Old monster, Hua Yunxi?

At this moment.

Inside the Dujian Sect!

"Boom!!!"

Thick pillars of blood-red light shot into the sky, intertwining with each other.

They instantly formed a terrifying Formation that enveloped the entire Sect.

A thick, nauseating scent of blood spread through the air.

Within the Formation.

Countless Dujian Sect Disciples let out shrill screams.

Their bodies trembled and twisted uncontrollably.

The essence blood and life force within them were forcibly extracted, turning into streaks of blood-light that continuously merged into the Formation!

Even...

Even the Sect Master of the Dujian Sect, Dugu Jue, who had just been slapped away by Ye Qing.

He was now filled with terror.

"No... don't!"

He looked at his hands in disbelief.

He saw his flesh shriveling and dissipating at a visible rate, turning into blood qi to be devoured by the Formation opened by the Small Blood-Jade Sword above his head!

"Old Ancestor! I am Dugu Jue! I am your grand-Disciple!"

Dugu Jue pleaded in despair:

"Please! Spare me! I don't want to die yet!"

However.

Inside the Small Blood-Jade Sword, Blood Sword True Person only let out a cold, maniacal laugh, completely ignoring whether he lived or died.

In his view, since he was the Old Ancestor's grand-Disciple, he should properly sacrifice himself for the Old Ancestor.

Now that's a good grand-Disciple for the Old Ancestor!

"Bastard! You old fossil! You'll die a horrible death!"

Seeing that pleading was useless, Dugu Jue instantly turned and began cursing loudly.

He struggled desperately, even attempting to strike the Small Blood-Jade Sword.

But.

When Blood Sword True Person forged this vessel for his soul, he followed the highest specifications, making the sword body incredibly hard.

Dugu Jue's meager attacks couldn't even leave a white mark on it.

Next, in just a matter of moments.

Dugu Jue let out a scream and completely turned into a pool of blood, becoming nourishment for the Formation!

For a time.

The entire Dujian Sect was like a living hell, a scene of utter chaos.

Beside Ye Qing.

Tian Qingge watched this scene with a pale face, instinctively gripping her longsword tightly.

Although these people belonged to the Sect of her enemies...

...such a cruel way to die still made her feel uneasy.

In mid-air.

The floating Small Blood-Jade Sword shone brilliantly.

Blood Sword True Person's Divine Soul danced and laughed incessantly inside, as if already seeing the moment of his Rebirth.

"Hahahaha! A perfect Physical Body!"

"A Nascent Soul can knock back a Void Returning Realm!"

"Such a Prodigy... what a great Opportunity this is, what a great Opportunity!"

Ye Qing remained indifferent, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.

He sighed softly.

With his vision, he could naturally see that the Formation nodes on these Dujian Sect members had long since formed, penetrating deep into their marrow.

Now that the Formation was activated, it was beyond remedy; even gods would struggle to save them.

"For your own selfish gain, you slaughter so many innocents..."

A cold glint flashed in Ye Qing's eyes.

Furthermore, that old thing's constant screeching was incredibly annoying.

"Noisy."

Ye Qing frowned slightly.

Then.

He raised his right hand and slapped toward the Small Blood-Jade Sword in mid-air!

"Slap!!!"

A crisp, explosive sound rang out.

The Small Blood-Jade Sword, which was frantically devouring blood qi, was sent spinning and flying back by that single slap!

"Buzz—!"

At the same time.

The remaining force of the palm strike slammed into the Formation.

Because the Formation was shaken, this "Ten Thousand Origin Blood Sacrifice Formation" also began to vibrate violently!

Many critical spiritual power vein nodes let out overburdened groans, and the blood-light flickered... "What?!"

Inside the Small Blood-Jade Sword.

Blood Sword True Person was filled with shock and rage.

He had waited so long for this chance at Rebirth and was on the verge of success; he would not allow anyone to ruin it!

"You're looking for death!"

He roared.

He quickly controlled the Small Blood-Jade Sword to steady itself and then sped high into the sky.

"Suppress for me!"

The small sword emitted an even more dazzling blood-light, forcibly suppressing the Formation's fluctuations and restabilizing the situation.

Meanwhile.

Blood Sword True Person was also somewhat surprised.

"This kid's power... is actually this terrifying?"

"The defensive power of my Formation was originally around the Void Returning Second Layer."

"How could he make the Formation tremble with just a single slap?"

However.

He soon calmed down.

"Fortunately, with me personally presiding over it now, plus the enhancement of the Sacred Sword's power, the defense has already risen to the level of the Void Returning Third Layer!"

