The broken mountain peak floated halfway in the air, bare except for a single blade of grass that pierced the heavens like a sword. Sword Qi soared into the clouds, and its sword intent was astonishing. That single blade of grass seemed capable of cleaving heaven and earth, of turning its sword against the firmament.
"Azure Heaven Sword Seed."
Someone cried out in alarm, realizing he had stumbled upon a tremendous fortune.
Legend had it that when the Sword God attained Divine Sealing, the Azure Heaven split apart. Within a hundred paces, every blade of grass and tree became a sword, shattering the void together and leaving behind the Azure Heaven Sword Seed to bear the sword intent. A single blade of grass could cleave the Azure Heaven, containing the Sword God's supreme sword intent.
The Azure Heaven Sword Seed was an unparalleled treasure to every sword cultivator.
But the man quickly calmed himself. His gaze sharpened as he looked around; sure enough, many people had been drawn here by the Azure Heaven Sword Seed.
"Second Senior Brother, it really is the Azure Heaven Sword Seed. We've struck it rich."
Hao Renjie's expression was grave. Ignoring his junior fellow disciple, he drew the Blazing Fire Divine Sword and said, "Be careful. Treasures stir people's hearts. A fierce battle is coming."
As soon as Hao Renjie finished speaking, someone gave in to his greed and suddenly leaped out, charging toward the Azure Heaven Sword Seed.
"Courting death!"
"Leave the Azure Heaven Sword Seed behind!"
Divine light split the sky as everyone attacked at once, shaking heaven and earth. The man who had leaped out was a genius too. He used Light-Splitting Shadow-Forming, One Breath Transforms into Three Thousand, and three thousand figures scattered in all directions. They were shattered one after another, but one figure still managed to leap onto the mountain peak and reach for the Azure Heaven Sword Seed.
Clang!
A ringing hum sounded. The Azure Heaven Sword Seed swayed lightly, and sword light shot skyward, striking three thousand feet away. Its sword cleaved the firmament, blasting that figure to pieces.
A scream rang out. The man staggered and fell back to the ground, his face deathly pale and his chest pierced through. It was a grisly sight.
"The Azure Heaven Sword Seed truly lives up to its reputation. Even the Sword Qi it splits off can fight a King-Sealing expert."
"Hmph! The stronger it is, the more interested I am."
"Heaven-and-earth treasures go to the worthy. I'm the worthy one. Anyone who fights me for it dies!"
Killing intent filled the air. At last, someone made a move—not toward the Azure Heaven Sword Seed, but against the people around him. He was clearly trying to throw everything into chaos and fish in troubled waters.
Screams rang out, and blood light filled the sky. Before long, someone had been blasted to death. Hao Renjie's sword broke through his opponent's defenses. He turned his blade, sweeping up a world-shaking blaze that blasted open a path. With a tap of his foot, he charged toward the Azure Heaven Sword Seed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sword intent soared into the sky, and killing intent filled the air. Hao Renjie's face paled as he dropped back to the ground. He exchanged glances with several others who had charged up alongside him, and they were all deeply wary.
"I will have the Azure Heaven Sword Seed."
Hao Renjie gave a cold laugh, raised the Blazing Fire Divine Sword, and prepared to charge forward again.
Suddenly, a chariot hurtled through the air from far away. Four arrogantly aloof young prodigies stood at its front, their handsome faces pale. While still a thousand zhang away, one of them bellowed, "That blade of grass belongs to our master. If you don't want to die, get out now!"
His voice boomed like thunder. Everyone locked in battle felt their hearts tremble, and they stopped, instantly on guard.
"After three counts, not a blade of grass will remain!"
The chariot arrived in the blink of an eye without slowing, heading straight for the Azure Heaven Sword Seed.
"The ones on that chariot are Descendants of Divine Blood."
"Those four attendants are peerless geniuses too."
Someone murmured, recognizing the chariot.
"So what if they're Descendants of Divine Blood? Let's all attack together and kill them first!"
Someone refused to back down and shouted as he swung his saber, blasting toward the chariot.
The others shouted as well. Faced with an unparalleled treasure like the Azure Heaven Sword Seed, they were willing to fight even a Descendant of Divine Blood for it.
"Fools who don't know when to die!"
