"Sizzle—"
From the sword's scabbard, wisps of lightning flashed. Before the sword was even unsheathed, the entire Hundred Flower Realm had plunged into night. Dark clouds billowed across the sky, illuminated by crackling golden lightning, transforming the heavens in an instant.
...
Upper Realm, White Jade Mountain.
A scholar in green robes, holding a bronze wine flask, perched on a white jade railing. He squinted at the mortal realm below and chuckled, "My junior brother is wise indeed... No matter what methods are used against that umbrella-wielding heart demon, they are futile. The umbrella-wielding heart demon cannot be killed by mortal cultivators; only extraordinary means will suffice."
Beside him, a young Taoist priest also squatted on the railing, gazing at the mortal world with him. He smiled, "I'm not so sure. A hundred years ago, that person helped Lin Zhao kill Bai Lan, exhausting almost all their vital energy. Although they slumbered in the sword for another century, their current vital energy might not be enough for Lin Zhao to draw even a single sword. If it comes to it, perhaps you, the senior brother, should descend?"
"No need."
The scholar in green robes laughed, "If my junior brother truly cannot manage the situation in the Hundred Flower Realm, I would have descended already. Do you think I would have time to chat with you here?"
He then shook his empty wine flask, "The wine is gone. Can you have your pretty fairy sister junior fetch another pot?"
"???"
Dao Sheng looked at him, a look of confusion on his face. "What do you take the sect leader of our venerable Taoist Ancestral Court for?"
"?"
The scholar in green robes looked puzzled. "A guest has come from afar, and the Taoist Ancestral Court lacks such courtesy? Why else would I be here, exhausting myself to draw my sword, if not to resist those hundred thousand invincible heart demons? If I were to leave, who among you bull-nosed Taoists could hold them off for three days? I'll lose money if they don't."
"Whoosh!"
In the sky, from the tallest pavilion of the Taoist Ancestral Court, a pot of wine, imbued with immortal energy, pierced through the clouds and "thwacked" onto his forehead. The scholar in green robes, his body shielded by a formidable protective sword qi, paid it no mind. He took the wine and drank a large gulp, smiling, "This wine tastes just right."
With that, the scholar in green robes looked up at the pavilion high above. "Fairy sister, you are upstairs, I am downstairs. You are within the painting, I am outside the painting. We are both weary travelers in this world. How about a dance to liven up the drinking?"
Dao Sheng covered his face, choosing not to speak.
"Ding Muchen!"
From the pavilion, a young female Taoist in white robes appeared, emanating the aura of a fourteenth-realm Dao. She frowned, "Don't you dare mock the verses of those scholars. If you want to drink, drink. If you want to see a dance, go to Mount Wuwang. There are plenty of dancing demon girls there who will surely satisfy you, Lord Bing Sheng!"
"Such a foul temper."
The scholar in green robes pinched his nose. "No wonder you haven't married in eight or nine hundred years."
The female Taoist, angered, slammed the door and left.
...
Mountain Peak Villa, Natural Abode.
Before a bronze water vat, a group of people watched Lin Zhao's figure drawing his sword on the Ascension Platform.
"Dragon Slaying Sword?"
Lin Wanhua's eyes widened.
"Mmm."
The old gentleman pondered, "After a century of silence, this Dragon Slaying Sword is finally stirring again~~~"
At that moment, Su Qingjiu's beautiful eyes widened, watching Lin Zhao's transcendent bearing as he drew his sword on the screen. Her nose tingled, and her eyes began to redden. She had heard of Lin Zhao's heroic deeds a hundred years ago, when he slew the thirteenth-realm demon sword immortal Bai Lan with a single sword. That sword had consumed his life, and he had then self-destructed his God of War's heart to prevent the demons from taking his corpse. Su Qingjiu had heard the story of that battle countless times over the years, and she had imagined the scene of Lin Zhao drawing his sword to slay demons in her mind. But today, it was happening before her eyes. Lin Zhao was about to draw the world's number one sword!
