Yuntai Grand Tournament, Part Two

The Hengshan Heavenly Pillar Sword Technique is incredibly powerful. Ten years ago, Bai Shuangying was able to slay Ge Bila with her sword formation. Now, representing her sect in the Yuntai Grand Competition, she has naturally received many true teachings. After years of honing her skills, she has cultivated the sect's secret manual to an extremely high level, making her formidable. At this moment, she was not intimidated by Qin Jiu's imposing presence. Instead, she took the initiative and immediately unleashed her signature Heavenly Pillar Star Radiance Sword Technique, showering over with a burst of Sword Light!

Bai Shuangying was indeed an elite of the Xuanmen sect. Seeing that the three fellow disciples in front of her were almost powerless to resist and were cut down by Qin Jiu, she judged that the opponent's martial arts were superb and that he had a secret method to break the Shangqing Fumo True Qi. Therefore, she did not rush forward to fight, but instead made hand seals at the foot of the mountain and flew her sword, 'Hai Po'. The Sword Light shot far away, and a bright white blade darted into the mountain stream. With a flash of Sword Light, dozens of Sword Light reflected down and slashed down along the stone steps of Nine Yin Mountain!

But Qin Jiu remained calm and composed, neither dodging nor avoiding, still standing in the middle of the path. He simply pointed his magic sword at the pool of blood on the ground, and with a flick of the sword tip, the blood pool seemed to come alive, rising up like a waterfall of blood, as if drawing back a crimson curtain of rain. The blood burst open under the sword's gleam, seemingly endless, neither collapsing nor dissipating, actually meeting the Sword Light projected directly in front of Qin Jiu!

"Hmm?" Bai Shuangying frowned upon seeing this, clearly surprised that the Heavenly Pillar Sword Light couldn't break through the mere wall of blood. She then made a hand seal and chanted an incantation, using the Sword Control Scripture to point at Qin Jiu, saying, "Go!"

The flying sword 'Hai Po' emitted a burst of blue light, transforming into a blue line that circled in the air, leaving a rainbow trail in the air as it swiftly bypassed the blood curtain and struck Qin Jiu's neck!

However, Qin Jiu didn't react at all. Suddenly, there was a loud 'hum' and the 'Hai Po' sword trembled. When it fell into the Nine Yin Mountain, it seemed to fall into some kind of sticky glue. The sword speed dropped sharply and the sword rang out loudly. Bai Shuangying was shocked. She gritted her teeth and made hand seals to control the sword, but she couldn't control the sword's path. It was too late to pull the flying sword back on track!

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qin Jiu pointed his wooden sword and shot out a stream of Xuanhuang sword energy, striking the 'Sea Soul' sword!

This attack wasn't enough to injure the flying sword, but it caused the 'Hai Po' sword to deviate from its path and crash into the rock wall beside the mountain path, Nine Yin Mountain, with a 'clang'!

It can only be said that the people of the Sword Sect have strong personalities, and so does Shan. Suddenly struck by the flying sword, Shan was enraged, unleashing boundless Dao power in an instant counterattack, blasting the flying sword away with a 'bang'! It directly shattered 'Hai Po' into countless stars in the sky! It fell into the gale-force array that enveloped Nine Yin Mountain in the heavens. The star-blue Sword Light, upon entering the array, was like a small boat falling into a stormy ocean, ravaged and churned, seemingly about to spin and fly out of the sky!

Bai Shuangying suffered a severe mental injury, blood gushing from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Despite this, she endured it, letting out a piercing scream before leaping into the air. She rose and fell towards Tianqiong, managing to recall her flying sword before 'Hai Po' was swept into the depths of the great formation! Upon landing, she could no longer hold on, clutching the sword box and kneeling, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The two exchanged a few moves in this round, far less bloody than before, but Bai Shuangying suffered an even more crushing defeat, her primordial spirit severely injured and unable to stand. Qin Jiu, on the other hand, was completely unharmed, not even bothering to retaliate, simply holding his sword horizontally, blocking the mountain path without moving an inch.

But Li Fan figured it out this time.

Ha, Qin Jiu, that kid, clearly received guidance from a master before he made his move on the mountain path.

It should be known that the Sword Light unleashed by the Heavenly Pillar Sword Technique is not something that can be easily blocked. Bai Shuangying has solid cultivation, is enhanced by her flying sword, and also has the ability to escape. If the two of them were to fight each other fairly on the arena, it would be hard to say who would win.

