As the thunderous shout died away, the endless torrent of divine weapons cascading down from the sky turned into streaks of light and poured frantically into Ning Xuanyuan's body.
In that instant, the radiance of the divine weapons on Ning Xuanyuan's body grew blinding beyond description. Qin Lang and the others could not open their eyes at all. At the same time, they felt as though they had fallen into a purgatory, their bodies being frantically sliced apart by countless blades and swords.
The Asura Emperor released an invisible force that shielded Qin Lang and the others. Without his protection, they would likely have coughed up blood and suffered serious injuries on the spot.
An incomparably sharp ripple burst forth from Ning Xuanyuan. High in the heavens, fierce winds howled, and the sun and moon lost their light. The Heaven and Earth Realm seemed to have been transformed entirely into a domain of divine weapons.
Boom!
Ning Xuanyuan raised his left hand, and blade light shot forth. In an instant, endless blade light crisscrossed the air, sweeping out like a torrent. Every strand of it contained an incomparable intent to slaughter.
Fierce, savage, pressing forward without hesitation, burying and destroying everything!
Blade Art: Endless Thousand Blades!
The surging blade light crushed the void as it swept forward. One Asura figure after another was instantly destroyed and reduced to nothingness; even the sounds of their shattering were obliterated.
The razor-sharp blade light bore down on Ye Xuankong, seeking to bury and cut him down as well. His gaze flashed, and the nine Slaughter Ancient Characters around him instantly merged into one. It blocked the attack in front of him while releasing ten-thousand-zhang rays of crimson light that frantically ground the blade light to pieces.
Yet he continued to advance, as though no one and nothing could stop him.
Just then, however, Ning Xuanyuan raised his right hand. The longsword formed from spiritual power rang out, stirring up Sword Qi that filled the sky.
But the Sword Qi did not shoot out. Instead, it frantically gathered, and in the blink of an eye, it formed an enormous sword beam!
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Ning Xuanyuan seemed to have gone berserk. With a thrust of his arm, the sword beam tore through the air. A supremely powerful sword presence appeared in the Heaven and Earth Realm, then pierced the void and sped straight toward Ye Xuankong.
One sword was born and became ten thousand; ten thousand swords returned to one, to slay heaven and kill earth!
Sword Art: Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin!
The straight beam of sword light passed directly through the torrent of blade light and appeared before Ye Xuankong in an instant. It was too fast, so fast that it could not be seen with the naked eye.
For the first time, Ye Xuankong's expression changed. He was a Saint Realm expert, yet at that moment, he clearly felt a bone-piercing chill.
His hand clenched abruptly, and the Slaughter Ancient Characters shielding him let out a piercing shriek, as though resonating with the Heaven and Earth Realm. Then Ye Xuankong punched out, and in an instant, it was as though the Great Dao collapsed and the void shattered.
Immediately afterward, a blood-colored light appeared in the Heaven and Earth Realm, with a Slaughter Ancient Characters reflected within it!
Bang!
The blood-colored light of slaughter descended from the sky, slashing straight down from the heavens. It split the void and shattered the sword beam and the torrent of blade intent. At the same time, a figure was sent flying backward.
Pfft!
Ning Xuanyuan sprayed out a mouthful of blood. Bracing his crossed blade and sword in front of him, he slid back several dozen zhang before barely managing to steady himself.
He looked up to see Ye Xuankong still holding the pose of his punch. The expression on his face, however, was exceptionally complicated.
Ye Xuankong's arm trembled slightly, much like his state of mind.
Ning Xuanyuan stood up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth without a word.
"I lost." A bitter smile touched Ye Xuankong's lips as he lowered his arm. In that final strike, he had used Sage Intent. Of course, he had immediately realized what he was doing and pulled back in time. Otherwise, Ning Xuanyuan could not possibly still be standing.
In that instant, it had been a purely instinctive reaction, because he had truly sensed danger. As a warrior who had spent years fighting on battlefields, sometimes his body reacted faster than his thoughts.
Outside the arena, Qin Lang and the others stared at the scene in disbelief. To them, victory or defeat hardly mattered. What shocked them was that Ning Xuanyuan's strength had reached such a terrifying level.
In the vast eight domains, who else could fight a Saint Realm expert to such an extent with Soul Sea Realm cultivation?
Even if all five of them had attacked together, they would not have lasted so long against Ye Xuankong, much less forced him to use Sage Intent.
"Not bad." Nothing unusual showed on the Asura Emperor's face. He merely nodded lightly. As a Human Emperor expert, he had a good handle on his emotions.
Even if rivers and seas were churning and lightning and thunder were crashing in his heart, on the surface he remained as serene as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze, steady as an old dog.
"This battle will be considered a draw."
At the Asura Emperor's words, Ye Xuankong's expression stiffened, and Ning Xuanyuan stopped putting on his aloof, lofty act.
Old man, can you act like a decent human being? I fucking forced him to use Sage Intent, and you're calling it a draw? Why don't you just say you want me dead on the Myriad Heavens Battlefield?
"What? Do you have an objection?" The Asura Emperor glanced at Ning Xuanyuan, who was glaring at him, and spoke mildly.
"No! I! Don't!" Ning Xuanyuan was practically grinding his teeth to pieces, but he did not dare say it aloud.
I have to read the situation. When it's time to back down, I have to back down. If this old bastard turns on me and adds another year to my sentence, where am I supposed to go for justice?
"Father Emperor, what about the Night Watch Army's pay?" Unlike Ning Xuanyuan, Ye Xuankong was so happy he could have laughed out loud. If it was a draw, did that mean he only had to cover half a year's pay?
"A Soul Sea Realm brat forced you to use Sage Intent, and you still have the nerve to bring it up?" The Asura Emperor glared at Ye Xuankong and said coldly, "You'll cover two years of the army's pay yourself."
Ye Xuankong's face immediately darkened. If he lost, he would pay for one year, but a draw meant paying for two?
The two brothers, bound by the same fate, exchanged a glance, each seeing what the other was thinking.
Ruthless. Fucking ruthless!
"Go back and make your preparations. You two will set out for the Myriad Heavens Battlefield tomorrow," the Asura Emperor said.
"We're leaving tomorrow?" Ning Xuanyuan was taken aback. Then he glanced at Qin Lang and the others. "What about them? Aren't they coming with me?"
The Asura Emperor said, "They're still a little weak and need to cultivate for a while longer. After some time, I'll send them to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield to find you."
Ning Xuanyuan: "???"
Of the five, all but Song You'er had already broken through to the Life Palace Realm.
Ning Xuanyuan was falling apart inside. I'm only at the Soul Sea Realm, and you're in such a hurry to send me to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield. Those four are at the Life Palace Realm, and you say they're a little weak?
Damn it! I really am not his biological son!
Unlike Ning Xuanyuan, who was full of complaints, Qin Lang and the others all looked ashamed. The Asura Emperor was right. Compared with Ning Xuanyuan, their strength fell far, far short. If they went to the Myriad Heavens Battlefield, even if they weren't cannon fodder, they wouldn't be much better off.