"Your swordsmanship is damaged; you are nothing but trash. Why bother wasting effort? I know nothing of the others in the Tai Ling Sect, but as for you, your sword skills have regressed rather than advanced. You truly aren't worth—"

Before the words even settled, Ji Lingzi’s face had turned a ghastly white. His chest heaved, and his hands trembled violently.

The white-haired elder merely shook his head slightly.

“My young master’s meaning is clear. In terms of both swordsmanship and character, you are currently unfit to warrant my young master exerting himself. Fighting you offers no honing for his skills. If you have any sense of propriety, then step aside!”

But Ji Lingzi’s eyes flashed with murderous intent, his rage finally finding an outlet. He glared fiercely at the white-haired coachman.

“Shut your mouth! I am speaking to your master; how dare an old dog like you, whose cultivation hasn’t even reached the Sixth Order, interject?”

A streak of sword light suddenly unsheathed behind him, slashing down towards the elder’s head from a distance!

The white-haired elder showed no surprise or fear, sitting completely still as if he hadn't seen it.

From within the Cloud-Riding Carriage, a soft sneer emerged.

“Very well! Since you insist on seeking death, I, Jue Yu, shall not refuse your request—”

As the voice faded, an identical sword shadow pierced out from the carriage door. It was fiercely brilliant, and with a sharp ‘clang,’ it knocked the incoming sword light aside.

Then, the purely black sword shadow executed a sharp turn mid-air, slicing diagonally towards Ji Lingzi’s position. It seemed like demonic miasma spewed forth from the deepest abysses—ethereal, fluctuating, and unpredictably treacherous.

Ji Lingzi burst into loud laughter, excitement coloring his features. He beckoned, snatching the deflected azure longsword back into his grasp.

“You finally made your move! Let me show you if my Ji Lingzi’s Tai Qing Cheng Feng Sword is truly worthy of its name! Come down—”

The man and his sword transformed into a fierce gale, sweeping towards the Cloud-Riding Carriage. The cyan sword light seemed to dissolve into the rushing wind, flickering in and out of sight, its cutting edge almost imperceptible.

Yet, in mid-air, it clashed several times with the black, demonic sword light. With every crisp ‘clang,’ the whirlwind momentary choked. Ji Lingzi’s figure began to re-emerge, his face etched with shock and despair.

In just five strikes, the localized storm sweeping across the flat ground had subsided. It began abruptly, and it ended just as suddenly. At that moment, the black sword shadow, following an inscrutably profound trajectory, pierced through the surrounding sword light enveloping Ji Lingzi. With a soft ‘,’ a spray of blood erupted as the blade bored straight through his brow and shot out the other side.

Ji Lingzi’s corpse remained standing, his eyes wide with utter unwillingness to accept his fate.

Behind the Cloud-Riding Carriage’s shaft, the white-haired driver let out a soft sigh upon seeing this.

“Young Master, I feel there was no need to kill him? This Ji Lingzi’s origins are quite significant. Rumor has it his ancestor was a renowned Divine Realm expert from our Cloud Realm, holding an extraordinary status in the Tai Ling Sect—”

If not for this, Daoist Qiu Yun would not have traded the lives of hundreds of disciples from the Cang Sheng Dao, including Xue Xi, merely for this man's safety.

A year and a half ago, following the battle at Black Spirit Valley, the entire world was in an uproar. Many felt the Tai Ling Sect had suffered a terrible loss. Even within their own sect, the dissent was vociferous; many were displeased with Qiu Yun’s decision. One Xue Xi was worth far more than the remaining disciples of the Tai Ling Sect.

But once inquisitive parties secretly investigated Ji Lingzi’s true identity, those murmurs vanished completely.

“Killed is killed! What is there to fear? Why should Jue Yu be afraid of a mere Divine Realm expert? Though this person is dead, his nascent soul is not overly damaged. If his ancestor is indeed a Divine Realm figure, he can naturally reshape a body and nascent soul for him. What is there to worry about?”

The white-haired elder paused, realizing it wasn't a monumental issue. Still, the Tai Ling Sect behind this man was, after all, the foremost sacred land, the greatest sect beneath this starry sky. He remained somewhat hesitant. “But—”

“But what? Hurry up and drive. Ji Lingzi’s Tai Qing Cheng Feng Sword is actually quite good. Before the flaws in his martial path manifested, he was indeed qualified to fight me. That Tan Qiu, a year and a half ago, managing to withstand two hundred sword strikes while only newly entering the Sixth Order, and then winning with a single blow—it’s incredible! I truly look forward to—”

Listening to the self-muttering from the carriage, the white-haired elder managed a wry smile. He glanced at Ji Lingzi’s corpse, shook his head again, and cracked the whip, urging the eight Wind-Riding Steeds to gallop right over Ji Lingzi’s body.

※ ※ ※ ※

Just as the Cloud-Riding Carriage vanished at the mouth of the mountain pass, a few figures stood not far behind on the same road, observing the scene of the recent ‘murder’ with varied expressions.

“Didn’t Ji Lingzi bring this upon himself? He knew how ruthless Jue Yu is. Jue Yu, the son of the Sovereign of the Eighth Seat of the Sacred Land, dared to slay him with a single sword strike. Did he truly believe his background would make Jue Yu hesitate? Was he foolish enough to think his Tai Qing Cheng Feng Sword could overcome Jue Yu’s Da Jue Mie Sword?”

