Chapter 231: Overlord's Wrath (Part 1)

Heavenly Sword Villa considers swords both their weapons and their very lives. The three Sky Profound Swords renowned throughout Cangfeng — the Boundless Sword, the Heavenly Twin Sword, and the Heavenly Drake Sword — are revered as sacred relics at Heavenly Sword Villa. While the Heavenly Twin Sword and Heavenly Drake Sword are individually weaker than the Boundless Sword, they originally belonged to the same master. Their powers complement each other, and when combined, they can unleash strength comparable to the Boundless Sword. However, for hundreds of years, no one has managed to subdue both the Heavenly Twin Sword and the Heavenly Drake Sword simultaneously.

The Boundless Sword is wielded by Ling Yuefeng. The Heavenly Twin Sword was subdued by Ling Yun three years ago, and the Heavenly Drake Sword by Ling Jie. Now, under the spiritual command of its owner Ling Yun, the Heavenly Twin Sword has temporarily submitted to Ling Jie, allowing the Heavenly Twin Sword and Heavenly Drake Sword to combine their powers in Ling Jie's hands.

With the Heavenly Twin Sword in his left hand and the Heavenly Drake Sword in his right, the two swords, one azure and one orange, crossed and aligned before Ling Jie. The surrounding space rippled rapidly with sword qi, like waves on water. Ling Jie's eyes narrowed, and he spoke in a low voice, "Big Brother, you are far more formidable than I imagined. I finally understand why your previous opponents were so easily defeated by a few of your sword strikes. It turns out that the heavy sword, which most people dismiss as trash, can be so terrifying... I now hold two Sky Profound Swords, giving me a significant advantage in terms of weaponry. Even if I win against you, there won't be much glory in it. But without the aid of my elder brother's Heavenly Twin Sword, I couldn't possibly defeat you."

When he had just struck Yun Che, it appeared to outsiders that he had to immediately withdraw his sword to avoid Yun Che's heavy sword attack, leaving Yun Che with only a minor, superficial wound. However, Ling Jie knew perfectly well that he hadn't been forced to withdraw; rather, his Heavenly Drake Sword simply could not pierce Yun Che's body. He could barely imagine how Yun Che's body had been forged to such an astonishing degree of toughness.

Yun Che's heavy sword possessed astonishing power, and his defensive capabilities were in no way inferior to his offensive ones.

"Weapons are also a part of one's strength," Yun Che replied. "Being able to subdue a powerful weapon is a form of strength in itself; there's no such thing as an 'unfair advantage.' Furthermore, wielding two swords simultaneously is much more difficult than wielding just one, and there's a risk that the combined power might even be less than using a single sword. If you can fully unleash the power of both swords, that too is your skill... Come, let me see your true full power!"

Yun Che spoke casually, but his eyes were filled with caution. The aura of power Ling Jie now emanated was significantly more than double what it had been before. After the two complementary Sky Profound Swords combined, the sword momentum they unleashed was several times stronger.

Ling Jie's wrist twitched slightly. This subtle movement unleashed two torrents of sharp energy, causing a faint tremor in the surrounding space. With his profound energy fully mobilized and sword intent completely unleashed, Ling Jie was like a majestic peak reaching into the clouds, his formidable sword qi sharp enough to sweep across the world.

*Whoosh!*

The Heavenly Drake Sword flew from Ling Jie's hand, transforming into a streak of light that shot towards Yun Che. Simultaneously, Ling Jie's body became a phantom, his sword light condensing into an incredibly thin line that ultimately vanished, as if completely concealed within the fabric of the air itself.

The two swords, one after the other, one from the left and one from the right, thrust towards Yun Che. Even ten zhang away, Yun Che felt a sharp edge at his throat. He could no longer discern the Sky Profound Swords with his sight, only sensing two terrifyingly invisible cold gleams. This time, he did not confront them head-on with the power of his heavy sword, as such fierce twin strikes had a high probability of easily cutting through his heavy sword's qi waves.

The combined power of the Heavenly Twin Swords was extraordinary, far exceeding that of the Heavenly Drake Sword alone.

