Chapter 335: The Azure Sword

Two sentences instantly ignited the battle.

Qiu Xuan and Liu Jing, the two great Throne experts, attacked from both sides. As the Yin-Yang Protectors of the City Lord's Mansion Guard, they had cooperated tacitly with Chong Dong for over a decade, so naturally, they wouldn't miss such a crucial moment.

Chong Dong's voice hadn't even completely faded. The instant the severed finger flew, both of them darted forward. For a battle between Throne experts, such a short distance was negligible.

The rules of the Heavenly Dao gathered, taking form around their bodies. Qiu Xuan drew out a black snake spear, while an incredibly exaggerated great axe swung down from the sky in Liu Jing's hand. In mere moments, both of them had appeared before the uncle.

“Sun-Measuring Calamity: Shadow Sting!”

All the spectators became excited. This move, a renowned spiritual skill of Protector Qiu from the City Lord's Mansion, had, at its peak, even pierced through a section of the void and impaled the dantian of three Throne experts. In that battle, Qiu Xuan was formally conferred the title of War God, and it was also after that battle that he became one of the City Lord's Mansion's foundational pillars.

However, those attracted by this spear were a minority. What was truly astonishing, however, was Liu Jing, with her striking figure, who directly wielded her “Sky-Shrouding Three Axes” from mid-air.

“Is that the new Protector Liu?”

“My heavens, is she that violent?”

“This move... it's also a Throne-level spiritual skill, isn't it? Does anyone recognize it?”

“Human Severance!”

Those who knew better were instantly silenced, unable to even offer an explanation, as they watched Liu Jing's axe cleave down, directly ripping open the void!

With a thunderous explosion, spiritual energy intertwined at the epicenter, and a black energy sphere directly diffused, threatening to burst open at any moment. Yuan Sandao clapped his hands behind his back, and his great saber was drawn from its sheath. As he gripped it, preparing to use his domain to shield against the battle's aftershocks, a calm, hoarse voice emanated from the epicenter of the blast.

“Petty tricks.”

The old man's pupils constricted as he saw two vertical sword qi tear through the black energy, rending the void. These two streaks of sword qi resembled two massive swords standing in mid-air, piercing through the highest heavens and plunging into the deepest underworld. The instant they appeared, they caused all the spectators' swords to fly up and ascend into the clouds.

Buzz—

The violently vibrating sword hum was incredibly piercing, causing many with weaker cultivation to bleed from their ears. Those ordinary people found it even more difficult to bear. These individuals finally realized that they couldn't even endure the sounds of battle, let alone its aftershocks, yet they were still stubbornly holding on!

“Is this a Throne-level battle?”

To witness a Throne expert's battle firsthand was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something rarely seen! Who would give up this chance to observe? As for going deaf, that was a problem that could be solved with a single pill, even if it meant spending a fortune. Even an idiot could distinguish what was more important!

The spectators desperately covered their ears, watching eagerly. As their vision refocused, expressions of shock involuntarily spread across their faces. In the center of the black energy, Qiu Xuan's valiant figure, thrusting with his spear, appeared incredibly dashing! With spiritual energy surging through his body, just a touch more composure, and this posture could be immortalized as a golden statue of a spear striking like a dragon, suppressing Tiansang City. Liu Jing, cleaving downwards with her axe from the horizon, was even more exceptionally graceful. Her enchanting figure was fully displayed beneath the raised great axe. The sharp glint from the axe tip caused the void to rupture even before it was fully swung.

But what astonished everyone wasn't this! It was that both of them were completely controlled by sword qi! Two unparalleled streaks of white sword qi directly impaled and locked both of them from head to toe. Moreover, the chillingly frenzied miniature void-swords within them instantly pierced their bodies from head to toe!

Blood spurted, and the void turned blood-red.

“Damn!”

Chong Dong was utterly stunned. He halted his charge halfway, just barely stopping himself from rushing directly in front of the uncle. But if he had gotten closer, could he have withstood this wave of control? He hadn't even seen when this sword qi had formed or when it had appeared, not a single trace!