"Even if a Middle Stage Void Returning Realm Cultivator attacked, they wouldn't be able to shake it in the slightest for a while..."

"Hmph! So what if your brute force is great?"

"As long as I hide within the Sacred Sword and preside over the Formation, you can't do anything to me!"

"Once the Formation is fully operational, it will be the day you die!"

However.

Before he could even finish that thought...

Ye Qing, below...

...flipped his wrist, and a longsword appeared in his hand.

"Slash!"

Ye Qing let out a light shout and swung his sword toward the Small Blood-Jade Sword and the Formation in the sky!

"Whoosh—!"

A brilliant and vast sword light, seemingly capable of severing a galaxy, suddenly erupted!

"Boom!!!"

With an earth-shattering roar!

That blood-red Formation, which in Blood Sword True Person's eyes could withstand attacks from the Void Returning Third Layer...

...was like a fragile eggshell before this sword light!

It shattered almost instantly!

The blood-light filling the sky parted and dissipated like a split wave!

At the same time.

Inside the Small Blood-Jade Sword, Blood Sword True Person felt an unstoppable, peerless, and terrifying force blasting toward him along with the sword light!

In this moment.

Before this sword light.

He didn't even have the slightest room to resist!

Only endless terror remained in his heart!

"No... impossible..."

"That's right! The Sacred Sword, my Sacred Sword is indestructible! It was forged from the essence of Nine Nether Blood Jade!!"

"It'll be fine! It definitely will be fine!"

He prayed frantically in his heart.

However.

In the next moment.

"Crack!"

A crisp cracking sound ruthlessly shattered his fantasy.

Blood Sword True Person looked at his "body" in disbelief.

He saw a shocking crack had already opened on that incredibly hard Small Blood-Jade Sword!

Immediately after.

The vast sword light followed the crack and forced its way into the interior of the small sword!

"Ah!!!"

Sword Qi crisscrossed, frantically strangling and shredding!

Blood Sword True Person's Divine Soul let out a shrill scream.

His voice was filled with resentment and despair!

His wailing didn't stop!

"My Sacred Sword, my Sacred Sword! I'm not reconciled!!!"

"Bang!"

With an explosion...

...the Small Blood-Jade Sword completely snapped in two and fell to the ground, its spiritual light gone, turning into a pile of grayish scrap metal.

And Blood Sword True Person, who was residing within it...

...was also instantly ground into ashes by that terrifying sword light!

His soul was completely scattered!

...At the same time, beside Ye Qing.

Tian Qingge was completely stunned.

She had thought that being trapped in such a terrifying Formation, she would likely meet her end today.

Though she learned the truth about the Sect's destruction before death, she was powerless to change anything and could only die here in resentment.

But now... looking at the scene before her.

Tian Qingge's eyes widened, and she instinctively swallowed hard.

"Is... is this Senior's true strength?"

That magnificent and vast sword light from just now, which in her eyes seemed capable of splitting the heavens and earth...

...and the shocking scene of the Formation shattering and the blood sword crumbling under that single strike.

It now echoed in her mind, leaving her dazed and speechless for a long time.

Powerful!

So powerful!

So strong it made one despair, yet at the same time... feel at ease... At this moment.

Ye Qing stood with his sword sheathed, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

The Formation had been destroyed, and Blood Sword True Person had been executed.

As for those Dujian Sect members, they had all turned into blood during the sacrifice, dead as could be.

The entire Dujian Sect was now a mess, completely reduced to ruins.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

Ye Qing shook his head slightly.

Then.

He turned around and looked at Tian Qingge, who was still dazed.

He began to think about how to arrange things for this young girl.

"This girl remained calm and showed courage and wisdom when being hunted by several Nascent Soul Cultivators; her Heart-Nature is indeed extraordinary."

"Furthermore, she is a good sword dao seed and showed great Comprehension Ability when receiving the Heavenly Derivation Sword Canon..."

Thinking of this, Ye Qing's heart stirred.

"How about... I just keep her by my side?"

"I can observe her closely for a while, and if I truly find her suitable, I might consider taking her as a Disciple."

After all.

Tian Qingge is now all alone with no relatives.

Although the truth about the Tianyan Sword Sect's destruction has been uncovered, the world is treacherous.

Moreover, the rumor about the 'secret treasure' has spread far and wide.

The world might not believe the truth.

If I leave now, I fear others, like that Venerable Mountain Dragon, will continue to hunt her.

Thinking of this...

Ye Qing looked at Tian Qingge and asked gently:

"The matter is settled."

"What are your plans for the future?"

"If you have nowhere to go..."

"...would you be willing to stay by my side?"

...Hearing this...