Activating Star God's Broken Shadow, Yun Che instantly conjured three phantom images, causing both the Heavenly Twin Sword and Heavenly Drake Sword to strike empty air. Ling Jie let out a low roar, swiftly turned, and unleashed over thirty sword lights with the Heavenly Drake Sword in an instant. The Heavenly Twin Sword, meanwhile, descended like a meteor, falling towards Yun Che's rear. The two Sky Profound Swords, one wielded by hand and the other by spiritual sword intent, moved seamlessly!

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

When Ling Jie only wielded the Heavenly Drake Sword, his attacks were all repelled by Yun Che's heavy sword, never touching his body. But now, Yun Che clearly heard the sound of his heavy sword storm being torn apart like cotton. The Overlord's Devil Sword rapidly retreated, shifting from offense to defense, as dozens of sword lights from the two swords pierced its power aura, cutting and slashing at the great sword like a storm.

*Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang...*

"Hmph!"

Yun Che swept his heavy sword, and the renewed burst of its power once again repelled all the sword lights. At the same time, he quickly retreated. His gaze dropped to the Overlord's Devil Sword... Its dark, thick blade was now riddled with dozens of wounds of varying sizes. The smallest were like grains of rice, while the largest extended up to two inches.

The combined might of the two Sky Profound Swords was simply beyond what an Earth Profound Weapon could withstand.

In the first few exchanges with the combined swords, Ling Jie gained a significant advantage. He gave Yun Che no chance to catch his breath. Grabbing the Heavenly Twin Sword in his left hand, he crossed both swords in front of his chest. At this moment, the orange and azure sword lights became extremely powerful, almost blinding...

"Heavenly Sword Seven Styles... Moon Severing! Hmph!"

With Ling Jie's roar, two beams of different-colored sword light suddenly shot forth from the combined twin swords, transforming into two intersecting orange and blue cross-shaped sword gleams...

In most sword-wielding sects, the core principle of light swordsmanship isn't ferocity, but "speed," and Heavenly Sword Villa is no exception. Swift movement combined with swift sword light can easily control the situation and take a life in an instant. The Heavenly Sword Seven Styles comprise seven forms. Yun Che had experienced "Sun Piercing" half a year ago, which represented the pinnacle of Heavenly Sword Villa's sword might. Ling Jie's current move, "Moon Severing," on the other hand, was the ultimate expression of speed.

Moreover, this was a dual "Moon Severing" under the combined power of the two swords! Ling Jie and Yun Che were already very close. Yun Che only saw a flash of azure and orange light, and the two Heavenly Might sword qi attacks were already less than two feet away from him...

*Boom!*

The "Moon Severing" gleams struck the Overlord's Devil Sword, which Yun Che had swiftly brought up to block. With a massive crash, a sword qi storm erupted violently. As the azure and orange sword gleams simultaneously burst, it was as if countless smaller sword rays flew out from within them, assailing Yun Che like a furious storm.

The Overlord's Devil Sword vibrated violently. Yun Che also retreated at top speed, then sharply drew a breath and activated Star God's Broken Shadow, instantly teleporting more than ten zhang into the air. Only then did he finally escape the relentless barrage of the Moon Severing sword gleams. However, his clothes were now riddled with dozens of cuts, large and small, and his body bore numerous tiny wounds. One cut horizontally across his forehead, from which a trickle of blood slowly seeped before quickly stopping.

"As expected... Heavenly Sword Villa..."

Yun Che exclaimed inwardly, slowly landing. The moment his feet touched the ground, his hand suddenly felt light... Half of the Overlord's Devil Sword's blade had snapped off, falling to the ground with a loud *thud*, creating a crater with spreading cracks.

The entire Sword Discourse Arena fell silent. Every person's eyes were wide, and they were unable to utter a sound for a long time. Especially the younger profound practitioners, who felt chills creeping up their spines, through their limbs, and even between their teeth.

This battle allowed them to truly understand, with their own eyes, what Heavenly Sword Villa was, and what it meant to be the number one sect in Cangfeng.

The invisible sword light, the sword momentum that made those a hundred zhang away hold their breath in cold dread, the vast and boundless sword intent that should not belong to the Spirit Profound Realm, and the unbelievable, terrifying sword techniques whose power far exceeded imagination – all profoundly shattered their understanding of "swords." Their own swords, which they took pride in and used to sweep aside opponents, seemed as dim and insignificant as fireflies before a bright moon compared to these techniques.

"This is... Heavenly Sword Villa," an elder exclaimed with profound emotion.

