An utterly ordinary great blade forged from Darksteel was held in Lin Shuguang's hands... Especially now, at a moment when all eyes were upon him, it had actually erupted with an unbelievable might.
It was as if mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting apart. In an instant, the airflow throughout the entire Training Ground was crushed beneath some unseen force.
A thunderous boom rang out.
Lin Shuguang raised his blade, closed in, and charged forward with overwhelming force amid a terrifying roar that shook the heavens.
His entire body seemed to become a bolt of ultimate lightning, bursting with blinding radiance. From a single point, it exploded in all directions.
In that instant.
In the distance, the group of new disciples was utterly dumbstruck. The figure leaping through the air and bringing his blade down looked as if a heavenly god had descended, wantonly rippling through their hearts.
Up close, the Core Realm disciples who had refused to submit to Lin Shuguang just thirty seconds earlier no longer had the slightest trace of defiance. They stared in horror as he brought down a blade containing terrifying Killing Intent.
"He—he broke through!!!"
"When did you break through to the high stage of the Core Realm?!"
Almost in an instant, Ji Daohe's face twisted with sudden fear.
He was only at the fifth layer. No matter how hard he tried, he could never be Lin Shuguang's opponent, a powerhouse of the ninth layer!
Yet he clearly remembered that when Lin Shuguang had first entered the sect, he had only been in the Profound Connection Realm. How could he... how could he suddenly have become a high-stage Core Realm cultivator?
"That's impossible!"
Ji Daohe's mind shook violently.
When the sword in his hand came into contact with Lin Shuguang's power, it snapped with a bang. Countless cracks rapidly spread from the break toward the hilt.
"Crack!"
Almost at the same time, this precious sword—worth countless times more than the blade in Lin Shuguang's hand—announced its own death.
The sound of it shattering like broken tiles was like the cracking voice of Ji Daohe's heart at that moment.
"Save me!"
Power traveled from the sword into Ji Daohe's shoulder. The explosive sound of bones breaking like bursting beads made him scream until his voice turned raw.
Suddenly.
"Useless trash."
Someone seemed to curse disdainfully under his breath, and the void immediately exploded.
A vortex appeared beside Ji Daohe, and a hand emerged from within it.
It instantly seized Ji Daohe's shoulder and dragged him into the vortex...
The newcomer clearly did not take Lin Shuguang seriously at all. The astral force erupting from the vortex immediately forced back the blade closing in on him.
This power was even more terrifying than that of the ninth layer.
The sudden scene filled the Baojian Sect disciples present with dread.
Even the guiding Elder several hundred meters away changed expression at that instant. After blurting out a string of furious curses, he formed a Sword Art with his fingers and shot forward. "Where did this bastard come from, daring to trespass into my Baojian Sect!!!"
After all, he was somewhat too far away.
Before he could arrive first, Lin Shuguang had already struck with his blade.
"The person I want to kill—you can't save him!"
An icy current of air erupted amid the boundless darkness, giving birth to countless Lightning Rays.
"Overestimating yourself." The newcomer spoke indifferently. Then the fingers gripping Ji Daohe's body loosened and flicked downward.
Amid a sudden, shrill crack, the Darksteel Blade in Lin Shuguang's hand shattered on the spot.
At the same time, however, Ji Daohe—whose shoulder had already been dragged halfway into the vortex—let out a heart-rending scream.
"Pfft!"
At some unknown point, a great blade covered in mysterious patterns suddenly appeared in Lin Shuguang's hand. Carrying an invincible, overbearing might, it pierced straight through Ji Daohe's chest.
Lin Shuguang was so ferocious that before anyone could react, his left hand shot forward like thunder and seized Ji Daohe's lower leg.
He yanked him out of the vortex.
His right hand surged forward and grabbed Ji Daohe by the neck, forcibly ripping out a blood-covered spinal column.
This time, Ji Daohe did not even have the chance to scream before Lin Shuguang tossed him from the air like a piece of trash.
The sight left everyone stunned.
Let alone the Baojian Sect newcomers meeting Lin Shuguang for the first time.
Even the Core Realm disciples who had fought Lin Shuguang before now looked at him as if he were a terrifying demon god who had just walked out of hell.
Although no one could explain exactly how Lin Shuguang's blade had pierced Ji Daohe's body, his bloody method of directly separating corpse from bones unquestionably sent chills through everyone.
Even Xu Baiyang, who had spent so much time with Lin Shuguang, could not help shivering.
"Junior Brother, you're actually this ruthless... Indeed, one must never judge a person by appearances."
"You! Are! Courting! Death!!!"
Ji Daohe's gruesome death had occurred in an instant. The person hiding behind the vortex roared in fury, his voice brimming with Killing Intent.
He was a dignified martial powerhouse, yet he had watched helplessly as Ji Daohe, whom he had protected, was killed on the spot by Lin Shuguang. This was simply the greatest humiliation!
He reached out and seized downward with savage force.
It was as if he did not regard the Baojian Sect at all.
