Chapter 43: Sword Qi Seals the Throat

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Sword Qi Seals the Throat

At his shout, the jeering and discussion came to a sudden halt, replaced by looks of utter shock on everyone’s faces.

"What just happened? I couldn’t even see clearly. How did those seven people fall?"

"So fast! He killed seven people in an instant!"

"How is that possible? This Yi Xiaoyao is clearly only at the Ninth Realm of Qi Condensation, so how could he so easily kill seven others at the same level?"

Everyone gasped in astonishment. But to Yi Xiaoyao’s question—"Who else wants to help Qi Yue kill me?"—no one responded.

After witnessing that scene, who would dare?

Even if someone did dare, it would have to be someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm. But the few Foundation Establishment disciples present weren’t tempted by Qi Yue’s offer.

Besides, many had already learned one thing: Yi Xiaoyao was one of Elder Linjie’s people.

Without sufficient benefit, no one was willing to offend an elder.

Thus, after Yi Xiaoyao finished speaking, not a single person stepped forward.

Jin Sanbao was stunned speechless. He had thought Yi Xiaoyao was a dead man, never imagining his companion’s strength was so immense.

The four Copper Toads in front of Jin Sanbao were constantly firing Spiritual Energy Bullets. But being one short, they were already struggling to fully suppress Qi Yue and his four companions.

Now, with Jin Sanbao too agitated to control them properly, one of Qi Yue’s companions broke free from the swarm of insects below and charged out of the pit.

"Watch out!"

Jin Sanbao’s expression changed drastically as he cried out a warning to Yi Xiaoyao, but the young man from the Foundation Establishment Realm was already charging toward him.

Seeing this, Qi Yue was overjoyed and shouted, "Zhao Fei, kill him for me! I’ll double the reward I promised you!"

"Heh heh! Killing an ant at the Ninth Realm of Qi Condensation is a trivial matter!" Zhao Fei grinned.

Yi Xiaoyao spun around to see Zhao Fei erupting with dense Spiritual Power, swinging his saber wildly as he charged.

"High-grade Yellow-rank Saber Technique, Golden Saber Slash!"

With a thunderous roar, saber shadows overlapped, and the air shrieked under the force of the attack. The momentum was terrifying.

The corner of Yi Xiaoyao’s mouth twitched upward.

’A high-grade Yellow-rank Saber Technique?’

Normally, for someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm to use a high-grade Yellow-rank Saber Technique against a person at the Ninth Realm of Qi Condensation would be considered making a mountain out of a molehill.

But as far as Yi Xiaoyao was concerned, Zhao Fei was still underestimating him.

Under these circumstances, Yi Xiaoyao’s best option was to unleash his strongest technique and catch his opponent completely by surprise.

"Nine Swords of Slaughter, First Style!"

A cold, murderous cry rang out. Dark Spiritual Power flowed down Yi Xiaoyao’s arms and onto the crimson Bloodthirsty Sword, making it look like a blood-red blade burning with black flames.

A demonic, bloody light flashed as the sword shadow carved a piercing arc through the air.

The First Style of the Nine Swords of Slaughter was comparable to a low-grade Black-rank Swordsmanship technique.

His opponent’s Saber Technique, however, was merely high-grade Yellow-rank. The difference of a full rank meant their power was worlds apart.

The two closed in on each other like lightning, their faces showing mutual confidence and the certainty that they would kill their opponent.

Since both were so sure of themselves, so certain they could kill the other, one of them had to be wrong.

"This Yi Xiaoyao is definitely strong, but he can’t possibly think he can actually fight someone from the Foundation Establishment Realm, can he?"

"Hah, he just killed seven people of the Same Realm. He’s probably getting a big head."

"People like him, though exceptionally talented, often die because of their own arrogance."

Clearly, from the murmurs of the crowd, everyone’s judgment leaned toward Zhao Fei.

Even though Yi Xiaoyao had just displayed shocking strength, they all still firmly believed that against Zhao Fei, who was at the First Realm of Foundation Establishment, the Ninth-Realm Qi Condensation Yi Xiaoyao had no chance of winning.

