The shout of "Stop!" was as hoarse as a broken gong. Accompanied by a thick, bloody demonic aura, it swept over from the front rows of the western stands. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a brawny, bearded man in fitted black clothes striding down from the stands. A Ghost-head Saber studded with barbs hung at his waist. Every step he took upon the plaza's bluestone slabs sent faint black ripples through the ground—he was Zhou Xiong, chief of Black Wind Stronghold, a demonic cultivator at the late Great Swordsman Realm.
Zhou Xiong walked straight to the edge of the arena. Black demonic aura spilled from his body, disregarding the restrictions at the arena's boundary and forcibly tearing a black rift through the air. He looked up at Ling Yun, his eyes brimming with viciousness. "Brat, you dared lay hands on someone from the Zhao Family. Are you tired of living?"
Ling Yun's sword tip remained pressed against Zhao Hao's brow. His Chaos Sword Intent was gathered but unreleased, while the silver-red glow of the Sky-Rending Sword suppressed the demonic aura around Zhao Hao completely. He looked coldly at Zhou Xiong, his voice calm yet piercing. "On the life-and-death arena, everyone relies on their own abilities. Since when did Black Wind Stronghold start meddling in Qingyun Region's rules?"
"Rules?" Zhou Xiong sneered, drawing his Ghost-head Saber halfway from its sheath. Soul-corroding black aura seeped from the blade. "In my eyes, protecting someone from the Zhao Family is the rule! If you know what's good for you, release Zhao Hao and cripple your own dantian. Then I might let you die quickly. Otherwise, not a single person from the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect will leave here today!"
The moment his words fell, the Black Wind Stronghold disciples and Blazing Fire Gate cultivators in the western stands rose to their feet. Their weapons glimmered with varied demonic auras and flames; clearly, they had come prepared. Though the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect disciples on the eastern side were afraid, they too drew their swords. Murong Shuang even leapt to Ling Yun's side, her Wind Element Sword Intent surging as green currents formed a sharp sword shield around her. "Zhou Xiong, you dare openly destroy the tournament rules? Aren't you afraid the Seven Great Sword Sects will join forces to wipe out Black Wind Stronghold?"
"Wipe us out?" Zhou Xiong burst into wild laughter, black aura spraying from his mouth. "With your Flowing Cloud Sword Sect? Along with those neutral elders who only know how to put on a show? Let me tell you, Black Wind Stronghold, the Zhao Family, and Blazing Fire Gate settled this long ago. Even if we poke a hole through the heavens, someone will cover for us!"
At that moment, several elders from neutral sects at the judges' platform could no longer remain seated. Elder Bai of the Purple Haze Sword Sect stood, flicking his whisk as pale-purple Sword Intent dispersed the demonic aura around him. "Chief Zhou, the Qingyun Region tournament has upheld its rules for a thousand years. The outcome of a life-and-death arena cannot be interfered with. If you insist on intervening, you will make an enemy of all righteous cultivators in Qingyun Region!"
"Righteous cultivators?" Zhou Xiong turned toward Elder Bai, disdain flashing through his eyes. "A pack of trash guarding tattered sword manuals, and you think you deserve to speak of righteousness? Today, I am breaking this arrangement no matter what!" He suddenly raised his hand and sent a black demonic palm print crashing toward Elder Bai. Wherever it passed, the air itself sizzled as it was corroded.
Elder Bai's expression changed. He swept out his whisk, gathering purple Sword Intent into a sword net, but the demonic palm print pierced straight through it in an instant. Just as the palm print was about to strike Elder Bai's chest, a golden Sword Qi suddenly shot in from the side. With a clang, it shattered the demonic palm print—it was Elder Liu who had acted.
Elder Liu held a long sword as he descended before the judges' platform. His green Sword Intent intertwined with Elder Bai's purple Sword Intent, forming a double-layered sword shield. "Zhou Xiong, you dare attack a neutral elder? Do you truly think no one can deal with you?"
When his sneak attack failed, Zhou Xiong's face darkened further. He turned toward Ling Yun on the arena, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, he took a black token from his robes. A twisted character for Baleful Intent was carved upon it—it was a Blood Fiend Hall identity token. Raising it above his head, he abruptly raised his voice. "The Blood Fiend Hall token is here! Whoever dares stop me becomes an enemy of Blood Fiend Hall!"
The plaza fell into dead silence. In the Mortal Realm Qingyun Region, the name Blood Fiend Hall was a taboo. Legend said it was a demonic cultivator force from the Spirit Realm; wherever it went, sword cultivator corpses carpeted the ground. The expressions of several neutral elders changed dramatically, and even their hands holding their weapons began to tremble. They clearly feared Blood Fiend Hall's notorious name.
Seeing this, smugness flashed through Zhao Hao's eyes. He struggled to rise, but Ling Yun's Sword Intent held him firmly in place. "Ling Yun, do you see now? Blood Fiend Hall stands behind my Zhao Family. If you kneel and beg for mercy now, I can still have Chief Zhou spare your life!"
Ling Yun stared at the Blood Fiend Hall token in Zhou Xiong's hand. The Chaos Sword Body within his dantian suddenly trembled slightly—the demonic aura on that token was identical to the aura left behind at the Ling Family ancestral residence during the annihilation years ago! A cold glint flashed through his eyes, and his grip on the Sky-Rending Sword tightened. "So Blood Fiend Hall had a hand in the Ling Family's Annihilation as well."
