Firmament Sword

”Such intense energy fluctuations, traveling all this way... The people fighting over there are clearly no ordinary experts!” Xu Luo murmured, gazing into the distance.

The distance was too great. Aside from sensing the faint, intermittent fluctuations, he couldn’t see the two combatants.

’Should I go have a look?’ Xu Luo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned his surroundings, a wry smile forming in his mind. ’I don’t even know where I am right now, and I’m actually thinking about meddling in other people’s affairs?’

Just as Xu Luo was preparing to leave, no longer curious, the fluctuations began to move steadily in his direction... Then, two figures appeared on the distant horizon, blazing with divine light and trailing long, rainbow-like streaks. They fought fiercely in the sky, drawing closer and closer!

’This... These are the kind of fluctuations only a high-level Divine Power Realm expert could produce!’ As the two figures on the horizon grew closer, Xu Luo could finally sense their power clearly.

Afterward, Xu Luo concealed himself and completely suppressed his aura.

Since they were already fighting their way over, he didn’t mind waiting a bit. He could also take the opportunity to see if he could learn from these two... just where on earth this place was.

The chances of this being the Central Plains Star Continent were minuscule. Across the entire Central Plains Star Continent, it would be difficult to find many experts in the Divine Power Realm, let alone high-level ones like these.

Xu Luo had a suspicion but couldn’t be certain.

He knew Shaking Light had always hoped he would cultivate to a higher realm out in the world before returning home, but he wanted to go back now.

Therefore, it was possible that this was Shaking Light and the others’ handiwork...

”Huo Wannian, your Huo Family has gone too far! It’s one thing to go to the Central Plains Star Continent and act like some great power, but you want to call yourselves the number one family here on the Ancient Race Continent too?” a deep male voice boomed from high in the heavens.

Xu Luo’s heart skipped a beat, and a wry smile touched his lips. ’Just as I thought... I’ve been tricked by Shaking Light and the others. When I set the coordinates for the Heaven-Piercing Shuttle, Tianquan Star Soul gave me the coordinates for the Ancient Race Continent!’

”Whether we’re the number one family isn’t for you to decide, but we’re certainly much stronger than your Song Family,” an aged voice replied from the clouds. It seemed to merge with heaven and earth, echoing through the world with a peculiar resonance.

”Huo Wannian, you can drop the whole mystifying act. There are no outsiders here, so there’s no need to use your Huo Family’s cheap tricks of playing god,” the deep voice said with a jeer. ”I heard a while back that your little brother led a group to the Central Plains Star Continent, only to come crawling back in disgrace. Haha, how was it? Beidou’s Eighth Star is pretty impressive, eh?”

”Still better than someone who doesn’t even dare to go,” the aged voice replied faintly, still seeming to emanate from the world itself, humming as it enveloped the land below.

”Didn’t dare? You’re right, I didn’t. Because I also heard that your Huo Family sent ten great Sword Saint experts to the Central Plains Star Continent. They had barely set foot on the land when one of them got too cocky and provoked the ire of a taboo existence there. With a single word—’scram’—they were all driven back?” The deep voice was filled with ridicule, and he couldn’t help but burst into laughter. ”Hahahaha, truly fascinating! Your Huo Family... you really know how to churn out ’talent’! The number one family of the Ancient Race... In my opinion, you’re the most *disgraced* family of the Ancient Race! And to think you believed no one knew about your shameful deeds. I bet you never imagined... this story has already spread across the entire Ancient Race Continent! Hahahaha!”

The deep voice roared with laughter, and even the sunset clouds in the twilight sky seemed to flicker in response.

Listening from below, Xu Luo was utterly astounded. He never imagined that after the failure of Huo Wanzhang’s group, the Huo Family had actually sent more people to the Central Plains Star Continent—and ten powerful Sword Saints at that!

The revelation left Xu Luo both shocked and enraged. ’That Huo Family has no shame at all! But... who is this taboo existence who drove back ten Divine Power Realm experts with just the word ’scram’...? Can it be... that the Central Plains Star Continent actually has an expert of that level?’

As Xu Luo speculated, his worries for his family lessened considerably. Regardless, the Huo Family from the Ancient Race Continent had long been a great weight on his mind.

”Song Chengfeng, you’re courting death!” High in the sky, the aged voice that had been one with the world suddenly erupted in fury. Faintly, the sound of thunder rumbled through the heavens!

Immediately after, a long streak of light shot out from one figure, slashing toward the other!

This streak of light contained an unparalleled killing intent!

Even from such a great distance, and though the attack wasn’t aimed at him, Xu Luo still felt a sense of dread rise from the depths of his soul. A chill ran down his spine!

Xu Luo thought to himself, ’If that attack were aimed at me... could I even dodge it?’

He then shook his head internally. ’If that strike were aimed at me, I’d be completely unable to dodge it! Not even with the Shaking Light Step, renowned for its unrivaled speed!’

This killing intent was imbued with the supreme laws of heaven and earth. To draw a comparison, a common man kills with a sword, but a higher being kills with the rules!

That was the difference!

This supreme killing intent was formless, yet it struck directly at a person’s very soul!