But this wasn't a fighting arena; it was Nine Yin Mountain. The Heavenly Pillar Sword Light that Bai Shuangying unleashed with all her might didn't even leave a single sword mark on the stone steps of Mount Nine Yin Mountain. Their power was greatly weakened! And when 'Hai Po' crashed into the mountain rocks, it was violently blasted away by the force of the earth's veins!

No wonder the first stage is mountain climbing. Not only do you have to race against the odds, but if you bump into or hit the mountainside, you might even be knocked off your feet. It's really not an easy climb.

Unfortunately, there's only one path to the Nine Yin Mountain, and the entrance Qin Jiu is currently guarding is truly exceptionally treacherous—a place where one man can hold off ten thousand. If you try to launch a direct close-quarters attack, Qin Jiu, with his high vantage point and superior skills, is no match for you alone, and two of you wouldn't be able to fight him effectively. However, if you counterattack from the entrance like Bai Shuangying, it's easy to trigger the Nine Yin Mountain's own defensive mechanisms, making it impossible to harm Qin Jiu in the slightest.

Li Fan couldn't help but turn to look at the two elders of Mount Song, only to find them staring at him with wide eyes.

Xia Baishu, "What do you mean by that?"

Ji Qingyan, "What did Hengshan do to you?"

Wait, didn't you guys give the order?

"What do you two seniors mean by this?"

Purple Void Dao Lord smiled and bowed.

"Why are you blocking Hengshan from going up Yuntai Peak? Have we offended Taiyi Palace in some way?"

The two elders of Mount Song glanced at Purple Void Dao Lord, opened their mouths, and then turned to look at Li Fan.

Purple Void Dao Lord also turned his six pupils toward Li Fan.

"Li Daoyou, our alliance of non-aggression between our two mountains hasn't expired yet, has it?"

"Oh, this..."

Li Fan scratched his head, finding it truly baffling. Even if Songshan was scheming, it didn't make sense. It wasn't like they were truly preventing Hengshan from seizing the peak; would they be unable to become one of the Nine Great Xuan Sects Supreme Purity Sects? Why would Songshan want to humiliate Shangqing Dao like this? Besides, Songshan only had Qin Jiu as a substitute fighter. The two elders said they didn't expect him to become the Cloud Platform Sword Master, but they still hoped to compete for the Nine Peaks Sword Master position, right?

For Ink Bamboo Mountain? That's even less likely. Qin Jiu just joined Ink Bamboo Mountain, and with the support and care from Songshan, Li Fan wouldn't be surprised if Qin Jiu suddenly said he wanted to switch to the Songshan Elders' tutelage.

"If you intend to make things difficult for Hengshan, then you might as well speak plainly and explain the cause and effect clearly!"

The disciples of Hengshan weren't fools; they could see that Qin Jiu had planned this all along, and it wasn't just a momentary lapse of judgment. The other Outer Sect Disciple around them watched coldly. Since no one else could get through, and there was no need to worry about anyone vying for the Sword Master's position, they wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to see the abilities of the Songshan and Hengshan sects, and increase their chances of winning the battle for the peak later.

Qin Jiu didn't stand on ceremony, brandishing his sword, "My Qin Jiu, from Ink Bamboo Mountain!"

All the immortals at the Peach Banquet turned to stare at Li Fan.

Damn it! Why are you all looking at me?! It's not like I ordered him to fight Hengshan on behalf of Songshan! Let's do it!

"From Ink Bamboo Mountain?" The Hengshan disciple who asked the question seemed to understand something. "You want to avenge your sect?"

Qin Jiu frowned. "Today I'm here to seek justice for my brother. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Those from Hengshan, stay. The rest of you can leave."

"Your brother?" The Hengshan disciple frowned. "Who is your brother? The one who died fighting with a Hengshan disciple?"

Qin Jiu said coldly, "I am Qin Jiu, and my brothers are naturally Qin Da, Qin Er, Qin San, Qin Si, and Qin Wu! I also have three older sisters! They all starved to death!"

Everyone was speechless for a moment. The Hengshan disciple was stunned for a moment, "Starved to death... If you're hungry, just eat meat porridge! What does that have to do with Hengshan!"

