The night thickened with tension in Sword Cloud as the young swordsmen plotted, their hearts heavy with ambition and conflict. Lin Chen and his companions represented a generation proud of their sect's legacy, yet bound by the turmoil Yun Xiao had brought upon their world.
The yellow-robed youth, Lin Xiaolong, bore a vicious grin as he spoke with confidence, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of nervous anticipation. "Tomorrow, I'll ensure that Yun Xiao no longer troubles Sword Cloud or Taboo Tower. My sword is sharp, my will sharper."
Northern Ningxia, ever the stoic, nodded. "Remember, Xiaolong, this isn't about pride or personal glory. It's about preserving balance. If Yun Xiao's arrogance is allowed to persist, Sword Cloud and Taboo Tower will both crumble under the weight of war. Strike swiftly, without hesitation."
The orange-robed girl added, her tone softer but no less resolved, "Yun Xiao may have talent, but his recklessness will be his downfall. The ancestors will only intervene if we fail. You carry the weight of their trust on your shoulders tomorrow."
Lin Chen, standing tall among them, gazed out into the moonlit horizon. "Xiaolong, listen carefully. This isn't just about the sword ceremony or even Yun Xiao's death. It's about sending a message. Taboo Tower and Sword Cloud are intertwined; neither can afford a rogue disruptor. Kill him cleanly, and ensure that no suspicion falls upon us. The elders will look the other way if you succeed."
Xiaolong saluted sharply. "Understood, Dust elder brother. Tomorrow, Yun Xiao will face the weight of our swords and the judgment of Sword Cloud."
As the group dispersed, Lin Chen lingered, his hand resting on the hilt of his White Sword Soul. A storm brewed within his eyes—an internal battle of duty versus the nagging thought that Yun Xiao's defiance might hold a truth they all refused to see.
---
Meanwhile, in his secluded chamber, Yun Xiao remained undisturbed by the conspiracies brewing against him. The antique copper coffin glimmered faintly in the dim light, its energy pulsating in harmony with his cultivation.
"Lanxing," Yun Xiao said, his voice calm but sharp, "tomorrow will be a test, but not for me. It will show these self-proclaimed geniuses the true difference between us. Their world is small, bound by traditions and shallow alliances. Mine reaches beyond the heavens."
Lanxing's voice echoed within his mind, teasing yet resolute. "Oh? So confident? These young lords aren't pushovers, you know. If you let your guard down, you might actually die tomorrow."
Yun Xiao chuckled. "Let them come. Sword Soul, Sword Cloud, Taboo Tower—it's all the same. In the end, strength determines who is right. Tomorrow, I'll remind them what true power looks like."
Chiyue chimed in, her tone full of excitement. "I can't wait! These little sword brats think they can measure up to you? Let's show them what a real monster looks like!"
The Next Day
*Sword Cloud and Ancestor Sword Hall*
"Does the obeisance sword ceremony involve the seal conduct?" Yun Xiao stood in front of a large, imposing black palace. He turned to ask the young girl beside him, who was wearing a light yellow short skirt.
"Yes," the young girl replied coldly, her hands subconsciously crossing in front of her chest, maintaining a distance from him.
"Okay, I'm here. You can leave now." Yun Xiao said dismissively as he stepped into the black palace.
"No! I must wait for you to complete the ceremony," Lin Lin responded firmly, her voice cold.
Yun Xiao sneered.
As he made his way through the ancestor sword hall, he encountered over a hundred Sword Cloud disciples along the way. It was clear from their stares that none of them had warm intentions for him.
"In that case, I'll be impolite," Yun Xiao muttered under his breath.
Was this the Sword Cloud Ancestor Sword Hall? Not in Yun Xiao's eyes. To him, this place represented 1 million spirit crystals and ten Source Pills—ten azure kites at level ten...
"Enter!" The sound of the Sword Lord's drunken voice echoed from inside.
It seemed like the Sword Lord had been drinking a lot today.
Yun Xiao stepped into the expansive garden in front of the Ancestor Sword Hall. The garden was spacious, with a large fighting stage in the center and smaller stages on the left and right sides.
