Chapter 624: Surpassing One Move – Zhu Bajie

He hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. He knew Ao Yulie was strong—among Golden Core cultivators, he was one of the top few across the Seven Sects, a rare phoenix-feather-and-unicorn-horn existence.

But that didn't mean he could mock him like this.

Only one person could pass at a time, and on the narrow floating bridge, figures had already appeared on both banks.

At first, after falling, one could still run on the water surface, but once on the island or the bridge, falling in again meant only swimming was possible.

Moreover, flying swords are not restricted by the "No-Fly Zone."

Another important point: the water of Blue Lake is also covered by the grand formation. After a Golden Core sword cultivator enters the water, they are no different from an ordinary person.

On the bridge or in the water, even a Golden Core sword cultivator finds movement difficult—basically equivalent to a living target.

Throughout history, there have never been a lack of Golden Core sword cultivators who fell into the water and "drowned."

The command token would also sink to the lake bottom unless someone could fish it out in advance.

On both sides of the floating bridge are three upper and lower parallel chains, serving as a slight guarantee against falling in.

Even the strongest Golden Core sword cultivator, once fallen into the water or targeted on the bridge, basically announces their withdrawal from this contest.

Other Nascent Soul and Divinity elders also felt Ao Yulie's move was overly arrogant and saw no deeper meaning in it.

But out of respect for Tang Luo's face, they said nothing more, merely resenting his lack of competitiveness.

Clearly this strong—why must he go up to throw himself away?!

If you don't send him, don't you just win?

Your master is your master, you are you! Even if your master, he doesn't have the strength to take on dozens at Golden Core stage—right?

"Fellow disciples, still good."

As the island's edge came into view, the floating bridge connected, and those from the Heaven-Reaching Sword Sect appeared fully, instantly letting out a collective sigh of relief.

On one side were people from other sects; on the other, two from the Heaven-Reaching Sword Sect.

And those two were Rouyan and another not-so-famous Golden Core sword cultivator.

Although Rouyan's strength wasn't as great as Yutian Gang's, she was still very strong.

Ao Yulie now rushing to meet them still had a chance.

The seven or eight sword cultivators from different sects opposite reacted quickly, realizing the other side had reinforcements, and immediately unleashed sword-flying technique.

Sword light tore through the sky, accompanied by the whistling sound of breaking air, piercing toward Ao Yulie.

"Run!" Rouyan shouted, and alongside the other Golden Core sword cultivator, she likewise struck out, trying to block those flying swords and open an escape path for Ao Yulie.

The floating bridge cannot dodge—let alone that, it also offers very little resistance.

A Golden Core sword cultivator on it cannot unleash their ground speed.

"Not needed."

Ao Yulie's long hair and clothes moved without wind, his bearing pushed to the extreme. He retracted his sword command, turned around.

Facing the descending sword light, he reached out and embraced.

The sword light shattered; eight flying swords condensed in midair, trembling continuously under his hollow grip, emitting sword cries.

"You are not worthy of making me draw my sword."

Ao Yulie's face was cold and stern; he flung his right hand open.

All the flying swords flew backward, spraying blood mist, and the sword cultivators on the other side all collapsed.

They were severely wounded by their own flying swords, already devoid of combat ability.

Ao Yulie did not pursue, hands behind his back, head raised to the sky—loneliness of a master.

On the sword peak, silence fell for a moment, then many gazes turned toward the Heaven-Reaching Sword Sect's sword peak.

Foundation Establishment sword cultivators naturally were overjoyed; the remaining Golden Core sword cultivators also wore expressions of shared honor.

As for the elders, each had a confident air, the expression befitting the situation.

Not a trace remained of the earlier frown and slight anger.

"He's this strong—why didn't you say so earlier?" Lei Zhengyang said without looking away, softly.

"Strong? He's clearly a useless chicken." Tang Luo said.

"I mean, in the Golden Core stage." Lei Zhengyang felt Tang Luo's standards were too high.

Over there, the useless chicken Ao Yulie continued his master's loneliness, while Rouyan couldn't hold back, shouting loudly: "Go seize the command token!"

"Just a measly command token." Ao Yulie said, "There are still five days—why rush?"

Wait until others have collected a certain number of tokens, then I, Ao Yulie, will seize them back—that's the most convenient and efficient way.

As for Golden Core sword cultivators uniting together—or hiding?

Joke. Even if all Golden Core sword cultivators on the entire island united, they still couldn't defeat me, Ao Yulie.

Here, I am invincible!

Ao Yulie wasn't anxious at all, merely gazing coldly at the wounded sword cultivators struggling to leave.

Only then did he slowly walk toward Rouyan and the others.

Rouyan, though angry, could do nothing against Ao Yulie's displayed strength, only silently cursing in her heart: "Like master, like disciple."

Just knew to rely on his great strength and do as he pleased—infuriating!

The next day, battles big and small broke out on various islands.

Out of over five hundred sword cultivators, more than two hundred were directly eliminated.

The pattern of one surpassing many strong ones had already formed—this "one" naturally refers to Ao Yulie, who seized the initiative.

Along the way, he easily defeated dozens of sword cultivators, and so far, no one has been able to make him draw his sword.

"Many strong" refers to the ace cultivators of each sect, including Yutian Gang, who likewise belong to that group.

Yutian Gang is strong, but not enduring—that's a major problem.

Because of his overwhelming performance, Ao Yulie has become the target of public criticism; the "many strong" have already planned to unite, first eliminating this arrogant fellow.

