First on the Slaughter Rankings!

"Shhk!"

Li Yang's control over the battlefield had reached an astonishing level.

Perhaps everything looked like a perfect coincidence, but it all came from his accumulated battle experience and his composure in those instants between life and death.

In this state, Ning Xi experienced a life-threatening danger that sent her heart racing.

Their enemies had gone from foundation establishment cultivators to golden core cultivators. The slightest mistake could get them killed.

And women would not settle for peaceful lives. Once their days became an endless routine of rice, firewood, oil, and salt, they would crave excitement.

Ning Xi had now fallen into the peculiar suspension bridge effect.

Her senses were keen. Through her back, she could feel the warmth of Li Yang's chest and the beat of his heart.

His palm covered the back of her hand, warm and gripping tightly.

The sensation of the Phoenix Sword piercing an enemy's body and spraying hot blood was magnified further.

Her breathing quickened.

She had never felt anything like this.

The warmth of the person behind her, the breathing beside her ear, the low sounds...

Instinctively, she classified these "feelings" as "falling in love."

And yet-

Excitement alone was not enough.

Outside were flashing blades and dangerous, insidious spells and magic treasures. Behind her was a powerful, broad chest.

Cold and warmth, life and death, the peril outside and the shelter of his embrace formed a stark contrast.

The feelings budding within her grew all the stronger.

"Don't space out!"

Li Yang's voice was low and husky, right beside her ear, as though laced with poison or infused with a bewitching curse.

Before his words had faded, he moved with her, maneuvering the sword once more.

It was so fast that she could see nothing clearly. She only felt an irresistible force guiding her wrist.

There were only the most basic, ordinary thrusts, flicks, breaks, and slashes...

Only when warm liquid splashed onto the back of her hand did she realize the blade had drunk blood.

As the enemy fell, she panted violently, her whole body drenched as though she had just been pulled from the water. Her back pressed tightly against him, slick with fragrant sweat.

Yet, as if possessed, she could not tell whether the tingling that coursed through her like electricity came from the lingering fear of brushing against death or the scorching breath of the man behind her.

She wanted to pull away, but her legs went weak.

And the arm locked around her waist tightened a little.

"Why are you squirming?!"

Li Yang frowned, his voice carrying a faint breathlessness.

Ning Xi obediently stopped moving.

She could not describe what she felt, but she seemed to be growing addicted.

So being led into battle, facing death together, could feel like dancing together.

Fear arose from without; affection stirred within.

Life and death shared one sword; danger and desire sprang from the same source.

"Retreat!"

The nascent soul True Person of the Myriad Venom Dynasty gave the order with extreme reluctance.

If they did not leave now, they would never get away.

Single-handedly, Li Yang had reversed the situation on the foundation establishment battlefield, rekindling the fighting spirit of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty's foundation establishment cultivators, who had already been routed.

In the end, he had even dared to charge into the golden core battlefield.

Not only had he survived, he had slain more than ten golden core experts!

Because of this one insignificant foundation establishment cultivator, the scales of battle had been forcibly tipped toward the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, which had been on the verge of defeat.

"You think you can come and go as you please?" The Heavenly Origin Dynasty's nascent soul True Person sneered.

In the end, the Myriad Venom Dynasty's nascent soul True Person had his physical body destroyed. Only his nascent soul escaped.

During the ensuing pursuit, Li Yang, with his foundation establishment great perfection cultivation, forcefully slew nearly several hundred foundation establishment cultivators and more than ten golden core experts.

In one stroke, he became the moon surrounded by a host of stars among the Heavenly Origin Dynasty's cultivators.

"Terrifying! A sword cultivator's individual strength can actually reach the point of turning an entire battle around single-handedly!"

"What kind of physique does this outsider have? Isn't he far too powerful?!"

"I've made up my mind. Once our world merges with the outside world, I'm definitely becoming a sword cultivator!"

Every native cultivator of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty felt their heart surge. Beyond reverence, they felt an intense yearning.

"Qin Feng of the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect... is he really not a sword dao Crown Champion sent down by the Xuanyuan Sword Sect?"

"I refuse to believe his true cultivation is only in the foundation establishment realm!"

"First!" someone exclaimed. "Qin Feng is first on the Slaughter Rankings!"

With a mere thought, every cultivator could bring up a panel in their mind.

It contained only one ranking, listing the slaughter points of everyone, including both Trial Takers and native cultivators.

The principle was simple: the more one killed and the stronger the victims, the more slaughter points one gained.

The name in first place was-Qin Feng!

Beside it stood a slaughter point total of 478,000.

"An ordinary foundation establishment early stage cultivator is only worth sixty slaughter points. That means he's killed roughly eight thousand foundation establishment cultivators!"