Qin Jiu gritted his teeth and cursed, "How is this none of your business! If you hadn't seized my family's land, how could they have starved to death! You called them family members of rebels, and you seized the land that my family had cultivated for generations, and enslaved my entire clan to the armored soldiers! Now, we don't even know how many of them have survived to the Li Country. You Hengshan people say it's none of your business, and you expect me to let you pass?"

The disciples of Hengshan simply couldn't understand it.

"What is this guy talking about? Stealing fields? Does he mean medicinal herb fields?"

"A medicinal herb field is only worth a few dollars, why is there such a big fuss?"

"A rebel's family member? Fleeing to Li Country? Could he be from Xun Kingdom?"

"Hmph, so what? There are plenty of refugees suffering from disasters; who knows what they did to offend them? They're just looking for an excuse to cause trouble."

"Kid! So what do you want? Do you want a piece of land back or something? Name your price, money or pills!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiu gritted his teeth, pointing his sword at the disciples below the mountain, "Today I will break your arms and legs! To avenge my parents!!"

Upon hearing this, everyone at the Peach Banquet calculated and looked at themselves, and were speechless for a moment.

Qin Jiu was telling the truth; he did indeed have a personal grudge against Hengshan.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't that Qin Jiu had any grudge against anyone. Rather, it was that Qin Jiu's parents harbored hatred and enmity towards Hengshan.

Some grudges may have been forgotten by the immortals, or even disregarded, but the common people remember them forever.

The fertile land that our ancestors painstakingly cultivated through hardship and pioneering spirit was plundered by landlords under the guise of Hengshan. Of course, I remember that.

Not only do they remember, but they also recite and repeat it over and over again, because mortals' lives are like duckweed, and they may die at any time. Although they no longer have any family property to pass on, this hatred and resentment must be passed down so that their descendants will remember who took away their fields, seized their land, killed their brothers and sisters, and destroyed their homes.

It is Mount Heng.

There's no way to resolve this amicably.

Although the Hengshan disciples couldn't yet calculate cause and effect with the same ease as their elders, seeing the boy's eyes turn red in front of them, they knew that no amount of reasoning could work with him. Although they were also angry about this undeserved disaster, they were, after all, disciples of the Xuanmen sect and could take it easy.

It's just a robbery; we'll get through it.

The Hengshan disciples exchanged glances. Bai Shuangying's flying sword had been destroyed, her primordial spirit severely injured, and she was now covered in blood, barely breathing. The other three Supreme Purity Dao disciples were also badly wounded and on the verge of death. Meanwhile, a large group of fellow disciples were watching the spectacle with ill intent. Naturally, the Outer Sect Disciple of Hengshan could no longer afford to be careless. After some discussion, they selected groups of three, each taking a pill, drawing their swords, and charging up the mountain in single file.

When these three people ran, their toes barely touching the ground, it was as if three overlapping shadows were intertwined, each one close to the other, their steps and even their breathing were in sync. If they appeared face to face, they would almost look like a single person.

Such a bizarre formation, needless to say, was clearly passed down from the Sword Sect. The first person thrust his sword directly at the Inner Landscape Qi Sea, the second person continued to thrust headfirst at the vital points of the heart, lungs, and head, and the third person used a rising and falling leaping slash, from a high position, with thunderous force, a full-force attack, three moves in a row, none of them had a way to retreat, each move was a sure kill!

Such a sword formation is excellent for fighting opponents of similar cultivation levels, with comparable power and speed. Sword techniques involving self-sacrificing assassinations and mutual destruction are inherently difficult to defend against. When someone is risking their life, they can naturally maximize the power and speed of their sword techniques. Although being hit carries the risk of mutual destruction, the Shangqing cultivators, knowing that their painstakingly cultivated Demon-Subduing Body Protection Qi is ineffective, simply abandon their defenses and unleash their sword formation, attacking all at once!

Among the sword techniques of the Sword Sect, the most common is this kind of assassination sword formation that uses overwhelming numbers and clever planning to kill the weak. The most powerful one is naturally the Seven Star Sword Formation, where seven people rush forward from the sky, the ground, the front, the back, the left, and the right, determined to strangle the target like a hedgehog. Even a small formation of three people has dozens of variations. If Li Fan were to fight, he could rely on his exquisite sword skills to forcefully break the formation, but Qin Jiu's swordsmanship has not yet reached that level, so how could he easily break this killing calamity?

