Chapter 803: Magic Sword Tournament (IV)

Having fortuitously obtained the Heaven Punishing Divine Sword, my Heaven Might Sword Domain once harbored a selfish desire to monopolize the secrets of this devil sword. However, an overwhelmingly powerful seal covers its blade, which even the full might of my Sword Domain cannot break. It seems fate dictates that the devil sword's secrets should not be hoarded by one, but shared with all, for the benefit of the profound way of the Azure Cloud Continent!

“Hahahaha, Sword Master Xuanyuan speaks truly well.” Heavenly Monarch Ye Meixie burst into laughter, “If the devil sword truly holds profound divine secrets, its unveiling will benefit all the heroes gathered here. The profound way of our Azure Cloud Continent will transcend its limits, achieving an unprecedented leap. At that time, the people of Azure Cloud will no longer fear the covetous gaze of the Demon Beast Realm’s devils. This will not only be a boon for the profound way but a monumental event for the entire continent, one to be celebrated for ten thousand years.”

The covetous gaze of the Demon Beast Realm’s devils? Yun Che’s eyes darkened, and he sneered with disdain.

Had he not returned to the Demon Imperial City, he would have believed, like all other Azure Cloud residents, that the Four Sacred Grounds were constantly fending off threats from the Demon Beast Realm, and that their title as “Sacred Grounds” was well-deserved.

However, the truth he had heard and witnessed in the Demon Imperial City was precisely the opposite!

Sea Emperor Qu Fengyi’s expression remained as calm and still as water, devoid of any ripples. Emperor Extreme Wuyu did not concur either. He merely looked up slightly and said indifferently, “The fierce sun is half-obscured, and its yang energy is dissipating. The time is almost here. Prepare to begin.”

Xuanyuan Wentian slowly nodded, his body rising gently. He proclaimed loudly, “The Alignment of Thirteen Stars is a celestial phenomenon that occurs only once every three thousand years on average. In another quarter of an hour, this phenomenon will manifest. At that moment, the entire continent will be plunged into darkness, with pervasive yin energy. This will also be the period when the devil sword’s seal is at its weakest in three millennia!”

“The profound formation below, named the Boundless Qiankun Formation, was completed by our Four Sacred Grounds after months of effort. It possesses no offensive capabilities itself, but it can instantaneously converge all profound energy poured into it onto a single point, striking the Heaven Punishing Divine Sword at the formation’s center!”

“So that’s how it is,” Yun Che murmured. The so-called gathering of strength from the world’s experts was, in fact, reliant on this peculiar profound formation.

The sky grew progressively darker. Looking up, the fierce sun was now precisely half-obscured.

As more than half of the sun was obscured, the darkening of the sky and land accelerated sharply. Although it was still morning, it felt as though dusk was approaching.

Xuanyuan Wentian observed the sky, then nodded slightly to the other three Sacred Masters. He declared loudly, “The time is near! It is time for us to gather all our strength and jointly unveil the devil sword’s secrets! Though this sword was obtained by my Heaven Might Sword Domain, I, Xuanyuan Wentian, swear by my title as Sword Master that if divine profound secrets emerge after the devil sword’s seal is broken, neither my Heaven Might Sword Domain nor the other three Sacred Grounds will hoard them. All who participate in unsealing the sword shall share in its benefits!”

“Sword Master Xuanyuan’s words are naturally as weighty as nine cauldrons!”

From the Phoenix Divine Sect’s seating, Fen Zuikui slowly rose. Among the powers outside the Four Sacred Grounds, the Phoenix Divine Sect wielded the most influence, and within the sect, Fen Zuikui naturally held the highest authority. “The Alignment of Thirteen Stars phenomenon is approaching. How should we proceed?”

“It’s quite simple,” Xuanyuan Wentian replied. “Please rise from your seats and ascend to the Boundless Qiankun Formation. Converge all your profound energy without any reservation. When the Alignment of Thirteen Stars descends and the world is enveloped in complete darkness, heed my command and unleash all your profound energy into the formation. The Boundless Qiankun Formation will then channel it into an immensely potent force... No matter how strong the devil sword’s seal, the combined power of all us heroes will surely shatter it with a single strike!”

