Returning to the unadorned truth

At those words, the young people present pulled out their artifact-refining materials. Even those who had none went to borrow some before returning to trade with Yun Xi.

However, Yun Xi would not trade for just anything. The materials had to be of a sufficient grade; anything below that would be useless even if she took it.

Before long, the glow of runes rose from a courtyard, and an enormous arena emerged, floating in the air.

"What happened?"

The beings in the various courtyards all looked up at the arena, somewhat bewildered. Had someone started a fight?

Soon, Yun Ying and the others saw people rush up onto it and begin dueling.

"It's the Nine-Headed Lion against an expert from the Black Cloud Clan beyond the region, and a... crow against an expert from the Reckless Bull Clan beyond the region!"

Everyone was astonished. One glance at that lineup told them that people from the Desolate Region had clashed with outsiders.

The duels did not last long. The Nine-Headed Lion and the crow swiftly slew their opponents.

"The Nine-Headed Lion is one thing-his bloodline really is powerful. But what's the story with that crow? Is he really Little Stone's pet? Has Little Stone actually come?" Many people were speculating.

A few days earlier, that crow had followed a young man and taught the members of the Black Cloud Clan and Reckless Bull Clan a lesson. There had also been a young noble from Immortal Mountain, reportedly a descendant of one of its great figures, who had been slapped across the face.

Immortal Mountain was a major power beyond the region, renowned alongside the Heaven Mending Sect, the Heaven Severing Sect, the Western Sect, and others. Its people had come to this gathering as well.

"That crow is Little Stone's pet?" Yun Xi watched the crow, feeling that he looked familiar, yet unable to recall why.

This left her uncertain whether Shi Hao had already arrived. After some thought, she decided to keep watching and wait until she was sure.

"What? Little Stone from the Battle of the Two Stones has appeared!"

Before long, someone cried out in surprise. Many heard it, setting off an uproar. People were stirred into action and hurried toward one of the courtyards.

"Ying, he's here," Yun Xi said, a trace of excitement mingling with her surprise. This time, it had to be true.

Yun Ying nodded slightly. "Let's go."

When Yun Ying and Yun Xi reached the courtyard after hearing the news, they saw a group of experts facing off against a young man, swords drawn and bows bent.

"Is that him?" Yun Xi stared at the young man. Honestly, judging by his appearance, there was no way he could be Shi Hao.

However, several of the experts facing him were in the Array Formation Realm. An unknown young man who could stand against Array Formation Realm experts-who else could that be but Shi Hao?

In other words, this was Shi Hao, concealing his true appearance with a secret art.

Yun Ying said nothing. A single glance told her that this was Shi Hao, not because she had seen through his secret art, but because the aura of his origin had given her the answer.

Everything outward about a person could be altered by some means-their appearance, bearing, precious techniques... all could change. But their origin remained unchanged, flowing through their flesh, bones, and internal organs, permeating their essence, energy, and spirit. Once one perceived that, one would never mistake their identity.

Yun Ying could already do this. Unless someone's cultivation far exceeded hers, or they were protected by an exceptionally powerful artifact, she could easily perceive the aura of their origin.

This was also something that naturally arose in those who cultivated the Sword Dao. Strictly speaking, it was not really an ability, merely a divine intuition. It was just that this intuition was extraordinarily powerful, useful for far more than sensing danger.

"No matter where you go, you're always at the center of the whirlpool." Yun Ying's red lips parted slightly, and her clear voice rang out.

Her words reached the ears of everyone present with perfect clarity, abruptly breaking the atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows.

Everyone turned toward the voice, and quite a few cried out, "Sword Immortal Maiden!"

She was a beautiful woman dressed in purple, her body like jade and her skin like congealed frost, with a face of dreamlike beauty. Her bare feet were delicate and small, and her long ponytail fell behind her, gleaming with a lovely luster.

She stood there like an ordinary woman, without releasing the slightest imposing aura. Her eyes shimmered, filled with mist that gave her an elusive air.

As they looked at Yun Ying, everyone's expression grew slightly solemn. The record this Sword Immortal Maiden had established with a single sword strike still stood in the Void God Realm.

Shi Hao looked over and discovered that Yun Ying seemed to have become a mortal. Shock filled his heart. Now, she was like a divine sword returned to its sheath, all her edge and imposing aura concealed.

Such a Yun Ying could only be more frightening than before. Even Shi Hao felt an intense sense of danger from her.

"Incredible. This little girl from the Celestial Clan has actually reached this step, returning to the unadorned truth. Even gods might not comprehend this level. Such insight is rare in all the world." Seeing Yun Ying as she was now, Little Tower marveled once again.

Hearing Little Tower's praise, Shi Hao understood her present strength even more clearly. Returning to the unadorned truth sounded simple, but achieving it was unimaginably difficult.

"Still, this is the path she walks: true to the Sword Dao, carrying the Sword Dao to its utmost extreme. Reaching this step is no coincidence. You could say she possesses a state of mind ordinary people could never attain. Or rather, she forged her heart for the Sword Dao long ago and intends to follow that road all the way into the dark."

"She possesses great perseverance, great ambition, and great fearlessness. In a sense, this could be considered another kind of 'Supreme Bone.'"

Little Tower spoke as though explaining it to Shi Hao.

The Shi Hao of the past might not have fully understood Little Tower's words, but now he understood all of them. He, too, was a king in the Array Formation Realm, no longer far from the pinnacle of this world.

"Sword Immortal Maiden."

At that moment, the kings in the Array Formation Realm facing Shi Hao also turned their attention to Yun Ying. Before this woman, they did not quite dare put on airs.

To carve out such a record in the Void God Realm with a single sword strike was, frankly, rather terrifying. Though they very much wanted to doubt it, they had the will but not the strength.

Now, although they still wanted to keep targeting Shi Hao, they feared provoking Yun Ying. They could neither advance nor retreat.

"So this is the Desolate Region's Sword Immortal Maiden. Her reputation truly is deserved. The moment she appeared, she cowed several kings."

The beings from beyond the region were deeply shocked. This was the weight of the Sword Immortal Maiden's name-even the king from Immortal Mountain had fallen silent.

"Did something happen here?"

Yun Ying looked toward their host, the Fire Kingdom Princess, Huo Ling'er, and nodded to her in greeting, a small gesture of courtesy.

Huo Ling'er understood Yun Ying's meaning and smiled. "Nothing much. Just a little war of words."

"A war of words? Then it seems this is nothing serious." Yun Ying nodded, defining the nature of the matter with those words and instantly changing the expressions of the kings.

With that, if they made another move against Shi Hao, it would become something serious by Yun Ying's reckoning. And once it did, this Sword Immortal Maiden would intervene.