Chapter 70: One Sword, Severed

As the Spirit Beast horde was shattered and scattered in retreat, the dense cloud of demonic energy ahead dissipated instantly. Under the command of the Great Demon of the Wandering Realm, these minor demons dared not assault the city. The towering, imposing walls loomed over them like a mountain of dread—far too intimidating to challenge.

Li Hao, riding his Flying Sword, pursued relentlessly. Of the thousands that had come, nearly half were slain or wounded. The rest fled into the forest, scattering into the shadows to hide.

He glanced once at the fleeing creatures, then turned his attention back to the city wall. With a flick of his hand, the sword streaked through the air and landed smoothly in his palm.

Scanning the surroundings, Li Hao turned to Wei Feng and asked, “Where is my Fu Bo?”

“Li Fu?” Wei Feng snapped to attention. “He told me to watch over you… ah, he went north! That’s where the main force of the demon army is attacking.”

“North?” Li Hao lifted his gaze toward the northern sky, his expression tightening.

There, a thick, oppressive cloud of demonic aura—dark and suffocating—had already swallowed the northern city wall.

His face flickered with concern. Wrapping his soul force around Ren Qianqian’s sword, he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, slicing through the air toward the north.

Cangyu City was a perfect square, barely fifty li across. Li Hao stood in the western district, not directly north, but the distance was well within the range of his spiritual object manipulation. With the enhanced reach granted by the Chess Manuscript: Fei Duan, his control could stretch even further.

As the Flying Sword shot forth, Li Hao’s eyes fixed on the northern front.

Beside him, Li Yuanzhao, Yu Wei, Ren Qianqian, and the others stood frozen in awe.

Among them, Li Yuanzhao was the most shaken.

He had never imagined that the brother he’d grown up with—his everyday companion, the one who painted in the courtyard, fished with Second Uncle, or even baked pastries in the kitchen—could be so terrifying.

Fifteen Li Stage?

A suffocating sensation gripped him.

Good heavens… if Mother and the others found out, they’d be beside themselves with joy!

But… how had Hao cultivated? He’d never once seen him touch a sword!

If not for the familiar tone in Li Hao’s voice, Li Yuanzhao would have sworn he was some demon in disguise.

The young man standing beside them radiated such overwhelming pressure that even Ren Qianqian and Du Qiuyue were stunned into silence.

Same age, yet they were still stuck in the Circulation Realm, not even close to Soul Inheritance.

And Li Hao? He had already leapt past two major realms.

This wasn’t just a prodigy. It was absurd.

Ren Qianqian thought of her father’s words: “My Eighth-Rank Combat Body, yet I领悟 Sword Heart at ten. Among peers, my Sword Dao stands unmatched. When fully perfected, I’ll be equal to even the greatest prodigies.”

Equal?

She stared at Li Hao’s profile—his calm, focused expression beneath the moonlight—and her breath quickened.

That moon… still lingered in her heart, unerased.

“Master…” Yue Shuhong, who had already witnessed Li Hao effortlessly slaughter the Tiger-Robe Immortal, was still shaken but managed to steady himself. He bowed deeply. “I’ll go to the north.”

Li Hao gave a slight nod. His attention was already locked onto the Flying Sword racing toward the northern front.

Yue Shuhong dashed off, while the swordlight darted through the demon swarm like a blade through mist.

At the northern wall, arrows rained down from above.

Li Fu, having revealed his identity, stood beside the local commander, coordinating defense.

Among the Spirit Beasts, eight monstrous forms emerged—horrific, twisted figures—gathered around an ancient Daoist elder in yellow robes, his chest adorned with two crimson brows.

“This little city? Only three or four in the Divine Travel Realm. We can crush it easily.”

“Still… why hasn’t the True God of Great Strength arrived?”

“And what are those fools from Black Wind Mountain Range plotting?”

They stared eastward, where chaos should have erupted—but silence reigned.

“Kill them all first!” one of them roared.

A demonic bird-like creature, like a hawk made of shadow, suddenly dove toward the city, eager to claim glory and impress the Chimei Daoist.

On the wall, a flash of swordlight cut through the air—Song Yueyao, returning from elsewhere, had arrived to defend.

She hadn’t met Li Hao, but upon hearing the alarm, she rushed north to hold the line.

The flying demon, also of the Divine Travel Realm, saw Song Yueyao’s blade like a storm. It spat a cloud of demonic mist, shrouding the wall and unleashing a forbidden spell.

As the mist blocked their sight, more demons surged forward. Archers lost their targets and were forced to draw swords, engaging the demons in brutal hand-to-hand combat.