“Hahahaha, so that’s it! I had always thought it would be incredibly difficult, otherwise, why would the esteemed Four Sacred Grounds have widely invited heroes from all over the world? It turns out to be this simple!” Fen Zuikui burst into laughter, then soared into the air, “Phoenix disciples, heed my command! Follow me to the Sea God Platform!”

At Fen Zuikui’s command, all members of the Phoenix Divine Sect flew over to the Boundless Qiankun Formation. Feng Xue’er glanced at Yun Che’s location, hesitated for a while, then reluctantly followed behind Feng Hengkong.

With the Phoenix Divine Sect leading, the forces from the other Seven Nations naturally followed suit, ascending as well. With slight movements from the four Sacred Masters, all members of the Four Sacred Grounds also rose from their seats and ascended to the Sea God Platform.

In the blink of an eye, the seats around the Sea God Platform were mostly empty. Over six thousand profound practitioners, representing the highest echelons of the Azure Cloud Continent, were now hovering above the Boundless Qiankun Formation.

However, three individuals remained seated and unmoved.

Yun Che, Xia Yuanba... and Feng Juechen!

These three remaining individuals naturally stood out immensely.

There were no dark clouds obscuring the sky, yet the heavens had grown significantly dimmer. The round sun was now nearly seventy percent covered by a dark mark. A deathly silence permeated the world, devoid of vitality. Even these powerful profound practitioners felt a stifling sensation in their chests.

At that moment, Xuanyuan Wentian turned his gaze to Yun Che and suddenly asked, “Palace Master Yun, could it be that you have no interest in the devil sword or its divine profound secrets?”

Xuanyuan Wentian’s single question drew everyone’s attention instantly to Yun Che.

Any other person would have instantly turned pale with fright. Yun Che had long anticipated such a move from him. He smiled faintly and replied, “It’s not that this junior is uninterested; rather, I am injured, and though willing, my strength is insufficient.”

“I see,” Xuanyuan Wentian nodded, then his tone shifted, and he smiled. “I heard that Palace Master Yun’s master is the Heaven-Seizing Old Man. The Heaven-Seizing Old Man’s profound cultivation was said to have already ‘seized the creation of heaven and earth’ ten thousand years ago, and by now, it must surely be otherworldly. I heard that Elder Yeshi of the Sun Moon Divine Palace inadvertently offended your esteemed master and was incinerated into nothingness by a mere spark-like flame from him. Such cultivation is truly unheard of and absolutely astonishing. If your esteemed master could be here today, breaking the devil sword’s seal would undoubtedly be effortless; why would we need to trouble the entire profound world of Azure Cloud?”

“Even if he disdains to act, merely allowing us to witness the legendary Heaven-Seizing Old Man would be a great fortune in this lifetime.”

Only Yun Che could detect the mockery and sarcasm in Xuanyuan Wentian’s voice.

It was now undeniable that the identity of “Heaven-Seizing Old Man” had been exposed to Xuanyuan Wentian! Xiao Yun must also have been captured by the Heaven Might Sword Domain... Before, he was about eighty percent certain; now, it was a hundred percent!

“My master never involves himself in worldly affairs!” Yun Che replied calmly and composedly.

“Hehe, that’s truly a pity,” Xuanyuan Wentian said, glancing sideways at Xia Yuanba. “Nephew Xia, are you also uninterested in these divine profound secrets?”

“Of course not,” Xia Yuanba replied, arms crossed, completely unmoved. A layer of formidable aura seemed to emanate from him. “I will achieve divine profound cultivation within a mere hundred years at most. Why would I need any divine profound secrets... Moreover, whether they even exist is unknown.”

Upon hearing these words, everyone present was astonished, and even the four Sacred Masters were deeply moved. To achieve divine profound cultivation within a hundred years by one’s own power—such an arrogant claim—not even the four Sacred Masters would dare utter it... In the ten-thousand-year history of the Four Sacred Grounds, not one of those ancient beings who lived for two or three millennia had ever truly touched the divine profound realm.

“Hahahaha!” Emperor Extreme Wuyu, who had always been as light as a breeze, threw his head back and burst into laughter. “Yuanba, no one has ever dared to utter such wild words. It doesn’t matter that your statement is audacious, nor that it offends Sword Master Xuanyuan; what truly matters is that you’ve shown contempt for all the heroes present! However, this Sacred Emperor finds it rather delightful, hahahaha...”

