Chapter 557: There Are Four Swords, Let Go

“So handsome!”

Xu Xiaoshou looked up from the underground pit and couldn’t help but exclaim.

He finally understood why everyone was so eager to get their hands on this vicious sword.

This "You Si Jian" was just too powerful!

Even an ordinary grandmaster could wield it to such an extraordinary level.

If he himself obtained it, wouldn’t he be able to cut down a throne master with a single hand?

No, I have to wait!

Still, I have to wait!

Although his heart was itching with excitement,

Xu Xiaoshou knew that He Yuxing was merely a figure pushed forward by the storyteller, like a scapegoat.

The brilliance this guy was showing now was probably the peak of his life.

Though he still didn’t understand the storyteller’s plan, based on the habits of those in "Sheng Nu,"

Even a famous sword like "Mu Ming Cheng Xue" had been aggressively seized from Tian Sang Ling Gong twice, so would they let go of this vicious sword?

I’ll do it!

In the sky above Li Jian Grassland,

Amid the utter silence, a figure suddenly flew out.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes to look.

It was his former opponent, Gu Qing San.

This guy…

He Yuxing also reacted to the sound, turning his gaze to this unarmed young man.

But Gu Qing San didn’t look at him first; instead, he turned his head toward the direction where the red-robed figure was.

“Red Yi Senior, I’m a genuine challenger here. If I obtain the ‘You Si Jian,’ will you honor your promise and protect me out of Bai Ku?”

Lan Ling said, “It’s not about obtaining it, but about gaining its recognition.”

“Alright, recognition.”

Gu Qing San smiled. “Don’t worry, if it’s just about recognition, I can manage it. I just hope that once I get the ‘You Si Jian’s recognition, you won’t break your word again.”

Lan Ling nodded lightly.

She said no more and glanced toward the back.

Before she could speak,

The red-robed figure who had been waiting in the rear stepped forward.

“Gu Qing San, from Jian Zong, third disciple under Sword Immortal Wen Ting of Zang Jian Zhong, possessor of Zhi Jian Dao Ti!”

Compared to the earlier introduction of He Yuxing, Gu Qing San’s background was described much more briefly.

But when the words "Zhi Jian Dao Ti" were uttered, Lan Ling was visibly shocked.

Even Yu Zhi Wen, who was still comprehending the "Thirty-Six Tian Feng Wu Zhen," couldn’t help but turn his head.

Zhi Jian Dao Ti was the sacred body of the sword path!

It was almost the strongest aptitude in swordsmanship.

Once the sacred body reached perfection, no spiritual sword in the world would be beyond its command.

Even famous swords or vicious swords would obey.

Back in the day, when the Eighth Sword Immortal rose to fame, the world praised him highly, but the final step to sainthood was blocked by his mortal flesh.

Even though his mental aptitude in swordsmanship was so strong that it allowed the Eighth Sword Immortal to achieve innate realm in three breaths and sword immortality in three years,

To become a saint…

Both spirit and flesh must be sanctified; one cannot be lacking.

The Eighth Sword Immortal once lamented that if he had possessed "Zhi Jian Dao Ti," or even the next-level spiritual body, he could have directly surpassed the half-saint stage and entered the Sheng Di realm.

But alas, innate deficiencies were truly deficiencies.

Even though he later put great effort into physical cultivation,

How could a post-natal sacred body be cultivated so easily?

That delayed final step, due to a twist of fate, ultimately led to the Eighth Sword Immortal’s fall to the Hua Chang Deng Jian.

It wasn’t the only reason, but it was equally crucial.

Buzz—

In mid-air, the completely ignored He Yuxing could wait no longer.

He sensed something off about the person in front of him.

But unarmed, with only his grandmaster-level sword intent, what could he do?

A sword cultivator could only overlook the world with a sword in hand.

Without a sword, how could one seize a sword?

Die!

You Si Jian flipped in his hand and slashed through the air.

In an instant, within the "Xiong Mo World" covering half of Li Jian Grassland, black sword qi shot out from all directions of space, instantly shattering the area around Gu Qing San.

Boom, boom, boom…

Violent explosions echoed from the void.

Yet, the expected spray of blood did not appear.

He Yuxing sensed something was wrong.

When the demonic qi in the air dissipated, the shadowy figure at the attack’s center finally revealed itself to everyone.

Unharmed!

Gu Qing San was completely unharmed!

He Yuxing’s eyes narrowed instantly.

The entire scene was shocked.

That sword qi from Xiong Mo, which could instantly annihilate a dozen grandmasters and dozens of other contenders, had passed through Gu Qing San’s body like nothing.

