Ye Jinghong called out to Ye Wushuang.
"Lord Heavenly Son, outside, the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm happened to open, allowing the Nine Nether Imperial Dynasty to escape disaster. This time, I will teach the Nine Nether Imperial Dynasty a lesson for provoking our Ye Lineage."
Ye Jinghong also came before Ming Ye.
Ming Ye was not surprised to see Ye Jinghong, Ye Kongling, and Ye Yanling step forward.
What he had not expected was that Xie Qianli and the holy maiden of Heavenly Demon Mountain would also step forward to help Ye Wushuang.
This group sought not to seize the sword, but only to protect Ye Wushuang.
Since when did imperial artifacts lose their appeal?! Ming Ye shouted inwardly.
The battle began!
Xie Qianli gripped his flame saber, and terrifying saber intent surged straight at Jin Zhan.
Behind Xie Qianli, red markings lit up again, and blazing flames appeared on his saber.
Jin Zhan looked defiant. "I admit I'm no match for Ye Wushuang, but now just anyone dares provoke me? The blood flowing through my veins belongs to the sacred beast, the Golden-Winged Great Peng!"
"Let me see just how capable you are." Jin Zhan met the slashing saber Qi.
Jin Zhan assumed his true form, using the enormous body of a Golden-Feathered Heavenly Peng to take the blow head-on.
Xie Qianli could not help smiling.
You just had to show off. You could have dodged, but you wouldn't.
You insisted on assuming your true form and tanking my saber Qi to show how powerful you were.
"Scruffy bird, I've never eaten peng meat before. Today, this great master will pluck your feathers and barbecue you!"
Just as Jin Zhan thought everything was fine and was looking down on Xie Qianli in disdain,
Jin Zhan suddenly screamed. The feathers on his body had begun to catch fire.
Xie Qianli said slyly, "I mixed a little something into my saber Qi."
After the saber Qi had been dispersed, the power of the flames contained within it had spread throughout Jin Zhan's body.
"If you hadn't taken that saber Qi head-on, I really would have had trouble using this move."
Jin Zhan changed back from his true form and tried to extinguish the flames, only to discover that these were no ordinary flames either. Once burning, they were unaffected by spiritual power.
"Brother Wushuang, we're adding something to tonight's meal-barbecue!"
In the air, Situ Xue summoned her immortal spirit sword and said with a beaming smile, "Big Sister, here I come."
Nie Qingcheng summoned the red-crowned crane demon saint's sword and replied coldly, "Although the Dao of the Sword isn't my forte, since you want to play today, I'll play along."
With that, the two charged straight at each other, their swords clashing.
After several clashes, both retreated.
Neither could get the better of the other in the Dao of the Sword.
Situ Xue smiled at Nie Qingcheng. "Big Sister, why don't you try this move of mine?"
Immortal spirit power wreathed Situ Xue's entire body, and her pure white enchanted dress fluttered in the wind.
She also activated her spirit communion power. A goddess's phantom appeared behind Situ Xue, standing tall, sacred and majestic.
Situ Xue said, "I wonder whether my immortal spirit power can suppress your phoenix flames today."
Nie Qingcheng's hair streamed behind her, and phoenix wings spread from her back as crimson flames surged into the sky.
A phoenix phantom appeared behind Nie Qingcheng, facing the goddess's phantom.
Nie Qingcheng replied, "Then let me see whether that immortal spirit goddess of yours can withstand my sacred phoenix fire."
The two phantoms confronted each other in midair. The two women charged at one another and collided with a thunderous crash.
Immortal spirit power pierced straight toward the Fire Phoenix phantom. The Fire Phoenix beat its wings, and flames swept toward the goddess's phantom in turn.
The immortal spirit light did not go out upon meeting fire, and the sacred phoenix flames did not die upon meeting immortal light.
Nie Qingcheng and Situ Xue each retreated as well.
The two peerless beauties each unleashed their divine power, yet the outcome remained undecided.
Watching their fiery onslaughts, Ye Wushuang could not help reflecting inwardly, You two little ancestors, do you have to fight so fiercely? So you're fighting over me out of jealousy.
Ye Wushuang shook his head, his white hair billowing.
Ye Jinghong and Ming Ye were also locked in battle.
