Chapter 318: Chapter 219: Qingping Sword Ah, Today, It Draws Blood._2
"Half a month ago, before that strange rock, didn’t Elder Su of your esteemed sect make quite the scene?"
"You demanded an apology from Elder Lin of Wuhua Palace, and he apologized. The items, too, were delivered as promised. So tell me, on this critical day, why does Sword Sect cower and dare not ascend the platform?"
"Or is it that Elder Su has foreseen certain defeat, hence the refusal to step onto the stage!?"
"If that’s the case, then Sword Sect would indeed be nothing but a bunch of cowards. Where is the thousand-year backbone of your sect? Where is the pride that dares to fight knowing you cannot win?"
"This is what happens when women are in charge, just a bunch of cowards."
A smile curled at the corner of Ling Ran’s mouth from within the Wuhua Palace’s residence as he gazed in the direction of the multitude of Sword Sect Disciple.
All members of the Sword Sect clenched their teeth tightly, glaring angrily at Wuhua Palace.
Yet, they felt powerless inside, knowing that all their efforts were futile, and that it was only right for the losers to endure the mockery!
"Can we announce the result now?" Lin Duo, with hands clasped behind his back, looked towards the Sacred Land elder and spoke faintly.
The Sacred Land elder nodded and uttered slowly, "In this battle, Elder Lin of Wuhua Palace is victorious!"
The voice spread out, yet atop the mountain peak, there was complete silence.
Just then, a figure in a purple robe flew instantly towards the high platform. The sea of clouds hung low. That delicate face gazed emotionlessly at Lin Duo, who was about to turn away.
Wenren Pingxin swiftly stood up, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Dan Wulan and shouted loudly, "Dan Wulan, what are you doing!?"
Dan Wulan truly ignored Wenren Pingxin’s call. Step by step, she approached Lin Duo, her eyes icy cold.
"Sword Sect’s Dan Wulan seeks instruction."
Lin Duo was clearly startled. Looking at the woman before him, who was only at the Mid Stage Refining Void, he then actually laughed, "Miss Dan, should I commend your bravery, or decry your utter foolishness?"
WHOOSH—
The outcry instantly rose, one after another, with everyone watching the scene unfold before them in disbelief.
Dan Wulan was only in the Mid Stage Refining Void, yet facing her was a Half-Step into Dao Integration! And not just an ordinary Half-Step into Dao Integration, but one who had withstood the Heavenly Tribulation!
"The pride my senior brother reclaimed for Sword Sect!" Dan Wulan declared. "I will not throw it away!"
Wenren Pingxin opened his mouth, looking at the woman on the platform with complex eyes, clenching his fists tightly.
Her challenging Lin Duo at her level, wasn’t that the same as seeking death!?
"Strike if you must." Lin Duo did not even bother to lift his eyelids.
Dan Wulan took a deep breath. She didn’t know why she had appeared on this platform, but she knew. If her senior brother were here, he’d have certainly been the one to step up!
To fight knowing one cannot win! This is the backbone of Sword Sect, the legacy of the Underworld Sword Sect, the spirit that Sword Sect had lost.
CLANG—
A sword was drawn, and with a slash, she struck.
Lin Duo opened his eyes, not bothering to glance at her sword, and lightly stepped with his foot.
A sea of flames, carrying True Sun Qi, charged at Dan Wulan, engulfing that fragile sword amidst the inferno.
PFFT—
The sword shattered.
Dan Wulan spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, a surge of Evil Qi bursting forth within her. As Spiritual Energy reversed its flow, she heavily crashed onto the Azure Cloud Mountain Peak.
The sword had broken.
Lin Duo paid no attention. Retracting his horsetail whisk, he turned to walk towards the ground below and said lightly, "We should be ready to start drawing lots for the next round."
Wenren Pingxin quickly caught Dan Wulan, stuffing a Qi Blood Pill into her mouth to stem the spreading Evil Qi within her. He gazed icily at Ling Ran, at the people of Wuhua Palace.
A weird atmosphere enveloped the entire Azure Cloud Mountain. Every cultivator looked at the departing Lin Duo with a complex expression on their faces.
The sunlight seemed to fade in an instant, slanting over Dan Wulan’s fallen silhouette.
The Sacred Land elder shook his head with a sigh, then said, "In that case, this time Wuhua Palace..."
Before he could finish, a voice suddenly came through, not loud, but extremely clear, echoing between heaven and earth: "The Eleventh Elders may have spoken too soon..."
Lin Duo’s foot, already at the edge, halted instantly. He turned abruptly, his eyes coldly fixed on the distant figure in white embroidered with begonias.
