The instant the three-colored Sword Qi collided with the Soul Devouring Storm, a blinding light erupted from the arena. The sharpness of the Gold Element Sword Intent sliced through the entangling black qi; the scorching Fire Attribute Sword Intent burned away the Soul Corroding Demonic Qi; and the heaviness of the Earth Attribute Sword Intent firmly supported the foundation of the sword move—Primordial Toxin-Dispelling Slash was like a sharp blade splitting the clouds, instantly tearing through the demonic sword barrier Zhao Hu had set up and driving straight at his face.
Zhao Hu's pupils contracted sharply. He had never expected Ling Yun's sword move to restrain the Sword Devouring Art. In his haste, he raised the black longsword across his chest, trying to block it. Clang! The Sky-Rending Sword collided with the demonic sword, and the glow cast by its silver-red sword patterns instantly suppressed the faint black powder on the blade. The medicinal power of the Soul Cleansing Dew spread along the sword blade, completely neutralizing the poison of the Soul-Corroding Powder. Zhao Hu only felt a searing force surge into his palm. The demonic qi churned within his body, then actually began flowing in reverse beyond his control—this was the demonic sword backlash triggered by the combined force of the Chaos Sword Intent and the Soul Cleansing Dew.
Pfft! Zhao Hu spat out a mouthful of black blood. His arm trembled violently, and the demonic sword nearly slipped from his grasp. A vicious glint flashed through his eyes. Suddenly, he bit through the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of vital blood onto the blade. Soul Devouring Burst! Thick black qi instantly erupted from the demonic sword, and cracks began spreading across its surface. Clearly, he intended to detonate the demonic qi within it by destroying the sword itself and perish together with Ling Yun.
"Be careful! That is a forbidden move of the Sword Devouring Art. It will spread beyond the arena!" Sword Elder's urgent voice rang out in his dantian. "Use the Earth Element Sword Intent to form a defense, then use the Fire Attribute Sword Intent to ignite his demonic qi and make him swallow the bitter fruit of his own making!"
Ling Yun acted at once. His left hand pressed against the arena floor as Earth Element Sword Intent surged wildly into the ground. An earthen-yellow sword wall more than ten feet high rose in an instant, isolating the arena from the spectator stands. At the same time, he tightened his grip on the Sky-Rending Sword in his right hand. His Fire Attribute Sword Intent swelled explosively, crimson flames winding around the blade and forming a blazing ring of fire—this was a variation of the Fire-Earth Demon Suppressing Slash, specially designed to counter demonic qi self-destruction.
Boom! Zhao Hu's demonic sword finally could not hold on any longer and shattered with a thunderous crash under the backlash of the black qi. Having lost its vessel, the demonic qi surged wildly across the arena like an uncontrolled flood, only to find its path blocked by the earthen sword wall. Ling Yun seized that instant. The Sky-Rending Sword swept sideways, and the ring of fire instantly enveloped the rampaging demonic qi. With a sizzle, the flames burned it completely away, leaving only wisps of black smoke to disperse into the air.
Without the support of his demonic sword and suffering the backlash of demonic qi, Zhao Hu's Sword Intent fell into complete disorder within his dantian. His body collapsed limply onto the arena. Before losing consciousness, he still howled unwillingly, "I refuse to accept this! The Zhao Family will not let you go!"
The black-robed cultivator at the judges' table turned livid and was just about to question the result when Elder Liu spoke first. "Zhao Hu used a forbidden move and intended to harm innocent bystanders. Ling Yun wins this match!" The disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect in the eastern stands instantly erupted into cheers. Even several elders from neutral sects nodded in approval—everyone had witnessed the scene just now, and Zhao Hu's methods had indeed violated the rules of the tournament.
