Chapter 8: The Arena · The Battle Begins

First, I will break your sword, and then take your life! Zhao Buqun's thoughts are as simple and direct as this

Xu Yiyang burst into laughter: "In this battle, either you die or I perish"

Do you have anything to say? Zhao Buqun took a deep breath, the sword energy surged, and brilliance surrounded him

Zhao Buqun's expression remained unchanged: "It is merely the affection of my fellow brothers; I do not understand why you are laughing. Moreover... the blood debt still exists"

This child, if able to survive, will be worthy of vigorous cultivation

"If both you and I only care for ourselves, who can uphold the prestige of the sect?" Zhao Buqun, however, was enraged, his anger flaring, and he shouted loudly, no longer giving Xu Yiyang the opportunity to speak, "With someone like you, you have no right to be in the Sacred Sword Sect. Enough of this nonsense, kill!"

This child... is indeed a lone wolf! Dugu Yin also sighed! He never expected that the boy who entered the sect as an extra would possess such a disposition. Although somewhat extreme, this is precisely the kind of sharp sword that the sect needs.

The peak-level swordsman is indeed extraordinary! Xu Yiyang's recent direct confrontation was intended to gauge the true strength of the peak-level swordsman

The Life and Death Platform is located at the junction of the inner sect and the area for true disciples. It is a towering peak that reaches into the clouds, with a broad platform at its summit, upon which stands a massive arena constructed of blue stone, measuring approximately one hundred meters in circumference.

In a moment of daze, Zhao Buqun found himself facing Xu Yiyang, and unexpectedly experienced such a feeling

What a hypocritical Zhao Buqun, who can actually win the hearts of numerous inner disciples. Clearly, it was you who sought someone to kill me, yet you portray me as a murderous maniac, truly remarkable!" Xu Yiyang scoffed and said loudly, "People can only rely on themselves. Blindly following someone as a leader and hypocritically claiming to be a leader only reveals your cowardice! Because you do not dare to face challenges alone, you do not dare to confront trials by yourself! I believe in one saying: Tigers and leopards are solitary, while jackals travel in packs!"

Zhao Buqun let out a cold laugh. Is that all there is to it? Then prepare to die!

Then, they saw, in the center of the bluestone arena, a young man in a white long robe, sitting with his eyes closed, his expression solemn. His long black hair cascaded down, being tousled by the mountain wind, flowing freely.

A mutually destructive strategy

All chaotic thoughts have been cast aside, even the nagging of the sword sheath has been ignored

At this moment, the sun has already reached its zenith, and in a short while, it will be noon.

Senior Brother Zhao is dedicated to the public good and is open and aboveboard! The inner disciples shouted in anger, "We follow him wholeheartedly!"

The true energy erupted instantly, and the fierce spirit of the horizontal sword in the dantian began to roar silently, sweeping away all the pressure in an instant. However, Xu Yiyang immediately realized the problem— in order to counter Zhao Buqun's sword energy suppression, the consumption of true energy was also astonishingly rapid

Unbeatable

At this moment, the sun poured down warmly, and the mountain breeze rustled, lifting the garments of the crowd

But he could only watch silently. Although there are many means at his disposal, now is not the time to employ them

Xu Yiyang suddenly opened his eyes. In those eyes, it seemed as if blades of light were shooting out!

Now, he knows it—far beyond himself

Upon hearing these words, Yuan Guanyi and Dugu Yin, who were observing from a distance, along with several elders, all appeared to have grim expressions.

In the distance, Yuan Guanyi slowly nodded and said: "This child, if he can survive, will surely become a great talent in the future! However..."

As he journeyed on, when Zhao Buqun arrived at the foot of the Life and Death Platform, it was precisely noon, neither early nor late

Xu Yiyang's hands trembled slightly, his heart filled with astonishment. Just now, he appeared to retreat voluntarily, but in reality, he had been knocked back!

Now, it is Xu Yiyang's turn. He walks step by step onto the stage, slowly arrives at the center, then sits cross-legged, closing his eyes tightly

Two beams of sword light suddenly flashed. The heavy bone-cutting sword and the slender water-breaking sword collided with each other. Two figures moved swiftly, engaging and separating in an instant

Outside Zhao Buqun's courtyard, the crowd grew increasingly larger, completely surrounding the courtyard. Moreover, more people continued to arrive; unable to approach, they began to wait along the sides of the road leading to the Life and Death Platform—these were all supporters of Zhao Buqun

On the mountain road, only the sound of synchronized footsteps can be heard, and only a sea of dark heads can be seen. Leading the way is a figure in a flowing long robe; who else could it be but Zhao Buqun? Behind him are the inner disciples. They follow in silence, eager to witness how Zhao Buqun will slay Xu Yiyang

At least no elder can make the inner disciples come to wait so willingly.

