Chapter 31: One Sword Severs the Vast Sky

Not long ago, at the summit cave dwelling of Senior Butian Peak.

Unlike the constant comings and goings and the hundred forms of mortal life within Senior Butian Peak, the summit hosted only rising and falling clouds, transcendent and detached, as if leaping free from this troubled human world.

Before a cliff edge, two figures stood gazing down at the sea of clouds below.

One of them had crane-white hair and a youthful face, wearing a black-and-white Daoist robe and holding a fly-whisk in hand, exactly like the kind-hearted, benevolent old immortal often described in mortal storybooks.

The other appeared to be a middle-aged man, who spoke with a mischievous expression:

"Senior Butian, I hear you have recently been selecting a husband for your daughter?"

"Oh? Are you interested?" The Senior Butian Peak Master turned sideways to look at the middle-aged man. "If it is a disciple from your sect, he might indeed be a good match for Qian'er."

"Better not."

The middle-aged man shook his head. "I know my disciples; they are all silver spears with wax tips, incapable of handling your daughter. Please seek someone more capable."

"Then let it be." The Senior Butian Peak Master shook his head. "In any case, I have already found someone suitable. This person has cultivated bitterly through three lifetimes, possessing excellent merit and foundation. Not only does he have a thirty percent chance of refining a Dao Foundation in the future, but after learning True Person Pan Long's 'Nine Transformations Dragon Art,' he also wields the might of a true dragon in bed."

"True Person Pan Long? That cannot be right."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man counted on his fingers, then shook his head. "Pan Long Island has vanished without a trace; the opportunity has already been claimed by someone else, and it is not a disciple of your sect."

"Soon it will be."

The Senior Butian Peak Master said indifferently, "I have already calculated who forcibly seized the opportunity. I sent Yuanchun with people to handle it; it will not take long for things to return to the proper track."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you truly leave them no path to live." The middle-aged man shook his head upon hearing this. "The Immortal Dao is hard to seek; why be so harsh toward these juniors?"

"Occasionally, one must give them a little hope; after all, the Holy Sect also needs fresh blood."

"There is no need for you to teach me."

The Senior Butian Peak Master sneered coldly. "If it were only that, I might not have acted, but I calculated that the person who seized True Person Pan Long's opportunity is somewhat unusual."

Speaking thus, the Senior Butian Peak Master's tone gained a hint of astonishment. "This person has been in the sect for only a few years. Not only did he make a huge profit during the Substitute Death Yin Puppet turmoil a few years ago, but he has also cultivated the Blood-Transforming Divine Light, refined a sword pill, mastered the sword arts of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, and reached the sixth layer of Qi Condensation."

"Oh? So formidable?"

After listening, the middle-aged man looked surprised, then silently counted on his fingers for a moment before sighing with emotion. "I did not expect that our Holy Sect would produce such talent."

Having spoken, the middle-aged man clearly became interested.

"Come, come, come, point out the location for me. Let us see what kind of root and bone this person possesses. If the quality is good, perhaps we can refine a fine precious elixir from them."

"That is simple; it is right there—hmm?"

The Senior Butian Peak Master originally wore a smile on his face, but after he pointed out the location and gazed into the distance, his smile gradually faded.

"Boom!"

As the Senior Butian Peak Master's gaze descended, the massive Senior Butian Peak seemed to undergo an earthquake, with rocks even tumbling from the edges into the sea of clouds.

Inside a certain cave dwelling within Senior Butian Peak, Liu Xin lay prostrate on the ground, too terrified to even breathe heavily, fearing he would attract the Senior Butian Peak Master's attention.

"He is not looking for me, he is not looking for me..."

Liu Xin repeated desperately in his heart, suppressing his guilt and fear.

After all, that was a Foundation Establishment True Person; even a single glance would be enough to suppress and kill someone at the Qi Condensation realm, and hidden within his Myriad Souls Banner was the man's son.

Once discovered, it would surely mean eternal damnation!

"Do not be afraid; I have a divine talisman protecting me; he cannot calculate my location..."

