Chuxue was only stunned for a brief moment before regaining her composure. The image of Zong Shou’s sword strike from two years ago kept flashing through her mind.

Yet, her focus gradually retreated, centering on the present. In mere breaths, the dark, profound, violent, and insane oppressive aura grew even more immense and unparalleled. She felt as if her limbs and energy channels were constrained by an invisible force. It was as if she were caught in a raging torrent, the space around her feeling abnormally viscous, making every movement incredibly difficult.

Chuxue felt intensely frustrated, an overwhelming urge to soar upward, to break free from these heavy shackles, cast off all burdens, and no longer be restrained.

"The master of attack moves from above the Ninth Heaven! Like mercury pouring onto the earth, leaving no trace, no mark to be found—"

This passage flashed through her mind once more. A spark of spiritual light ignited in Chuxue’s eyes.

Although Jue Yu’s power was formidable, what harm was there in trying? At worst, she would simply lose. She was certain she could execute the Young Master’s sword strike!

Without further hesitation, Chuxue’s body suddenly ascended, leaping seven zhang high. Simultaneously, the five-colored sword in her hand unsheathed with a resounding clang!

As the sword emerged, a brilliant streak of sword light pierced the heavens and earth. It was exactly like Zong Shou’s sword flight from two years prior—incomparably agile, leaving no trace, yet dazzlingly bright, imbued with an ethereal celestial aura. Now, it carried even more of a transcendent quality, as if an exiled immortal had descended into the mortal world!

Not only were her body and soul no longer suppressed by Jue Yu’s sword intent and soul pressure, but it felt as if a shackle within her own body had been forcibly broken open. A surge of vast, world-spanning spiritual energy poured in from all directions, rushing into her body, surging and roaring like a tide!

"It's the Seventh Order!" "Breaking through to the Seventh Order right in the middle of a battle—" "Impossible!" "What an ethereal sword strike, light, nimble, and utterly unmatched by mortals—"

Exclamations of astonishment rose up one after another from the surrounding spectators.

Jue Yu’s pupils contracted slightly. Then, a glint of exhilarated interest flashed deep within his eyes. With keen enjoyment, he gripped his sword with his bare hand and suddenly slashed horizontally. Bearing a massive black aura, it coiled like a dragon, sweeping across the horizon with the power to annihilate everything.

This single strike caused fine black fissures to appear in the entire space spanning a thousand zhang. Any spectator nearby who was careless would immediately suffer cuts from these spatial tears. Even if this woman named Xue Chu had truly transcended the Immortal Way, he would strike her down!

But just as the five-colored light in the sky was about to collide with the tide of black sword energy, the aura around Chuxue shifted again. At first, she felt an overwhelming pressure from the annihilating sword intent bearing down, while the true energy and soul power within her body surged frantically, desperately resisting. Then, these two forces startlingly merged as one within her! The barrier that always prevented the fusion of Spiritual Arts and Martial Arts during practice was now shattered effortlessly, as if by fate.

The combined force was fiercely channeled into the tip of the sword. First, a wave of immense protective energy erupted from the five-colored sword in her hand. Then, in the next instant, an even vaster five-element spiritual energy surged in from all directions, instantly boosting Chuxue’s sword momentum to its absolute limit, climbing to yet another peak! Stirring the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, she descended through the air!

At this moment, Lei Dong and Su Chen, watching from a distance, were utterly stunned, standing motionless. Though their eyes were fixed on Chuxue and Jue Yu, all they perceived was that brilliant, dazzling, devastatingly exquisite sword strike. At this instant, Yuan Fei’s mouth hung open, his throat paralyzed for a long time. Those beside him were no better off. The girl who, moments ago, seemed foolishly plain and unremarkable in their eyes, now floated gracefully and spiritually, as light as a celestial being descending from the heavens— It was as if an inconspicuous ugly duckling had transformed into a swan, soaring across the sky!

Just seconds ago, they were wondering how Chuxue would be defeated. But now, their hearts pounded, almost stopping altogether.

At this moment, Dao Lord Li Wuhui nearly lost control of his true energy and fell from the sky, his eyes locked onto the scene, unwilling to look away for an instant. He was eager to join the fray, yet filled with immense regret.

Two hundred zhang high, within the concealed pavilion, Zong Shou inadvertently failed to control the teacup floating nearby; it plummeted, scalding him so he winced, yet he paid it no mind, staring with shocked disbelief at the young girl two hundred zhang below. What did he see? That was Spiritual Martial Fusion! Little Xue'er had actually managed to meld spiritual arts and the martial dao!

Han Fang beside him was equally flustered. He had accidentally exerted too much force, and the rocking chair beneath him shattered instantly. The wine cup in his hand was crushed into powder. Yet he maintained the posture of sitting, his aged face completely frozen.

Fang Wen, floating mid-air, also looked bewildered and disbelieving. He mumbled, "Spiritual Martial Fusion, it’s actually Spiritual Martial Fusion!"

