"What sound?"
On the ruins of Zui Yi Dian, everyone perked up their ears and looked around, having clearly heard that sound.
It was very faint, yet it pricked their skin like a needle.
Not painful, but it instantly made the hairs on their bodies stand on end!
"Hummm..."
The sound rapidly grew louder, coming from the east!
On the Zui Yi Dian ruins, the rubble, dust, broken grass, and snapped blades... all the lifeless objects began to tremble gently.
"It's not an illusion..."
"My sword is moving!"
Until even the swords in their hands were affected, starting to tremble with increasing intensity.
Only then did the numerous Lian Ling Shi realize that the feeling they had when Xu Xiaoshou struck the dead character on the Duo Yuan earlier was real.
The swords had truly moved!
"All things as sword!"
"This is all things as sword!"
"Only ancient Jian Xiu can achieve this with sword intent, and the range is vast—no, enormous! It's just like..."
Someone's expression turned fanatical, too excited to speak.
Because in an instant, as far as the eye could see, the countless lifeless objects on the Zui Yi Dian ruins all floated into the air.
Every grain of sand, every blade of grass, released a sharp sword intent that stung the eyes and made the heart tremble at the sound.
It wasn't just Zui Yi Dian. The Qian Li Chuan Jing technique timely shifted to show other parts of Xu Kong Dao.
Everywhere, the phenomena were identical to those above the Zui Yi Dian ruins.
"What is it like?" someone asked.
The person clutching their companion sword, trembling with excitement, finally released their grip, letting the sword fly into the sky with the surrounding sand and stones. Their expression turned dazed as they murmured softly:
"One sword from the east, one sword immortal!"
"This is just like... the former Eighth Sword Immortal has returned!"
"Hummm!"
From the east of Duo Yuan, the sword cry brought a piercing wind that became extremely harsh.
The Xuan Cang Shen Jian was about to slip from her hand, and Rao Yaoyao had to exert great effort to hold onto this sword that hadn't fully recognized its master.
She remembered something and looked toward the east.
At the same time, Yan Wuse and Situ Yongren paused their actions and glanced toward the east.
A point of cold light arrived first, followed by the flying sword soaring through the air!
It was a very ordinary Xuan Tie Jian, without any trace of Ling Qi, not even qualifying as a tenth-grade spirit sword.
Its high-speed flight made it glow red-hot.
Normally, the sword should have melted into molten iron midway and vanished completely.
But it carried a faint thread of silver sword intent, very weak and subtle.
It was this thread of sword intent that protected the Xuan Tie Jian, causing it to come from the east and stir all things on Xu Kong Dao to rise into the air, as if welcoming an emperor's return.
"Eighth Zun hummm..."
Xu Xiaoshou, who had transformed into Yan Wuse, suddenly had light in his eyes, unable to describe his current emotions.
He watched as the point of cold light shot through the air, and finally, the Xuan Tie Jian struck the ground with a clang, embedding itself between him and Yan Wuse.
"Boom!"
The space of Duo Yuan cracked open a massive chasm thousands of zhang long, like a line dividing life and death.
The silver sword intent tore through the Tian He, sending Xu Xiaoshou flying.
Meanwhile, Yan Wuse had stepped back early, narrowly avoiding the strike.
The red-hot Xuan Tie Jian continued to tremble violently, emitting cries like bird calls, and soon a chilling voice echoed from its blade:
"With sword as boundary, cross it and die!"
The sound waves spread out, echoing repeatedly.
At that moment, all the Lian Ling Shi on the island looked up, no matter where they were, hearing it clearly.
And as soon as the voice sounded, it drove some people into a frenzy.
"Eighth Sword Immortal!"
"This is the voice of the Eighth Sword Immortal; I've heard it before, I can confirm it!"
"He's really here; Xu Xiaoshou has truly summoned the Eighth Sword Immortal."
"Oh, come on, Eighth Zun has appeared before, and we've heard this voice many times." Someone poured cold water on the excitement in a calm tone.
"It's different; this is completely different..."
On the Zui Yi Dian ruins, nearly a dozen people simultaneously glared angrily. Someone retorted sharply:
"The Eighth Sword Immortal can have many incarnations, but his entrance is only one!"
"In the Ten Zun Seats battle, every time he acted, it was accompanied by such phenomena."
"Now, decades later, there are imitators of the Eighth Sword Immortal, but who can imitate his aura?"
"Who can truly make an ordinary Xuan Tie Jian cause such alarm across the land?"
These words left no room for doubt.
From the words themselves, it was clear this person was deeply influenced by the Eighth Sword Immortal's "one poem, one sword."
At that moment, the entire Xu Kong Dao was filled with swirling sword dust, making it feel like a mortal fairy realm, all because of one sword from the east.
"Good, you've come!"
Xu Xiaoshou dropped the pretense of being Yan Wuse and reverted to his original form, his face full of confidence.
He stood on the other side of the boundary divided by the Xuan Tie Jian, looking at the three opponents as if he'd been pushed from behind, puffing out his chest.
"With sword as boundary, cross it and die! Listen to what my Eighth Zun says!"
"Who dares to try crossing it?"
