Ye Wen at this moment felt as if every meridian in his body was being torn apart, and the true Qi within him was almost entirely depleted, barely leaving a trace to flow sluggishly through his channels.

At this juncture, let alone executing any specific move, even the slightest movement was exceedingly difficult. Fortunately, the numerous Qi Swords had already been formed and could be manipulated without demanding excessive power. Ye Wen merely lifted his head, and those dozen or so purple swords, as if receiving a command, simultaneously rotated their tips, pointing across the distance at Xiang Yutian, who was descending.

"My power is exhausted; I have no residual strength left to deploy an energy field. Good thing this Wan Jian Jue (Ten Thousand Sword Art), though incomplete, is something the opponent cannot simply evade!"

With this thought, the dozen flying swords shot out together. Just a few feet from Ye Wen, these purple swords suddenly erupted with surging sword energy. As each purple sword flew, it trailed ten or so surrounding sword auras, each one spiraling ceaselessly, accelerating the faster they flew.

The dozen purple swords mingled among hundreds of sword auras. At a glance, the sight was of an endless expanse of azure-green sword energy surging from Ye Wen’s front, overwhelming the sky towards Xiang Yutian. Amidst this torrent, flashes of purple light occasionally pierced through; though not overtly conspicuous, each glimpse revealed an infinite, imposing might contained within.

Xiang Yutian utilized his lightness skill to descend slowly through the air, circulating his power to its absolute peak. He was just poised to unleash his own strike when Ye Wen unleashed this move. Seeing the deluge of sword energy sweeping towards him, enveloping a vast area around him, making evasion impossible, Xiang Yutian immediately brought his palms together and struck downwards.

"A fine move! This venerable one shall see just how formidable your technique truly is!"

As the words left his mouth, he channeled an extra measure of strength into his palms. He had already discerned that Ye Wen’s purple swords possessed far greater might than the young woman's green sword. He dared not meet the green sword head-on carelessly, let alone these purple ones? Now, with a dozen flying at him simultaneously, Xiang Yutian focused with absolute intensity to counter, while inwardly marveling: "This Ye Wen can actually unleash such a terrifying technique. If this man is not eliminated today, the future troubles will be endless!"

His palms suddenly burst forth with an energy like the fierce sun, vaguely forming a massive solar disc radiating endless heat, which then plummeted from the heavens directly toward Ye Wen’s location.

Alas, this scorching force did not travel far before it was shredded into fragments by the surging sword auras rushing toward it, dissipating completely in mid-air.

Upon seeing this, Xiang Yutian’s color drained further in shock. He had not anticipated that this endless torrent of sword energy would be so formidable—one or two strikes would not have been so terrifying, but dozens, hundreds, following one after another without pause, meant that no matter how immense Xiang Yutian’s power, it was difficult to fend off.

Ye Wen below, observing his Wan Jian Jue shattering Xiang Yutian’s fiery attack, felt a slight easing in his heart, hoping this move could also break through Xiang Yutian’s protective energy field and kill him instantly.

"This move is far from complete. As I envisioned, all this infinite sword energy should have been solidified purple swords! And there shouldn't be so few—at least a hundred or more purple swords should have been condensed and unleashed simultaneously to truly earn the title Wan Jian Jue! Alas, with my current power, achieving this much is already my limit..."

In the span of this brief moment, the endless sword energy reached Xiang Yutian. Seeing his technique easily overcome, Xiang Yutian, with no other choice, channeled his energy throughout his body, hoping his protective barrier could withstand this blow.

In the blink of an eye, sword auras crisscrossed the air, interspersed with flickering purple and green light, dazzling the eyes. Simultaneously, the clang of metal meeting metal was incessant. The disciples of Mount Shu and the Demon Cult members below the main hall had long since forgotten their fighting; instead, they looked up to witness this spectacle—utterly brilliant yet terrifying in the extreme.

"This... is this even martial arts?"

"Sect Leader is mighty! Sect Leader's divine power is unrivaled!"

"Wow! Are they setting off firecrackers?"

Although the momentum was staggering, it could not last long. Furthermore, Ye Wen had only released about a dozen purple swords accompanied by several hundred sword auras. Under such concentrated assault, in a mere moment, all the light, sword energy, and sound in the air ceased.

But Ye Wen dared not relax, keeping his head raised to watch the scene above. Only when all the radiance and sword energy had completely dispersed did he see that Xiang Yutian remained structurally whole.

