785: Predestined death

The river of stars flowed, and the sun rose as the moon set.

At the summit of Heavenly Sword Mountain.

A white-haired figure gripped an ancient, simple stone sword.

Like a sculpture, he remained motionless as the years passed by.

However, only a powerful Cultivator with a profound Realm would be able to see the subtle changes occurring within that white-haired figure over time.

What would happen after holding the sword for a hundred years?

On this day.

At the summit of Heavenly Sword Mountain, the white-haired youth holding the Sword in the Stone slowly opened his eyes.

"To think that a hundred years have already passed."

Zhou Xiuyuan woke up as the divine mountain beneath his feet transmitted some information, leaving him feeling slightly melancholy.

The moment he had gripped this stone sword.

His consciousness had entered the world within the sword.

In that world within the sword, the imprints of successive generations of Heavenly Sword Successors remained.

Inside, he practiced the sword, comprehended the sword, created sword techniques, and even tried to leave his own imprint.

It was just that his strength and Realm were not yet sufficient, so he had not completed it.

Cultivating within the sword's world had completely immersed him, making him entirely unaware of the passage of time.

He hadn't expected that by the time he woke up after fully mastering the Heavenly Sword, a hundred years would have passed.

"It's time to go home."

Zhou Xiuyuan's heart stirred; this was the first time he had been away from home for so long.

The thought made him somewhat impatient.

"Go."

He hung the Heavenly Sword at his waist, taking the place that originally belonged to the voidless divine sword.

The voidless divine sword had already returned to the divine mountain beneath his feet long ago, after bringing him to this Realm.

As Zhou Xiuyuan's words fell.

Rumble!

A violent vibration rang out as Heavenly Sword Mountain rose from the ground.

In one fell swoop, it broke out of this mysterious place, its true form revealing itself within the world of the Chaofeng Ancient Realm.

Chaofeng Ancient Realm.

The ancient divine mountain's phantom on the horizon gradually solidified.

Its traces were captured by the various powerhouses who had been watching Heavenly Sword Mountain.

"To dare reveal your true form to the world, successor of the Heavenly Sword, you have quite the nerve!"

As Heavenly Sword Mountain shifted from phantom to reality, a hidden entity muttered to themselves.

Once the divine mountain had completely integrated into this world.

The white-haired figure standing atop the divine mountain with three long swords hanging at his waist appeared in the eyes of the watching powerhouses.

"Hmm?"

"Void Refining?"

Zhou Xiuyuan's Aura could not be hidden from the eyes of the powerhouses.

Seeing that Zhou Xiuyuan was only at the Void Refining Realm.

Finally, someone could not hold back.

"Junior, do you know that an ordinary man is innocent, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty? With your meager cultivation, why haven't you left the Heavenly Sword behind?"

A sharp voice vibrated through the sky.

Boom!

Before the voice had even faded, a pitch-black, aged hand reached out from the void.

It lunged toward the divine mountain.

"It's him, Daoist Lord Cangfeng!"

Someone recognized the owner of the pitch-black, aged hand.

Daoist Lord Cangfeng was a famous figure of the Demonic Path on the Eastern Wasteland Continent.

He hailed from the Huangmo Palace, one of the Holy Lands of the Demonic Path.

Killing to seize treasures and refining blood to slaughter cities were commonplace for him.

The phantom of Heavenly Sword Mountain had been visible on the horizon for a hundred years.

Countless pieces of information had been transmitted, and rumors regarding the Heavenly Sword were spreading like wildfire.

Daoist Lord Cangfeng being the first to strike was a strategy to catch everyone off guard.

While others were still weighing their options, he intended to seize the treasure and flee with lightning speed.

"Daoist Lord..."

"A perfect chance to test the sword."

Atop Heavenly Sword Mountain, Zhou Xiuyuan showed no fear.

Clang!

He gripped the stone sword at his waist with one hand.

With one sword strike, the world lost its light!

"Argh!"

"My hand!"

The pitch-black, aged hand was severed by a single sword strike, blood staining the sky.

Daoist Lord Cangfeng screamed shrilly.

He escaped into the Void Realm and vanished.

Only that severed hand fell from the sky.

"A single strike severed Daoist Lord Cangfeng's arm..."

"Is this the power of the Heavenly Sword..."

Daoist Lord Cangfeng's fate caused some of the hidden Cultivators to feel like retreating.

However, it only made others' hearts burn even more fervently.

"Master."

