Myriad Dragon Divine Sovereign

”Hahahahaha!”

Wen Qingye burst into laughter. His hair whipped about wildly as he stood ramrod straight and proud, head held high. An untamed, boundless aura radiated from him, sending a chill through the onlookers.

”What are you laughing at?” Wang Hai demanded, his anger flaring.

”You shouldn’t have come up here,” Wen Qingye said slowly, his smile vanishing.

Puzzled, Wang Hai asked, ”Why?”

”It is late autumn now,” Wen Qingye said, gently stroking his sword. His gaze was placid and detached.

”A pity no one will be here for your funeral!”

BOOM!

The surrounding crowd couldn’t suppress their gasps, and a murmur of discussion rose and fell.

’This Wen Qingye actually plans to kill a disciple of the Taiyi Pavilion.’

’The Taiyi Pavilion is an immense Sect that has dominated the Eastern Profound Domain for millennia.’

Killing intent flashed in Wang Hai’s eyes as he snarled, ”A funeral? You want to kill me? A mere ant like you?”

”An ant?” Wen Qingye let out a small laugh. ”The last person from your Taiyi Pavilion who called me an ant didn’t even leave his Divine Soul behind.”

”You dare kill a member of my Taiyi Pavilion? It seems I can’t let you leave here alive today.” As Wang Hai spoke, a silver longsword appeared in his hand.

The blade glinted coldly, brimming with overflowing killing intent. Indeed, the sword itself radiated a chilling killing intent purer than any human’s, without a single trace of impurity.

”July Killing Heart Sword Technique, First Sword!”

Perhaps truly enraged by Wen Qingye, Wang Hai went against everyone’s expectations and immediately unleashed the Taiyi Pavilion’s Emperor-level Intermediate Martial Arts, the July Killing Heart Sword Technique.

PFFT!

The July Killing Heart Sword Technique assailed not only the body, but the heart as well.

A starlight flashed before his eyes, followed by a cold glint. Wen Qingye felt a wave of icy, merciless Sword Qi rush toward him, its arrival both sudden and bizarre.

Even though Wen Qingye’s Primordial Qi was now severely depleted, he could still muster a small amount.

TING!

With his eyes fixed forward, Wen Qingye’s One Thought Sword flew up like an inverted hook. The blade in his hand erupted in a brilliant golden light, striking the weakest point of Wang Hai’s attack and shattering his Sword Qi.

Wang Hai was slightly surprised, but he quickly followed up with a second strike.

”July Killing Heart Sword Technique, Second Kill!”

SWISH!

Like a star flickering in the night sky, Wang Hai’s figure vanished, only to reappear directly in front of Wen Qingye. His silver blade, imbued with the purest killing intent, thrust mercilessly toward Wen Qingye’s throat.

It had to be said, Wang Hai’s Swordsmanship was impressive. He had already reached the realm of Tunnel Swordsmanship, and when paired with the July Killing Heart Sword Technique, it elevated the power of his swordplay to a whole new level.

This strike, aided by Wang Hai’s bizarre footwork and fueled by the profound Primordial Qi of the Ninth Heaven of Yin-Yang Realm, was astonishingly fast.

CLANG!

Sparks flew and shockwaves radiated in all directions!

Wen Qingye held his One Thought Sword before his chest, blocking the descending silver blade. However, the tremendous force of the impact still drove the One Thought Sword into his own flesh.

A trickle of fresh blood slowly ran down the One Thought Sword.

’My Primordial Qi is already running low, and I’m still a hair’s breadth away from my limit,’ Wen Qingye thought, his brow furrowing.

”July Killing Heart Sword Technique, Third Kill!”

Seeing Wen Qingye get wounded by his own blade, Wang Hai’s lips curved into a cold sneer. Pressing his advantage, he retracted his silver blade in a flash, only to thrust out again—this time, faster and even more viciously.

’So this is a disciple of the Taiyi Pavilion? He’s just too powerful. Strike after strike, Wen Qingye has no chance to fight back.’

’As expected of a Taiyi Pavilion disciple. He holds back, but once he strikes, it’s just one killing blow after another.’

In that brief moment, the tens of thousands of people beside the ring naturally had no time to speak, but the same thought flashed through all their minds.

SHING! SHING! SHING!

But just then, Wang Hai’s strike toward Wen Qingye’s heart went wide. It wasn’t due to a lack of accuracy on Wang Hai’s part; rather, Wen Qingye’s One Thought Sword had appeared and blocked the silver blade.