Not even a corner of his clothes was touched?

“Sorry, brother.”

Gu Qing San’s form solidified as he said, “You’re one of the few geniuses I’ve seen who can cultivate grandmaster sword intent as a refining spirit master.”

“But the sword sect of ancient sword cultivation and the sword sect of refining spirit masters are ultimately worlds apart.”

“This unbridgeable gap isn’t your fault; it’s in your origins.”

“Yet…”

He shook his head and sighed, “From the beginning, everything decided by the heavens cannot be changed by human effort.”

He Yuxing’s anger surged, his eyes turning blood-red in an instant.

He could feel the demonic qi inside him affecting his emotions.

But Gu Qing San’s words had truly ignited his fury.

“A sword cultivator is a sword cultivator, and sword intent is sword intent. How can there be superiority between them?”

“Go die!”

Spiritual energy erupted within him, intertwining with the demonic qi.

In a flash, on the blade of You Si Jian, a massive beam of light formed, snow-white and laced with demonic patterns.

“Beng Xue Tian Jing · Zhan!”

The vicious sword slashed down from its highest point.

At Gu Qing San’s location, a snow-capped mountain suddenly materialized, piercing the clouds.

As the sword fell, an avalanche of snow burst forth.

Boom!

The void shattered instantly.

Spatial fragments turned into black-and-white crystalline snowflakes, hurtling toward Gu Qing San.

Oh my heavens…

Everyone hiding in Li Jian Grassland was stunned.

In this strike from He Yuxing, everyone could see that he hadn’t used much spiritual energy.

At most, it was a grandmaster-level spirit technique.

But enhanced by You Si Jian,

The power of this grandmaster spirit technique could probably split even a throne master in half!

Amid the flying avalanche, a majestic black sword qi, carrying billions of snowflakes, roared straight toward Gu Qing San.

Yet, Gu Qing San stood unmoving.

“‘Huan Jian Shu’ and ‘Wan Jian Shu’—just basic applications…”

He scoffed lightly, his eyes burning with excitement, and declared loudly, “Brother, you’re right—there’s no superiority between sword intents.”

“But between you and me… there is!”

He formed a seal with his hands and pressed it to his chest.

Gu Qing San murmured in his heart, “Zhi Jian Dao Ti, activate!”

Bang—

In that instant, the sword intent exploding from within him pierced straight through the entire "Xiong Mo World."

Vast sword qi erupted from his body, shooting into the clouds.

“You Si Jian isn’t meant to be used like that!”

He sneered, clasped his palms overhead like a fish leaping over a dragon gate, and charged directly at the majestic black sword qi.

“Tian Zhi · Wu Wo!”

As he murmured,

The moment the sword qi clashed with Gu Qing San, his figure flickered oddly.

Then, the sword qi passed through his body as if slicing through air, tearing straight toward what lay behind him.

How is this possible?

He Yuxing was instantly stunned.

What kind of spirit technique is this?

It could even ignore an attack from You Si Jian?

But even more terrifying was yet to come.

The billions of snowflakes roaring toward Gu Qing San in an avalanche-like fury also passed through him effortlessly, smashing into the pitted ground of Li Jian Grassland.

Boom, boom, boom—

The ground shattered.

Those hiding there could no longer stay concealed and scrambled to flee.

But under the avalanche, where could they hide?

Screams echoed everywhere.

Countless people were sliced by spatial fragments and then corrupted by You Si Jian’s demonic qi, driven mad.

The spatial fragments vanished on the ground,

But You Si Jian’s sword qi continued its rampage, its momentum undiminished, slicing toward Gu Qing San’s rear.

One could imagine,

If left unchecked, this majestic black sword qi could tear the entire Li Jian Grassland in two!

“Little junior brother, you’re being too reckless.”

Gu Qing Er frowned and scolded, “Even if you can handle it, you should have dispelled the sword qi instead of letting it head this way?”

Yes,

The direction of the black sword qi was toward where the remaining two sword bearers were.

“I’ll go deal with it.”

Gu Qing Er sighed and prepared to stand up to destroy the black sword qi.

The sword qi piercing the clouds formed a stark contrast with the two tiny figures sitting cross-legged.

“Sit still.”

Gu Qing Yi spoke calmly, “Your task is to deal with the promise-breaking Red Yi, not this. Continue building your momentum.”

Gu Qing Er halted his movement.

At that moment, watching the approaching black sword qi, his lips began to twitch.

