Soul force as the sword, piercing the world before his body.

The red fish in the pool were still calm and peaceful, but the winds before He Baihe instead suddenly changed, sword radiance surging powerfully.

A streak of transparent sword radiance and sword qi suddenly appeared between heaven and earth.

The instant this sword radiance and sword qi appeared, the expression of that Immortal Academy Sacred Expert with the white jade sword on his back suddenly paled. Following a vibration noise, the white jade sword already left its scabbard, condensing his powerful soul force and the world’s vital energy. It moved rapidly within the roaring noises, continuously clashing with the countless invisible lines that suddenly appeared between swirling light and shadows.

Under the continuous clashes, the extremely bright flying sword’s white jade color began to dim at a visible rate.

All Immortal Academy students, including this Sacred Expert, began to withdraw in horror.

In just a fraction of a breath of time, this forest in front of the jade pool already became a shocking sword formation.

Some of the stone powder was removed from the underbrushes and flower clusters, revealing the originally unseen sword traces.

There were some sword traces that already disappeared, but could be sensed at this moment, appearing on some branches and petals.

Powerful sword intent and sword energy pervaded from this entire mountain forest’s trees and rocks, condensing together, forming countless invisible lines between heaven and earth, as if countless people were hacking down with invisible swords.

All of this sword radiance and sword intent gathered and rushed at Ni Henian, forming He Baihe’s sword, Immortal Academy’s most powerful sword.

However, even if it was just some sword radiance that scattered out, it was already enough to cause fatal injuries to the Immortal Academy cultivators outside. It was only because that Sacred Expert didn’t hesitate to use up large amounts of soul force to protect them that those Immortal Academy cultivators weren’t injured by the scattered sword radiance.

These Immortal Academy people had never seen He Baihe practice the sword, but the sword traces that appeared from the countless flowers, trees and mountain stones instead allowed them to understand just how many times He Baihe brandished his divine sword. Meanwhile, those slashes he released, the vital energy power they contained when he left behind sword scars also made those rocks and plants undergo some fine changes.

These countless sword traces that had endless invisible connections instead already became streaks of runes under his sword.

This was Immortal Academy’s most powerful Celestial Sword!

At this time, he gathered the greatest power, a sword that condensed the remnant power of countless slashes he left behind here to hack at Ni Henian!

A dried yellow small metal sword carrying dried leaf butterfly-like runes appeared at the side of that mysterious cultivator behind Ni Henian. This cultivator couldn’t interfere, nor did he have a way of interfering with and attacking this sword aimed at Ni Henian. His flying sword only blocked a dozen or so strands of transparent sword qi flying at him, at the same time calmly withdrawing backwards.

Ni Henian’s pupils suddenly became cold.

Within a fraction of a breath of time, the soul force within him already surged out powerfully. However, this Immortal Academy’s most powerful sword’s strength completely exceeded his expectations.

This sword was full of an isolating and complete dividing intent. Before the soul force his body released had time to condense into even greater power, it was already divided by countless transparent rune threads, becoming disconnected from his body.

In this instant, he stopped the soul force that was pouring out from his body, gathering all of his soul force under his skin. His entire figure completely became the color of topaz, becoming the most heavy hammer, fiercely striking the ground beneath his feet.

Within an extremely short amount of time those beneath the sacred level completely didn’t have the time to sense or react to, the floor beneath him, with him at the center, began to ripple and surge outwards.

Using extremely powerful soul force, the instant this strike was released, it didn’t care about being cut apart anymore, starting to frantically pour out from the bottom of his feet.

The earth ruptured, mud overturned, rocks shattered, flowers withered into dirt, trees split into countless pieces.

This entire forest, everything here began to crack apart. The sword traces all began to shatter one after another.

Blood trickled out from He Baihe’s nostrils.

Right now, both him and this heaven and earth were a single sword… This sword already showed signs of collapse from Ni Henian’s brute power, so he naturally couldn’t avoid suffering serious injuries as well.

However, a cracked sword was still a sword.

In that instant, his expression remained calm.

In the perception of Sacred Experts like him and Ni Henian, these fractured swords hacked down on Ni Henian’s body one after another.

The extremely luxurious robes on Ni Henian’s body began to release light. Countless streaks of golden light appeared between the extremely concentrated metal threads, forming streaks of rune threads.

These rune threads began to grow dim within the amount of time no cultivators could take action in, as if they had never shone before.

Endless formless power cut apart these run threads. This set of extremely precious metal robes Ni Henian wore produced countless cracks. Yellow light surged from within, while drops of blood started to seep out of these metal openings.