“Gulp.”

He swallowed, his spiritual sense instantly locking onto Yuan Sandao. At this moment, his throat and lips dry, Chong Dong remembered the phrase he had shouted earlier: “Throne experts! Make your move!” He immediately corrected himself: “This is beyond... Throne-level. Proceed... with extreme caution!”

Qiu Xuan and Liu Jing's faces turned ashen. While they could endure the physical pain, this wave of betrayal from their teammate was something else.

The uncle smiled, looking at Yuan Sandao: “If you genuinely have no questions, I have no intention of harming anyone. Shall we part ways for now?”

“Who exactly are you?” Elder Yuan finally couldn't help but ask. This immobilizing sword qi was far too familiar. In fact, his mind instantly locked onto a certain legend.

But... Impossible! That person is already dead!

—But who else could it be besides him?

Yuan Sandao's hand, holding the saber, subtly rotated. He hesitated. The Eastern Region was vast, and indeed, many practiced ancient sword arts. But to reach this level of sword intent... There were some! Between the “Burial Sword Tomb” and “Moonlight Immortal City,” there were at least a dozen such individuals combined. But...

“Didn't only those few youngsters from the ‘Burial Sword Tomb’ come? There's no reason to send someone of this caliber for the White Cave incident.”

“Whether the ‘Four Swords’ even exist is still up for debate...”

He suddenly realized, “That's right, people from ‘Burial Sword Tomb’ have come, but no one from ‘Moonlight Immortal City’ has arrived yet!”

Others might not know the details of ‘Moonlight Immortal City,’ but Yuan Sandao knew it perfectly well. After the fall of the Eighth Sword Immortal, the creator of ‘Moonlight Immortal City,’ another rising grandmaster of the sword in the Eastern Region, was none other than Venerable Ba Zun'an's formerly unnamed eldest disciple!

“Are you from ‘Moonlight Immortal City’?” Yuan Sandao asked.

The scruffy uncle casually passed through the two immobilized figures, and listening to the old man's question, he smiled and shook his head.

“Wrong.”

“Second question.”

“Are you a Dao-Slasher? Or a Grand Void expert?” Chong Dong asked, his voice stern but his tone betraying his fear. He was scared. A person even Elder Yuan held some fear for—what kind of background did he possess? He suddenly regretted his earlier impulsiveness. Sometimes, forcefully taking the lead isn't a good idea. Perhaps this person truly harbored murderous intent toward him just now?

The uncle looked towards Chong Dong. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes. No one who dared to point a finger at him while speaking had ever survived! For someone like this, not only did he harbor murderous intent earlier, but even now, he didn't want to see him alive!

“You are not qualified to ask questions.”

Chong Dong froze, just about to speak, when the uncle barked: “Scram!”

Suddenly, the heavens and earth changed dramatically, and winds and clouds surged wildly. A vast, azure greatsword condensed in the void, carrying the force of stellar annihilation, sweeping upwards from below.

“Be careful!”

Yuan Sandao roared instantly, pulling his body taut, preparing to rush forward and intervene. This attack, let alone Chong Dong, even he might not be able to withstand it.

But...

It was too late! It was truly too late!

Everyone's gaze grew sluggish at that moment, and Chong Dong's evasive movements were equally slow. Even Yuan Sandao, as he lifted a foot, felt as if it would take eons to take another step onto the ground.

“Time Law?”

In that instant, the horror in Yuan Sandao's heart surged like a raging ocean, threatening to overwhelm him. While everything else slowed, the immense azure greatsword hovering above the scruffy uncle's head moved with unyielding speed. The uncle's four fingers, hidden within his voluminous sleeves, moved.

Whoosh!

A perfect crescent arc slashed through, and a hollow sound of destruction echoed from the heavens, as if a divine realm was collapsing.

Swoosh—

Chong Dong, split in two!