Thirty-Six Swords Emerge

To decide life and death, to settle karma!

As soon as Li Honggang spoke, all the cultivators around the south gate of Haixia City became excited.

The immortal cultivation world was more brutal than the secular world. Although there were divisions between righteous and demonic paths, cultivators primarily focused on their own interests. They embarked on the path of cultivation not for world peace, but for longevity. This was inherently a choice to contend with heaven itself.

"How domineering! As expected of a cultivator from the Li Family."

"The Li Family, a powerful dynasty from a thousand years ago and now a first-rate family in the immortal cultivation world, truly has its backbone to have been passed down to this day."

"The White Clad Startling Swan looks so calm. Who exactly is he?"

"He shouldn't be Lu Yuanjun, right? Lu Yuanjun no longer needs to wear a mask. It seems Taiyuan Sect has cultivated another extraordinary genius."

"I think he might be a peak master or an elder from a branch of Taiyuan Sect!"

Gu Li stood on the city wall, listening to the discussions around her. The corner of her mouth twitched beneath her veil as she secretly thought, He's not an elder at all. He's a genius even more formidable than Lu Yuanjun!

Before entering Taiyuan Sect, her father had mentioned Lu Yuanjun multiple times, lamenting that Lu Yuanjun would become a pillar of Great Qi's immortal cultivation world in the future. She had always felt unconvinced, believing she wasn't inferior, and wondered why her father didn't praise her.

Although she hadn't met Lu Yuanjun yet, in her heart, she felt that any genius would appear mediocre and insignificant in front of Fang Wang.

Listening to the discussions around her, Gu Li's worries vanished, replaced by anticipation.

Fang Wang will definitely win!

Tang Chengfeng stared intently at Fang Wang, remaining silent. It was difficult to discern his thoughts from his expression alone.

The white-clothed woman beside him muttered, "His build seems okay. I just don't know if the face under the mask is good-looking."

Visible energy emanated from Li Honggang's body as he ascended into the air without any magic artifact. The long saber planted in the ground trembled a few times before shooting out abruptly, its hilt falling naturally into his right hand.

Grasping the saber, Li Honggang stared intently at Fang Wang. His large robe billowed, and his long hair danced along with it, making him appear almost demonic.

Fang Wang's mask revealed his eyes. Within his pupils, Li Honggang's figure blazed with flames, gradually merging with the radiant sun in the sky.

Li Honggang continued to ascend, now able to look down on Fang Wang.

At this moment, he was like the radiant sun in the sky, his aura reaching its peak. It even extended along the blade, forming a terrifying saber energy that was three zhang long. Under the sun's glare, this saber energy began to burn.

Fang Wang raised his sword, the tip pointing upwards, the blade held horizontally in front of him. Sword forms began to coalesce around him.

One sword!

Three swords!

Nine swords!

Twelve swords!

This scene further excited the observing cultivators. For cultivators, the pursuit of the sword was paramount. The Startling Swan Divine Sword Art was quite famous in the immortal cultivation world. A thousand years ago, Yang Yuanzi, relying on this sword art, had single-handedly infiltrated Green Cicada Valley and retreated unharmed. That battle still inspired many cultivators.

This was also the reason Yang Yuanzi was able to pass down Taiyuan Sect's ultimate technique, the Nine Heavens Azure Thunder Sword Formation!

When Fang Wang's sword forms exceeded twenty-four, sword cultivators on the city wall even began to count them.

"Thirty-two swords! It's really the Thirty-two Startling Swan Swords!"

Someone shouted fanatically, his hand gripping his sword hilt trembling.

The thirty-two swords circled Fang Wang, all pointing at Li Honggang. The combined might of these thirty-two swords gave Fang Wang a soaring aura, in no way inferior to Li Honggang's.

"No wonder my son died by your hand, White Clad Startling Swan. Let this old man see how powerful the Thirty-two Startling Swan Swords truly are!"

Li Honggang raised his saber, pointing it diagonally at Fang Wang, his gaze condescending.

The aura of the Thirty-two Startling Swan Swords was indeed strong, but as he sensed Fang Wang's presence, Li Honggang conceived a bold idea.

This opponent might not have reached the Spirit Pill Realm!

This speculation sent a chill down his spine. He found it unbelievable, and a fear he had never experienced before arose from the depths of his heart.

To possess such an aura without reaching the Spirit Pill Realm, this was undoubtedly a more terrifying genius than Li Hongshuang. He couldn't even imagine what heights Li Hongshuang would reach, let alone predict the future limit of the White Clad Startling Swan.

Such a terrifying existence, if he harbored ill will towards the Li Family, would undoubtedly be a disaster for them!

He must be eliminated!

A terrifying killing intent erupted in Li Honggang's eyes. His aura surged abruptly, and the flames on his saber intensified.

"Thirty-two swords?"