A terrifying aura erupted violently from the vortex.
That jade-like palm viciously tore through the air. The surrounding air seemed to be annihilated by an infinite force, radiating an intensely evil aura.
The space surrounding Lin Shuguang was instantly covered in darkness.
Such an evil method was unheard of. The many Baojian Sect disciples present stared as if dumbstruck... In their eyes, the Core Realm was already strong enough, yet the mysterious man's methods were so bizarrely terrifying that they left no hope of survival whatsoever.
Even that Spirit Transformation Realm Elder could not help widening his eyes. He still gathered his qi in his dantian, drew his longsword, and charged forward with a roar.
"You truly dare bully my Baojian Sect when we have no one!!!"
The sword force surged.
It swept across the hundred-meter distance in a horizontal killing stroke.
At this moment, however, Lin Shuguang's expression remained calm.
He was no fledgling who had just entered the martial world.
Having endured countless battles, he had already thrown out the three Blood Spirit Soul Sacrificing Banners after dealing with Ji Daohe.
The three banners formed a formation.
Lin Shuguang decisively sacrificed the blood qi throughout his body.
His strength surged upward!
On top of that, he drew the Slaughter Blade. His entire body was as savage as devilish Baleful Intent accumulated over ten million years, and he brought the blade down in a Draw and Slash.
Within this pitch-black darkness, a comet seemed to appear from thin air.
The sudden flash of faint light had already twisted this small section of space.
The power from Lin Shuguang surged and roared through the area. The billowing waves of qi carried a resolve that seemed capable of crushing every material thing in this space, and savagely slashed downward.
"Clang!"
The Elder's sword and Lin Shuguang's blade struck the mysterious man's evil treasure at the same time. The resulting metallic ring was like demonic music, making the nearby disciples whose cultivation was still insufficient grunt and fly backward on the spot.
In an instant, the entire Training Ground was a scene of utter devastation.
"Courting death!"
Elder Qu arrived first and struck out with his sword.
This sword was like a flood dragon emerging into the world and churning the winds and clouds.
With this single strike, he split the dark space enveloping Lin Shuguang in two. The neat, uniform cut was even visible to the naked eye.
"You old thief, how dare you damage my treasure! I won't spare you!" the man roared in exasperation.
He had failed to kill Lin Shuguang and had instead damaged his own treasure.
He had suffered a massive loss!
Seeing more and more Baojian Sect powerhouses arriving, the man acted decisively. Without lingering, he began withdrawing the arm he had exposed.
"My Baojian Sect isn't a place you can come and go as you please!" Elder Qu snorted coldly and charged forward.
Sword Qi was like a rainbow.
His sword struck the vortex on the spot, and another cracking sound rang out with a clang.
Immediately afterward came the mysterious man's furious voice.
"You old thief, you won't die a good death!"
Elder Qu's face was filled with Baleful Intent as his long, withered fingers seized downward with savage force.
The other party seemed to have been prepared. After a cold snort, he directly resisted with overwhelming force.
Just then.
A Saber Light crashed forward like a wild beast, breaking through the vortex barrier blocking its path.
Lin Shuguang charged in just as fiercely.
"Brat, you're courting death!"
The man was shocked and enraged. He had never expected that this young man he had looked down on could exert such immense pressure on him at this moment.
Before he could finish berating him, he was forced back step by step, allowing Lin Shuguang to seize his lower leg.
With a violent yank!
A young man in embroidered robes was suddenly dragged out from the other end of the void.
"Damn it!"
The moment he glared furiously at Lin Shuguang, Elder Qu's sword had already descended.
"And you, you old bastard!"
"Clang, clang, clang!"
In almost an instant, the young man exchanged dozens of blows with Elder Qu.
A sheet of sparks enveloped them.
All kinds of martial profundities collided in an instant.
The Baojian Sect disciples present were completely dumbfounded.
This high-level battle far surpassed their imagination...
"Bang—pfft!"
The young man was sent flying by a sword strike. He spat out blood and crashed heavily into a nearby artificial mountain.
With a bang.
The three-meter-tall artificial mountain shattered into countless stones that scattered to one side.
Before the young man could steady himself, more than a dozen Elders had appeared around him, surrounding him completely.
Surrounded by so many powerhouses, the young man in embroidered robes showed not the slightest fear. Instead, he arrogantly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked coldly at Elder Qu, who stood at the head. "Your Baojian Sect is indeed filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Unfortunately, you have few true experts!"
Elder Qu ignored him and instead looked toward Lin Shuguang beside him, asking with concern, "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Lin Shuguang shook his head.
He had not been injured. Instead, because of the exchange just now, half of the Gray Seals in the Dao Patterns of his Sacred Dragon Body had been reduced on the spot. It was truly an unexpected delight.
It was clear how profound this man's strength was.
No wonder he had been able to withstand Elder Qu for so long.
This young man was about the same age as Baojian Sect's Heavenly Pride, Qi Tianming. Yet with this level of strength, he was probably either a high-stage Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator or a powerhouse of the True Fate Realm.
