Passing through the last barrier of demonic vines in Misty Forest, the outline of Myriad Sword Cave finally appeared beneath the dark crimson sky—a massive stone cavern embedded in a black cliff face. Two stone swords, each nearly two hundred feet tall, stood on either side of its entrance. Their blades were covered in Ancient Sword Patterns glowing with silver light. As the patterns flowed, they automatically dispersed the surrounding demonic qi. Waves of pure Sword Soul aura surged from deep within the cave toward Ling Yun and his group, making the Sky-Rending Sword tremble violently at his waist. The silver-red patterns on its blade lit up completely, and the lingering cracks healed at a visible rate.
"So this is the Sword Soul holy land of the Spirit Realm..." Chu Feng's eyes brimmed with shock. His Lightning Element Sword Intent involuntarily resonated with the patterns on the stone swords. "They say Myriad Sword Cave contains a million ancient swords, each retaining the Sword Soul of a sword cultivator. If one can absorb even a wisp of it, one's Sword Intent can break through its bottleneck."
Ling Yun stepped forward and reached out to touch one of the stone swords. The instant his fingertips made contact with its patterns, a stream of pure Sword Soul aura poured into his dantian and merged with his Chaos Sword Body. The six-colored Sword Intent pearl within his dantian instantly swelled, especially the fire, metal, and earth Sword Intents he had awakened earlier, which began transforming toward the level of Major Accomplishment Sword Intent. With a hum, the Sky-Rending Sword flew from its sheath and hovered before Ling Yun. Its blade absorbed the Sword Soul aura, and the sword body, previously seventy percent repaired, was completely restored. A faint golden current of Sword Soul light also appeared amid its silver-red patterns—the Sky-Rending Sword had not only fully recovered, but had also initially awakened the ability of Sword Soul Resonance, allowing it to draw upon the Sword Soul Power of nearby ancient swords.
"Sword Elder, this is..." Joy rose in Ling Yun's heart.
"It is the awakening of the Sky-Rending Sword's origin!" Sword Elder's voice carried excitement. "The Sword Soul Origin of Myriad Sword Cave is precisely the nourishment it needs. Now that it can stir the ancient Sword Souls, all you need to do is find the altar of the Ancient Sword Venerable to sense the location of the Heaven and Earth Sword Box!"
Just then, dense footsteps rang out from the cave entrance. More than thirty Blood Fiend Hall demonic cultivators in black robes rushed out. At their head was a sinister-looking old man holding a black short staff. A red-glowing "soul crystal" was set into the staff's head, and the demonic qi around him was several times denser than Wu Tao's had been. He was Liu Cang, the eastern branch master of Blood Fiend Hall, wielder of the Soul Devouring Staff. His cultivation had already reached the initial stage of the Sword King Realm, making him a renowned demonic cultivator in the eastern region of the Spirit Realm.
"I never expected the little brats of the Sword Alliance to find this place!" Liu Cang sneered and lightly tapped the Soul Devouring Staff against the ground. Black demonic qi surged from the earth and transformed into more than a dozen demonic shadows. "Myriad Sword Cave is the 'Sword Soul Furnace' chosen by Lord Blood Demon Venerable. Since you have come today, do not even think of leaving alive. All of you will become nourishment for my soul crystal!"
"Old bastard, you sure talk big!" Xiao Zhan carried his broad-backed saber over his shoulder as golden lightning surged around him. "Watch me shatter that rotten staff of yours with my Savage Lightning Saber Technique!" He leaped into the air and swept his saber out. Lightning poured down like a waterfall toward the demonic shadows, which instantly collapsed into demonic qi upon touching it.
Chu Feng refused to be outdone. His Lightning Element Sword Intent condensed into a lightning sword over thirty feet long and thrust straight at Liu Cang. "So what if you are in the Sword King Realm? We cultivators of the Sword Alliance have never feared demonic cultivators!" Carrying the power to break demons, the lightning sword purified every trace of demonic qi in its path and bore down upon Liu Cang's face.
Disdain flashed through Liu Cang's eyes. He swung the Soul Devouring Staff, and the soul crystal at its tip spat out a black beam of light. When it struck the lightning sword, it instantly devoured the lightning—this was the Soul Devouring Staff's core ability, capable of absorbing righteous Sword Intent and converting it into demonic essence. "With such paltry skill, you dare flaunt your ax before me?" With a twist of his wrist, the black beam turned into chains that coiled around Chu Feng's lightning sword, trying to drag it into the soul crystal.
"Ling Yun, help!" Chu Feng's expression changed. He pushed his Lightning Element Sword Intent to its limit, yet he still could not break free from the chains' pull.