"At only Spirit Profound Realm Level Six, his sword has become this terrifying. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."

"It's too terrifying... That Yun Che is equally terrifyingly strong; he actually managed to endure Ling Jie's swords for so long. If it were me, I probably wouldn't last two exchanges."

"However, his heavy sword has been broken. The victor, I suppose, has been decided."

"Hmm, well done. To be able to unleash Moon Severing with such power is already a pleasant surprise for me," Ling Yuefeng nodded, his expression relaxing slightly.

"To be frank, if it weren't for the combined power of the Heavenly Twin Swords, Little Jie wouldn't necessarily be his match," Ling Yun stated.

Ling Yuefeng remained silent, unable to refute.

"Junior Brother Yun..." The moment the Overlord's Devil Sword broke, Cang Yue's heart, which had been suspended, seemed to plummet. The Overlord's Devil Sword had always been Yun Che's weapon, virtually an extension of his arm. With it broken, Yun Che no longer had any possibility of contending with Ling Jie. Clutching her chest, she softly said, "It's alright, Junior Brother Yun, you are already truly remarkable. I am proud of you, and the Cangfeng Imperial Family will also be proud of you."

"To reach the top four already far exceeds my expectations by countless folds," Qin Wushang said, smiling with exceptional calmness and composure. "It's truly a century's fortune for the Cangfeng Profound Palace to have a disciple like this. Princess Cang Yue, this person you brought back from New Moon City is destined to become a great ruler who will shake the world in the future." Yun Che's progress to this point had already left him incredibly satisfied.

"Yes, Brother-in-law is already incredibly amazing," Xia Yuanba said, clenching his fists and speaking with force, though a hint of regret remained in his voice. "The opponent is from Heavenly Sword Villa. If he lost, he lost. Brother-in-law reached the top four, which is enough to be proud of for a lifetime." He naturally didn't want to see Yun Che lose; instead, he yearned for him to advance further, reach greater heights. He wanted to make those who had once mocked and driven him away—to make everyone—look up to him in awe.

Ling Jie was also stunned by the breaking of the Overlord's Devil Sword. He didn't immediately pursue Yun Che, but instead lowered both swords and said apologetically, "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... How about... I'll get you a new one after the match? There are several heavy swords on the Sword Controlling Platform too."

Yun Che momentarily lost himself staring at the broken Overlord's Devil Sword. Hearing Ling Jie's words, he shook his head and smiled faintly, "No need. And you absolutely don't need to apologize to me. It was my carelessness; I didn't protect it well."

Yun Che stepped forward, picked up the broken half of the sword blade, and said softly, "Old friend, you've accompanied me as I grew and fought alongside me for so long. It truly is time for you to rest well. Don't worry, I won't let you break in vain. This match, I will win it properly for you to see."

As he spoke, the broken sword blade was already stored in the Sky Poison Pearl. Just as he was about to retract the half of the heavy sword still in his hand, a strong tremor suddenly emanated from it. A faint, thin layer of deep black light even subtly appeared on the broken blade.

Yun Che was momentarily stunned... Most Sky Profound Swords possessed a low level of sentience, but Earth Profound Swords were generally incapable of it. However, the anomaly of the Overlord's Devil Sword at this moment was clearly a manifestation of the sword's spirit stirring!

Although the Overlord's Devil Sword was an Earth Profound Sword, it was different from other Earth Profound Swords because it was the sword of an "Overlord." Its previous master, the Overlord, had wielded it across thousands of miles of battlefields, sweeping through armies countless times, shattering untold enemies, and drinking countless amounts of blood. Under the repeated impregnation of killing intent, malevolence, dominance, valor, and bloodlust on the battlefield, it had gradually, little by little, developed its own sentience.

It was the Overlord's Sword, a king that swept through armies on the battlefield. How could it accept defeat and destruction!

Feeling the tremor from the Overlord's Devil Sword, Yun Che's expression shifted from surprise to calmness, then he smiled. "Good! I understand. You are a sword of protection, and more importantly, an Overlord's Sword. There is only death, no retreat! Even if broken, you will never willingly yield..."

Yun Che raised the half of the Overlord's Devil Sword in his hand, pointing its broken edge at Ling Jie. "This battle, I will end it with you! The vengeance for your breaking, I will have you personally claim it back!"