Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 026 - No One Escapes Death, Why Not Send Your Disciples on Their Way Early (2)

The surrounding spectators were stunned, a collective gasp rising from the crowd. The younger individuals amongst them wore expressions of confusion, unfamiliar with the concept of a Sword Heart.

An older spectator lent his voice to the conversation, enlightening everyone on the enigmatic term. "The so-called Sword Heart is formed when a Sword Cultivator, at the brink of death, extracts the bone harboring their Sword Soul to condense a Sword Heart. It harbors the last killing intent of the Sword Cultivator, a one-time shield typically used to safeguard their descendants."

This revelation incited a flurry of questions and remarks, an audible murmur spreading through the assembly as they grappled with the gruesome and painful nature of the process, and its ultimate purpose.

In the simplest of terms, the Sword Heart embodied the fervent wish of an elder to shield their younger generations, even if it meant enduring agonizing pain, a testament to their blazing love and commitment to their kin's wellbeing.

In this dramatic moment, the item that appeared in Zhao Xuanran's hand was indeed a Sword Heart, a potent symbol of familial devotion and sacrifice.

A desperate and sweaty Wu Wu stammered, "Whose Sword Heart is that?"

Zhao Xuanran's hands trembled ever so slightly as she gripped the piece of legacy her grandfather had bequeathed upon her—a Sword Heart forged from his very bone marrow, a final act of supreme sacrifice and love. Her voice, tinged with a cocktail of emotions—defiance, pride, and a hint of sorrow—rang clear, "It belonged to my grandfather."

As the words escaped her lips, a ripple of shock spread through the audience. The usually imperturbable Wu Wu stepped back, his face losing color at the revelation. Whispers erupted amongst the crowd, a buzz of wonder, concern, and calculating assessments filled the air. Please visit fr𝐞𝐞w𝒏.𝒸𝑜𝔪 website to read fastest update

"The previous Sect Master actually extracted his bone to create a Sword Heart!"

"Could it potentially slay the Third Sword Venerable?"

"But, it might have lost its potency over time..."

"But clearly, the Third Sword Venerable isn't willing to take that bet!"

Indeed, Wu Wu's bravado seemed to have evaporated at the mention of Zhao Xuanran's grandfather, a figure clearly steeped in formidable reputation. Frankly, being stonewalled by her to this point was already a humiliating affair.

Gathering his wits about him, Wu Wu proposed a solution, clearly attempting to salvage some dignity, "Fine! I won't go up myself. I'll just call someone else to retrieve Jiang Yue. That should be acceptable, right?"

Zhao Xuanran's eyes held a glacial chill, a firm resolve emanating from her slender frame. She wasn't about to let Wu Wu off easily. "No deal. I don't care who it is, anyone who steps up will be suspected of harboring vendettas against my Junior Brother Yun. This Sword Heart won't hesitate to annihilate you, Wu Wu!"

Wu Wu could feel his patience fraying at the edges. He was at a loss, cornered and outmaneuvered. He raised his voice, a desperate bid to regain some semblance of control, "Then what do you propose?"

Her solution was straightforward, tinged with the very essence of her audacious spirit. "Simple. Let the duel continue. Yun Xiao will hold his ground. Whoever defeats him gets to retrieve Jiang Yue from the stage. What say you, Wu Wu? Are the disciples from your First, Third, and Sixth Sword Peaks nothing but a bunch of weaklings? Last year, not a single person among you was competent enough, and I easily clinched first place stepping over your feeble attempts. Have you lost even the courage to fight a fair battle this year?" Her eyes sparkled with deep contempt, her words ringing with a disdain so profound it stirred a wave of anger among at least half the audience present on Conclave Mountain.

Driven to a corner, Wu Wu's pride ignited a flame of resentment and determination. His roar echoed across the mountain, a rallying cry to his disciples. "Fine! Let the Sword Debate resume! Win, and earn the right to save Jiang Yue."

Turning to Zhao Xuanran, his voice held a warning, a final attempt to assert authority, "I hope Yun Xiao knows better than to harm Jiang Yue any further. If he dares, no one will be able to save him!"

Zhao Xuanran threw a look towards the stage, her gaze meeting Yun Xiao's, a youth in white who had remained silent and stoic throughout the heated exchange. The moment was fleeting, a silent exchange of trust and resolve before Yun Xiao shifted his focus onto the hundreds of young Sword Cultivators arrayed before him.

His voice, laced with an audacity that even outshone Zhao Xuanran, echoed through the gathering, "Two weaklings already met their end. Who's volunteering to be the third?"

