Protector Demon's Divine Might, Iron Sword Sect Experts Gather

In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined that this brat Ye Xuan would dare act so recklessly.

This brat was clearly only at the sixth-stage Qi Transformation Realm, yet through the Flying Immortal Sword, he had forcibly unleashed combat power no weaker than that of the seventh-stage Qi Control Realm.

Was he not afraid that the Flying Immortal Sword's terrifying Sword Qi backlash would cost him his life?

"The Flying Immortal Sword truly deserves to be a divine weapon listed in the Divine Weapon Scroll. Its power far surpasses that of ordinary magic treasures," Zhang Xiong could not stop muttering inwardly.

He could actually clearly sense a thread of threat.

A dignified Eighth Stage Form Manifestation Realm cultivator feeling threatened by someone in the sixth-stage Qi Transformation Realm?

What an unimaginable thing that was!

At the same time, the blazing greed in his eyes grew even more intense.

He was determined to obtain both the Flying Immortal Sword and the sword art that controlled it.

"Humph!"

"Brat, blame it only on your bad luck!"

"A peerless divine weapon like this is not something an ant like you is qualified to possess. You will only let it gather dust."

"Today, I'll kill you, this ant, and let the Flying Immortal Sword and sword art reveal their former divine might once more."

"With these two supreme treasures, my strength will surely rise to an unprecedented level. By then, I will advance further within the sect, and the day I make my name resound through Yi City will be just around the corner!"

Zhang Xiong sneered.

On the ground.

Ye Xuan rapidly circulated the Heaven-Defying Sword Body Art to devour Sword Qi while gathering all his strength to prepare the second move of the Nine Heavens Sword Art—Crashing Waves.

Buzz!

More and more crimson Sword Qi accumulated, and in an instant, it condensed into a sword aura dozens of zhang long.

With Ye Xuan's furious roar, that crimson sword aura, carrying an unstoppable force, swept toward Zhang Xiong in midair like crashing waves battering the shore.

Screech!

At that moment, Zhang Xiong in the air slashed down without hesitation.

The black giant sword condensed from Sword Qi appeared once more, viciously cleaving toward the crimson sword aura.

Boom!

A dull collision rang out.

Before the unstoppable Flying Immortal Sword, the black giant sword Zhang Xiong had struck out with was directly reduced to ashes.

However, the crimson sword aura Ye Xuan had unleashed also dissipated into the air immediately afterward.

"Heh heh, brat, this old man has to admit that the Flying Immortal Sword is very strong, and your talent has truly made this old man see you in a new light. To wield the Flying Immortal Sword with the cultivation of the sixth-stage Qi Transformation Realm and unleash combat power at the peak of the seventh-stage Qi Control Realm is indeed no easy feat."

"But in this old man's eyes, you are still nothing more than an ant."

"Even if you used a secret art and borrowed external power to raise your combat strength, so what?"

"An ant will always be an ant. In the end, it cannot defy the heavens."

"Next, I will make you understand what a true expert is, and what it means to be crushed by the difference in realms."

Zhang Xiong sneered.

He was a dignified Eighth Stage Form Manifestation Realm expert. He should have been able to casually swat this ant to death with a single slap.

Yet his opponent had actually survived his powerful attack.

This was no different from slapping his old face.

How could he endure it?

Very soon, his aura rose once more, and an extremely icy, invisible force suddenly crushed down toward Ye Xuan below.

He was going to use his ultimate move and slash Ye Xuan straight into pulp.

Just then.

For some unknown reason, his entire body suddenly stiffened. An expression of utter terror instantly surfaced on his face, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart pounded violently beyond his control.

In that instant, every hair on his body stood on end, his scalp went numb, and a bone-piercing chill shot from the soles of his feet straight up his spine.

In that instant, an unprecedented crisis of life and death rose uncontrollably within him, as though his life no longer belonged to him.

In that instant, he sensed an incomparably powerful aura locking onto him. Under that aura, he did not even dare entertain the thought of resistance.

Subconsciously, he looked toward the source of that aura.

Behind Ye Xuan, an almost transparent shadow had appeared at some unknown time.

This transparent shadow was staring at him with utterly emotionless eyes.

The space around that transparent figure twisted and shattered.

"Th-this... what the hell?!"

"A super expert at the peak of the Innate Realm?"

"Legend has it that some super sects possess puppet artifacts specifically meant to protect their Heavenly Talent Disciples—Protector Demons. They remain hidden at their side at all times, only appearing to slay powerful enemies when a life-or-death crisis strikes."

"But hasn't the Divine Sword Sect already fallen into utter ruin, its inheritance severed? Even its previous sect master was forcefully slain by our Iron Sword Sect! How could it possess a Protector Demon puppet artifact at the peak of the Innate Realm?!"

"What in the world is going on here?"

Zhang Xiong's mind instantly descended into chaos.

At the same time, he was terrified out of his wits, his heart pounding wildly!

Run!

Run at all costs!

If he still did not turn tail and flee, then facing that peak Innate Realm Protector Demon would mean being reduced to ashes with a single slap—even his soul might be scattered.

Pfft!

To ensure his escape, he did not hesitate to offer up his heart's blood and unleash the forbidden Blood Escape Art, racing madly into the distance as though his life depended on it.

To hell with face and dignity—running for his life was the true way of kings.

Watching Zhang Xiong, who had once been so arrogantly unstoppable, vomit mouthful after mouthful of blood, Ye Xuan turned back to look at the Protector Demon behind him.

He was utterly dumbfounded.

He had originally been prepared to face death.

Who would have thought that a Protector Demon would suddenly appear?

And one at the peak of the Innate Realm, at that.

Did it have to be this terrifying?

One had to know that the peak of the Innate Realm was an existence capable of sweeping aside all Postnatal Realm cultivators. Things like Primary Body Refinement, Intermediate Qi Cultivation, Advanced Spirit Refinement, and the like—even combined—would not be enough to withstand a single slap.

"Could it be... Esteemed Sect Master was worried about me training outside, afraid I might encounter danger, so he specially arranged for a Protector Demon to protect me in secret?"

"That must be it. It has to be!"

Ye Xuan muttered to himself.

At that moment, he trembled all over with emotion, tears streaming down his face, his heart filled with indescribable gratitude toward Esteemed Sect Master.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that even if Esteemed Sect Master told him to die right now, he would not bat an eye.

Over the next stretch of time, Ye Xuan treated his injuries while continuing to recruit Handyman Disciples from the nearby villages and towns.

One day, feeling that he had fully recovered, he said to himself, "This trip has gone on long enough. It's time to return to the sect."

Half a month later.

"I've finally made it back to our Divine Sword Sect!"

At the foot of Misty Peak, Ye Xuan gazed at the imposing Sect Gate, a deep joy rising in his expression.

Just then.

A piercing whistle rang out in the sky beyond the Divine Sword Sect. Immediately afterward, winds and clouds surged, all directions stirred, and wave after wave of terrifying, heart-palpitating auras swept in from afar.

Before Ye Xuan could even head up the mountain, his expression changed drastically. He instinctively looked up and saw dozens of martial arts experts hovering in midair, each radiating a terrifying aura.

"Sect Master."

"It's this brat. Not only does he possess the immortal artifact Flying Immortal Sword from the Divine Weapon Scroll, he also possesses the sword art to control the Flying Immortal Sword."

The speaker was none other than Zhang Xiong, who had fled while vomiting blood that day.