“But this is You Si Jian’s sword qi. We don’t have your ‘Zhi Jian Dao Ti,’ and we’re not cultivating ‘Wu Jian Shu’… I’m really wary of it.”

Gu Qing Yi didn’t respond.

Click.

He picked up the evil sword Yue Lian resting across his knees, pushed the guard of the famous sword with his thumb, exposing two fingers' width of the blade.

A moment later, he retracted his thumb.

Clack.

The famous sword returned to its sheath.

“I said, just build your momentum.” Gu Qing Yi said indifferently.

Gu Qing Er was stunned, as if realizing something, and suddenly turned his head.

Boom—

Sure enough, the towering black sword qi, midway through its path, shattered as if cleaved by an invisible sword, splitting into two.

Then, a faint, transverse gash appeared in the void.

A gust of wind blew,

Rumble, rumble…

The void split in half.

The black hole’s suction devoured the remaining demonic qi, leaving it to the spatial fragments.

Hiss!

Hidden in the shadows, Xu Xiaoshou shuddered, completely startled.

His "perception" had been overseeing the entire scene.

Naturally, he saw Gu Qing Yi’s subtle action.

Indeed, when You Si Jian’s sword qi reached their direction, Xu Xiaoshou thought they would abandon their current ritual and face it head-on.

And he had witnessed Gu Qing Er’s abilities before.

It wasn’t "Wu Jian Shu"; it involved some time-based powers.

As for time against You Si Jian’s sword qi—what could it achieve?

Xu Xiaoshou was quite curious.

But he never imagined that such a magnificent sword qi would be obliterated just like that—Gu Qing Er didn’t even move, and the eldest, Gu Qing Yi, merely lifted the famous sword slightly.

The sword qi crumbled!

Damn…

Xu Xiaoshou was truly shocked.

So this was Gu Qing Yi, who had only said to him once, “I’m at the peak of Dong Yu, in Zang Jian Zhong, waiting for you”?

Goodness!

Now, Xu Xiaoshou finally understood why this leader of the three sword bearers always had such a laid-back demeanor.

It turned out he really had the strength to back it up.

So strong…

Mu Zi Xi and Luo Lei Lei’s voices overlapped in the voice transmission channel.

Clearly, Gu Qing Yi’s sword lift had drawn everyone’s attention from the battlefield center.

“Little Tear Boy, could you do that sword strike?” the storyteller’s teasing voice chimed in.

“Hmm.”

It was a disdainful hum.

Xu Xiaoshou: …

I don’t believe it!

Why can all of you do it, but not me, Xu Xiaoshou?

No, the next form of Bai Yun You You must be something like this.

I have to learn it; I have to comprehend it… Xu Xiaoshou was getting frantic.

The true combat power of ancient sword cultivation, every time it appeared, left him in utter shock and awe.

It was terrifying beyond words!

Here it comes.

Lei Shuang Xing’s voice remained calm.

He suddenly spoke, clearly focusing back on the two at the battle’s center.

While He Yuxing was still reeling from the invisible sword that had severed the demonic sword qi, Gu Qing San had already crossed through his attack and transformed in mid-air into a massive sword hundreds of zhang long.

What the hell is this?

He Yuxing was shocked again.

He could vaguely anticipate the powerful enemies he’d face after seizing You Si Jian,

But these inexplicable sword techniques kept appearing—they were things he’d never heard of or seen!

“Xuan Tian Jian, pick.”

In the sky filled with raging sword qi, the Xuan Tian Jian suddenly halted its hilt in the air, its tip dropping.

In just a breath, it swung a massive semicircle connecting heaven and earth.

The momentum was astonishing, shattering the void everywhere.

Damn it!

He Yuxing could no longer hide his shock and hurriedly held You Si Jian in front of him, pouring spiritual energy madly into it, trying to block this pick from the Xuan Tian giant sword.

Boom!

The two swords clashed, stirring up turbulent air currents.

The ground was violently shattered from mid-air, blasting out a massive pit hundreds of zhang wide.

The already fragile space crumbled once more under this strike.

Rumble, rumble…

It was like an ant facing a giant sword.

But He Yuxing clearly lacked Gu Qing Yi’s ability.

Even with You Si Jian in hand, when the Xuan Tian sword picked upward, his body was directly shattered by the impact. Along with the spraying blood, he was sent flying backward.

You Si Jian slipped from his grasp, spinning as it was flung into the air.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

Round and round, the scene seemed to slow down.

Everyone watched as the vicious sword flew upward, then at its highest point, flipped and plunged down, embedding into the giant pit in the ground with a clang.