In that moment, his brash proclamation painted a vivid canvas of youthful arrogance and bravado, a stark contrast to his mere three days tenure at the Azure Spirit Sword Sect. Yet, there he stood, a lone warrior wielding his sword with an arrogance that overshadowed even the most illustrious figures, ready to defy the world.

At the high platform on the other side, a turbulent wave of discontent surged. The face of the First Sword Venerable, Ye Tiance, had already darkened to the hue of a stormy sea, his visage a canvas of brewing discontent. Others exchanged incredulous glances, not having expected such a fiasco to unfold during the Conclave. The Seventh Sword Venerable, Zhang Jian, and Yu Xuanzhou shook their heads in dismay.

"This Yun Xiao is an absolute trouble magnet! Fortunately, I didn't let this harbinger of bad luck enter the Seventh Sword Peak!" Yu Xuanzhou hastily remarked to Zhang Jian.

"No worries, he and the Sword Pavilion are a perfect match. Both are teetering at the edge of a cliff!" Zhang Jian commented, his words carrying a hint of dark humor.

"Do you think the Third Sword Venerable will let this pass? With his temperament, being humiliated in broad daylight, he definitely won't let it rest by night, right?" Yu Xuanzhou questioned, his voice tinged with concern.

"Hmm, I once accidentally witnessed his connections with assassins from outside the sect, scheming and taking down quite a few people within the Azure Spirit Sword Sect. This is something the Sword Pavilion is unaware of..." Zhang Jian's voice trailed off, the gravity of his statement hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

"I hope that Yun Xiao meets his end soon! That way no one would know I spoke up for him at the Sword Inheritance Platform," Yu Xuanzhou murmured, regret apparent in his tone. He felt as if his intestines had turned green from remorse.

The entire high platform buzzed with whispers and speculation.

"Could this brash youngster from the Dragon Spring Realm actually possess a Dantian talent similar to Ye Guying?" Qian Kun, the Chief Steward of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, wondered aloud, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"He seems extremely confident!" The Sword Venerable of the Second Sword Peak, Shangguan Yu, hastily discussed in low tones with the elders around her.

At that moment, all eyes turned towards the dueling platform that had captured everyone's attention. Finally, someone stepped forward. The delay wasn't due to a lack of volunteers. On the contrary, many were clambering to face Yun Xiao, their faces flushed in the heated competition to be chosen.

In the end, it was a woman dressed in blue, another personal disciple of the First Sword Venerable, who won the opportunity to seek redemption for the First Sword Peak.

"Senior Sister Nine, save me!" Jiang Yue burst into tears as soon as she saw the woman in blue making her appearance, her tears flowing freely now. The tears trailed over her battered face, the salt stinging her wounds causing her to grimace in pain. She was a pitiable sight.

"Don't worry, Junior Sister. Your lack of combat experience, being a newcomer to the Divine Sea Realm, has just given him an advantage," the woman in blue reassured her, her words heavily implying that Yun Xiao, being in the Dragon Spring Realm, was ultimately inferior. Her eyes filled with cold fury as she stepped forward, her gaze fixed firmly on Yun Xiao.

HUM! The Sword Soul in her hand surged, a torrent of magic power emanating from her as she shouted, "Greenhorn! Standing before you is the Ninth Disciple of the First Sword Venerable, Lan Xiao! My father is the Palace Master of the Sword Arts Palace of the First Sword Peak, and my mother is the Tower Master of the Fortune Tower of the First Sword Peak. There are eighteen of us in the First Sword Peak at the Divine Sea Rea—" Her boast was cut off abruptly as the young man in white lifted his head sharply.

"Eighteen?" A murderous intent erupted in his eyes. The azure Sword Soul in his hand instantly morphed into a Flying Sword, its nine-layer Sword Aura preceding its harsh edge.

SCREECH! The Flying Sword in his hand shot out explosively, soaring into the sky like a swift swallow, tracing a curvaceous arc in the blink of an eye, slicing through the air with an ear-piercing whistle.

"Heh!" Lan Xiao scoffed, her Sword Soul also transforming into a Flying Sword, ready to kill. Her smirk held a dark promise, her confidence unshaken despite the unfolding drama. Yet, in the next heartbeat, her eyes bulged in utter disbelief, releasing a heart-wrenching scream that seemed to pierce the heavens.

HUM! As Yao Zijin stepped onto the stage, he revealed his Sword Soul with a flourish, Mid Comet grade as well, but with a more powerful Sword Aura—eight layers in total. Though still one layer shy of matching Yun Xiao's, it was already higher than most of the elders present.

"Yao Zijin is currently the top genius of the Sixth Sword Peak!"

