Han Fang let out a smile, entirely devoid of mockery. The outcome of this battle did not only hold the hearts of the hundred thousand cultivators gathered here in suspense; even he himself was eagerly awaiting the final result.
Moments later, a flicker of delight crossed Han Fang’s eyes. “Junior Brother has won!”
Wei Tian, standing beside him, nodded slightly. “Indeed, he has won!”
Fang Wen’s expression relaxed as well; he too had discerned the turning point. His Martial Uncle Zong Shou had clearly found the path to victory.
A few more moments passed, and the distant crowd of a hundred thousand cultivators began to stir. Some of the powerhouses above the Ninth Tier rose to their feet.
“Judging by the scene, Tan Qiu has won!”
“The Great Annihilation Sword has been broken! As long as he possesses even a thread of soul power, there is no turning back for Jue Yu.”
“Jue Yu actually lost? Unbelievable. The rankings of the Six Ultimate Swords of the Cloud Realm will have to be redrawn now—”
“Nineteen thousand, four hundred and forty-nine swords defended, the final strike to attack. A single sword to victory—it’s exactly the same as the battle in Black Spirit Valley a year and a half ago!”
“To completely decipher a heaven-shaking technique of the Ninth Tier like the Great Annihilation Sword in just four hours. This person’s talent is truly unmatched in this world—”
“—Tan Qiu of the Common Life Dao, with his Boundless Sword of the Primordial Unity?”
“From this day forward, another person has ascended to the ranks of the world’s supreme powerhouses. To do so with the strength of the Seventh Tier—truly incredible—”
Just as these murmurs began to rise again, a sharp ‘clang’ resonated through the void.
The silver sword-shadow suddenly erupted in a brilliant, yet ethereal, light. Wherever it touched, the tide of black swords scattered like snow melting under the fierce sun.
The beam of light pierced forward with almost irresistible force, shattering and repelling Jue Yu’s last vestiges of defense. It descended like a falling star, invincible, until finally, it rested lightly upon the center of Jue Yu’s brow.
When this moment was perfectly frozen in time, even the Ninth Tier experts who had anticipated the outcome let out sighs.
And the hundred thousand cultivators produced a collective ‘buzz.’ Countless people rose to their feet, staring fixedly at the mid-air tableau, their expressions overwhelmingly complex, dominated by feeling.
They mourned the end of Jue Yu’s myth—the legend who had swept across the Ten Great Sacred Lands and the Nineteen Spirit Mansions—yet they marveled at Tan Qiu’s meteoric rise.
“This Tan Qiu actually won—”
“The rising talent surpassed Jue Yu by a margin.”
“Truly magnificent, but it leaves one wanting more!”
“Ten days ago, Xue Yu battled Jue Yu, losing in one hundred and forty-six strokes. Today, Tan Qiu fought Jue Yu for four hours, besting him after one hundred and ninety-four thousand, five hundred strikes! This Common Life Dao Sect is indeed not comparable to ordinary sects!”
“Neither of these two deserves the moniker of the Ultimate Sword! I wonder what the other four will prove to be like?”
Within the Celestial Realm of the Common Life, amidst the throng of disciples, Xuan Ye stood in an unremarkable corner, her gaze fixed intently on the sky.
—For a year and a half, she had never stopped striving. In fact, these past few months, she hadn't allowed herself a moment's rest.
But why was the gap between her and Tan Qiu still so immense?
She couldn't withstand even a single strike from either of these two men!
Suddenly, Xuan Ye recalled her Master’s words. She had, from beginning to end, grown up in a greenhouse, never having experienced real hardship. Whereas Jue Yu, since debuting at fifteen, had fought over three hundred battles of varying scales, growing from the Fifth Tier upward, almost every day spent in peril, tempered by life and death.
It was said that his sword was not something she could compare to.
—Perhaps this was the essential difference between her and Jue Yu.
But why was Tan Qiu the same as Jue Yu, perhaps even superior? His swordsmanship seemed forged through a thousand trials—concise yet exquisitely profound—
Beside her, Yong Qin pursed her lips, her tone strangely mixed with a hint of satisfaction and lingering annoyance. “This Tan Qiu actually won. It seems I underestimated him! Fine, since he won this time, I, Yong Qin, won't hold it against him.”
Chen Rou, hearing this, let out a soft laugh. She thought to herself, You didn't underestimate him; you were just hoping Zong Shou would make a fool of himself so you could have something to mock. Still, she knew Yong Qin meant no real malice.
In the distant crowd, another figure stood—Yuan Fei, his face somewhat pale, staring at the sky.
Suddenly, a light, bell-like laugh sounded near his ear. “Isn't this Martial Nephew-Grandson Fei Yuan? What are you doing here?”
Yuan Fei turned to see Xue Chu seated cross-legged atop a floating sword, Fei Ling, smiling merrily down at him, her eyes brimming with excitement.
It was unclear if she was happy for Tan Qiu’s victory or simply excited for another chance to tease him.
“The result is that my Young Master won! What will you do about changing your name?”
Yuan Fei’s complexion cycled from ashen to pale, then back again. Finally, he let out a faint sigh and bowed deeply toward Chu Xue.
“Henceforth, I, Yuan Fei, shall be named Fei Yuan. Until I gain the recognition of my fellow disciples, and receive the approval of Chief Tan and Miss Xue Chu, I shall not change my name!”
With that, he staggered, utterly dejected, and began walking toward the direction of the Celestial Realm.
Xue Chu paused, then scratched her forehead with a fingernail, looking troubled.
She felt a strange, inexplicable pang of guilt.
