Chapter 218 - 183: Battlefield Breakthrough

Chapter 218: Chapter 183: Battlefield Breakthrough

The Thirty-Third Heaven, the Heaven of Grand Beginning.

In front of the Celestial Will Hall, where the Celestial Intent Seal is kept.

Ling Xuzi looked at the four former friends across from him, his feelings inevitably complicated.

"Today, I will cleanse the Celestial Sword Pavilion of its filth!" Dugu Yunfeng declared.

Behind him, his Sword Box flew open, and an infinite number of Spirit Swords shot out, blanketing the sky.

These five hundred million Spirit Swords were all Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts, the foundation the Celestial Sword Pavilion had accumulated over countless years.

Although each individual sword was only Middle or Low Grade Tier Five, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

When these Spirit Swords combined to form a Sword Array, they truly possessed the power to overturn heaven and earth.

Dugu Yunfeng was an absolute prodigy.

An ordinary Divinity Transformation Cultivator could, at most, split their focus ten thousand-fold, but he could do so a hundred million-fold.

That was how he was able to control so many Spirit Swords.

"Ling Xuzi, it’s not too late to turn back!" Nangong Zhiqing said, summoning the Shennong Cauldron.

Zhuge Mingyuan and Mo Ye said nothing. The two of them stood guard outside the Celestial Will Hall, protecting the seal within.

It represented the authority of the Celestial Dao Alliance, and more than that, it was an absolute power that could not be easily shaken.

If Ling Xuzi were to get his hands on it, even with only partial authority, he might find some unconventional way to activate it.

That would be a true disaster.

In comparison, the outcome of this battle was not as important.

If the Floating City fell, it would just mean rebuilding a place for cultivation.

It just wouldn’t be on the same scale as before.

But if the Celestial Intent Seal were activated and brought down, the ensuing cataclysm would be the greatest disaster of all.

"Senior Brother, how many years has it been since we last sparred?"

Ling Xuzi looked at Dugu Yunfeng, a rare smile gracing his lips.

"Three hundred and forty-seven years," Dugu Yunfeng said.

"You remembered." Ling Xuzi smiled. "Last time, I lost."

"This time, you will lose again," Dugu Yunfeng said.

"But I want to win!"

Ling Xuzi drew his sword.

The Sword Momentum he had been accumulating for so long soared into the sky.

Having re-examined his own heart, his sword was now even sharper than before.

His Sword Dao was clearer than ever, free of all hesitation.

Nangong Zhiqing had a shocked expression on her face, but she still stood beside Dugu Yunfeng, her cauldron at the ready.

However, Dugu Yunfeng casually flicked out a strand of Sword Qi, forcing her back.

He would not allow anyone else to interfere in this battle.

This was between him and Ling Xuzi. This was a Celestial Sword Pavilion matter!

......

......

The Thirty-Second Heaven, Taiyao Heaven.

Zhang Ji suddenly looked up toward the heavens above.

Although he couldn’t see anything specific, the sheer power he felt was startling.

Ling Xuzi had taken another step forward.

He was even stronger than the Ling Xuzi he had first met.

But he hadn’t stepped into the Tribulation Crossing Stage.

Crossing the tribulation wasn’t so easy.

Heaven and earth would roar in unison, using the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder and the will of the world to brand a Dao Seal onto one’s Divine Soul and physical body. The slightest mistake would result in one’s death and the dissipation of their dao.

In this era, with insufficient Spiritual Qi and resources, just two bolts of true divine thunder would be enough to kill someone.

Right now, Ling Xuzi had at most touched the edge of the next realm, but without the right conditions, he couldn’t break through.

Still, this was enough to elevate his combat power by another level.

"I need to hurry up, too!"

With a flicker of movement, Zhang Ji flew rapidly toward the Nine Heavens Sword Tomb.

The Celestial Sword Group had sent numerous Spirit Puppets and unmanned flying swords to stop Zhang Ji, but he casually swatted them aside.

He could have even just ignored them.

These things posed no threat to him.

Some cultivators from the Celestial Sword Group formed a Sword Array, but Zhang Ji broke through it with a single palm strike, passing through without the slightest delay.

"Fellow disciples, run! The intruder is powerful..."