This speaker was a man in a green robe, hovering ten feet above the ground on a gleaming sword, standing as rigid as a pine tree. If Zong Shou were present, he would certainly recognize this man as Su Chen from the Cold Mountain Gate of the Sword Sect. Su Chen now wore a look of deep bewilderment, as if the sight before him was utterly preposterous.

Standing beside him was Lei Dong, who was bent over laughing uncontrollably, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, swaying as if he might collapse at any moment.

“Oh my, this is hilarious! Ji Lingzi was truly unlucky. He lost to Zong Shou a year and a half ago and couldn't hold his head up in the sect. He finally got the chance to challenge that brute Jue Yu, but Jue Yu couldn't be bothered and just turned to leave. In the end, Ji Lingzi chased after him just to regain face, and now he’s lost his life. The opponent didn't even use his sword intent, just pure sword technique variations to break his Tai Qing Cheng Feng Sword. What a public humiliation. Actually, having a small temper isn't a crime in itself—”

Su Chen rolled his eyes, finding it hard not to chuckle himself. After a soft snort, he quickly composed himself, saying solemnly, “Is that enough? The entrance to the Cang Sheng Dao Palace should be just ahead. We should hurry! We came here specifically to witness swordsmanship; if we’re late, we might miss the real spectacle.”

“What’s the rush, brother?”

Lei Dong was unconcerned, grinning broadly. “The brilliance of the Cang Sheng Dao was concentrated in the generation twenty years ago. Shui Lingbo, Fang Wen, and Xue Xi nearly overshadowed all their peers in the Cloud Realm. Since then, the quality of disciples under them has declined generation by generation, only slightly improving recently. It’s good they finally produced a Tan Qiu, but his cultivation is insufficient; he’s too far behind Ji Lingzi. When Jue Yu came calling this time, he likely won’t meet a truly evenly matched opponent. However, even if the Cang Sheng Dao loses, no one will think they are weak; it will just be a slight blow to their reputation. Tan Qiu alone shows immense potential. What is truly worth looking forward to is our Myriad Sword Firmament Realm!”

Su Chen looked at Lei Dong as if regarding a simple-minded rustic.

“Brother Lei, don't you know? Jue Yu has already sent a challenge to the Cang Sheng Dao, stating he will fight Tan Qiu even if he has to restrict his own cultivation?”

His look clearly conveyed that Brother Lei was hopelessly uninformed.

“Is that so?”

Lei Dong was indeed stunned, then frowned. “Your Cold Mountain Sect is truly formidable. You can even get news like this. Do you perhaps have connections inside the Cang Sheng Dao Palace?” He shook his head slightly. “That seems against the rules. With his Eighth Order cultivation, even if he restrains his true power, it’s unfair. The Cang Sheng Dao will absolutely not let Tan Qiu go up easily—”

The gap between a Celestial Realm expert and an Earth Realm expert isn't just about the crushing superiority of inner essence or soul power; it lies in their perception of heaven and earth, their manipulation of spiritual energy, and their comprehension of the fundamental Laws. Even Zong Shou, who had comprehended the extreme limit of Sword Intent, could not possibly compare in these aspects to Jue Yu, the Sword Prince, who had truly stepped into the Eighth Order, reaching the mid-Celestial Realm.

“But once this challenge is issued, the battle in the Cang Sheng Firmament Realm will no longer be entirely devoid of interest.”

Su Chen smiled faintly. “I heard that Jue Yu is being exceptionally stubborn this time. He claims he absolutely must fight Tan Qiu, no matter what. I suspect the Cang Sheng Dao may not be able to refuse. Senior Brother Lei, aren't you anticipating this?”

Lei Dong fell silent. Zong Shou versus Jue Yu—if this fight truly couldn't be avoided, he certainly wouldn't miss it.

Su Chen’s tone then shifted, carrying a hint of probing intent. “Senior Brother, what exactly is this Tan Qiu’s background? To this day, it seems no one knows his origins. Could it be that this person is actually our young brother Zong Shou?”

Lei Dong’s pupils contracted instantly, then he shook his head expressionlessly. “How would I know that? Maybe, maybe not. With my sworn brother's sword skills, defeating Ji Lingzi wouldn't be difficult. However, it’s also possible that some other sword master has emerged from the Cang Sheng Dao.”

“I mean no ill will!”

Su Chen let out a wry laugh, then his eyes flashed sharply. “I just thought, if it truly is him, perhaps there's a slight chance of victory!”

Although the Cold Mountain is not among the Ten Great Sacred Lands, it possesses several massive spirit mountains, creating acquired cave-mansions similar to the Firmament Realm. Its strength rivals or even surpasses the Ling Yun Sect, the weakest of the Ten Great Sacred Lands. Such a major sect was naturally included in Jue Yu’s challenge list. Yet, a year ago, he was defeated after forty-seven strikes, and Jue Yu hadn't even used his full strength—a deep humiliation.

Lei Dong was equally silent. His situation was slightly better. Although he was only a candidate for the Five Absolutes Manor, he had fought Jue Yu. Having only recently begun practicing swordsmanship, he fought for one hundred and ninety-seven strikes before losing, forcing Jue Yu to retreat with minor injuries. However, Lei Dong himself was incapacitated for half a month. “Hmph! That fellow has been too arrogant lately. Someone needs to press his head down!”

As he spoke, Lei Dong suddenly sensed something and looked up at the vast sky. Several streaks of light were heading southwest, followed by more and more.

Su Chen saw them too and chuckled coldly. “The one leading them is Saber Lord Li Wuhui. These fellows truly move at the slightest rumor—”