Chapter 285 - Sword Commanding the Void, Unrivaled in the Cosmos!

This was a massacre, the likes of which would make the devil himself blush!

The few humbled the many in a display of surreal might. As Yi Qingfan, last year's champion of the Immortal Sword Rankings, fell before Yun Xiao, the entire Sword Ruins seemed to freeze in shock.

The eyes of over two million Sword Cultivators trembled, staring at the young man whose beauty was both cold and elegant, as a storm of emotions raged in their hearts.

Then, as if a dam had burst, a cacophony of voices swept through the crowd like a tempest, their words indiscernible. All eyes were locked on Yun Xiao, their gazes transformed in awe and fear, whispering, "A true Immortal!"

Even the justice-seekers, tens of thousands in number, instinctively bowed their heads, gripping their fists tightly, unable to meet the glorious radiance emanating from Yun Xiao.

“Every Nine Hells Conquest Clash, our young prodigies are overshadowed by those of the Calamity Seal Purgatory. But today, before the clash even began, Exile Yun has single-handedly slain four of their top six talents! And he did it five against one!"

This moment was sweet revenge for those long humiliated by the arrogant Inscription Cultivators. It was exhilarating!

The visiting elders from the Calamity Seal Purgatory, however, were engulfed in a fury of resentment. Surrounded by their peers, their eyes burned with a murderous red.

“The Sigil Warden's daughter... Losing these four youngsters is a generational loss for us in the Calamity Seal Purgatory!”

Their insides felt as if they were being torn apart, bleeding internally. Their minds were probably seething with rage. If it weren't for the presence of the Sword Ruins Overseers nearby, how could they contain such a monumental loss?

"Those who wish to kill me must first descend to hell. On the battlefield, we are responsible for our own lives and deaths," Yun Xiao declared, his sword drawn and a slight smirk on his lips. "Accept your defeat gracefully, and don't take it to heart. Let's not let this affect the friendship between our two hells."

With these words, he effectively snuffed out any chance of immediate retaliation from the aggrieved party.

“Exile Yun is right. This whole affair had nothing to do with the Calamity Seal Purgatory. They sought their own demise. Who can they blame?"

"If they didn't want to offend Exile Yun, why did they choose to fight?"

“To the Inscription Cultivators, if you can't stomach it, just stew in your own juices!"

Laughter and jeers followed, merciless and unrelenting.

At last, the Sword Cultivators, who had long borne insults and burdens, finally had their moment of exhilaration.

Even amidst the malicious rumors, Yun Xiao's reputation in the Sword Ruins soared wildly. His image, icy and fiercely independent, was etched into the hearts of many Sword Cultivators.

In contrast, Ling Chen was pushed off to the sidelines. Yet, he remained unperturbed, his sharpness hidden beneath a calm exterior.

With the demise of the five prodigies, Yun Xiao found himself at the epicenter of the struggle in the Nine Hells.

"He may be rash, but he's undeniably powerful," Zhang Mu murmured, eyeing the white-robed youth before him, a chill running through his heart.

For a moment, even he felt a twinge of fear. Sadly, he'd already pledged his allegiance. There was no turning back now.

“Exile Yun shines bright, while Exile Ling plays it close to the vest. The latter's low profile and smoother dealings suggest that if both are reincarnations of true Immortals, the one with the higher intellect will more likely rise to the top of the Nine Hells...” As Zhang Mu sorted this out, his awe of Yun Xiao turned into a sneer. Though momentarily intimidated, he knew he was stronger as an Overseer.

Ku Xuan, sharing similar thoughts, stood beside the Overseer Sikong. “When two tigers clash, one is bound to get hurt. Our Eternal Sword Prison must unite to face the threats from the other hells. We must resolve our internal strife quickly,” he said coolly.

“If one of the Exiled Sword Immortals doesn't perish, we risk being broken from within,” Overseer Sikong added, clear-headed.

The choice of who must die was obvious to both. Yun Xiao had almost wiped out all their heirs!

The attention of the two then turned to the viewing tower where Ling Chen was cultivating.

“After exchanging our rarest medicinal herbs with Du Zhongyuan for these Grove Essence Pills... I hope Exile Ling pulls through," Ku Xuan said nervously.

“Fear not, a true tiger doesn’t bare its fangs prematurely,” Overseer Sikong replied darkly.

Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from Ling Chen’s viewing tower. Everyone looked up to see a nine-colored cloud swirling in the sky, enveloping the entire Sword Ruins in a rainbow vortex.

The vortex churned and twisted space itself, sending down rumbles that seemed to command the heavens and earth.

"This is the Dao Heart Phenomenon!" People gasped in shock, unable to contain their amazement.

Hearing these words, faces lit up with the expression of witnessing history, their eyes filled with awe and envy as they gazed at the sky. "The Dao Heart Phenomenon, a legend of the Nine Hells, is said to be a miracle only the first realm master possessed. And indeed, he ascended to the heavens."

"Exile Ling is truly the more mysterious and powerful one."

This heaven encompassing phenomenon drew all attention, focusing the limelight on Ling Chen. The murmurs of admiration were not unexpected to him. With a warm smile and a wave of his hand, the nine-colored clouds in the sky suddenly condensed into a beam of light, merging into his nine-colored Sword Soul.

The young man rose into the air, enveloped in a cloud of light. His immense aura, even without striking a single blow, drew cheers from the crowd. With this Dao Heart Phenomenon, he effortlessly stole the spotlight from Yun Xiao.