Xia Kai struggled to fly to the front of the Nine Heavens Sword Tomb. His life-bound flying sword was mostly broken, and his face was contorted in pain as he yelled for the disciples guarding the area to flee.

"Senior Brother Xia!"

Linghu Yao looked shocked and rushed forward to support Xia Kai.

"Get them out of here... Go!!" Xia Kai shouted, pushing Linghu Yao away.

"SHINK~!"

"PFFT~!"

Before he could finish, a blast of potent qi shot out, piercing Xia Kai’s chest and abdomen and shattering his Nascent Soul.

Zhang Ji appeared, walking up the steps one by one.

It wasn’t that he was trying to show off, but a flight-restriction formation was in place here. Forcibly flying against the gravitational pull would consume a significant amount of energy.

The Nine Heavens Sword Tomb was where the swords of deceased Celestial Sword Pavilion seniors were laid to rest.

Junior disciples could only inherit one of the blades within if they earned the recognition of its Sword Spirit.

If a sword was not chosen, it would remain there, nourished by Spiritual Qi to prevent it from deteriorating.

Countless blades were now simply thrust into the ground, which was dense with Spiritual Qi.

Linghu Yao watched Xia Kai fall, a ripple of emotion disturbing her heart.

She didn’t know why, but at this moment, she felt a pang of sorrow for this senior brother who had competed with her in every way, someone she had found so annoying.

She reached out and brushed her hand over her senior brother’s eyes, closing them for him.

Linghu Yao stood up, sword in hand, and faced Zhang Ji.

Her Sword Intent surged. Zhang Ji could feel the coalescing Spirit particles radiating a sharp aura, creating the faint illusion of a stinging pain on his skin.

’Main plot characters really are a little different.’

’Still, she has to die!’

He raised his hand, and a blast of Breaking Army force shot out.

"BOOM~!"

Linghu Yao struck out with her sword at the same time, attacking Zhang Ji.

The light from her sword was instantly shattered, and her blade collided with the force from Zhang Ji’s finger.

The potent qi from his finger easily destroyed her Sword Intent, and cracks spiderwebbed across the blade in her hand.

"RUMBLE~!"

A long trench appeared in the ground.

A single finger attack had plowed a furrow hundreds of meters long, and at its end stood Linghu Yao, her sword mostly shattered.

She trembled all over, her right arm covered in cracks. Even her modified body couldn’t withstand such power.

Zhang Ji was slightly surprised.

He hadn’t charged the attack, but given his current stats, the fact that Linghu Yao could take that blow meant her strength was not to be underestimated.

"Charge! Avenge Senior Brother Xia and the others!"

An unknown voice cried out, and streams of sword light shot toward Zhang Ji.

"No, don’t go!!"

Linghu Yao cried out to stop them, but it was too late.

Blasts of potent qi flew out, precisely piercing the chests and abdomens of the attackers and shattering their Golden Cores or Nascent Souls.

Zhang Ji respected these warriors and was willing to give them a dignified end rather than torturing them.

His slaughter was extremely efficient. Soon, the several hundred elite cultivators here were all dead.

Only Linghu Yao remained.

No, there was also a woman in white.

She held a sword, trembling as she stood in front of Linghu Yao, pointing it at Zhang Ji.

"N-No... you can’t..."

A tender voice rang out.

Zhang Ji was amused. ’Why does she love to act as much as Yan Jiulin?’

"Wuyin, get behind me!"

Linghu Yao struggled to her feet and pulled Qu Wuyin behind her for protection.

"She hasn’t even reached the Golden Core realm. She’s just a Sword Attendant with no particular talent. She’s no threat to you. Let her go..." Linghu Yao said to Zhang Ji.

Zhang Ji watched Linghu Yao with great interest, his eyes even holding a trace of pity.

Linghu Yao didn’t understand, but she soon would.

A stabbing pain came from behind her.

A blade pierced her flesh, puncturing her primary Nascent Soul [Dubhe] on the spot and shattering it with Spiritual Power.

Qu Wuyin looked at Linghu Yao with a smile on her face.

"Senior Sister Linghu, your eyes are truly beautiful!" Qu Wuyin said.

"BANG~!"