Fortunately, Qin Jiu had the advantage of terrain. He stood on the mountain path, surrounded by towering cliffs on both sides, and from his high vantage point, he could clearly see the sword paths of the three people coming towards him. With a loud shout, he also charged forward to meet their swords!

This time, Qin Jiu neither relied on the power of the Xuanhuang Sword Qi nor on the profound mysteries of the Beichen Sword Technique. He held the magic sword in his right hand and waved it in front of the Shangqing disciple to attract their attention. However, he used a feint to deflect the Hengshan Sword that was thrusting towards his abdomen!

At the same time, he used the index and middle fingers of his left hand to form a sword, pointing the fingertips at the first person's brow. The Xuanhuang True Qi shot out like a sharp cone, penetrating through the air with a single touch, drilling a bloody hole in the first Hengshan disciple's forehead! His forehead was instantly dented, killing him instantly!

At that moment, the second person also attacked with a sword. This sword was powerful and heavy, with a fierce and clear intent to cut Qin Jiu in two. He only had time to dodge to the side and parry with his sword, but he was then pulled horizontally and slashed in the right arm. The Xuanhuang protective aura on his shoulder was also severed by the Shangqing Fumo sword energy, and the blade cut into his shoulder more than three inches deep! Blood splattered everywhere!

Fortunately, Qin Jiu pointed his sword with his left hand and quickly withdrew his attack, striking again! This time, his index and middle fingers struck the man's cheek, creating a bloody hole in the face of the second Hengshan disciple. A sharp cone-like energy needle shot out, blowing half of his skull away!

But the third Hengshan Sword arrived at that moment! The Daoist Dao Breath of Shangqing Subduing Demons shone brightly! A sword pierced towards Qin Jiu's skull!

Qin Jiu roared, turning his head to the side. A sword slashed across his left, its tip piercing his heart through his collarbone! But he held the blade firmly in his left hand, while his right hand, abandoning the magic sword, delivered a backhand strike, a hand-blade plunging into the left abdomen of the third Hengshan disciple. With a pull and a tug, the disciple's intestines spilled out! A flick of his finger severed him in two!

Trading injury for injury, risking life for life! Ruthless and merciless, showing absolutely no mercy!

Li Fan, who was in the audience, was also taken aback by what he saw.

"Is this kid stupid?! Why doesn't he dodge??"

He immediately used a stealth technique to retreat, pull back, and then counterattack... Oh, it seems I never taught him any stealth techniques, damn it...

Instead, Purple Void Dao Lord suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Hmm? The Dustless Easy Qi Sword?"

The two elders of Mount Song nodded in unison, "Indeed, the Dustless Easy Qi Sword."

Han the Divine Lord looked on in disbelief, "What! The Dustless Easy Qi Sword!"

Li Fan was a little confused and turned to ask the onlookers, "... What sword?"

Manifestation emerged from the crowd and answered,

"The Dustless Easy Qi Sword is a superior Qi cultivation technique of the Great Yi Dao. It can condense the Xuanhuang Qi into the two Qi of Absolute and Changing. Absolute Qi can kill, while Changing Qi can revive the soul. Daily practice can heal injuries and save lives. When combined with sword moves, it can also defeat enemies and injure people. The deeper the skill and the more exquisite the sword technique, the stronger the power of this move will be."

However, this move requires a high level of cultivation. Most people cannot unleash its power before reaching the Golden Core stage, and it becomes useless after reaching the Divine Transformation stage. Moreover, the Dustless Easy Qi Sword of the Songshan Sect is paired with a self-taught sword technique practiced by the two elders of Songshan, which is pure garbage and can't actually produce any effect.

Xia Baishu: "Hey! We're standing right here!"

Ji Qingyan, "You bastard! You're a real bastard!"

The two elders of Songshan cursed as they rushed after them, then vanished into the crowd in a flash. In the blink of an eye, the three of them disappeared.

Li Fan had no time to deal with the three clowns. When he looked up, he saw Qin Jiu pull out the Hengshan sword stuck in his body, throw it down the mountain path, switch the wooden magic sword to his left hand, and make a sword finger with his right hand. He shot out Xuanhuang Qi from his fingertips and pressed and pinched the acupoints on his body. The wound from the sword wound stopped bleeding and healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Wow, so that's how you defeat seventy-four people in a row with a single move...

At the foot of the mountain, the disciples of the Xuanmen sect remained completely silent.

They were probably thinking, "Why don't we just be straightforward and obey the Cloud Platform Sword Master?"