"This fellow actually managed to withstand my move relying only on his protective energy?" Just as Ye Wen was about to utter a word of despair, Xiang Yutian suddenly tilted his head and plunged downward, falling headfirst.

With a resounding smash, Xiang Yutian crashed onto the roof tiles of the main hall, shattering countless tiles, and then began to roll precariously toward the edge.

Seeing this, Ye Wen finally realized that although Xiang Yutian’s form appeared intact, being hammered by so many sword auras and purple swords, the immense, surging power contained within them must have dealt a terrible toll. He was either shocked to death or stunned unconscious.

"Good, good. This move was not entirely ineffective. As long as this fellow is incapacitated, Mount Shu can be considered safe this time!"

Unexpectedly, before he could convey this to his junior sister, Xiang Yutian, midway through his roll toward the edge, suddenly reached out and grabbed the roof, arresting his fall. This man was still alive, not even unconscious; the previous clumsy fall was merely due to a moment of disorientation from being violently shaken by the endless sword energy.

However, taking such a massive blow could not leave Xiang Yutian unscathed. The strain on his true Qi and meridians from the powerful impact was one thing, but his body was not as perfect as it had appeared moments before. The initial inspection showed no anomaly because the sword auras were so sharp that the damage wasn't immediately apparent. But after a brief pause...

The arm Xiang Yutian used to arrest his fall suddenly exploded in countless sprays of blood, and along it, deep gashes revealed their hideous extent.

"Ah—"

Xiang Yutian also roared out in agony, as the pain transmitted through that straining arm felt precisely like being scraped simultaneously by countless tiny, sharp blades.

Before the roar subsided, piles of wounds suddenly erupted all over Xiang Yutian’s body. Due to the impact of the fall and the force exerted just now, his entire body began to spout sprays of blood like countless geysers, instantly dyeing the imposing man a vibrant crimson.

Witnessing Xiang Yutian’s state, Ye Wen finally let go of the breath he had been holding. One look confirmed that Xiang Yutian was utterly stripped of the capacity to fight further. Subduing this man meant the battle's momentum was fundamentally secured for Mount Shu.

As his focus relaxed, Ye Wen felt overwhelming weakness, his legs nearly buckling beneath him. Ning Ruxue quickly reached out to support him: "Senior Brother, are you alright?"

Ye Wen meant to raise his hand to say 'I'm fine,' but his arms felt leaden, heavy beyond lifting. Moreover, the meridians along both arms throbbed with a scorching, piercing pain. This was because Ning Ruxue's sword energy was incredibly sharp; she could only withstand it by having her meridians remodeled by the Red Thread Serpent King Gall. Ye Wen had not consumed that substance. After Ning Ruxue’s sword energy coursed through him for that duration, seven or eight out of ten of his internal meridians were damaged.

The meridians in his two arms suffered the most severe trauma, as Ye Wen condensed the purple swords entirely through those arm channels. Ning Ruxue’s sword energy had surged through them for quite a while, and Ye Wen had taken no protective measures. His arms were not utterly ruined only because Ning Ruxue had limited residual power left, preventing their destruction.

Even so, without a period of diligent recuperation, recovery would be impossible. During this time, Ye Wen could not engage in any further fights. In short, he absolutely could not fight again in today's battle.

"Senior Sister, I fear I cannot fight anyone else. Junior Sister, quickly regulate your breath, then go assist the disciples in fighting the enemy!"

At this moment, due to Xiang Yutian’s miserable condition, the morale of the Demon Cult members plummeted. The Mount Shu disciples seized the opportunity to reverse the situation, killing many cult members in one go. Furthermore, after this grueling battle, the Mount Shu disciples were gradually adapting to this fierce combat, and the Zhenwu Qijie Formation (True Martial Seven Intercept Formation) was becoming smoother and more effective with use.

Previously, the Mount Shu disciples required seven people working in concert to exert maximum combat strength; if one was carelessly broken apart or killed, the power would drop several tiers. But now, as the disciples fought, they grasped the essence of the formation more deeply; even if scattered into groups of two or three, they could still perfectly utilize the power of the Zhenwu Qijie Formation.

As a result, the pressure on the Demon Cult members increased exponentially, and they found it even harder to resist. The tide of battle was gradually tilting back towards Mount Shu. Seeing this, Ning Ruxue knew that if she added just a little more effort, these demonic rebels could all perish by the hands of her sect.

