Chapter 221:
Li Xingyao had already cultivated the True Phoenix Undying Sword Art to its fifth level.
Now that she was facing Xiao Yang again, she dared not be careless.
She attacked with full force from the very beginning.
The True Phoenix Sword Qi, like divine phoenix flames, surged out from her body and instantly engulfed Xiao Yang.
Inside the Yuanwu Immortal Domain, the formation projected this battle in real time onto the gigantic light screen at the Yuanwu Mountain Gate.
Countless martial cultivators witnessed this astonishing scene.
Apart from Liu Qingyun, who believed Xiao Yang was still capable of fighting Li Xingyao, even Jiang Qitian, his so-called righteous and dignified master, did not believe that Xiao Yang could be her match.
No one had faith in Xiao Yang.
Qin Fei, on the other hand, was dying to see Xiao Yang cut down by Li Xingyao.
So, the moment Xiao Yang was swallowed by the blazing sword light, Qin Fei was overjoyed, unable to contain his excitement.
Meanwhile, at the eastern gate of Yuanwu Mountain, Gui Zixiong of Guiyuan Martial Sect was also delighted.
Because he had made a bet with Liu Qingyun.
If Xiao Yang lost, he could take the Sect Master’s Seal of Qingyun Sect from Liu Qingyun.
That Sect Seal was not just a symbol of authority—it was also a treasured artifact.
More importantly, during the Centennial Grand Tournament, it was the key to entering the Yuanwu Immortal Domain.
Without it, anyone over the age of sixty who stepped onto the Path to Ascension would be obliterated by heavenly lightning.
However, just as Gui Zixiong was about to snatch the Sect Seal, thinking that Xiao Yang was already finished, he was stunned by what he saw on the light screen.
From within the sea of blazing True Phoenix Sword Qi, a brilliant sword light suddenly erupted, splitting the flames in half.
"How is this possible…?"
Gui Zixiong froze in disbelief.
Wasn’t Xiao Yang only at the peak of the Heavenly Martial Realm?
How could he possibly withstand Li Xingyao’s sword strike?
Not just Gui Zixiong, but even Xiao Zhanshan and the others were stunned.
Inside Yuanwu Immortal Domain, on the Immortal Platform, all the sect leaders were equally shocked.
Especially Jiang Qitian.
No one knew Xiao Yang’s true capabilities better than him.
After all, he had raised him, and Xiao Yang was his first disciple.
Everything Xiao Yang knew, he had taught him.
Never in his life did he expect that Xiao Yang could truly contend for first place in the Centennial Grand Tournament.
Everyone was now on edge.
"Hahaha… You celebrated too soon, brat!"
At the Yuanwu Mountain Gate, Liu Qingyun laughed triumphantly.
"This…"
Gui Zixiong was not happy at all.
If he lost the bet, not only would he have to publicly eat filth while doing a handstand, he would also have to run back to Guiyuan Martial Sect naked.
If that happened, it would be the ultimate humiliation.
His master would probably kill him.
"Impossible… How could Xiao Yang, a mere Heavenly Martial Realm cultivator, possibly defeat a Half-Saint?"
Gui Zixiong clenched his teeth as he stared at Xiao Yang’s figure on the light screen.
Many people felt the same way.
The gap in cultivation between Xiao Yang and Li Xingyao was simply too vast.
Too vast!
Throughout history, there had never been a case of a Heavenly Martial cultivator defeating a Half-Saint.
Never.
How could a mere Heavenly Martial stand against a Half-Saint?
This was a fundamental truth in the cultivation world.
Yet at this moment, Xiao Yang had cleaved apart Li Xingyao’s sword light with a single strike.
At the base of Yuanwu Tower.
Xiao Yang extended two fingers, and in an instant, pierced through Li Xingyao’s True Phoenix Sword Qi.
His index and middle fingers landed directly on the blade of her Soaring Sword.
