All Array Eyes Shattered, the Sword Convention's Final Battle Opens the Path to the Spirit Realm

Night was black as ink. Beside the array-eye stele at the northwestern corner of Qingyun Platform, five Zhao Family cultivators sat cross-legged, nourishing the demonic patterns with their own essence blood. At their head was Zhao Meng, the Zhao Family's Second Elder. He was even more burly than Zhao Lie, and he gripped a broad saber covered in demonic patterns. His cultivation had already reached the late Great Swordsman Realm, and the demonic qi surrounding him was several times denser than that of ordinary demonic cultivators—this was the Zhao Family's final trump card, as well as the last line of defense protecting the array eye.

"Second Elder, the array eye in the southeastern corner suddenly went silent. I'm afraid that brat Ling Yun destroyed it!" A Zhao Family cultivator abruptly opened his eyes, his voice tinged with panic. "Should we activate the Soul Devouring Array ahead of time?"

Zhao Meng slammed his palm against the ground, and demonic qi shattered the surrounding bluestone. "What are you panicking for?! The envoy may be dead, but the array eyes remain. As long as we hold the other three, then when the sword convention begins tomorrow and we lure the people from every sect into the center of Qingyun Platform, we can still activate the grand array!" Before his words had faded, a cyan wind blade suddenly shot out from the darkness and cleaved toward his wrist—it was Murong Shuang. Her Wind Element Sword Intent had already reached the state of "formless wind blades," specially suited to striking demonic cultivators whose guard was lacking.

Zhao Meng reacted with astonishing speed. He raised his broad saber horizontally, and demonic qi condensed into a shield that blocked the wind blade. Yet he failed to notice the Earth Element Sword Intent quietly spreading beneath his feet. "Earth Element Trapping Array!" Ling Yun's voice came from behind the stele. His hands formed seals, and the Earth Element Sword Intent Pearl in his dantian swelled sharply. Five earthen spikes suddenly erupted from the ground, firmly trapping the ankles of four Zhao Family cultivators. Zhao Meng alone broke free with his demonic qi, but even he was forced three steps back.

"Ling Yun! You destroyed my Zhao Family's array eyes and killed my elder brother. Today, I will tear you to ten thousand pieces!" Zhao Meng roared as he swung his saber. The demonic patterns on the broad blade lit up, and black saber qi carrying the power to devour sword souls came crashing down upon Ling Yun's head.

Rather than retreating, Ling Yun advanced. The Sky-Rending Sword angled toward the ground, and the Sword Soul Origin of Sword Mound Mountain flowed through its blade and into the earth. The earthen spikes trapping the cultivators instantly transformed into sharp earth swords and shot toward Zhao Meng. "Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash!" he shouted. Metal and fire sword intent condensed into a blade, Water Element Sword Intent became chains that wrapped around the broad saber, and Wind Element Sword Intent accelerated the sword body. The instant the black-gold sword qi collided with the saber qi, it directly devoured the demonic qi within it before continuing on to slash at Zhao Meng's broad saber.

Clang! The clash of metal rang through the night sky. Zhao Meng felt an enormous force surge from the blade, while demonic qi flowed backward along his arm. The demonic essence within his dantian actually began to collapse—this was the combined effect of the Demon Breaking Pill and Demon Devouring Sword Intent. His expression changed drastically. He tried to pull back his saber and retreat, only to be bound by Su Qingyuan's Wood Spirit Body. "Elder Zhao, your demonic qi has scattered. Why not surrender peacefully?" Pale-green vines rose from the ground, wrapping around Zhao Meng's limbs and binding him tightly.

Seeing their Second Elder captured, the remaining four Zhao Family cultivators instantly lost all will to fight. They threw down their weapons and surrendered. Ling Yun stepped forward and drove the Sky-Rending Sword into the array-eye stele. Black-gold sword qi spread along the demonic patterns, completely destroying the stele's core. The array eye in the northwestern corner failed with it.

"Only the southwestern and northeastern array eyes remain. We'll split up and meet in the center of Qingyun Platform in half an hour." Ling Yun spoke to Su Qingyuan and Murong Shuang. The three then divided into three routes. Relying on the Sky-Rending Sword's demon-devouring warnings and the protection of the Demon Breaking Pills, they destroyed the remaining two array eyes in only the time it took for two sticks of incense to burn. When the final stele shattered, the invisible demonic qi over Qingyun City completely dissipated, and the night sky became clear once more.

The next morning, the Inter-Regional Sword Convention began as scheduled. Cultivators from every sect packed the area around Qingyun Platform. The elders of the Seven Great Sword Sects sat upon the high platform, while the cultivators of the Zhao Family and Blazing Fire Gate were surrounded on all sides, their faces pale as paper. Elder Liu stepped forward, holding a cyan token in his hand—it was the reward for the Inter-Regional Sword Convention's champion, as well as a teleportation token leading to the Spirit Realm.

