Chapter 145 - Breaking Ties, Leaving a Wake of Blood!
"People blame us, the Sword Cultivators, saying we provoked the demons with our Sword Souls, leading to the suffering of countless beings. But they've got it all wrong! It's the demons that tormented our people, and it just so happens that us Sword Cultivators possess the means to counter them. We're fueled by passion, yet the Immortal Empire surrendered before we even began. How do you expect us to fight? Generations of our lineage have dwindled to just a few," Su Lianlian said with a heavy sigh.
One more bout of anger, one more engagement, and it would all be over. Yun Xiao was seething! But after hearing her words, what he felt was profound sorrow. He didn't blame them. After countless traumas, they'd simply made a sound, responsible decision.
Nangong Xu, Su Yuan... These young souls, weren't they burning with the same rage as him? But what could they achieve by slaying these demons? Did they think the hundreds of millions of demons in the Demon Continent were mere vegetarians? That they, holding the upper hand, would willingly take a loss?
In the end, it was always the games of the high powers that determined fate. The ones below? Mere cannon fodder. And these hundred thousand Sword Cultivators? Just pawns, ready to be sacrificed at any moment. What could they do?
Yun Xiao knew all this! He wasn't naive. He understood that for the underdogs, enduring hardship was their only chance. If they lashed out in anger at every slight, they'd have been wiped out generations ago! So, what could he do?
Yun Xiao lifted his head. That young demon with the golden eyes, the Young Demon Saint, was still taunting them.
A smug grin was plastered on its face. While it didn't seem to recognize Yun Xiao, it certainly saw him as a point of vulnerability. Its barbed words were intended for him and him alone!
"Yun Xiao, let's head back to the Sword Tombs," Su Lianlian softly said, trying to take his hand.
But in a swift motion, Yun Xiao yanked his hand away. He shot Su Lianlian a frosty glance.
Su Lianlian froze, taken aback.
"Everyone!" Yun Xiao stood before the hundred thousand gathered.
Many Heavenly Realm cultivators turned their gaze upon him.
The young man spoke solemnly to the crowd, "Just now, thanks to your kindness, I've officially joined the ranks of the Three Great Sword Tombs. I'm now one of you."
Pausing for a moment, Yun Xiao bowed deeply to Old Man Sun, Nangong Xi, and Su Lianlian, then declared, "However, our paths aren't the same. From this moment on, I've decided to forsake the Three Great Sword Tombs! I shall be known as the renegade, never to step inside again in this lifetime!"
The hundred thousand Sword Cultivators stood there, dumbstruck.
Stepping forward, Yun Xiao continued in a booming voice, "From now on, whatever I do, whomever I slay, it has nothing to do with any of you! Yes, I practice the way of the sword, but my allegiance is to Chen Heavenly Mansion, and I am the son-in-law of the Supreme Marshal of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army!"
Old Man Sun, Nangong Xi, and Su Lianlian's eyes quivered at his words.
But Yun Xiao wasn't done. His icy gaze swept over the Sword Cultivators, concluding with a cold smirk, "A bunch of cowards, you're not worthy of me, nor of the swords you hold! Don't even think of associating with me from now on. You just don't measure up!"
With that, he strode with purpose toward the Sword Dao Monument.
"Out of my way!" he sneered at the Sword Cultivators. The hundred thousand Sword Cultivators silently made way for this defiant figure.
"How could he say such hurtful things!" Su Yuan lamented from the depths of her heart.
“To outsiders...” Nangong Xu fixed his eyes on Yun Xiao. In that moment, his heart raced uncontrollably, the image of the white-robed figure forging ahead etched deep into his soul.
“Outsiders?” Su Yuan trembled, turning to gaze, dumbfounded, at the young man.
Indeed, be it the demons or the onlooking cultivators from the Heavenly Realm, everyone heard it crystal clear. He was the son-in-law of the Chen Clan! His actions had nothing to do with the Sword Cultivators...
"To the Sword Tombs!" Old Man Sun roared in outrage, leading a hundred thousand Sword Cultivators, teeth gritted, back home.
In the crowd, the pace of the white-robed youth changed from walking to running, and in the end, he suddenly soared into the sky on his Sovereign Sword! The Immortal Empire had decreed that from that day, Sword Cultivators were not to ride on their swords! But he not only rode his sword, he shot forward like a streak of azure and white light, heading straight towards the horde of demons!
