Firmament Sword

This sword strike... was too fast!

Too sudden!

It was like a fleeting shadow, arriving in an instant!

Even Xu Luo hadn’t expected it.

’An assassination... a direct, frontal assault! Assassins almost always strike from behind!’

’This is... simply unbelievable!’

The strike was earth-shattering, and its killing intent was contained yet palpable. Only Xu Luo could sense the great terror hidden within!

Xu Luo’s scalp tingled as a chill shot up his spine. With a loud shout, he channeled Yin Power into his left hand and Yang Power into his right. In that instant, he clapped his palms together, catching the incoming sword!

PFFT!

The surging, sharp Sword Qi left a bloody gash between Xu Luo’s brows, but the blade itself... was caught between his palms!

At this moment, the incredible power of Xu Luo’s physical body was on full display. His hands, as if forged from diamond, held the thrusting sword in a vice-like grip.

Xu Luo expelled the Yin Yang Power from his palms and twisted his hands forcefully... CRACK!

With a sharp crack, the incredibly sharp sword was snapped in two!

But the assailant was decisive. The moment his sword was caught and about to be broken, he let out a cold snort and twisted his wrist...

The sword broke, but the remaining half was forcibly twisted sideways between Xu Luo’s palms!

Then, the man roared and lunged forward with all his might.

The broken blade, still in Xu Luo’s hands, was forced to slice forward.

SHIIING!

Xu Luo’s palms were cut open, and fresh blood began to flow.

But Xu Luo seized this chance. Instead of retreating, he advanced, unleashing a torrent of Yin Yang Power as he threw a punch at his opponent.

”To think you could dodge my strike...” The man’s voice was frigid, as if emanating from ancient ice. Just hearing it sent a chill deep into one’s bones.

His hazy figure flickered, dodging Xu Luo’s terrifying punch.

”You’re Wind?” Xu Luo suddenly recalled the man at the Baihua Auction House who had called himself Wind. His voice was identical to the person before him, and the name escaped his lips.

”Oh? You know me?” The man, who seemed to be shrouded in mist, was slightly surprised. Then he let out a sinister chuckle. ”Even better! I was worried they might have lied to me, but it turns out it’s true. You’re the one who auctioned the Nether Flower Seed!”

”I have no quarrel with you. Why have you come here to assassinate me?” After Wind dodged his punch, Xu Luo didn’t press the attack. Instead, he took two steps back and stood there, staring coldly at the man.

”I’m an assassin. I’m here to kill you because someone paid me to,” Wind said, looking nonchalantly at Xu Luo. ”However, if you can give me a Nether Flower Seed, perhaps... this matter is still negotiable.”

”Is that so? I’ve heard that the four great assassins—Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon—have an excellent reputation and never break their word. Wouldn’t doing this... destroy your credibility?” Xu Luo said calmly, looking at Wind.

”Credibility? Heh... That depends on the price of breaking it. A single Nether Flower Seed is worth ruining my reputation for, just this once,” Wind said coldly, without a hint of shame.

”Unfortunately, there’s only one Nether Flower Seed... If you want one, you’ll have to wait for it to bloom and produce more,” Xu Luo said.

”Fine... I was a bit torn, anyway. It wasn’t easy to build my reputation to this point, and ruining it... would have left a bad taste in my mouth.” Wind stared at Xu Luo and said coldly, ”You’ve made the choice for me! If there’s no Nether Flower Seed, then you can just die!”

”Wait...” Xu Luo called out to Wind, who was about to charge.

”What, having second thoughts? Did you suddenly find that you have... more than one Nether Flower Seed?” Wind said, looking at Xu Luo with a mocking gaze.

”No. There’s something I’m curious about,” Xu Luo said. ”You became famous years ago when you killed a Senior Deacon from Celestial Brilliance. That Deacon was at the Peak of the Great Saint Realm and on the verge of becoming a Supreme, yet you killed him. That... has always been your proudest achievement, hasn’t it?”

”So what if it is?” Wind stared coldly at Xu Luo.

”Nothing. I just find it interesting. You killed a Senior Deacon from Celestial Brilliance, and now you’ve managed to infiltrate Celestial Brilliance without anyone knowing and find me so easily. It seems... the person who hired you is from within Celestial Brilliance. And their status... isn’t low,” Xu Luo said with a smile.

”You want to know? Go ask the dead after I kill you!” As Wind spoke, his figure suddenly vanished!

He was Wind, the leader of the four great assassins. What he excelled at... was attacking like the wind itself!

The wind is formless, yet it is everywhere!

PFFT!

A spray of blood burst from Xu Luo’s shoulder, quickly dyeing his robes red.

But a dull THUD echoed in the air, followed by Wind’s muffled grunt. ”Quick reflexes, but... you still can’t escape death!”

”We’ll see who dies today!” Xu Luo gritted his teeth. Since he began his journey, he had faced countless dangers and always managed to overcome them, but he had rarely been this on the defensive.

His opponent was clearly far stronger than him, at least a master at the Peak of the Great Saint Realm, while he was only at the Peak of the Saint Realm. He was an entire major realm behind!

