The Sovereign's Ascension

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was powerful enough to echo throughout the hall. He wasn’t fighting as an outer disciple, but as a sword slave. He was fighting to protect the last dignity of his body’s former owner.

Squinting, Chen Xiao smiled, “Alright, have it your way. Then I accept your challenge reluctantly.”

His smile grew more sinister as he recalled what Zhou Yun had told him. He had been hired to teach Lin Yun a lesson. He would be paid with three Body Refining Pellets and Zhou Yun would handle any consequences that might come as a result of the fight.

He had already wanted to kill Lin Yun when the latter broke his sword back on Cloud Horizon Mountain. He was looking for an excuse to make a move at Lin Yun, but he never expected that it would come from Zhou Yun. He jumped at the opportunity.

The atmosphere around them was oppressive as the surrounding disciples spread out, giving the two of them an empty space to fight. Lin Yun narrowed his gaze as he unleashed his aura with explosive force.

Boom!

The aura of his cultivation in the fourth stage of the Martial Path exploded in conjunction with his internal energy from cultivating the Pure Yang Art. The pressure he exerted made the crowd uneasy.

“Fourth stage of the Martial Path!”

“Am I seeing things? He was only on the third stage of the Martial Path a few days ago. How has he reached the Fourth Stage of the Martial Path already?!”

“Unbelievable! No wonder he’s not afraid of Senior Brother Chen.”

The crowd was in awe. Even Chen Xiao couldn’t hide his astonishment as he spoke, “Impressive... for a sword slave. It appears you have some tricks up your sleeve. But aren’t you being a little naive thinking that you can defeat me?”

As his voice faded, Chen Xiao released his own aura. As per their agreement, Chen Xiao suppressed his cultivation to the fourth stage of the Martial Path. Despite this handicap, he had cultivated to a level above Lin Yun and it showed. His aura was much more robust.

“It’s not looking good for Lin Yun. Honestly, he might have been better off if he were still on the third stage of the Martial Path. At least then Chen Xiao would have less to work with.”

“That’s right. There’s no way Lin Yun can understand the fourth stage of the Martial Path better than someone who’s reached the fifth. ”

“More importantly, Senior Brother Chen cultivated in an advanced sword technique, the Berserk Lightning Sword.”

“He won’t even last three moves.”

Lin Yun’s progress had caught the crowd off guard, but their suspense faded as they came to their senses. One came prepared, while the other was forced to fight. One was a senior outer disciple, while the other was a sword slave. Their fight was not suspenseful at all.

“Hey, Lin Yun. Why don’t you just give up? Stop putting up a strong front. Su Ziyao’s going to look down on you when you lose.”

Jeers continued flying from the crowd, most suggesting he stop feigning bravery.

“Hey, sword slave, do you hear them? If you ask nicely and do what I said before, there’ll be no hard feelings,” Chen Xiao laughed.

“Senior Brother, should someone who’s about to need help walking out of here really be talking so much trash?” Lin Yun asked. His calm demeanor and sharp words were practically the same as slapping Chen Xiao on the face.

Lin Yun’s hubris sent Chen Xiao into a rage, “I’ll see if you still dare to speak those words in a moment!”

Chen Xiao sprang into action, murderous intent emanating from him in waves.

Brrraaannnggg!

A piercing ring came from Chen Xiao’s sword as he drew it. It grew to a thunderous roar as he leapt into the sky and struck down at Lin Yun like a bolt of lightning.

“The advanced sword technique, the Berserk Lightning Sword!” shouted an onlooker.

When he brandished his sword, those watching experienced a moment of prescience. The Berserk Lightning Sword was known for its violence. The moment it’s unsheathed, there would only be death. Upon seeing the cold flash from the sword, everyone could imagine how Lin Yun would be sliced into two.

A surge of violent wind rose around Chen Xiao as he darted around the arena. He had become the very embodiment of a storm! But just as the eye of the storm, Chen Xiao’s heart was at peace.

