107: Chapter 107 Sword Cries Across the Sky, Blood Stains the Heavens

"Supreme Elder Tianxuan, Elder Li, Elder Kumu, you must immediately escort the Sect Master to the core of the 'Ten Thousand Sword Forest'. The Restriction there is the strongest, and there is residual Ancestral Master Sword Intent; it can keep him safe for the time being. Find a way to wake the Sect Master as soon as possible!" Lin Ye, forcing himself to stand despite his severe injuries, spoke with a tone that was absolute and unquestionable, "I will go to the front line!"

"Junior Brother Lin! You..." Supreme Elder Tianxuan exclaimed anxiously. Lin Ye's current state was no better than that of the unconscious Master Lingxiao; how was going to the front line any different from seeking death?

"My mind is made up!" Lin Ye interrupted him, a flame of determination burning in his eyes. "I hold the 'three keys', and the channel has been secured. As the Acting Sect Master, if I am not on the front line, who will be?!"

He looked at the one-armed Deacon Elder: "Lead the way! Take me to where the fighting is most intense!"

The Deacon Elder looked at Lin Ye's pale yet resolute face, at those eyes that seemed to contain stars and blood-fire. A surge of hot blood rushed to his heart, and he hissed, "Yes! Acting Sect Master! Follow me!"

"Lin Han! Take this!" Supreme Elder Tianxuan knew he couldn't dissuade him. Gritting his teeth, he took a token that was neither gold nor jade, carved with complex cloud patterns, from his bosom and stuffed it into Lin Ye's hand. "This is the Sect's 'Ten Thousand Sword Token'. It can briefly mobilize a portion of the ownerless Sword Qi in the 'Ten Thousand Sword Forest'! Use it with caution!"

"Many thanks!" Lin Ye put the token away, nodded heavily to Supreme Elder Tianxuan and the others, then turned around and followed the Deacon Elder, rushing toward the direction where the sounds of battle were shaking the sky! His back was staggering, but it carried an unyielding determination.

"Quick! We must go to the 'Ten Thousand Sword Forest'! We must wake the Sect Master as soon as possible!" Supreme Elder Tianxuan took a deep breath, suppressing the grief and worry in his heart, and with Elder Li and Kumu, carried Master Lingxiao away in another direction.

Inside the Sword Tomb, it was already a purgatory.

The once solemn and majestic Holy Land of the Sword was now filled with the fires of war and broken walls. Devilish Qi and Sword Qi were intertwined; Death Qi and vitality were clashing. On the ground, the corpses of Lingyun Disciples were mixed with the remains of demonic creatures, and fresh blood stained the bluestone. In the air, what danced was no longer nimble Sword light, but hideous demonic shadows and dying counterattacks.

The further forward they went, the more tragic the scene became. There were fewer and fewer resisting Disciples, and more and more figures of the demonic army. The Deacon Elder brought Lin Ye through the ruins and the flames of war. From time to time, sporadic demonic creatures would pounce, but they were all arduously slain by Lin Ye, who used his remaining spiritual power to drive the red dragon sword, combined with the faint suppression of the "reincarnation seal".

Finally, they arrived at the last line of defense—located in the middle of the Sword Tomb, a relatively open "Sword Sharpening Platform". This place was originally for Disciples to spar and comprehend Sword Intent, but now it had become a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Hundreds of scarred Lingyun Sword Sect Disciples, all of them injured, led by a dozen Foundation Establishment Deacons and the two or three remaining Golden Core Elders (all severely injured), formed an incomplete circular formation with their backs to the towering "Sword Comprehension Wall" behind the "Sword Sharpening Platform", which was carved with sword marks. They were desperately resisting the demonic army that was pouring in like a tide!

The number of the demonic army was at least five times that of the defenders! Moreover, there were many powerful Foundation Establishment demonic generals among them, and even three demonic commanders, standing over a zhang tall, clad in heavy armor, wielding giant blades, and emitting the terrifying fluctuations of the Late Stage Golden Core. They stood at the front, constantly letting out hideous roars to command the demonic army to launch fierce attacks. One of the demonic commanders held a head with wide-open eyes and bristling hair—it was Elder Liu!

"Elder Liu!!"

"Fight these demonic bastards to the death!"

Among the defenders, there were roars of grief and indignation, but more were filled with despair and numbness. The defense line was crumbling, the circular formation was constantly being compressed, and people were falling every moment.