Ling Yun sheathed the Sky-Rending Sword. The silver-red sword patterns on its blade gradually dimmed, yet they had become even more condensed than before. This battle had not only allowed him to master two sword moves that countered demonic swords, but had also strengthened the Chaos Sword Body's resistance to demonic qi. As he stepped down from the arena, Su Qingyuan immediately came forward and handed him a bottle of Soul Cleansing Dew. "That demonic qi touched your sleeve just now. Drink some Soul Cleansing Dew quickly, in case any remaining Soul-Corroding Powder enters your body."
Ling Yun accepted the porcelain bottle and drank it in one gulp. The Chaos Sword Intent within his dantian indeed flowed much more smoothly afterward. Murong Shuang also approached, her expression grave. "Zhao Hao was transmitting his voice with demonic qi beneath the stage just now. He seemed to be plotting with the people from Black Wind Stronghold. You must be especially careful from now on. They definitely will not let you reach the finals smoothly."
As soon as she finished speaking, a commotion suddenly rose from the western stands. Zhao Hao carried a black longsword as he slowly walked onto the arena. The faint black powder on the blade glimmered with an eerie sheen beneath the sunlight. He swept his gaze across the plaza before finally fixing it on Ling Yun. His voice carried an icy provocation. "Ling Yun, you only defeated Zhao Hu by relying on unorthodox medicinal pills. Do you dare fight me in a life-and-death arena match? At this time tomorrow, on this very arena, we will decide life and death in one battle. The loser... will have his soul scattered and vanish into thin air!"
The plaza instantly fell silent, and every gaze focused on Ling Yun. The Zhao Family and Black Wind Stronghold members were filled with mockery, clearly convinced that Ling Yun would not dare accept the challenge. The Flowing Cloud Sword Sect disciples, however, looked deeply worried. Zhao Hao was far stronger than Zhao Hu and had cultivated the complete Sword Devouring Art. If Ling Yun fought him to the death, his chances of victory were slim.
"Zhao Hao, do not go too far!" Elder Liu slammed his palm against the table in fury. "The tournament has its rules. A life-and-death arena match requires the consent of both parties and the approval of the sect elders. How can you force him into it?"
"Consent?" Zhao Hao sneered. He suddenly pointed toward a Flowing Cloud Sword Sect disciple in the eastern stands. Black qi rose from his black longsword as a Soul Devouring Sword stabbed straight toward that disciple's dantian. "If Ling Yun refuses, then every incense stick's worth of time, I will devour the Sword Soul of one Flowing Cloud Sword Sect disciple! After all, your sect does not dare become enemies with the Zhao Family, Black Wind Stronghold, and the Blazing Fire Gate, does it?"
"Stop!" Ling Yun suddenly spoke. His figure flashed, and he positioned himself before that disciple. The Sky-Rending Sword left its sheath, Gold Element Sword Intent condensing into a streak of Sword Qi that blocked Zhao Hao's demonic sword. "I accept. At this time tomorrow, we will meet in the life-and-death arena!" His voice was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable resolve—he could not allow innocent disciples to suffer because of him, much less let Zhao Hao's arrogant flames overwhelm the dignity of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect.
A smug gleam flashed through Zhao Hao's eyes. "At least you know what is good for you! Tomorrow, I will let you see with your own eyes what the true Sword Devouring Art is, and what fate awaits an ant!" With that, he put away his demonic sword and turned to leave the arena. The Zhao Family and Black Wind Stronghold members followed with jeers, and mocking laughter filled the plaza.
Elder Liu walked to Ling Yun's side and sighed. "You should not have agreed to him. Zhao Hao's strength is already close to the peak of the late Great Swordsman Realm, and he has demonic cultivators aiding him. You..."
"Rest assured, Elder Liu. I am confident." Ling Yun cut him off. The Sky-Rending Sword in his hand trembled lightly, and the silver-red sword patterns on its blade glimmered faintly. "I will enter seclusion to cultivate over the next few days. I will definitely find the key to breaking the Sword Devouring Art."
