Yun Xiao lifted Ye Xuanying's head, forcing him to look at himself with his dimming, aged eyes.
"Congratulations, the Ye clan's dantian has been completely shattered. You're now a clan of total waste!" Yun Xiao mocked with a satisfied smile.
"You…!" Ye Xuanying's face twisted in rage, tears streaming as he trembled in disbelief.
"People say youth is often underestimated. As I see it, a shattered dantian is just the first step in the journey of any true powerhouse. From today onward, your Ye clan can start boasting about the glory of being nothing but broken remnants," Yun Xiao continued, adding fuel to the fire.
Pfft!
Ye Xuanying spat out a mouthful of blood.
Complete defeat.
Ye Tiance schemed against Zhao Jianxing and seized power at First Sword Peak for what? For his Ye clan's eternal dominance of the Blue Soul!
And now, Ye Tiance himself was about to end up as refuse, alongside the bodies and broken remnants of his kin—all discarded like filth, desecrated by Yun Xiao. Every descendant of his line was now crippled by Yun Xiao.
What would they inherit now? Nothing but disgrace!
"Yun Xiao, my son will hunt you down. You'll die for sure!" Ye Xuanying screamed, his voice shrill and bitter.
"Is that so? Look over there; tell me who you see," Yun Xiao said, pointing into the distance.
Boom!
A headless corpse flew out from the dark woods and landed heavily in front of Ye Xuanying.
In its shadow, a beastly figure passed by in a flash.
Ye Xuanying, terrified, looked down.
Pfft!
He spat blood once more.
It was his daughter-in-law, the Buddhist Lady—Ye Tiance's wife. She had been the one who went to warn him.
And now, she lay there, headless!
The final support of the Ye clan was dead!
The remaining sword cultivators of First Sword Peak froze, unable to advance. They had no clue that Ye Tiance was unaware his entire family had already been reduced to ashes by Yun Xiao.
Ye Xuanying's mind was filled with a deafening hum. What could this boy be planning?
"Does anyone have chains? Hand them over!" Yun Xiao called to the remaining First Sword Peak disciples.
The disciples shrank back, afraid to make a move.
"Relax, I distinguish between gratitude and enmity clearly. I repay kindness tenfold and return hostility a hundred times over," Yun Xiao said firmly.
The disciples exchanged glances.
"I have chains! Here, take them."
"Me too!" another said.
Chains clattered as they were handed to Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao gathered the chains and bound all the remaining Ye clan members together.
"Let's hope that one day, we sword cultivators can stand together against the true evils of this world, instead of warring among ourselves. Our swords should be aimed at demons alone," Yun Xiao declared, binding the members of the Ye clan who lay groaning in pain. Their necks were entwined in the chains.
"Do you dare to detain us all?" Ye Xuanying cried in alarm.
"I'll take the whole lot of you!" Yun Xiao replied.
He dragged them toward the Ye clan's ancestral hall, tore down the ancestral curtain, and wrapped every one of the Ye clan's ancestral tablets in it. He then tied the entire assembly to the chains.
"What are you planning to do?" Ye Xuanying asked, utterly broken.
"To bring them before the spirits of your ancestors, to show them what unfilial descendants you've become," Yun Xiao replied coldly.
Ye Xuanying was silent, filled with dread.
He knew one thing: when his son Ye Tiance heard of this, he would likely spit blood.
And every Divine Sea Realm sword cultivator of the Ye clan would spit blood in shame.
Finally, Yun Xiao returned to the crowd of First Sword Peak cultivators.
"One day, if I can slay evil creatures and restore justice to the Sword Pavilion, I will owe all of you my gratitude!" he declared.
Yun Xiao leapt into the sky, dragging behind him a string of Ye clan members bound together like a grisly trophy, their bodies dangling in a long chain, while in his other hand, he carried the bundled ancestral tablets.
The sword cultivators left behind watched in stunned silence.
"After today, I think Yun Xiao might even surpass Sword King Ye! This rivalry isn't over," someone muttered.
"Agreed!"
"Our hearts have chosen a side…" murmured another, though they dared not say it out loud.
Who among them was a true hero, wielding a sword with fearless resolve and integrity?
Who had colluded with monsters, twisted truths, and betrayed their own kin?
In the hearts of all present, a name and a shadow took shape.
In the Sword Cloud Tower, a force of over a thousand Divine Sea sword cultivators gathered, including elders and top disciples from Second Sword Peak and the six other peaks.
Together, they were a powerhouse of the Blue Soul Sect.
If the demonic forces of the Northern Wilderness ever dared to invade, it would be these sword cultivators who would defend the land, wielding their Sword Souls to form a wall and protect the world.
But today, their purpose was grim—they had come to cast Sword Pavilion into shame.
Ye Tiance, Yao Manxue, and others stood proudly, looking like heroes as they stood at the center of the gathered might.