"Form up! Fight to the death!" A Golden Core Elder with a severed arm and a hideous wound on his chest that almost exposed the bone (Lin Ye recognized him as a Deputy Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, surnamed Han) roared hoarsely, waving his chipped longsword, desperately blocking the attack of a demonic general, but was shaken back repeatedly, spitting blood.

"Elder Han! The Acting Sect Master is here!" The one-armed Deacon Elder shouted with all his might.

"Acting Sect Master?" Everyone in the bitter fight was stunned and looked toward the sound.

They saw a figure covered in blood, with a face as pale as paper, his aura weak but standing straight like a spear. With the support of the one-armed Deacon, he walked through the pervasive smoke and Devilish Qi, step by step, to the very front of the "Sword Sharpening Platform", to the edge of the crumbling defense line, to the place where the gazes of all the defending Disciples converged.

It was Lin Ye!

"It's the Acting Sect Master!"

"The Acting Sect Master has returned!"

"The Acting Sect Master is injured!"

"In his hand... that is..."

After a brief silence, unbelievable exclamations erupted among the defenders, and then, an indescribably complex emotion surged in everyone's hearts. Was it the excitement of seeing hope? The sorrow of seeing their leader return but severely injured? Or the despair of this still-hopeless situation?

"Heh heh heh... Another one here to die? And what is this 'Acting Sect Master'?" The demonic commander holding Elder Liu's head scanned Lin Ye with scarlet eyes and let out a disdainful, strange laugh. "Perfect, use your head to pay tribute to that trash, Soul Eater!"

"Demonic monster!" Elder Han's eyes were splitting with rage, and he wanted to rush up, but was forced back by another demonic commander swinging a blade.

Lin Ye ignored the demonic commander's provocation. He slowly raised his hand. Above his palm, the "reincarnation seal", "yan jun token", and "command token of ten thousand ghosts" floated quietly, emitting Chaos, red-gold, and pitch-black brilliance. On this battlefield of corpses, blood, and soaring Devilish Qi, they appeared so out of place, yet carried an indescribable majesty that originated from the Origin of Law.

He scanned the faces behind him—some young, some old, some desperate, some grief-stricken, some still carrying a trace of unyielding Battle Intent. He scanned the corpses of his fellow Disciples on the ground and the once beautiful mountain peaks in the distance that were now shrouded in Devilish Qi.

Then, he turned around, facing the boundless demonic army, facing the three demonic commanders with monstrous ferocity, and facing the terrifying demonic power faintly coming from the direction of the Black Water Swamp.

His voice was not loud, even a bit hoarse, but it clearly spread throughout the entire "Sword Sharpening Platform", into the ears of every Lingyun Disciple, and into the consciousness of the opposing demonic army:

"Disciples of the Lingyun Sword Sect."

"Look around you, look at your feet."

"This is our mountain gate, our Sword Tomb, the place where our Ancestral Masters of past generations were buried, preached, and guarded."

"Today, the demonic calamity has descended, and evil spirits have invaded our borders. Elder Liu has died in battle, many fellow Disciples have fallen, the mountain gate is burning, and the swords are wailing."

"We have nowhere left to retreat."

He paused, took a deep breath, that breath seeming to carry the rusty smell of blood, as well as the heavy breathing of his fellow Disciples behind him.

"But, has our sword broken?"

He raised the red dragon sword in his hand; the blade was stained with blood and the firelight was dim, but it was still straight.

"Has our spine snapped?"

He straightened his body, which was already tottering, even though that body was covered in wounds and his spiritual power was nearly exhausted.

"Has our Dao, our Guardian heart, been extinguished?!"

The last sentence was almost roared out, his voice carrying a power that penetrated the Soul!

"No!!!" After a brief silence, sporadic, hoarse responses sounded from behind, and then, like a prairie fire, they merged into an ocean of anger and unyielding spirit!

"No!!"

"No!!!"

Elder Han's tiger eyes filled with tears as he roared hoarsely. The one-armed Deacon, the severely injured Disciples, everyone gripped their broken weapons, puffed out their chests, and the near-death numbness and despair in their eyes were replaced by a more intense flame called "Fight to the Death"!

Lin Ye slowly turned around, facing the demonic army again, and the light of the "three keys" in his palm seemed to brighten a little with the passion of his words.