The chariot did not stop. Two of the aloof attendants stepped down, lotus blossoms blooming beneath their feet. One wielded a saber; the other used his fists.
The saber was domineering, cleaving heaven and earth with a single slash.
The fist was heavy, shattering mountains and rivers with a single punch.
One slash and one punch stopped everyone in their tracks. Their might surged, and they showed no mercy: one slash killed a man, one punch blasted another to death.
In just two or three exchanges, the crowd was cowed. Only then did they realize there was always someone stronger. They were all geniuses, yet even working together they could not defeat two mere attendants. How could they possibly challenge the Descendant of Divine Blood inside the chariot?
The more they thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed. Someone immediately began to flee.
"Second Senior Brother, what do we do? Do we keep fighting for it?"
Hao Renjie tightened his grip on his sword, his expression shifting uncertainly. After a long while, he exhaled a breath of stale air. "The Descendant of Divine Blood hasn't even made a move, yet those two attendants alone are on par with me. We can't win this. Forget it. We're leaving."
"Trying to leave? Too late!"
"Our master said anyone who attacked would die. Everyone else, leave one hand behind and get out!"
Another attendant stepped down from the chariot, his expression cold and arrogant. He swung the long sword in his hand, tearing through the sky. In an instant, it reached several people who had already fled a thousand zhang away and slaughtered them with a single strike.
"You've gone too far!"
Someone roared. His blood surged, and unwilling to suffer such humiliation, he charged forward with his saber.
"Courting death!"
The three attendants took up positions on three sides. Their gazes were icy, their expressions arrogant; they did not take the gathered geniuses seriously at all. When they saw resistance, they struck without mercy, killing their opponents on the spot.
The crowd was cowed. After a long while, someone finally gritted his teeth, severed one of his own arms, and ran off, his face ashen.
Only then did the three attendants nod in satisfaction, their expressions growing even more arrogant.
"Second Senior Brother, they've gone too far!"
Hao Renjie tightened his grip on the Blazing Fire Divine Sword. His expression was icy as he gave a cold laugh. "They really think they're gods."
"Let's go!"
Hao Renjie abruptly raised his sword. Man and sword became one as he grabbed his fellow disciple and shot away like a streak of light.
"Trying to escape? Stay right there!"
The three attendants flew into a rage and attacked together. Their light blazed across heaven and earth, tearing through the void as they surrounded Hao Renjie.
"I prove my heart through blazing fire!"
Hao Renjie shouted. The Blazing Fire Divine Sword swept through the air, raising a thousand heaps of flame. Wherever its light passed, nine volcanoes rose, poised to erupt with world-shaking force. In an instant, he tore open a gap and fought his way out of the encirclement. Just as he was about to escape, he saw the fourth attendant blocking his path.
The attendant spoke coldly, with a hint of mockery. "Our master commands you to pluck the Azure Heaven Sword Seed, kowtow three times and bow nine, then present it with both hands. Otherwise, you die!"
Hao Renjie's expression was icy. He gripped the Blazing Fire Divine Sword tightly, pointed it forward, and laughed aloud. "What joy is there in life? What hardship is there in death?"
"Let the blazing flames burn my broken body!"
"I prove my eternal life through blazing fire!"
Raising his voice in a furious song, Hao Renjie swung his sword without hesitation. The flame it kindled was neither heavenly fire nor earthly fire, but the fire in his heart. Once the fire in his heart was lit, even a Divine Being would burn with him!
The attendant's pupils contracted as he threw a punch. "So you've already reached minor mastery in sword intent. No wonder you're so arrogant! But let me tell you, with strength like that, you're still no match for me!"
"King Blood!"
His punch shot out, blood light spreading in its wake. It shook the heavens; even kings could bleed beneath it.
At the same time, the other three attendants attacked as well.
"Blood Blade!"
"Blood Sword!"
"Blood Handprint!"
Three shouts rang out. The world seemed to turn into a Sea of Blood, Surging Blood Waves engulfing all living things.
Hao Renjie grunted. The Blazing Fire Divine Sword was tainted, its divine light gone. He staggered and retreated three steps before dropping to one knee with a thud. His whole body went limp. With difficulty, he planted his sword in the ground, refusing to fall.