It seemed that changing his name had dealt Yuan Fei a massive blow?
She was also confused. What did his name change have to do with her or the Young Master?
It was a pity that Elder Sister Yanran and Elder Sister Yunlan were not present; if they were, they would surely know how to handle this.
In the mid-air, the silver sword energy in Zong Shou’s hand dissipated after only a moment. A thin line of blood simultaneously trickled down from Jue Yu’s brow.
At the very last instant, Zong Shou had possessed the power to kill Jue Yu on the spot! Yet, at the critical moment, he had held back his sword energy.
Jue Yu remained bewildered, only regaining some semblance of awareness in his eyes after a familiar moment passed.
“This is my second defeat, following the one against the Sword Maniac, Yuan Wushang! In my entire life of three hundred and twenty-four battles, I have only lost to you two!”
The Sword Maniac, Yuan Wushang, was formerly the foremost among the Three Ultimate Swords.
Zong Shou had not recovered much soul power. The eighteen True Talismans within his body, and the black and white cavities, were severely depleted.
This battle had nearly damaged his vital essence. Without several days of secluded cultivation, the current recovery would yield little Soul Energy.
Unable to speak, he could only listen quietly.
“However, in both these defeats, I, Jue Yu, am completely convinced!”
Jue Yu then gave a self-deprecating smile. “Two years ago, upon emerging from seclusion, I intended to challenge the various sects. It was to complete my sword path accumulation and seek a breakthrough, preparing for a rematch with the Sword Maniac. I never expected that upon reaching the Fifth Heaven Realm, I would encounter someone like you. There truly exists someone in this world whose innate talent for the sword path rivals Yuan Wushang’s!”
Zong Shou cupped his fist in return, indicating that he was being overpraised. Jue Yu continued, looking at his own hands.
“But the result is not bad! This battle has brought many gains. I, Jue Yu, feel I have grasped the path to Spiritual Attunement in swordsmanship—truly a massive stroke of luck. I have a greater chance against the Sword Maniac now. Yet, after today, I, Jue Yu, have gained another person I must pursue and defeat!”
Zong Shou shook his head slightly. His victory today was partly due to luck; the outcome had hinged on a razor-thin margin.
Jue Yu’s innate talent was, in truth, comparable to his own. However, since Zong Shou had already reached the Sword Soul level, analyzing and dissecting the Great Annihilation Sword was naturally easier for him.
Once this man returned, processed, and absorbed what he had gained from this bout, defeating him again would not be so easy. He was hardly in a position to speak of ‘chasing’ or ‘catching up.’
He also realized that after his own breakthrough into the Celestial Tier, the accumulated advantages from his previous life were nearly exhausted. Advancing further in the future would not be nearly as simple.
“I truly don’t know how you, at such a young age, cultivated your swordsmanship. It is even more concise and domineering than mine, as if you’ve experienced countless slaughters. Grand in its majestic aura, Heaven-bestowed in its magnificence—like the Emperor of Swords, commanding willing submission—”
At this point, Jue Yu’s gaze became slightly unfocused, as if recalling something, losing its target.
Yue Yu was speechless. Grand in its majestic aura, Heaven-bestowed in its magnificence, Emperor of Swords? He certainly didn't see it that way.
Jue Yu paid him no mind; after a moment of distraction, he regained his composure.
“This battle is over. There is no benefit for me to linger, nor do I wish to be ridiculed and mocked by those people. I shall take my leave now! I only hope that before I come knocking again, you do not lose to someone else! Oh, right, I acted shamelessly this time by blocking the gate to demand a fight; that was my fault! My apologies!”
Saying this, Jue Yu departed instantly, leaving that sliver of space-time, his destination unknown.
Meanwhile, the hundred thousand cultivators below were still in an uproar.
“Grand in its majestic aura, Heaven-bestowed in its magnificence? It does carry a certain flavor!”
“Emperor of Swords? It seems to be a title well-earned—”
“The second of the Six Ultimate Swords of the Cloud Realm—Sword Emperor Tan Qiu!”
Zong Shou, floating in the sky, could hear the voices below. He couldn't help but feel deeply awkward and slightly apprehensive.
In his previous life, dominating among the players and being listed as one of the Seven Emperors, known as Sword Emperor Tan Qiu, he could accept it calmly.
But in this era overflowing with heroes, he truly dared not accept the title of Sword Emperor.
Not to mention that beyond the Cloud Realm, there were many other worlds where Spirit Realms were commonplace and Immortals flew everywhere.
As he frowned slightly, Han Fang’s voice suddenly manifested beside him.
“After today, Junior Brother, you are truly renowned throughout the Cloud Realm! The freshly minted second Ultimate Sword—how does it feel?”
His tone was filled with teasing intent. However, as he appeared, a spark of spiritual light shot out, entering Zong Shou’s soul form.
It was like a drop of spiritual essence. The moment it entered his body, Zong Shou felt a cool, comfortable sensation wash over him.
His depleted soul power recovered by nearly a third in an instant. Although his Soul Sea still felt a faint discomfort, his soul form had at least stabilized once more.
Then, Tan Qiu smiled again.
“After today, Junior Brother will surely be the focus of everyone’s attention. I fear you won’t know a moment of peace—”
Zong Shou’s eyebrows twitched, then returned to normal. If he could remain low-key, that would naturally be best. If not, he wouldn't care.
He knew from his previous life that he was not the kind of person who could endure silence.
“What is there to fear?”
As he spoke, Zong Shou looked at his own hands. He had a strong feeling that his sword intent seemed to have broken through again just then.
He longed to unleash a sword strike right now to see if that was true—