Lin Yun was not impressed. The pressure he felt now was nothing compared to the tiger from the painting. Chen Xiao had only reached an initial mastery in the advanced technique and it was easy to see there were still many flaws in his movements. If Chen Xiao’s goal was lethality, it was clear his time would have been better spent practicing an intermediate sword technique instead. Perhaps this sword could heavily injure or possibly kill one of his peers, but it would be impossible for Chen Xiao to beat Lin Yun with it!

To everyone’s disbelief, Lin Yun closed his eyes and began to center himself.

Convergent Stream, Flowing Wind...

Lin Yun circulated the Pure Yang Art as he waited for Chen Xiao’s sword to reach him. 

Just as Chen Xiao’s blade was seconds from connecting, Lin Yun’s eyes shot open and he drew his sword. A violent gale rose around him. The gust stung Chen Xiao’s eye forcing him to lose focus.

“W-what is this sword technique?”

The sudden gale caught the crowd off guard. While they were still stunned, Lin Yun grabbed his sword with both hands and unleashed an overhead chop to meet Chen Xiao’s attack. A wave of wind surged from the blade as the sword let out a powerful roar.

WWhhhoooosh!

The swords connected in an explosion that sent Chen Xiao sliding backwards.

What a powerful sword technique!

Chen Xiao was dumbfounded. It only took the one attack for him to know he didn’t stand a chance if he continued to suppress his cultivation! Before he could bring out his true cultivation, Lin Yun brandished his sword once more. It spun wickedly, drawing in a powerful gale from its surroundings.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Yun lunged his sword toward Chen Xiao.

Whoosh!

The sword appeared to rapidly expand in size as Chen Xiao looked on in fear. Before he could unleash his fifth stage cultivation, Lin Yun’s sword had already reached his chest. Despite the ludicrous speed at which it was traveling, the tip of Lin Yun’s sword came to a stop an inch from Chen Xiao’s heart. Any remaining doubts were dispelled after Lin Yun’s brilliant display. He had absolute control over his sword.

Chen Xiao froze, unable to even think. He wasn’t the only one. Every outer disciples present stood slack-jawed as they watched in utter disbelief.

“You lose,” Lin Yun’s two words jolted Chen Xiao awake.

“I will never lose!” Chen Xiao roared as he unleashed his aura in the fifth stage of the Martial Path, abandoning their prior agreement.

Shlunk!

Without any hesitation, Lin Yun pushed his blade into Chen Xiao’s chest.

“Senior Brother!” Chen Xiao’s lackeys cried out. They never imagined Lin Yun would be so ruthless. Lin Yun wasn’t done yet, though.

Leaving the sword in Chen Xiao’s chest, he gave each leg a swift kick.

Crack! Crack!

Chen Xiao fumbled clumsily at the sword protruding from his chest as he fell to his knees. The color ran from his face as blood began to soak through his clothes and pool around him. Absolute horror spread through the crowd like wildfire as the scene before them sank in. None of the outer disciples could have imagined the sword slave they were just mocking was capable of such brutality.

Swish!

Chen Xiao let out a mournful howl as Lin Yun retrieved the sword from his chest. Blood poured from the wound in rhythmic spurts as his muscles spasmed. Lin Yun gave the sword a flourish before sheathing it, removing the blood from the blade and spraying Chen Xiao’s lackeys in the process. He gave the crowd a quick glance before walking over and picking up the bottle of Body Refining Pellets.

The Mechanism Hall was silent.

“I-it’s the Flowing Wind Sword!” Someone suddenly exclaimed. “It must be the Flowing Wind Sword! Lin Yun can use the Flowing Wind Sword!”

“The Flowing Wind Sword?”

“The sword technique that hasn’t been successfully used in over a century?”

“That last move he used was similar to one of of the Flowing Wind Sword’s offensive moves. Wind Assembling, I think?”

“B-but how is that possible? I’ve never heard of a disciple who stuck with the technique long enough to make any progress. The only way he’d have such complete control of his sword is if he’d already achieved lesser mastery!”

“I’m afraid that this sword slave isn’t as simple as we thought. He doesn’t seem to be far from reaching greater mastery.”

The Mechanism Hall erupted in disbelief.