Wu Zonglian did not want Ling Xiao to live.
He could sense that if Ling Xiao survived, the Sword King Sect would surely suffer at tomorrow’s Four Sects Martial Assembly.
This man was simply a lunatic, a powerful lunatic capable of anything.
Ling Xiao glanced at Wu Zonglian and said, “Eager to die? Don’t worry, I’ll grant your wish soon!”
He wondered what expressions the Sword King Sect would show when two of their five participants were killed by him at tomorrow’s assembly.
Ling Xiao was quite looking forward to it.
“You still want to kill my Sword King Sect disciples? You won’t get the chance!”
Elder Chen snorted coldly, his longsword trembling as he thrust it towards Ling Xiao again.
Ling Xiao looked at Elder Chen, his body swiftly transforming. He had entered his human-dragon form.
Although his cultivation and combat strength had improved, facing a half-step Heavenly Venerate with fifty percent power in his human form alone would still be difficult to overcome.
Even if he won, it would be a pyrrhic victory, leaving him no chance to deal with others.
Brave but not reckless.
Ling Xiao’s battles were always filled with calmness and wisdom.
At the same time, a phantom of the Primordial Hell Dragon appeared behind him.
His right hand thrust his sword forward but suddenly withdrew it.
Elder Chen froze for a moment, but then Ling Xiao pointed with his left hand, and a terrifying dragon-shaped qi sword shot through the air.
Nine Meridians Qi Sword: Hell Dragon Sword!
Combined with the martial soul of the Primordial Hell Dragon, the Hell Dragon Sword’s power was even more terrifying.
Elder Chen, already charging forward, could not dodge this strike. In desperation, he channelled all his true essence, redirecting the sword originally aimed at Ling Xiao to meet the Hell Dragon Sword.
Buzz!
The two forces collided, but instead of the expected explosion, they intertwined, forming a massive energy sphere between them.
“Fighting requires intelligence. You’re too foolish!”
Ling Xiao’s voice rang in the old man’s ears. Before Elder Chen could react, he saw Ling Xiao’s eyes. A powerful will, capable of piercing his soul in an instant, struck through his entire being.
“Ah!”
Even a half-step Heavenly Venerate with fifty percent power screamed in agony under this sudden, terrifying destructive will.
With his soul wounded, his control over his power plummeted. The massive energy sphere between them began to shift rapidly towards Elder Chen.
At that moment, Ling Xiao sheathed his Rain-Covering Sword. He brought his hands together, and the Nine Meridians Qi Sword converged, forming a giant sword.
Then, Ling Xiao used the giant sword like a bat, striking the energy sphere and accelerating its movement.
“I told you, you’re too foolish. A half-step Heavenly Venerate with fifty percent power is strong, but you can’t even unleash seventy percent of it. Such a waste of great power!”
A dazzling light erupted on Elder Chen’s body, like brilliant fireworks.
This was the combined force of their techniques. No matter how strong Elder Chen was, he was powerless.
As Elder Chen turned to ash, the beast-fighting arena fell into dead silence.
A martial artist at the early ninth level of the Transcendent Realm had so easily killed a half-step Heavenly Venerate with fifty percent power? How did he do it?
In truth, Ling Xiao’s cultivation was already at the peak of the ninth level of the Transcendent Realm, and he had used his strongest power in that attack. But the spectators lacked experts, so they couldn’t tell.
Even so, a ninth-level Transcendent Realm martial artist defeating a half-step Heavenly Venerate was utterly incomprehensible to them.
Challenging someone a minor realm above was already impressive, a mark of genius.
Ling Xiao had crossed an entire major realm.
Some even wondered if he could fight across a full level.
“This man’s fighting style is cunning to the extreme!”
“Indeed. His strength is inferior to Elder Chen’s, but he first feigned weakness, then used powerful soul force to injure his opponent’s soul, and finally delivered the fatal blow. Too cunning!”
“It’s not just cunning. The energy sphere and his use of the qi sword, even the slightest miscalculation in true essence would have failed. Yet he succeeded. His control is terrifying.”
“What’s his name?”
“Ling Xiao!”
“So he’s that Ling Xiao? The one who killed Wang She when he was still an outer disciple?”
“That’s him!”
“No wonder. The Sword King Sect has provoked this demon king. They’ll never know peace.”
“It’s about time someone dealt with the Sword King Sect. They’ve been far too arrogant in the Holy Dynasty for years. So many dare to be angry but not speak out.”
On the stands, some hated Ling Xiao, while others supported him. No matter the time or place, opposing forces always existed.
This was no exception.
“Brother Ling, Wu Zonglian is trying to escape!”
Suddenly, Ling Yihang’s voice rang out.
Ling Xiao slowly turned to look at Wu Zonglian, who was fleeing towards the arena’s exit at great speed.
“He won’t escape!”
Like a ghostly shadow, Ling Xiao crossed dozens of yards in an instant, blocking Wu Zonglian’s path.
“Didn’t you just say you’d turn me into a human puppet? You haven’t succeeded yet, so why are you leaving?”
Ling Xiao’s voice carried a hint of mockery.
Wu Zonglian looked at Ling Xiao nervously. He had never feared anyone like this, not even the Sword King Sect’s young master, Jian Wuji.
This Ling Xiao was too ferocious, so ferocious that he completely lost the courage to resist.
Suddenly, he shouted, “Whoever saves me will be rewarded with two jade-grade martial arts and ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones!”
As the saying goes, great rewards inspire brave men.
Hearing Wu Zonglian’s offer, many spectators who had been watching from the sidelines were tempted.
Two jade-grade martial arts and ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones were worth a try.
But as they made up their minds and prepared to act, a breath of death swept over them.
Leng Hao and Dai Yuling struck.
A flash of sword light!
Hundreds of vines!
Several spectators who had just prepared to intervene died on the spot.
“Heh, Senior Sister Yuling, I killed four people, one more than you!”
Dai Yuling shook her head with a bitter smile.
She didn’t want to kill unless absolutely necessary, but if someone threatened Ling Xiao, she would show no mercy.
“Stay vigilant. Don’t let anyone interfere with Ling Xiao.”
Lan Yuer stood guard at the arena’s entrance, reminding them.
“Got it!”
Leng Hao and Dai Yuling nodded simultaneously, remaining on high alert.
By now, Ling Wuhen and Ling Yihang had recovered their combat strength.
Filled with hatred, they joined the fight, battling the Sword King Sect’s disciples like two ferocious beasts.
They were the ones who had witnessed the Divine Sword Sect’s disciples being killed. Their grief and hatred were likely even greater than Ling Xiao’s.
