Ahead of Cloud Arrival Island, a massive aerial arena had been set up, surrounded by spatial barriers to prevent the battle from damaging the sect’s gates.
The disciples of the holy land were divided into three factions: the Conservative Faction led by the Remnant Sword Ancestor, the Reformist Faction headed by the Heavenly Sword Old Ancestor, and the Neutral Faction under the Taibai Sword Venerable.
The Taibai Sword Venerable was a veritable “wine sword immortal.” Besides his sword, he carried a wine gourd at his waist, taking a swig now and then. The aroma of the liquor wafted on the wind, making the surrounding disciples drool.
Clearly, it was no ordinary brew.
Yan Zhen stood with Jiuyou and Wenqing among the Neutral Faction. Before he could approach and greet him, the Taibai Sword Venerable sidled over and cupped his hands.
“The Jialan Holy Son?”
Yan Zhen returned the courtesy.
“Taibai Sword Venerable.”
The Taibai Sword Venerable couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Truly, heroes emerge from the young. At your age, I was still agonizing over how to break through to Mystic Ancestor.”
Yan Zhen smiled along with him.
“You’re too kind, Taibai Sword Venerable. You’re already on the verge of Half-Saint, aren’t you?”
The Taibai Sword Venerable paused in surprise. Yan Zhen’s words revealed two key insights: he was indeed at Half-Saint, and Yan Zhen had seen right through his depths.
“The Jialan Holy Son is a bit of a mouthful. Mind if I call you Brother Yan Zhen instead? Here, have a sip?”
The Taibai Sword Venerable shook his wine gourd.
Yan Zhen wasn’t much of a drinker, but this was the man’s way of extending friendship. He took the gourd casually and poured a mouthful into the air.
As the liquid hit his tongue, a burst of fragrance and spiciness exploded, jolting his senses awake.
“Good stuff! What kind of brew is this? It packs such a punch.”
The Taibai Sword Venerable beamed with pride.
“It’s called Wine Immortal Brew, the crowning achievement of years of my research. If you like it, I can give you a jar—but just one jar. No more than that.”
Yan Zhen cupped his hands.
“My thanks in advance, then, Taibai Sword Venerable. I’ve got some insights into brewing myself. We should exchange notes sometime.”
Interest lit up the Taibai Sword Venerable’s face.
“That sounds perfect… Jialan Continent has some fine vintages too. I sampled them during my travels in my youth, and the memories are still fresh.”
Yan Zhen’s mouth twitched slightly. A wine fanatic, through and through.
Still, the Taibai Sword Venerable clearly had real expertise—and even greater passion—for brewing. Once Yan Zhen shared some Earth-side knowledge, they’d be toasting with top-shelf elixirs in no time.
Their exchange drew surprised looks from the other six sword venerables. The Taibai Sword Venerable had always stayed neutral. Was he now leaning toward the Acting Holy Lord’s faction?
Up on the arena, Yun Xiu—in flowing white skirts—faced off against the Evergreen Holy Son across the void. The Heavenly Sword Old Ancestor and Remnant Sword Ancestor stood at the edge, delivering the opening remarks: something along the lines of “settle this fairly, but no killing blows.” With that, they left the stage to the combatants.
The Evergreen Holy Son’s expression was grave; he was visibly tense. After all, Yun Xiu was a Supreme powerhouse!
He watched intently as Yun Xiu voluntarily suppressed her cultivation to the Nine-Star Mystic Venerable realm. Only then did he relax a fraction.
Demoted to Mystic Venerable, she couldn’t deploy her domain. That made her far more manageable.
The Evergreen Holy Son clenched his hand, and a crimson longsword materialized out of thin air, runes of power swirling along its blade. It was a Half-Saint Artifact!
The Remnant Sword Ancestor shot a cold glance at the Heavenly Sword Old Ancestor, who stroked his beard leisurely.
“The Acting Holy Lord is using our Evergreen Holy Land’s Inheritance Sword. Only fair.”
The Remnant Sword Ancestor snorted but said nothing.
Yun Xiu wasn’t surprised. The Heavenly Sword Old Ancestor had clearly come prepared to pit the Evergreen Holy Son against her. Her own Inheritance Sword was a Ninth-Order Sacred Artifact—a cut above—even unawakened, it outclassed any Half-Saint Artifact.
The Evergreen Holy Son wasn’t her match. The one she truly needed to watch was the Asura Heavenly Monarch.
