"So a sword can be used like this!"
Much like when he had first seen the perfected version of the *Creation Furnace Technique* taught by Mr. Bai and became completely lost in its wonder, Li Fan, having received Mr. Bai's guidance this time, was equally immersed in the boundless profundity of the Sky-Breaking Heart Sword, utterly unable to pull himself free.
He had not even spoken polite formalities like "Thank you for the guidance, Senior," remaining in a daze, not even knowing how he had left the sparring arena.
Not knowing how much time had passed, it was the synchronized shouts of "Eldest Senior Brother!" from the surrounding crowd that finally startled Li Fan out of his sudden comprehension.
Looking in the direction of everyone's gaze, Li Fan saw Situ Yao staggering as if still sleeping off his drink, flanked and forcibly hauled into the arena by two Heavenly Sword Sect disciples.
"Wine... where's the wine?" Situ Yao hiccuped, ignoring Mr. Bai across from him as he asked in confusion, looking left and right.
"Why bother pretending to be drunk, Situ?" Mr. Bai was not annoyed; instead, he smiled faintly.
Hearing this, Situ Yao could no longer keep playing the fool. He coughed lightly, straightened his posture, and looked toward Mr. Bai.
A hint of helplessness appeared on his face. "Really now. I had hoped to preserve some dignity as the Eldest Senior Brother of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Since you've seen right through me, it seems I have no choice but to fight."
Situ Yao produced a wine gourd from who knew where and took a deep swig.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized Mr. Bai for a long while.
"Can't beat you. Really can't beat you," he muttered under his breath.
Though Situ Yao spoke softly, it caused an uproar among the watching cultivators. After all, Situ Yao's actual combat prowess was considered the greatest in the Heavenly Sword Sect. He had not fought in earnest for many years, and no one knew where the limits of his strength lay.
Yet an absolute powerhouse of the Xuanhuang Realm, before the fight had even begun, had openly admitted he was no match!
Given Situ Yao's temperament, if he couldn't win, he couldn't win—he disdained to lie.
Just who was this ordinary-looking man, and where had he come from?
For a time, the eyes of the entire Heavenly Sword Sect converged upon Mr. Bai, filled with shock and doubt.
"To strive despite knowing it impossible—isn't that your creed in life, Situ?" Seeing Situ Yao hesitate to act, Mr. Bai encouraged him instead. "That sword of yours has been concealed for so long; it is time to draw it and test it."
His tone was mild, yet it fell upon Situ Yao's ears like a clap of thunder.
An inexplicable presence abruptly surged from Situ Yao. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Mr. Bai, a flash of doubt crossing his face.
Yet with the composure of a pinnacle expert, he smoothed over the suspicion and surprise in his heart an instant later.
"In that case, it would be rude to refuse," Situ Yao said gravely.
Taking a step forward, Situ Yao extended his right hand and swept his gaze across the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples watching from around the arena.
Earnestly, he called out, "Junior brothers, swords come."
In that split second, every cultivator across the Heavenly Sword Sect, regardless of where they were, heard Situ Yao's words.
Startled for a brief moment, they did not hesitate in the slightest to cast their lifebound flying swords into the sky.
As Eldest Senior Brother of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Situ Yao looked out for every newly admitted disciple and never put on the airs of a senior expert. Whenever the disciples faced trouble, Eldest Senior Brother would step forward every time. He was even prone to favoring his own over what was right.
Situ Yao had served as Eldest Senior Brother for who knew how many years; directly or indirectly, which disciple in the sect had not benefited from his kindness?
Now that Eldest Senior Brother was borrowing their swords, how could any of them refuse?
Thus, in an instant, tens of thousands of flying swords rose majestically into the sky together, surging toward Situ Yao.
A Heavenly Sword Sect disciple's cultivation and combat strength resided mostly within their lifebound flying sword.
From Foundation Establishment onward, they spared no effort, pouring heart and soul into forging their swords—enhancing their hardness and lethality while gradually achieving harmony of mind and sword.
Therefore, with Situ Yao's call of "swords come,"
what was mobilized was not merely thousands of flying swords,
but nearly more than half the combat might of the entire Heavenly Sword Sect.
Tens of thousands of sword qi crisscrossed, radiating various dazzling radiances. As Situ Yao turned his open palm into a pointing gesture, they whistled through the air, slashing toward his target, Mr. Bai.
Countless flying swords converged, seemingly forming a colossal sword spanning heaven and earth in the void.
Remotely locking onto Mr. Bai, it arrived in an instant.
It appeared as though in the next second, Mr. Bai would be pierced by ten thousand swords and die gruesomely on the spot.
Yet not a trace of panic showed on Mr. Bai's face.
He merely revealed a faint smile, then raised the wooden sword in his hand against the ten thousand swords.
*Buzz...*
A sword chime resonated from the wooden sword.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze.
Wherever the sword chime reached, the thousands of flying swords first halted their flight, hanging motionless in midair.
Then their blades trembled violently, as if fiercely resisting something.
Finally...
The first flying sword lost control and plummeted from the sky, plunging into the dirt, its blade quivering slightly.
Then came the second, and the third.
In an instant, thousands of flying swords fell from the sky like a torrential rain, crashing into the earth.
Densely packed within a small area, they formed an intensely crowded sword tomb.
Without touching so much as the hem of Mr. Bai's robe, the lethal strike Situ Yao had nurtured for the greater part of his life was dismantled.
In this moment, the Heavenly Sword Sect fell into a dead silence.
The wooden sword in Mr. Bai's hand let out another chime.
Following that, all the disciples, including Li Fan, witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
Every flying sword embedded in the ground now bent its blade toward Mr. Bai of its own accord,
as if bowing in deferential homage to their emperor.
Mr. Bai stood holding his sword, his expression tranquil.
"You are..." At this moment, as if finally recalling something, Situ Yao's pupils contracted violently, and he cried out in shock.
Mr. Bai smiled faintly and gave the wooden sword another light wave.
With that, the tens of thousands of flying swords returned into their masters' bodies.
"I came today because I have a favor to ask." Having defused the clash, Mr. Bai casually tossed the wooden sword aside and spoke to Situ Yao with a smile.
"Please, speak." Situ Yao's tone was laden with respect.
Mr. Bai looked around, but did not speak.
Situ Yao slapped his forehead. "Please, follow me."
With that, he led Mr. Bai toward the Heavenly Sword Sect's grand hall,
leaving behind only the cultivators on the ground, still reeling in shock and unable to recover their senses.
*Is this the strength of a true powerhouse from the ancient cultivation world?* Li Fan had also been stunned by the majesty of Situ Yao's sword strike just now.
He had a faint feeling that, having gathered the power of the vast majority of the Heavenly Sword Sect's cultivators, if that giant sword had struck true, it might well have torn a rift in the Xuanhuang Realm.
Yet as for Mr. Bai casually dispelling the sword, Li Fan was not particularly surprised.
Chapter 680