Li Xingyao suddenly felt a violent shock in her hand—her grip on the Soaring Sword nearly slipped.
She was stunned.
"Sword Intent?"
Li Xingyao instinctively retreated.
Xiao Yang had actually comprehended Sword Intent!
But Xiao Yang was relentless, his sword finger following her like a shadow, striking out once more.
This was the Vaulting Heaven Sword Finger.
With just one point, the will of the sword manifested, capable of subduing the heavens.
Forget flying swords or sword light—they were nothing compared to Xiao Yang’s two fingers.
"Buzz!"
At this moment, the Soaring Sword in Li Xingyao’s hand trembled violently.
Even Wu Shang Daozi’s Supreme Sword began to shake.
The Killing Sword in Lü Fusheng’s arms let out a soft hum.
"This…"
They were all shocked beyond words.
They could all sense the Sword Intent emanating from Xiao Yang’s body.
Their own swords, responding to this Sword Intent, shivered with unease.
They weren’t just resonating—it was as if their swords were fearful.
"How is this possible?"
The swords they wielded were among the most powerful divine swords in the Northern Territory!
"What kind of sword path does he cultivate?"
Both Wu Shang Daozi and Lü Fusheng stared at Xiao Yang, stunned.
"You…"
Li Xingyao was completely locked in by Xiao Yang’s Sword Intent.
At this moment, Xiao Yang was no longer just a person in her eyes—he was a sword.
A sword that was unbreakable.
A sword that could split the heavens and shatter the earth.
"Impossible…"
Li Xingyao was utterly shaken.
She retreated once more.
Yet Xiao Yang still followed like a shadow, his Vaulting Heaven Sword Finger pointing directly at her.
This was Sword Momentum—the manifestation of Xiao Yang’s comprehension of the sword path, entirely independent of cultivation level.
With the peak of the Heavenly Martial Realm, Xiao Yang had unleashed a Sword Momentum powerful enough to shake the heavens.
To those who did not understand, this meant nothing.
But to Wu Shang Daozi and Lü Fusheng, both sword cultivators and Divine Martial Realm powerhouses, what they had just witnessed was nothing short of terrifying.
They could feel the overwhelming sword momentum radiating from Xiao Yang—a force so powerful that it filled them with despair.
Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that Xiao Yang’s understanding of swordsmanship could be this profound.
The realm of swordsmanship and the realm of cultivation were two entirely different things.
The realm of cultivation determined a martial cultivator's overall strength, while the realm of swordsmanship reflected a sword cultivator’s comprehension of the sword path.
Typically, the higher one’s cultivation, the higher their swordsmanship.
But Xiao Yang had far surpassed this convention.
His swordsmanship realm was far beyond his cultivation level.
In other words, his understanding of the sword surpassed prodigies like Wu Shang Daozi.
Xiao Yang was still concealing his true strength.
At that moment, Qin Fei and Jiang Ting stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with shock.
Xiao Yang, using only two fingers, was forcing Li Xingyao to retreat.
That was Li Xingyao!
How could Xiao Yang, a mere Heavenly Martial Realm cultivator, possibly force back a Half-Saint?
Everyone who witnessed the scene was dumbfounded.
"A Heavenly Martial cultivator forcing back a Half-Saint… This has never happened before!"
"How is this even possible?"
"Am I seeing things?"
Countless onlookers found it hard to believe.
"Haha! I knew it! That guy was way too calm—he must have had something up his sleeve!"
The most delighted among them was Liu Qingyun.
He was eagerly waiting to see Gui Zixiong eat filth while doing a handstand, and then run naked back to Guiyuan Martial Sect.
"Impossible… Impossible!"
Gui Zixiong was losing his mind.
If he lost this bet with Liu Qingyun, the consequences would be dire.
"Roar!"
At that moment, beneath Yuanwu Tower, Li Xingyao let out a furious roar.
A terrifying sword aura exploded from her body as countless sword lights surged forth, forming the illusion of a colossal Divine Phoenix.