This was a law!

The supreme Heaven and Earth Laws!

Xu Luo started to feel a bit worried for the expert from the Song Family.

The enemy of his enemy was his friend. There was virtually no chance of reconciliation with the Huo Family, so Xu Luo wouldn’t mind doing anything that caused them misfortune.

It was just that in his current state... all he could do was watch secretly from the sidelines.

BOOM!

From Song Chengfeng’s direction, myriad rays of brilliant light suddenly erupted!

It was supposed to be twilight, but for a moment, it was as bright as the rising sun!

The world was abruptly illuminated!

From within those tens of thousands of rays of light, Song Chengfeng’s deep and calm voice emerged. ”A supreme killing intent, imbued with the Heaven and Earth Laws... Huo Wannian, it seems you haven’t wasted these past few years; you’ve achieved some results in your cultivation. However, against me, you’re still far too weak! It’s just like the old days. As a child, you couldn’t beat me in a fight. As a man, you couldn’t beat me in love. Now that we’re old, did you think something would change? Let me tell you... dream on! You are still... not... my... match!”

As he finished speaking, a powerful life aura erupted from within the brilliant light!

This life aura was so dense it filled the heavens and the earth for thousands of miles around!

Xu Luo almost couldn’t stop himself from circulating the Shadow Shaking Heart Method and starting to cultivate on the spot!

This life aura was more powerful than anything he had ever encountered before, many times stronger than any he had previously obtained!

Ultimately, Xu Luo restrained himself. He didn’t want to alert the two great powers in the sky.

’Even though they look like they’re fighting to the death, they’re aware of every blade of grass that stirs on the ground. If I dared to leak the slightest wisp of my aura, I would never escape their Spiritual Sense.’

”The Killing Dao... is the Dao of death. It’s a dead end; you can’t walk it to the end! I told you this when we were children, but unfortunately, you never believed me.” Song Chengfeng’s voice was light, still deep and pleasant, but in Huo Wannian’s ears, it sounded demonic.

”You... You... You actually... cultivated... the Life Dao? A Demon King like you... How is that possible!” Huo Wannian’s voice finally cracked, and one could distinctly feel that his perfect harmony with the world was faltering. He was overcome with shock and rage.

”Hehe, that’s right. I told you back then, and Xiaoya told you too!” Song Chengfeng said in a completely relaxed tone.

”Don’t you dare mention Xiaoya! You wretched pair! You adulterous filth! I hate you! I will tear you to shreds!” Huo Wannian roared, his aura swelling as he sent streak after streak of light slashing toward Song Chengfeng within his brilliant aura.

”Why bother...? It’s all in the past, so many years ago, yet you’re still holding such a grudge.” Song Chengfeng said with a cheerful laugh, ”Do you really want to fight me to the death?”

”Today, either you die, or I do! You, Song... let’s settle the score between us once and for all!” Huo Wannian’s roar was no longer in harmony with the world. Instead, it was like a clap of thunder, like the tolling of a great bell that threatened to crack the very sky!

”Fine... Back then, you harmed Xiaoya, disfigured her, and made her hide from me for over one hundred and twenty years. It was Xiaoya, after I finally found her, who pleaded with me not to kill you. She said she didn’t hate you... Heh.” Song Chengfeng’s voice trembled slightly now, laced with a bone-deep hatred.

”Xiaoya might not hate you, but I... how could I not? Huo Wannian, you are nothing but a complete hypocrite! A beast! You hurt Xiaoya so badly, yet you still have the audacity to say you love her... In front of everyone else, you always put on the act of a man heartbroken by love. Only I... know what kind of animal you truly are!” Song Chengfeng’s rage completely erupted as he bellowed, ”And now, you’re the one to suggest we settle things? Hah... Wonderful! That suits me just fine! Let me be the one to deal with a supreme hypocrite like you!”

”Nonsense! I wasn’t the one who harmed Xiaoya!” Huo Wannian shrieked, his attacks becoming utterly merciless, each one a world-shaking killing blow.

Their battle tore the vast evening clouds to shreds. The boundless sea of clouds was blasted apart, and the air filled with terrifying energies. A single stray ripple of power could have easily claimed the life of a king-level expert!

”Even now, you’re still lying to me? What’s the point?”

”Fine, I admit it... I’m the one who hurt Xiaoya! Song Chengfeng... what right did you have to win her heart? In terms of family, looks, status... how could you possibly compare to me? All you had was a tiny bit more strength; otherwise, you were worthless! Why did she choose you and not me? If I can’t have her... neither can you! Hahahaha, Song Chengfeng, do you have to go puke every time you look at Xiaoya’s hideous face these days? Huh? Hahahaha!” Huo Wannian dissolved into crazed, maniacal laughter.

”Go on, laugh. I healed the injury on Xiaoya’s face long ago,” Song Chengfeng said calmly. ”The Huo Family’s poison is potent, it’s true, but the world is ultimately a fair place. Besides, even if Xiaoya’s face could never be restored, she would still be the most beautiful woman in the world to me! And for that reason alone, she chose me, not a heartless monster like you!”