine Dawn Immortal Empire and humanity, feeling a mountain's weight on his chest, breathless with sorrow.
"I don't want to die; I want to see the false demons eradicated, the Demon Continent fall!" Chen Mo's soul screamed with hatred. But the six swords were a death sentence. He wept, despairing. And the wielders of those six swords? Their faces were cold, their eyes scornful.
"You bastards!" Chen Mo gritted his teeth, unleashing his magic weapon, choosing to die attacking rather than retreating!
In that instant, a streak of azure sword light shot past, a harbinger of death itself, whizzing by their ears.
With a series of splattering sounds, the Flying Sword, swirling with a storm of water, blood, wind, and thunder demon magic, struck the chest of the plump female Sword Cultivator in green robes. Like a four-colored raging dragon, it hit with such force that she was engulfed in a vortex of terror!
BOOM! Her body exploded into a shower of blood and gore, scattering across the battlefield. Her eyes, bones, and organs splattered against the Sword Dao Monument!
SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT! Then, like the grim reaper, the azure light pierced through several other top Sword Cultivators. They couldn't even scream before being reduced to shreds, their remains littering the monument.
Six top Violet Sky Sword Cultivators fell in one blow!
"Constellation Slaying Sword!" Each of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army soldiers recognized that sword. Their dim eyes suddenly ignited with a roaring fire, their young faces beaming with fierce joy.
"My nephew-in-law!!" Chen Mo trembled with surprise and relief. Miraculously escaping death, he spun around and saw a young man in white descending from the sky, catching the unsullied azure Flying Sword.
"Yun Xiao!" The soldiers of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army boiled with fervor. No matter the deceiving words spread about, the sight of this youth reignited their fighting spirit, soaring to the heavens!
In the distance, Nangong Xi, You Yue, and Su Lianlian, who had been hurrying over, were taken aback by the scene. Their delicate bodies shook. Those six Violet Sky Sword Cultivators, only slightly less powerful than them, had been instantly slain...
"It seems we came for nothing," Su Lianlian murmured, her eyes unavoidably adoring as she gazed at the youth endowed with divine looks.
"Let's help him clear out some of the small fry!" Nangong Xi suggested, her eyes full of admiration.
"I've been wanting to take down these Violet Sky scoundrels for ages. The Demon Continent hasn't even made a move, yet these lapdogs dare to strike first at our Nine Heavens Immortal Army. They're asking for death!" You Yue's eyes glittered fiercely.
They had crossed swords with the Violet Sky Sword Cultivators too many times to count. For over a decade, they had tolerated their despicable acts! But now, with Yun Xiao leading the charge, why hold back?
The three women exchanged glances, transforming their white, blood-red, and pink Sovereign Swords into Palm Swords. With three-foot blades in hand, they charged towards the group of Violet Sky Sword Cultivators!
In front of the Sword Dao Monument, Sword Saint Yu Qian was taken aback at his first glimpse of Yun Xiao.
"The great war's about to start, even Divine Dawn's hiding in the Primordial Formation of the Heavenly Realm, and here you are, out alone?" Sword Saint Yu Qian asked. He was genuinely surprised! Where did this courage come from?
What if the demons and devils had laid a trap? Yun Xiao would be doomed. That said, they hadn't set any traps, predicting he wouldn't dare to show up!
It was beyond Sword Saint Yu Qian's wildest dreams that Yun Xiao would appear so easily... He regretted his earlier inaction. But then, the thought struck him. Capturing Yun Xiao would make him the greatest hero across both the Divine and Demon Continents!
"Capture him, and only Divine Dawn remains in the Heavenly Realm. It'll be an easy victory!" Sword Saint Yu Qian narrowed his eyes, fixating on Yun Xiao. "But, how has he grown stronger?"
What kind of monster was this?
Sword Saint Yu Qian had just faced Yun Xiao's sword in the War of Immortals. Back then, Yun Xiao's magic power was far inferior to his!
Now, without a word, Yun Xiao charged from the Sword Dao Monument, covering several hundred meters in a step! The Violet Sky Sword Cultivators blocking the way were effortlessly sliced into fragments before even getting close.
The young man in white, his sword soaring to the heavens! The will of the sword in his eyes was so sharp it made one's heart quiver. It seemed this youth wasn't human but a colossal sword piercing through the heavenly palaces!
"A mere boy dares to cross swords with me?" Sword Saint Yu Qian's gaze turned icy. "I am the number one Sword Cultivator of all ages!"
Yun Xiao was already on him!
HUM! A stab of the Palm Sword, and the Night March of a Hundred Ghosts ensued! Behind Yun Xiao a shadow like that of the Demon Emperor covered the sky, ninety-nine crimson eyes locking onto Sword Saint Yu Qian's soul!
A frightening 500 layers of roaring azure Sword Aura converged in Yun Xiao's blade, striking with explosive force!
Sword Saint Yu Qian, in a desperate move, raised his Violet Sun Sword Soul to block!
