Chapter 025 - No One Escapes Death, Why Not Send Your Disciples on Their Way Early (1)
On the elevated platform, a whirlwind of chaos and uproar seemed to manifest in the wake of Yun Xiao's startling victory over Jiang Yue. The elders of the various prominent Sword Peaks present could hardly believe what unfolded before their eyes, and their united exclamations seemed to resonate with the undying echoes of the mountains themselves.
"No way!"
"A Dragon Spring Realm defeating a Divine Sea Realm?"
"Are... are my eyes deceiving me?"
...
The very notion was inconceivable, and none had ever imagined witnessing Jiang Yue's defeat—not like this, not so swiftly, and certainly not so utterly! She had been reduced to nothing more than a fledgling chick, being cruelly toyed with in the hands of the white-robed young man, Yun Xiao. The sheer disparity of their power left her utterly defenseless, a mere plaything in the face of his might.
Ye Tiance, whose temperament bore both the sagacity of an oak and the raging force of a river, was the first to react. Slapping his armrest vehemently, he rose to his feet, his countenance a tempest of swirling emotions.
"Brother Ye, I shall handle this!" the burly Third Sword Venerable Wu Wu bellowed, his voice echoing like a thunderclap amidst the tumultuous murmurs. A fire ignited within him, so fierce it seemed to emanate from his very being. He had been unaware of his son's situation until just now—caught unaware amidst the chaotic unfolding of events. A messenger had approached him just as Jiang Yue faced her humiliating defeat, delivering the shocking news of his son, Wu Jianyang, meeting a brutal end at the hands of Yun Xiao.
A ferocious anger surged within him, a double-edged sword that threatened to consume his very core. Wu Wu's immense cultivation power threatened to explode, to spiral uncontrollably within his very veins. His face contorted with a rage so vivid, it bore the grotesque visage of a demon, marred further by its gruesome and twisted form.
Guests were present, including the venerable Elder Fan. Ye Tiance shot a glance at the esteemed guest from the Sea of Swords, gritting his teeth fiercely. As the host, taking matters into his own hands would certainly bring disgrace, a loss of face that would be talked about in hushed tones, whispered behind hidden doors.
"You handle it, eliminate the threat immediately!" Ye Tiance instructed, the humiliation burning brightly on his countenance, akin to a venomous insect skittering across his face.
The Sixth Sword Venerable, Yao Manxue, furrowed her brows, a stern reminder echoing through the disarray, "Wu Wu, don't be foolish, ensure Jiang Yue's safety first!"
A cynical laugh resonated amidst the chaos, as if mocking the gravity of the situation. Indeed, Wu Wu might have been hot-headed, but his fury now bore a chilling edge, a determined resolve that promised vengeance.
With a thunderous roar, he led a group of elders from the Third Sword Peak, temporarily excusing themselves, and advanced towards the sword dueling platforms from the side. Although there were many elders present to maintain order during these duels, they now found themselves hesitant to act, their movements paralyzed by the precarious situation Jiang Yue found herself in.
Her life was too precious to risk. It fell on the formidable Wu Wu to restore order, to exact punishment for the transgressions that had unfolded. His fiery arrival seemed to engulf the arena, a blazing behemoth descending with a fury that promised retribution.
"You insolent whelp! Daring to kill my son and humiliate Jiang Yue! It seems you have no intention of leaving this place alive!" Wu Wu's words, seething with anger, reverberated through the surroundings, an open declaration of war against Yun Xiao.
Wu Wu cared little for rules or decorum at this point. His descent on the battlefield sent a group of young Sword Cultivators flying, his imposing figure reminiscent of a fearsome beast aflame, his eyes burning with a fiery intensity as he fixed his gaze on Yun Xiao.
From his stance, his intentions were crystal clear. He was prepared to unleash his Flying Sword, to carry out a judgment most brutal, without further discourse.
"The Third Sword Venerable has arrived!" The crowd erupted in murmurs, the atmosphere tinged with a palpable sense of impending doom and anticipation.
"Yun Xiao is done for!" This was the chilling consensus. The onlookers hadn't fathomed that a Sword Venerable would intervene in the duels, much less with intentions to kill a disciple. Such an event was unprecedented, leaving everyone in awe and fear.
Just when the audience resigned to witnessing a bloodbath, several figures darted across, forming a solid barrier before the approaching throng from the Third Sword Peak. Leading this unexpected intervention was a young woman, an ethereal presence amid the chaos. Dressed in a flowing black gown, her skin was pale as the moon, her hair cascading like a waterfall, and her eyes mirrored the luminosity of a moonlit night. An audible gasp of recognition fluttered through the crowd, "It's Senior Sister Zhao from the Sword Pavilion!" followed closely by, "Last year's champion of the Conclave!"
Behind her, the resilient remnants of the Sword Pavilion's elders gathered, accompanied by Grandpa Qin. Their steadfast stance was a testament to their determination to protect their sect's honor.
A furious Wu Wu, the Third Sword Venerable, shot venomous glares at Zhao Xuanran, the tension escalating as the oppressive force of his rank bore down on her. With fiery eyes, he bellowed, "Get lost!"
Standing her ground, Zhao Xuanran retorted, her voice as cold as ice, "The one who should leave is you, Wu Wu."
The confrontation escalated as Wu Wu advanced, his imposing figure exuding a natural air of dominance, further fueled by his rage. "How dare a junior like you disrespect your elders? Are you not afraid of being punished by the sect rules?"
