Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Suddenly, all four quarters were startled, with more happening than the eye could see!

A sword's light streaked across the sky, wielding the might of Mahayana and the capability of a True Immortal, desiring to forcefully thrust into the battle.

However, at its side, another sword light rose swiftly, also cutting horizontally into the fray, forcibly intercepting the momentum of Mahayana.

"Bang!!!"

The clash of swords rang out like thunder, the unparalleled force of Mahayana breaking through the blockage.

Yet, breaking through the interception cost precious time!

It was in that instant...

"Boom!!!"

Thunder resounded together, the two swords combined, striking upwards into the Nine Heavens, slashing at the body of the formidable enemy.

"Bang!!!"

Another loud noise exploded, lightning and fire splattered, Xiao Zhang's figure was sent tumbling out, with a broken sword falling from his grasp, plummeting into the deep sea abyss.

But in the next instant, he steadied himself, forcibly flipping his body around, sweeping his broken sword with a defiant slash toward the formidable enemy.

"Pfft!!!"

A muffled sound, blood sprayed across the sky, Li Cangwu's body flew off, like a kite with its string cut loose.

"What nerve!"

"Scoundrel!"

In an instant, the situation changed dramatically, making everyone speechless, yet unable to take action.

Xiao Zhang paid no heed, his face full of shock and rage, as he raised his broken sword for another slash, determined to end his opponent's life.

Unexpectedly, a sword light swept across and struck him heavily, cleaving him away then and there.

Though sent flying, there was no bloodshed, only Spirit Light flickering, revealing a suit of inner armor, forming the Qiankun Bagua pattern, protecting him within without fatal damage.

Anger simmered despite the lack of wounds, Xiao Zhang flipped his body back around, ready to wield his sword and rejoin the battle.

"Enough!"

A cold shout rang out, and a sword light landed before him, revealing the figure of an old man clad in black.

"Master!"

Upon seeing him, Xiao Zhang, though indignant, could only forcibly suppress his anger, shooting a cold glare at his enemy.

Meanwhile, the sword light returned swiftly, crossing the void to arrive behind Li Cangwu, catching his body.

A figure then appeared, one hand channeling mana, employing healing skills to nurture vitality, stabilizing his injuries.

In that brief moment, changes followed upon each other too swiftly for the onlookers to follow, and before they could grasp what was happening, they saw the battlefield distinctly divided into two areas.

"Is that...?"

"Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion Master?"

"Li Xuanyuan!"

"Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion?"

"Mahayana True Immortal!"

On both sides of the battleground, reinforcements arrived – the old man in black standing before Xiao Zhang and Xu Yang healing Li Cangwu's wounds, leaving everyone unsure of what to do next.

Xu Yang, however, was succinct, employing Taoism and Divine Power to stabilize Li Cangwu's injuries, and then feeding him a pill. Only after that did he turn around, casting a cold glance at the old man in black: "So this is the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion's way, a true eye-opener indeed."

"..."

The black-clad elder's expression was grave, offering no response.

The situation had developed beyond his anticipation.

Had Li Cangwu, in the midst of battle, suddenly understood and broken through to the Heaven Sword realm?

Where did he acquire the method of the Heaven Sword, or had he relied on his own talents to forcibly overcome the barrier, achieving sudden enlightenment?

Hard to say!

The situation was even harder to settle!

Under normal circumstances, no matter who it was, even a disciple of his, he wouldn't intervene to save them in a swordfight.

After all, under the public's eye, the reputation of the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, a Holy Land of the Immortal Sect, couldn't be tarnished for the sake of a single person over their several tens of thousands of years of fame.

But this was not someone else; this was Xiao Zhang, his direct disciple, a genuine Sword Disciple of the Heaven Sword, whose father and ancestors were Mahayana cultivators with a Tribulation Realm Supreme Elder, who in the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion was of the utmost nobility. Otherwise, the position of Sword Master wouldn't have passed down three generations.

This trip to the Southern Sea, where he had fought many swordfights, should have been attended by the Xiao Family's Mahayana individuals to protect him, but his father, Xiao Teng, had recently ascended to Mahayana and needed to refine his foundation firmly; his grandfather had been involved in a conflict with the Great Sun Immortal Sect over the Five Elements Immortal Mansion a hundred years prior and also needed to go into secluded cultivation.