BOOM!

At the center of his nine-colored Sword Soul, a nine-colored chessboard formed, comprising nine squares, each like a separate world. Clearly, this was his Sword Intent.

With a wave of his sword, the chessboard seemed to leap from the blade, transforming into nine square worlds, forming a tangible barrier around him. And right in the center stood Ling Chen, a smile playing on his lips.

"In my previous life, I reached the pinnacle of the Divine Sky Dao, thinking that was my limit. And I was ready to retread that same path in this life too," Ling Chen mused, his eyes sparkling with delight. "I never imagined this Nine Cosmos Sword would open new horizons for me, giving birth to the legendary Nine Cosmos Sword Intent. With it, surpassing my past peak is just a matter of time!"

Even as a former Cosmic Immortal, the emergence of this Nine Cosmos Sword Intent thrilled him.

"The ultimate Dao of Space, the foundation of all life! As I walk across heaven and earth, wielding the Nine Cosmos Sword Intent, who in this vast world can stand against me?" Ling Chen exclaimed. He recalled an ancient prophecy, muttering to himself, "Sword commanding the void, unrivaled in the cosmos!

"In other words, this is the true invincible Sword Intent. Driven by an invincible heart, unbeatable in spirit, I could extinguish worlds and countless lives with a single stroke. I'm unmatched through the ages!"

Ling Chen immersed himself in the profound mysteries of the Nine Cosmos Sword Intent, experiencing the eternal cosmos like never before; his thoughts could shake the heavens. Man, sword, and intent all became one.

Two million Sword Cultivators gazed upwards, awestruck by Ling Chen, who now commanded a world of nine squares in the sky.

"Exile Ling's display of supreme talent eclipses all the glory Exile Yun gained through his battles," Ku Xuan remarked with a laugh.

"Does a true Immortal rely on mere bravery? Transcending the mundane, that is the true essence," Overseer Sikong nodded deeply.

The nine-colored light enveloped the Sword Ruins, and all the Sword Cultivators watched, entranced, lost in a dreamlike state.

“Does Exile Ling's defiance of the heavens change your mind?” the Withered Bone Keeper asked his granddaughter Qingzan with a relieved smile.

"Let's see him fight the other one first!" Qingzan replied with disgust. "What if they both perish in the fight?"

"The other one?" The Withered Bone Keeper pursed his lips. "Today, Yun Xiao indeed transcends the ordinary, worthy of the title Exiled Sword Immortal. But where evil rises a foot, the righteous rises a yard."

"You've got it backward," Qingzan retorted.

The Withered Bone Keeper chuckled softly. "I deliberately said it the other way around."

Since the commencement of the Immortal Sword Rankings, his face finally relaxed a bit as he spoke earnestly to Qingzan, "Facing Exile Ling, even the most stunning talents sigh at their misfortune of being born in the wrong era."

"Grandfather, your praise of Exile Ling stems from your already chosen side. If you were unbiased, perhaps you wouldn't be so optimistic," Qingzan replied coolly.

The Withered Bone Keeper frowned again at her words. His gaze turned dark and malevolent as he looked at Yun Xiao. After a long silence, he said coldly, "Those who block my path deserve death."

ι══????????══ι?

"Fae, what's that thing?" Mu Xiaolong tugged at Yun Xiao's sleeve, gazing at the nine-colored chessboard in the sky, her throat dry.

"A fat sheep," Yun Xiao replied, his eyes shimmering with colorful light.

"Huh?" Mu Xiaolong thought she misheard. Looking down, she muttered, "He's shaken the Sword Ruins, stealing your thunder, and you call him a fat sheep?"

Yun Xiao didn't answer. Instead, he returned to his viewing tower and sat down cross-legged.

"He has reached the Dao Heart Realm, even faster than me?" Yun Xiao was slightly surprised.

"It's just the Eight Mortal Realms, not much of a challenge for you or him. His speed is due to the enlightenment he retained from his past life and better resources," Blue Star said disdainfully.

"All I got were Rank 10 Azure Phoenixes and 10,000 Immortal Jades. Indeed, the good stuff was taken by him first," Yun Xiao mused, undisturbed. Ling Chen might pressure him, but would not shake his resolve.

"Now that I've reached the peak of the Eight Mortal Realms, I just need to form my Dao Heart. But what exactly is my Dao Heart?" Yun Xiao calmed himself, ignoring the outside chaos, recalling his month-long journey towards immortality.

"Daughter's Red, Tiger Rod Wine..." Yun Xiao muttered.

"Are you reminiscing about your sex life or contemplating the Immortal Dao?" Blue Star exclaimed.

"Cough cough... my mistake, let's try again."

"Creator, use the smaller head to explore the path of immortality; it's quite narrow after all, a perfect fit for you." Red Moon chuckled wickedly.

"..." Yun Xiao started, a little offended.

"Ah, mortals are all the same. They can never escape romantic affairs," Blue Star sighed.

"What's the point of cultivation and becoming stronger? To strip away emotions and become an emotionless machine in the sky? Or evolve into a law of nature? Or return to being a desireless, chaotic being? How did you endure the long eons? Just sleeping away and relying on your coffin-like existence?" Yun Xiao asked seriously.

"What's your view, then?" Blue Star raised an eyebrow.

"No beauty, no immortality. I'd rather die than not live with flair!"