Chapter 1054: Arriving as Promised

"The place to be buried? Hmph, dog of the Rising Bright Sect, first ask whether you accept this newly forged Myriad Bones in my hand!"

Han Wuxian's roar was like a muffled thunder deep under the sea, carrying the newborn, lava‑tinged murderous intent, and slammed into the oncoming Rising Bright Sect cultivators. He stepped forward, leaving a scarlet‑golden flame imprint on the seabed, and the dark‑gold and crimson‑woven, more ferocious and heavy Myriad Bones Giant Sword in his hand seemed to become the unyielding spine extending from his broken body.

"Arrogant brat! You know nothing of heaven's height and earth's depth!" the leading Elder Yin Zhi, who was actually the Internal Affairs Elder Zhao Wujiang, a Late Nascent Soul, now had murderous intent surge in his eyes. He saw that although Han Wuxian's aura surged, it still bore the weakness of grievous injury, and his cultivation was only at the early stage of Nascent Soul; yet he dared to provoke—an enormous humiliation. "A mere evil soldier dares to be ferocious? I'll suppress you!"

Zhao Wujiang paid Han Wuxian no heed, even too lazy to act himself. Behind him a Mid Nascent Soul cultivator sneered, stepped forward and said, "Elder, calm your anger; let me tear this clueless brat to pieces, then capture that Xiao Ran nuisance!"

Before the words finished, the Mid Nascent Soul cultivator's body surged with deep‑blue water light, transforming into a massive claw formed of dark‑heavy water, bearing a chilling aura that could freeze souls and the crushing force to rend the abyss, and lunged at Han Wuxian's head! The claw had not yet reached, but the terrifying pressure already froze the surrounding seawater completely, as if to freeze and crush him together with the newborn giant sword!

"Well timed!" a blaze of scarlet‑gold flashed wildly in Han Wuxian's eyes; instead of retreating, he let out a low, metallic‑grating roar. Having merged with the Great Light Divine Gold Empress, the Myriad Bones Giant Sword's weight and power surged severalfold; each swing was arduous, yet it delivered an unprecedented, mountain‑shaking force!

The dark‑gold bone and crimson divine‑gold veins on his arms flared brilliantly; the tearing pain deep in his bones was suppressed by an even fiercer battle will. Han Wuxian poured all the remaining strength of his body, together with the raging, scorching metallic will fed back from the sword, into his arms!

"Break!!!"

A thunderous shout! The Myriad Bones Giant Sword was lifted in a near‑brutal stance, from bottom to top, slashing diagonally upward!

There were no refined sword techniques, only pure, extreme, ferocious power that fused skeletal slaughter with divine‑gold anti‑evil might!

"Sizzle!!"

The scarlet‑gold and dark‑red interwoven sword light surged like an angry dragon bursting from a hellish furnace! Where the blade passed, the seemingly invincible, freezing dark‑heavy water claw met the scorching iron of molten metal, emitting a harsh melting sound! The scarlet‑gold anti‑evil radiance crazily corroded the chilling aura of the dark‑heavy water, while the skeletal sword's murderous intent brutally tore its structure!

"Boom!!"

The massive dark‑heavy water claw was split in two by this seemingly clumsy sword light! The scarlet‑gold blade, still radiant, brushed past the terrified Mid Nascent Soul cultivator's side and slammed into a thick, twisted rock pillar behind him!

"Crack! Boom!"

The ultra‑hard deep‑sea rock pillar shattered in response! Its broken surface was smooth as a mirror, still bearing traces of high‑temperature melt and strands of scarlet‑gold light! The savage impact raised a tsunami of mud and sand, surging toward the members of the Rising Bright Sect!

The Mid Nascent Soul cultivator who struck was not directly cut, but his protective aura was grazed by the sword's edge, instantly dimming. A scorching, domineering anti‑evil force mixed with icy murderous aura seeped into his body, making him grunt hoarsely, his face turning deathly pale as he was flung backward, eyes filled with incredulous horror!

"What?!" Zhao Wujiang's contemptuous expression froze instantly, replaced by extreme shock and a hint of solemnity. He stared fixedly at the dramatically altered sword in Han Wuxian's hand, its aura now terrifyingly ferocious, and at the scarlet‑gold patterns flickering on Han Wuxian's arms, seemingly burning his life force.

"That crimson thing… could it be… an Eight‑Turn Celestial Material?! This kid… actually forced a fusion?!"

One strike's might, shaking the entire arena!

The remaining Nascent Soul cultivators of the Rising Bright Sect, including another Mid Nascent Soul, instinctively halted their steps, their gazes toward Han Wuxian filled with dread. The aura emitted by that sword made their hearts race instinctively.

"Useless!" Zhao Wujiang barked angrily, his cold murderous intent locking onto Han Wuxian like a tangible force. "You've underestimated this evil cultivator! To think you have such a chance! Yet external power remains external; with that broken body, how many swords can you swing? Today, this evil soldier and that Celestial Material belong to the Rising Bright Sect!"

Zhao Wujiang no longer held back; the terrifying Late Nascent Soul pressure erupted without reservation! He formed seals with both hands, his star‑patterned robe glowing with a faint blue light, drawing upon the surrounding vast sea power. In an instant, hundreds of meters of seawater turned as viscous as lead‑mercury, the dreadful weight crushing from all sides onto Han Wuxian and Xiao Ran! Simultaneously, nine ice spikes, each forged from pure dark‑heavy water and exuding a chilling aura, surged like nine poisonous dragons, tearing the viscous sea, bearing soul‑locking cold murderous intent, and shot from various angles at Han Wuxian's vital points! Each ice spike's power far exceeded the earlier Mid Nascent Soul cultivator's strike!

This is the true strength of a Late Nascent Soul cultivator! One move, and it is a killing intent!

Han Wuxian's pupils constricted sharply!

Zhao Wujiang was right; that earlier sword, though seemingly magnificent, had almost drained the hard‑won power he had just gathered. The scarlet‑gold patterns on his arms burned like red‑hot branding iron, bringing fierce pain and deeper tearing, as if his bones might shatter at any moment. Facing those nine soul‑locking dark‑heavy water ice spikes, he felt like prey spotted by a deep‑sea leviathan, the shadow of death never so clear!

"Brother Han, hold on!" As Han Wuxian gritted his teeth, ready to swing a second sword to his death, a suppressed yet unusually steadfast low shout came from behind him—Xiao Ran!

Xiao Ran, somehow already standing, his face still pallid, the blue‑cold aura at his chest seemed partially suppressed. The dark‑yellow iron sword he held hovered before him, and on its blade faint, yet exceptionally pure and resilient starlight began to shine!

Xiao Ran's hands swiftly formed a seal, fingertips streaked with blood, clearly forcing power despite the cold poison's erosion. As he moved, the starlight around the dark‑yellow iron sword surged, instantly splitting into dozens to hundreds of illusory sword shadows! These shadows were not solid, yet radiated a cutting‑through‑space sharpness, vaguely forming the outline of a mysterious sword formation!

"Star Pivot Summon! Sword Formation, arise!" Xiao Ran spat a mouthful of refined blood onto the blade!

"Buzz!"

The dark‑yellow iron sword emitted a clear, resonant sword tone! The hundreds of starlight sword shadows instantly solidified a bit, as if infused with life, becoming a rotating sword wheel of brilliant starlight, boldly confronting the nine terrifying dark‑heavy water ice spikes!