Chapter 627: Burying Tang Xuanzang

Spirit Severing!

Tang Xuanzang advanced to Spirit Severing, which is why he called that Shu Mountain sword cultivator the strongest Nascent Soul.

The reason being, this sword cultivator made him stand up.

To tell the truth, even other Spirit Severing sword cultivators have no qualification to say such words, unless a Void Refining sword cultivator personally designates one.

Moreover, this designated one would still face challenges from all kinds of challengers, forcibly fighting their way into a position.

Only then would they be qualified to hold the titles "First Under Spirit Severing" and "Strongest Nascent Soul."

No one took Tang Luo's claim of "strongest" to heart.

What they truly cared about now was this white-haired Tang Xuanzang.

Second to the Sword Maniac? No, he is no longer second to the Sword Maniac; this is absolutely a powerhouse who has surpassed the Sword Maniac!

After casually designating a "strongest," Tang Luo flew back to Sword Peak while saying, "I'm not participating in the Nascent Soul duels."

So you flew out just to show off?

Some sword cultivators had question marks written all over their hearts.

Tang Luo withdrawing from the Nascent Soul duels had no impact whatsoever on Soaring Sword Gate's "Nascent Soul First" result.

The first-place result had absolutely no suspense at all.

Furthermore, Soaring Sword Gate took first in Golden Core and first in the Nascent Soul duels; as long as they don't completely lie flat in the upcoming Spirit Severing duels, it means this Grand Competition will end perfectly with them in first place among the Seven Gates.

Even if they lie flat badly in the Spirit Severing duels, they can still secure a top-three result.

They would still hold the key to the Heavenly Sword Land.

"Tang Xuanzang……"

"If this person is not eliminated, he will be the next Divine Lord; once Soaring Sword Gate grows powerful, the consequences are unthinkable."

Many sword cultivators calculated in their hearts what impact this Tang Xuanzang's sudden rise would bring.

True Man Fengxian and Sword Maniac Yixin, though they are two of the top three strongest, their personalities led to them being unable to provide much more help to the sect.

The Sword Maniac is obsessed with the sword and does not care about sect affairs big or small.

True Man Fengxian is a ruthless person; neither of them has accepted any disciples.

Maintaining the sect is no problem; the problem is they have no way to help the sect rise.

Unlike Yue Wushuang, who after becoming one of the strongest, led Soaring Sword Gate from the back of the Seven Gates to the front ranks.

Yue Wushuang is a person with ambition, and Tang Xuanzang——

Judging from his two disciples and his own performance, he is also someone willing to consider and sacrifice for the sect.

Dangerous!

The Seven Gates' structure might possibly be gradually shattered by Tang Xuanzang's sudden emergence.

This person must be eliminated! Cannot be left alive!

But how to eliminate him is also a problem; such a hot potato, Soaring Sword Gate will definitely protect like a treasure.

The Tyrant Sword Intent lets this Tang Xuanzang not need too much tempering; he only needs to raise his cultivation step by step.

Once he reaches Void Refining, he will be a massive threat.

A step further up, and he absolutely becomes the next Yue Wushuang.

And the three strongest are all still relatively young; Soaring Sword Gate doesn't just have successors, it is a sect of "Twin Powerhouses."

A Tang Xuanzang like this, no less than Yue Wushuang back then, has very little chance of going out for training.

Wanting to kill him inside the sect is thousands of difficulties, ten thousand difficulties.

Even if all major sects have placed some undercover agents in the other sects — perhaps the only one without any is Shu Mountain Sword Sect, but that is only a possibility.

But these undercover spies fundamentally cannot threaten Tang Luo.

The six great sects also cannot go to all-out war with Soaring Sword Gate, become enemies, just to kill Tang Luo.

Difficult, too difficult.

Fortunately it's not completely without a way; currently there is still only one path laid before the six great sects.

And this path, from a certain perspective, is very simple, even a broad highway.

That is to kill Tang Xuanzang during the Spirit Severing Grand Competition duels!

The Seven Gates Grand Competition does not forbid life-and-death duels; deaths occur frequently, but usually no one deliberately strikes to kill.

Being unable to hold back in a fight is fine; deliberately striking to kill is not good.

But without a doubt, deaths are of no consequence; afterward they cannot be openly pursued.

If they can kill Tang Xuanzang in the duels, Soaring Sword Gate can only swallow the bitter fruit, smash their teeth and swallow them in their stomach.

If Soaring Sword Gate wants to make trouble using this as an excuse, they will only be jointly attacked by the other six gates.

It would instead be suicidal behavior.

Before, such a thing has also happened once.

The besieged sect was Hidden Sword Manor; that sword cultivator was named "Yixin," Sword Maniac Yixin.

That time they didn't succeed; Hidden Sword Manor also didn't make much fuss.

Fortune turns; this time it's Soaring Sword Gate's turn.

"You've been targeted." Lei Zhengyang looked at Tang Luo and said, "The upcoming Spirit Severing duels will be very dangerous; are you sure you still want to participate?"