"Senior Brother, what about you?"

Ye Wen chuckled: "I shall sit right here. Who dares to challenge me?" The sheer spectacle of Ye Wen's previous move had terrified the Demon Cult members into silence; none dared to provoke him.

As for Xiang Yutian, the blood-soaked figure, although not yet dead, was barely breathing, taking in far more air than he exhaled. Even if left unattended, he would die soon enough.

However, out of caution, Ye Wen still instructed: "Go give that Xiang Yutian a final sword strike!"

Ning Ruxue glanced at Xiang Yutian, nodded, and as she moved to stand, she saw Xiang Yutian lift his head toward them: "This venerable one actually fell to you... However, your move was indeed formidable; Xiang Yutian admits he could not execute such a technique. Although Your Excellency relied on your junior sister's assistance to unleash it, being able to use the move counts as your skill. I wonder, what is the name of the technique Sect Leader Ye just used?"

Xiang Yutian assumed he was doomed and wanted to die with full knowledge. It would be truly pathetic for a master to not even know the name of the technique that killed him.

Ye Wen saw that Xiang Yutian’s voice was extremely weak, so he told him directly: "This technique is called Wan Jian Jue, the supreme secret art of our Mount Shu sect. Unfortunately, this Ye is yet to master it..."

"If the unmastered version holds such might, what about when it is fully cultivated..." Xiang Yutian was shocked. He initially thought Ye Wen was boasting, but recalling that Ye Wen needed Ning Ruxue’s power to help deploy it, it seemed this art was indeed unmastered. His heart grew even more astonished, and he became intensely longing for the fully realized Wan Jian Jue: "Pity that Xiang has no chance to witness it again!"

Before the words fully left his lips, a figure suddenly appeared on the rooftop, and with a wave of a hand, a gust of fragrant wind swept past. The blood on Xiang Yutian’s body instantly stopped flowing. Then, a charming female voice commanded him: "Open your mouth!"

Xiang Yutian recognized the voice instantly. He opened his mouth and felt a pill slide in. The pill dissolved upon contact, transforming into a cool stream of energy that flowed into his internal organs, nourishing his severely damaged meridians and viscera.

As he felt a sense of ease spreading through him, Ye Wen was greatly alarmed. The woman who had suddenly appeared was none other than the Demon Cult Saintess, Shen Yuqing!

"Your esteemed sect truly holds my Mount Shu sect in high regard. Not only did you send the Vice Leader and the Wood Emissary, but also the Eastern Star from the Four Great Emissaries. Now, even the Saintess herself has come in person... Should I feel immensely honored?"

Shen Yuqing glanced at Ye Wen, exuding a captivating allure that could easily enchant any ordinary man with a single look. Unfortunately, Ye Wen discerned the latent killing intent hidden within that gaze; just detecting this alone was enough to extinguish any stray thoughts. Moreover, they were locked in an irreconcilable enmity; he dared not entertain any foolish ideas.

Seeing Ye Wen’s expression remain unchanged, as if completely unaffected by her presence, Shen Yuqing chuckled flirtatiously: "Sect Leader Ye is young but highly skilled and possesses extraordinary resolve. No wonder my inept apprentice was so easily charmed by you!" As she spoke, she glanced downwards, her eyes meeting Hua Yi’s, who was currently engaged in combat below. Hua Yi seemed to sense her presence and looked up, their gazes intersecting in mid-air.

"Master..."

Hua Yi stared blankly at the person standing on the main hall’s roof, then her eyes suddenly flashed with a deep crimson. She immediately abandoned the low-level enemies before her, activated her lightness skill, and leaped onto the rooftop, confronting Shen Yuqing from a distance.

"Good apprentice, looking at you now, you still haven't been taken into Sect Leader Ye's embrace, have you!" She then addressed Ye Wen: "Perhaps Ye Wen looks down on my apprentice? If so, why don't I, this madam, take her away?"

Ye Wen boomed: "Hua Yi is now a person of Mount Shu; why should she go with you? As for you, do not even think of leaving!"

Shen Yuqing laughed heartily upon hearing this: "In Sect Leader Ye’s current state, how can you detain this madam?" She then glanced at Ye Wen, who struggled even to stand, and teased: "Sect Leader Ye hasn't the strength to even lift an arm now. On what basis do you intend to keep me?"