"The Demonic Lord wishes to destroy our Dao lineage, ruin our homeland, and enslave the common people."

"Today, I, Lin Han, in the name of this Acting Sect Master, with this body as the inheritor of the 'Gatekeeper', and with the 'three keys' in my hand as proof—"

He suddenly held the "reincarnation seal" high above his head, pouring all his remaining spiritual power, Divine Soul, and even the hot blood and Battle Intent that had just boiled due to the response of his fellow Disciples, into it without reservation!

"Under the 'reincarnation seal', all evil shall be repelled! Those who offend my Lingyun—"

"Kill!!!"

"Kill!!!" Behind him, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami rising erupted into the sky! Hundreds of remnants of the army erupted with unprecedented, tragic Killing Intent, and the originally crumbling circular formation instantly solidified, its sharp Qi piercing the firmament!

"Playing tricks! Kill them for me! Leave none alive!" The demonic commander holding the head was both shocked and angry, and ordered sternly.

"Kill!!!" The demonic army roared and rushed over again like a black tide!

"Form the 'Lingyun Sword Formation'! Even the incomplete version will do! Follow me—kill the enemy!" Elder Han roared, and together with the few remaining Golden Core Elders, urged their last strength to lead the remnants and actively meet the demonic tide!

The great battle erupted again! It was more tragic and crazier than before!

And Lin Ye stood in place, unmoving. It was not that he did not want to move, but that he had no strength left to charge and kill. He poured all his focus into the "reincarnation seal" above his head.

"In my name, summon the power of Reincarnation, help my fellow Disciples, and slay the demons!"

"Ten Thousand Sword Token, activate!"

He maintained the "reincarnation seal" with one hand and crushed the "Ten Thousand Sword Token" given by Supreme Elder Tianxuan with the other!

Hum!

From the direction of the "Ten Thousand Sword Forest", a faint sound of swords humming came! Countless strands of ownerless Sword Qi—some strong, some weak, some sharp, some heavy—left behind by Lingyun ancestors of past generations, were drawn by the dual attraction of the "Ten Thousand Sword Token" and the "reincarnation seal". Crossing space, like soldiers receiving a summons, they swarmed over!

In an instant, with Lin Ye as the center, within a radius of a hundred zhang, it was as if a brilliant and deadly "rain of Sword Qi" had fallen! Countless translucent Sword Qi, flashing with various colors, appeared out of thin air, emitting sharp piercing sounds. As if possessed of spiritual intelligence, they accurately avoided the Lingyun Disciples and shot toward the charging demonic army!

Chi chi chi chi—!!!

Sword Qi entered flesh, and the demonic creatures screamed! These ownerless Sword Qi might not have been as powerful as when they were alive, but they were numerous and contained pure Lingyun Sword Intent, dealing extra damage to Devilish Qi and ghosts! The demonic army charging at the forefront was suddenly thrown into Chaos, suffering heavy casualties, and the momentum of their charge was halted!

"It's the Ancestral Master's Sword Qi! The Ancestral Master has manifested!"

"Kill!"

The morale of the Lingyun Disciples soared. Taking advantage of the confusion in the demonic army, they hacked and killed wildly, actually pushing the battle line back for a moment!

"Junior! You seek death!" The demonic commander holding the head was shocked and angry. He saw that Lin Ye was the key. His figure flickered, turning into a plume of black smoke, bypassing the chaotic battlefield, and pounced directly at Lin Ye! The giant blade in his hand, like a door panel, carried the demonic power to tear everything apart and slashed down at his head!

"Protect the Acting Sect Master!" Elder Han wanted to provide reinforcements, but was tightly entangled by the other two demonic commanders.

Seeing the giant blade approaching, Lin Ye had no strength to dodge.

However, there was no fear in his eyes, only a cold calm. He raised his right hand, not to block, but to aim his palm at the demonic commander, at the head of Elder Liu that he was holding!

"Elder Liu, your heroic spirit is not far away. Watch this Junior... exact blood payment for you!"

"reincarnation seal—Soul Suppression!"

A beam of highly condensed Chaos light shot out from the "reincarnation seal", not attacking the demonic commander's body, but shooting toward Elder Liu's head, and... the trace of unwilling heroic Soul obsession that might remain in that head!

