Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

”You little thief, so you were here after all!”

As dawn broke, Yang Xiao stretched, feeling refreshed. He had just noticed that a good deal of his spiritual power had recovered when a voice called out from the distance.

His expression immediately darkened.

He saw Wang Xiyan.

She wore the same purple dress as before, her expression just as arrogant, her gaze filled with contempt for Yang Xiao.

She paid him no regard whatsoever.

”Who do you think you are? How dare you insult someone from my Pure Yang Sword Sect!”

Yang Ziling’s voice suddenly rang out.

At the same time, a figure in purple moved to stand in front of Yang Xiao, blocking his view.

Using the bit of Spiritual Power he had just recovered, Yang Xiao briefly sensed her and discovered that Yang Ziling’s strength had reached the Peak of Innate Realm Third Layer.

’An Inner Sect Disciple at the Third Layer of the Innate Realm?’

’As expected. The Upper Three Sects are so much stronger than the Purple Sun Sect.’

Back in the Purple Sun Sect, forget the Third Layer of the Innate Realm—even the First Layer was enough to become a True Disciple.

However, while Yang Ziling was powerful, she was still a far cry from Wang Xiyan.

Yang Xiao couldn’t sense Wang Xiyan’s aura now, but he had back in the lava cave.

She was at the Eighth Layer of the Innate Realm.

Moreover, she cultivated a Thunder Element Minor Divine Technique. Although from what the green-robed Xuan Tianzhan had implied, it wasn’t a Martial Arts Divine Technique.

But to Yang Xiao, aside from a subtle strangeness in its aura, it seemed pretty much the same.

And she, too, was from one of the Upper Three Sects.

’Yang Ziling is no match for her.’

Sure enough, Wang Xiyan merely glanced at Yang Ziling, a flicker of disdain in her eyes.

”Someone from the Pure Yang Sword Sect? So, you little thief, you’re one of them.”

She wasn’t speaking to Yang Ziling, but to Yang Xiao.

Yang Ziling was instantly furious at being ignored like this.

She was about to draw her sword, but Yang Xiao grabbed her arm.

”You’re no match for her. Besides, she’s one of Xuan Tianzhan’s people.”

”Xuan Tianzhan? The Young Sect Leader of the Profound Celestial Sect!”

Now, Yang Ziling was truly shocked.

Her greatest ambition had always been to lead the Pure Yang Sword Sect to victory over the prodigies of the Profound Celestial Sect at the Nine Sects Grand Competition.

And Xuan Tianzhan—as one of the four great prodigies of the younger generation in the Celestial Cloud Region, Young Sect Leader of the Profound Celestial Sect, and their number one genius—was practically the ultimate goal of all Yang Ziling’s efforts.

Although with her current cultivation, Yang Ziling was in no way qualified to be Xuan Tianzhan’s opponent, she never stopped training.

She strove to become stronger.

She believed that, eventually, if she just kept working hard, she would have a chance to defeat Xuan Tianzhan.

But now, while she was still relatively weak, she had run into one of Xuan Tianzhan’s own subordinates.

And this subordinate, who was about her age—perhaps even a little younger—had a higher cultivation than she did.

For Yang Ziling, who had always seen Xuan Tianzhan as her goal, this was a heavy blow.

”That’s right. If you know what’s good for you, get out of my sight. Otherwise, don’t blame this young lady for being ruthless.”

Wang Xiyan sneered.

She had seen reactions like Yang Ziling’s countless times.

Anyone with any sense would have backed down.

To Wang Xiyan, a mere Martial Artist at the Peak of Innate Realm Third Layer was nothing. She could take care of her with a wave of her hand.

However, the boy before her—a boy even younger than herself—had some strange abilities.

She didn’t know why, but the little thief’s aura seemed incredibly weak right now.

Still, she wouldn’t underestimate Yang Xiao completely.

Of course, she wouldn’t overestimate him either.

Because in Wang Xiyan’s eyes, he wasn’t worthy of her attention.

”This is the Pure Yang Sword Sect’s territory, and you’re telling *me* to get lost?”

But contrary to Wang Xiyan’s expectations, Yang Ziling didn’t leave. Instead, she spoke up in anger.

Seeing this inexplicably furious girl, Wang Xiyan was momentarily stunned before breaking into a disdainful smile. ”If you’re looking to die, then so be it! As for the Pure Yang Sword Sect, I doubt it’ll be around for much longer anyway...”

”What did you just say? I dare you to say that again!”

Flames of rage practically shot from Yang Ziling’s eyes.

It was one thing for this woman to look down on her.

But to dare speak of her Sect in such a way...

After all, for the longest time, the Pure Yang Sword Sect had been the leader of the Nine Sects.

It was only in recent years, with the sudden rise of the Profound Celestial Sect and the emergence of Xuan Tianzhan, that they had been overtaken. And now, someone at Xuan Tianzhan’s side dared to speak with such arrogance.

Yang Ziling felt she had to teach this woman a lesson.

”Am I wrong? Of the four great prodigies of the younger generation, my Profound Celestial Sect claims three. The last one is from the Medicine King Valley. Does your Pure Yang Sword Sect have a single one? Oh, right, now that I think about it... there was that one, Yi Tianxing. He was decent enough. Too bad he dared to challenge my Young Sect Leader and was cut down with a single sword strike. Such a pity!”

Wang Xiyan’s face was a mask of disdain.

Then, it twisted into a mocking grin.

That Yi Tianxing was once the Young Master of the Pure Yang Sword Sect, a prodigy King who outshone all others of the younger generation. But unfortunately for him, he ran into her Young Sect Leader.

And just like that, the man who was once the foremost of the three great prodigy Kings died during the Nine Sects Grand Competition.

Along with him, more than a dozen True Disciples of the Pure Yang Sword Sect also fell.

That was what led to the current talent gap in the Pure Yang Sword Sect.

Naturally, Wang Xiyan had to bring it up to mock her.

”Die!”

Yang Ziling exploded with rage.

SHING! The longsword on her back flew from its sheath.

It landed in her hand, and she slashed swiftly toward Wang Xiyan.

”You’re overestimating yourself!”

Wang Xiyan scoffed. With a wave of her hand, a ball of lightning shot toward Yang Ziling.

Yang Ziling dodged in a flash.

She evaded it.

Her longsword continued on its path toward Wang Xiyan.

’She actually dodged it? Hmph. Even if she has a few tricks, she’s still just an insignificant nobody at the Peak of Innate Realm Third Layer. Nothing to worry about.’

The disdainful look returned to her face.

Everyone always said that disciples of the Pure Yang Sword Sect were experts at defeating stronger opponents.

But as someone who cultivated an Immortal Mystic Skill, she refused to believe that this woman at the Peak of Innate Realm Third Layer could possibly be her match.

So, with another wave of her hand, she sent a second ball of lightning flying toward Yang Ziling.

This one was even faster.

And more powerful.

And yet!

Yang Ziling dodged it again.

At the same instant, her sword reached Wang Xiyan.

It was as fast as a lightning flash.

It came within a hair’s breadth of slitting Wang Xiyan’s throat.

Of killing her.

In the end, while the sword strike didn’t kill Wang Xiyan—she managed to dodge it—it did sever a lock of her hair.

Wang Xiyan, having dodged the blow, stared in utter disbelief.

But that disbelief quickly turned into boundless rage.

”You... you’re dead!”

Yang Ziling had successfully enraged her.

In an instant, the two women—both dressed in purple, yet worlds apart in temperament, bearing, cultivation, and strength—were locked in a fierce battle.

Sparks flew!