A terrifying momentum instantly gathered around him. His face wore a smile, followed by a burst of crazed laughter.
A hoarse voice rang out as the bloodstain from the injury inflicted by Xi Qingyi was finally expelled. His complexion, however, did not turn pale; instead, it appeared even more ruddy.
In the blazing sunlight, a sea of fire swelled around him. "Su Bei, you’ve finally arrived!"
And in that instant Su Bei appeared, the people from Sword Sect’s residence were thrown into disarray, especially Wenren Pingxin.
How did he know!?
"Su Bei, what chaos are you here to add? Get lost!" Wenren Pingxin roared.
"Elder Su!"
"Elder Su... please go back."
BOOM—
The onlookers’ emotions were instantly stirred, all watching with excited expressions as the events unfolded before them.
Here he comes! He has finally arrived!
As Su Bei approached Dan Wulan, his gaze caught the moment Lin Duo’s fiery assault hit her. He extended his hand and shoved a pill into her mouth, looking at her pale face without any discernible expression.
—That was a First Grass Creation Pill.
Not paying attention to Wenren Pingxin’s terrifying gaze, Su Bei walked straight onto the Ascension Platform, step by step.
It was at that moment Su Bei appeared that the Elders at the Elder’s Platform finally realized:
"Elder Su reached the Late Stage Refining Void!?"
"Could it be that it was Elder Su who made the breakthrough that night!?"
"How... how is that possible? How old is he?"
In front of Su Bei was a Sword Box, which he gently caressed.
"Elder Su, Lin Mo has been waiting for you for a long time..." Lin Duo licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes red as he stared at Su Bei. His body trembled, as if he already witnessed the scene of his own torment. "You actually dared to come, Su Bei! You’ve got guts."
Su Bei ignored Lin Duo’s words and placed the Sword Box on the ground, muttering to himself, "Qingping Sword, I am an unworthy sword master, but today, for the sake of our Sword Sect’s age-old affection, would you lend yourself to me?"
Su Bei closed his eyes, not looking at Lin Duo, and placed his large hand on the Sword Box, quietly saying, "Box, open!"
BANG—
The Sword Box flew open, and an azure-purple Sword Qi pervaded the air. The Sword Qi appeared like lotus flowers around Su Bei.
Su Bei looked at Lin Duo, then at the Qingping Sword embedded in the Sword Box. A slight, cold smile touched his lips, curving into a terrifying arc.
"Sword, come!"
The scene that followed was astounding!
CLANG—
The sound of the sword rang out.
Then the Sword Box before Su Bei stood up on its own, and a sword slowly rose—a three-foot Longsword!
The Sword Qi, the Qingping Sword Qi, the aura of slaughter, and the power of thunder gathered together, shot through the platform, and reached straight to the heavens.
In the sky, a massive vortex formed, with clouds swirling faintly and lightning fierce.
The Qingping Sword, a sacred treasure of the Sword Sect!
—People often say the words Qingping; the Qingping was forged from the lotus of creation and rules over slaughter.
After a moment of silence, Sword Qi surged, reaching up to the Big Dipper. Then, a purple and a green lotus twined and spiraled around the sword’s blade.
Large swathes of clouds rolled and drifted under the Sword Qi, as if waves churned in the sea.
In the mortal realm, no sword is more capable of slaughter than the Immortal Sword Qingping.
It can kill the common man, and it can kill the Immortal.
Su Bei, holding the Qingping Sword, looked emotionless at Lin Duo before him, pointing the sword forward as the Qingping Sword Qi around him surged forth!
Spiritual Energy rose wildly!
The body of the Qingping Sword hummed and trembled.
"Qingping Sword," Su Bei declared, "today, you will see blood."
Su Bei’s three disciples were seated at the Sword Sect’s residence, directly staring at Azure Cloud Mountain, watching the clouds roll and churn in the sky.
Their master had been gone for a long time.
"From here, it seems that above Azure Cloud Mountain, there would be a sword that covers the sky." Su Bei’s words echoed in the ears of his three disciples.
A short while later, it was just as their master had said.
As the sun set in the west, the sky was ablaze with large clusters of fiercely burning fire clouds. Sacred Land Wucheng, a grand ancient city weathered by a millennium, seemed like a drowsy old man against the blood-red dying sun. The two complemented each other, casting intersecting shadows.
Then, a purple and blue Sword Qi spread through the sky above Azure Cloud Mountain, piercing through the azure expanse, as the Sword Qi roared and surged powerfully.
This sword was the spirit and essence of the Sword Sect.
Even in death, there is no regret!
A sword that covers the sky.