"Who? Speak up!"
Rao Yaoyao gripped the Xuan Cang Shen Jian tightly, staring at Xu Xiaoshou without speaking.
She could barely control it!
The Xuan Cang Shen Jian's agitation wasn't because it wanted to leave and recognize a new master.
Instead, it saw that red-hot Xuan Tie Jian as its most important rival and wanted to fight it.
But it was just a red-hot Xuan Tie Jian!
Yet, it was a sword thrown by Eighth Zun!
Rao Yaoyao's heart was filled with mixed emotions, impossible to express.
After not seeing Eighth Zun for years, she had reached the Sheng realm and thought she surpassed him.
But unexpectedly, with just one Xuan Tie Jian, the divine sword Xuan Cang in her hand lost its will to fight.
And so far, the person himself hadn't even appeared...
Yan Wuse looked at the young man on the opposite side, his face flushed, and after a long silence, his drooping eyelids twitched a few times.
"Despicable."
He glanced around and saw no sign of Eighth Zun.
So, the dead character truly summoned Eighth Zun as Xu Xiaoshou said, but it only brought one of his swords?
"Do you know that you're like a dog barking wildly behind a fence, pretending to be fierce without shame?" Yan Wuse turned back, his lips curling into a sneer.
Am I like that?
Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but touch his face; it felt hot.
"Insult received, passive value +1."
His face grew even hotter.
But Xu Xiaoshou didn't mind and barked a few more times:
"Shame? You're talking to me about shame?"
"You old fossils, your ages combined could be hundreds of mine, yet you gang up to bully a kid under twenty. Is that polite?"
He had just turned nineteen.
Situ Yongren, hidden in the Tian Ji Shen Shi and still quite immature, touched his smooth face and realized he had been averaged out.
But that wasn't the point.
The point was, Xu Xiaoshou's words awakened the world.
Indeed, how outstanding must someone be to be targeted by several Ban Sheng at eighteen or nineteen?
And after killing for so long, they still couldn't kill him?
In front of the Qian Li Chuan Jing, the crowd of Lian Ling Shi fell silent; some even started digging holes, ready to bury themselves.
How could anyone live like this?
Xu Xiaoshou is under twenty?
Even Yan Wuse was choked by these words and couldn't respond.
Undeniably, in that moment, he had treated Xu Xiaoshou as an equal opponent, which was overly serious—because of that earlier punch...
But in reality, they were from different eras.
"Xu Xiaoshou, where is your Eighth Zun?" Yan Wuse dodged the awkward topic; he wanted to kill.
One Xu Xiaoshou wasn't enough.
If Eighth Zun dared to show up, today would be complete; he could avenge his disciple.
"What do you think?" Xu Xiaoshou sneered. "He's thrown his sword, so if he's not here, go ahead and cross the boundary!"
"Very well." Yan Wuse said no more nonsense and stepped across the boundary.
The entire world suddenly fell silent.
In front of the Qian Li Chuan Jing, everyone's hearts leaped to their throats, full of anticipation.
Inside the Tian Ji Shen Shi, Situ Yongren, controlling the No. 2 predecessor, had already given the order: retreat at the first sign of danger.
Rao Yaoyao held the still-trembling Xuan Cang Shen Jian and looked up at the void chasm and the old man who had crossed it, unease flashing in her eyes.
After Yan Wuse crossed, he stood still.
After a few breaths, he glanced around and smirked: "Xu Xiaoshou, I've crossed it. Then what?"
Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened—one big, one small—as his whole body stiffened like stone.
Then what?
Then what, Eighth Zun?
You threw an ordinary sword, left a pointless line, and now someone's crossed it, but you're silent?
"Heh, Yan Lao, what I meant was..."
"A dog chained up barks the loudest, but once the chain breaks, it trembles." Yan Wuse coldly interrupted, condensing a Dian Liang Qiang in his hand and hurling it through the air.
"Screw you!"
Xu Xiaoshou's curse wasn't at Yan Wuse; it was at Eighth Zun.
This guy was completely unreliable.
The dead character was delayed, fine, but this so-called "one sword from the east" was supposed to have some real effect.
In the end?
Oh, Eighth Zun, your sword is just like you—famous but rotten to the core.
"Woof!"
Xu Xiaoshou instantly transformed into Yan Wuse and roared furiously at him, then scrambled away on all fours.
"Die for me!"
Yan Wuse's anger ignited in an instant; the Dian Liang Qiang whistled through the air.
Just then, from the cracked void chasm created by the red-hot Xuan Tie Jian, black energy surged out.
"Woo—"
At the same time, dark clouds gathered in the nine heavens above.
The eerie wail emerged, and the entire Xu Kong Dao shifted from day to dusk, as if about to sink into night.
An overwhelming pressure descended!
"Bang bang bang."
On Xu Kong Dao, all the floating dust and rubble crashed to the ground, shattering into powder.
"Thud thud thud."
On the Zui Yi Dian ruins, thousands of swords fell, and over ninety-nine percent of the Lian Ling Shi were forced to their knees.
"What's happening?"
Everyone felt terrified, but even a simple head lift became incredibly difficult.
