Chapter 114 - The Darkest Night!

By the Sea of Swords, atop the highest floor of the Spirit Treasure Walk, news had spread like wildfire among the Sword Cultivators of Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower. Rumors of a bountiful hunt in the mortal realm had them scrambling towards the Forbidden Tower.

Tales of the Sword Lord and the Tower Lord's doings across the thousand mortal nations whispered in hushed tones throughout the land.

Though the deep hours of the night reigned and nature stood still, the bustling voices of Azure Kite Street shattered the silence.

Outside of Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower, nearly thirty thousand ordinary Sword Cultivators roamed the Sea of Swords. Their skill level lagged behind those of Sword Heaven and were roughly on par with the three thousand from the Azure Spirit Sword Sect who headed north to slay demons. Affiliated with various powers and families, they normally operated under the leadership of Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower.

Now, many frowned upon the actions of Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower's foray into the mortal realm.

"Utterly distasteful!"

"The Tower Lord, a signatory of the Grand Wasteland Pact, is hailed in mortal tales as a virtuous deity. How could he resort to such measures?"

"Ah! I do hold a grudge against Yun Xiao because of the Azure Kite Sea, but this move by the Tower Lord is regrettable."

For a while, the Sea of Swords echoed with discontent in the dead of night.

"I've heard that the captive is none other than Yun Xiao's Senior Sister Zhao! Both Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower have set an elaborate trap, amassing over five thousand Sword Cultivators, all above the Late Divine Sea Realm. Five hundred of them are even in the Origin Core Realm! If Yun Xiao dares to step in, he's surely doomed."

"How can a single man defy five thousand swords?"

"I've heard tales of Yun Xiao slaughtering a hundred thousand demons in the Northern Wastelands. But those were mere lesser demons, not even matching up to the Dragon Spring Realm, akin to ordinary mortal warriors. But those five thousand from the Forbidden Tower? They're the elites of the Sea of Swords!"

Each one of the five thousand Late Divine Sea Realm or above Sword Cultivators had at least a Moon grade Sword Soul. Five hundred in the Origin Core Realm were even stronger than Ye Tiance.

It was an inescapable trap!

In Azure Spirit, only about a thousand people reached the Divine Sea Realm. Meanwhile, those who reached the Late Divine Sea Realm or higher numbered less than one hundred. The three thousand who went to the Northern Wastelands to slay demons were in the Late Dragon Spring Realm or above.

"Such a formation, even if ten Sword Lords and Tower Lords joined forces, they might not break it!"

This wasn't about strength anymore. The thousand-year-old foundation from Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower was fully showcased in the cultivation and Sword Souls of this five-thousand-strong force. Five thousand swords attacking from the sky to kill one was more terrifying than facing 5,000 five-hundred-year-old Demon Kings!

"The Sword Lord and Tower Lord are both in the Late Sovereign Dragon Realm! This young man, should he go on this journey, it's as if he's taking on twelve of them by himself!" Being surrounded by Sword Cultivators was fatal. One wrong move and even a lower level Flying Sword could pierce through you. A rain of ten thousand swords was inevitable.

"Pity for that Zhao Xuanran," a voice chimed in. "Heard she's the daughter of Sword Heaven's banished disciple, Zhao Jianxing. She ventured into the mortal realm to slay demons with such fiery passion, only to be betrayed by her own kind in the Forbidden Tower. A mere pawn in the Sea of Swords' power play."

"After the Grand Wasteland Pact, swords have been sheathed in the Sea of Swords for too long!" An elder exclaimed. "Thirty thousand Sword Cultivators with no swords to forge, no demons to slay. Their Sword Aura stagnates, their realms hard to advance. Some are getting restless."

"Yun Xiao is here!" A shout broke the conversation.

Just as many gathered in Azure Kite Street, a young man in white appeared, heading towards the Spirit Treasure Walk.