What truly stunned Wang Hai, however, was the angle and timing of Wen Qingye’s strike—it was utterly flawless. Moreover, an incredibly vigorous wave of Primordial Qi pulsed from the blade.

SWOOSH!

His strike having failed, Wang Hai flashed backward in retreat. He now understood just how formidable Wen Qingye was. ’If he’d put just a bit more Primordial Qi into that block, I would have been injured from my own carelessness,’ he thought. With that realization, Wang Hai stared at Wen Qingye in bewildered suspicion.

”That last strike from Wen Qingye was incredible... but why do I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before?” the Great Elder of the Zhou Family mused to himself.

”The Celestial Profound Sword Technique! The Celestial Profound Sword Technique at the Peak of King Grade!”

”He’s a disciple of the Celestial Profound Sect! So that’s it, this Wen Qingye is a disciple of the Celestial Profound Sect!”

Someone in the crowd recognized the Swordsmanship Wen Qingye had just used, and suddenly the crowd erupted, with cries of alarm rising one after another.

Now, it was no longer surprising that Wen Qingye held such a grudge against Wang Hai. Though the Taiyi Pavilion of the east and the Celestial Profound Sect of the northwest were peaceful on the surface, everyone was well aware of the enmity between them. It went without saying that this match was destined to be a fight to the death. Even if Wen Qingye had no intention of killing Wang Hai, Wang Hai would certainly not spare him.

Wang Hai’s eyes were ice-cold. He looked at Wen Qingye, licked his lips, and grinned. ”So, a disciple of the Celestial Profound Sect. No wonder you want to kill me so badly.”

”I don’t need a reason to kill you,” Wen Qingye said with a light laugh, giving his blade a few expert flourishes.

Wen Qingye knew the Taiyi Pavilion was powerful. Even the Playful Monk considered the Sect to be mysterious and strong. But anyone else could be wary of the Taiyi Pavilion—he could not. Anyone else could fear the Taiyi Pavilion—but he could not.

’Even if I kill Wang Hai now, no one will pay me any mind. People will only care that I’m a disciple of the Celestial Profound Sect; they won’t make the connection to Zhang Xiaoyun. The only ones who truly care about the name ’Wen Qingye’ are probably Zhang Xiaoyun and Gao Yuerou.’

”You’re courting death!” Wang Hai roared at Wen Qingye’s words, but he regained his composure in an instant. ”Trying to shatter my composure? How ridiculous.”

Wang Hai took a deep breath and charged toward Wen Qingye. His silver blade lashed out, delivering dozens, even hundreds of strikes in a single instant. Each blow contained a power like starlight; each one blossomed with brilliant radiance that seemed to pierce the very void, leaving faint ripples in its wake.

”July Killing Heart Sword Technique, Fourth Kill!”

The hazy starlight seemed to seal off all of Wen Qingye’s paths of retreat, as if to force him into a dead end.

”So this is the Fourth Kill?” The Vice Hall Master of Qinglan Hall watched Wang Hai’s July Killing Heart Sword Technique and couldn’t help but shake his head. ”The gap between him and Hankong is still vast.”

Wen Qingye took a small step back and brandished his sword. An ethereal, illusory Powerful Qi surged from the blade, and a golden light began to slowly shine.

Even in the most dangerous of moments, Wen Qingye’s mind always maintained a state of calm. ’I have to beat him within three strikes,’ he thought. ’My Primordial Qi is already depleted.’

As the golden light flared, an aura capable of shattering mountains and rivers surged forth from the gaps in the attack. Wang Hai’s body froze for an instant, revealing a flaw in his fourth strike.

Wen Qingye naturally saw the opening. Amid a flash of brilliant golden light, a cold star ignited. His sword moved like a brushstroke from the nine heavens.

SQUELCH!

The sword thrust forward without mercy, piercing clean through Wang Hai’s shoulder. A spray of blood scattered across the ring.

At that same critical moment, Wen Qingye shifted his body to the side, dodging the fatal fourth strike.

A trickle of blood also spilled from the corner of Wang Hai’s mouth. Forcibly suppressing his shock, he knew that Wen Qingye was on his last legs. He had to land the fatal blow now.

His Primordial Qi surged, and the silver sword in Wang Hai’s hand erupted with an intense yet gentle moonlight. He swept his blade out, creating an image like a vast sea of stars blanketing the heavens.

”Nine-Star Sword Technique, Third Form!”

The Taiyi Pavilion’s Mid-Level Emperor Grade Sword Technique, the Nine-Star Sword Technique.