"Brothers and sisters, I, Zhao, will never disappoint your expectations!" Zhao Buqun bowed and then walked towards the Life and Death Platform

Xu Yiyang also shouted fiercely: "Draw your sword!"

Xu Yiyang immediately felt a heavy pressure enveloping him. The sword energy of a peak-level swordsman was indeed not comparable to that of a perceptive-level swordsman. It is understandable; one is still in the realm of swordsmen, while the other has begun to challenge the realm of sword heroes. How could they possibly be on similar levels?

Xu Yiyang furrowed his brow, channeling his true energy, and suddenly exerted force, immediately changing his attack. Although he believed that Duanshui would never fear a sword weapon, he was unfortunately not a match for Zhao Buqun in terms of strength. In their recent clash, Zhao Buqun had not even used his sword energy yet and had already suppressed him.

The Bone-Cutting Sword is firmly in hand, the sword light ripples, and the sword energy is as imposing as a mountain

The heavy bone-cutting sword in hand drew a delicate sword flower, and with a sharp whistle, Zhao Buqun unleashed a sudden burst of sword energy, which coiled away like a spirit snake

On the dark blue rocks, there are deep-colored marks, some appearing as overflow, others as splatters... These are the remnants left by those who fought to the death in this arena, resolving their grudges from the past

Zhao Buqun let out a cold laugh. In his hand was a heavy bone-cutting sword, a weapon he had painstakingly forged over more than a decade, making it second nature for him to wield. Seeing Xu Yiyang attack with such reckless bravery, disregarding his own life, he merely scoffed coldly. With a flick of his wrist, the bone-cutting sword sliced through the air with a tremendous whoosh, cleaving towards Duanshui.

Zhao Buqun's voice was clear and resonant, like the sound of a flute emerging from a cave, piercing through clouds and splitting stones. "Everyone wishes to embark on the path of sword cultivation, but those who succeed in entering it are all exceptionally gifted individuals, one in ten thousand. Yet you, with your inferior talent, are also one in ten thousand! In this case, how can you possibly enter the inner sect and place those disciples from the outer sect, whose talents far exceed yours, in what regard?"

This is an unstable crisis ... Once this batch of inner disciples rises to power, Zhao Buqun's influence ... ... Thinking of this, Yuan Guanyi's expression grew increasingly grim

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth immediately surged in, infusing into Xu Yiyang's body, being drawn away by the vortex of true energy, and rapidly transformed into true energy. He then began to counterattack. Facing Zhao Buqun's fierce Bone-Cutting Sword and the diagonal slash of the *Tushu*, he showed no fear on his face. With a mere flick of his arm, he executed the move "Jade Maiden Threading the Needle," causing the Broken Water to emit a low, excited hum as it rushed towards Zhao Buqun's throat

Xu Yiyang suddenly let out a long howl, shouting in his heart: My swordsmanship will never be inferior to yours

Those pair of sword-like eyebrows are raised high, resembling two sharp swords piercing the sky

Zhao Buqun was lost in thought. His talent could not be said to be lacking, but if he wished to join the ranks of the true disciples, he fell somewhat short. While Ye Xueer had achieved the status of a swordsman at the age of ten, Zhao Buqun, who was more than twice her age, remained at the peak level of a swordsman.

When Zhao Buqun stepped out of the small courtyard, he was also taken aback, and then he felt a warmth in his heart. The efforts he had put in over the years were firmly remembered by his fellow brothers.

"Can you represent the outer and inner disciples?" Xu Yiyang chuckled coldly, his voice rough

Xu Yiyang, however, burst into loud laughter

Piercing the azure sky, the blade remains intact

Upon witnessing such a scene, the official Yuan Guanyi, standing at a high vantage point, could not help but frown.

That individual with inferior qualifications, however, cruelly killed a fellow disciple. In Zhao Buqun's words, the blood of a fellow disciple must never be shed in vain

However, the prestige he possesses has already surpassed that of any disciple, and is even on par with some elders.

The morning sun gradually became scorching, dispelling the mountain mist and erasing the dew. At this moment, Xu Yiyang was slowly making his way to the Life and Death Platform