Translator: CinderTL
"Brother Jinhe, Li Chunjun has arrived! That traitor has finally dared to come out of the Taixu Sword Sect!"
"Good! Good! Excellent! Elder Bai Yang's plan has indeed worked. He still has his weaknesses. Now that he's out of the Taixu Sword Sect, it's our time to make a name for ourselves!"
"Quick, split into two teams and surround him! Don't let him escape! Hahaha, I thought that traitor only dared to protest and condemn through the Taixu Sword Sect, showing no real capability. But now, it seems he does have some guts after all."
"Just to be safe, send out a call for reinforcements. With the full force of the Chiyang Sword Sect, whether it's martial power, financial resources, manpower, material resources, or energy, we can easily crush him!"
The twelve Core Formation cultivators communicated continuously to ensure smooth coordination.
They divided into two teams.
One team would launch a frontal assault on Li Chunjun and his five-man squad, while the other would flank from behind, ensuring he had no chance to escape.
Among the eight in the frontal assault team, three were Golden Core cultivators, each considered the elite of the elite.
Led by Jinhe, the three Golden Core cultivators, along with five True Core cultivators, charged towards Li Chunjun's group like eight streaks of light. Even before they closed the distance to thirty miles, they had already spotted each other from afar.
"Senior Brother, it seems Jiang Yuxue and the others are... trying to escape?"
"Not escape, it looks like they're trying to cut off our retreat?"
Soon, someone discerned the intentions of Jiang Yuxue and the others as they scattered and maneuvered.
"It seems they are quite confident in their strength. After all, there are rumors that Li Chunjun possesses the combat power of a true disciple? Hah, even if that rumor is true, and a person who has cultivated for only a year can transform from a mortal into a Golden Core cultivator with the combat power of a true disciple, so what?"
"Hahaha, they have no idea that we are not just eight, but twelve. Moreover, there are nine more just three hundred miles away, who can arrive at the scene in just a few minutes. By then, it will be twenty-one Core Formation cultivators! Even if one of them has the combat power of a true disciple, what can they possibly do against us!?"
"Never mind the others, capture the leader first! With the combined strength of the eight of us, let's kill Li Chunjun first!"
"Even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit! Especially since that traitor Li Chunjun has a record of killing two Golden Core cultivators! To be safe, unleash all our Talismans and Spirit Artifacts at full power!"
At Jinhe's command, a purple-gold hammer crackling with electricity materialized on his body, accompanied by the thunderous sound that shook the void, and it hurtled towards Li Chunjun, who was advancing to meet them.
As Jinhe made his move, the other two Golden Core cultivators and the five True Core cultivators also attacked simultaneously.
Spirit Artifacts, Talismans, and Arcane Arts were unleashed, forming dozens of streaks of light that surged towards Li Chunjun like a tidal wave.
Each attack carried the power to shatter mountains and split rivers.
However, almost as soon as they launched their Arcane Arts, Talismans, and Spirit Artifacts, Jinhe suddenly sensed something amiss.
"Wait!? What is that!?"
In his Divine Sense perception, an extremely sharp, dark red streak of light shot towards them at an incredible speed.
This was...
The Scarlet Sky Sword! Li Chunjun's Divine Sense range far exceeded theirs, reaching sixty-six miles.
In contrast, most True Core and Golden Core cultivators' Divine Sense only covered twenty to thirty miles.
Before they could even act, Li Chunjun had already preemptively struck!
Therefore, before the two sides had even closed within thirty miles, a nearly transparent dark red streak of light shot through the void at a speed akin to a meteor, instantly reaching the eight Core Formation cultivators.
Due to the profound nature of the Starry Sky Profound Crystal, by the time the Scarlet Sky Sword entered their precise control range—within two to three miles—they hadn't even noticed it.
In this situation, it was only when they had already conjured their Arcane Arts, Talismans, and Spirit Artifacts to unleash that they suddenly became aware of the Scarlet Sky Sword shooting toward them!
