Rumble—!!

The explosive thunder intensified, as if two worlds clashed madly amidst the island chain.

The surging waves carried power enough to destroy heaven and earth, yet here they were forcibly contained.

In the outer sea, for miles around, the tides soared sky-high. The torrential rain battered down, smashing countless aquatic beasts to pieces.

Even a source beast nearly ten thousand feet long howled, unable to escape the aftermath, torn apart alive, leaving behind only its spiritual source plunging into the sea.

The nine islands shook violently, as if an earth dragon were tossing and turning.

Clang!

A sudden sword cry burst forth, instantly eclipsing all other sounds.

A gleaming, ancient sword light soared into the heavens.

Xu Yang’s pupils contracted as he stared, unmoving, at the torrent of swords gathering fiercely above the deepest island.

Even from this distance, it left him breathless with fear!

He seemed to stand within a world made solely of ’swords’!

"Grand Elder."

Ning Wuyang murmured in shock.

Gazing at the sky-filling sword light, his eyes brimmed with worry—and a deep yearning.

That was almost the pinnacle of Sword Dao as he understood it!

To a sword cultivator, the Grand Elder of Ten Thousand Swords Island held an incomparable status.

"Hahaha, Qingxu, stop wasting your strength! You’ll never break the Nine Star Heaven Source Trapping Array."

"Better save your energy and think about your island’s fate after you’re dead!"

"Qingxu, by now, most disciples of Ten Thousand Swords Island should be dead."

...

With these mocking laughs echoing forth—

The gathered sword tide shook violently, faintly tainted blood-red, emanating a murderous intent set to conquer ten thousand miles.

"You three old bastards, even if I die, I’ll make sure you suffer!"

A furious roar tore through heaven and earth.

Clang!

The tide of swords suddenly condensed into one, transforming into an ancient giant sword stained crimson, slashing unrelentingly toward the sky.

In this instant, blood dyed the nine stars!

At the same time—

The dark yellow flag planted in the ground suddenly flared with light!

"It’s starting."

Xu Yang tensed, locking eyes on the banner.

This banner was the key!

Caught off guard, the trapping array fell into chaos.

The three mighty cultivators from Three Gods Island and Guanglong Island might suffer backlash and injury from this.

Right then—

A golden thread appeared out of thin air; an ancient scroll unfolded, suddenly enveloping the flag.

Swish!

Above the nine islands, one of the filament-thin lines vanished instantly.

"It’s four lines."

Xu Yang gasped in shock, eyes wide with horror.

Four in total had disappeared!

It meant that Zhao Hon had, without a trace, eliminated the strong cultivators on four of the islands during this time.

Utterly terrifying.

With four lines gone, the array would surely be broken!

BOOM!

A shattering explosion suddenly filled heaven and earth.

Four of the islands shook as if struck by thunder, cracks webbing their surfaces.

Above, four stars trembled, their light flickering as if struck by a great mountain.

"Damn it."

"Who is it?"

"Who dares act in the shadows?"

"Come out here at once!"

Furious roars rang out abruptly.

Immediately, the terrifying ancient sword slashed open the sky with all its might.

The other five slender lines were severed in a single stroke!

Wails of agony rang clear amid the chaos. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Hahaha, many thanks for your aid, friend!" From deep within came Qingxu’s impassioned shout.

Swish! Swish!

Clang!

Sword light burst forth, instantaneously overwhelming the sky, hanging below the heavens, murderous intent undisguised.

BOOM!

The Nine Star Islands reeled as if struck by thunder, shaking madly, nearly toppling apart.

Several figures soared into the sky.

"Be careful—at this moment, they won’t have time for you."

"I must aid Qingxu!"

Zhao Hon’s voice echoed in the four’s ears, while the gold thread and ancient scroll vanished into nothingness.

At that very moment—

The flag on the ground was covered in cracks. Its spiritual light scattered, and mighty waves of spiritual source surged from within.

Where the thread lines had stood, abundant spiritual source also emerged.

"Hurry!"

The Burial Death Lord was the first to pounce, eyes blazing with sparks.

This spiritual source was refined enough to tempt even a Shenxiao Lord.

Condensed almost to essence, nearly crystallized!

Xu Yang, Ning Wuyang, and Jian Chuan followed closely, eyes burning hotly.