At the left stage, sat the white-haired sword cultivator—Sword Lord Lin Qingfeng. Beside him was a beautiful woman dressed in a black skirt, Ning Yan.
Yun Xiao entered and noticed that Ning Yan was offering the Sword Lord liquor, but her expression wasn't as self-assured as it had been the previous day. It was clear that after meeting with Sword Cloud, the pressure from many people had started to affect her.
"First, pays respects to the Sword!" The Sword Lord stood up, leading Yun Xiao to the first incense and candles, muttering something under his breath.
Once the ceremony was complete, Yun Xiao's gaze shifted to the right side stage. Several seats were arranged there, presumably for the old ancestors of Sword Cloud, but they had not shown up for the ceremony today, much to Yun Xiao's surprise.
"Challenge the Sword Lord. Enter!" Ning Yan stood beside the Sword Lord and announced in a sweet voice.
Three young, powerful sword cultivators with abundant energy stepped onto the stage.
These three young sword lords were familiar to Yun Xiao, having met them yesterday at Jade Yang Building. They were strong, possibly stronger than the "Taboo Tower" disciples, but each of them was older than Yun Xiao by at least four years.
"Who's first?" Yun Xiao asked as he stepped onto the fighting stage in the garden.
"I am!" A young man dressed in yellow stepped forward, his bright eyes glaring at Yun Xiao, though his murderous intent was cleverly concealed.
Ding!
The young man firmly pressed his fingers together, and a yellow Sword Soul materialized. As he drew his sword, two Sword Rings appeared, glowing brightly. The sword aura around his Sword Ring seemed to have a relation to fire, causing his Sword Soul to burn with intense heat. Clearly, he had 33 Sword Gangs, which made him stronger than Yun Xiao.
"Truly worthy of being a Sword Cloud young Sword Lord, the weakest among them, yet still stronger than Ye Tiance and the Buddhist old ones!" Yun Xiao thought to himself.
Here, in front of the Sword Lord, Yun Xiao didn't want to act too arrogantly. So, he asked, "Senior Brother, what's your name?"
"Rubbish! Just use your sword!" The young man in yellow spat out, his tone cold.
"Should I use my sword first?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow.
" You don't have a chance to leave alive," the young man said, his eyes narrowing with a threatening gleam. He had already prepared his flying sword, ready to strike at Yun Xiao the moment the battle began.
He was confident that his strength far exceeded Yun Xiao's. One sword strike, and Yun Xiao would surely fall!
"Alright!" Yun Xiao's eyes narrowed, his body shifting as the azure Sword Soul in his hand suddenly shot forward like a whirlwind!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The azure flying sword shot from the sky, hitting the water and creating a splash that shimmered with scales of light, as it spun toward the young man in yellow, forming a whirlwind.
"Ten scales? I can do that too!" The young man in yellow sneered. "With your level of skill, you can't defeat me!"
His confidence was clear as he gripped his sword, ready to strike.
But in that instant, something unexpected happened. The azure flying sword, instead of continuing at the same speed, accelerated rapidly in the latter half of its trajectory. Amid the swirling winds of its tail, there were twelve distinct sounds of cutting through the air!
The azure light flashed brightly, followed by a buzzing hum. The ray of light shot directly toward the face of the yellow-clad young man!
The young man felt as if everything before him turned black for a moment.
Ding!
In the next instant, the azure flying sword had returned to Yun Xiao's hand, gently revolving in his palm.
The young man in yellow stood stunned. "What just happened?" he muttered, clearly confused.
Had Yun Xiao's flying sword truly returned to him? Had it only made a sound with ten scales, yet somehow, it produced twelve? Was it some kind of illusion?
"Is this your sneak attack on the Son of God,' a trick with itchy fingers?" The young man sneered, trying to cover up his confusion as he responded, swinging his sword.
"Enough!" A loud voice suddenly rang out across the stage, making the yellow-clad young man freeze.
It was Sword Lord's voice—loud and furious.
"What is going on here?" The yellow-clad young man, bewildered, stood frozen on the fighting stage, trying to process what had just happened.