It was rare for the Emperor Extreme Sacred Master to laugh so heartily. The Twelve True Ones and the Sacred Ground Elders all joined in, their laughter filled with a sense of ease and pride. If anyone else had uttered similar words, it would have been a pure joke. But only Xia Yuanba possessed the qualifications for such arrogance and audacious claims!

Just over ten days ago, when Xia Yuanba briefly entered seclusion again for a breakthrough, Emperor Extreme Wuyu had told the Twelve True Ones that Xia Yuanba would very likely step into the legendary Divine Profound Realm in the future, becoming the first in the Sacred Ground’s history!

Sea Emperor Qu Fengyi stated gravely, “Sword Master Xuanyuan, there’s no need for further words. Participation in today’s Devil Sword Convention is entirely voluntary. If one disbelieves or disdains the devil sword’s secrets, they may simply observe from the sidelines; there is no need to force anyone! The time is almost here; let us begin immediately!”

“Good!”

Over eighty percent of the sun was now obscured, and the world was as dim as the end of twilight. Xuanyuan Wentian outstretched both hands and declared, “In about a hundred breaths, the Alignment of Thirteen Stars will manifest! All of you, gather your profound energy with me, without holding anything back! When the world is plunged into darkness, heed my command and unleash all your profound energy into the formation, to break the devil sword’s seal!”

“Hmph!”

With a great roar from Xuanyuan Wentian, his robes swelled, his hair stood on end, and profound energy surged around his body, coalescing into an overwhelming sword might.

Emperor Extreme Wuyu, Qu Fengyi, and Ye Meixie also unleashed their profound energy. Four terrifying, world-shaking pressures descended, as heavy as a celestial god’s arrival, causing the surrounding Seven Nations’ forces to turn ashen-faced with fright.

“Phoenix disciples, heed my command! Gather all your profound energy, and hold nothing back!”

Fen Zuikui’s profound energy surged wildly, and towering Phoenix flames erupted around him. At his command, Phoenix divine flames ignited simultaneously on all Phoenix disciples, momentarily dyeing the increasingly dim sky a fiery crimson.

Following this, all profound practitioners from the Four Sacred Grounds and the Seven Nations also began to converge their profound energy. On the Sea God Platform, the profound energy of five hundred Emperor-level practitioners and six thousand Tyrant-level practitioners surged, creating a terrifying momentum. Even though this profound energy was merely being gathered and not yet unleashed, Yun Che, sitting at the edge of the Sea God Platform, felt a surging tide of immense power wash over him.

Under normal circumstances, this aura, though astonishing, would not have forced him back. However, with his internal injuries, he was finding it difficult to withstand.

Xia Yuanba swiftly extended an arm, blocking in front of Yun Che. Instantly, the oppressive force Yun Che felt diminished significantly, and his breathing began to steady.

The reason Xia Yuanba did not go to the Sea God Platform was not due to a lack of interest in the devil sword’s secrets, but to protect Yun Che. He was aware of Yun Che’s injuries and the predicament he was about to face.

On the other side of the Sea God Platform, Fen Juechen had fully lifted his head. He didn’t look at anyone, his wolf-like eyes emanating an intensely fierce light... staring fixedly at the Heaven Punishing Divine Sword on the Sea God Platform.

The sky grew darker and darker. The once-round sun transitioned from half-obscured to a mere sliver, then steadily approached the brink of complete disappearance... Its color also shifted from fiery red to an increasingly heavy, dark crimson.

At a certain moment, the last trace of dark crimson was completely swallowed by the darkness.

In an instant, everything plunged into pitch blackness. Between heaven and earth, neither sun nor moon, nor a single ray of light, could be seen. The wind ceased entirely, the air turned abruptly cold, and the entire world became chilling and eerie, heavy and oppressive, as if it had suddenly fallen into an endless dark purgatory.

The Alignment of Thirteen Stars, a phenomenon occurring once every three millennia, had finally descended! It was also the time when the world’s yin energy was at its peak in three thousand years.

At this moment, the Boundless Qiankun Formation on the Sea God Platform suddenly flared with light.

“NOW!” Xuanyuan Wentian roared, his voice shaking heaven and earth!

This thunderous roar snapped everyone’s taut nerves. The profound energy they had fully concentrated was unleashed almost simultaneously, plummeting downwards in that very instant...