"Brother Lin Zhao..."
She pursed her red lips, her emotions toward this scene deeper than anyone else's.
Beside her, Gu Lingyu, a twelfth-realm scholar in a scholarly robe, also knew everything that had transpired here a hundred years ago. The most legendary part of it was the story of Lin Zhao drawing the Dragon Slaying Sword to kill the thirteenth-realm great demon Bai Lan. Before that, there had been five great battles at the Snow Domain Heavenly Lake, where Senior Uncle Wen Liang and Gu Zixi had fallen one after another. Then came Junior Uncle. Junior Uncle had unleashed a world-shattering sword strike for the mortal realm, which also served as the prelude to the complete commencement of the Heavenly Lake battles.
Therefore, looking at Lin Zhao's appearance in the scene, Gu Lingyu's smile was gentle. Such a junior uncle, such a scholar, was truly inspiring!
If only I, Gu Lingyu, had practiced swordsmanship back then!
"Mountain Lord..."
A scruffy man in ragged shorts looked at Lin Zhao's figure in the water vat, his eyes filled with admiration. Although the Mountain Lord's sword had not yet been drawn, the momentum was already earth-shattering. Let alone me, Tang Guangjun, who is only at the twelfth realm; even if I were to stumble upon great fortune one day and become a thirteenth-realm great sword immortal, my sword intent would not be a fraction of the Mountain Lord's at this moment!
The Mountain Lord is truly formidable, a true sword immortal!
Tong Yu watched Lin Zhao's heroic posture as he drew his sword, a mist gathering in her beautiful eyes. Although she worried for Brother Lin Zhao's safety, at the moment he drew his sword, Tong Yu had absolute faith in his power. Although Brother Lin Zhao was only a ninth-realm sword cultivator, killing a mere eleventh-realm umbrella-wielding heart demon was a piece of cake!
Huang Tingyu clasped his arms, his eyes narrowed. This scene was truly pleasing to the eye!
Xuan Zhi, Chu Yu, Mu Zha, and Chen Ben all watched with wide eyes, their hearts filled with complex emotions, both worried for Lin Zhao and immensely uplifted. The momentum of this sword strike was undeniably peerless!
"Master..."
Zhang Luobai, holding his sword, watched Lin Zhao draw his sword, his heart filled with profound shock. He had only known before that his Master was a very powerful sword cultivator, but he had never imagined he was this powerful. Zhuang Yirong, standing beside him, also widened her eyes. This sword strike from the Mountain Lord could probably cleave the entire mountain in two, couldn't it? It was too powerful, more powerful than all the sword cultivators in the world combined. Of course, excluding Master, Master was also incredibly powerful.
...
Hundred Flower Realm.
On Mount Lu, a young man and woman stood at the mountain peak. He was a deity clad in golden armor, holding the Mountain Lord Divine Sword, while she, dressed as a peasant woman, could not conceal her peerless beauty. The two looked in the direction of Lingze Mountain. The world was shrouded in darkness, save for a wisp of sword energy soaring into the sky from Lingze Mountain. Anyone could sense the vastness and power of that sword energy.
Strangely, that sword energy felt somewhat familiar.
"Is it him?"
Mao Niang softly asked, "Old Qi, is that young master Lin Zhao?"
"Most likely..."
Qi Dongshan's body trembled slightly. "What immense sword dao power! Young Master Lin Zhao is truly a veritable celestial being. I fear that even if all the cultivators in our Hundred Flower Realm were to combine their strength, they might not be able to withstand a single strike from him!"
Mao Niang squinted and smiled, "Young Master Lin Zhao is a good person, and his swordsmanship is excellent. This is the best arrangement in the world. Old Qi, I should have opened my new shop sooner. Lest young master Lin Zhao comes to travel in the Hundred Flower Realm again and cannot find that Azure Pavilion Inn and cannot taste your cooking, that would be a pity."
