A star was held in Su Qingjiu's hand, resplendent and magnificent. The moment she grasped the star, the characters "Shun Yi" on her peach blossom hairpin completely vanished. Stripped of its support, the hairpin lost its luster. Su Qingjiu, holding the star, her beautiful eyes filled with tenderness, knew that it was ultimately the literary Dao foreshadowing that Lin Zhao had laid down before that had saved her life.
In the next moment, Su Qingjiu's eyes were covered with an incredibly dense layer of gold. Her entire being seemed to transform into a divine being, directly refining the star into something to be refined in her spiritual void. After only a few breaths, a star slowly ascended within her spiritual void, her cultivation soaring, and she advanced further within the pinnacle of the Twelfth Realm!
"Su Qingjiu, you!"
On the small boat, the Fourteenth Realm Flood Dragon Elder trembled. In an instant, Su Qingjiu had stripped away his Dao integration natal star. For a moment, Su Qingjiu didn't even need to act; the Fourteenth Realm Flood Dragon Elder's body began to shake, and in the blink of an eye, he plummeted from the early Fourteenth Realm to the Thirteenth Realm. He even spat out a mouthful of blood, his appearance instantly aging considerably.
He had schemed and calculated countless times, but he had never anticipated how Su Qingjiu managed to extract the one true natal star from a thousand identical stars. This deadly trap had instantly become his own. It was a complete failure.
"Scoundrel!"
Long Zheng, his sword intent dense, let out a low growl, "Su Qingjiu has broken free of the restrictions! Kill her quickly!"
A group of flood dragons rushed out of the water, transforming into human form and brandishing a motley assortment of weapons, forming a blockade in the air to seal Su Qingjiu's escape route.
But Su Qingjiu, having refined a natal star and being infinitely close to the Thirteenth Realm, could no longer be contained. With a flash of sword light, the bodies of over a hundred flood dragons were shredded by the blazing sword energy. In the next moment, before the Flood Dragon Elder could strike, Su Qingjiu became one with her sword, transforming into a beam of sword light and heading straight towards the human world to the west.
Her voice drifted on the wind, "Flood Dragon Elder, if you have the guts, come to Shuzhou and fight. Su Qingjiu will see you through to the end!"
The Flood Dragon Elder stood on the small boat, holding a green bamboo pole, his expression flickering. However, his heart was already seething with rage.
...
Deep within the Qinling Mountains of Shuzhou.
Lin Zhao, who was flying his sword through the forest, suddenly trembled violently. He swayed on his flying sword, clutching his chest as if he could barely breathe. He raised his hand slightly, and the flying sword Haoran hovered above his palm, humming and resonating. On the flying sword Haoran, another crack slowly appeared. Though it was small, the literary fortune within this section of the sword tip had been significantly depleted.
"Xiao Jiu'er?"
He frowned, realizing that the flying sword Haoran had once again helped Xiao Jiu'er narrowly escape a disaster. Lin Zhao's heart was filled with a complex mixture of emotions. His teacher had been gone for so long, yet the literary Dao means he had left behind continued to protect him and Xiao Jiu'er. Who in this world could compare to such a heart of protection?
"Sir?"
Wu Zhi's expression was solemn. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Lin Zhao looked to the east and said, "Xiao Jiu'er should be back not long from now."
"Mmm~~~"
"Lin Zhao!"
Huang Tingyu suddenly darted forward, blocking Lin Zhao's path, and said, "Someone's coming. Many people."
"Hm?"
Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes and looked. Indeed, in the depths of the Qinling Mountains, figures were continuously flying in. All of them were cultivators with the ability to manipulate the wind, at least at the Seventh Realm Void Comprehension realm, and they were all exclusively sword cultivators. Everyone was flying their swords, and as they approached, they carried a vast aura of the Dao of the Sword.
At the forefront of the group was a young Eleventh Realm sword cultivator, accompanied by a gray-robed elder with a ethereal presence. He was in the Twelfth Realm, and also a sword cultivator. In Shuzhou, there was only one place with such a foundation: the foremost sword sect of Western Shu, the "Sword Gate Sect."
"Esteemed Daoist friend, are you Lord Lin Shan of the Peak Villa?"