The moment the Chaos beam entered the head, those wide-open eyes seemed to... move slightly!

Immediately following, a weak but incomparably pure, sharp Sword Intent full of attachment to the Sect and hatred for the demonic monsters erupted from within the head! Mixed with the Purification power of the "reincarnation seal", it turned into a brilliant, unyielding sword light of revenge, shooting backward and piercing straight at the demonic commander's face!

"What?!" The demonic commander was terrified. He never expected that a dead head could still counterattack! He tilted his head to dodge in a hurry, but was still grazed on the cheek by the sword light containing Elder Liu's final obsession and the power of the "reincarnation seal"!

"Ah—!" The demonic commander let out a painful roar, half of his cheek was bloody and mangled, even exposing the white bones, and the Sword Intent invaded his Divine Soul, causing his movements to lag.

This is it!

A fierce look flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. Ignoring that he had reached his limit, he forcibly activated the "reincarnation seal", stimulating the last trace of power that had been nearly exhausted due to mobilizing the "Ten Thousand Sword Forest" Sword Qi and performing "Soul Suppression", turning it into a Chaos chain as thin as a hair, but condensed to the extreme, which instantly wrapped around the demonic commander's slightly scattered Divine Soul after being injured!

"Reincarnation chain, bind!"

The demonic commander's body suddenly stiffened, the scarlet light in his eyes flickered violently, and he let out a painful roar, trying to struggle.

"Elder Han!" Lin Ye shouted hoarsely.

"Beast! Die!" Elder Han had long since spotted the opportunity. Shaking off the entanglement, disregarding his own injuries, he poured all his remaining magic power into the chipped longsword. Man and sword became one, turning into a resolute sword rainbow burning with the fire of life, passing through the gap in the armor at the neck exposed by the demonic commander's struggle with speed exceeding his limits!

Puchi!

The sword light pierced through the neck, bringing out a spray of pitch-black demonic blood!

The demonic commander's tall body trembled violently, the scarlet in his eyes faded rapidly. He looked down in disbelief at the demonic blood spurting from his neck, and then looked at the young figure not far away who was pale, tottering, but still staring at him fixedly. He let out a few "Heh heh" sounds in his throat, then fell to the ground with a loud crash and died! The head of Elder Liu in his hand also rolled to the ground.

A Late Stage Golden Core demonic commander, fallen!

"Lord Demonic Commander!"

"Avenge the Lord Demonic Commander!"

The demonic army was in a commotion, shocked and angry. The other two demonic commanders were also shocked and angry, and their attacks became more urgent.

"Acting Sect Master!!" After killing the demonic commander, Elder Han was also at the end of his rope. Leaning on his sword, he staggered back to Lin Ye's side, his eyes full of worry. Lin Ye's state was indescribably bad, as if he would collapse completely at any moment.

Lin Ye leaned on his sword to keep himself from falling. He looked at the demonic commander who had been killed by Elder Han and was gradually dissipating into black smoke, and then looked at Elder Liu's head on the ground, eyes wide open but seemingly carrying a trace of relief. He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

"It's not enough..."

He murmured, his gaze cast toward the direction of the Black Water Swamp. The demonic shadow in the vortex seemed to have become clearer and more solid. The terrifying demonic power, like a tangible mountain, slowly pressed down, making everyone still alive feel suffocating despair.

The true form of the Demonic Lord... is really about to descend.

With their remaining strength, how can they resist?

Is it really going to end in mutual destruction, with jade and stone burning together?

Just in this despairing silence (even the sounds of battle had briefly stalled due to the death of the demonic commander and that terrifying demonic power).

Suddenly!

Deep in the Sword Tomb, in the direction of the "Ten Thousand Sword Forest", a magnificent Sword Intent erupted—heaven-reaching and earth-shattering, majestic and righteous, yet carrying a trace of vicissitudes after experiencing tribulations and an even deeper majesty!

Immediately following, a voice, though weak, was incomparably clear, as if containing endless anger and determination. Like a thunderclap, it resounded throughout the entire Lingyun Mountain Range:

"Demon Lord Yinming! You have deceived our Sect, slaughtered our Disciples, and destroyed our homeland—"

"I, Lingxiao, today, even if my body dies and my Dao vanishes, even if my Soul Flies Away and Spirit Scatters, I am determined to—"

"Slay you here!!!"