"Report his whereabouts and get 1,000,000 Spirit Stones!" Some recalled. But no one moved. There were too many witnesses. The reward wouldn't split well. Moreover, recalling today's rumors, a realization dawned on them. Yun Xiao entering the Sea of Swords was like a lamb walking into a tiger's den...

Rumors whispered that the Sword Lord planned an assassination, but Yun Xiao caught wind of it. The Forbidden Tower even issued a death decree against him.

The two behemoths of the Sea of Swords, one openly hostile and the other covertly so. This young man, amidst them, played them against each other. Rumor had it that he managed to destroy nearly half the battle strength of both Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower the previous night!

The tale spread like wildfire, and in just one day, many's perception of him completely changed.

"Schemes, conspiracies, and theatrics can win over people's hearts for a time, but what remains through the ages is an unwavering spirit and undaunted courage!" someone commented.

"Still, I despise Yun Xiao! For what he did to my Azure Kite!" another retorted.

These mixed emotions meant that when the thirty thousand Sword Cultivators saw Yun Xiao daring to show himself, they neither praised him nor called for his capture. They just silently watched him, their hearts filled with a myriad of emotions.

In a way, this was their way of granting Yun Xiao some semblance of fairness.

"Yun Xiao!" Around the corner of the street, a lady in a black dress suddenly appeared. Her face was pale, her hair disheveled, and her eyes slightly reddened.

"Aunt Ning, you haven't left?" Yun Xiao's voice was bone-chilling, as if emerging from an icy abyss.

Ning Yan stared at him, speechless. While he stood seemingly calm, his eyes swirled with a storm of sword energy. An intense aura of sword rays surrounded him, warning everyone to keep their distance. This was the most murderous intent Ning Yan had ever seen emanating from him.

"Save her," Ning Yan said shakily.

"Do you care about her?" Yun Xiao shot back, his gaze piercing.

"I... I don't know," Ning Yan replied, her face ashen.

"Is it because Lin Qingfeng played you for a fool that you've finally realized who truly stands by you at this age?" Yun Xiao said, shaking his head. "Ning Yan, your life is truly a tragedy."

"I made a mistake. Just stop talking! Can you give me a chance to make it right? Just save her. She's innocent!" Tears streamed down Ning Yan's face.

"Do I need you to tell me that?" Yun Xiao said, looking down at her. "If you're sincere, then use your status to help spread a piece of news for me."

Before Yun Xiao could even specify what the news was, Ning Yan hurriedly agreed, "I promise!"

"The reason the Sword Lord protects me is that he wants to extract my sword bone and implant it into himself, helping him rejuvenate," Yun Xiao said with a cold smirk.

"Is that true?" Ning Yan was taken aback, as if she had been struck by lightning.

Everyone had heard about the Sword Lord's intent to harm Yun Xiao but didn't know the reason. The truth was even more brutal and bloodthirsty than they had imagined.

"So, the Sword Lord wants his hundred-layer Sword Aura and Star grade Sword Soul..."

"To rob someone of their Sword Soul, how utterly vile!"

"No wonder Yun Xiao targeted Lin Chen, causing Sword Heaven and the Forbidden Tower to clash. Right when he arrived at the Sea of Swords, these two powers were conspiring to split his life apart!"

Before Ning Yan could say more, many bystanders had already overheard, gasping in shock.

"Alright! I'll make sure the world knows of Lin Qingfeng's evil deeds," Ning Yan declared, clenching her fists. Her once-admiring view of the Sword Lord came crashing down. She looked up at Yun Xiao, her eyes burning with newfound respect. "With this, the world should understand you."

"Whether the world understands me or not isn't what matters. What's important is that not only will I make Xiao Changtian and Lin Qingfeng meet their ends, but I'll also tarnish their reputations!" Yun Xiao declared, his voice ringing with conviction.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was karma in action. Two cowardly schemers, and they thought they could take the moral high ground?

Having said his piece, Yun Xiao brushed past Ning Yan, heading straight into the Spirit Treasure Walk. Though he was alone, his presence felt like a storm from the underworld entering the premises. For a moment, the hundreds within went silent.