This low murmur acted like a spark dropped into boiling oil, causing the entire space riddled with cracks to erupt in an uproar. "It’s Spiritual Martial Fusion, how is that possible?" "No wonder the Cangsheng Dao sent this woman out as the final contender. Spiritual Martial Fusion, no wonder—" "I see now! I wondered how such an ordinary-looking woman could possibly qualify to have five sub-species of Divine Beasts serving as her guardians!"

As these discussions began to rise, Chuxue’s light, ethereal sword shadow and the sweeping dark sword gleam already intersected and clashed.

Clang!

There was no grand, sweeping sound, only a sharp metallic clash. But the Great Annihilation Sword strike, which Yuan Fei, Xuan Ye, and the others could not withstand even with all their strength, began to crumble and disintegrate. Between the two sword shadows, terrifying black fissures spread outwards in all directions. All the gale force, the residual sword energy, and all the shockwaves were absorbed by these spatial-temporal cracks. The once tyrannical, towering demonic fog receded and dispersed in patches.

Jue Yu not only failed to repel the sword shadow flying down from the sky, but instead stumbled backward several dozen zhang, struck by a massive force. Conversely, Chuxue was also retreating, but far more composedly, her figure remaining supremely agile, poised as if she were an immortal about to ascend. "This sword strike, did you teach her? It is truly miraculous and peerless in this age—"

In the pavilion above, Han Fang sighed, sounding contemplative. His expression finally regained its calmness. He casually waved his hand, and a new rocking chair materialized beneath him. Then Han Fang slanted his eyes toward Zong Shou’s tea-stained robes. "So, Chuxue mastering Spiritual Martial Fusion—even you didn't anticipate that?"

Zong Shou smiled wryly, circulating his true energy to instantly vaporize the moisture spots. Then he looked regretfully at the fallen teacup on the ground. That was premium 'Snow Leaf Tip'! Worth at least three drops of Ninth Order True Dragon Blood, wasted just like that. He had only taken one sip.

Han Fang could barely contain himself, wishing he could slam his fist down with the force of Mount Tai onto Zong Shou’s head. Did this fellow still have the composure to worry about that now? He could only forcefully suppress the impulse. "I still have plenty of Snow Leaf Tip; I can send Junior Brother another portion later!"

Zong Shou brightened momentarily, then let out another light sigh: "Indeed, I did not expect it!" He had initially only asked Chuxue to try that set of Spiritual Martial Fusion swords; he never expected her to succeed. But unexpectedly, it actually worked in the end. Should he try practicing it himself? He knew instantly it was impossible. Chuxue could achieve Spiritual Martial Fusion partly due to her talent, but also because resisting Jue Yu’s sword intent pressure had concentrated her mind to an unprecedented degree, leaving no distractions. Only then did her soul power and internal energy achieve fusion.

Han Fang’s eyes lit up: "Does that mean the claim you made about her resisting Jue Yu’s ten strikes had another hidden card?" "Indeed!"

Zong Shou nodded again, but he refused to elaborate on what that hidden card was. Regardless, he was certain to win this wager. Three million merit points were already beckoning him. "Senior Brother, how about raising the stakes? I wager Xue'er can fight past fifty strikes—"

Han Fang glanced sideways at the young man beside him, then snorted, unwilling to agree further. Yet, his mind settled. Although he had lost three million merit points this time, the outcome was not entirely bad. At least their Cangsheng Dao would not become a laughingstock for other sects; on the contrary, they would shock the Cloud Realm once more. The talent for Spiritual Martial Fusion—in the last ten years, across the entire Five Continents and Twelve Islands, only four people had appeared. One from the Sword Sect, one from the Daoist School, one from Buddhism, and one from the Demon Gate. Now, they had to add Su Chuxue, who belonged to their Cangsheng Dao! It was only a pity that Zong Shou had not agreed to take over the Cangsheng Academy. Chuxue was cultivated personally by this man. Moreover, the strength of both Zong Yuan and Ruoshui far surpassed their peers. This fellow’s capabilities were truly excellent. Uncommonly, this person was also the sovereign of a nation; he must have some foundation in strategy and governance.

A feeling like a thousand ants gnawing at his heart arose, bringing a trace of regret. If he had agreed to Zong Shou’s proposal back then, and been a little more attentive—if he could pass on all his knowledge to both Chuxue and Ruolan—his lineage would surely shine throughout the world. It was just... This time, he had been blind.

Yet, he did not let any expression surface, maintaining his solemn and focused demeanor, his eyes continuing to burn as he watched the scene below.

Down below, Fang Wen subtly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. His mind settled, and he breathed a sigh of relief. This time, at least, they would not be disgraced. He also felt a slight shame, realizing he had misjudged the situation entirely.

The surrounding elders were all of a similar mind. One or two of them even looked on with fervent intensity. This young girl—did she not seem to have a master or elder within the Cangsheng Dao?