Still the Old Guard Had More Style

As the annihilating palm blotted out the sky, the Sword Qi remained undiminished in power, driving straight toward Li Batian.

"Not a bad sword strike. If you and I were at the same cultivation level, I might have to give way a little..."

Feeling the Finality Dao Intent contained within that strike, a flicker of admiration appeared in Li Batian's eyes—but it was only admiration.

"Unfortunately, the gap in cultivation between us is an unbridgeable chasm. You're fated to be buried here today!"

As his voice fell, an overwhelmingly domineering Dharma Image appeared behind him. It raised a hand and clenched its fist, and the seemingly unstoppable Sword Qi shattered with a thunderous crash.

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

Seeing this, a streak of madness showed in Sword Thirteen's eyes. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, eager to fight again.

"Good grief, he's even feeling clear-headed and refreshed now. Are all the old-timers this fired up?"

On the arena, Mo Shang watched Sword Thirteen, brimming with confidence, and couldn't help grumbling to himself.

Gu Qingzhou and the others were supposed to be the Children of Fortune. They hadn't even gotten their act together yet, so how was some old-timer already this fired up? Was this really how things were supposed to go?

Despite his grumbling, Mo Shang was deeply moved. He hadn't expected Sword Thirteen to go this far for disciples like them...

"Is he really going to be all right?"

After grumbling, Mo Shang looked worried and murmured under his breath.

After all, Li Batian was at the True Dharma Realm, while Sword Thirteen was only at the Question Dao Realm. The gap in their cultivation was enormous, and Sword Thirteen didn't have any cheats. His chances of winning were practically zero...

"It doesn't matter. If the old man can't handle him, I'll step in..." Hearing Mo Shang, Gu Qingzhou seemed unconcerned.

"You're at the Spirit Gathering Realm, and he's at the True Dharma Realm. You're still putting on an act at a time like this!" Mo Shang's mouth twitched, his face full of exasperation.

"I'm serious. But to pull that off, I'll have to pay a steep price..." Gu Qingzhou spoke again, his expression turning serious as he looked toward the battlefield.

"Hmph. Since that's the case, I'll show you the true power of the True Dharma Realm."

Li Batian snorted, his eyes brimming with killing intent. He had no intention of holding back any longer.

As Li Batian's voice fell, his Fire Attribute true power erupted, hot enough to scorch the heavens and boil the seas. The domineering Dharma Image behind him solidified completely.

The Dharma Image was forged entirely from Red Gold True Fire, its eyes burning with Inextinguishable Flame. Surging waves of fire swirled around it, and every inch of it radiated a domineering blaze that could incinerate all things.

Sword Thirteen felt no fear. The madness in his eyes undiminished, he raised his long sword once more. Gathering his remaining spiritual power around his Finality Dao Intent, he slashed out a Finality Sword Qi at Li Batian.

"Firefly light dares contend with the blazing sun!"

Li Batian snorted. His True Fire Dharma Image slowly raised its hand, its palm wreathed in raging flames, and brought it down on Sword Thirteen.

The Dharma Image and Sword Qi collided. In the blink of an eye, the Sword Qi shattered with a thunderous crash, dissolving into specks of spiritual light in the sea of fire.

The violent force surged back along the Sword Qi's fading shockwave and slammed into Sword Thirteen's chest. He spat out mouthful after mouthful of blood, which turned to white mist the moment it hit the ground.

His body flew backward before crashing heavily onto the arena. His clothes had been scorched and torn by the flames, and his breath was faint, yet he kept his eyes fixed on Li Batian, the fighting spirit in them still burning.

"Die!"

Li Batian pressed forward step by step. The True Fire Dharma Image hovered in midair and brought its giant palm down on Sword Thirteen once more, intent on killing him outright.

"Not good."

Seeing this, Gu Qingzhou cried out inwardly. He immediately disregarded the cost and forcibly raised his cultivation to save Sword Thirteen.

But just as Gu Qingzhou was about to act, a familiar voice suddenly drifted out of the empty air:

"City Lord Li, aren't you going a bit too far?"

As the words fell, the space in front of Sword Thirteen suddenly shattered. Liu Zhengyang stepped out from within and swung a punch at the Dharma Image.

"Boom!"

The punch was plain and unadorned, yet it possessed a terrifying power beyond words. It collided with the Dharma Image's giant palm, making the entire world tremble.

Neither side gained the upper hand. Both men were forced back several steps.

"Liu Zhengyang, your sect's disciple disrupted the order of the tournament. Are you going to shield them?" Seeing who had arrived, Li Batian's expression darkened.

"Shield them? We can set right and wrong aside for now. Even if our disciple was in the wrong, so what? It's not your place to bark here!"

Liu Zhengyang stood with his hands behind his back. The easygoing look on his face sharpened as the powerful aura of the True Dharma Realm poured out, enveloping all of Cangyun City.

Leaden clouds hung low over the sky, and an oppressive atmosphere spread across the entire Martial Arena.

But just then, another voice rang out.

"Quite the imposing presence, Sect Master Liu. Now that you've broken through to the True Dharma Realm, do you think you can disregard even me?"

In the next instant, space shattered, and a figure stepped through, appearing beside Li Batian.

The newcomer wore a red brocade robe wreathed in flames. His aura was powerful, no weaker than Li Batian's. Clearly, he too was a True Dharma Realm expert!

"Liu Zhengyang, I'll give you one more chance, City Lord to City Lord. Leave now, and I'll let this matter go!" Seeing the newcomer, Li Batian looked at Liu Zhengyang again and spoke once more.

"They're only two True Dharma experts. Even with one hand protecting my disciples, I'm still invincible in this world!"

Liu Zhengyang smiled calmly. Even facing two True Dharma Realm experts, he remained composed and unafraid.

"Good grief, the Sect Master's putting on a show now. Why does it feel like every old-timer is more fired up than the last? But that line was a little..." Mo Shang looked at Gu Qingzhou and asked.

First Sword Thirteen had split the heavens with one strike and fought to the death without retreating. Then Liu Zhengyang had arrived just in time to save someone, opening with a domineering quote. It was all just too over the top!

"I think so too. The old guard really does have style when they talk. I need to write this down..."

Gu Qingzhou nodded in agreement, excitement in his eyes, and pulled out a little notebook to jot it down.

"Is this really the time? You still have the mood to write that down..." Mo Shang looked utterly exasperated.

Unlike the untroubled Gu Qingzhou, Liu Ruyan, standing nearby, was full of worry.

"Can my father really handle both of them?"

At that moment, Sword Thirteen, who had been silent until now, stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder, reassuring her:

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

"My mother? Sword Uncle, you know what happened to my mother? Tell me!" At the mention of her mother, Liu Ruyan froze for a moment, then hurriedly pressed him for an answer, her voice tinged with urgency.

She had never seen her mother for as long as she could remember. She had asked her father about her, but he always gave the same answer:

"Your mother went to a very distant place..."

"If your father hasn't told you, then the time hasn't come yet..." Sword Thirteen tilted his head slightly and said no more.