Three days later, at dawn, five Sword Alliance cultivators clad in silver armor had assembled in the plaza outside Golden Sword City's northern gate. At their head stood a cold-faced young man holding a longsword wreathed in faint violet lightning, tiny currents crackling around him—it was Chu Feng, captain of the mission squad. One of the foremost among the Sword Alliance's younger generation, he was famed for his Lightning Element Sword Intent, "Demon-Breaking," and had reached the late Sword Master Realm.
"Ling Yun, are you the Chaos Sword Body cultivator from the Mortal Realm?" Chu Feng sized Ling Yun up and down. When his gaze fell upon the Sky-Rending Sword at Ling Yun's waist, a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. "Your sword... seems to be damaged?"
"When I passed through a Space Rift earlier, the turbulent currents damaged the blade." Ling Yun gripped the Sky-Rending Sword. The cracks along its body had faded considerably under the nourishment of Golden Sword City's sword soul aura. "But it is gradually repairing itself. It will not affect combat."
Chu Feng nodded slightly and turned to introduce the others. "This is Li Yan, with Earth Element Sword Intent, skilled in setting up defenses; Zhang Wei, with Water Element Sword Intent, capable of assisting with healing; and Wang Hao, with Gold Element Sword Intent, our main force for breaking defenses. This mission is to investigate the Blood Fiend Hall branch near Black Wind Abyss and confirm whether they are preparing to attack Golden Sword City. At the same time, we will search for traces of your companion—the Soul Breath Mirror showed that her aura had appeared on the eastern side of Black Wind Abyss."
Li Yan and the others nodded to Ling Yun in greeting. Zhang Wei even handed him a porcelain bottle. "These are Demon Cleansing Pills. They can temporarily suppress the invasion of demonic qi. Keep them for emergencies."
Ling Yun accepted the bottle and thanked her, warmth stirring in his heart. Though he had only just met these Sword Alliance cultivators, he could feel their wholehearted devotion to the righteous path. The group immediately set out. Chu Feng brought forth a flying sword artifact, and the five of them stepped onto its blade, speeding toward Black Wind Abyss.
The skies of the Spirit Realm were broader than those of the Mortal Realm. Beneath dark crimson clouds, demonic birds occasionally swept past, their shrieks piercing the air. Chu Feng controlled the flying sword artifact, his Lightning Element Sword Intent forming an invisible barrier that drove the birds far away. "Black Wind Abyss lies at the border between the Spirit Realm Southern Domain and the eastern region. The demonic qi there is ten times denser than in Golden Sword City. Blood Fiend Hall has built three branches there, guarded year-round by demonic cultivators."
Ling Yun looked down. The land below gradually shifted from desert wasteland to blackish-brown plains, its surface riddled with bottomless fissures. Black demonic qi poured from those cracks, gathering in the air into vicious demonic phantoms—this was the outer perimeter of Black Wind Abyss. Ordinary Sword Master Realm cultivators who entered alone might not even make it out with their lives.
"Up ahead is Bone-Breaking Cliff. Blood Fiend Hall's western branch lies at its base." Chu Feng guided the sword artifact down. "We will infiltrate and investigate first. If there are not many demonic cultivators in the branch, we will destroy it directly. If there are too many, we will mark the location and report back to the Sword Alliance."
The moment the five landed, fierce sounds of battle suddenly erupted from the bottom of the cliff, mixed with a rough, booming roar and the screams of demonic cultivators. Ling Yun's heart stirred as he circulated his Chaos Sword Intent to sense the scene. That roar carried a fierce, unyielding blade intent—and within it was a trace of righteous aura, utterly different from Blood Fiend Hall's demonic qi.
"Someone is fighting the demonic cultivators?" A flash of vigilance crossed Chu Feng's eyes. "Come. Let us take a look. If they are righteous cultivators, we can lend them a hand."
The group followed the stone steps along the cliff wall downward. The instant they reached the bottom, they witnessed a shocking sight: a burly man dressed in animal hides wielded a broad-backed saber. Golden lightning coiled around its blade, and every slash shattered several streams of demonic qi. More than a dozen demonic cultivator corpses lay around him, while the demonic qi at the cliff bottom scattered in all directions beneath his blade intent—it was none other than the Barbarian Blade Cultivator, Xiao Zhan!
"You trash actually dared to steal my Lightning Pattern Ore!" Xiao Zhan roared, sweeping his broad-backed saber. Golden lightning struck a demonic cultivator attempting to flee and shattered his dantian. As he turned, he spotted Ling Yun's group. Vigilance flashed in his eyes, and he held his saber across his chest. "Who are you? Are you Blood Fiend Hall people too?"
"We are a Sword Alliance mission squad, not demonic cultivators." Chu Feng stepped forward, reining in his Lightning Element Sword Intent. "I am Captain Chu Feng. This is Ling Yun, a cultivator from the Mortal Realm. Thank you for your efforts just now in killing so many demonic cultivators."
At the words "Mortal Realm," the vigilance in Xiao Zhan's eyes eased somewhat. He looked Ling Yun over. "From the Mortal Realm? Your sword carries a chaos aura. Interesting." He put away his saber and grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "My name is Xiao Zhan, a Barbarian Blade Cultivator. I came to Black Wind Abyss to find Lightning Pattern Ore and forge a new blade. Never expected to run into this bunch of Blood Fiend Hall scum."
Joy surged through Ling Yun's heart. It really was the Xiao Zhan mentioned in the outline! He stepped forward. "Brother Xiao, I happen to have a question. Have you seen a woman with a Wood Spirit Body anywhere near Black Wind Abyss? She is my companion, Su Qingyuan. The Soul Breath Mirror showed that her aura had appeared here."