Wanting to break the six gates' siege is also very simple: just don't participate in the Spirit Severing duels and it's done.

The premise of a broad highway is being able to walk onto it.

"Of course." Tang Luo was full of confidence, "I'm the one who's going to be Sect Master; contributing a bit for the sect is only right and proper."

"???" Lei Zhengyang put on a face full of question marks; is it appropriate for you to say it so directly?

"Am I not the most suitable candidate for the next Sect Master?" Tang Luo looked at Lei Zhengyang and asked.

「……」

Lei Zhengyang said he couldn't respond to that; if he were someone with an extreme lust for power, he might have immediately arranged for Tang Luo's elimination.

Fortunately, he himself had the idea of retiring, with no attachment whatsoever to the position of sect leader.

He could only pat Tang Luo on the shoulder.

"What do you mean by this? Is it doable or not?" Tang Luo pressed on.

"Whether it's doable or not isn't up to me," Lei Zhengyang said, feeling vexed.

"First place in the Seven Sects Grand Competition—such a great achievement, and you still can't become sect leader?" Tang Luo said. "How about this: I'll be sect leader, you handle affairs from behind the curtain, I'll just be a puppet—after all, I don't like dealing with all sorts of trivial matters."

"……Then what kind of sect leader are you even talking about?!"

Lei Zhengyang couldn't hold back, his voice tinged with a hint of thunderous resonance.

"Since you've entered the sect, not becoming sect leader—what's the difference from a salted fish? If you don't dare to scale the heights, why cultivate immortality, why practice the sword?" Tang Luo said. "If you're going to do it, do it to the best."

"……Enough, enough—let's talk about it after it's over." Lei Zhengyang looked weak and helpless, gazing toward the temporary residence of the Void Refining Sword Cultivators.

Grand Elder, please, just rein this person in.

The Grand Elder remained unmoved, saying, "Your affairs, young people, are for young people to handle."

The sect's foundation doesn't concern itself with such trivial matters.

The Nascent Soul duel concluded when the sword cultivators of Wan Jian Valley defeated the Xing Jian Pai sword cultivators of Ting Jian Ge, bringing the curtain down.

Qing Tian Jian Men likewise secured first place with an almost overwhelming dominance.

Next, as per convention, came another day of rest, with everyone free to move about.

Qing Tian Jian Men here was also bustling, with the remaining sects coming to pay visits, conducting various covert probes.

Lei Zhengyang responded flawlessly, fully displaying the bearing of a great commander.

And the focal figure, Tang Xuanzang, would only stand beside Lei Zhengyang, nodding: "Exactly, Old Lei is right—you also have a point."

All kinds of "Me too," utterly devoid of any "culture."

But it was also another form of flawless response—after all, no one managed to extract anything from Tang Luo's side.

Nor could it be determined whether he would or would not participate in the God Transformation duel.

In the end, the God Transformation sword cultivators had no choice but to set aside their dignity, using verbal provocation to try to get Tang Luo to fight.

As for the Nascent Soul sword cultivators, they didn't even have the "courage" to speak in front of Tang Luo—a single glance from him, and they'd meekly shut their mouths.

Even lowering their heads, stepping back one pace.

Sword cultivators speak with strength—just that direct, simple and brutal.

Nascent Soul sword cultivators, when placed outside, are strong enough to found a sect—but here, at the Seven Sects Grand Competition, before the God Transformation sword cultivators, they appear diminished by a head.

One day passed quickly.

The bustling Blue Lake Sword Peak area fell quiet again, everyone awaiting the main event of the Seven Sects Grand Competition—the God Transformation duel!

Know this: opportunities to see God Transformation-stage sword cultivators make a move in daily life are rare.

Moreover, there's no need to mention that so many God Transformation sword cultivators would fight openly and aboveboard.

For many sword cultivators, watching strong warriors fight brings many benefits.

Gaining breakthrough insights from observing duels is not unique to Tang Luo.

The rules for God Transformation sword cultivators' duels are somewhat similar to, yet different from, those of Nascent Soul sword cultivators.

Each sect sends out seven God Transformation sword cultivators, with Ting Jian Ge going first.

The remaining sects send out challengers at will, one-on-one; the loser leaves the field, the winner stays.

This continues until the end—whoever remains on the field is the God Transformation champion, and their sect earns the highest score.

The remaining six sects then calculate their scores based on their total number of victories in past matches.

In this duel, the most anticipated participant is not Tang Luo, but Wan Jian Valley's strongest God Transformation sword cultivator, wielding the "Divine Eagle Sword."

Bai Fa Tang Xuanzang—everyone only cares whether he will go on stage or not.

If he does, they'll look for a chance to kill him.

Know this: even if he has broken through to the God Transformation stage, he is merely at the initial phase of God Transformation.

Meanwhile, all participants in the duel are late-stage God Transformation sword cultivators.

Such a gap in cultivation is not easily bridged—indeed, it may be impossible to cross—and this is why everyone is confident they can bury Tang Xuanzang in this duel.