Seeing that Lin Shuguang was truly unharmed, the stone in Elder Qu's heart finally fell. His eyes flashed like lightning as he stared coldly at the young man in embroidered robes. "Have you decided how you want to die?"
The young man in embroidered robes sneered coldly. "Your Baojian Sect doesn't dare kill me."
In front of more than a dozen Elders and dozens of Baojian Sect disciples, he calmly declared, "My father is the Island Master of Donghua Island. If you dare kill me, prepare for Donghua Island and your Baojian Sect to go to war! With this pitiful number of people in your Baojian Sect, Donghua Island wouldn't even need to use its full strength."
"Is that so?" Just then, the Baojian Sect Master arrived at a leisurely pace.
Looking at the young man in embroidered robes who claimed to be the son of the Island Master of Donghua Island, he showed not the slightest surprise.
"Master."
More than a dozen Elders, including Elder Qu, saluted him in turn.
The surrounding Baojian Sect disciples came to their senses as if awakening from a dream and hurriedly saluted with their swords in hand.
The Sect Master slowly approached and stood before the young man in embroidered robes.
"I recognize you." The young man in embroidered robes looked the Sect Master up and down before speaking first.
He still wore that same arrogant expression.
"Five years ago, when Eastern Extreme Continent held its grand gathering, you represented the Baojian Sect and sat more than a dozen meters behind my Donghua Island. Who would have thought that the Baojian Sect, whose name once resounded throughout Hengyu, would have fallen to this state? I wonder if your ancestor will be so furious that he climbs out of his grave—slap!"
A slap flashed down like lightning.
Half the young man's face swelled immediately, leaving even him momentarily stunned.
Covering his face, he raised his head and stared at the Baojian Sect Master in disbelief. "You—you dare hit me?"
The Baojian Sect Master remained calm. "If a son is not taught, it is the father's fault. I gave you this slap on behalf of the Island Master of Donghua Island. If you dare speak recklessly again, I won't merely hit you—I'll cripple you. Don't believe me? Try me."
"You!"
Hua Tianyin was furious. "Good, very good, Baojian Sect! Do you really think my Donghua Island is made of soft clay?"
He crushed the sphere in his hand.
Thunder immediately surged and rolled, as if some peerless powerhouse were about to descend.
Hua Tianyin glared at the Baojian Sect Master, his eyes filled with hatred. "If your Baojian Sect doesn't want to be destroyed, kneel before me right now and beg for mercy!"
The Baojian Sect Master looked at him. Just as he raised his hand, Hua Tianyin cried out in alarm, "I've already told my father that I'm in danger. He'll descend here at once! He's a powerhouse at the peak of the True Fate Realm. Apart from that dying ancestor of yours, who in your Baojian Sect is his match?
"Let me tell you the truth. Right now, all the sects outside are waiting to see your Baojian Sect make a fool of itself. Once that old man dies, I'd like to see how your Baojian Sect continues on!
"You know better than anyone how many people your Baojian Sect offended back then! Besides, the only Imperial Lineage left now is Jade Void Palace. When will your Baojian Sect finally recognize reality?
"Of course, you can beg me. As long as you beg me, my Donghua Island can show mercy and take in your Baojian Sect. Naturally, a thread of hope for your survival will remain beneath the heavens."
"Are you finished?" The Baojian Sect Master remained utterly calm.
Having the state of his sect exposed in a single sentence was indeed infuriating, yet the Sect Master's expression was unnaturally tranquil.
Whether his composure was extraordinarily deep, or whether...
Hua Tianyin had only just paused when a Sword Intent pierced into his heart.
A pain like a knife carving his heart—this was probably what it felt like.
Hua Tianyin collapsed on the spot, his entire body twisting. It was as if countless knives were stabbing through him between every limb and bone. The heart-devouring pain made him want to howl.
But the Sect Master of Baojian Sect had no idea what secret art he had used to seal Lin Shuguang's mouth. Lin Shuguang could only let out soundless screams and roars of agony.
"Master, is this really all right?" an elder beside him asked in alarm.
The Sect Master did not answer. Instead, he looked toward Lin Shuguang.
For some reason,
that one glance seemed to last ten thousand years. Lin Shuguang could not understand why the Sect Master would reveal such a bewildered, complicated expression.
In the blink of an eye, the Sect Master raised his head and looked toward the horizon where thunder rumbled and rolled.
Just then, an angry roar came from the horizon. "Where did your Baojian Sect get the nerve to hurt my son!!!"
The sea of clouds churned.
It was as though the mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting apart.
A towering, terrifying figure slowly emerged from the phantom image in the distant sky.
The Island Master of Donghua Island had arrived!
Amid the shocked cries and explosive roars all around them,
the Sect Master of Baojian Sect appeared at Lin Shuguang's side at some point. That voice spoke only to him:
"Watch carefully. This is the baptism the Ancestor prepared for you."
Lin Shuguang was stunned.
Before you continue