Ling Yun had long been poised to strike. The Sky-Rending Sword swept a silver-red arc before him as his Chaos Sword Intent merged with the Sword Soul aura of Myriad Sword Cave, forming the Sword Soul version of the Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash. "Clear Sword Heart!" A luminous white gleam flashed through his eyes, and he instantly saw through the weakness in the black chains—the point where they connected to the soul crystal had the strongest repulsion from the Sword Soul aura, and was precisely Liu Cang's weakest point of control.
"Sky-Rending: Chainbreaker!" Ling Yun shouted. Carrying a faint golden current of Sword Soul light, the Sky-Rending Sword stabbed straight at the chains' connection point. The instant the silver-red Sword Qi struck the black chains, the Sword Soul aura ignited the repulsive force within them. With a thunderous clang, the chains exploded apart. Chu Feng seized the chance to retreat, his face pale as he panted heavily—if Ling Yun had not intervened in time, his Sword Intent would nearly have been swallowed by the soul crystal.
"Your sword can actually stir Sword Souls?" Shock flashed through Liu Cang's eyes, quickly turning into greed. "What a fine ancient spirit sword! If I can fuse it into the Myriad Soul Banner, its power will surely soar! Demonic cultivators, form the Soul Devouring Array and take them down!"
More than thirty demonic cultivators activated their demonic essence at once. Black demonic qi condensed into a massive formation at the cave entrance, and countless distorted Sword Soul phantoms appeared within it. This was an array Blood Fiend Hall had specifically designed to seize the Sword Souls of Myriad Sword Cave, capable of forcibly extracting the Sword Souls within cultivators and converting them into demonic essence.
"Not good! This array can strip away Sword Souls! Everyone, retreat near the stone swords!" Chu Feng shouted. The patterns on the stone swords could resist demonic qi; they were the only shelter from the storm.
Yet Ling Yun did not retreat. He tightened his grip on the Sky-Rending Sword, and the Sword Soul light on its blade grew brighter and brighter. "No need to retreat! The Sky-Rending Sword can stir the Sword Souls of Myriad Sword Cave. This Soul Devouring Array is perfect for testing its new ability!" He leaped into the air and poured all the power of his Chaos Sword Body into the Sky-Rending Sword. "Myriad Swords Return to Origin!"
At his shout, the stone swords on both sides of the entrance suddenly erupted with dazzling silver light. Sword cries echoed from deep within the cavern as countless ancient swords flew out, circling the Sky-Rending Sword and forming a sword wheel condensed from Sword Souls. The instant the sword wheel collided with the Soul Devouring Array, silver light and demonic qi crashed violently together. The Sword Soul phantoms within the demonic array were drawn toward the sword wheel, breaking free from the control of the demonic qi and merging into it. This was the true might of the Sky-Rending Sword's Sword Soul Resonance—it could purify corrupted Sword Souls and turn the demonic array against itself!
"Impossible! How can your sword purify Sword Souls?!" Liu Cang's face changed drastically. The Soul Devouring Array was his trump card, yet Ling Yun had turned it against him. The demonic essence within the soul crystal began to spiral into chaos.
"It is time to end this!" A cold glint flashed through Ling Yun's eyes. The sword wheel carried the Sword Soul Power of a million ancient swords as it slashed toward Liu Cang. "Five Elements Demon Devouring Slash - Ultimate Version!"
Silver-red Sword Qi intertwined with the flowing Sword Soul light, forming a five-colored colossal sword over thirty feet high. The moment it descended, Liu Cang's Soul Devouring Staff shattered with a bang, and the demonic essence within the soul crystal was completely absorbed by the Chaos Sword Body. Liu Cang let out a shrill scream as the giant sword pierced through his dantian, scattering his demonic essence completely—the eastern branch master at the initial stage of the Sword King Realm had been slain by Ling Yun in a single strike!
Seeing their branch master slain, the remaining Blood Fiend Hall demonic cultivators instantly fell apart and fled deeper into Myriad Sword Cave. "Chase them!" Chu Feng immediately led the group in pursuit, but Ling Yun stopped, his gaze falling on the Sky-Rending Sword. Amid its silver-red patterns, the faint golden current of Sword Soul light was guiding him toward an ancient altar deep within Myriad Sword Cave. There, he could not only sense the Heaven and Earth Sword Box, but also a familiar trace of Wood Spirit Body aura.
"Qingyuan is inside." Ling Yun clenched the Sky-Rending Sword, a powerful premonition rising in his heart. The demonic qi and Sword Soul aura deeper within Myriad Sword Cave were woven together even more densely. Blood Fiend Hall's main force was clearly constructing the Sword Soul Furnace there. A final battle concerning the survival of the Spirit Realm's Sword Soul holy land, as well as Su Qingyuan's safety, was already at hand.
He turned and followed the group, the Sky-Rending Sword casting a warm silver glow in his hand. This time, he would not only rescue Su Qingyuan, but also seize the Heaven and Earth Sword Box, stop Blood Fiend Hall's scheme, and take a crucial step for the righteous path of the Spirit Realm—and for the vengeance of his exterminated clan.
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