"What did you say?" Zhou Xiong's expression shifted slightly, as if he had never expected Ling Yun to know of it.
At that moment, Su Qingyuan suddenly pulled a bronze token from her robes. She hurried to the center of the plaza and held it high. "Three years ago, I found this token amid the ruins of the Ling Family ancestral residence. The demonic aura on it is exactly the same as that on Zhou Xiong's Blood Fiend Hall token! The Zhao Family and Black Wind Stronghold colluded with Blood Fiend Hall and slaughtered righteous sword cultivators. If justice is not given to Ling Yun today, Medicine Immortal Valley will be the first to refuse!"
The character for "Zhao" carved upon the bronze token overlapped with the twisted character for Baleful Intent, glaring beneath the sunlight. The cultivators in the plaza immediately erupted. Spectators who had remained neutral began denouncing the Zhao Family and Black Wind Stronghold, while even the Blazing Fire Gate disciples showed hesitation—they had cooperated with the Zhao Family, but they had not known Blood Fiend Hall was involved.
Seeing that the situation had turned against him, Zhou Xiong knew that dragging things out would only breed more trouble. He suddenly leapt into the air, his Ghost-head Saber cleaving down at Ling Yun amid sky-filling black aura. "Brat, you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! I'll cut you down first today!"
Ling Yun had been prepared. With his left hand, he formed a sword seal, and Earth Element Sword Intent instantly gathered before him into a sword wall more than a zhang high. At the same time, he swept the Sky-Rending Sword with his right hand. The Five Elements Demon Breaking Slash, condensed from five-colored Sword Intent, erupted once more. Its sword shadow carried a pale-green glow that purified demonic aura as it met Zhou Xiong's Ghost-head Saber head-on.
Clang—! The instant sword and saber collided, golden sparks and black demonic aura scattered in all directions. Zhou Xiong felt an enormous force travel through his saber. Chaos Sword Intent invaded his meridians along the blade, churning the demonic aura within him into violent turmoil. His expression changed drastically. He had never expected Ling Yun's strength to contend with his head-on. He hurriedly withdrew and retreated, fine cracks already covering the Ghost-head Saber.
"Go!" Knowing he could not succeed today, Zhou Xiong seized Zhao Hao from the arena and turned to flee beyond the plaza. Black demonic aura condensed into a barrier behind him, blocking Ling Yun and Murong Shuang's pursuit.
Ling Yun did not chase after them. He sheathed the Sky-Rending Sword and watched Zhou Xiong and Zhao Hao flee, determination flashing through his eyes. The Blood Fiend Hall token in Zhou Xiong's hand, together with the bronze token Su Qingyuan had found, both proved that the Ling Family's Annihilation was inseparable from Blood Fiend Hall—this was no longer merely a matter of revenge, but a contest between righteous cultivators and demonic cultivators.
Elder Liu walked to Ling Yun's side. Looking at the demonic aura lingering on the ground, his face was grave. "I never expected the Zhao Family to be colluding with Blood Fiend Hall. This matter must likely be reported to the Seven Great Sword Sects so they can discuss a response together."
Su Qingyuan came to Ling Yun's side and handed him a bottle of Soul Protecting Liquid. "When you fought Zhou Xiong just now, a strand of demonic aura entered your meridians. Drink this quickly and dissolve it."
Ling Yun accepted the porcelain bottle and tipped his head back to drink. The Chaos Sea of Qi within his dantian instantly devoured and purified that strand of demonic aura. He looked at Su Qingyuan and Murong Shuang, then at the worried Flowing Cloud Sword Sect disciples in the eastern stands, before slowly speaking. "The Zhao Family and Black Wind Stronghold will not let this go, and Blood Fiend Hall's demonic cultivators have already appeared in Qingyun Region. We must raise our strength as quickly as possible to face the coming crisis."
Murong Shuang nodded, resolve flashing in her eyes. "I'll return to the sect immediately and ask the elders to open the high-level sword manual repository in the Scripture Depository. We will cultivate together and surely break through our realms soon."
Su Qingyuan added, "I will return to Medicine Immortal Valley and bring more Soul Awakening Grass and Soul Protecting Liquid. I will also refine several pills capable of restraining demonic aura, to prepare for the battles ahead."
Ling Yun looked at the two of them, warmth rising in his heart. He clenched the Sky-Rending Sword in his hand, and the silver-red patterns on its blade gave off a faint glow, as though answering his resolve. The truth behind the Ling Family's Annihilation had begun to emerge, and the traces of Blood Fiend Hall's demons had surfaced as well. The road ahead might grow even harder, but he was no longer alone—with trusted friends by his side and the sword path to guide him, even if demonic obstacles lay thick before him, he would use Chaos Sword Intent to carve open a road toward truth and justice.
That night, Ling Yun entered seclusion once more in a secret chamber of Flowing Cloud Pavilion. He guided the strand of demonic aura he had absorbed during his battle with Zhou Xiong into his dantian and carefully analyzed it with the Chaos Sword Body. To his surprise, he glimpsed a deeper flaw in the Sword Devouring Art. The Sky-Rending Sword floated before him, its blade occasionally flashing with five-colored radiance, as though it were deducing new sword techniques alongside him—a preparation for war against demonic cultivators had quietly begun.
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