"Blade with no intent, shatter!"
"..."
Under the scrutiny of countless complex gazes, Su Bei raised the sword in his hand.
He took the first step forward, his gait trembling slightly, and the Qingping Sword emerged three inches from its sheath.
With the second step, he left bloody footprints on the ground, and the Qingping Sword came five inches out of its sheath.
On the third step, he violently coughed up blood that spattered on the ground like plum blossoms, and the Qingping Sword was unsheathed by nine inches.
...
By the eighth step, clusters of purplish-blue lotuses bloomed around him, and the Qingping Sword was drawn two feet from its sheath!
On the ninth step, he finally, shakily, drew the sword. A purple-green Sword Qi immediately spread out, expanding at a visible rate and even starting to erode the platform.
His meridians were damaged; his bones shattered.
He could no longer wield the Sovereign Sword!
He just watched as that blade, reflected and rapidly enlarging in his pupils, approached. In the next moment, a sky full of lotuses bloomed in the void.
At that same instant, the ravaged meridians within his body completely collapsed. As they dispersed, the terrifying Spiritual Energy of the Great Dao pierced through his chest cavity, through his ribs.
CREAK—
That was the sound of ribs breaking.
One, two, three...
But Su Bei had no attention to spare for these things now; his eyes were fixed only on the sword in his hand.
It seemed to awaken fragments of his memory: the same young man, his eyes pitch-black, seeing the white-haired old man under that tree, the elder's song echoing in his ears:
"Feet dance and jest with the stars."
"Longsword in hand, one points to the heavens."
"A loud roar paints heaven and earth red!"
Pointing to the sword, the old man had said,
"Behold the Sword Immortal."
To be a swordsman for once, a light breath exhaled, and a stream of white vines followed. To be an Invincible Sword Immortal, daring to command the heavens to bow in servitude.
The sword hummed!
This strike, wreathed in a sky full of azure lotuses, was his favorite, his most evocative, and the one most witnessed by the world!
Immortal Dao Sword.
"Sword Two, Ephemeral Beauty!"
Lotuses bloomed, filling the sky!
In the next instant, a gout of blood burst from Su Bei's sword-wielding wrist. The Spiritual Energy within him boiled like water; indeed, the Spiritual Energy coursing through his entire body even showed signs of reversing its flow!
He knew it was because of his damaged meridians...
BOOM—
The blade energy struck the Qingping Sword head-on, sending Su Bei flying backward.
He landed, his legs plunging into the ground, spiderweb-like cracks spreading around him.
He no longer had the strength to pull his legs out and couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
The wounds he bore were all self-inflicted. When would his meridians ever be able to withstand such Spiritual Energy?
Everything darkened before his eyes, a consequence of massive blood loss, but he did not fall. He pressed his entire body onto the Qingping Sword, his ears straining for that anticipated sound.
Finally, a voice, like a sound of salvation, reached him:
"Sword Sect, Su Bei wins!"
Su Bei threw his head back and laughed, blood soaking his robes.
There were no cheers as before. It seemed everyone was numb, simply staring at the unfallen figure on the platform.
Everyone looked directly at Su Bei, who had consecutively fought three Peak Refining Void opponents. Then, they glanced at the other two platforms, and a thought couldn't help but surface in their minds: Could the Sword Sect actually win today?!
From the Elder's Platform, Yang Tianqing spoke softly, his words astonishing:
Wenren Pingxin tightly pursed her lips, gazing at her junior brother on the platform, her delicate hand clenched so tightly it had turned white. She could sense the state of Su Bei's body; he seemed to be holding on by sheer, unyielding willpower...
But she said nothing, merely watched him, just like the other Sword Sect Disciples. There was no cheering, no joyous celebration, only sorrowful gazes fixed on Su Bei upon the platform.
Tong Xiu of the Dao Sect let out a long sigh, shook his head, and murmured to himself,
"If he were at Peak Refining Void, perhaps he truly could fight me."
"..."
In his daze, Su Bei sensed a figure approaching. The person didn't rush to attack but instead clasped his hands and bowed; Su Bei could feel the respect emanating from him!
"Hu Yun of the Blade Sect, greets Elder Su!"
Blood had already coagulated into scabs all over Su Bei. His body was a mess of crisscrossing gashes, his long hair dyed crimson. Drops of blood, mingled with the lingering raindrops, trickled into his eyes, blurring his vision. Veins throbbed on his forehead.
The Qingping Sword hummed and trembled!
"I accept the challenge!"
At the Sword Sect's residence, Su Bei's three disciples stared at their master. Xiao Ruoching's face was pale as she looked at Su Bei; she had only seen him in such a state in her previous life.
In this life, no matter the occasion, he had always maintained the image of a debonair, handsome young master, seemingly aloof from the chaotic world.
He cared so much about his image. He wouldn't revert to that state again, would he...? Her palms trembled, and she bit her crimson lip with her pearly teeth.
"He's becoming more and more like that..."
...
Hu Yun, at the Late Stage Refining Void, gave a bitter smile. Even though he was deeply reluctant in his heart, he still gazed at Su Bei with a solemn expression; this was the greatest respect he could offer him.
BOOM—
An explosion sounded. The heavy rain gradually ceased, and the light of the setting sun shimmered in the rain-washed twilight.
Everything seemed to be improving. The voice of a Sacred Land Elder could be heard:
"Sword Sect, Dan Wulan wins!"
"..."
Then, the space trembled slightly, as if on cue. Xi Qingyi, utterly drained of Spiritual Energy, still leaned on her sword. Looking at the fallen Blade Demon, her voice shook as she said,