On his ascent, Yao Manxue on the high platform gasped, suddenly standing. Unlike Wu Wu, who had several offspring and could tolerate the loss of one, Yao Zijin was her only son.

"Will he be alright..." Yao Manxue cast an anxious look towards the First Sword Venerable, Ye Tiance.

"It's fine, it's fine," Ye Tiance assured her with a calm face, "Zijin has mastered a Mid Comet grade sword technique, I've been training him for over five years now!"

To be honest, having witnessed Yun Xiao's ferocious might, Yao Manxue couldn't shake off the fear that something untoward might befall her son, even if it were just a minor sword wound. It would still break her heart. Who wouldn't be frightened by a fugitive on a killing spree? Yun Xiao was clearly intoxicated with his rampage.

“That Wu Wu is nothing but a waste of space!” Yao Manxue muttered under her breath, resentment dripping from her words as the third Sword Venerable was absent.

Had Wu Wu been capable of handling Yun Xiao directly, wouldn't all of this have been avoided? This conundrum was equally vexing for Ye Tiance. The root of the issue lay in his ambitious endeavor to skyrocket Jiang Yue's fame to unprecedented heights, resulting in an overflow of prominent guests on this day.

These were all individuals with significant reputation and influence. Otherwise, even with the resistance from the Sword Pavilion disciples, and despite the humiliation inflicted upon the First Sword Peak, Ye Tiance would have taken some action after losing two of his disciples, instead of being forced to maintain a calm facade in front of Elder Fan. It was absolutely infuriating!

“The Sword Debate is nearing its end. If Zijin manages to defeat him, he might at least secure the one-thousand-year-old demon bone,” Ye Tiance finally spoke, his voice tinged with a desperate gamble.

At his words, Yao Manxue felt she had no choice but to bet it all on this one fight, which now drew the undivided attention of the masses. Even the normally indifferent disciples from the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Sword Peaks gathered together, whispering among themselves, discussing Yun Xiao’s Sword Soul and his natural talent for swordsmanship.

Moreover, many guests displayed curious expressions on their faces, particularly the enigmatic Moon Fairy, who observed the unfolding drama with utmost seriousness.

Meanwhile, on the dueling platform, several elders from the Sword Pavilion stood as stern as sharp blades, watching Wu Wu. Then there were others, like Qin Tong and her group, who ignored the intense atmosphere and cheered wholeheartedly for Yun Xiao.

“Junior Brother Yun, you're invincible!” Qin Tong exclaimed, her eyes glistening with tears of fervor.

“Who dares to say our Sword Pavilion no longer harbors heroes?” Cai Maomao shouted with all his might, having just dressed his wounds. The strain aggravated his injuries, causing him to grimace in pain, yet his spirit remained unyielding.

In that moment, Yun Xiao’s momentum and popularity soared to unprecedented heights, cementing his status as a figure of renown. Whispers circled among the disciples of the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Sword Peaks, doubting if Yao Zijin could truly overpower the young man clad in white.

“Yun Xiao.” On the dueling stage, the alluringly handsome Yao Zijin lifted his sharp brows slightly and sneered, “I'm genuinely curious. Standing here today, acting like a desperate fugitive, aren't you afraid of death?”

In a mocking tone, Yun Xiao retorted, “Let me ask you, as I slaughter the chickens of the First Sword Peak here, you willingly offer up your neck, aren't you afraid of death?”

Yao Zijin burst into laughter, his head shaking in amusement. “Three years! It has been three years, and yet, I have never encountered a Sword Pavilion disciple as arrogant as you!”

“Then make the most of your time and feast your eyes while you still draw breath,” Yun Xiao retorted, his words echoing with a chilling premonition: Your death is imminent.

At his response, Yao Zijin's face morphed instantly into a mask of icy coldness. “You truly believe you’re invincible, huh?” He scoffed, disdain painting his features. “In the path of cultivation, what matters is your background, your power. Leaning on the crumbling Sword Pavilion, with the foolish actions you’ve taken today, you’ve earned a death sentence ten thousand times over!”

“Ten thousand times? Once will suffice for you!” Before Yao Zijin could even finish, Yun Xiao launched into action without a word of warning, his sword slashing through the air with a resounding clang! A flash of white, followed by a burst of azure light racing forth! The Flying Sword cleaved through the raging winds with a sound so shrill, it could pierce one's soul.

"Just going straight for the kill, huh?" Yao Zijin's anger surged like a raging firestorm. Yun Xiao's unyielding attitude was nothing less than a blatant provocation, an affront he could not tolerate.