KLANG! Sword Saint Yu Qian, brimming with the might of the Establishment Saint Realm, thrust his force into his sword, aiming to overpower Yun Xiao with his superior magic power!
BOOM! Their swords collided, sending Yun Xiao reeling back as if he'd hit an iron wall. But it was the Sword Saint who screamed in agony! His face twisted in pain, tears streaked his cheeks as he howled. Though his body stood firm, his Violet Sun Sword Soul cracked with dense web-like fissures, and blood from the sword poured down.
"AGGHH!" The pain in his soul made the Sword Saint's eyes turn red, his tears streaming, his face of righteousness crumbling in a single blow!
"Your Sword Aura, forged from the weak and sickly demon corpses given by the Demon Continent, is indeed flimsy!" Yun Xiao taunted with a raised eyebrow, mocking the Sword Saint. "With such a pathetic Sword Soul, you dare call yourself the Number One Sword of the Divine Continent?"
"You whelp, using the power of your Sword Ring, you're the actual one keeping company with demons. How dare you, who relies on external forces, insult my swordsmanship!" Sword Saint Yu Qian, crushing a flame orb that shot up like a firework, signaled for help. Clearly, though he was talking tough, he was still calling for backup.
Meanwhile, the three aunts, leading the Nine Heavens Immortal Army, plunged into the ranks of the Violet Sky Sword Cultivators!
With the Heavenly Realm Sword Cultivators clearing the path, the frail Sword Souls of the Violet Sky Sword Cultivators, deceiving themselves and others, crumbled at the first strike!
"I slay demons, absorb their essence, refine the Sword Ring, and you call that cheating? Then tell me, what is a true Sword Cultivator?" Yun Xiao, unfazed by the signal flare, coldly smirked. He was not at all intimidated by the impending reinforcements.
"A true Sword Cultivator strengthens oneself through the sword, seeking no external aid, only cultivating the heart and sword. The stronger the heart, the stronger the sword!" Sword Saint Yu Qian retorted coldly, stalling for time. His words were strained, wracked with the pain of his shattered Sword Soul.
"Is that so? Then why do you absorb demon corpses for your Sword Aura? By that logic, wouldn't you be stronger without it?" Yun Xiao replied coldly.
"..." Sword Saint Yu Qian was left speechless! He wanted to fight, confident in his magic power and swordsmanship, but the disparity in the toughness of their Sword Souls left him at a disadvantage.
Just then, a violet storm suddenly rose in the distance, a tornado touching the skies, carrying debris towards the Sword Dao Monument.
BOOM! The violet storm reached the clouds, obscuring almost a third of the sky in Yun Xiao's view! It was an Emperor level power!
The Violet Emperor had appeared! His presence was nearly indistinguishable from the legendary Divine Dawn and Eternal Joy!
"Yun Xiao, by openly killing the guests of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire, you declare war upon us! My Violet Sky's mighty army will flatten your Heavenly Realm!" The Violet Emperor's grand voice blended with the storm, reverberating through the air!
"Your Majesty!" Sword Saint Yu Qian's eyes gleamed with relief. Without a second thought, he abandoned the fight, leaving his fellow Violet Sky Sword Cultivators behind, fleeing swiftly.
"Yun Xiao, you're still too naive. A few words to buy time, and you fell for it?" Sword Saint Yu Qian sneered.
As the Violet Emperor descended and Sword Saint Yu Qian fled, Nangong Xi and the others grew anxious. Yun Xiao should have finished off the Sword Saint when he had the chance. Why waste words with a scoundrel?
"Nine Heavens Immortal Army, retreat!" Yun Xiao suddenly commanded, glancing at Chen Mo, "Move!"
"Yes!" Chen Mo, though not skilled in many things, excelled in boasting about his nephew-in-law. At Yun Xiao's command, he didn't hesitate, leading the Nine Heavens Immortal Army away from the fight.
This left only Nangong Xi and the two other women behind.
"Yun Xiao, run!" Su Lianlian urged anxiously as she fought.
"Run?" A cold light flashed in Yun Xiao's eyes. Far from fleeing, he suddenly propelled his Sovereign Sword towards Sword Saint Yu Qian.
Sword Saint Yu Qian and the Violet Emperor were drawing closer!
"This kid's gone mad...!" Nangong Xi's heart raced in the darkness.
"He's so fast! That's... the Galaxy grade Sovereign Sword technique!" You Yue exclaimed, eyes wide.
"No way?" Su Lianlian's heart fluttered.
The three women watched as Yun Xiao's Sovereign Sword transformed him into a swirling blade, tracing a path of stars, as if entire star systems rotated around his sword! This was a nebula!
This was the sixth sword of the Constellation Slaying Sword. Another Sovereign Sword technique, even stronger than Fleeting Moon!
Sword Saint Yu Qian, sneering as he fled, suddenly felt a deadly threat looming!
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l