Tian Qingge was stunned at first, then a look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face.

She knew well.

That being able to follow such an unfathomable expert was an Opportunity many could only dream of!

Furthermore, this Senior had a connection with her Old Ancestor and had saved her life.

By all logic and emotion, she could not refuse.

But...

Soon, as if thinking of something, the joy in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of hesitation and struggle.

After a moment of consideration...

Tian Qingge took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Ye Qing, and said with a firm expression:

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior!"

"But... this Junior cannot agree."

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

Ye Qing was slightly surprised.

Tian Qingge looked up, her eyes bright and persistent:

"This Junior is currently the only successor of the Tianyan Sword Sect."

"I carry the Legacy and hope of the Sect on my shoulders."

"And my lifelong pursuit is to restore the Tianyan Sword Sect! To make the name of the Tianyan Sword Sect resound throughout the Central Region once again!"

She glanced at the surrounding ruins and said in a resonant tone:

"As the saying goes, if it's not broken, it can't be fixed; restoration comes after destruction!"

"I want to rebuild the Sect and continue the lineage of the Tianyan Sword Sect!"

"Therefore..."

"...this Junior cannot follow by Senior's side and serve Senior."

"It is this Junior who is ungrateful and has failed Senior's kindness. Please forgive me, Senior!"

Finished.

She lowered her head and quietly waited for Ye Qing's punishment... Ye Qing was also slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Then.

Looking at the stubborn girl before him, a smile of appreciation appeared on his face instead.

This girl indeed has quite the ambition.

"No matter."

"It's a good thing that you have such an ambition."

"Since that's the case, I won't force you."

Ye Qing wasn't angry.

On the contrary, he found this girl quite interesting.

She is indeed a good seed.

She quite suits his taste.

Just as he was about to say a few more words and was thinking about whether to leave her some life-saving means...

Suddenly...

"Hmm?"

Ye Qing's heart stirred, and his gaze snapped toward the nearby void.

He spoke flatly:

"Come out!"

Tian Qingge was stunned and looked in the direction of Ye Qing's gaze, but saw nothing but empty air.

However.

In the next moment.

"Buzz!"

That space rippled slightly, like a pebble being thrown into a still pool.

Following a ripple.

A young woman dressed in white, with a cold and ethereal temperament, slowly revealed herself.

She looked at Ye Qing, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

She said softly:

"Fellow Daoist has a very keen Divine Sense."

"I thought my 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon' technique was quite clever, but I didn't expect it to be seen through at a glance by Fellow Daoist."

Ye Qing frowned slightly, sizing up the woman who had suddenly appeared.

He felt something strange in his heart.

Because this woman's cultivation was only at the Early Stage Soul Transformation Realm.

But when she approached earlier, her concealment method was extremely sophisticated and experienced.

In fact, even an ordinary Void Returning Realm Cultivator might not have been able to detect her!

If not for his perception being far beyond ordinary people, anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed her.

After thinking for a moment.

"Who are you?"

Ye Qing asked.

The woman smiled slightly and bowed to Ye Qing.

She spoke quite gracefully, saying:

"I am... Hua Yunxi."

..."Hua Yunxi?"

Ye Qing nodded upon hearing this.

But a second later.

He suddenly reacted and was momentarily stunned.

"Wait..."

"Hua Yunxi?!"

"If I remember correctly... Xuan Yang's fiancée was also named Hua Yunxi?"

"Is this a coincidence? Or..."

Ye Qing's gaze instantly became peculiar.

Xuan Yang lived many years ago; if his fiancée were indeed still alive, how old of an old monster would she be?

Yet the woman before him, in Ye Qing's eyes, didn't look a day over thirty!

And while Ye Qing was in doubt.

Hua Yunxi continued to explain:

"Fellow Daoist, please do not misunderstand."

"To tell you the truth, I have some past connection with the Tianyan Sword Sect."

"Therefore, after accidentally learning that there was still a successor of the Tianyan Sword Sect alive and being hunted, I specifically searched for her."

"I wanted to ensure her safety."

Saying so, she glanced at Tian Qingge nearby, a hint of gentleness in her eyes.

Ye Qing didn't say anything upon hearing this.

Instead, he stared at Hua Yunxi with a strange look in his eyes.

It was one thing if she didn't mention a past connection, but once she did, Ye Qing felt even more strange.

So, what exactly was going on?

Is this person a fraud?

Or... And being stared at by Ye Qing's penetrating gaze, Hua Yunxi was also somewhat confused.

She felt a bit uneasy.

After a moment of hesitation.

She asked:

"Fellow Daoist... what is the meaning of this?"