When he returned to Flowing Cloud Pavilion, Su Qingyuan and Murong Shuang were already waiting in his room. Su Qingyuan opened a medicine chest and took out a medicinal herb glowing with a pale green radiance. "This is Soul Awakening Grass. It can strengthen a Sword Soul's resistance to demonic qi. I refined it through the night. Take it before tomorrow's match, and it will give you another measure of protection in the life-and-death arena. And this is a diagram of the Sword Devouring Art's flaws. I found it in ancient texts left behind by my master. It marks the three weak points in its qi seas when it circulates."
Murong Shuang also handed him a silk booklet. "This is the advanced sword manual of the Seven Streams Sword Technique, the Flowing Cloud Demon Breaking Style. My father used this move to slay demonic cultivators back then. Though it is incomplete, it may help you restrain the demonic sword. During tomorrow's life-and-death arena match, I will use Wind Element Sword Intent beneath the stage to disrupt Zhao Hao's sword moves. Even if they discover it, at worst we will tear all pretense apart!"
Warmth rose in Ling Yun's heart as he looked at the two women before him. He accepted the Soul Awakening Grass and the silk booklet, then nodded solemnly. "Thank you. In tomorrow's life-and-death arena match, I will not only win—I will expose the truth of the Zhao Family colluding with demonic cultivators and seek justice for the Ling Yun Sword Sect and for my Ling Family clansmen!"
That night, Ling Yun began his secluded cultivation. He refined the Soul Awakening Grass, its medicinal power flowing along his meridians into his dantian and merging with the Chaos Sword Body. The six-colored Sword Intent pearl in his dantian glowed with a pale green radiance, and his perception of demonic qi became even sharper. Afterward, he opened the flaw diagram Su Qingyuan had drawn. Combining the Flowing Cloud Demon Breaking Style with his own sword moves, he began deducing a new composite sword technique—using Gold, Fire, and Earth Element Sword Intent as its core, Wind Element Sword Intent to enhance speed, Water Element Sword Intent—the faint Sword Intent that had only just awakened from the Chaos Sword Body—to strengthen defense, and then incorporating the Remnant Soul Imprint of the Primordial Sword. Together, they formed a set of sword moves specifically meant to counter the Sword Devouring Art: the Five Elements Demon Breaking Slash.
Late into the silent night, the lights in the room at Flowing Cloud Pavilion still burned. The Sky-Rending Sword moved through Ling Yun's hand as naturally as an arm and finger. Five kinds of Sword Intent intertwined into five-colored Sword Qi, cutting through the night sky and leaving behind brilliant trails. Sword Elder's voice continued to guide him from within his dantian, adjusting the transitions and force of the sword moves to ensure every strike could precisely hit the weaknesses of the Sword Devouring Art.
Meanwhile, in the Zhao Family's temporary residence, Zhao Hao held a black token in his hand, thick demonic qi emanating from it. A black-robed demonic cultivator stood behind him, holding a black box in hand. "Young Master, this is the Soul Devouring Pearl sent by the master of Blood Fiend Hall. It can strengthen your demonic qi during the life-and-death arena match and temporarily suppress the power of the Chaos Sword Body. Tomorrow, as long as you merge it into your demonic sword, Ling Yun will certainly die without a burial place!"
Zhao Hao took the box, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes. "Ling Yun, tomorrow will be your day of death! I will use your Chaos Sword Body to prove my worth to the master of Blood Fiend Hall and enter the Spirit Realm sooner to cultivate even more supreme demonic arts!"
As the night deepened, a life-and-death battle that would decide the future of sword cultivation in the Qingyun Region quietly brewed. Ling Yun stood before the window, gazing at the stars filling the sky. The Sky-Rending Sword in his hand shone with intertwined silver and red light—tomorrow's life-and-death arena match would not only be a contest between him and Zhao Hao, but a clash between righteous swordsmanship and the vile arts of demonic cultivators. He had to win—for his clansmen, for his sect, and for the justice of the sword in his heart.
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