With composure that starkly contrasted with Wu Wu's livid state, Zhao Xuanran revealed her trump card, "I'm also the acting head of the Sword Pavilion." Her piercing gaze locked onto him, "Moreover, the Eight Swords Conclave is in session. As a Sword Venerable, you brazenly intrude on this sacred dueling ground. What are you planning?"
Caught off guard, Wu Wu found himself momentarily lost for words, his rage momentarily fizzling under her calm scrutiny.
Zhao Xuanran seized the opportunity to press on, her words laced with an edge that left no room for rebuttal, "We have esteemed guests here today. If your Third Sword Peak wants to disgrace the Azure Spirit Sword Sect, you'll have to get through me first. Wu Wu, take your people and leave this place before you make an even greater fool of yourself!"
Ignoring her command, Wu Wu brandished a token, his voice raising in anger, "I am a Vice Chairman of the Eight Swords Assembly, in charge of enforcing the rules at the entire Conclave! There's been a violation today, and if you try to stop me, you'll be arrested as well!"
Undeterred, Zhao Xuanran calmly inquired, "Then tell me, how has Yun Xiao violated any rules?"
Wu Wu's composure crumbled, and in his anger, he blurted out the true source of his rage, "He killed my son!"
A mocking laughter escaped Zhao Xuanran's lips, but it soon turned into a fierce retort, her eyes tinged with threads of blood from the intensity of her anger, "In these past two years, haven't enough of our Sword Pavilion disciples died on this dueling ground? Are you saying your people are allowed to kill but not to be killed?"
"Didn't you once say, worthless people deserve to die?" In a savage twist, Grandpa Qin threw Wu Wu's past words back at him. "Your son was worthless; dying on this duel ground is his honor." The sharp counterattack left Wu Wu seething, a plume of smoke nearly visible from his ears.
Cold and unyielding, Zhao Xuanran added fuel to the fire, "If you can't handle a loss, then don't step onto the dueling ground."
Wu Wu knew he had met his match. His son's death was a self-inflicted wound, a repercussion of the bitterness that had simmered between their groups for three years, a bitterness that now threatened to boil over into an all-out war.
With desperation setting in, Wu Wu found a new angle of attack, his finger pointed accusingly at the kneeling young woman on the stage, his voice harsh as he declared, "Jiang Yue has already been defeated, her sword taken away, but this Yun Xiao still threatens her life, a clear violation of the rules! He must be punished!"
But Zhao Xuanran was ready, her response swift and pointed, "Isn't it a greater violation for Jiang Yue to chase down and kill someone off the stage after they surrendered?"
Wu Wu felt the pressure of Zhao Xuanran's piercing gaze, a gaze that refused to waver even under the oppressive presence of a Sword Venerable. Glancing over at Jiang Yue, he knew any chance of her winning the Sword Debate now had evaporated like smoke. Wanting to settle this situation quickly, he gritted his teeth and said, "Yes. Jiang Yue violated the rules first But she's already been defeated, and your disciple from the Sword Pavilion is out of danger now! Now, the main priority should be dealing with Yun Xiao's violation of the rules and letting the Sword Debate carry on normally!"
Zhao Xuanran, however, was relentless, "So, how do you plan to deal with it? Shouldn't Jiang Yue be punished more severely for her actions?"
With cold dismissal, Wu Wu responded, "That is none of your concern!"
"How can you accuse me of showing favoritism and acting against the law when we have an esteemed guest present?" Zhao Xuanran's voice cut through the tension like a cold blade, her eyes brimming with an unyielding and solemn resolve.
Wu Wu's patience frayed to its breaking point, the veins on his neck pulsating prominently. "He broke the rules! I intend to enforce the law. Step aside, or face the consequences with him!" he threatened, his voice reaching a crescendo of frustration.
Undeterred, Zhao Xuanran maintained her ground, her stance unwavering amidst the swirling gusts. "He challenged someone fair and square on the dueling platform. No rules have been broken," she retorted.
"There is still someone on the dueling platform!" Wu Wu roared.
Zhao Xuanran shot back, "That's her choice to stay there, what does it have to do with my Junior Brother Yun? Why don't you tell her to get lost yourself?"
"Y-you...!" Flustered and infuriated, Wu Wu glanced upward. There she was, Jiang Yue, her legs soaked in blood, unable to move, let alone descend from the platform on her own accord. A realization struck him, and with a surge of determination, he declared, "Then I shall bring her down myself!"
His focus shifted, prioritizing the preservation of the unparalleled genius that lay injured on the stage. Before his resolve could transition into action, a cold and stern voice rang out, stopping him in his tracks.
"Stay where you are!" Zhao Xuanran warned, positioning herself defiantly before him once more, her eyes emanating a grave warning. "If you dare step onto that dueling platform, I won't hesitate to suspect that you're settling a personal vendetta under the guise of public duty."
Wu Wu's laugh was a blend of scorn and disbelief. "Quite the silver tongue you have there," he sneered, unwilling to entertain her words any longer.
With a dismissive gesture, he aimed to bypass her, to soar into the sky and make his way to the dueling platform. But before he could ascend, a stern command resonated from behind him. "I told you to stay put!"
A sense of impending doom washed over him, a cold and murderous energy locking onto him, chilling him to the bone. Panic seized him as he grounded himself hurriedly, spinning around to face the source of the ominous feeling.
There stood Zhao Xuanran, her countenance icy as she regarded him with a steely gaze. Nestled within her palm was a miniature sword, a mere two inches in length, resembling bone more than metal. It radiated an energy both similar and vastly different from a Sword Soul, a sensation that sent shivers down Wu Wu's spine.
"A Sword Heart!" he exclaimed, the color draining from his face as he staggered back, a cold sweat breaking across his brow.
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