"The first matter of today's Inter-Regional Sword Convention is to settle accounts for the Zhao Family's crimes!" Elder Liu's voice spread throughout the entire venue through sword intent. "The Zhao Family colluded with Blood Fiend Hall, cultivated evil arts, and attempted to use the Soul Devouring Array to harm righteous cultivators. The evidence is conclusive. Does anyone object?"

The cultivators across the venue shouted in unison, "No objections!" The Zhao Family cultivators wanted to argue, but the surrounding sword intent suppressed them so thoroughly that they could not even open their mouths. At that moment, Zhao Hao suddenly charged out from the crowd, clutching a black demonic sword—it was the Zhao Family's last demonic sword, one he had found among the Blood Fiend Hall envoy's belongings.

"Even if my Zhao Family falls, we'll drag all of you down with us!" Zhao Hao's eyes were filled with madness. He bit through his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto the demonic sword. "Soul Devouring Burst!" Dense demonic qi instantly erupted from the sword. Cracks began spreading across its blade. He intended to imitate Zhao Hu and perish together with everyone by self-destructing the demonic sword.

"Ling Yun, watch out!" Su Qingyuan immediately activated her Wood Spirit Body, and pale-green spiritual light condensed into a barrier at the center of Qingyun Platform. Murong Shuang, meanwhile, drew upon her Wind Element Sword Intent and pushed the surrounding cultivators backward, away from the range of the demonic qi.

Ling Yun leaped into the air. The silver-red sword patterns on the Sky-Rending Sword surged brightly as he activated his Chaos Sword Body and poured all the medicinal power of the Demon Breaking Pill into the blade. "Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash—Final Form!" Black-gold sword qi condensed into a giant sword more than a zhang tall. Metal, fire, earth, water, and wind sword intent coiled around its blade, along with a pale-green soul-protecting halo, as it slashed toward Zhao Hao's demonic sword.

Clang! The instant the giant sword collided with the demonic sword, the sword qi devoured the demonic qi completely, dissolving the full power of the self-destruction. Zhao Hao was blasted away by the shockwave and crashed heavily to the ground. The demonic essence in his dantian completely dissipated, and his cultivation was utterly crippled. He looked at Ling Yun with unwillingness filling his eyes, yet he no longer had the strength to resist.

Ling Yun stepped forward and handed Zhao Hao over to Elder Liu for judgment. He then turned toward Elder Liu on the high platform. "Please continue the Inter-Regional Sword Convention's matches. I want to contend for the championship and travel to the Spirit Realm."

There was no suspense in the matches that followed. With his Chaos Sword Body and Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash, Ling Yun successively defeated the Blazing Fire Gate's young master and the Purple Haze Sword Sect's genius disciple. He cut through every obstacle in his path and ultimately claimed the Inter-Regional Sword Convention's championship. Elder Liu handed him the cyan teleportation token. Spatial fluctuations from the Spirit Realm rippled across it—it was a gate to a broader world.

"Ling Yun, the Spirit Realm is perilous. Blood Fiend Hall's power is far greater than it is in the Mortal Realm, so you must be extremely careful." Su Qingyuan walked to his side and handed him a medicine case filled with Soul Protecting Pills and Demon Breaking Pills, her eyes full of concern.

Murong Shuang also stepped forward and handed Ling Yun a silk booklet. "This is the complete version of Flowing Cloud Demon Breaking Style. I wrote my insights into using Wind Element Sword Intent inside. It may help you face the demonic cultivators of the Spirit Realm. If I get the chance, I'll find a way to go to the Spirit Realm and join you."

Ling Yun accepted the medicine case and the silk booklet, warmth rising in his heart. He tightened his grip on the teleportation token, then looked at the Sky-Rending Sword at his waist. The silver-red sword patterns on its blade echoed the token's spatial fluctuations—the Sword Soul Origin of the Spirit Realm was calling to him, and the truth behind his family's destruction awaited his unveiling.

"Qingyuan, Murong Shuang, thank you." Ling Yun's voice was resolute. "Once I uncover the truth of the Spirit Realm, I will return and reunite with you. The righteous path of the Mortal Realm will be entrusted to your protection."

Sword Elder's voice sounded within his dantian. "The Myriad Sword Cave of the Spirit Realm holds clues to the Heaven and Earth Sword Box. That is the key to your fight against Blood Fiend Hall. Go, Ling Yun. Your path of the sword has only just begun."

Ling Yun nodded and turned toward the Teleportation Array at the center of Qingyun Platform. He infused the teleportation token with sword intent, and the array eye instantly lit up. A cyan Space Rift unfolded within the formation—the passage to the Spirit Realm. He gave Su Qingyuan and Murong Shuang one final look, then leaped into the rift—the grudges of the Mortal Realm had ended, and the struggle for supremacy in the Spirit Realm was about to begin.