She stopped retreating and instead stood firm, channeling all her strength into a single, devastating strike at Xiao Yang.
The Divine Phoenix illusion, formed entirely of endless sword energy, lunged toward Xiao Yang.
This was Li Xingyao’s all-out attack.
Sensing the sheer destructive force behind her strike, Xiao Yang was shaken.
Li Xingyao, a true Half-Saint, was indeed worthy of her title.
She was nothing like Qin Fei on that day.
Back during the Azure Sun Sword Sect’s Grand Competition, Jiang Qitian had forcefully elevated Qin Fei’s cultivation, making it appear that he had advanced—but in reality, Qin Fei had never truly mastered the Heavenly Martial Realm.
Li Xingyao, however, had steadily cultivated her way up, proving she fully possessed the power of a Half-Saint.
Xiao Yang also noticed the level of Li Xingyao’s Sword Intent.
At this moment, Li Xingyao had comprehended Sixth-Level Sword Intent.
Of course, compared to his own Twelfth-Level Sword Intent, Li Xingyao’s was far inferior.
However, within the younger generation, Li Xingyao’s Sword Intent was among the best.
Even Wu Shang Daozi and Lü Fusheng, two of the greatest sword prodigies, had Sword Intent lower than hers.
As for Qin Fei, he had only just begun to grasp Sword Intent.
And Jiang Ting had yet to comprehend it at all.
Before the astonished gazes of the crowd, Xiao Yang’s Vaulting Heaven Sword Finger collided directly with the tip of Li Xingyao’s Soaring Sword.
"He’s using his bare hands to block the Soaring Sword? He’s insane!"
"This is suicide!"
"That’s the Soaring Sword! One of the three legendary divine swords of the Northern Territory!"
Everyone was in disbelief.
Xiao Yang dared to use his bare hands to block the Soaring Sword.
"Buzz!"
A resonant sword chime echoed.
A brilliant burst of sword light erupted from Xiao Yang’s fingertips.
A fierce wave of sword energy blasted in all directions.
The blinding light was so intense that no one could keep their eyes open.
Even the Sect Masters on the Immortal Platform outside Ninefold Pass were unable to see anything clearly on the light screen before them.
Seeing this, even those composed and dignified Sect Masters were visibly moved.
Even the ever-calm Li Fuyao, the Sword Master of the Soaring Sword Sect, was shaken.
Xiao Yang’s display of swordsmanship was far beyond anyone’s expectations.
Everyone had assumed that this battle was already decided.
They believed that Li Xingyao would overpower Xiao Yang effortlessly and claim first place in the Centennial Grand Tournament.
However, something unthinkable had occurred.
No one had anticipated Xiao Yang’s level of sword mastery to be so high.
The next moment, the brilliant sword light detonated, sending countless sword beams piercing in all directions.
Panic erupted as spectators scrambled to dodge.
A single sword beam shot directly toward Jiang Ting.
"Senior Sister!"
Qin Fei lunged forward, shielding Jiang Ting with his body.
"Pfft!"
A spray of blood burst forth as the sword beam pierced through Qin Fei’s left shoulder and Jiang Ting’s right arm.
Both of them crashed to the ground.
"Junior Brother!"
Jiang Ting immediately got up, ignoring her own injuries, and rushed to support Qin Fei.
"I… I’m fine… as long as Senior Sister is safe."
Qin Fei gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.
"Junior Brother, you…"
Jiang Ting’s eyes turned red with emotion as she looked at Qin Fei’s mangled wound.
Meanwhile, in the sky above Yuanwu Tower, two blinding sword lights clashed fiercely.
The sound of swords colliding rang endlessly.
The sheer force of Sword Intent continued to surge violently.
Xiao Yang and Li Xingyao were now locked in battle beneath Yuanwu Tower.
They had become one with their swords, matching each other blow for blow.
Everyone watching was utterly stunned.