Before the words finished, she vanished abruptly. Everyone saw a blur, and Shen Yuqing had already leaped in front of Ye Wen. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she pressed a palm strike directly against Ye Wen's chest.

Among everyone present, Ye Wen was utterly drained and immobile. Ning Ruxue had only just regained a sliver of strength. Although Hua Yi possessed ample power, she was too far inferior to Shen Yuqing; she couldn't even react in time. Everyone could only watch helplessly as Shen Yuqing's palm struck Ye Wen's chest.

With a soft puff, the strike seemed devoid of force, as if delivered gently in playful affection between lovers. But Ye Wen knew better. He felt a wave of purely insidious, soft energy penetrating his body, aiming straight for his vital organs, particularly his heart. If this yin energy touched it, it would instantly turn to paste—so utterly pulverized that it would be too fine even for making meat filling for dumplings.

Shen Yuqing was certain this blow would kill Ye Wen, but to her surprise, Ye Wen remained motionless after the impact. Then, Ye Wen let out a cold sneer: "This great gift from Madam Shen, I dare not accept. I shall return it to the Madam!"

At these words, Shen Yuqing immediately knew something had gone terribly wrong. Fortunately, her lightness skill was unparalleled, and her figure vanished instantly. When she reappeared, she was back beside Xiang Yutian.

But she was a fraction too slow. A clear, crimson streak appeared across her fair, jade-like, exquisite face. Though it wasn't bleeding, the red line was immediately visible.

Shen Yuqing touched her cheek, feeling a stinging heat. Her heart filled with dark resentment. Previously, when Ye Wen had wounded her cheek with sword energy, she relied on the miraculous nature of her Xuan Yin Zhen Gong (Profound Yin True Art) and some medicinal paste to preserve her appearance from ruin. She never expected to have her face struck by Ye Wen again today. More importantly, this time she had absolutely no idea how Ye Wen had managed to injure her, and the suddenly emitted sword energy subtly carried characteristics of her Xuan Yin Zhen Gong, leaving her completely bewildered.

It turned out that Ye Wen had sensed the soft, yin energy Shen Yuqing struck into him. However, with only a trace of internal true Qi remaining, he could not possibly block it. In desperation, he thought of a method based on the principles of the Xi Xing Da Fa (Star Absorbing Great Art): dissipating all the true Qi in his Dantian to form a near-vacuum state. Then, he could draw in others' true Qi.

Of course, the Xi Xing Da Fa involved many other incantations, and creating a vacuum Dantian was just a basic prerequisite. But this much was sufficient for Ye Wen in his emergency. There was no time to overthink; Ye Wen immediately scattered his power throughout his meridians, causing his Dantian to become vacant.

Ye Wen had long practiced Qi refinement, and his Dantian had developed a habit: to gather all internal true Qi within it. Now that not a trace of true Qi remained, it would naturally seek to retrieve energy to fill the void. Ye Wen only needed to control his innate Purple Qi so it wouldn't be trapped by the Dantian. Since the Dantian found no true Qi, it naturally seized upon the soft, yin energy Shen Yuqing had injected into Ye Wen’s body!

However, Ye Wen did not dare let Shen Yuqing's yin energy linger inside him, as it was not his own and its nature was vastly different from his own arts. Prolonged retention would surely cause disaster. Thus, while speaking, he activated his power to draw this yin energy out of his Dantian. Following the method of the Zi Xiao Long Qi Jian (Purple Heaven Dragon Qi Sword), he refined it into sword energy and expelled it through his mouth.

This strand of energy was both soft and vicious. The resulting sword energy surprisingly inherited these traits: it was invisible and silent. If Shen Yuqing’s martial arts weren't high enough and her vigilance not sharp enough, this strike would have cost her life.

Having utilized this method, Ye Wen immediately returned true Qi to his Dantian. Otherwise, a long-empty Dantian would eventually cause his entire cultivation base to be ruined—fortunately, the time Ye Wen used this method was extremely short, almost instantaneous, so his cultivation was not completely lost.

However, dealing with Shen Yuqing remained a massive problem. At present, no one present possessed the ability to contend with this old demoness. Just as he was feeling frustrated, he suddenly heard another commotion erupting from the mountain gate. Ye Wen’s heart tensed; he feared Demon Cult reinforcements had arrived.

Shen Yuqing merely smiled faintly at Ye Wen: "Hmph, my Holy Cult's main army is here. Is your insignificant Mount Shu sect not on the verge of ruin?"