Fang Wang's voice suddenly rang out, his tone laced with a hint of disdain.

Fang Wang's right wrist turned, the blade pointing towards his own brow. His gaze was incredibly sharp!

Fang Wang's aura surged dramatically, and four more swords materialized out of thin air around him, bringing the total to thirty-six swords suspended, forming a large circle around him.

Each level of the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art's advancement wasn't just about increasing the number of swords; its sword intent and sword momentum also grew. The further one progressed, the more profound the difference in power with each additional sword.

With the emergence of the thirty-six swords, Fang Wang's sword momentum pierced the heavens. Even the cultivators around the distant south gate were startled, and many swords in their hands trembled.

The sword box behind Gu Li was also vibrating. At this moment, she suddenly recalled the day when all the natal treasure spirits in Taiyuan Sect had become uncontrollable. Her own natal treasure spirit had exhibited a similar reaction then.

Could the anomaly back then also be because of him...?

Gu Li thought of Fang Wang's hurried return that day. Could it be...?

Her gaze towards Fang Wang became even more fervent, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"Thirty-six Startling Swan Swords!"

Tang Chengfeng uttered the six words one by one, his expression growing solemn.

All the cultivators around the south city gate were moved. While restraining their own swords, they looked at Fang Wang with excitement.

Li Honggang was also startled, panic flashing in his eyes.

Thirty-six swords!

How could this be possible!

Li Honggang's heart trembled, his Blood Essence churning. At this moment, an intense fear surged into his heart. He roared and slashed his blade.

A blade energy of flames, nearly five zhang long, swept across the sky. With a single strike, a terrifying sea of fire condensed into a giant fireball, resembling a radiant sun, and shot towards Fang Wang at extreme speed!

Fang Wang's eyes narrowed. He fiercely swung his sword forward, unleashing the thirty-six swords like a rain of blades, moving like thunder and surging like a flood.

In an instant, it seemed Fang Wang had summoned not just thirty-six swords, but three hundred and sixty!

Boom—

The sword rain advanced relentlessly, slicing through the air and dispelling the radiant sun's flames with overwhelming force. Li Honggang's eyes widened, his robes shredded by the sword energy. He had no time to react.

Under the gaze of all the cultivators, Fang Wang swung his sword, and the Thirty-six Startling Swan Swords multiplied, their dazzling number of strikes powerfully scattering Li Honggang's Scorching Sun Killing Blade. They didn't even have time to clearly see Li Honggang's movements before he was engulfed by the sword rain.

The vast sword rain swept across the sky above Haixia City, extending for several miles before finally dissipating, leaving behind a spectacular atmospheric phenomenon.

After the sword rain passed, Li Honggang's figure was nowhere to be seen in the sky. Only his long saber remained, along with a Spirit Pill the size of an egg. The pill was entirely red, and flames still burned on its surface.

The long saber slowly descended, dissolving into smoke and mist as it fell.

The dispersal of the natal treasure spirit meant its owner was dead!

As Li Honggang's Spirit Pill hit the ground, Fang Wang turned and transformed into a white rainbow, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

Haixia City fell into a deathly silence.

"White Clad Startling Swan won!"

A man shouted excitedly, breaking the silence and igniting thunderous cheers throughout the city.

Li Honggang's son, the purple-clothed youth, and other members of the Li Family stood before the city gate, staring blankly at the scene. With a thud, the purple-clothed youth collapsed to his knees, utterly distraught.

"My heavens! Thirty-six swords!"

"Does the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art really have thirty-six swords? What a powerful sword art!"

"I thought it would be a great battle, but I never expected Li Honggang to not even withstand a single move..."

"Who exactly is White Clad Startling Swan? To kill a third-level Spirit Pill Realm cultivator with one sword is simply unbelievable!"

"The Taiyuan Sect has produced another peerless talent!"

As all the cultivators exclaimed in shock, Gu Li gazed in the direction Fang Wang had departed, the corner of her lips curving slightly beneath her veil.

Having witnessed Fang Wang instantly kill Li Honggang with one sword, she felt no shock. Instead, she felt it was only natural.

Father, you said that when a true prodigy appears, they can overshadow anyone. I've truly met one.

Gu Li thought silently, then turned and left.

Fang Wang's power did not crush her fighting spirit. On the contrary, it made her eager to return to her sect and cultivate.

Tang Chengfeng looked at the horizon and sighed, "Zhixin, let's go to the Taiyuan Sect. With the Thirty-six Startling Swan Swords revealed, the world's situation has drastically changed. That hidden dragon, Taiyuan, is truly about to soar."

The white-clothed woman beside him was still in shock, her eyes vacant, unable to snap out of it.

The radiant sun shone brightly, and the atmospheric disturbance above Haixia City lingered for a long time, as if the sword intent of White Clad Startling Swan had been deeply imprinted in the hearts of all the spectators, indelible.