Chapter 278: At My Arrival in the Sword Ruins, I Slew Three Beauties!

"Senior Sister Sikong." Ling Chen gazed at the woman before him, ethereal as a fairy, his heart adrift in a daze. He was increasingly aware of how the memories of the Ling Family's fallen son deeply affected his heart.

Sikong Yan, the very woman Ling Chen once admired! Once, she had rescued him from dire straits, her otherworldly elegance etched in the youth's mind, haunting his dreams.

Now, the fallen son transformed into an Exiled Sword Immortal, and there she stood, a Sword Cultivator of celestial grace, her presence demure and respectful, exuding a gentle femininity.

"In a past life, consumed with strife, I neglected the beauty of worldly ties. The admiration of a heart newly awakened is unforgettable and deep!" Ling Chen muttered to himself.

Sikong Yan's radiant beauty was not just etched into the heart of the mortal Ling Chen. Now, the Divine Sky Sword Emperor had also fallen for her, his heart stirring with delight.

After venting his years of pent-up anger on Bai Qingxue, Ling Chen had regained his sanity. He found the purity and transcendence of a Sword Cultivator like Sikong Yan far more elegant.

"Exile Ling." Sikong Yan bowed slightly, a soft smile on her lips, cheeks faintly flushed.

"After the Immortal Sword Rankings, shall I take you to the folded world to behold the earthly sights?" Ling Chen asked with a smile.

"Ah, yes." Sikong Yan's eyes shimmered, cheeks aglow, a vision of stunning beauty.

Upon agreeing, a hint of worry flickered in her eyes, "But my next opponent is the unruly Exile Yun... I fear I may not be fortunate enough to accompany you to the mortal realm."

The first round of the Immortal Sword Rankings was prearranged, but the subsequent matchups were uncertain.

"It's fine. You have no feud with him. Just avoid provocation, and you'll be safe," Ling Chen assured.

"By choosing peace, will that demon spawn spare me?" Sikong Yan asked nervously, biting her lip.

"He wouldn't dare harm you," Ling Chen said, looking at her. In truth, he knew it wasn't a matter of Yun Xiao not daring, but rather not willing. His fearsome reputation was more a dark fabrication of the Withered Bone Keeper, not reality.

When the two first met, Ling Chen even mistook Yun Xiao for a saint...

Plainly put, Ling Chen knew Yun Xiao's true nature better than anyone. But he kept silent.

"Alright! Then I'm relieved." Sikong Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Senior Sister Sikong, are you in the Mid Dao Heart Realm?" Ling Chen suddenly asked.

"Yes," Sikong Yan nodded.

"You're worrying too much," Ling Chen said, a hint of encouragement in his voice. "His techniques are complex, his Sword Aura formidable, but his strength isn't on par with yours. Just avoid clashing directly with him."

"Understood," Sikong Yan nodded obediently, well aware of her own capabilities. Her act of feigned weakness in front of Ling Chen was merely to stir his protective instincts and bridge their relationship.

As the conversation turned, the seventh round of the Immortal Sword Rangs kicked off! A total of 64 talented Sword Cultivators ascended onto 32 battle platforms. The chaotic competition had evolved into a battle of elites. All 64 participants were True Disciples or higher, most of them Supreme Disciples.

Among these clashes of geniuses, any round featuring the two Exiled Sword Immortals, especially the matchup between Yun Xiao and Sikong Yan, was the absolute center of attention.

Atop a high tower, the Withered Bone Keeper and Overseer Sikong, serving him, watched with intense scrutiny.

"Old Sword Warden, do you think my granddaughter can gauge Yun Xiao's depth?" Overseer Sikong asked in a somber tone.

"We'll see," the Withered Bone Keeper replied, his voice even and calm.

Overseer Sikong saw his granddaughter as a key figure in their Sikong Family ingratiating themselves with Ling Chen. Naturally, he was anxious.

"If Lil Yan can eliminate the Exiled Sword Immortal, it would be a glorious achievement, skyrocketing her status and making her worthy of Exile Ling in public opinion," Overseer Sikong mused, his hopes rising. Then, he turned to the Withered Bone Keeper and asked, "By the way, didn't you say a distinguished guest was arriving today?"

The Withered Bone Keeper glanced into the distance, his ears perking up slightly. His dry lips twitched as he said, "They're almost here."

Overseer Sikong's eyes lit up with anticipation.

Meanwhile, on one of the 32 battle platforms, Sikong Yan faced Yun Xiao, while Ling Chen, on a nearby platform, was up against another Mid Dao Heart Realm opponent.

"Exile Yun, I hope you won't take offense at my boldness," Sikong Yan said with a soft smile, her tone exceptionally gentle.

Such courteous words would bring a smile to any man's face. However, Yun Xiao noticed that upon her entrance, numerous young Sword Cultivators glared at him, as if they were monitoring and judging him.

"What's your name?" Yun Xiao asked.

The girl's face tightened slightly. She had skipped introductions, hoping to fight without drawing animosity, all to gauge Yun Xiao's capabilities for Ling Chen. But now, put on the spot, her pride won over her caution, "I am Sikong Yan."

"Is the Overseer Sikong your relative?" Yun Xiao probed further. His question sent a chill through the young Sword Cultivators watching their platform.

"Exile Yun, he is my grandfather," Sikong Yan replied, her voice quivering slightly. Even in the face of Yun Xiao's imposing, yet calm demeanor, her pride and fear wrestled, neither gaining the upper hand. Finally, recalling Ling Chen's words, she braced herself for the fight.

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Alright, make your move," Yun Xiao said, not pressing further, his gaze fixed on Sikong Yan.

The Sword Cultivators around were restless with anticipation. Could he defeat Sikong Yan? And if he did, would he go as far as to kill her?