Meanwhile, Chen Dong and Li Chenlong were pushed to the edges, swallowed in anger but powerless to act.
"Bitter, isn't it? Heroes become villains, and the people suffer," Chen Dong sighed in despair.
"Ye Guying was incredibly talented. But Ye Xuanying twisted his nature, consumed by selfish ambition, ignoring the world beyond his pursuit of strength," Li Chenlong said, his gaze unfocused. He turned to Chen Dong. "Senior Brother Chen, tell me, what's the purpose of cultivation? Immortality? Wealth? Does calamity in the world concern us at all? Or should our swords protect peace?"
"I don't know!" Chen Dong sighed, looking toward the Sword Pavilion with regret in his eyes.
"Fate's unfair! Who truly upholds justice?" Li Chenlong sighed deeply, a white-robed figure flashing in his mind.
"Three years ago, I'd have thought Yun Xiao was a final beacon of hope for the Blue Soul Sect," Li Chenlong said, his voice hoarse. "And yet Ye Guying buried him! Now, Yun Xiao has brought them nothing but chaos."
"I feel guilty… like I failed Sister Yu, my Senior Brother, our master, and this sword," Chen Dong replied despondently.
Finally, they arrived at Sword Pavilion.
Witnessing over a thousand people gather to crush the pavilion, they wanted to help but felt helpless.
"What's taking so long?" Chen Dong asked, impatient.
"Two hours to wait," Li Chenlong replied, looking around.
"After today, Yun Xiao may well be remembered as a true legend," murmured one disciple.
Right on cue, Seventh Sword Peak's revered Zhang Jian finally arrived, smiling as he approached Ye Tiance.
Ye Tiance frowned slightly. "Took you long enough. Everyone's getting impatient."
Zhang Jian smiled awkwardly. "Apologies, there was a delay. I just took down a few monsters."
"Fresh?" Yao Manxue asked.
"Yes!" Zhang Jian replied with a grin.
"Fresh is good!" she nodded.
"Show us, then," Ye Tiance ordered.
At Zhang Jian's signal, several elders from Seventh Sword Peak flew over, each bearing a large cauldron sealed with a lid.
Rumbling sounds echoed as the cauldrons landed, stirring the anticipation among the crowd.
Ye Tiance's eyebrows shot up as he instructed, "Open one of them."
"Of course." Zhang Jian stepped forward and lifted the lid of a large cauldron, immediately releasing a foul stench that swept across the Sword Cloud Tower, making everyone recoil. The sword cultivators nearby grimaced, covering their noses as they took a few steps back.
"This is absolutely revolting," Yao Manxue muttered, forming a protective barrier around herself to avoid any contamination.
"Not just the smell!" Inside the cauldron, dense, dark red smoke twisted and billowed, transforming into a sinister black mist that carried haunting wails. Anyone who heard them felt their skin crawl.
Looking into the cauldron, they could see a mixture of tainted blood, decaying remnants of monster corpses, bones, and twisted fragments of souls.
"It's mostly creatures of filth, spirits steeped in resentment. Even after death, their spirits linger for years, sometimes reforming into monsters."
Zhang Jian's eyes sparkled with excitement. "More than 130 cauldrons in total. If we pour this on the Sword Pavillion, it will taint their spirit aura, affecting the dragon veins below. It could even redirect the energy to other sword peaks!"
"Excellent," Ye Tiance said, finally satisfied. Yao Manxue nodded approvingly, "Those two hours waiting weren't wasted."
"From tonight, the Sword Pavillion will be a stinking wasteland for a decade!" said Liu Xuan with a grin.
Their laughter filled the air, relishing the scheme they'd devised. One of the Ye family disciples added, "In that case, there's no need for First Sword Peak's ancestral tablets to remain in the so-called Hall of Honor. We should build our own hall for the Ye clan!"
"Right! Those heroes of Sword Pavillion have only produced someone like Yun Xiao, a disgrace to the name. Their hall should be defiled with this filth!" another Ye disciple declared with enthusiasm.
"Before that, we'll first strip the hall of any valuable resources—the spirit crystals in their beams, stairs, and columns—and use them to consecrate our own Ye ancestors!"
"Our ancestors deserve to shine!" Ye Tiance nodded approvingly. "By now, my father should be preparing to meet with the ancestors."
"The disciples of Sixth Sword Peak have already prepared the Sword Soul Incense," Yao Manxue added.
"Starting tonight, Sword Pavillion will be a cesspool of death and decay," Zhang Jian proclaimed.
"Zhao Jianxing's disgraceful leadership deserves to reek for ten thousand years!" Liu Xuan sneered.
They could barely wait.
"Unseal the gates! Tear down the Hall of Honor, scatter the monster's blood over the graves, and cleanse Sword Pavillion!"
"Let's bring honor to the name of 'Ye Guying,' shining it upon the whole of Blue Soul. Let it echo through history!"