"Violet Moon!" From his hand emerged the formidable Violet Moon Sword Soul, boasting eight layers of Sword Aura. Resembling a violet crescent moon, it was a blade that bore more semblance to a scythe than a sword. The sword exuded a surging cold, nefarious energy, its dark aura sweeping across the dueling platform in an overwhelming wave.

"Swallow Tail Flash again!" Yao Zijin's eyes twitched at the sight, but he quickly regained composure. After all, he came prepared. One Draw Slash! With a furious bellow, he gripped the sword with both hands and lunged forward. His keen eyes, sharpened through layers of magical waves, locked onto the approaching azure Flying Sword.

"Break!" He controlled a Mid Comet grade Sword Soul. A Palm Sword was also much sturdier compared to a Flying Sword. In his mind, there was no reason this Green Lotus Sword Soul wouldn't shatter on impact! His slash was swift, precise, and ruthless, its trajectory viciously fast, showcasing his stature as the Top Sword of the Sixth Sword Peak.!

KLANG! With a flash of violet light, sparks flew in the air.

"It hit!" The Palm Sword cleaved the Flying Sword! On the side of the Sixth Sword Peak, many erupted in cheers.

But in the next instant, their joy turned into shock as they witnessed Yao Zijin's hands trembling uncontrollably, nearly losing his grip on the sword. Although he had managed to hit the azure Swallow Tail Flash, the impact sent him flying, nearly falling off the sword dueling platform. His palms were ripped open, blood spilling profusely from the wounds.

"What the hell?! This shouldn't be possible...!" Yao Zijin's face twisted in shock. Just as he scrambled on the ground, a sensation of impending doom enveloped him. He sprang up frantically! Turning around, he saw Yun Xiao retracting his Flying Sword, rapidly closing the distance between them with an expression of cold indifference.

Yun Xiao's Flying Sword transformed into a three-foot long azure blade, lunging towards him with lethal intent. It was the Azure Lightning Crane again! Swift! Violent! Blazing with electric flashes! Piercing through with a murderous edge!

"Die!" Yao Zijin screamed, brandishing his sword for a counterattack. But he was too slow!

Yun Xiao executed a rapid assault with his Palm Sword. The sequence of attacks flowed smoothly and ferociously, with two continuous stabs. The second, an Azure Lightning Crane thrust, resembled a current of electricity, suddenly reaching Yao Zijin's face in a heartbeat.

Yao Zijin's counterattack met only air. At that moment, his pupils dilated in sheer terror, his breath seizing in his throat! Even with his rapid evasion, Yun Xiao managed to follow up with another sword strike, grazing past one of his legs. With a grotesque splurt, the leg was severed, spurting blood in a horrific display, cascading outside the dueling platform.

"AGHH!" Yao Zijin fell to the ground, screaming in agony. He clutched his severed leg, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets from the pain, his body convulsing in spasms. In the next blink, Yun Xiao gripped the front of Yao Zijin's robes, hoisting him up to eye level.

"So, Yao Zijin." His eyes sparkled with a defiant and arrogant glint. "You say I lack a background and power, huh?" He brought Yao Zijin's terrified face closer to his, the electrifying energy between them buzzing with an intensity that echoed across the arena.

"Listen closely," Yun Xiao growled, his voice reverberating with a ferociousness that left no room for doubt. "I am my own background! Alone, I am a force to be reckoned with!" After experiencing death once and resurrecting, he vowed to embody fierceness in this life. Life and death seemed trivial to him. On this journey, any opposition would meet death. For every kill, a victory.

The weight of his words bore into Yao Zijin, leaving him paralyzed with fear under the demonic gaze of the young man in white robes before him. His bravado shattered, Yao Zijin trembled violently, his voice hoarse from screaming. "Mother, save me... save me...!" His cries were a pitiful symphony of pain and fear, causing a chilling unease to ripple through the crowd.

The disciples of the Sixth Sword Peak, who were just moments ago cheering for their prodigious Top Sword, now closed their mouths, their lips dry and their necks retracting, overwhelmed by the display of raw power and dominance.

"Yun Xiao!!" A formidable woman suddenly appeared on the dueling platform, her presence as overwhelming as a tidal wave. A hum resonated throughout the space as her immense magic power cascaded towards Yun Xiao like a tsunami, ready to engulf him. It was Yao Manxue, the Sixth Sword Venerable, her face contorted in fury and eyebrows furrowed upside down, exhibiting an unimaginable wrath.

Her son’s minor injuries had been hard for her to bear, but now that he had lost a leg and was being held up like a mere chick in Yun Xiao's grip, her anger knew no bounds.

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