"Then, I shall humbly demonstrate my skills, and I hope for Exile Yun's understanding," Sikong Yan said, as her Sword Soul transformed into a three-foot azure blade.

It was an azure Sword Soul similar to Yun Xiao's, wrapped with five Sword Rings. Each one embodied the elements of wind, fire, thunder, ice, and metal, manifesting as five differently colored flying birds circling the blade, which was further enhanced by a staggering 2,000 layers of Sword Aura.

This was the Silva grade Azure Blue Sword Soul, known for its swiftness.

Sikong Yan had already developed her Sword Intent, which, within her Sword Soul, manifested as a blooming blue peony.

The Azure Blue Sword Soul was adorned with a layer of petal patterns, under which the 2,000 layers of Sword Aura seemed even more unified, their lethality magnified.

Under the guidance of her Sword Intent, a storm of azure, like a furious dragon, swirled around Sikong Yan, billowing her skirt and hair, adding to her ethereal allure.

In terms of demeanor and appearance, she truly surpassed Feng Ruolin and Ku Xue.

"Sikong Yan is breathtaking!"

"She's only sixteen. In two more years, she could make it to the top ten of the Immortal Sword Rankings!"

Whispers of admiration quietly reached Yun Xiao's ears.

"I've heard she has a special bond with Exile Ling."

"Both talented and beautiful, a story worth telling..."

These envious murmurs also found their way to him. The public's fascination with such matters was hard to hide.

This was the kind of public sentiment that would normally delight Sikong Yan, but at that moment, it caused a slight jolt in her heart. Yet, the arrow was already on the bowstring!

"Exile Ling said my strength surpasses his!" Sikong Yan steeled herself internally, maintaining a soft, beautiful smile. Her swordplay, like a dance in the wind, suddenly lunged towards Yun Xiao!

Palm Sword Technique, Azure Leaf Sword Waltz!

This was one of the top techniques from the Sword Ruins, known as the waltz of death.

As Sikong Yan wielded her sword, she seemed like a flurry of azure leaves swirling in the wind, the sword moving with her dance, as if trapping Yun Xiao in a bamboo forest. It was both a mesmerizing and deadly display!

With one stroke, Yun Xiao was trapped!

"Exile Yun seems to be at a disadvantage!"

Just as this thought emerged in the minds of the onlookers, Yun Xiao made his move!

With a graceful sweep of his left hand and a swift flick of his right, Yun Xiao's movements flowed like water. His left hand's delicate gesture summoned two invisible waves of energy, which under his control, spiraled into a 300-meter invisible vortex, rampaging forward!

With a hum, this spinning vortex struck Sikong Yan, her figure, sword, and azure leaves caught in a tumultuous sea. Her swordplay was instantly torn to shreds!

BOOM!

With a cry of shock, the girl and her Sword Soul were flung like a kite, crashing against the battle platform's magic barrier, erupting in a muffled roar.

Sikong Yan spat a mouthful of black blood, her body sliding down like a broken doll, her face ashen.

"The Wuji Dao Art..." Even she recognized it! There were few pure daoist spells in the Sword Ruins, and the Wuji Dao Art from Gongshu Dao was among them. It was a spatial spell.

With one daoist spell, Yun Xiao had subdued a Mid Dao Heart Realm Sword Cultivator!

"I've lost," Sikong Yan admitted to herself, feeling a tinge of disappointment.

But just then, angry shouts erupted around her.

"Don't kill!"

"Demon spawn, stop!"

Sikong Yan felt a sudden chill, her mind going blank. She rememberedYun Xiao had attacked with both hands! The left with the Wuji Dao Art, the right with a Flying Sword!

"What?" As she stood up, soaked in sweat, it was as if she'd been struck by a bolt of lightning. Before her eyes was a sight that made her tremble!

Yun Xiao's azure Flying Sword spun in the air, tracing a Taiji symbol, like two Yin-Yang fish converging towards her!

Flying Sword Technique, Taiji Flying Fish!

This was ancestor Gongshu Jian's signature sword technique. However, it was slightly different from what was described. When the Taiji Flying Fish passed, space itself rippled like the surface of a lake.

Sikong Yan felt as if she were at the bottom of this lake, her body immobilized, clamped tight by these watery forces. "Uh..." Her eyes went wide in shock, unable to launch a counterattack.

Finally, an azure light shadow had already pierced through the center of her forehead!

SPUTTER!

A bloody hole opened in her brow. The azure Taiji Flying Fish swiftly circled back, returning to Yun Xiao's hand.

One palm, one swordkilling was that simple!

After the deed, Yun Xiao, indifferent to his surroundings, probed Sikong Yan's abdomen, extracting the Seed of Creation talent from her meridians. Task completed, he turned and walked off the platform, silent, drifting away.

Meanwhile, on the adjacent platform, Ling Chen had just unleashed his own signature technique, Vast Sky, creating spatial ripples to defeat his opponent without causing fundamental harm.

Both Yun Xiao and Ling Cheng's Flying Swords struck almost simultaneously. But to those observing from a higher vantage point, the differences were stark. Ling Chen's Vast Sky was somewhat monotonous, while Yun Xiao's sword technique was a fusion of spatial distortion and Taiji rotation, almost like a form of art.

Yet, this form of art had slain a beauty!

Ling Chen, having just won his duel, turned to see Sikong Yan from his memories, now fallen like a wilted flower. In that moment, his eyes turned as deep as an abyss.

THUD!

As the fallen beauty's corpse softly fell, at least 100,000 young men's eyes suddenly filled with blood!

"Demon spawn!"

"Murderous fiend!!"

Unable to hold back any longer, they bellowed their disdain, their roars echoing loudly.

Yun Xiao glanced back at them and retorted with a single sentence, "All I see are 100,000 dumbasses."

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