…

The sword light faded.

The mountain forest was completely destroyed.

He Baihe coughed lightly as he wiped away the blood around his nose.

The great robes Ni Henian wore had many fine cuts, some blood flowing out from within.

The faces of all Immortal Academy cultivators were snow-white, their bodies all shaking continuously.

“Using sword traces to establish a formation, seizing victory with intent.”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Ni Henian remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke. “Immortal Academy’s sword is indeed enough to bring glory to all who witness it.”

“Only, it is a pity that I was before you.” After a slight pause, he looked at He Baihe, saying this.

He Baihe understood what Ni Henian’s words meant more clearly than anyone. Ni Henian was a cultivator who became a Sacred Expert many years before he did. That was why when he faced this blade today, despite not being able to display his most powerful methods yet, he still broke through this sword by using his superior cultivation.

From a certain standpoint, this was also the greatest praise a senior could give a later generation cultivator.

He Baihe revealed a satisfied smile, waiting for a chance to speak.

Right at this time, a streak of sword radiance flew out. An Immortal Academy cultivator with a sword throwing style released a strike towards Ni Henian. The sword radiance was like a shooting star, directly aiming at the middle of Ni Henian’s back.

He Baihe’s expression became slightly rigid, inwardly releasing a sigh.

Even though he was the emperor’s side’s most powerful opponent in the academy, someone who had the ability to resist the emperor’s will, it didn’t mean that he could control all of the powers that were against the emperor in the academy. Right now, the one who took action from Immortal Academy was precisely someone who wasn’t under his influence.

Right now, everyone could see this situation where him and Ni Henian were both injured. However, even if Ni Henian suffered those swords of light, sustaining heavy injuries, he was still the sole Great Consecrator of this entire Yunqin, an unrivaled cultivator in Central Continent City, someone who was only a step away from Sacred Master level. Even if he was injured, his strength was still far from the imagination of a normal person, not someone any random spectator could kill.

A light cough sounded.

Ni Henian turned his hand and flicked his fingers.

A ding noise sounded. That shooting star-like sword radiance bounced outwards, stabbing through the chest of that Immortal Academy cultivator with even greater speed than it arrived, sending that cultivator flying.

“This sword, it similarly belongs to Yunqin… Does this sword already have an inheritor?” After flicking his fingers and killing the powerful cultivator who tried to assassinate him, Ni Henian’s expression was calm as he looked at He Baihe, asking this.

He Baihe said sincerely, “It currently still does not.”

Ni Henian said with a sigh of sorrow. “It is a pity that this sword will end here… When one reaches your cultivation and level, you should also understand that even if you can display this type of powerful sword, there still isn’t too great of a chance of defeating and stopping me. I really cannot understand the significance behind your choice.”

He Baihe smiled mysteriously. “It naturally has great significance. Originally, if nothing unexpected happened, Great Consecrator was supposed to be one of the very few among Yunqin’s Sacred Experts who had a chance of advancing into the Sacred Master level, moreover the one who would reach Sacred Master level the earliest. With Great Consecrator’s cultivation, in this world, there should only be Vice Principal Xia or Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, these types of figures who had a chance of winning against you. If you advance into Sacred Master level, then even in all of Yunqin, there temporarily wouldn’t be anyone who could defeat Great Consecrator, your respected self. This way, there would be even fewer people who could stand against some of the emperor’s decisions… Even if today’s battle has prevented me from advancing into Sacred Master level in this life, if I can prevent Great Consecrator from entering Sacred Master level, or at least prevent you from breaking through into Sacred Master level for ten, twenty years, this type of price is obviously worth it… This is the most important battle between cultivators and his majesty’s will after his majesty has gone mad.”

Ni Henian once again became quiet under He Baihe’s smiling expression.

“I know that Great Consecrator, your respected self, to a great degree, is still a cultivator who single-heartedly pursues the dao, hoping that Yunqin can be like how it was ten years before it was founded, full of all types of powerful cultivators, all types of astonishing skills. However, this junior earnestly requests Great Consecrator to reconsider things. Regardless of whether it is Zhong Cheng[1], Nightingale[2], or myself, we are indeed Yunqin’s cultivators, yet why would these cultivators instead make Imperial City, make your respected self our enemy, instead become rocks that tarnish your respected self’s cultivation?” He Baihe said solemnly, “Great Consecrator, your respected self’s clothes have already been torn. Why not just remove these robes here?”

