Chapter 38: If You Cannot Defeat Them, There Is Still the Ancestor

Chapter 38: If You Cannot Win, There Is Still the Great Ancestor

Eager to seize the treasure, the Old Sword Saint unleashed a torrential downpour of sword light. Across the center of the plaza, sword qi had surged into a vast, turbulent ocean. Luo Li and Jun Moxiao drifted like two tiny boats, tossed and turned amidst the violent storm. Fortunately, their greatest strength lay in their ability to evade, allowing them to escape mortal danger time and again despite the Old Sword Saint’s ferocious onslaught.

Even so, they were not unscathed. Though they wore imperial-grade robes, these could not fully withstand the might of the sword light. When the Old Sword Saint’s top-tier king-grade sword struck them, the lethal power of a Divine Bridge Realm expert tore gashes through their protective garments. The Old Sword Saint fought with growing vigor, appearing as an unstoppable deity, while Jun Moxiao and Luo Li struggled to survive, pushing their Dragon Nine Transformations movement technique to its absolute limit.

The pressure exerted by the Old Sword Saint was unimaginable. Every passing second was a brush with death; a single misstep would mean their demise. Watching the Old Sword Saint display such boundless mastery, the disciples of the Sword God Sect looked on with fanatical eyes. This was the premier Sword Saint of the Guyue Dynasty, a grand cultivator of the Divine Bridge Realm. He was truly terrifying, beyond all imagination. Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his face. His master was on a killing spree, and those two youngsters were exhausted; they would surely not last much longer.

Inside the carriage, Ye Yun remained calm, watching the battle with indifference. He was not surprised by the Old Sword Saint’s strength. Anyone who had been invincible in the Guyue Dynasty for a century certainly possessed extraordinary capabilities. While Jun Moxiao and Luo Li had cultivated since childhood, their foundations were not solid, as they had spent most of their time fleeing. Even after a month of bloody battles, their rapid growth in cultivation had not prepared them to face a true master—someone like the Old Sword Saint, capable of being invincible among his peers and defeating those of higher realms.

If they could hold out a bit longer against the Old Sword Saint, it would be of immense benefit to their future cultivation. Although Jun Moxiao had reached the half-step Divine Bridge Realm, breaking through to the Divine Bridge Realm itself would not be easy. Perhaps this battle was the catalyst they needed. Ye Yun was patient. Even as Jun Moxiao and Luo Li became bloodied and wounded, he had no intention of intervening. What was a little injury? Back in his day, when he was the greatest tyrant of the Cangnan Continent, he had often faced the siege of far more powerful opponents.

Injury was inevitable, but it was also a path to rapid growth. Thus, Ye Yun remained iron-hearted, holding great expectations for these two disciples. The future of the Divine Dragon Sect would rest on their shoulders, while he himself intended to explore the wider world and test his strength against even stronger adversaries. Over the past month, Ye Yun’s own cultivation had not lagged. The lingering effects of the Ancestral Dragon’s blood continued to surge; he had reached the seventh level of the True God Realm. While the True God Realm was already formidable, his cultivation continued to skyrocket like a rocket. Reaching the next stage, the Divine Sovereign Realm, was only a matter of months away.

"How can these two have such resilient constitutions? Even after being struck a dozen times, they refuse to fall!" On the plaza, the Old Sword Saint launched wave after wave of fierce attacks, turning the two remnants of the Divine Dragon Sect into bloodied figures. Yet, he was becoming irritated. A full stick of incense had burned, and he had yet to beat them into submission. In particular, he had failed to kill the boy named Jun Moxiao despite repeated lethal strikes. The Old Sword Saint had intended to kill him, believing that keeping only the girl alive was enough to let the sect linger on for a few more decades before he eventually finished them off. He had been promised a supreme imperial-grade sword technique and resources up to the Heavenly Mandate Realm by his superiors for completing this task, provided he kept it discreet.

*Swish! Swish!* Two more strikes landed on Jun Moxiao’s shoulder. He stumbled, nearly collapsing, but Luo Li rushed to his aid. Seeing this, the Old Sword Saint slashed at Luo Li, sending her flying. He had held back slightly; the girl must not die, or his mission would be a failure. Jun Moxiao took the chance to use his movement technique to retreat. Frustrated by the prolonged battle, the Old Sword Saint changed to a more powerful sword style. In an instant, he forced Jun Moxiao out of his concealment, struck him multiple times, and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Junior Brother!" Luo Li cried out in panic, rushing forward to help, only for the Old Sword Saint to strike her down again.

"Is this... the new sword technique Master has been practicing?" Zhao Wuji, watching from the side, felt a surge of greed. He was determined to learn this technique from his master once the battle concluded.

Jun Moxiao lay on the ground, covered in blood from over a dozen wounds. As he struggled to rise, a gentle hand touched his shoulder, and a calm voice reached his ears: "You have both done very well today."

Jun Moxiao looked up to see the Great Ancestor standing beside him. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and said with a mournful expression, "Great Ancestor, I have shamed you. I could not defeat this old man."

"There is no shame in losing. Is that not why I am here?" Ye Yun smiled faintly, stepping forward to stand in front of Jun Moxiao.

On the other side, Luo Li climbed to her feet. Seeing the Great Ancestor, who stood in his white robes like an immortal, her eyes brightened. "The Great Ancestor is going to act personally," she thought, filled with joy.

Across the field, the Old Sword Saint’s pupils contracted as he looked at the handsome, white-clad youth who had suddenly appeared. He could not discern the young man’s cultivation level at all, which sent a shiver of terror down his spine. Could this be a peerless master?

"Come here," Ye Yun said, gesturing lightly at the Old Sword Saint.

To his utter shock, the Old Sword Saint felt his body lose all control, his legs lifting as he drifted helplessly toward the young man. "What level of cultivation is this?" the Old Sword Saint thought, his soul trembling in absolute terror.