Array Formation

Before long, the ringing of the sword faded, and the crystalline purple divine sword began to regain human form. Yun Ying's figure emerged, still seated cross-legged, wreathed in divine light, her grace unparalleled.

The sword qi filling the sky dispersed, the shattered void began to mend, and everything returned to normal.

The next moment, her purple eyes opened. Her pupils resembled a pair of heavenly swords, and sword light flew out, tearing through dozens of yards of space and leaving two long sword scars in the ground.

Yun Canghai was astonished at the sight. Could she be on the verge of developing the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye? If so, that would be cause for great celebration.

"Grandfather, what brings you here?"

Yun Ying rose to her feet, all her sharpness receding. Her aura merged with heaven and earth, indistinguishable from them.

Yun Canghai smiled. "Your cultivation caused quite a commotion. But, little Ying, what method did you use to turn into a sword just now?"

"Grandfather, that wasn't a method. It was Sword Dao," Yun Ying said, gently shaking her head.

Only those whose understanding of Sword Dao reached a certain level could accomplish it, regardless of their cultivation or any other factors.

"I see." Yun Canghai grasped something and sighed inwardly. This little granddaughter of his was simply too monstrous a talent.

She had broken through to the Array Formation Realm at seventeen, and her understanding of Sword Dao was like that of gods and spirits, shaking heaven and earth and leaving others unable even to glimpse her back. Even that boy from Roc Sacred Mountain paled in comparison to Yun Ying.

After a pause, Yun Canghai brought up another matter. "In two days, those two boys from the Shi Clan will fight their decisive battle. It will take place on the Sky Battlefield in the Void God Realm."

"When the time comes, every faction in the Desolate Region will attend, and people from beyond the region will appear as well."

"Is that so?" Hearing this news, Yun Ying remained calm, showing no surprise.

Rather, this day was bound to come sooner or later. To most people, the grudge between Shi Hao and Shi Yi did not matter. What mattered was which of them was stronger.

"The Sky Battlefield rarely appears even across the ages. You mustn't miss it," Yun Canghai added when he saw how unruffled Yun Ying was.

Yun Ying nodded. "I understand, Grandfather. I'll go and observe."

"Good. Then I won't disturb you any longer." Yun Canghai smiled and turned to leave.

But before he had taken more than a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back. "Little Ying, is there someone you have your heart set on?"

"Grandfather, are you really so eager to marry me off?"

At Yun Canghai's question, Yun Ying laughed, her smile brimming with a young girl's youthful vitality.

"Hahaha! Of course I'm not eager to marry off my precious granddaughter so soon. All right, I won't ask anymore."

Seeing Yun Ying's smile, Yun Canghai laughed heartily. If he remembered correctly, this was the first time he had ever seen her smile like that.

The sight of his granddaughter's easygoing, endearing smile delighted Yun Canghai. Even his steps seemed to stir the wind, and he soon left.

Two days slipped quietly by, and the day arrived for Shi Hao and Shi Yi to face off on the Sky Battlefield in the Void God Realm.

That day, the Void God Realm was crowded as never before. Every passage remained packed as wave after wave of mighty figures arrived.

War chariots rumbled across the sky and drew to a halt nearby. Beings from the Primordial Sacred Mountain had arrived, their chariots pulled by enormous beasts and fierce birds, with Divine Servants accompanying them. Their radiance blazed, and their auras surged to the heavens.

Many Venerables had come from the Primordial Sacred Mountain, their terrifying pressure spreading through the air and making people tremble.

"Look, it's the two fairies from Heavenly God Mountain, Yun Xi and Yun Ying!"

Two stunning girls stepped down from a war chariot. Their faces were identical, but their different hairstyles and bearing made them seem entirely distinct.

"What is that?" many people exclaimed.

Sword Blossoms bloomed around Yun Ying and Yun Xi, illusory throughout, their petals like swords. They spun swiftly, constantly dissolving and reforming in an endless cycle.

A closer look revealed that those Sword Blossoms were formed from great Dao symbols.

Though mere phantoms, they unfolded a profound mystery of the great Dao between dissolution and rebirth, one that could be sensed if someone tried to grasp it with their spiritual power.

In the eyes of many, Yun Ying and Yun Xi were surrounded by phantom Sword Blossoms that burst as swiftly as bubbles, only to form again just as quickly. They could not discern the mysteries within at all.

This was not deliberate, but something that occurred naturally, an outward manifestation of part of Yun Ying's attainment in Sword Dao.

Compared to before, these Sword Blossoms had become even more illusory. They no longer had substance, yet they had returned even further to their pure, original simplicity, with primordial great Dao symbols at their core.

"This girl's attainment has become even more terrifying."

The pupils of some older experts contracted slightly, and even the Venerables' gazes sharpened. Others might fail to see it, but how could they discern nothing?

Now, Yun Ying remained in the Heaven-Man Unity Realm at all times. Her every movement, every thought, could resonate with heaven and earth, directly manifesting her attainment in Sword Dao.

That was how these phantom Sword Blossoms derived from great Dao symbols came into being. They were a manifestation of her body and mind merging with heaven and earth and the great Dao.

It could be said that only someone who had traveled far within the Heaven-Man Unity Realm could accomplish this. Even the Venerables present could do no such thing.

In fact, they could not even enter the Heaven-Man Unity Realm. They needed special opportunities to trigger it, and even then, the chances were pitifully low.

"How can the Celestial Clan be so terrifying? Could the Heaven-Man Unity Realm be the very origin of this clan?"

Many Venerables were deeply shaken. The Celestial Clan had been renowned throughout the Desolate Region since primordial times, yet it had never produced a freak like Yun Ying.

"Brother Yun, those two granddaughters of yours truly make others green with envy."

An old man with a head of golden hair spoke. Golden radiance wreathed his body, and even his pupils were gold. He was Jin Luantian, the current clan chief of Roc Sacred Mountain.

Yun Canghai smiled. "Aren't you surrounded by children and grandchildren too, Brother Jin? What need have you to envy an old man like me?"

"That's not the same." Jin Luantian shook his head, then added, "My grandson should be back before long. How about letting these youngsters get to know one another?"

Before Yun Canghai could respond, another old man, dressed in black, spoke up. "Brother Jin, those abacus beads of yours are clacking awfully loudly. In that case, Brother Yun, let my boy get to know them too."

This black-robed old man was the clan chief of Taotie Sacred Mountain. His true form was a pure-blooded Taotie, and he possessed formidable strength.

"Let the youngsters handle these matters themselves. We old fellows should stay out of it," Yun Canghai said, making his stance clear.

"Good, let's do that." Neither Jin Luantian nor the chief of the Taotie Clan objected.

Clearly, they both wanted Yun Ying and Yun Xi to marry into their clans-or, more precisely, to marry their grandsons.

Yun Canghai understood their intentions as well, but he would not make decisions for Yun Ying and Yun Xi. It all depended on what the girls themselves wanted.