"Master, what is the ultimate realm for a swordsman? Is it unity of man and sword?" Ye Jingyu swallowed hard, asking softly, his heart filled with dread...

"Unity of man and sword? If it is unity of man and sword, is he still a swordsman? He's just a blade. The final realm of a swordsman is that all things under heaven can be a sword—a strand of hair, a withered blade of grass, a bead of water, a wisp of air, even a single thought... all can become a sword..." Dugu Bachen spoke lightly, his gaze fixed ahead. Under the intensity of his stare, the nine people, including Bai Yunlan, dared not move an inch...

"All things under heaven can be a sword..." Ye Jingyu murmured, yet a tremor of horror shook his heart. A strand of hair, a withered blade of grass, even water and air acting as swords was one thing; those were tangible objects. But a thought? A thought was merely a concept in the mind—how could that possibly become a blade?

"You haven't even finished cultivating the Thunderclap Blade Technique, so naturally, you don't understand these things yet. You just need to remember this for now..." Dugu Bachen stated calmly...

"I understand, Master..." Ye Jingyu nodded thoughtfully, his eyes drifting toward Bai Tianyu, within which a nascent sword embryo was slowly taking shape...

For some inexplicable reason, upon meeting Ye Jingyu's gaze, Bai Tianyun felt an involuntary shudder ripple through him...

"If you wish to kill him, Master will give you the opportunity to do it yourself. But as you are now, you are not his match. Your Master will kill the others first, and when you are strong enough, you may slay him yourself..." Dugu Bachen stated with utter placidity, yet his words sent tidal waves crashing through the remaining nine people. In the end, only one person would be permitted to live, and the reason for that survival was to await Ye Jingyu's killing stroke...

How utterly farcical, how utterly absurd. Especially since these individuals represented the Bai family's strongest elites, yet now, not one could manage a wry smile. Even Bai Yunlan was speechless...

"Whoosh..." Another streak of blade light manifested from thin air, slicing directly toward Bai Yunlan...

Facing the hurtling blade light, Bai Yunlan gently closed his eyes. Though this strike appeared simple, he knew it contained ten thousand variations. No matter how hard he strained, resisting this single blow was utterly beyond his capacity...

There was nothing he could do but await death...

Even if this represented an immense disgrace for the head of the Bai family...

As for the others, though they clearly saw the incoming blade, for some unknown reason, their movements felt agonizingly slow. They tried to rush forward to block the strike intended for their patriarch, but their speed was like watching an action in slow motion—there was simply no time...

This one blade had already torn through the fabric of spacetime...

"Years Pass..." But just then, a hollow voice echoed from the void. Immediately following, a flash of golden light erupted, violently colliding with the blade light. The attack that had cleaved through spacetime was instantly shattered by this golden radiance...

However, that golden light dissipated along with the impact, and a figure materialized out of nowhere before the crowd...

It was a man of supreme handsomeness, his waist-length white hair flowing behind him. His countenance was striking, his eyes piercingly bright, and he was clad in robes of white brocade, exuding an air of exceptional elegance...

The moment he appeared, Dugu Bachen's expression remained utterly unchanged. But Bai Yunlan, who stood before his seat at over one hundred and thirty years old, immediately dropped to his knees and began to weep uncontrollably like a child...

"Unfilial great-grandson Bai Yunlan pays respects to the High Ancestor..." He had never expected to see him in his moment of deepest despair. With him present, they would all be safe, and the Bai family would be spared utter annihilation...

Upon hearing Bai Yunlan address the young man before them as High Ancestor, Bai Tianyu and the others were initially startled, but quickly recovered, kneeling down one by one, unsure what form of address to use...

Especially Bai Jingfei—the ancestor of his own great-grandfather—how was he supposed to address him?

Ye Jingyu felt a slight shock witnessing the young man who had effortlessly dispersed his Master's blade aura. However, seeing his Master's unperturbed face calmed him. It was only when he watched Bai Yunlan and the others kneel and utter the title 'High Ancestor' that he recalled that legendary figure...

"Brother Dugu, you are a master of high standing. Why do you trouble my juniors like this?" The young man ignored Bai Yunlan and the others, merely glancing at Ye Jingyu before addressing Dugu Bachen...

"Bai Xiaodi, so it is permitted for your descendants to bully my apprentice, but I am forbidden from killing them?" Dugu Bachen scoffed, showing no deference whatsoever to the Bai Xiaodi before him...

Yet, hearing their Old Ancestor address the man as 'Brother Dugu,' the faces of Bai Yunlan and the others behind Bai Xiaodi drained of color once more, their already pale complexions turning utterly translucent...

Among the Dugu clan, historically devoted to the sword, the only individual who wielded a blade yet was called 'Brother' by their Old Ancestor could only be one person: Dugu Bachen...

No wonder, no wonder he held them in such low regard, no wonder he referred to them as mere children. At this moment, Bai Yunlan finally understood. But he was utterly perplexed—how could Dugu Bachen take on a disciple who was barely a teenager...

"You have already slain so many of my Bai family members. Is that not enough to atone with blood?" Bai Xiaodi stated calmly...

"Certainly not enough..." Dugu Bachen sneered...

"Are you planning to kill more?" Bai Xiaodi's voice chilled slightly...

"If I wish to kill you, can you even stop me?" Dugu Bachen continued to sneer, and his body, which had remained still, took a single step forward...

Instantly, a terrifying surge of blade energy shot out. The violent aura cleaved a long trench into the ground, stretching directly towards Bai Xiaodi, forcing him back three full steps before the force finally dissipated...

Witnessing such might, the expression on Bai Xiaodi's face changed...

"What exactly do you want? Have you forgotten the Battle of Soul Scourge in three years?" Bai Xiaodi's tone finally showed a trace of concern...

"The Battle of Soul Scourge? Very well. Today I will spare their lives for my apprentice to claim in three years. But I demand this man's head..." Dugu Bachen looked directly at Bai Ziyun...

Under Dugu Bachen's searing gaze, Bai Ziyun nearly lost his soul...

"You..."

"Do you strike yourself, or shall I?" Bai Xiaodi was about to erupt in anger but was cut off by Dugu Bachen... His domineering attitude truly lived up to his reputation as Dugu Bachen...

"The reason..."

"Kill him, or not..." Dugu Bachen snorted coldly, his stance unyielding, leaving absolutely no room for compromise...

Bai Xiaodi raged...