Was it one man against the tide, or a hundred thousand? The juxtaposition in that split second was something those hundred thousand would remember for a lifetime.
"Don't look back!" Old Man Sun commanded again.
"Yes...!"
They couldn't watch, but they could hear!
"The son-in-law of the Supreme Marshal of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army?" The golden eyed young man's playful expression turned cold.
A group of dark-furred monkey demons gathered around him, baring their teeth with sneers.
“Yes!” Yun Xiao suddenly landed before them, the Sword Soul in his hand morphing into a Flying Sword. On that sword, four Sword Rings shone brilliantly, and the 180 layers of Sword Aura dazzled.
Seeing the Sword Rings, the golden eyed youth's eyes slowly widened, flames stirring within.
"Tear him apart!" The golden eyed youth coldly waved his hand.
BUZZ! The group of black-haired monkey demons had long wanted to annihilate Yun Xiao. Dare to cut down their kin? A horde of demon monkeys screeched piercingly, charging forward on both hands and feet!
Yun Xiao stepped forward, his back to the hundred thousand Sword Cultivators, and with one swing of his sword, the winds roared and thunder rolled.
Forbidden Sword, Thunder Flash!
BOOM BOOM BOOM! With his Perfect Sovereign Dragon Realm cultivation, combined with the blazing 180 layers of Sword Aura, his Flying Sword transformed into a thundering lightning blade, sweeping towards the ferocious Sovereign Physique Realm demon monkeys.
A flash of lightning, followed by a gruesome explosion of flesh!
SPLATTER SPLATTER SPLATTER! In just a heartbeat, dozens of demon monkeys met their doom beneath that Flying Sword, bursting into a mist of blood and gore, their death cries echoing the horror of the scene.
SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH! Blood mists and chunks of flesh rained down, splattering all over the golden eyed youth, staining his head, his body.
"Sovereign Dragon Realm? This powerful?" The faces of the Immortal Empire's cultivators mirrored their shock. So, this is the famed Sword Emperor?
"He's got some moves..." The golden eyed youth sneered, his features contorting grotesquely. In an instant, he transformed from a boy to a towering red-flame primate. Muscles bulged beneath his fur that was sharp as needles, and those gold eyes blazed with fury.
BOOM BOOM! A formidable surge of demonic energy pulsed within him, the sinuous cords of his demonic veins visibly writhing beneath the skin, akin to serpents slithering within.
"Mid Demon Meridian Realm! Top quality meridians too!"
"He could probably take on those in the Late Immortal Meridian Realm. Isn't the Supreme Marshal's son-in-law marching to his doom?" Anxiety crept into the hearts of the cultivators.
THUD! The golden eyed youth donned a layer of black battle armor, flames of eerie blue burning from within.
"Desolation Armor!" Gasps of shock echoed.
The fabled Desolation Armor was forged by infusing raw Desolate Essence into the armor itself. Worn as both protection and a tool for honing one's body, it was a treasure only the elite demonic beings possessed.
With the Desolation Armor amplifying his prowess, the Young Demon Saint's eyes held even more disdain. His immense demonic energy spewed forth, forming waves of crimson mist, surging towards Yun Xiao.
"Sword Cultivator, your life is as fragile as paper! What can you possibly pit against me?" The Young Demon Saint's face twisted in malice.
Yun Xiao remained silent. A torrent of sword energy surged in his eyes. Beneath the Sword Dao Monument, a blood-stained shadow cloaked him, making his eyes glint menacingly in the dark. With a fierce charge, he lunged at the Young Demon Saint.
The Heaven Burial Sword Soul transformed into a three-foot-long azure sword, its four demon magics swirling, unleashing a path of destruction paved by the elements of water, fire, wind, and thunder.
Forbidden Sword, Nine Heavens Thunderblade!
Whatever attribute Yun Xiao needed, he possessed! The Nine Heavens Thunderblade was blindingly fast. In a flash, the white-clad figure was upon the Young Demon Saint, his blade radiating with intense brightness.
BUZZ! The Young Demon Saint's golden eyes furrowed, and from them shot twin pillars of flame, targeting Yun Xiao directly. It was the demon magic—Golden Pupil Ghost Fire!
Almost simultaneously, the Young Demon Saint lunged with overwhelming force. His fists powered forward, unleashing waves of demonic energy, pressing down with a suppressive aura. This sudden display of might drew gasps from all around.
"Die!" The Young Demon Saint, his vitality surging, roared.