As Ye Tiance cast a fierce gaze in the direction of Sword Pavillion, his eyes gleamed with fierce determination. "The Ye family's sword cultivators have anchored Blue Soul for centuries. This is our time!"
This declaration stirred a passionate response. Although Ye Guying was not yet victorious, and Zhao Jianxing was still alive, Tiance held his composure, letting anticipation simmer.
"This solitary shadow will one day rule the Sea of Ten Thousand Swords. Blue Soul is merely my starting ground… Before I take on more, I still have time to enjoy a few younger wives."
His heart swelled with pride as the thought of his imminent triumph filled his chest.
With a hum of power, over a thousand Divine Sea sword cultivators took to the sky, their target: Blue Soul and Sword Pavillion.
The night was deep and cold.
"I'm sorry," Shangguan Yu whispered, her voice heavy with regret as she bowed deeply. Before her loomed the gates of the Overwhelming Palace.
Within the palace, a figure sat cross-legged, motionless but awake, his eyes open, filled with sorrow. Shangguan Yu knew he had heard her.
In the lonely, desolate hall, the man in azure robes sat solemnly, streaks of silver threading through his hair like sword light. The pain in his gaze was tempered by a deep, seething rage.
Hatred—for his inability to stop this.
"Father..." Beside Shangguan Yu stood a young woman dressed in a black robe, her alabaster skin made all the more striking by the shadows cast by the moonlight. She looked solemn, sorrow etched deeply in her eyes.
The elder Qin, three other seniors, and a handful of Sword Pavillion disciples stood nearby, their faces pale, their hearts heavy with sorrow and anger.
"Junior Brother Yun…" Cai Maomao's voice was hoarse with emotion.
"It's not his fault!" the black-robed woman snapped, cutting him off abruptly.
Cai Maomao shook his head, uncertain. How could he blame Yun Xiao, who had struck down Leaf Ziyan, Wu Resolute, Yao Lie, and Yu Xuanzhou in his quest for vengeance?
"But now, with Sword Pavillion under siege, his actions have given those villains an opening!" Shangguan Yu cried, her eyes red.
"I told you, he's not to blame!" Zhao Xuanran clenched her fists.
"But...I can't stand the injustice to your father!" Shangguan Yu said, choking back tears. "Such a noble man should not have been left defenseless. The ancestors of Sword Pavillion don't deserve to be trampled upon like this!"
"I know… I know," Zhao Xuanran replied, her own eyes reddening.
"So what are we supposed to do?" Shangguan Yu asked.
Zhao Xuanran closed her eyes, breathing a long sigh. "I'll tell him to go. To never come back."
"And if he understands, one day, when he has grown, he might return to Blue Soul to honor my father's name…"
"And you?" Shangguan Yu asked softly.
"Me?" Zhao Xuanran looked toward the distant Sword Cloud Tower, then forced a smile. "Tonight, I'm prepared to die."
"To die…honorably!" Elder Qin stood tall, blind but resolute.
"Together!"
"Count me in!"
One by one, the remaining disciples pledged themselves. They had known all along this moment would come; they would meet it with open arms.
"We only worry… that our vengeance may not be enough to honor the fallen!" Elder Qin said fiercely.
"We…" Cai Maomao began, grief-stricken.
"Seek the protection of the Second Sword for these children, an escape route!" Elder Qin dropped to his knees.
"No!" Shangguan Yu cried, holding him back.
"Grandfather, I don't want to live in such a world. I want to join my father in the afterlife!" Qin Tong wept.
"Your father's spirit watches over us on the Azure Deep Mountain. If you die, you will never join him!" Elder Qin's voice trembled as he held back tears.
Suddenly, Cai Maomao's heart broke. He still wanted to wait for his Elder Brother to return.
"Take them and go!" Zhao Xuanran urged Shangguan Yu. "If there's any chance, tell Junior Brother Yun…"
But she stopped.
"Tell him what?" Shangguan Yu asked.
"Nothing." Zhao Xuanran forced a smile, shaking her head. "He's a lone wanderer now; no one owes him anything."
"Who said that?"
A voice sounded from the shadows. Bloodstained, Yun Xiao stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Zhao Xuanran.
"Senior Sister Zhao," he said softly, "I owe you a promise…"
"Be quiet!" Zhao Xuanran's face turned pale.
"…of a lifetime." Yun Xiao bowed his head slightly.
"You shouldn't have come back. Go!" Zhao Xuanran clenched her fists, trying to sound indifferent.
"I came back to bring Senior Sister Zhao a grand gift," Yun Xiao said, his eyes bright.
"What grand gift…?" Zhao Xuanran's expression shifted in surprise.
Yun Xiao was about to speak when, overhead, a thousand Sword Souls ignited the night sky, shining brightly as they descended like a powerful storm, charging toward them.