Winds Rising, Clouds Surging

Taiyi Prefecture, Taishi Mountain.

Xu Qingcheng was currently in seclusion. As the top seed for this First Martial Arts Tournament, she paid no mind to the preliminary rounds. She had only one goal: seclusion, cultivation, and breakthrough. She intended to stand at the peak in her best state, looking down upon all other geniuses.

As the Saintess of the Taiyi Sect and a student of the Celestial Academy, Xu Qingcheng had been number one since childhood. Yet, only by proving herself in the First Martial Arts Tournament could she be considered the true number one. Therefore, she could not afford to lose this time.

However, Xu Qingcheng's seclusion was interrupted. The one who broke it was the Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect, her father, known as the strongest expert in the Human Realm: the Great Sage Chengtian, Xu Zhongyi.

"Lin Huang has entered the First Martial Arts Tournament."

With these few brief words, Xu Zhongyi knew Xu Qingcheng understood his meaning.

Xu Qingcheng raised her delicate brows, her heroic spirit shining through as she said with absolute confidence, "I know of him. He achieved sainthood through an unconventional path and has now attained the rank of Great Sage."

"Correct. This Lin Huang ascended to the heavens in a single step. His background is deeply intertwined with many things, and even I cannot see through it clearly. Although it is said that his Six Paths in One is incomplete and he is a pseudo-saint, regardless, he has attained the saintly rank. You are no match for him."

Xu Qingcheng bit her lip, feeling somewhat unconvinced as she looked at Xu Zhongyi.

"I am giving you the Taishi Bell. Only with its protection can you ignore the pressure of his saintly rank and fight him." Xu Zhongyi flicked his finger. A bronze bell, ancient and majestic, engraved with the map of the three thousand worlds on the outside and the characters 'Taishi' on the inside, appeared in the air. With a gentle shake and a resonant clang, Xu Qingcheng's entire body trembled. Various insights flooded her mind, as if she had been enlightened by a divine revelation, leading to a significant breakthrough.

The divine light of the Taishi Bell receded as it drilled into the top of Xu Qingcheng's head, falling silent.

Xu Qingcheng remained silent, standing straight as she fell into a state of sudden enlightenment, standing tall and graceful like a goddess descended to earth.

As if by telepathy, it happened almost simultaneously.

The two hundred seeded players of the Human Realm, along with many other peerless geniuses who considered themselves invincible, were each bestowed with divine artifacts and treasures by their masters. A flame ignited in everyone's eyes, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens.

Yuan Tiangang stood expressionless outside the White Jade Capital. For three days and three nights, he had neither slept nor rested, completing his daily preliminary matches at the fastest possible speed. The remaining time was spent traveling, with his destination being the White Jade Capital.

Yuan Tiangang knew he would certainly make it to the finals and secure a spot in the top thirty-two. No, the top thirty-two was far from enough; his goal had always been only one: to be number one and win the championship.

If he could not dominate his peers and sweep through his generation, how could he possibly fight Yuan Zhan, who had stood at the rank of Great Sage for a thousand years?

Walking into the White Jade Capital without a change in expression, Yuan Tiangang's face suddenly shifted as the voice of Yuan Zhan echoed in his heart.

"I have good news for you. A fellow who has attained the saintly rank will be participating in this tournament."

Yuan Tiangang remained silent, clenching his fists as he replied in a cold voice, "And so what?"

"Haha. That is my son, Yuan Zhan. Go. Defeat him, crush him. He is merely a pseudo-saint whose Six Paths in One is incomplete. If you cannot even win against him, I will be very disappointed."

"Haha. Those vulgar people like Xu Zhongyi, who falsely call themselves Great Sages, actually bestowed divine artifacts upon their disciples. But I, Yuan Zhan, will not. If you cannot even defeat a pseudo-saint, how can you hope to fight me?"

The arrogant laughter faded from Yuan Tiangang's heart. His expression remained unchanged as he continued forward. "A pseudo-saint, is it? Just as well, let me see the methods of a saint. Yuan Zhan, I will keep winning, and that includes winning against you."

Blade World, Fengdao Mountain.

Fengdao was in seclusion.