Ni Henian also smiled, his smile filled with endless emotions. “Once a cultivator casts aside their own dao, how can they achieve the sacred level? With death imminent, you still wish to lobby me to your side?”

He Baihe shook his head, saying with a light sigh, “All of you are unable to kill me today.”

“This must be the rumored Imperial City’s most powerful personal attendant of his majesty, Shadow Sacred Expert Qiu Hanying.” He Baihe turned around, giving that masked mysterious cultivator a look. He then said with a smile, “However, unless Great Consecrator wishes to suffer even greater irrecoverable injuries, he shouldn’t be able to stop my departure.”

Ni Henian’s brows furrowed deeply.

The gray-robed mysterious cultivator released a cold snort, as if feeling like he was being looked down upon. That dried yellow small metal sword floating in front of him immediately carried powerful winds, bringing surging heaven and earth vital energy with it as it flew at He Baihe.

It was destined that on this day, within an irregular and exceptional place like Immortal Academy, there would be even more irregular and exceptional things that would take place here.

A great splash surged from within the camly flowing waterfall.

A streak of sword radiance carrying a type of tranquil intent fiercely hacked into this dried yellow flying sword.

With just this sword alone, Ni Henian’s brows furrowed even more deeply, as if there were many blade sculpted wrinkles added to his face. The emperor’s most mysterious personal attendant Qiu Hanying thus released a cold muffed snort, the dried yellow sword light returning in front of him.

He Baihe revealed a faint smile. He stood up from the rocks, directly leaving through the forest behind the pool.

Within the peaceful forest, on the mountain path, some Immortal Academy cultivators who previously never revealed themselves released fierce shouts, starting to rush at He Baihe murderously, wishing to intercept him.

He Baihe released a faint sigh.

He used his finger as a sword, sword radiance appearing again.

Streaks of extremely faint sword intent surrounded the forests he passed by.

Swords, arms, bodies… all of them were severed. Under extremely miserable cries, those people from Immortal Academy that tried to stop him were all chopped up into chunks of flesh piece by piece.

A Sacred Expert like He Baihe who possessed Immortal Academy’s most powerful sword was like Ni Henian; even if he was seriously injured, he wasn’t someone an ordinary cultivator could kill. This was let alone the fact that this entire mountain, and even this entire Immortal Academy was covered in who knew how many strikes from He Baihe. This entire mountain seemed to be covered in runes that he previously arranged, wisps of sword intent he left behind.

Only someone like Ni Henian and Qiu Hanying, these types of experts, had a chance of stopping He Baihe who already completed his mission here from leaving. However, at this time, Ni Henian and Qiu Hanying were stopped by that swords master on top of the waterfall.

“General Sword… you are East Forest Ye Family’s Ye Wangqing[3].”

“Your cultivation previously continuously declined, potentially even falling from the Sacred Expert level. Who would have thought that today, your sword intent is like a surging army, your cultivation already directly approaching the past Great General Ye.”

Ni Henian raised his head, looking towards that swords master figure dressed in moon white long robes. “Only, his highness has never been unkind to your Ye Family, to the extent where your Ye Family’s disciples were viewed like princes, always enjoying splendor and luxury. Why would you then do this type of thing?”

“The family is small while the empire is big. In the past, I was trapped by my emotions, discarding the General Sword, but today, I could pick up the General Sword once again, so how can I not care about the world because of a small family’s riches and my individual life and death?” The moon white clothed East Forest Province number one swords master Ye Wangqing seemed to still carry a trace of grief that made others feel sympathy, but his eyes instead already carried brilliance and determination.

“If one day, even East Forest Province is lost, how can my Ye Family have an easy life and a comfortable house to live in?”

When he heard Ye Wangqing speak these words, Ni Henian didn’t say anything else. He only waved his arm, indicating for Ye Wangqing to leave on his own.

At this time, in Ni Henian’s head, he couldn’t help but recall the world ten years before Yunqin was founded, when he could see all types of brilliant and varied battles between cultivators just by walking through Central Continent City’s streets and alleys. Despite the fact that now, some academies rose up, making it so that most cultivators belonged to a faction, lacking as much free expression and originality, it seemed like even so, in this current world of cultivation, there were still all types of cultivators who persisted with their own beliefs. This world of cultivators was still brilliant.

1. Zhong Family’s most powerful person B12C63

2. Freed by Jiang Yanzhi, could be considered a person of Jiang Family B12C64

3. River Water Severing Sword Ye Wangqing - His cultivation previously declined because of the death of his wife. He is the heir of the state founding general Ye Ningzhi - B7C23