The image from Qian Li Chuan Jing grew blurry, with layers of waves pulling and distorting everything—like the manifestation of aura?
"Crack!"
In Duo Yuan, the Dian Liang Qiang that had just flown shattered into points of light.
Yan Wuse's pupils contracted; sensing danger, he suddenly looked up.
Black clouds pressed down like a city under siege, thunder rolling as if a demon god had awakened and gazed upon the world.
"Urgh!"
The fleeing Xu Xiaoshou grunted, feeling a heavy weight on his shoulders, his body plummeting.
What the hell?
Looking up, the sky had turned pitch black.
Space fractured, like the end of days.
"This aura..."
Xu Xiaoshou finally realized the pressure on his shoulders came from an unknown person's aura.
He felt like he was back when he first drew Qi Tun Shan He, facing the giant in the illusion.
Terrifying!
"Argh!"
Soon, the pressure intensified, escalating without limit!
Xu Xiaoshou's face twisted in agony, his skin and flesh pulling downward, his eyes nearly popping out.
But he persisted, refusing to be forced to his knees by this mysterious pressure.
"Heart Sword Technique, all before me are demons!"
Xu Xiaoshou shouted inwardly, unleashing Qi Tun Shan He and Heart Sword Technique's intent, giving himself a defiant "my fate is mine alone" resolve.
He was like an ant flipped over by the invisible giant in the sky, continuing to fall.
"Damn it!"
"No more games; Disappear Technique!"
Xu Xiaoshou vanished, shielding himself from seventy to eighty percent of the pressure.
But the others on Xu Kong Dao had no Disappear Technique; they felt not only the weight on their shoulders but also ghosts on their heads.
"Crack crack!"
The Tian Ji Shen Shi's head drooped heavily, its body creaking under the strain, arms hanging limply, nearly torn off by the pressure.
Rao Yaoyao could no longer hold the Xuan Cang Shen Jian and quickly released it, clutching the straps on her shoulders.
"Thud."
Yan Wuse merely glanced at the sky.
In the next second, he split in two and fell toward Duo Yuan.
"With sword as boundary, cross it and die!"
The red-hot Xuan Tie Jian was the only thing on Xu Kong Dao unaffected.
As Eighth Zun's voice echoed from its blade again, the chaotic energy accumulated in Duo Yuan transformed into thousands of swords soaring through the air.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Ten thousand swords converged!
And this "convergence" was toward the void chasm opened by the red-hot Xuan Tie Jian, that colossal rift connecting to an unknown world.
"Yan Lao—"
After protecting her straps, Rao Yaoyao first retrieved the Xuan Cang Shen Jian, then rushed to save Yan Lao.
The bisected Yan Wuse couldn't even regenerate temporarily!
One could imagine the immense pressure he had endured.
Perhaps, everyone on Xu Kong Dao experienced only the aftershocks of the aura, while Yan Wuse was the sole target of that sky-shattering pressure.
—Cross it and die!
Even knowing this, Rao Yaoyao couldn't care less.
But as she tried to cross and save him, a torrent of black energy erupted from the void chasm.
Clearly, remnants of Sheng Jie and Di Jie auras lingered within, but now it all turned into a flood of demonic energy.
It used the boundary of life and death as its base, separating Rao Yaoyao and Yan Wuse like yin and yang.
"Life and death I control, reincarnation I dictate."
"Mortals of the red dust, unite and be liberated!"
Rao Yaoyao's eyes turned cold; sword light burst from her body.
Countless images of red dust mortals appeared in the sky, restoring everyone's lost strength amid the black demonic world.
With Xuan Cang raised, she swung it down!
"Human Sword: Cang Sheng Slash!"
This sword, gathering all the wild power of the red dust mortals, turned into a red powder sword light, slashing directly at the demonic energy barrier dividing yin and yang.
The black energy rolled to both sides, then caved in deeply.
But it surged back, actually withstanding the attack!
"How is that possible?"
"This defense has surpassed the Ban Sheng level. Eighth Zun, just how far have you grown?"
Rao Yaoyao's pupils trembled; she spun Xuan Cang, splitting it into nine swords, and commanded them onward.
"Nine Sword Technique: Infinite Numbers!"
Whoosh whoosh—nine "Human Sword: Cang Sheng Slash" attacks overlapped and bombarded, finally shattering the demonic energy barrier.
Rao Yaoyao didn't dare delay; she charged into the black world to retrieve Yan Lao.
"Roar!!!"
Just then, a resounding dragon cry echoed from the sky.
All the pressure vanished instantly; Rao Yaoyao's body shuddered, her beautiful eyes widened, and she stopped all actions, staring upward in shock.
"This, this is?!"
On the Zui Yi Dian ruins, aside from those crushed into pulp by the pressure, the surviving Lian Ling Shi could finally look up.
The city was shrouded in black clouds with a dragon lurking within;
Its head unseen, its scales vast in the sky!
"Thud thud thud..."
In a brief moment, thousands of eyeballs exploded on Xu Kong Dao.
After the dragon cry, a deep, anger-laden voice resounded, sweeping across the entire island:
"Who wields the Yan Mang, and who is named Xu Xiaoshou?"
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