At that moment, he felt a sharp sting on his face, and his mind began to race.
"Northern Elder Brother and the attractive elder sister?" he wondered aloud, before quickly turning his head.
The two figures—Northern Ningxia and the woman beside him—gazed at him with wide eyes. Their pupils enlarged, and their faces twisted in shock.
"What's on my face?" In a panic, the young man pulled out a bronze mirror.
He stared at his reflection in horror.
Suddenly, a crackling sound struck him like thunder.
Across his face, there were three blood-red characters, etched deep into his skin as if branded by a sword!
No wonder his face had felt sore earlier!
The characters were formed with a sharp, dragon-like twist, and they read—"Next!"
The characters were bold, carved deeply into his left cheek, forehead, and right cheek, marking him as if he had been slashed by a divine blade.
The crowd erupted into murmurs as the realization spread like wildfire. The three blood-carved characters—"Next!"—shone on the yellow-clad young swordsman's face, etched with such precision that it seemed both a taunt and a declaration of supremacy.
The yellow-clad young man trembled, his legs shaking. "He used ten scales and carved these three characters on my face instantaneously?"
What did this mean?
It meant that Yun Xiao's sword, had he truly intended to kill, could have struck him down at least eleven times! A total of eleven radicals—each a lethal blow!
The yellow-clad youth's scalp tingled as he stared at Yun Xiao, his teeth clenched. "Impossible..." he muttered in disbelief.
He hadn't been killed—yet the characters had still been carved. The humiliation was unbearable.
Yun Xiao stood calmly on the stage, his azure Sword Soul revolving effortlessly in his hand, emitting a faint hum as if savoring it's effortless victory. He tilted his head slightly, his expression one of mild amusement. "Is that all Sword Cloud's youngest sword lord has to offer? I expected better."
Lin Xiaolong's face burned, both from humiliation and the sting of the blood-etched letters. His trembling hand reached for his sword, but before he could take a step, a booming voice cut through the tension.
"Get out of here!" The Sword Lord's roar came, shaking the yellow-clad youth right off the fighting stage.
"Wind Elder Brother, Yun Xiao's Sword Soul is remarkable, but his sword technique talent is truly extraordinary! You can only teach him the 'Tianji-level' sword techniques of Sword Cloud!" Ning Yan praised with a sigh, clearly impressed.
Yun Xiao had truly impressed her.
"Good!" The Sword Lord grinned widely, clearly satisfied with Yun Xiao's performance. He raised a hand and pointed. "Murong, you're up next. Don't disgrace yourself. Northern Ningxia, you're up after."
"Yes!" Murong Qian, the young girl in orange, nodded hastily, her heart filled with amazement.
"Northern Elder Brother,didn't Lin Lin say this boy couldn't even catch the sword of the Son of God?" The yellow-clad youth, still staring at the three blood characters on his face, asked pitifully.
Northern Ningxia and Murong Qian fell silent, unable to offer an answer.
The three blood-red characters seemed to mock them as well.
"Lin Lin set us up!" Murong Qian muttered in disbelief.
"Maybe it's the clear/pain Son of God who set her up?" Northern Ningxia suggested cautiously.
"Could be..." The yellow-clad youth murmured, his mind racing. "The whole Ten Thousand Swords Sea is buzzing with rumors about the Sword Cloud's leaders and the moves they've made, but could this have been a lie? A story repeated often enough to seem true?"
He was lost in his thoughts, unable to make sense of it.
"Enough!" Northern Ningxia's cold voice interrupted him. With the Sword Lord's urging, he mounted the fighting stage.
Northern Ningxia, in the later stages of Source Pill Realm, was stronger than Yun Xiao by two levels.
"Northern Elder Brother, if you kill him, no one will know his true strength," the yellow-clad youth whispered.
"True, his story will be framed forever—he'll never even be able to catch the sword of the clear/pain Son of God..." Murong Qian added, her voice strained.
They didn't dare to speak more—who would admit such a humiliating truth?
Both of them exchanged a look of cold panic, but neither dared to express their worries further.
At that moment, Northern Ningxia had already taken to the stage, ready to fight.