Instantly, the lava within the sea of fire throbbed with energy, coalescing into countless fireballs that hurled themselves at Ye Xiu. Yet, just as they neared his body, each one was mercilessly flung aside by an invisible current of air. It turned out that the fierce gale from moments before had already merged with the Heavenly Will, enveloping Ye Xiu and lifting him securely above the fiery expanse. Yu Li, watching from the falling stone walls, was enraged by this display and unleashed another barrage of hidden weapons in a desperate attempt to halt Ye Xiu’s ascent.

“Futile, old Daoist!” Ye Xiu roared back, a wild grin splitting his face. “Hahahaha! Don’t you think this is like an ant trying to shake a mighty tree?”

“Wha…” Yu Li’s eyes widened as his thrown weapons were scattered and dispersed by the airflow. He never imagined a single person could command the very power of the wind.

With arrogant flourishes, Ye Xiu swept his sword, shattering the surrounding stone walls one by one. In no time at all, he breached the next gate, the Gate of Injury (Shang Men).

“Ahaha, ahaha!” Ye Xiu’s excitement surged, his laughter booming. To his surprise, the Gate of Injury held no more walls; instead, seven swordsmen clad in black stood waiting.

“Old man, you won’t face me yourself, sending these lackeys to their deaths?” Ye Xiu sneered, gesturing dismissively toward the minor figures before him. “Do you think I can’t shatter this gate with a single strike?”

“Hmph! Then let my disciples offer a proper welcome to Young Master Ye as he breaks the formation. Set up the Seven-Star Radiance Formation.” Yu Li’s voice boomed like a great bell. At his command, the seven black-clad men inside the Gate of Injury immediately unsheathed their swords and began moving precisely across the formation points beneath their feet.

“Is this the Seven-Star Radiance Formation?” Ye Xiu stared intently, nearly laughing out loud. “Old man, this is nothing more than another Bagua array. You underestimate me too much.”

“Oh? Can Young Master Ye break it?” Yu Li suspected Ye Xiu was merely bluffing.

Ye Xiu shook his head and smiled, stepping forward with his sword drawn. “If one can recognize it, one can break it. Your so-called Seven-Star Radiance Formation is merely the first variation among the Daoist’s Forty-Nine Arrays. It simply requires the lead swordsman to occupy the Qian position, follow with the Kun position, establish the Kan position, guard the Zhen position, hold the Li position, protect the Dui position, defend the Xun position, and leave the Gen position open for entry and exit. The swordsmanship of the seven is nearly identical, their senses linked, their minds united; they coordinate strikes and respond to each other, thus amplifying their collective power far beyond the sum of their individual strengths. At a glance, it appears remarkably fluid, but unfortunately for you, it faces me…”

“And what can you do?” Yu Li was surprised his formation had been so easily discerned but remained unconvinced. “Please, Young Master, enlighten me!”

Ye Xiu flicked his sword’s tip, a faint smile touching his lips. He then stepped casually into the Gen position, leveling Tian Yi (Heaven’s Will) and uttering lightly, “Heaven’s Will: Myriad Slashes.”

In an instant, the seven black-clad young swordsmen struck, moving precisely along their array positions toward Ye Xiu. A sudden cool wind swept through. After a flash of white light—swift and ethereal, like a camera bulb going off in the space between heaven and earth—Yu Li’s seven disciples vanished entirely, dissipated by the action of Tian Yi. The only lingering sensation was the faint scent of blood permeating the air around them.

“This… is impossible!” Though Yu Li watched everything intently from outside the formation, he could not comprehend how the meticulously arranged Seven-Star Radiance Formation could be broken so easily by Ye Xiu.

At this moment, Ye Xiu coldly shouldered Tian Yi and moved toward the next gate. It turned out that the technique, Heaven’s Will: Myriad Slashes, was a new sword move Ye Xiu had comprehended by tapping into the malevolent energy of Tian Yi. The instant the sword was drawn, Tian Yi had dissolved into the air, unbound by any conventional restraint, weaving back and forth through the confined sword array at speeds approaching light speed, repeatedly slicing the bodies of the swordsmen. Even the weapons in their hands had been reduced to dust. The single flash of light moments before was the undeniable proof that Tian Yi had reached the speed of light.

“Old man, for the next gate, it should be time for you to step onto the stage personally, right?” Ye Xiu strode wantonly into the Gate of Death (Si Men). He wasn't sure where his sudden burst of insight had come from; he only knew that the blood shed from his previous injuries had been entirely absorbed by Tian Yi, and these sword moves, which felt utterly otherworldly, had manifested under Tian Yi’s urging. It was utterly miraculous.

“Young Master Ye truly lives up to his reputation,” Yu Li’s voice finally resonated clearly in Ye Xiu’s ears.

Ye Xiu slowly exhaled. It wasn't until he stepped into the Gate of Death that he felt truly returned to reality. He looked up; the Daoist Yu Li had remained far away the entire time, never having approached.

Yu Li floated forward, gently whisking his horsetail whisk. “Young Master Ye is truly a swordsman rarely seen in this generation. However, it is a pity that today you will be buried within my Flowing Light Returning Heart Formation, here in the Gate of Death.”

Ye Xiu ignored him, standing firmly within the circular wall of flashing stone. He closed his eyes.

Yu Li lightly leaped into the formation. But the instant he entered, his body seemed to truly merge with all the luminous stone walls. Immediately, the walls closed in around Ye Xiu, three layers deep and three layers out. The cold moonlight was drawn down, shining intensely upon the stone, and then a series of strange light beams struck Ye Xiu’s body.

Ye Xiu opened his eyes, watching the radiance enveloping him with a touch of surprise. Before he could even move to evade, the light bathed him completely. Then came the sound of swords slicing through the air. “Ah!” The light had instantly transformed into sword tips. Ye Xiu leaped up to dodge almost instantaneously but could not escape the fate of being pierced by numerous blades. “Pfft…” A large mouthful of crimson blood erupted from his lips. In desperation, Ye Xiu brought Tian Yi up to block the tips aimed at his vital points, launching himself upward toward the clouds. Yet, almost in the next moment, the reflected light beams followed him skyward, once again searing his body. Another wave of sword points rushed toward him. Cold sweat broke out on Ye Xiu’s brow. He frantically flipped, trying to dive back toward the ground, but he couldn't match the speed of light. Wounds crisscrossed his body once more.

“Don’t think only your sword can rival light!” Yu Li was triumphant. He happily revealed the horsetail whisk in his hand, but this was no ordinary whisk. The whisk wielded by Daoist Yu Li was forged from bronze. He had kept the lower end shielded by his hand, and only now, as he revealed it, did Ye Xiu realize the bottom was tipped with sword points.

Tumbling down from the air, Ye Xiu still managed to brace himself and stand. Despite his severe injuries, he had not lost his fighting spirit; rather, a potent surge of malevolent energy had arisen. Tian Yi ravenously sucked at the blood flowing from Ye Xiu. Instantly, the purple aura surrounding the divine sword once again shone with a dark brilliance. Ye Xiu felt his entire body trembling—trembling with ferocious excitement.