In the shadows, Li Zhenyi watched Zhou Xiuyuan, who had severed a Daoist Lord's arm while only being at the Void Refining Realm, with a burning and anxious heart, looking toward the Grey-Robed Elder beside him.

If he obtained that Heavenly Sword, he would also be able to achieve such a feat.

To slay a Daoist Lord while at the Void Refining Realm.

How magnificent that would be!

"No rush."

The Grey-Robed Elder, the Grand Elder of the Lushan Sword Sect, Heavenly Venerate Bajian, remained composed and was in no hurry at all.

Li Zhenyi was helpless and could only watch silently.

As Daoist Lord Cangfeng's severed hand fell.

Within the Void Realm.

Someone else appeared, striking out with a palm that transformed into a mysterious seal, attacking the summit of the divine mountain.

Zhou Xiuyuan stomped down heavily.

A continuous stream of power surged from beneath his feet, supporting him as he swung the Heavenly Sword in his hand once more.

Otherwise, with his own cultivation, he would be unable to sustain consecutive strikes.

The power of the Heavenly Sword was exceptionally tyrannical.

A wisp of dark sword light shattered the mysterious seal.

It vanished into the Void Realm.

A muffled groan came from within the Void Realm as blood dripped down.

Yet another Daoist Lord was injured and fled... "The time is about right..."

Heavenly Venerate Bajian watched silently.

That white-haired youth was nearing his limit after using external power to repel several Daoist Lords.

It was time to strike and take it in one go.

Heavenly Venerate Bajian's Aura surged.

An overbearing Dao revealed itself between heaven and earth.

The Aura belonging to a Heavenly Venerate was displayed.

It pressured the Void Realm.

Heavenly Venerate Bajian held his Dao Weapon, the Overbearing Heaven Sword, and a fiercely peerless sword light suddenly slashed down.

It was as if it could strike down the sun, moon, and stars.

In the shadows, there were no lack of entities with the same idea as Heavenly Venerate Bajian.

As that overbearing and fierce sword light slashed down.

A Diamond Bangle was thrown out from the void, suddenly expanding in size.

It descended from the sky, intending to imprison both the divine mountain and the Heavenly Sword.

"A Heavenly Venerate has made a move."

"And it's two of them..."

The Daoist Lords lurking in the shadows were shocked and retreated one after another.

With Heavenly Venerates taking action, if they didn't leave now, they might never be able to.

"Stupid!"

"They didn't even check who the opponent was before acting?"

In the distance, Gao Da sneered; he had mobilized the power of the Myriad Sword Sect to finally uncover a bit of information.

That white-haired youth was a Disciple of the Qingyang Zhou Clan from the Chaotic Sea.

The Qingyang Zhou Clan was an entity on equal footing with the Myriad Sword Sect.

Furthermore, the great battle two hundred years ago had already established that entity's extraordinary status.

"Master, when should we step in to help?"

Gao Da asked the stalwart Middle-aged Cultivator beside him who carried a heavy sword on his back.

"Now."

The Grand Elder of the Myriad Sword Immortal Sect, Heavenly Venerate Zhenyue, drew the heavy sword from his back, about to step in to save Zhou Xiuyuan.

However, he suddenly paused.

"There's no need for us to act anymore, what a pity..."

Heavenly Venerate Zhenyue's tone was somewhat regretful; such a good opportunity to provide help when it was most needed was gone.

"Hmm?"

Heavenly Venerate Bajian, who had slashed a sword strike toward Zhou Xiuyuan, only felt as if something had suddenly changed in the world.

In the next instant, he saw the overbearing sword light that was originally aimed at Zhou Xiuyuan slash toward another part of the void.

And before him, a Diamond Bangle appeared.

"What's going on!"

Heavenly Venerate Bajian was startled.

It was as if Karma had become chaotic in this patch of sky.

Boom!

He didn't have time to think further.

The Diamond Bangle's power was astonishing; it actually pierced through the overbearing sword Qi covering his body and smashed heavily against him.

"Pfft!"

Heavenly Venerate Bajian coughed up blood.

On the other side, the overbearing sword light slashed down, and an old woman appeared stumbling, her body nearly split in two.

The Divine Abilities of the two Heavenly Venerates had landed on each other without any reason.

Before their expressions could even change drastically.

A low proclamation came from high above the heavens.

"Destined death shall descend ahead of schedule."

The voice of proclamation fell, sounding like a statement of fate.

Zhou Xiuyuan vanished into thin air.

Above the heads of the two Heavenly Venerates, tribulation clouds quietly gathered.

"Heavenly Tribulation!"