SIZZLE SIZZLE SIZZLE! But in the next instant, Yun Xiao's lightning sword tore through the Ghost Fire. Its form transformed, shifting from a blade of lightning to one of radiant light.
Sun Moon Divine Light, Gentle Breeze Bright Moon!
With a swift and fierce sweep, the azure blade danced at a bizarre angle, slashing just inches from the Young Demon Saint's face.
CRACK! A piercing sound echoed as the sword grazed past the Young Demon Saint's mouth, flinging half a tongue and several beastly teeth into the air, blood spattering everywhere.
The Young Demon Saint's wild punch missed Yun Xiao entirely, landing on the ground and leaving a scorched trench in its wake.
"ARGGH!" With a cry of pain, the Young Demon Saint collapsed, writhing on the ground. His flesh, though resilient against most weapons, stood no chance against the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, imbued with the power of a 180 layers of Sword Aura.
"Did he really just...?"
"Amazing!"
"He's actually beating the Young Demon Saint!!"
...
A chorus of gasps arose from the hundred thousand Sword Cultivators, many turning their heads in disbelief. At that instant, everyone watched, eyes wide with disbelief, as the young man in white robes, with his exquisite swordsmanship, overwhelmed the Young Demon Saint with a single stroke.
Blood poured from the Young Demon Saint's mouth.
"Sovereign Dragon Realm? Is it this powerful?" Gasps rippled through the crowd, their gazes shifting, newfound respect evident as they looked at the young man in white.
But Yun Xiao didn't rest on his laurels for even a moment. His eyes blazing with a bloody hue, he seemed possessed as he surged towards the Young Demon Saint again.
"Enough!" the Young Demon Saint roared. With half his tongue missing, his voice had changed, shaky and filled with anger.
"Enough? You don't get to decide that!" Yun Xiao flashed before him, his azure sword morphing in hand.
"No!" Old Man Sun and the others cried out in alarm. This was the son of the Demon Saint!
"You dare kill me?" With eyes spitting fire, the Young Demon Saint erupted. His Golden Pupil Ghost Fire shot towards Yun Xiao, his fist morphing into a claw, slashing at him.
WHOOSH! The youth cut through the Ghost Fire with his Sword Soul, reaching the Young Demon Saint again in the blink of an eye.
"Hah, do you think I'd be doing this if I didn't dare to kill you?" Yun Xiao sneered, his voice colder than a winter's night. From his hand, one sword multiplied into over twenty, forming a net of blades. They wrapped around the Young Demon Saint's arm. The razor-sharp tip punctured beneath his armpit, piercing straight into his lungs.
The Young Demon Saint threw his head back, his eyes flooding with blood, his body shaking uncontrollably. "Stop! I give up!" he groaned, pain evident in every syllable. Turning to Yun Xiao, he growled, "Don't be rash. If I die, it's going to be a big problem."
"Oh?" In a fluid motion, Yun Xiao pulled out his sword. STAB! He thrusted his sword forward again. STAB STAB Stab! The Heaven Burial Sword Soul continued to plunge into the Young Demon Saint's mouth and burst out the back of his head. A mixture of red and white sprayed out.
The Young Demon Saint's eyes rolled back, his gaze full of despair and regret as he slumped to the ground, lifeless, defeated by the young man in white. His eyes remained open in death!
Yun Xiao yanked out the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, and with a heavy thud, the Young Demon Saint dropped to his knees right in front of him. Was it over? Far from it!
Gripping the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, Yun Xiao slashed once, twice, turning the kneeling Golden Eyed Flame Ape into a pile of mush. Then, before the stunned crowd, he thrust the Sword Soul into the demon's bones, siphoning off its marrow.
And to finish? He pulled out a cloth bag from his Pouch of Holding, gathering up the battered remains. What on earth was he planning? It was clear as day! He intended to refine the demon's flesh and blood into a Blood Crystal Sword Ring, to hang upon his sword.
With that taken care of, Yun Xiao dusted off his hands. His white robes were drenched in blood, making him appear even more cold and detached. With a flourish, he effortlessly hefted up the bag of mangled remains and headed toward the direction of the Chen Heavenly Mansion, not looking back once.
As for the hundred thousand Sword Cultivators, many turned their heads to watch him, their eyes raining tears.
The surrounding spectators from the Immortal Empire, watching his receding figure, sighed. "Trouble's brewing..."
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