"I need something that can make someone die a very painful death," Yun Xiao said to the lady behind the counter.

"Gruesome?" Madam Qian's eyes twinkled with mischief. "How about the Heart-Eating Gu?"

"That'll do," Yun Xiao replied with a nod.

Madam Qian scurried into a secret chamber. After a bit, she emerged, presenting a jade vial. "This is enough for one person. Over three days, it'll gnaw through bones, then flesh, while countless bugs devour the heart."

"Great. How much?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"200,000 Spirit Stones," she stated.

Without hesitation, Yun Xiao produced 2,000,000 Spirit Stones. "Give me enough for ten."

"Planning to make ten people suffer, are we?" Madam Qian arched an eyebrow.

"No. All for one. I'm not the waiting type," he responded.

"Enough for ten people, but all for one? That's a fate worse than death," Madam Qian drew a sharp breath. Her gaze softened with a touch of pity. "The captured girl... she's the one you bought the armor for, right? Judging by the speed of the Sovereign Sword, she'll soon be in the Forbidden Tower."

Yun Xiao remained silent, taking the Heart-Eating Gu and turned to leave.

"Hold on!" Madam Qian halted him.

"Yes?" He turned back, his eyes as unfathomable as the abyss.

"You're walking into a trap. That's five thousand Sword Cultivators at the Late Divine Sea Realm or higher. Five hundred of them are in the Origin Core Realm or higher, including the Sword Lord and Tower Lord who are both at the Late Sovereign Dragon Realm! And let's not forget Ye Guying who's soon to emerge. This is a death trap," she warned earnestly.

"And if I don't go, would you respect me?" Yun Xiao countered.

"Not in the slightest," she declared.

"Then your point being?"

"I see potential!" She stared intently at him, fire in her eyes. "I've been around for decades, seen all sorts, but in just one glance, I knew you're a soaring dragon. It'd be a shame for someone so young to perish in this godforsaken pond."

"So what's the catch?" Yun Xiao asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just take this," Madam Qian tossed him a black box.

He caught it deftly. "And what might this be?"

"A Sword Heart..." she said with a smirk of pride, "straight from the heavens themselves. To be quite frank, this little thing's worth more than my entire shop."

"A Sword Heart from the Heavenly Realm..." Yun Xiao's mind drifted back to the day he'd taken out the Wu Family. This was the exact nourishment the Heaven Burial Sword Soul needed.

"How much?" He asked, glancing skeptically at the black box. If a mere map from Madam Qian cost a fortune, this Sword Heart was surely beyond his reach.

"On the house," she replied with a sly grin.

"For free?" Yun Xiao gawked.

"Consider it a goodwill gesture. On behalf of the Heavenly Realm's Spirit Treasure Palace," Madam Qian chuckled heartily.

"Smart move!" Yun Xiao said with an appreciative nod, "From today onward, I owe a favor to the Spirit Treasure Palace. If ever you find yourselves in a jam, just remember, I owe you one." He paused, then asked, "Want it in writing?"

"Your word's good enough," she replied, grinning from ear to ear. She might've taken a hit today, but in her mind, it was an investment. After all, she knew the value of a good bet.

"If you strike when they least expect it, use the Sword Heart to eliminate either the Sword Lord or the Tower Lord. Heck, wipe 'em both out if you can. The rest will scatter like flies," she advised.

Everyone knew that Yun Xiao was walking into a trap. And the biggest threat was that army of five thousand elite Sword Cultivators.

"I've accepted your Sword Heart," Yun Xiao said, his eyes penetrating deeply into hers. "How I use it, though, is my business."

And with a whoosh, he was out the door, riding his sword high into the skies.

"He's really headed for the Forbidden Tower!"

"Good heavens!"

Down on Azure Kite Street, Sword Cultivators exchanged worried glances.

"Come on! This is history in the making!"

WHOOSH WHOOSH!

Tens of thousands set out. Among them were Elder Wang and Ning Yan.

That night, the Sea of Swords experienced its darkest hours.