Qi Dongshan chuckled, "I know, I know. I'll start planning the reconstruction of the Azure Pavilion Inn these days. But, ah... shouldn't we stop displaying Scholar Zhou's poetry?"
"Display mine?"
"Fine, I have a lifetime of works!"
"???"
Mao Niang lightly punched him. "Have you no shame?"
Qi Dongshan chuckled foolishly. This punch was finally lighter than before, all gentleness!
...
Ascension Platform.
"..."
Chu Xiantong watched Lin Zhao's stance as he drew his sword. The distance was too close, and her heart trembled uncontrollably. The sword intent that surged from Lin Zhao at this moment, and the Daoistic aura emanating from the ancient sword, made Chu Xiantong feel as if she were in a different lifetime. She felt that if this sword could truly be drawn, it would not be an exaggeration to say it could destroy the entire Hundred Flower Realm with a single strike.
Yu Wan Ning's fists were clenched, but her heart was filled with joy. She had some understanding of Wu Yuanzi's strength; he was far beyond the so-called top ten in the world, a being on a lofty plane. If he truly wanted to kill Wu Yuanzi, it would be impossible for them to do so without casualties. Fortunately, Lin Zhao's sword strike gave Yu Wan Ning ample confidence. Once this sword was drawn, defeating Wu Yuanzi would be no problem.
Chi Zhongyu, buffeted by layers of sword qi, squinted. His mood at this moment was extremely complicated. When they first met, he had been jealous of the fan-wielding goddess Liu Liying and had even wanted to force Lin Zhao to duel him. Looking back now, how childish his actions had been! If the current Lin Zhao were to truly duel, a hundred Chi Zhongyus bound together would not be enough for him to cut down! Da Feng Novel Network
...
Under the shroud of sword light, Wu Yuanzi, holding his oil-paper umbrella, his expression cold. He was already locked onto by the Dragon Slaying Sword's aura. Escape was impossible. All he could do was resist to the death. Of course, the Hundred Beauties painting within the oil-paper umbrella were his trump cards. Even if he were to be annihilated, he would take someone down with him.
"Young Master..."
Beneath the oil-paper umbrella, Liu Liying was trapped in a chaotic realm. However, she could still look up and see Lin Zhao about to draw his ancient sword. The magnificence of that sword strike was unmatched in the world. That was the man she, Liu Liying, deserved to follow! He was kind, and his swordsmanship was strong. It was a pity that she would die by his sword without even a proper farewell.
For a moment, Liu Liying's eyes welled up with tears.
"Young Master, Liying can only hope to follow you again in the next life..."
...
"Lin Zhao!"
Wu Yuanzi's eyes were chilling. "Do you really think you can kill me?!"
"Why not!?"
Lin Zhao pulled hard on the sword, the hilt making a "sizzling" sound, and wisps of golden light scattered. However, this sword seemed incredibly difficult to draw. Although the Dragon Slaying Sword had given him a reaction, Sister Bai's aura had not appeared. Could it have been an illusion? This sword had been pulled for a long time without being drawn; he had to give everyone an explanation!
"What should I do?"
He was also somewhat troubled. But when he looked up again at Wu Yuanzi, the umbrella-wielding heart demon, his killing intent surged. No matter what, he had to kill this demon!
He would disregard everything else. If he couldn't draw the sword, he would chop him with the scabbard!
...
"Rustle..."
In an instant, Lin Zhao's mind moved, and the tattered cloth wrapping the Dragon Slaying Sword disintegrated into dust. He suddenly raised the Dragon Slaying Sword, scabbard and all, from behind him. Wisps of milky white light swirled around the scabbard, its sword intent incredibly vast. Holding the hilt with both hands, he unleashed a peerless sword strike against the umbrella-wielding heart demon Wu Yuanzi!
"One Strike to Slay Immortals!"
Whether you are a god or a demon, all shall be cut down with this single sword!