As for the chaos on the deeper islands, they ignored it utterly.

At least for the moment, these surges could not yet overturn this island completely.

"Your cultivation is weak. Don’t touch the spiritual source about to crystallize—absorb only what’s on the edge."

"I’ll split with you the crystallized part later," Burial Death Lord reminded them.

Xu Yang sat cross-legged on the ground, summoning the phantom of the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod over his form. Spiritual marks emerged as he activated his cultivation technique, ravenously devouring the energy.

BOOM!

The mist-like spiritual source entered his body. Xu Yang trembled, face contorted in pain.

Too powerful.

Even the spiritual source leaking from the edges was inconceivably strong—refined as if accumulated for thousands of years, threatening to burst him apart.

"Suppress it!"

Xu Yang growled low, erupting with the full force of the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod.

His spiritual marks quaked, Heaven Locking intent unleashed to its extreme!

Only this desperate suppression allowed his body to barely bear the strain.

Streams of pure spiritual source were gradually refined and absorbed.

Much of it, Xu Yang stored first inside the Divine Tripod.

Beside him, Ning Wuyang and Jian Chuan’s agony was so great it defied imagination.

Their skin cracked, blood gushing out.

Sword intent blazed wildly on both, desperately suppressing and absorbing the source.

Burial Death Lord suddenly turned, waving his sleeve in a sweep.

Swish, swish, swish!!

An invisible force fell over them.

The three instantly felt the spiritual source’s rampage split and suppressed, its impact greatly lessened.

"Thank you, senior."

All three spoke as one, and then bowed their heads, swallowing greedily.

Such a great opportunity—how could they let a single morsel slip by, even if it killed them?

Xu Yang’s eyes reddened as he watched his spiritual marks rise at a staggering speed, struck by an indescribable sense of unreality.

It felt so unreal.

Two feet, two feet one inch, two feet two inches...

This speed was simply too fast.

About half an hour later—

BOOM!

A wretched scream rang out with an ear-splitting crash.

Xu Yang looked up instinctively—only to be stunned with horror.

"A mighty cultivator has fallen."

The Burial Death Lord’s eyes narrowed, revealing a fierce gleam.

"That Zhao Hon must possess some attack treasure as well!"

"Now we’re safe."

"Damn!"

Suddenly, the Burial Death Lord’s face changed.

Xu Yang’s face fell as well.

In the distance, multiple islands had been razed by the battle, shattered to pieces—ten-thousand-foot waves roaring and surging out in all directions like ancient dragons.

The terror was enough to crush the heavens themselves.

The nine stars above trembled with fear!

"Run!"

The Burial Death Lord bit through his lip and swept his sleeve violently.

Half the scattered spiritual source was swept up in an instant, and with Xu Yang and the others, he fled without hesitation.

"Damn it, such a waste!"

"And we couldn’t absorb the spiritual source accumulated on the other islands at all."

"If I’d gotten all of it—within five years I’d have confidence to reach high Shenxiao Realm!"

"AAAH!"

The Burial Death Lord howled as he ran, heart bleeding with pain.

Xu Yang’s lips twitched as he muttered, "Senior, with all Zhao Hon’s planning, he’s probably taken most of the spiritual source for himself. What’s here must’ve been left for us."

At that, the Burial Death Lord started, then shook his head and laughed bitterly.

That’s right, how could Zhao Hon let such precious spiritual objects slip by?

No matter his powerful background, he couldn’t possibly turn a blind eye to these treasures!

He’d overthought—far too much.

To gain so much was already heaven’s great favor!

The four sped off, fleeing far into the distance.

Rumble—!!

The furious clamor never ceased.

Looking back—

They saw the sea around the Nine Star Islands had collapsed completely, twisting into enormous, world-devouring vortices, island fragments sucked and dragged within.

This great battle had shattered the deepest opportunity of the Qiong Sea Secret Realm—the Nine Star Islands themselves.

Too terrifying, truly!

Several figures staggered out in defeat.

Deeper within, three silhouettes still clashed together.

Spiritual light exploded, sword radiance blazed for miles—heaven and earth thrown into violent chaos!

"Look, Zhao Hon’s made his move!"

The Burial Death Lord suddenly pointed to a spot in the void, crying out in a trembling voice.

Xu Yang and the others hurriedly looked in the direction he pointed.