Thus, the task of Dao Protection had been entrusted to him as the master.

In this context, if he did nothing while Xiao Zhang was in danger, the Xiao Family would never let it go.

Reluctantly, he had acted, forcefully intervening in the battle.

But what he had not expected...

Was that the Xiao Family, for the sake of this boy, heedless of the rules, had given him the Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor.

Never mind flouting the rules; they hadn't even informed him.

If he had known Xiao Zhang possessed the Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor, why would he have compromised his position by intervening?

Now, what a mess it was! How was he to settle this?

In the public eye of the Southern Sea swordfight, making such a move, what would become of the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion's dignity?

The man in black's expression darkened, and his heart filled with helplessness, all he could do was to forcefully maintain his stance and say, "The Pavilion concedes this battle..."

"Others spared your life, yet you attempted murder in return!"

Xu Yang looked on coldly, ignoring everything, focusing instead on the Sword Disciple Xiao Zhang behind the elder: "Shameless to the extreme, corrupting the way of the Heaven Sword."

"You...!"

Xiao Zhang's pupils shrank, a mix of shock and anger, but his chest suddenly ached. He looked down to see the treasured family heirloom, ranked among Superior Immortal Implements, the Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor, now bearing a sharp sword injury. Although it was slightly off-center, it was still shocking to behold.

From miles away, other cultivators could perceive clearly.

"Isn't that...?"

"The Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor?"

"A key treasure of the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion?"

"Qiankun Bagua, Superior Immortal Spirit!"

"Bearing such a Body-Protecting Treasure in a swordfight agreement?"

"That sword scar..."

"True Monarch Cangwu's strike actually penetrated the Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor?"

"Having broken the Immortal Implement, why not deliver the final blow!"

"Eldest brother...!"

The onlookers watched from afar, their minds whirring with uncertainty, as members of the South Sea Sect hurried to Li Cangwu's side to shield him.

Only then did Xiao Zhang forcefully suppress his pain and injuries, casting a cold gaze at Xu Yang, and then looking back at Li Cangwu, who was protected by the people of the South Sea Sect: "He benefited from the power of a Sword Artifact, and I was fortified by a treasure armor.

Although my Master intervened out of concern, you too forced your way into the battle, both sides are equally matched..."

"Silence!"

Before the words were finished, they were interrupted. Xu Yang, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, said coldly, "You, of the likes of a mere oversize rat, are not worthy to argue with me. Since you have a fondness for sword fighting, well then, I shall duel with you."

As he spoke, his fingers formed a sword gesture, brimming with a chilling killing intent.

"You...!"

Xiao Zhang's pupils shrank, and he was filled with raging fury.

However, the black-robed elder in front of him intervened, holding him back with one hand: "Do not act recklessly!"

After speaking, he gave Xu Yang a cold look, filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Just moments ago, when he had burst onto the scene, he was intercepted by this man's sword, and the two clashed as fast as lightning strikes for a mere instance.

Although in the end, he managed to break through the interception with the power of Mahayana, the brief clash made him realize this man's capabilities. Without saying that he was as unpredictable as gods and ghosts, he had profound and inscrutable schemes, and he was clearly no ordinary man.

What's more, his cultivation level, as shown in his aura, was merely at the Return to Void tier!

Return to Void shaking Mahayana, could he be anything but extraordinary?

The black-robed elder was wary and did not wish for Xiao Zhang to hastily engage in a sword duel.

However...

"What's wrong, lost your nerve?"

Xu Yang looked at him with disdain, his words piercing to the core.

"You...!"

Xiao Zhang's face turned pale with anger surging to his head, and he disregarded the black-robed elder's dissuasion: "Audacious scoundrel, seeking your own death. Very well, I shall oblige you!"
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"Zhang Er, you mustn't!"

Before her words were finished, another person rushed into the fray, it was none other than his mother, Yue Qing'er.

Yue Qing'er arrived in a panic, looking at Xiao Zhang's pale face, and then at the conspicuous sword marks on the Qiankun Heart-Protecting Armor he wore, she immediately turned to Xu Yang: "My son has just experienced a fierce battle. To fight now, wouldn't that be taking advantage of his weakness?"