Suddenly, flames erupted within Fengdao Mountain, triggering the mountain-protecting Divine Array. Heavenly fire descended and earthly fire surged, as if the world were ending. An unruly figure appeared in mid-air, his entire body wreathed in flames that shifted in myriad ways. In the blink of an eye, the Red Lotus Karma Fire, Great Completion Saint Fire, Heavenly Tribulation Lightning Fire, Nine Nether Earth Fire, Great Sun Heavenly Fire, Doomsday Calamity Fire, Crimson Light Fire, and Nether Dark Fire surged and transformed.

If anyone were to see this, they would be struck with absolute terror. Each of these flames was peerless in the world, only one level below the legendary Nine-Colored Divine Fire and Seven-Colored Saint Fire. Obtaining any one of them would be enough to become a king or hegemon and sweep across a region.

Yet now, someone had refined them all, changing them at will.

"Fengdao. I heard your Human Realm produced a pseudo-saint. Interesting. Hunting him down will surely be quite fun. Haha, my Ten Fire Divine Art has reached completion, and I was just worrying about not finding an opponent. Hand over your seed spot to me."

"Shihuo Aoren. If you want the seed spot, come and take it yourself." Fengdao held his blade horizontally and looked up. Every word was like a blade, tearing through the void and appearing before Shihuo Aoren.

Shihuo Aoren's expression tightened as he carefully observed the words that seemed to manifest blades from the void; each one was incomparably domineering and contained a fierce blade intent.

Shihuo Aoren nodded, turned, and left. "Your blade intent has reached completion. If we fight, both sides will suffer. It's not worth it."

"This is Fengdao Mountain, the mountain of my blade. How can you come and go as you please?" Fengdao's tone was cold and overwhelmingly domineering. Facing the retreating Shihuo Aoren, he unleashed a single strike.

This strike was silent and soundless, as if a gentle breeze had passed or ripples had formed on a lake—soft and light. Yet, it suddenly erupted with the violence of a mountain torrent, instantly tearing through the ten-fire defense on Shihuo Aoren's body. The blade edge did not stop, intent on killing.

Shihuo Aoren did not stop his pace, flames blooming with every step. The Red Lotus Karma Fire, Great Completion Saint Fire, Heavenly Tribulation Lightning Fire, Nine Nether Earth Fire, Great Sun Heavenly Fire, Doomsday Calamity Fire, Crimson Light Fire, and Nether Dark Fire rose one by one to block the strike. Meanwhile, he himself drifted away like a startled swan, disappearing without a trace.

Fengdao remained expressionless. A drop of blood sat on the tip of his blade, which then instantly ignited and melted the tip.

With this strike, Shihuo Aoren left a drop of blood, and Fengdao ruined the blade in his hand.

It was a draw, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Fengdao slashed backhanded, snapping the blade, and tossed the broken pieces into the terrifying chasm he had carved into the mountain below. He returned to his place of seclusion and reached out, grasping a plain, unremarkable blade the size of a door panel.

This was the Heavenly Blade, the legendary weapon used by the Blade God when he shattered the void and became a god in battle.

Now, this blade was in the hands of Fengdao.

With the blade across his knees, Fengdao continued his seclusion. Pseudo-saints, geniuses of the myriad worlds—none of it mattered to him. He only believed in his own blade. With the blade in hand, who could stop him? No one could!

Human Realm, Sword Pavilion.

"The winds are rising, a time of great contention. Heavenly Sword Marquis, follow me."

Heavenly Sword Marquis followed the Sword Pavilion Sect Master respectfully. Before long, he saw a sword.

It was a sword that did not look like it belonged to the Human Realm. It was twelve feet long and lacked a blade; it looked more like an iron rod with a hilt attached. It was embedded in the stone wall behind the Sect Master's hall, as if it had grown out of the rock itself.

A feeling of blood connection surged in the heart of Heavenly Sword Marquis, making him unable to help but say, "This is my sword."

"Correct." The Sword Pavilion Sect Master nodded, looking at Heavenly Sword Marquis. "You arrived with this sword that day. Heavenly Sword Without Edge. Because if the heavens wish to kill, what need is there for an edge? Go, take back the sword that belongs to you. Take back the glory that belongs to you."