Instantly…
Chaos erupted!
"Not good!"
"A Lifebound Flying Sword!? Since when!?"
"Quick! Intercept the Flying Sword!"
The eight True Core and Golden Core cultivators shouted in alarm, with six of them hastily changing their tactics, directing their Spirit Artifacts and Arcane Arts to intercept the Scarlet Sky Sword.
However, the Scarlet Sky Sword, which had already closed in, shifted its trajectory with extreme agility, slipping through the hastily formed interception nets of Arcane Arts and Spirit Artifacts from the True Core and Golden Core cultivators.
Even when faced with unavoidable Arcane Arts, the sharpness contained within the Scarlet Sky Sword effortlessly shattered them, continuing its relentless path toward Jin He, who was at the forefront.
The Sword Intent contained within the Scarlet Sky Sword erupted.
Even though Jin He's combat prowess was close to that of a true disciple, under the overwhelming force of this perfected Destruction Sword Intent, he still felt a deep sense of dread, his hair standing on end.
His thoughts and Qi seemed to freeze under the torrent of fear, death, and destruction emanating from the Flying Sword.
But…
Li Chunjun was ultimately controlling the sword from a distance, and the Sword Intent was contained within the Flying Sword, not specifically targeting him alone.
At this critical moment, he forcibly stimulated his mind with a secret technique, detonating his Divine Sense, and reignited the Qi within his body!
"Thunderclap!"
With a fierce shout from this Golden Core cultivator, the five organs within his body activated, and five thunderbolts erupted, as if the God of Thunder had descended.
But…
Just as he was exerting all his strength to unleash the secret technique and the thunderbolts burst forth, Li Chunjun, still miles away, made a slight gesture with his hand.
In the next moment, the Scarlet Sky Sword, which was less than ten meters from Jin He, made a sharp right-angle turn and changed direction again in less than half a second! The erupting Destruction Sword Intent shook the minds of everyone present.
While Jin He managed to struggle free from the Sword Intent's eruption with his secret technique, the remaining seven were not so fortunate.
The abruptly changing Scarlet Sky Sword instantly pierced through a Golden Core cultivator just a hundred meters away from Jin He.
The fierce and violent Profound Phoenix Sword Qi erupted as it passed through, instantly reducing the Golden Core cultivator to ashes.
But this wasn't the end! The Scarlet Sky Sword, having slain this Golden Core cultivator, didn't pause for even a moment. With a speed almost impossible for ordinary people to follow, it continued its momentum and pierced through another True Core cultivator.
Immediately after, the sword changed direction again, piercing through the heads of the second and third True Core cultivators, and with a slight curve, it continued to kill the fourth True Core cultivator.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
In the brief moment that Jin He, like the God of Thunder, unleashed a torrent of thunderbolts, the Scarlet Sky Sword had already obliterated one Golden Core and four True Core cultivators with unstoppable force, and it continued its momentum toward the fifth True Core cultivator.
"This kind of Sword Intent?" Jin He's eyes widened.
Although the sect's intelligence had already confirmed that Li Chunjun had not only developed Sword Intent but that it was also powerful enough to reach the minor mastery level!
But…
They had experienced entry-level Sword Intent before.
The Nascent Soul realm hall masters would use their own Sword Intent and Mystic Art Essence to train their resistance to Sword Intent pressure.
But…
Minor mastery level Sword Intent? They had never encountered it before.
Apart from a few true disciples, they had never had the privilege of undergoing minor mastery Sword Intent resistance training.
They could never have imagined that the Small Success level of Sword Intent would be so much stronger than the Entry level!
"No!"
Seeing that eight of their Core Formation cultivators had been decimated in an instant, Jin He let out a roar, and a burst of lightning erupted. Just as the Scarlet Sky Sword was about to pierce through the True Core cultivator's skull, the lightning struck the sword's blade with a thunderous explosion.