"You speak of taking advantage of someone's weakness?"

Xu Yang scoffed, speaking while holding his hands behind his back: "Then I shall give you three months to heal. In three months' time, prepare to become corpses!"

"You...!"

"What, is three months not enough?"

On hearing this, Xiao Zhang wanted to speak but was cut off by Xu Yang's cold voice: "Then how about three years, or a decade? That should be enough time for you to cling to life!"

"You!!!"

"Very well then!"

"Three months it is!"

Unable to hold back any longer, Xiao Zhang retorted: "In three months' time..."

"Prepare your caskets, waiting for your corpses to be collected!"

Xu Yang did not bother to pay any more attention, gesturing with his large sleeve, gathering Li Cangwu and the people from the South Sea Sect together, and then soared away on his sword, leaving the crowd looking at each other in dismay.

"This..."

"Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion!"

"Li Xuanyuan!"

"He's really going to duel with the Nine Heavens Sword Disciple?"

"I heard this man and True Monarch Cangwu were close friends. Little did I expect that he would go to such lengths to draw his sword and clash with the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion for his sake."

"This Pavilion Master of Ten Thousand Swords, he is indeed a man of emotion!"

"Xuanyuan my friend..."

"Hold on, he's only at the Return to Void tier, how can he possibly stand against the Nine Heavens Sword Disciple?"

"He had just entered the scene and confronted a Mahayana head-on from the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion."

"This..."

The people finally realized what had happened and were filled with amazed uncertainty.

...

Lingbao Island, Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

Xu Yang returned, waving his sleeve robe, revealing the people from the South Sea Sect.

Seeing this, the people knew what to do and made way for him.

Xu Yang approached Li Cangwu, who had already regained consciousness, and took out another Spirit Pill.

Seeing this, Li Cangwu shook his head and gestured to stop him: "My fate has run its course, there's no turning back now. No need to waste any more pills on me, my friend."

...

Xu Yang fell silent, and eventually shook his head: "Why did you hold back just now, my friend?"

Li Cangwu smiled faintly, exuding ease: "If I had killed him, the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion would have surely gone on a killing spree, especially that Mahayana. With all those people around, aside from you, who would have been able to leave unscathed?"

...

Xu Yang remained silent, finally sighing, "So this is the 'fight to the death' you spoke of?"

Li Cangwu chuckled lightly: "Having used a secret technique to slay that Mysterious Yin old ghost, I've already damaged my foundations. Even with the advancement of my Heavenly Sword, breaking through to Mahayana is unlikely. My fate is sealed, I harbor no resentment towards the heavens, only regret that I have disappointed you."

Xu Yang looked at him, feeling powerless: "This should never have gone so far."

"I understand!"

Li Cangwu nodded his head and smiled lightly: "With your capabilities, my friend, you surely have ways to mediate the crisis without any loss. But my life and my path are mine to walk. How could I involve you?"

...

Hearing this, Xu Yang could only remain silent.

"To hear the Dao in the morning is to die content in the evening!"

Li Cangwu looked up, his gaze stretching far away as if piercing through the heavens, then turned back to Xu Yang: "To have reached this realm, to have understood the Heavenly Sword, my life, Cangwu, is without regrets. Thank you for your guidance, my friend!"

Xu Yang sighed, no longer willing to speak: "Is there anything else you wish to entrust to me?"

"He who knows Cangwu, is Li Xuanyuan!"

Li Cangwu smiled, then glanced at the South Sea Sect members around him: "Within the South Sea Sect, there are both the good and the bad; some wish to join the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, while others would rather die than submit. Once I'm gone, they will undoubtedly face discrimination, maybe even murder. May I ask if you can provide them refuge?"

"Elder brother!"

"Sect Master!"

...

On hearing this, everyone was taken aback, unable to speak.

Xu Yang nodded solemnly: "Rest assured, my friend!"

"Thank you!"

Li Cangwu smiled, his burdens lifted, appearing even more at ease: "I also ask that you bury me at the peak of Heaven Sword Peak. In three months, I wish to watch from above as the Xuanyuan Sword startles the Southern Sea, cutting down all injustice here."