Yun Xiu summoned her Inheritance Sword and launched the first assault, charging at the Evergreen Holy Son.
Both combatants wielded the Evergreen Holy Land’s signature art, the Eternal Evergreen Art. But Yun Xiu’s mastery outstripped his by miles, bolstered by her superior cultivation. She didn’t even need Mystic techniques to overwhelm him utterly, forcing the Evergreen Holy Son into a steady retreat.
It was the first time the Evergreen Holy Land’s disciples had witnessed this enigmatic Acting Holy Lord in action. They gaped, mesmerized by her graceful poise, her dazzling swordplay that left them breathless. The power was terrifying too—sword qi filled the skies, churning the winds and clouds, sending chills through every heart.
No wonder the Inheritance Sword had chosen her as its master!
The Evergreen Holy Son felt it most acutely.
Truth be told, he hadn’t thought much of Yun Xiu at first. Just some half-baked nobody from a backwater, lucky enough to snag the Qingping Sword Saint’s inheritance.
Once he reached the Supreme Realm, he’d thrash her without breaking a sweat.
But now, her sword pressed him on every front—not just cultivation, but mastery of the art and insights into the sword dao. She surpassed him completely!
The rest he could stomach, but why was she even better at the Eternal Evergreen Art?
The Evergreen Holy Son couldn’t fathom it. Rage boiled over into helpless fury.
“Heavenly Sword Art! One Sword Peerless!”
The heavens cracked open, and a colossal sword beam plummeted down, like divine retribution from the immortals upon lowly mortals.
Yun Xiu remained unflustered. She unleashed the Wind Extreme Meteor Kill Sword, her pure, peerless sword qi shattering the heavenly blade. It even hurled the Evergreen Holy Son’s sword from his grasp. Scattered qi sliced through his hair and robes, tearing gashes large and small.
Now the Evergreen Holy Son stood in tatters, hair disheveled and wild, utterly bedraggled.
He glared at Yun Xiu with murderous intensity. Then he began forming mudras, intent on unsealing the “seal” within him to unleash his hidden, mysterious power.
This was what the Heavenly Sword Old Ancestor had told him: he was different from the others, a chosen son of heaven, born mighty, harboring unparalleled secret forces!
The mudras complete, the Evergreen Holy Son’s aura erupted. Mystic power surged skyward in a pillar of light, whipping the winds into a massive vortex.
His cultivation skyrocketed, smashing past the Mystic Venerable bottleneck into the Supreme Realm: First-Rank, Second-Rank… Fifth-Rank, Sixth-Rank… Eighth-Rank, Ninth-Rank!
Ninth-Rank Supreme!
The onlookers reeled in shock. Even the Reformist Faction’s three sword venerables were baffled—they’d had no idea the Evergreen Holy Son hid such a trump card.
The Remnant Sword Ancestor and Taibai Sword Venerable both frowned. They sensed a sky-high malice radiating from him.
The Taibai Sword Venerable hadn’t yet connected it to the Asura Heavenly Monarch, but the Remnant Sword Ancestor now knew Yan Zhen’s words were entirely true. That beast Heavenly Sword had turned the Holy Son into a vessel for the Asura Heavenly Monarch’s power, scheming to upend the entire holy land!
Savoring the mystic power surging through him, the Evergreen Holy Son teetered on the edge of madness.
“Such power! I truly am the chosen one. A lowborn wench like you dares vie with me for the Holy Lord’s seat? Die!”
He pointed with sword fingers, unleashing a beam of blood-red sword qi straight at Yun Xiu.
Yun Xiu immediately released her suppressed cultivation, channeling the Eternal Evergreen Art at full throttle. She poured mystic power into her Inheritance Sword and thrust forth. Surging sword qi clashed head-on with the incoming blood light.
This time, Yun Xiu was repelled, flying back nearly ten zhang. Her sword hand trembled faintly, blood cracking open the flesh of her palm.
Emboldened by the hit, the Evergreen Holy Son summoned his Half-Saint sword from afar, gripped it two-handed, and slashed down a blood-red sword qi dozens of zhang wide at Yun Xiu.
Just as Yun Xiu geared up for a full counterattack, a streak of starlight flashed in, halting a short distance before her. A slender white hand reached out and effortlessly seized the blood-red sword qi—hundreds of times its own size—crushing it to pieces with a squeeze.