Hit!
But unfortunately, it was useless!
The flames of the Phoenix on the Scarlet Sky Sword quickly incinerated the force of the lightning strike, and the Flying Sword continued without the slightest pause, piercing through the True Core cultivator's head. It then turned and shot toward a Golden Core cultivator.
Compared to a True Core cultivator, a Golden Core cultivator's Essence Qi, spirit, and vitality were more refined, offering slightly stronger resistance to Sword Intent.
By the time the Scarlet Sky Sword shot toward him again, he had already awakened in a panic and, without hesitation, activated his Protective Magical Artifact to its limit.
"Boom!"
The spiritual light exploded!
Sparks scattered in all directions!
The Golden Core cultivator who had hastily activated his Protective Magical Artifact had clearly underestimated the sharpness of the Scarlet Sky Sword.
Or perhaps, even if he knew that his Protective Magical Artifact might not withstand the Scarlet Sky Sword's strike, there was nothing he could do about it.
There was no time! Besides activating his Protective Magical Artifact, he had no time to use any other means! The violent collision created visible shockwaves and impact forces.
Yet, amidst the trajectories of these shockwaves, a streak of light cut through the chaos, tearing through the air and curving toward him.
It seemed...
It no longer cared about the Golden Core cultivator!?
Only now did Jin He realize in horror that his Junior Brother, the Golden Core cultivator, had not only had his Protective Magical Artifact shattered by the sword but had also been torn apart by the residual Sword Qi.
The Scarlet Sky Sword wasn't ignoring him...
It simply didn't need to.
"Junior Brother!"
Jin He let out a cry of grief and rage, and even more dazzling lightning surged toward the Scarlet Sky Sword.
"Break!"
"Boom!"
The sky was filled with lightning!
It was as if a thunderstorm capable of destroying an entire city illuminated the heavens! Yet, under such a barrage of lightning, the Scarlet Sky Sword still radiated rings of flames, swiftly navigating through the endless thunder. Brilliant Sword Qi continuously erupted from the Scarlet Sky Sword, shattering one bolt of lightning after another, and it drew closer and closer to him, the Golden Core cultivator...
"No! No! No!"
Jin He roared.
The grief and rage in his expression gradually turned to despair.
He continuously unleashed lightning to bombard the Scarlet Sky Sword, but the sword neither dodged nor avoided the attacks, bathing in the lightning. Yet...
Its speed remained completely unaffected.
There was no flourish.
No evasion.
The Flying Sword, like a nightmare, shattered all his lightning, crushed all his attacks, and with a suffocating, terrifying momentum, shot toward him and...
Pierced through his body.
The moment his body was pierced, an intense heat erupted from the wound.
But no matter how scorching the heat, it could not warm the icy chill that had settled in his heart.
"True Disciple-level combat power!? Li Chunjun, suspected of having True Disciple-level combat power!?"
To single-handedly, in one exchange, kill three Golden Core cultivators and five True Core cultivators on their side—was this True Disciple-level combat power!? Which sect's True Disciple could be this powerful!?
This level of strength was almost to the point of treating Core Formation cultivators as nothing!
In all his knowledge, aside from a Nascent Soul True Lord, only one person could achieve such a feat.
Jiang Lingyun! The Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, Jiang Lingyun! At this moment, Li Chunjun, fighting one against eight, displayed a demeanor no less impressive than the previous Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy...
He clearly possessed the combat prowess of a "Prodigy"! The second Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy! As his consciousness turned to ashes amidst the flames, he faintly saw a vision from thirty years ago—the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy raising his sword high, while all the Core Formation cultivators of the eight sects burned and wailed in agony under the Flaming Phoenix's fire.
The Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy has emerged!
The Chiyang Sword Sect...
Is doomed!
(End of the Chapter)
---
Read (MI) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c212. [+4k Words]
Early Access at $5.
Translated (5) Series, (2.6K+) Chapters, (3.5M+) Words.