Liu Xin's body trembled as he tightly gripped a talisman he carried with him.

"Yuanchun pays his respects to Master."

Lu Yuanchun kowtowed in apology to the face in the sky while coughing up blood, yet he felt no joy of surviving a calamity; instead, his heart was ice-cold.

The jade pendant that had broken through Lu Yang's great formation at the critical moment contained a strand of spiritual sense from the Senior Butian Peak Master. It was the greatest reliance for a Foundation Establishment disciple like him. Because it was difficult to make, once used, it was almost impossible to replace; it could be said to be equivalent to one of his lives.

But now, it was gone.

Furthermore, in this affair, he had not only failed to help Junior Brother Zhao reclaim the opportunity but had also failed to protect him, allowing him to die unexpectedly. It was a complete and disastrous defeat.

With multiple crimes punished together, his path to immortality in this life was now hopeless.

"This disciple is incompetent."

Lu Yuanchun dared not speak, nor even explain; he could only kowtow and prostrate himself, waiting for his master to kill that Lu Yang before deciding his fate.

Zing—!

Just then, Lu Yuanchun suddenly heard the sound of a sword ringing. The sound was not loud, yet exceptionally clear and refreshing, making it impossible to ignore.

At first, the sound resembled a clear spring flowing, tinkling gently. However, as time passed, the water flow became increasingly turbulent and fierce, the sound growing louder and more deafening, until it finally transformed into a roar like a raging river, echoing thunderously between heaven and earth.

Lu Yuanchun subconsciously raised his head.

Then he saw a figure standing tall in mid-air under the True Person's gaze, his back straight, fearlessly meeting that gaze eye to eye.

Beneath his feet flowed a surging long river of sword qi.

The river water was scarlet; as it churned, it carried overwhelming murderous aura, yet it did not disperse. Instead, it constantly contracted and flowed backward, finally pouring into an exquisite sword pill.

"What does he intend to do?"

Lu Yuanchun swallowed hard. He had actually guessed the answer, yet he dared not believe it. How could there be someone in this world so bold, so ignorant of heavenly fate?

At the same time, the face in the sky seemed to realize something, its brows furrowing:

"You wish to attack me?"

Lu Yang's expression was indifferent. The sword pill swallowed the entire blood river, its sharp edge pointing straight at the firmament:

"I invite Senior to impart some instruction."

The face spoke no words, seemingly deeming it unworthy of a reply.

The next second, Lu Yang saw a black dot suddenly appear high above in the firmament, then rapidly expand, descending slowly toward him with the momentum of an overturning sky.

Only when the black dot drew near could Lu Yang barely make out its full form: it was unmistakably a finger, falling from some unfathomable height, with the textures of skin clearly visible.

Lu Yang immediately had a sudden realization; this was the other party's answer:

How can an ant know the height of the sky?

In an instant, a violent sense of crisis swept through his entire body, nearly freezing Lu Yang's thoughts, like an ant crawling out of its hole suddenly seeing the blue sky and bright sun.

"You want to press me to death with a single finger???"

Lu Yang exhaled deeply, and suddenly his entire body's true qi began to burn fiercely. The Life-Taking Curse he had obtained in his second life was now driven with full force.

At this moment, life and death were cast aside.

Lu Yang's heart was filled with nothing but raging anger.

In this life, I did not fight or snatch, devoting myself solely to cultivation, yet you calculated my karma and sent people to seize my opportunity. When the seizure failed, you even personally acted to kill me.

What talk of cultivation method karma? What talk of opportunities predetermined?

Am I destined to be a beast of burden, while you are destined to stand high above?

"Kill!"

Lu Yang opened his mouth, the true qi in his chest transforming into a long whistle. His pent-up fury brewed into a beam of sword light, striking straight at the vast sky without deviation.

A silent collision occurred, like the flickering of a candle flame. After a brief brilliance, darkness engulfed Lu Yang's vision, and also drowned his consciousness.

(End of Chapter)