"Therefore, you need not feel burdened, taking you into the Sword Sect is both a love for talent and an exchange."

Cecilia hesitated, wanting to speak, but Desolate Sword’s next words finally put her worries to rest.

"Sword Heir, you need not worry. Senior Brother Sect Master has already awakened the innate wisdom of his past lives. Although those people are powerful, they are still no match for Senior Brother Sect Master."

"Having you accept this inheritance today is just me taking precautions for the worst case. Besides, this sword scripture was meant to be passed down to you anyway."

Desolate Sword spoke with a free and easy tone, but a faint trace of worry remained deep in his eyes, he just hid it very well, so Cecilia could not detect it.

Senior Brother Sect Master had only awakened his past-life wisdom for a very short time. He did not know if the Sect Master could truly hold off those people outside the sect all by himself.

Just as Desolate Sword was sighing internally, two voices dripping with sarcasm echoed from high above the Sword Pavilion.

"Your Sword Sect truly has immense audacity, to actually wager the entire sect’s future on this girl."

"But today, this grand gamble is destined to fail. Not only will you fail to protect this girl, but even your Sword Sect will be trampled flat by us."

As the voices fell, two figures appeared in front of Desolate Sword.

Both men had majestic faces and looked seventy percent identical, their clothing was extremely similar, except one wore robes embroidered with a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, while the other wore robes embroidered with a Four-Clawed Flood Dragon.

"Your Sword Sect’s protective sword formation does have some capability. I had to spend quite a lot of effort to finally find a flaw in it."

The one speaking was the Prince of Silver Willow, Norris, wearing the four-clawed flood dragon robes.

"Sword Heir, run!"

Seeing the two men suddenly appear inside the Sword Pavilion, Desolate Sword’s expression changed drastically, he immediately shoved Cecilia aside and charged straight at Norris, wanting to buy her time to escape.

Cecilia also felt a deep sense of crisis. Without hesitation, she pulled a sword talisman from her robes and gripped it tightly.

But before she could even react, there was a loud bang. Desolate Sword was sent crashing violently into a nearby pillar, his aura instantly withering.

"A ant trying to stop me. You don’t know your own strength."

A trace of contempt flashed in Norris’s eyes.

With a light flick of his flood dragon sleeve, which carried the weight of a heavy mountain, he ruthlessly slammed Desolate Sword’s body away.

"Senior Brother Desolate Sword!!!"

Cecilia’s voice was full of panic, just as she was about to run to his side, Norris blocked her path.

Cecilia quickly composed herself, staring at Norris, she said coldly, "I know you came for me today. I can obediently go with you, but in exchange, spare Desolate Sword’s life!"

A ferocious glint flashed in Norris’s eyes. "Spare him? A mere ant has the right to negotiate terms with me?"

"The Sword Sect Master caused the thirteenth Emperor of Silver Willow to be trapped in the Ancient Dragon-Nurturing Bed for a century. Today, everyone in the Sword Sect must die."

"Norris, hurry up. There’s something bizarre about that Sword Sect Master. The five Imperial Ancestors seem to be at a slight disadvantage," Colin, who had been standing to the side in silence, urged after sensing the shifting battle dynamics high above.

"Yes, Imperial Brother."

Following the order, Norris immediately prepared to capture Cecilia.

Suddenly, a dazzling sword light erupted from Cecilia’s body, bright enough to illuminate the entire heavens.

Immediately after, this brilliant sword light ruthlessly slashed into Norris, sending him flying backward until his body violently crashed into a pillar.

Norris’s aura instantly withered, his face became extremely pale, completely devoid of any blood, and deep horror flashed in his eyes.

If he had not dodged in time, this sword qi would have eradicated his body and Dao entirely.

But even wounded by its residual might, he was still heavily injured and nearly lost his life.

Although he was not invincible in the Silver Willow dynasty, he was still an existence who had stepped into the Mastering the Dao realm.

In his era, traversing Silver Willow unhindered for many years, he had suffered very few defeats apart from those against his Imperial Brother.

He never expected that right after awakening, he would be nearly killed by a single sword strike, had the sword cultivators of the Silver Willow dynasty become this powerful?

"Norris!!!"

Seeing Norris severely injured and nearing death, Colin’s expression changed drastically. He quickly arrived at Norris’s side and checked his injuries, his face sinking to an all-time low.

That streak of sword qi had not only turned Norris’s internal organs upside down, but the Qi of Death mixed within it was like maggots in tarsal bones, continuously spreading from the sword wound toward his dantian.

If the Qi of Death reached the dantian, Norris’s last remaining sliver of life force would completely vanish.

Colin used his techniques, attempting to disperse the residual sword qi and Qi of Death within his brother’s body.

However, as his spiritual energy entered, he found this sword qi was extremely overbearing, not only could it contend with his spiritual energy, but the accompanying Qi of Death could even corrode it.

Colin’s eyes filled with anxiety, he could no longer care about Norris’s nearly crumbling body and increased his output of spiritual energy.

After a long time, he finally dispersed all the sword qi and Qi of Death. Meanwhile, Norris’s breath was thoroughly weak as a thread, as if a mere gust of wind could snatch his life away.

Desolate Sword, watching from not far away, was equally dumbfounded, his eyes filled with deep incomprehension.

On the day Adam gifted Cecilia the sword talismans, he had also been present.

But was Adam not at the Peak Great Grandmaster realm? When did he possess such terrifying strength?

To severely injure such an expert with a single streak of sword qi, even his Senior Brother Sect Master might not have such capability.

Seeing Cecilia pull another sword talisman from her robes, Colin reacted as if facing a great enemy, thick wariness revealing itself in his eyes.