"You can't calculate it that way. The higher a cultivator's cultivation, the more slaughter points they're worth. And there are prodigies among them too. Between two cultivators at the same level, killing a prodigy gives at least fifty percent more slaughter points than killing an ordinary cultivator."

"Who's in second place? They actually have four hundred thousand slaughter points too?!" More cultivators opened the Slaughter Rankings to check.

Li Yang also glanced at it. The name consisted of a single word-Kill.

Could this be the Xuanyuan Sword Sect traitor Master mentioned?

"Young friend, please come have a chat."

At Rockhold Commandery's frontier fortress, the nascent soul True Person offered him a kindly smile.

The man was a native of the secret realm world. They had no prior connection.

Moreover, there was a rule that natives who killed Trial Takers could randomly obtain their immortal opportunities. Li Yang did not dare to be alone with him.

"You need not worry, young friend. Those whose cultivation is more than one major realm higher cannot obtain a Trial Taker's physique."

The man clearly knew what Li Yang was worried about.

Li Yang looked toward Su Hen, who stood nearby.

Su Hen nodded.

Only then did Li Yang dare bring Ning Xi and Qin Feng up onto the fortress wall.

Quite a few formation masters were racing to repair the formation arrays. Li Yang followed the man into a pavilion.

"What is it?" Li Yang went straight to the point, not daring to drink the tea offered to him.

"Mainly, I wished to thank you personally for your assistance, fellow Daoist. Otherwise, countless mortals behind Rockhold Commandery would have suffered."

The nascent soul True Person had graying temples, though he was not particularly old. He sat down on his own.

"That is our duty as sword cultivators," Li Yang said flatly. "If there is nothing important, this junior needs to head to the next battlefield and farm as many slaughter points as possible."

Seeing that Li Yang disliked trouble, the man did not keep him guessing.

He turned his hand over, produced a token, and offered it to him:

"Our Heavenly Origin Dynasty is in peril, and I would like to invite you to join us in resisting the Demonic Path invasion." He explained, "This token is mine and contains a strand of my soul. Within the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, seeing it is the same as seeing me. Even the imperial capital will be open to you without obstruction. It can also help you once if a higher-realm cultivator targets you."

Li Yang did not refuse.

"Tell me where the next battlefield is."

This secret realm would not offer anyone leisurely time to hunt for treasures. They had to stake their lives in battle.

The rules were brutal-nothing but rearing venomous creatures in a jar.

Now was the growth stage. If you grew too slowly, you would inevitably become the creature the others devoured.

If the person in second place really was that Xuanyuan Sword Sect traitor, the pressure on him would be immense.

For in the other Trial Takers' conversations, Li Yang had heard an even crueler rule-

Anyone who killed a cultivator in the Slaughter Rankings' top hundred would directly inherit all their slaughter points!

"A thousand li south of Rockhold Commandery lies Heavenly Spirit Commandery. A powerful Devil Dao Sect-the Spirit Devouring Cult-has entrenched itself nearby.

"But you must be careful. The Spirit Devouring Cult has infiltrated deeply. Watch out for comrades attacking you from behind."

As he spoke, he produced a jade slip and sent a strand of divine sense into it:

"The governor of Heavenly Spirit Commandery is my Dao companion. Give her this jade slip, and she will know what to do."

Li Yang accepted it and probed inside with his divine sense-

"My dear, this young sword cultivator possesses extraordinary martial prowess. Treat him as your sword. He can cut down foes without, and foes within."

Li Yang put both items away, cupped his hands, and bowed to the man.

Then the three of them sat cross-legged on the Phoenix Sword and sped toward Heavenly Spirit Commandery.

"Li... fellow Daoist Qin, please wait! We're willing to go with you!" Su Hen hurriedly called out to stop Li Yang.

Looking back, Li Yang saw more than thirty sword cultivators behind Su Hen.

After witnessing Li Yang's superb, exquisite sword maneuvering, they had been filled with longing.

They did not seek slaughter. They only wished to follow Li Yang and personally experience the Sword Maneuvering Art that could greatly enhance a sword cultivator's strength.

Among them were even sword cultivators whose true cultivation was in the nascent soul realm. At this moment, their faces were full of hope as well.

In their minds, Li Yang had already become a sword dao Crown Champion from the Xuanyuan Sword Sect.

Following him would be their honor.

"Hmm..." Li Yang considered for a moment. "Come aboard."

Although he had no fear of fighting many opponents alone, if he wanted to turn the tide on a battlefield, it would be best to form an army of his own.

And no army could be more terrifying than one made up entirely of sword cultivators!