Furthermore, Wind was an assassin who specialized in various forms of stealth attacks, so he wouldn’t engage Xu Luo in a direct confrontation at all, relying entirely on ambushes.

He came without a shadow and left without a trace!

This was precisely why Wind could assassinate people who were many realms stronger than him!

PFFT!

Another gash was sliced open on Xu Luo’s arm, and blood flowed freely.

Fortunately, his opponent’s weapon wasn’t coated in poison. Otherwise, Xu Luo would be in an even worse position.

”I never thought a brat who hasn’t even reached the Great Saint Realm could have such immense combat power. It looks like... I’ll have to ask my client for a bonus!” Wind’s icy voice drifted erratically through the room.

”There’s a lot you haven’t thought of!” As Xu Luo spoke, he suddenly summoned the Soul Scripture Stele, treating it like a brick and smashing it into the empty space to his left.

BANG!

CRACK!

The sound of a bone cracking echoed through the air!

”HSSS!” Wind sucked in a sharp breath of cold air from the pain. The bone in his left forearm had been fractured by the blow, and the agony was immense!

But an incredibly excited glint appeared in Wind’s eyes. ”I never imagined... you’d have such a supreme treasure on you! Once I kill you... it’ll be mine!”

BOOM!

Xu Luo’s aura erupted. He used his incredibly tough body to withstand the immense pressure radiating from Wind, breaking through the suppression at the cost of coughing up a mouthful of blood. Then, Xu Luo hurled the Soul Scripture Stele directly at Wind, who had also just reappeared.

”You like it so much... then take it!”

RUMBLE!

With a tremendous roar, the house Xu Luo was in exploded. The massive sound echoed far across the valley.

But Wind moved like a phantom, appearing before Xu Luo in an instant. He cackled, ”Trying to attract attention? I’ve already killed everyone in this valley!”

”What did you say?” Xu Luo’s eyes burned with fury. There weren’t many people in the valley, but they were all attendants who had been with him from the very beginning.

Other than Sun Xiaohong, who was participating in the Outer Sect’s annual competition and had achieved excellent results, Han Shuang, Wei Dong, and the others all lived here!

”Why so emotional? They’re just a bunch of servants. Once you’re dead, you can go keep them company!” Wind chuckled sinisterly and struck out with his palm toward Xu Luo’s chest.

”I’ll fight you to the death!” Xu Luo roared. The Beidou Sword shot out, transforming into a rainbow of light that slashed toward Wind’s head. At the same time, the Soul Scripture Stele released a peerless, frigid aura that threatened to instantly freeze the world around them.

Wind, who prided himself on his speed, instantly sensed the danger. He bellowed in anger and tried to retreat.

”Too late!”

Xu Luo spat out the two words through gritted teeth as he summoned... the Bronze Divine Hall!

BOOM!

The world before them seemed to collapse, unable to contain the aura of the Bronze Divine Hall World!

Wind’s palm strike sent Xu Luo flying, coughing up a torrent of blood. But he himself was instantly suppressed by the Bronze Divine Hall World!

Wind’s eyes widened in disbelief. He only had time to utter one last sentence: ”Fuck... Are you even human? How can you have so many treasures...?”

PFFT!

The Beidou Sword swept past, severing Wind’s head from his neck. Blood spurted high into the air!

A Primordial Spirit shot out from between Wind’s brows. It stared at Xu Luo with venomous hatred, its overwhelming resentment threatening to engulf the entire valley.

At that moment, the Soul Scripture Stele suddenly erupted with a brilliant light. An aura of compassion radiated from the light, blanketing the entire valley.

Wind’s Primordial Spirit shrieked in terror, as if it had seen the most horrifying thing in the world. It was completely unable to escape and was purified by the compassionate aura from the Soul Scripture Stele, dissolving into nothingness and vanishing from the world.

A world-renowned assassin of his generation... had fallen, just like that, in the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden!

At this point, Xu Luo was also a spent force. Forcing himself to stay conscious, he recalled the Bronze Divine Hall and the Beidou Sword into his Dantian, and then put away the Soul Scripture Stele.

By now, the commotion had already attracted a great deal of attention. Countless figures were... streaking through the night sky toward his location.

The first person Xu Luo saw was Yuwen Ji, his face twisted in a near-maniacal rage. ”Who dares to touch my disciple! I’ll slaughter their entire clan!”

’I... already killed him...’ Xu Luo tried to speak, but his body was completely drained of strength, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Following him, more and more people arrived from all directions.

In the night, the valley where Xu Luo lived became as bustling as a marketplace.

Countless major figures rushed over from all corners. Warships filled the sky, and Teleportation Arrays flashed incessantly. The light didn’t cease until dawn!

Grand Elder Zuo Mingyu of the Scripture Pavilion arrived with his disciple, Su Qianqian. The Xie Family, a Heritage Clan, sent people over with Xie Yurou. Qi Yue had arrived even earlier and was already standing guard.

Some of Celestial Brilliance’s most powerful and influential Grand Elders also appeared in the Medicine Garden. In the end, even the Sect Leader, Xiahou Kaiyuan, arrived in person!

Almost everyone was utterly enraged!