Ye Jinghong had summoned only a single Flying Swan Sword, yet his supremely swift swordplay was already giving Ming Ye a terrible headache.
Ming Ye's expression was grim. This Throne of Order of the Ye Lineage was far too powerful.
A single sword was already more than he could handle. If both swords were drawn, or even merged into one, he feared he would be defeated outright.
"If I don't pay a price today, I'm afraid escaping will be difficult."
Ming Ye laughed viciously. His Nine Nether Qi erupted in full, its devouring power seemingly freed of all limits.
Ming Ye had activated a forbidden art, burning his own blood essence in exchange for power beyond his own.
He threw back his head and roared. The dark Nine Nether Qi even began turning scarlet, and the blood within Ming Ye's body boiled.
Watching Ming Ye's frenzied state, Ye Jinghong showed not the slightest fear in his eyes.
Ye Jinghong stood where he was without so much as lifting his eyes and said mildly, "A petty path, nothing more. Your strength is finally a little interesting now."
Let your demonic Qi churn as it will; my sword heart remains clear!
Ming Ye launched an all-out assault, striking fiercely again and again, but Ye Jinghong dismantled every attack.
Ming Ye was aghast. Even activating a forbidden art was utterly useless against this Throne of Order of the Ye Lineage.
Another sword strike forced Ming Ye back several steps.
Watching the scene within the Sword Heart Tomb, the Gravekeeper Elder was speechless.
This was his first time encountering such a situation. None of these youngsters were in a hurry to attempt the sword trial; instead, they had started fighting first.
After all, very few people had entered in the past, and those capable of passing the trial rarely encountered one another, leaving no opportunity for conflict.
Yet this time, the heaven's prides had begun fighting among themselves first.
The Gravekeeper Elder urged, "Youngster, go attempt the sword trial first."
Hearing this, Ming Ye panicked as well.
He looked toward the one remaining person, the masked sword cultivator who had stayed apart from the fighting.
Ming Ye hurriedly shouted, "Stop Ye Wushuang! Don't let him undergo the trial!"
Everyone had already faced off against their respective opponents. Only this masked sword cultivator and Ye Wushuang remained unoccupied.
Since the masked sword cultivator had entered the Sword Heart Tomb, he surely desired this imperial artifact as well.
Ming Ye intended to have this masked sword cultivator hold Ye Wushuang up, preventing him from undergoing the All Under Heaven Sword's trial.
Ye Wushuang appeared before the All Under Heaven Sword and looked it over.
Watching the masked sword cultivator approach, Ye Wushuang showed no surprise.
At the two men's arrival, the All Under Heaven Sword let out repeated sword cries.
Then golden light flashed, enveloping them both.
Those outside looked over, but could no longer see what was happening within.
At this point, they also stopped fighting and withdrew, knowing that the All Under Heaven Sword was no longer destined for them.
Ming Ye and Jin Zhan wore grim expressions. This imperial weapon could now only fall into the hands of one of those two.
The Gravekeeper Elder also smiled knowingly. Both men had actually passed the trial and evoked a resonance.
He simply did not know which of them could earn the All Under Heaven Sword's recognition and draw it from its sheath.
Neither man hurried to try drawing the sword. They merely gazed at each other from a distance.
Facing Ye Wushuang, the masked sword cultivator turned his wrist slightly. With his longsword in hand, he pressed it down at an angle and offered a salute-the most orthodox kowtow salute in this world.
The masked sword cultivator said, "I will not join forces with others to surround and attack you."
"A gentleman living in this world would disdain to do such a thing."
The masked sword cultivator continued in a clear voice.
"But I would still like to seek instruction in your swordsmanship. May the winner take the sword?"
"Rather than gamble on the uncertainty of drawing a sword, I would prefer to temper my own Dao of the Sword."
At such candid words, Ye Wushuang also cupped his hands slightly.
Ye Wushuang thought to himself, Someone capable of cultivating Vast Righteous Qi truly does possess an extraordinary state of mind.
He returned the salute and said, "Then please, come and fight."
Those who treated him courteously, he would treat with courtesy in return.
The masked sword cultivator immediately activated the Vast Righteous Sword Domain, pressing it toward Ye Wushuang.