Because this person was excessively arrogant, not concealing his whereabouts in the slightest, wanting to set up some arrangements targeting him was still extremely simple.

Night fell.

The island grew quiet, only the occasional flash of sword light streaking past.

Sword cultivators also needed rest; although for Golden Core cultivators the darkness of night posed no hindrance, it would still reduce activity all the same.

Early the next morning.

Ao Yulie, as always, swaggered off from this island, intending to head for another island.

Along the way, whenever he ran into unlucky sword cultivators of other sects he struck them down and took their tokens, casually tossing the tokens to the Soaring Heaven Sword Gate sword cultivators behind him.

Thanks to Ao Yulie's blessing, the Soaring Heaven Sword Gate had the fewest eliminations — only a dozen or so.

Moreover, as time passed, the sword cultivators also gradually gathered together.

Future battles would devolve into dangerous melees, and individual influence would be weakened.

A Golden Core powerhouse like Ao Yulie could influence or even sway the battle situation, but it was hard to secure final victory by his own strength alone.

And looking at Ao Yulie's arrogant and unbridled demeanor, he had clearly abandoned all thought; setting a trap for him was no difficult matter.

Rather, the ones to watch out for were the renowned You Tiangang of the Sword Intent of Strength, and Rou Yan.

Fortunately those two had also shown themselves, and with their whereabouts known there was no need to worry.

The other six sects had already reached a consensus: eliminate the Soaring Heaven Sword Gate led by Ao Yulie first.

The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind — that was the principle.

"Young Master Ao..." From within the advancing group, a sword cultivator felt something was off and called out to Ao Yulie at the very front.

"Eh— don't call me Young Master Ao, call me Young Master Yu Long."

Ao Yulie halted his steps and said.

"Young Master Yu Long." That sword cultivator accepted the correction smoothly, "I feel something is wrong."

"I know." Ao Yulie nodded very confidently, "Someone has quietly set up a sword formation up ahead."

"What?"

The sword cultivators behind revealed shocked expressions.

"Not just up ahead — it's everywhere."

A voice rang out from the woods ahead, and a sword cultivator slowly walked out.

A concealed and dangerous sword formation emerged, completely enveloping Ao Yulie and the others.

The sword formation in front of them was merely a "bait" to draw attention.

The real killing move had been under everyone's feet from the start.

As the sword formation emerged, over a hundred sword cultivators appeared from all directions, surrounding Ao Yulie's group in a tight circle.

Another batch of sword cultivators went to intercept You Tiangang on the other island, preventing him from coming to the rescue.

If luck held, they could even swallow You Tiangang whole.

Of course, not all sword cultivators had shown themselves yet.

Some sword cultivators had not joined the main force, hiding somewhere among the seven islands.

"What do we do?"

Flying swords left their scabbards, some hovering at their sides, some gripped in hand; a Soaring Heaven Sword Gate sword cultivator spoke anxiously.

The situation before them was extremely unfavorable.

"You keep all the tokens! We'll carve a path for you, break out!" Rou Yan looked at Ao Yulie at the very front, making the ruthless choice to sacrifice herself for the greater good.

Ao Yulie turned his head, revealing a dazzling confident smile: "No need. With just them, they don't even have the qualifications to make me draw my sword."

"Heh, you only get to spout big talk at a time like this."

Ao Yulie's arrogant posture was dripping with mockery — even his own side couldn't stand it, let alone the enemy.

"Come on, if I draw my sword I lose." Ao Yulie stood with hands clasped behind his back.

"Asking for a beating!"

A group of sword cultivators moved to activate the sword formation.

Right then, a "crack" sound reached everyone's ears.

This was — the sound of a Golden Core shattering.

But this kind of shattering wasn't from being smashed by someone; it meant a Nascent Soul was about to form!

A surge of sword intent shot straight into the heavens, stirring wind and clouds!

On a nearby island, sword light flew into midair and slowly dispersed, revealing a figure.

The aura belonging to a Nascent Soul sword cultivator lingered on him, sword intent crisscrossing through the surrounding space.

Having just broken through to Nascent Soul, he had not yet stabilized his aura.

Someone had broken through from Golden Core to Nascent Soul during the Grand Competition!

"..."

Ao Yulie raised his head, looked at that figure in the sky, and suddenly clapped his hands, "Didn't expect there was still this move!"

The glorious Young Master Yu Long's limelight was suddenly stolen completely!

They're all a bunch of bad people! On the surface they say they're support, they're tanks, letting him, Ao Yulie, deal damage and carry the whole game.

The result? Each one more ruthless than the last.

"Cough, I was helping Master test the various sects' reactions."

Zhu Bajie in the sky coughed lightly, explaining to Ao Yulie via voice transmission.

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening!"

Ao Yulie turned into an idol drama heroine, heart cold and dispirited.

Zhu Bajie shook his head, tossing the sword in his hand into the sky; the flying sword turned into light, spreading out to form hundreds of crisscrossing sword beams.

The sword array laid down collapsed in a single breath.

The sword beams flew with unparalleled precision to hover above the heads of the Fei Qingtian Sword Gate sword cultivators, suspended without falling!

"Hand over the tokens."

His voice spread across Blue Lake, causing the flying swords in everyone's hands and at their sides to buzz and hum.

Ao Yulie crouched beside a large tree drawing circles in the dirt, having been taught another lesson by Second Senior Brother — to put on an act, this is the most correct way.