The young man at the front stepped forward and asked.
"Indeed," Lin Zhao did not deny it.
The young man immediately cupped his hands respectfully, "We are from the Sword Gate Sect of Western Shu. Too many major events have occurred in the Qinling Mountains these past few days. The Seeking Deer Sword has appeared, great demons have been sighted, and furthermore, Gu Yanshu, who carries the Seeking Deer Sword, has killed countless people here. It is said that many talents from the He family and Li family have already been killed, and even those in the Five Realms of the Confucian Academy have been killed by Gu Yanshu. Therefore, the Sword Gate Sect has come to eliminate this threat to the human world. My ancestor has led us here."
The Twelfth Realm elder sword immortal lightly flicked his sleeve, narrowed his eyes, cupped his hands, and said, "Elder Sword Cultivator Chen Ke of the Sword Gate Sect greets Lord Lin Shan, Sword Immortal Huang Tingyu, and Sword Immortal Wu Zhi."
In fact, they all knew each other. Who among these peak figures on the human continent would not know the others?
The young sword cultivator also cupped his hands, "I am Liu Yunzheng, the chief disciple of the Sword Gate Sect."
"A pleasure."
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "The Sword Gate Sect has brought so many people. Are you here to hunt down Gu Yanshu?"
"Precisely."
Liu Yunzheng said solemnly, "Gu Yanshu has committed too many atrocities. It has reached a point where he must be killed. As the foremost sect of Shuzhou, the Sword Gate Sect bears an undeniable responsibility to eliminate Gu Yanshu."
Lin Zhao frowned and remained silent.
Huang Tingyu, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Elder Chen Ke, whether your Sword Gate Sect is here for Gu Yanshu or the Seeking Deer Sword, I merely wish to offer a friendly reminder. Although the Sword Gate Sect is full of talent, Gu Yanshu is currently extremely bloodthirsty and also extremely powerful. Do not underestimate him. If you truly encounter Gu Yanshu, it is best to signal immediately and notify all the human Five Realms of Shuzhou to join forces and eliminate him together. That would be the most secure approach."
"Mm."
Chen Ke nodded, "I have remembered Sword Immortal Huang's words. If there is nothing else, my disciples from the Sword Gate Sect will proceed. If you all encounter Gu Yanshu, please also send a signal by sending a flying sword straight into the sky. We will all see it."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao nodded and said, "Take care, everyone!"
"Alright!"
Liu Yunzheng and the other young disciples of the Sword Gate Sect also cupped their hands. Many of the younger disciples secretly glanced at Lin Zhao. The legendary Lin Baiyi of the Snow Region Heavenly Pool was right before them. Especially the female disciples, their hearts were all pounding. Lin Baiyi, who had once slain the Thirteenth Realm Bai Lan, made their senior brother pale in comparison.
...
Evening, night fell.
Chen Ke, Liu Yunzheng, and over two hundred members of the Sword Gate Sect flew through the air on their swords, appearing like streaks of starlight in the night sky, exceptionally beautiful and dazzling. At a certain moment, Chen Ke, the Twelfth Realm ancestor with his hands behind his back and sword intent swirling around him, looked down and frowned, saying, "What a coincidence. We've run into him."
Beside a stream, a young sword cultivator in a dark purple long gown was washing his wounds. His injuries had been accumulating over the past few days. Of course, the one who had inflicted the most injuries on him was still that damned Lin Zhujie. If he had the chance, he would surely chop Lin Zhujie into seven or eight pieces to sate his hatred.
At this moment, Gu Yanshu looked up slightly and saw the streaks of starlight in the air. A smile appeared on his face. Could these people be the opportunity for him to ascend to the Twelfth Realm, the legendary stepping stones?
Thinking of this, Gu Yanshu slowly drew the Seeking Deer Sword from his back. After the battle that had bloodied the He family in Shuzhou, at least seventy percent of the rust on the Seeking Deer Sword had been melted away. It now possessed quite an immortal sword demeanor.
In the air, streams of sword light descended. The members of the Sword Gate Sect landed in a meticulously chosen position, encircling Gu Yanshu. Their formation was in a circular pattern, the Tian Yuan Sword Array, painstakingly created by Chen Ke over a thousand years. Now, Gu Yanshu stood at the central point of this sword array.
