The Elders Still Have Class

The massive hand that blotted out the sky shattered, but the sword qi's power did not diminish, pressing straight toward Li Batian.

"A fine sword stroke. If you and I were of the same realm, This Seat might have to yield some ground..."

Sensing the Finality Dao Intent contained within the sword, a flicker of admiration appeared in Li Batian's eyes—but only a flicker.

"Pity. The gap in cultivation is an unbridgeable chasm between us. Today, you are doomed to be buried here!"

As his words fell, a domineering dharma image emerged behind him. It raised a hand and grasped lightly, and the unstoppable sword qi shattered into nothing.

"I don't think I'll be buried here. On the contrary, I've never felt so clear-headed—as if I've seen a new life!"

Seeing this, Sword Thirteen's eyes blazed with madness. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, ready to fight again.

"What the hell, 'clear-headed'? Are all old-timers this fired up?"

On the arena stage, Mo Shang watched Sword Thirteen's spirited display and couldn't help but complain inwardly.

Wasn't Gu Qingzhou and the others supposed to be the chosen ones? They hadn't even gotten their act together yet, and here was an old-timer burning like this. Did that even make sense?

Complaints aside, Mo Shang felt a pang of emotion. He hadn't expected the man to go this far for the sake of the disciples...

"Is he really going to be okay?"

After his silent rant, a trace of worry crept into Mo Shang's voice as he muttered.

After all, Li Batian was in the True Dharma Realm, while Sword Thirteen was only in the Question Dao Realm. The gap in cultivation was too vast, and the other party hadn't cheated. The odds of winning were almost zero...

"It doesn't matter. If the old man can't handle it, I'll step in myself..." Gu Qingzhou replied nonchalantly upon hearing Mo Shang's words.

"Spirit Gathering Realm against True Dharma Realm, and you're still putting on airs at a time like this!" Mo Shang's mouth twitched, his face full of exasperation.

"I'm serious. But pulling it off will come at a considerable cost..." Gu Qingzhou spoke again, a note of seriousness entering his tone as he looked up at the battlefield.

"Hmph. Since that's the case, This Seat will show you the true power of the True Dharma Realm."

Li Batian snorted coldly, killing intent blazing in his eyes. He had no intention of holding back any longer.

As Li Batian's words fell, his fire-attribute true power erupted, boiling the heavens and the seas. The domineering dharma image solidified completely.

The dharma image was forged entirely from Red Gold True Fire, its eyes burning with Inextinguishable Flame, its body wreathed in rolling waves of flame. Every inch radiated the tyrannical fire that annihilated all things.

Sword Thirteen showed no fear. The madness in his eyes did not wane. He steadied his long sword once more, wrapping his remaining spiritual power in Finality Dao Intent, and slashed a finality sword strike toward Li Batian.

"A firefly's glow dares to rival the sun!"

Li Batian snorted coldly. The True Fire Dharma Image slowly raised its flaming palm and pressed down toward Sword Thirteen.

The moment the dharma image and the sword qi collided, the sword qi shattered in an instant, dissolving into specks of spiritual light that scattered into the sea of fire.

The violent force surged back along the remnants of the sword qi, slamming heavily into Sword Thirteen's chest. He coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, which evaporated into white mist the moment they hit the ground.

His body flew backward, finally crashing heavily onto the arena stage. His robes were scorched and tattered, his aura withered to its limit. Yet he still stared fixedly at Li Batian, his fighting spirit unextinguished.

"Die!"

Li Batian pressed forward relentlessly. The True Fire Dharma Image hovered in midair, its giant hand descending once more toward Sword Thirteen, intent on utterly killing him.

"Not good."

Seeing this from below the stage, Gu Qingzhou muttered a curse. Without regard for the cost, he forcibly elevated his cultivation to save the man.

But just as Gu Qingzhou was about to act, a familiar voice suddenly rang out leisurely from the void:

"City Lord Li, isn't this going a bit too far?"

As the words fell, the space in front of Sword Thirteen shattered. Liu Zhengyang stepped out from within and threw a punch at the dharma image.

"Boom!"

The punch was plain and unadorned, yet it carried an indescribable, terrifying power. It collided with the dharma image's giant hand, causing the entire world to tremble.

The exchange was evenly matched. Neither gained the upper hand, and both took a few steps back.

"Liu Zhengyang, your sect's disciple disrupted the assembly's order. Are you going to shield them?" Seeing the newcomer, Li Batian's expression turned ugly.

"Shield them? Let's set aside right and wrong for now. Even if my sect's disciple was in the wrong, so what? It's not your place to yap here!"

Liu Zhengyang stood with his hands behind his back, his easygoing demeanor sharpening into something fierce. The oppressive aura of a True Dharma Realm expert poured out, blanketing all of Cangyun City.

Low, leaden clouds hung over the sky, and a stifling atmosphere spread across the entire training ground.

But just then, a voice rang out sharply.

"Sect Master Liu, quite the airs you put on. Now that you've broken through to the True Dharma Realm, do you no longer hold This Seat in your eyes?"

The next moment, the void shattered, and a figure stepped out to appear beside Li Batian.

The newcomer wore a red brocade robe wreathed in flames. His aura was vast and powerful, no less than Li Batian's—clearly another True Dharma Realm expert!

"Liu Zhengyang, This City Lord will give you one more chance. Leave now, and this matter will be forgiven!" Li Batian turned to Liu Zhengyang and spoke again.

"Two True Dharma Realm cultivators? Even if I have to protect my disciple with one hand, This Seat remains unmatched in this world!"

In response, Liu Zhengyang smiled calmly. Even facing two True Dharma Realm experts, his expression remained composed and fearless.

"Damn, the sect leader is putting on a show. How does every elder get more fired up than the last? But that line... it feels a bit..." Mo Shang glanced at Gu Qingzhou and asked.

First Sword Thirteen, splitting the sky with one strike, fighting to the death without retreat. Then Liu Zhengyang arrives right on time to save the day, dropping domineering quotes right off the bat—way too flashy!

"I think so too. Gotta hand it to the older generation, they really know how to talk. I need to write this down..."

Gu Qingzhou nodded in strong agreement, excitement showing on his face as he pulled out a little notebook and started scribbling quickly.

"What time is this? And you're still in the mood to jot that down..." Mo Shang looked helpless and speechless.

Compared to the carefree Gu Qingzhou, Liu Ruyan beside him was full of worry.

"Father is taking on two at once. Is he really going to be okay?"

At that moment, Sword Thirteen, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and patted her shoulder to comfort her.

"Don't worry. Your father isn't as simple as you think. He wouldn't do something he wasn't sure of—except for that one time with your mother..."

"My mother? Uncle Sword, do you know about my mother? Tell me!" At the mention of her mother, Liu Ruyan froze, then immediately pressed him, her tone urgent.

Ever since she could remember, she had never seen her mother. She had asked her father before, but his answer was always the same:

Your mother went to a place far, far away...

"If your father won't tell you, then it's not the right time yet..." Sword Thirteen looked up slightly and did not continue.