A majestic burst of Spiritual Power erupted. Qu Wuyin dodged it, landing gracefully beside Zhang Ji.

"Why?"

Linghu Yao gripped her sword with both hands, half-crouching as she struggled to support herself.

She didn’t understand. She couldn’t comprehend it.

This Sword Attendant, who had been so loyal to her... she had once even considered Qu Wuyin to be like a real sister.

Why the betrayal?

’No, wait. It seems she was never part of the Celestial Sword Group to begin with?’

"Senior Sister, you’re always like this, asking so many ’whys.’ But in this world, are there really so many answers to be found?" Qu Wuyin sighed.

In the void, eyeballs began to appear, one after another. They were all Spiritual Artifacts refined by Qu Wuyin.

They could share their vision with her, gather Spiritual Qi, and serve as a means to lay down an Array.

The eyeballs began to glow, their Spiritual Power connecting to form a grand array, and a powerful Spirit Skill began to brew.

Linghu Yao was not dead yet. She was different.

She cultivated two Nascent Souls.

A primary Nascent Soul, [Dubhe], and a secondary one, [Alkaid].

With only one destroyed, she could still live, albeit with a great loss of strength.

However, it was clear she could no longer block Qu Wuyin’s attacks.

At this moment, time seemed to slow down for her.

Scene after scene from her past flashed through her mind.

She remembered how Ling Xuzi, when he was her master, had constantly reprimanded her for this very issue.

When she drew her sword, she was always asking *why* she was drawing it.

When Ling Xuzi betrayed them, she had also asked why.

She couldn’t understand his reasons.

In truth, a Sword Cultivator didn’t need so many ’whys.’ They just needed a target. Then, they could draw their sword.

Hesitation and indecisiveness were not the way of the sword!

There was no need to ask so many questions. Just act. Just achieve the goal.

Draw the sword!

Draw the sword!!

Draw the sword!!!

"WHOOSH~!"

A blue spiritual light coalesced between the many eyeballs and shot toward Linghu Yao.

However, as the spiritual light neared Linghu Yao, it was halted by a mysterious energy field.

"SHINK~!"

A flash of sword light passed, and the many eyeballs Qu Wuyin had refined were instantly sliced apart.

Linghu Yao rose to her feet, her weak aura undergoing a transformation.

The numerous Spirit Swords in the Nine Heavens Sword Tomb began to tremble, resonating with her Sword Intent.

Linghu Yao understood. She finally understood.

She would no longer keep asking why. She would draw her sword and use it to directly correct what she believed to be wrong.

Qu Wuyin before her, the Ascetic Order, the Celestial Dao Alliance, and Ling Xuzi!!!

"BOOM~!"

From the depths of the Nine Heavens Sword Tomb, a transparent, sword-shaped spine appeared and shot straight toward Linghu Yao, moving so fast that even Zhang Ji couldn’t react in time.

The Primordial Sword Bone entered her body. Linghu Yao’s cultivation soared, and her realm instantly broke through to Divinity Transformation—and not just an ordinary one at that.

Back then, Ling Xuzi had failed to earn the recognition of the Primordial Sword Bone, yet now, Linghu Yao had succeeded.

Qu Wuyin was still dazed, but suddenly, Linghu Yao attacked.

With a flash of sword light, dozens of sword marks appeared on Qu Wuyin’s body, her internal Spiritual Power completely sealed, rendering her unable to use even a sliver of it.

Linghu Yao held her broken sword, [Azure Sky], and faced Zhang Ji. Her eyes were filled with a sharp, combative will, with not a trace of hesitation remaining.

Adversity was the best nourishment for growth. After experiencing so much, it was time she understood how the world truly worked.

"A breakthrough in the heat of battle..."

Zhang Ji narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious.

He thought he had already broken the plot, that the story of Linghu Yao absorbing the Sword Bone to break through wouldn’t happen again. But it had happened anyway.

In a rather dramatic fashion, she had awakened after being betrayed and earned the recognition of the Sword Bone.

He had to admit, these main plot characters truly did have some plot armor.

At this moment, Linghu Yao’s strength was perhaps approaching that of Ling Xuzi himself.

It wasn’t because she herself was special, but because the Primordial Sword Bone was just that damn powerful.