Perhaps it was because he had been holding a pent-up breath in his chest.
Xu Taiping spoke those words with ringing force, each word exploding like thunder across the Sword-Suppressing Sword Platform.
Shame surfaced on the faces of quite a few disciples who had been watching coldly, or even taking pleasure in his misfortune.
But to Ye Xuan, those words were undoubtedly a provocation.
"You think you're worthy of challenging me to a sword inquiry?"
Ye Xuan gave a cold snort at his words.
The instant his voice fell, the longsword in his hand left its scabbard with a metallic hiss.
Amid the sword's cry, his figure seemed to merge with the longsword in his hand, becoming a dazzling streak of sword light. Bearing dozens of sword shadows like a torrential downpour, his sword thundered toward Xu Taiping like a sudden rainstorm.
This strike bore a name that matched its form: Torrential Rain.
It was also one of the ultimate moves of the Ten Directions Sword.
Now, unleashed with Ye Xuan's Nether Gazing Realm cultivation, its might bore no resemblance whatsoever to martial dao sword techniques.
Boom!
Just as those watching from the Cloud Tower stands were either marveling at the power of Ye Xuan's Torrential Rain or pondering how Xu Taiping would counter it, the arena on the Sword-Suppressing Sword Platform suddenly shook violently.
Immediately afterward, Xu Taiping's figure became an afterimage and appeared behind Ye Xuan's streak of sword light, accompanied by a string of explosive cracks in the air.
He brought a fist crashing down.
Bang!
Amid the deafening impact, Ye Xuan, who had merged with his sword light, was sent flying backward, sword and all, by Xu Taiping's punch.
Boom!
Before Ye Xuan could fall, something else happened.
Leaving another afterimage where he had stood, Xu