Only when they truly faced this Heavenly Son of the Ye Lineage did they realize just how immense the pressure was.
Outside, they had already witnessed Ye Wushuang suppress the prodigy from the Ancient Qilin Cave.
Yet they had still clung to a shred of hope, believing that if all the prodigies joined forces, they would have a fighting chance.
Only when that Human Emperor's might enveloped them did they understand how unrealistic their earlier hopes had been.
The strength of this Heavenly Son of the Ye Lineage far exceeded their expectations.
If the Heavenly Son of the Ye Lineage truly wanted to seize the swords, he really could suppress them all single-handedly.
"The Immortal Ancient Ye Clan really lives up to its name. Every generation has a peerless Heavenly Son who crushes the prodigies of other factions until they can't raise their heads."
"He's only just emerged into the world, yet he already possesses such terrifying strength. What heights will this Heavenly Son of the Ye Lineage reach in a few more years?"
The prodigies of the various factions present all felt somewhat despairing. To be born in this era was both fortunate and unfortunate.
Fortunately, they had encountered a golden age, with boundless opportunities.
Unfortunately, with a Heavenly Son of the Ye Lineage blazing like the sun, no one else could shine with their own light.
Just as Ye Wushuang was about to suppress them and help the two women obtain the sacred swords-
Ye Kongling gently rested her slender fingers on Ye Wushuang's shoulder. "Lord Heavenly Son, let us do it ourselves. We must become strong ourselves to deserve to stand by your side."
A fiery light also shone in Ye Yanling's eyes.
"If we let Lord Heavenly Son settle everything for us, how could we ever grow, follow in your footsteps, and reach the summit of all the heavens and myriad worlds?"
Ethereal power surged, and a blazing presence spread.
The two women also shone with their own light!
The corners of Ye Wushuang's mouth lifted as he stood with his arms folded. "You two little girls are quite competitive. I'll let you have your way this once."
Ye Wushuang calmly walked behind the two women and instructed Ye Jinghong beside him.
"Let them compete for these eight sage swords themselves. If their lives are in danger, step in."
Ye Jinghong nodded beside him. He very much approved of the two young women's approach as well.
After all, flowers raised in a greenhouse could not grow through true trials.
Of course, if real danger arose, their fellow members of the Ye Lineage would also intervene.
After all, there weren't so many lofty principles in this world. The strength of our Ye Lineage was our confidence; above all, we protected our own.
Feeling Ye Wushuang's imposing might recede and realizing that he did not intend to act personally-
Everyone could not help entertaining little schemes, preparing to try to seize these sage swords.
The old gravekeeper's eyes shifted as he watched the scene below.
"Once ownership of these eight sage swords is settled, I wonder whether anyone will be able to resonate with my master's sword."
The battlefield below had already split into separate areas around the eight sage swords.
Boom!
A thunderous crash rang out as fighting first erupted around Xie Qianli.
Blood splattered as a cultivator unleashed a divine ability and struck at someone beside him.
It seemed someone had run out of patience and was ready to begin competing for this frost sage sword.
The battlefield ignited in an instant, and everyone plunged into a chaotic melee.
Xie Qianli mobilized his True Qi. He was actually a fire-attribute cultivator as well!
Beside the Demon Saint's sword, Nie Qingcheng was happy to enjoy some peace.
The saintess of Heavenly Demon Mountain was renowned, and no one immediately attacked Nie Qingcheng.
Nie Qingcheng curled her lips. "No wonder I barely hurt that big oaf when I set him on fire for fun."
Around Xie Qianli, the world suddenly grew scorching hot, and waves of heat erupted.
Xie Qianli's upper garment suddenly burst apart. He summoned his long saber, and crimson markings lit up across his body.
His long saber slashed down, instantly driving a cultivator back.
Xie Qianli roared, flames flowing along his blade and scorching even the surrounding space until it seemed unreal.
Like a colossal fire beast, he charged straight into the crowd.
Slash after slash, he bore down relentlessly on everyone.
Anyone who tried to withstand a slash from Xie Qianli spat blood at best, or died on the spot at worst.
Xie Qianli's blood surged. With every slash, even the ground beneath his feet developed cracks.
It was hard to imagine such tremendous strength. He overwhelmed everyone until none dared advance again.
Pure aesthetics of violence!
Even Ye Wushuang, watching from the side, was startled, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
So this brat was playing dumb to catch everyone off guard.
He'd done nothing but eat from the start, only to put on a huge show when the fighting began.
Xie Qianli roared, twisted his wrist, and unleashed a massive streak of crimson Saber Qi.
Nine Heaven-Burning Forms-Sea of Flames!
Waves of flame churned, scorching even the air until it crackled. Fiery light rolled over those around him like a wheel.
A black fissure was cleaved into the ground.
Xie Qianli chuckled.
"This fissure is the boundary. Anyone who dares cross it, your life or death is up to fate. I won't hold back!"
"Our Xie Family never starts trouble, but we're not afraid of it either!"
One man with one saber forced back everyone seeking to seize the frost sacred sword.
Everyone around Xie Qianli had split the webbing between their thumbs and forefingers. Utterly bedraggled, they had long since fallen silent.
Everyone wailed inwardly.
You should have said you came from the Xie Emperor Clan in the south! We wouldn't have attacked so rashly.
They looked at the other sage swords, which were guarded either by top prodigies from the various factions or by that mysterious masked sword cultivator.
That was why they had not approached those swords. Only the fellow here had looked like a fool.
They had intended to fish in troubled waters and seize this frost sacred sword.
Instead, they had fished up this unremarkable big oaf and received a vicious beating from Xie Qianli.
Treading on fire, Xie Qianli walked up to the frost sacred sword.
The sacred sword had long since developed sentience. Sensing this scorching presence, which was utterly incompatible with its own frost Qi-
It actually signaled its rejection.
Xie Qianli could not help roaring, "Damn it! I went to all this trouble, and now you don't want to come with me?"
"How much delicious food will I have to eat to make up for it? You're coming with me today, whether you like it or not!"
Nine Heaven-Burning Forms-Blazing Prairie!
Fire essence bloomed along the saber once again, crimson light blazing brilliantly.
Ye Wushuang was once again speechless. This fool really was attacking a sage sword outright.
Had he not encountered Xie Qianli in this secret realm, Ye Wushuang truly would never have seen such an oddball.
It was still a sage sword, after all. With Xie Qianli's current cultivation, he could not overpower it.
As though provoked by Xie Qianli, the frost sacred sword also prepared to unleash its might.
The crimson markings on Xie Qianli's back lit up. Sensing this Emperor Clan bloodline, the frost sacred sword ultimately compromised.
Xie Qianli gave a sleazy grin. "You still had to submit to me in the end."
With that, he put away the frost sacred sword and returned to stand behind Ye Wushuang.
Ye Wushuang shrugged, smacked the back of Xie Qianli's head, and said,
"Don't be so impulsive. If you hadn't had your Xie Family bloodline this time, let's see how you would have gotten out of that."
The Xie Emperor Clan in the south of the Azure Cloud Realm Domain had enjoyed friendly relations with the Ye Lineage for generations. It frequently produced formidable figures, and several Great Emperors had emerged among its ancestors.
This clan possessed a powerful bloodline. All its members were born with patterned markings on their backs and possessed various powerful innate talents.
One renowned prodigy of the Xie Family's current generation was rumored to have been born with a Bingyi diagram on his back, wielding water and extreme cold.
Presumably, Xie Qianli had seized this frost sage sword for that elder brother of his.