Yao Yue Sheng stood firm, her gaze fixed on Mo Xing He.
"Heh, Yuan Che is to be the next sect leader. The You Long Sword should naturally be inherited by him. Are the affairs of our sect any of your concern as an outsider?" Da Feng Xiao Shuo
Mo Xing He was practically radiating aggressive true qi, ready to exert pressure.
Upon hearing Mo Xing He's words, almost everyone present held their breath for the mysterious young man.
It was known that the You Long Sword was the prized possession of the Cang Long Sect, exceedingly fierce. Those without cultivation beyond the Kai Guang realm would easily be counter-attacked by the malevolent sword. Its appearance signaled their determination to win and served as a display of power to the other three major sects!
However, the disciples of the Yue Han Sect were quickly subdued by Wu Li Ti's roar, ceasing any further disturbances.
Yao Yue Sheng let out aćŒ and angrily sat back down.
At this moment, on the martial stage, Yuan Che had already begun preparing to draw his sword!
"Hey, I'm warning you, malevolent swords devour the souls of those with weak wills. Your cultivation isn't enough, and you force yourself to draw it. Tsk, tsk, I probably won't even need to kick your little backside."
Upon seeing the malevolent sword, Ren Yuan Hao remained unfazed. He had drawn even more ferocious swords before.
A minor scene.
"You don't need to be so talkative here, trash. Trash should go back to the trash can!"
"Oh, are you trying to engage me in a battle of words? Then I'm even less afraid. Everyone knows that Qin Bao Bao's mouth is the most formidable sword in the world!"
Ren Yuan Hao, as he spoke, appeared to be preparing to unbuckle the long sword hanging at his waist. However, he wasn't accustomed to wearing these Hanfu-like garments, and the sword and belt were tied in a knot.
His action made him appear rather clumsy, eliciting laughter from the crowd below. However, they weren't laughing because they underestimated him; they were genuinely amused by his movements.
This was because Ren Yuan Hao had, through his previous move, proven to everyone that he, this overlooked fellow, might just be the biggest dark horse of this grand competition.
Yet, the more foolish Ren Yuan Hao appeared, the more he diminished Yuan Che's imposing aura. His anger had already ignited and surged up to his throat, on the verge of erupting.
He gripped the sword hilt. With every inch he drew, his complexion grew paler. Simultaneously, the power of the malevolent sword swept across the entire venue, sending ice shards flying. People could even hear cracking sounds from beneath the ice bed!
And just as Yuan Che was drawing his sword, Ren Yuan Hao also succeeded in removing the sword from its rather simple and crude scabbard hanging at his waist.
The crowd expected Ren Yuan Hao to draw the sword from its simple scabbard, just like Yuan Che. To their surprise, Ren Yuan Hao placed the scabbard aside and began performing the thirteenth set of broadcast calisthenics.
Sharp-eyed individuals, such as Yao Yue Sheng, noticed something peculiar about the sword hilt, her expression immediately changing drastically, only to be replaced by joy moments later.
Zhou Zi Huan asked in confusion, "Holy Maiden, what are you smiling about?"
Yao Yue Sheng's eyes shimmered with a brilliance akin to a starry river. "I didn't expect him to have such a thing. It seems we've all underestimated him. His strength is probably beyond our comprehension."
Zhou Zi Huan became even more perplexed, "Holy Maiden, can you just tell me? It's so hard to guess."
"Do you see that sword hidden within such a simple scabbard?"
"I do."
Yao Yue Sheng smiled faintly, "That sword is named Tai Yi."
"What!"
Zhou Zi Huan could not contain her surprise and almost jumped up. The gazes of the crowd suddenly shifted to her, forcing her to sheepishly cover her mouth and sit down.
"Holy Maiden, are you sure? That malevolent sword Tai Yi is said to require eight people above the Zhu Ji realm to protect the user just to draw it, and the user must also be above the Kai Guang realm. How could he carry it around so openly in such a crude scabbard!"
Zhou Zi Huan suppressed her shock and leaned closer to Holy Maiden Yao Yue Sheng, asking.
Yao Yue Sheng stated definitively, "There's no mistake. I once heard the previous Holy Maiden mention it. The patterns on that sword hilt are definitely those of the malevolent sword Tai Yi."
Of course, the man struggling to draw his sword on the stage was completely unaware that an even more ferocious sword was being set aside by Ren Yuan Hao, who seemed ready to catch a blade with his bare hands.
"Sect Leader, even though the eldest disciple has long surpassed the Zhu Ji realm, he is still some time away from the Kai Guang realm. Isn't it too risky to give him the malevolent sword You Long so early?" Standing behind him was the second elder of the Cang Long Sect.
Mo Xing He frowned, and in an extremely low whisper, as if muttering to himself, said, "Everyone has a spring within them. The tighter you press it down, the more forcefully it rebounds. Yuan Che is always very diligent; he needs a catalyst to hit rock bottom and rebound, and that catalyst is someone even more arrogant than him!"
"But once the malevolent sword is out, this situation will be very difficult to control." The second elder naturally felt apprehensive about such a ferocious sword.
Mo Xing He replied, "The more difficult it is to control, the more advantageous the situation becomes for us. Don't forget our purpose for coming here. It's not just about the Dragon Pool quota. Moreover, I still want revenge for three years ago!"
The second elder wanted to say something more, but upon seeing Mo Xing He's sinister gaze, he could only shut his mouth, obediently sat back down, and nervously watched the tense, or rather, somewhat lively, martial stage.
Ren Yuan Hao seemed to feel that he had finished warming up. He took a puff of his half-smoked cigarette and carefully placed it at the edge of the stage. He watched the smoke slowly rise and, at the same time, felt the increasingly violent pressure from the malevolent sword, suddenly feeling a sense of weariness.
â Damn it, this should be a good thing, but my heart is uneasy without shedding blood. It's because of these people who disregard the bigger picture that the Mandara gene can be so rampant in the Western Wasteland. If all sects could put aside their differences and unite against the enemy, how could so many troubles arise?
With this thought, Ren Yuan Hao twisted his neck, picked up the malevolent sword wrapped in its crude sheath from the ground. At the same time, the man named Yuan Che finally succeeded in drawing the malevolent sword You Long from its ornate sheath!
When the malevolent sword lacks sufficient true qi and cultivation to support it, it becomes like a breached river. As soon as it is guided by even a little blood or violent aura, it enters a state called 'Yan Jian'! This state gradually corrodes the user's consciousness and soul until they become a mere killing machine.
And clearly, this chief disciple named Yuan Che did not have enough true qi to withstand the power of the malevolent sword. The sword, drawn with all his might, instantly devoured his consciousness!
Having entered the 'Yan Jian' state, Yuan Che was completely consumed by the malevolent sword. Anything that stood in his way was destined to be destroyed.