"Wood Spirit Body?" Xiao Zhan frowned in thought for a moment, then suddenly slapped his hand. "Oh! Three days ago, in Withered Wood Grove on the eastern side of Black Wind Abyss, I saw a woman accompanied by several spirit herbs that could move. She should be the Wood Spirit Body woman you mentioned! But Blood Fiend Hall demonic cultivators were chasing her then. She fled toward Misty Forest. I wanted to help, but another group of demonic cultivators tied me down, and I could not catch up."
Ling Yun's heart instantly clenched. Misty Forest was the stronghold of Blood Fiend Hall's Eastern Region Branch. If Su Qingyuan had ventured deep inside, she was surely in mortal danger. Seeing his expression, Chu Feng said solemnly, "In that case, we will alter the plan. We will first cross Black Wind Abyss and head to Misty Forest—we can investigate the Blood Fiend Hall branch and search for your companion at the same time, killing two birds with one stone."
Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up. "Misty Forest? I was planning to go there myself. They say there is Millennium Lightning Pattern Wood inside, excellent material for forging blades! Why not let me travel with you? My Savage Lightning Saber Technique can break demons, so I can help you deal with Blood Fiend Hall scum!"
Chu Feng looked to Ling Yun. Seeing him nod, he agreed. "Good! Brother Xiao's blade intent is fierce and powerful. With you joining us, our chances of victory will be greater."
Just as the group was about to set off, the demonic qi at the bottom of the cliff suddenly churned violently. More than twenty black-robed demonic cultivators rushed from a cave to the west. Their leader was a scar-faced middle-aged cultivator gripping a bone staff, its tip embedded with a black skull—it was the branch master of Blood Fiend Hall's western branch. His cultivation had reached the late Sword Master Realm, making him evenly matched with Chu Feng.
"You ignorant fools dare kill my Blood Fiend Hall men!" the scar-faced branch master roared. With a sweep of his bone staff, the skull spewed thick demonic qi that transformed into more than a dozen black chains, winding toward Ling Yun and the others. "Today, all of you will become nourishment for my Soul Devouring Staff!"
"Excellent!" Xiao Zhan charged first, his broad-backed saber cleaving out golden lightning. "Savage Lightning Saber Technique—Thunderous Slash!" The lightning crashed into the demonic qi chains and severed them in an instant. Chu Feng was not to be outdone. His Lightning Element Sword Intent surged wildly. "Thunderous Demon-Breaking Sword!" Pale violet lightning condensed into a longsword and stabbed straight toward the scar-faced branch master's chest.
Seeing this, Ling Yun also drew the Sky-Rending Sword. As his Chaos Sword Intent circulated, Gold and Fire Element Sword Intent condensed into the Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash, which he sent at a lone demonic cultivator. The blade swept across the demonic cultivator's demonic sword, instantly devouring its demonic qi before piercing through his dantian. A thread of pure demonic essence was drawn into Ling Yun's dantian, and the cracks on the Sky-Rending Sword faded a little more as silver-red sword patterns faintly emerged.
"This sword can devour demons?" Seeing the changes in the Sky-Rending Sword, surprise flashed in Xiao Zhan's eyes. "Kid, your sword is rather interesting!"
Ling Yun smiled but said nothing, turning to continue fighting the demonic cultivators. Chu Feng's Lightning Element Sword Intent and Xiao Zhan's Savage Lightning Saber Technique complemented each other, their lightning weaving into a net that firmly suppressed the demonic qi. Li Yan set up an Earth Element defensive formation to protect Zhang Wei and Wang Hao, while Ling Yun relied on his Chaos Sword Intent and Clear Sword Heart to target the demonic cultivators' weak points. In less than half the time it took to burn an incense stick, he had slain five demonic cultivators.
Seeing the situation turn against him, the scar-faced branch master tried to activate the Soul Devouring Staff and detonate the demonic qi, seeking to perish together with them. But Chu Feng's Thunderclap Sword pierced his dantian, and the demonic qi instantly collapsed. He fell to the ground, his eyes filled with unwillingness. "Blood Fiend Hall will not let you go... Lord Blood Demon Venerable will soon..."
Before he could finish, his breath ceased. Chu Feng stepped forward and put away the Soul Devouring Staff. "This is a mid-grade evil artifact of Blood Fiend Hall. We can bring it back to the Sword Alliance to study methods of breaking demons."
Ling Yun walked to the demonic qi fissure at the bottom of the cliff. The Sky-Rending Sword suddenly trembled, its blade automatically absorbing the demonic qi leaking from the crack. The silver-red sword patterns lit up completely—the damage to the sword had already been repaired by seventy percent! Sword Elder's voice sounded within his dantian. "The demonic qi of Black Wind Abyss is purer than that of the Mortal Realm. It can speed up the Sky-Rending Sword's repair. Keep moving forward. When you reach Misty Forest, it may be able to awaken completely."
After the group cleared the battlefield, Chu Feng looked toward Misty Forest. "Rest for a moment, then we continue onward—Fellow Cultivator Su is still waiting for us, and it is time we properly crossed swords with Blood Fiend Hall's Soul Devouring Array."
Xiao Zhan slung the broad-backed saber over his shoulder and grinned. "Perfect. My saber is hungry too. Let Blood Fiend Hall's scum have a taste of the Barbarian Blade Technique's might!"
Ling Yun tightened his grip around the Sky-Rending Sword, determination flashing in his eyes—Black Wind Abyss was behind them, and Misty Forest lay ahead. Su Qingyuan, I'm coming! And it is time to begin settling the score with Blood Fiend Hall!
Before you continue