The Winds Stir and Clouds Gather

Taiyi Prefecture, Taishi Mountain.

Xu Qingcheng was in seclusion. As the top-seeded contestant in this First Martial Arts Tournament, she hadn't paid any attention to the preliminaries. She had only one goal now: to shut herself away, cultivate, and break through. She would stand at the summit in her finest condition and look down upon every genius.

As the Saintess of the Taiyi Sect and a student of the Celestial Academy, Xu Qingcheng had been number one ever since she was a child. But only after proving herself in the First Martial Arts Tournament could she truly be called the best. This time, she couldn't afford to lose.

But someone interrupted Xu Qingcheng's seclusion: the Sect Leader of the Taiyi Sect, her father, Great Sage Chengtian Xu Zhongyi, hailed as the greatest expert in the Human Realm.

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

With just those few words, Xu Zhongyi knew Xu Qingcheng understood what he meant.

Xu Qingcheng's brows lifted. Radiant and confident, she said, "I know him. He achieved Sage Rank by an unconventional path, and now he's attained Great Sage Rank."

"Indeed. Lin Huang rose to the heavens in a single step, and there's a great deal behind him that even I can't see through. People say he hasn't completed Six Paths in One and is a Pseudo-Saint. But no matter what, he has attained Sage Rank. You're no match for him."

Xu Qingcheng bit her lip, clearly unconvinced, and looked at Xu Zhongyi.

"I'm giving you the Taishi Bell. With it protecting you, you can disregard the pressure of Sage Rank and fight him." Xu Zhongyi flicked a finger. A bronze bell appeared in the air, ancient and imposing, etched on the outside with images and script depicting three thousand worlds, and engraved on the inside with the words "Taishi." It gave a light ring. Xu Qingcheng's whole body trembled as insight after insight welled up in her heart, as if nectar had been poured over her head. She made another substantial breakthrough.

The Taishi Bell's divine light drew in, and it entered through the crown of Xu Qingcheng's head, vanishing without a trace.

Xu Qingcheng fell silent. Standing tall and graceful, she sank into sudden enlightenment, poised like a goddess descended to earth.

As if their hearts were linked, almost at that very moment—

The two hundred seeded contestants of the Human Realm, along with many other peerless geniuses who thought themselves invincible, were each granted a divine artifact or treasure by their masters. Flames of battle blazed in their eyes, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens.

Yuan Tiangang stood expressionless outside White Jade Capital. For three days and three nights, he hadn't slept. He'd finished each day's preliminary matches as quickly as possible, spending the rest of his time on the road. His destination was White Jade Capital.

Yuan Tiangang knew he could make it to the finals and claim one of the thirty-two spots. No—the top thirty-two wasn't nearly enough. He'd only ever had one goal: first place, the championship.

If he couldn't rule over his generation and sweep aside all who stood in his way, what right did he have to challenge Yuan Zhan, who had stood at Great Sage Rank for a thousand years?

Yuan Tiangang entered White Jade Capital without a change in expression. Suddenly, his face shifted as Yuan Zhan's voice sounded in his mind.

"Here's some good news. Someone who has attained Sage Rank will be competing in this tournament."

Yuan Tiangang said nothing. He clenched his fist, his voice icy. "So what?"

"Haha. That's my son, Yuan Zhan. Go. Defeat him. Crush him. He's only a Pseudo-Saint; he hasn't completed Six Paths in One. If you can't even beat him, I'll be very disappointed."

"Haha. Xu Zhongyi and those other common folk call themselves Great Sages, yet they've actually given their disciples divine artifacts. But I, Yuan Zhan, won't. If you can't beat even a Pseudo-Saint, what right do you have to challenge me?"

Yuan Zhan's wild laughter faded from Yuan Tiangang's mind. His expression unchanged, Yuan Tiangang continued onward. "A Pseudo-Saint, huh? Perfect. Let's see what a Sage can do. Yuan Zhan, I'll keep winning—right up to the day I face you."

Blade World, Fengdao Mountain.

Feng Dao was in seclusion.