Even Yi Xiaoyao’s own companions, Jin Sanbao and Xuan Mo, wore worried expressions, revealing that they, too, didn’t think Yi Xiaoyao could survive an encounter with Zhao Fei.

"If Xiaoyao dies, we’re finished!" Jin Sanbao said, his face a mask of despair.

Hearing this, Xuan Mo frowned and said nothing.

At that moment, Yi Xiaoyao’s Blood-colored Long Sword clashed with Zhao Fei’s Golden Saber.

A brilliant shower of sparks erupted, followed by a glinting piece of a blade flying through the air.

One of their weapons had been cut in two!

But this time, the outcome once again defied everyone’s expectations.

The weapon that had been sliced in half was none other than the long saber in Zhao Fei’s hand!

A wicked smile played on Yi Xiaoyao’s lips. He looked at the panicked Zhao Fei, and his Bloodthirsty Sword continued its path toward his head, its momentum unchecked.

After a moment of panic, Zhao Fei regained his composure. He immediately raised the broken hilt of his saber to block while his body retreated with extreme speed.

As he fell back, Zhao Fei broke into a cold sweat and thought, ’I was too careless just now! I didn’t expect this kid’s technique to be so fierce and sharp, and his Spiritual Power is so strange! From now on, I have to get serious—’

Zhao Fei’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt. His horrified eyes stared fixedly at Yi Xiaoyao as blood gushed madly from a gash on his throat!

Zhao Fei, of the First Realm of Foundation Establishment, collapsed to the ground with a THUD.

Blood was still spurting from Zhao Fei’s neck, but the light had already faded from his eyes.

Yi Xiaoyao gave Zhao Fei’s corpse a wicked smile. Then, he shot a cold glance at Qi Yue, who was about to break free, and turned to call out to the stunned Jin Sanbao and Xuan Mo.

The next moment, Jin Sanbao snapped back to his senses and leaped onto his puppet mount.

"Get on, quickly! We can finally shake them off while they’re still trapped!"

Hearing this, Xuan Mo also climbed onto the mount. Finally, Yi Xiaoyao jumped on, and the puppet mount transformed into a streak of black light, vanishing into the forest.

In this place, now filled with the faint scent of blood, only the several hundred disciples who had witnessed the scene remained, standing frozen in shock.

Zhao Fei’s body lay quietly on the ground, his eyes wide open in death.

From his wide, horrified eyes, it was clear he didn’t even know how he had died.

Likewise, among the disciples who had watched the entire fight, many still couldn’t understand how Zhao Fei had died.

"Zhao Fei clearly blocked Yi Xiaoyao’s sword strike and retreated to a safe distance, so why did he still die from having his throat slit by a blade?"

This was the question on most people’s minds.

"It was Sword Qi!"

Someone exclaimed in terror, "Even though Yi Xiaoyao’s sword was blocked and Zhao Fei had pulled away, the Sword Qi attached to that strike instantly severed Zhao Fei’s throat!"

"What? It was Sword Qi? Most people in the Foundation Establishment Realm can’t even cultivate Sword Qi, but Yi Xiaoyao has already managed it while he’s still in the Qi Condensation Realm?"

"Not only that, Yi Xiaoyao’s strike actually broke Senior Brother Zhao Fei’s Golden Saber! The power is just too immense!"

"That Yi Xiaoyao... is his Cultivation really only at the Qi Condensation Realm?"

While the trial disciples were marveling at Yi Xiaoyao’s power, Qi Yue, still trapped in the pit amidst the swarm of insects, wore an expression that was ugly to the extreme.

Not only had he failed to avenge his younger brother, but he had let Yi Xiaoyao escape and even gotten a companion killed in the process!

A genius like Zhao Fei, who had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm at such a young age, came from a significant background and was highly valued by the Seven Kills Star Hall.

Although Zhao Fei was killed by Yi Xiaoyao, he had also died because of Qi Yue.

When he returned, Qi Yue would have no way to answer to either the Seven Kills Star Hall or Zhao Fei’s family.