Liu Yunzheng's brows were tightly knit. He cupped his hands and said, "The Sword Gate Sect is carrying out an important mission. May I ask your name, Daoist friend? Have you seen someone named Gu Yanshu?"
Gu Yanshu let out a cold laugh. "The Sword Gate Sect, the foremost sect of Shuzhou?"
"What?"
Liu Yunzheng said indifferently, "Has the Sword Gate Sect provoked you, Daoist friend?"
"Not at all."
Gu Yanshu stood up straight, his eyes sweeping over everyone, and said with a smile, "I am simply embarrassed for all of you. A large group of demons has already infiltrated Shuzhou, and even the Mountain Lord of Dongyue, Ning Hao, who guards the human territory, has been beheaded. Now, who on the human continent doesn't know about the dire situation in Shuzhou? Yet, peak cultivators from Yunzhou, Furongzhou, Ningzhou, and other regions have come, and even a Twelfth Realm cultivator from the northern Snow Region Heavenly Pool has arrived. But on your Shuzhou continent, only now has someone appeared. Aren't you ashamed, you bunch of cowards hiding your heads?"
Liu Yunzheng's brows furrowed. He was basically certain. He said calmly, "It seems you are indeed Gu Yanshu, and the sword in your hand is the legendary Seeking Deer Sword?"
"So what?"
Gu Yanshu narrowed his eyes and smiled, "You want to snatch it? Then make your move!"
...
Liu Yunzheng's gaze was cold, but he did not attack directly. Instead, he communicated telepathically with his ancestor, Chen Ke, saying, "Grand-Master, it can be confirmed that this person is Gu Yanshu. He is at the peak of the Eleventh Realm, with immense killing intent. Furthermore, the Seeking Deer Sword possesses the divine abilities of 'overturning the cassia and seeking the deer' and 'killing without form.' We must not underestimate this scoundrel. How about... I send out a natal flying sword straight into the sky to signal Lin Baiyi, Huang Tingyu, and Wu Zhi?"
"Impossible."
Chen Ke's gaze was calm. He said telepathically, "Yun Zheng, Gu Yanshu is, after all, merely an Eleventh Realm cultivator. How strong can he truly be? Can he single-handedly break through our Tian Yuan Sword Array? Besides, if Lin Baiyi, Huang Tingyu, and Wu Zhi were to come, they would arrive when we have already fought a bloody battle, wouldn't that mean the people from the Peak Villa would easily snatch the Seeking Deer Sword?"
"But..."
Liu Yunzheng frowned, "Grand-Master, Lin Zhao carries the Dragon Slaying Sword on his back. It is the foremost of the ten swords in the world, countless times stronger than the tenth-ranked Seeking Deer Sword. Why would he covet the Seeking Deer Sword?"
"Is that so?"
Chen Ke retorted with a cold laugh. "After Lin Zhao's body was destroyed and he reincarnated, has there been any news of him drawing the Dragon Slaying Sword on the continent? Even when the Thirteenth Realm great demons Fu Sheng and Lu Hai attacked the Snow Region Heavenly Pool, he never drew his sword. A Dragon Slaying Sword that cannot be unsheathed is no different from scrap metal. However, the Seeking Deer Sword has already been unsheathed and sharpened. He, Lin Baiyi, is also a sword cultivator. I do not believe he would not be envious."
Saying this, Chen Ke's tone softened slightly, and he continued, "And if this Seeking Deer Sword falls into the hands of our Sword Gate Sect, then our Sword Gate Sect will have the possibility of surpassing Changming Mountain and becoming the foremost sword sect in the world."
"Understood, Grand-Master."
Liu Yunzheng nodded, his sword tip gently pointing at Gu Yanshu in the center of the Tian Yuan Sword Array. He said indifferently, "Sword Gate Sect, draw sword to vanquish demons!"
At once, the disciples' long swords clanged as they were drawn, moving without wind and transforming into a torrent that flowed within the Tian Yuan Sword Array. Immediately, sharp tributaries branched out, swiftly attacking towards Gu Yanshu in the center!