Suddenly, flames erupted across Fengdao Mountain, activating the mountain-protecting Divine Array. Heavenly fire descended, earthfire surged up, and the world seemed to be ending. A defiant figure appeared in midair, flames surging over his entire body and shifting through countless forms. With a flick of his fingers, Red Lotus Karma Fire, Great Accomplishment Holy Fire, Heavenly Tribulation Thunder Fire, Nine Underworlds Earth Fire, Great Sun Heavenly Fire, Doomsday Tribulation Fire, Crimson Light Fire, and Ghost Flame Dark Fire surged up and transformed.

Anyone who saw it would have been utterly astonished. Every one of these flames was peerless beneath the heavens, second only to the legendary Nine-Colored Divine Fire and Seven-Colored Saint Fire. Obtaining any single one would be enough to dominate a region and establish a king's reign.

And yet someone had refined every one of them, changing them at will.

"Feng Dao. I heard a Pseudo-Saint has appeared in your Human Realm. Interesting. Hunting him should be a lot of fun. Haha, I've mastered the Ten Fire Divine Art and was worried I wouldn't find an opponent. Hand over your seeded spot."

"Shihuo Aoren. If you want my spot, come and take it." Feng Dao held his saber across his palm and lifted his head. Each word was like a blade, tearing through the void and appearing before Shihuo Aoren.

Shihuo Aoren's expression tightened. He studied the words, which seemed to have been carved from the void itself. Every one was domineering beyond compare, imbued with a powerful saber intent.

Shihuo Aoren nodded and turned to leave. "Your saber intent is complete. If we fight, we'll both be badly injured. It's not worth it."

"This is Fengdao Mountain, my mountain. How can I let you come and go as you please?" Feng Dao's voice was cold and domineering. As Shihuo Aoren retreated, Feng Dao struck with his saber.

The strike made no sound. It was like a breeze passing by, or ripples spreading over a lake—soft and gentle. Then it erupted with the violence of a mountain torrent, instantly tearing through the ten flames protecting Shihuo Aoren. The blade didn't stop; it was a killing blow.

Shihuo Aoren didn't slow his steps. Flames bloomed beneath his feet. Red Lotus Karma Fire, Great Accomplishment Holy Fire, Heavenly Tribulation Thunder Fire, Nine Underworlds Earth Fire, Great Sun Heavenly Fire, Doomsday Tribulation Fire, Crimson Light Fire, and Ghost Flame Dark Fire rose one after another, blocking the strike. Shihuo Aoren himself drifted away like a startled swan, vanishing without a trace.

Feng Dao's expression remained unchanged. A drop of blood clung to the tip of his saber, then burst into flame and melted it away.

Shihuo Aoren had left a single drop of blood behind, while Feng Dao's saber had been ruined.

They were evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand.

Feng Dao swept his hand back and snapped the blade in two. He casually tossed it into the terrifying fissure, cleaved into the mountain below with a single strike, then returned to his place of seclusion. He reached out, and an unremarkable saber the size of a door appeared in his hand.

This was the Heavenly Blade, the saber the Blade God had used when he shattered the void and became a god in a single battle.

Now the saber was in Feng Dao's hands.

Resting the saber across his knees, Feng Dao continued his seclusion. Pseudo-Saints, geniuses from the Myriad Worlds—none of them mattered to him. He believed only in his own blade. With a saber in hand, who could stand in his way? No one!

Sword Pavilion of the Human Realm.

"The winds stir and clouds gather; this is an age of fierce contention. Heavenly Sword Marquis, come with me."

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

It was unlike any sword from the Human Realm. It was a full twelve feet long, but had no blade. Rather than a sword, it looked like an iron rod with a hilt attached. It was embedded in the stone wall behind the Sect Leader's hall, as if it had grown out of the stone itself.

A feeling of blood ties rose in Heavenly Sword Marquis's heart. Unable to help himself, he said, "This is my sword."

"Indeed." The Sect Leader of the Sword Pavilion nodded and looked at Heavenly Sword Marquis. "You came into this world with this sword. Heavenly Sword Without Edge. When Heaven wants to kill, why would it need an edge? Go. Take back what belongs to you. Take back your glory."