The Chimei Daoist’s companions didn’t pause. They attacked in unison.

In an instant, Song Yueyao was caught between two Divine Travel Realm demons. Her face paled—she had no choice but to go on the defensive.

On the other side, Liu Shunqing, head of the Liu Clan, and the head of the Qi Family led their clansmen in battle.

Seeing the Demon-Suppressing Patrol Commissioner surrounded, they charged to aid him.

But the enemy’s numbers were greater. Three of them, all in the Divine Travel Realm, quickly overwhelmed the defenders.

Li Fu saw the danger and drew his sword, rushing in to reinforce them.

His cultivation in the Divine Travel Realm wasn’t just solid—it was elite, even near the peak. With deep foundations, he was stronger than most in his realm. He swiftly drove back one of the Spirit-Wandering Realm Great Demons.

But the others, sensing his strength, immediately withdrew and regrouped. Three of them closed in on him at once, overwhelming him in a brutal, relentless assault.

Puff!

A demon with limbs like giant scythes—resembling a monstrous mantis—suddenly hooked Li Fu’s arm, slicing through his back armor.

Another, a towering ape nearly eight meters tall, covered in coarse purple fur, swung its massive club and slammed it into Li Fu’s back.

Li Fu’s vision blurred. He fell from the wall, unconscious before he hit the ground.

The local commander, horrified, immediately ordered men to rush to his aid.

But he himself was only at the peak of the Soul Succession Realm, still far from the Divine Travel Realm. Just as he prepared to join the fight, a Great Demon landed directly in front of him.

It was a colossal toad-like creature, its body covered in bulges and spines. As it trembled, the bulges burst open, spewing thick, emerald-green venom.

Those who were touched by the poison—soldiers in armor—watched in horror as their armor melted away, their flesh rotting instantly. Screams echoed through the air as they collapsed, dead.

“Damn you!” the commander roared, drawing his sword for a final stand.

But at that moment—a flash of cold light sliced through the sky.

The Toad Demon, sensing danger, turned its eyes—too late.

A single, piercing strike—its head exploded like a rotten fruit, spraying blood and brain matter. Its massive skull shattered, and its spirit soul, still trying to escape, was instantly severed by the incoming sword.

The commander stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief.

Above, the Chimei Daoist watched the Flying Sword dart through the air, his calm expression shattering.

Fifteen Li Stage?

His eyes narrowed, scanning the battlefield. Could it be the Xia Family has arrived?

But he wasn’t afraid. From his mouth, a crimson Flying Sword shot forth—slashing toward the incoming blade.

The crimson sword hummed with deadly intent, its edge roaring like a dragon’s growl—meant to cut Li Hao’s sword in half.

Yet the moment it struck, the Flying Sword twisted mid-air, changing course in an instant.

It dodged the red blade, then shot forward—straight at the Chimei Daoist.

The Chimei Daoist’s pupils contracted.

His Art of Commanding Objects was of Rare Grade among High-Grade, nearly reaching Ultimate Level. His spiritual object manipulation could reach eighteen li in speed.

But this… this was faster. Far faster.

Whoosh!

The sword came in an instant.

Panic flashed across his face. He turned and fled, shouting for his red sword to return—but it was too late.

He twisted his body, his robe tearing apart as his true form revealed itself—a massive, crimson-scaled Jiao Dragon, ancient and powerful, its two long brows curling like smoke.

Coiling like a serpent, its body wrapped around its head, the sword had to pierce through layers of flesh before it could strike.

Li Hao didn’t intend to use brute force—this sword wasn’t his.

Instead, the Flying Sword spun in midair—then flared.

Sea Without Shore, Second Form: Cutting the River!

While the First Form, Tidal Surge, and Third Form, Rising Moon, were massive area attacks, Cutting the River was a single-target, explosive kill technique.

For a moment, the world seemed to hear the sound of rushing water.

But it wasn’t a river. It was the very fabric of space, the Qi of Heaven and Earth, being cleaved apart by the sword’s will.

One strike.

The crimson Jiao Dragon screamed in agony—its body, coiled like a serpent, was severed in three.

Its head split in two, its spirit soul attempting to flee—only to be caught and destroyed by the sword’s relentless pursuit.

Plunk… plunk… plunk!

The giant serpent corpse fell from the sky, crashing into the sea of demons below.

The boiling, scorching dragon blood splashed across several demons, igniting their terror. They shrieked and scattered.

The once-ruthless tide of demons, so fierce and relentless, now broke apart in chaos.

On the wall, the Spirit-Wandering Realm Great Demons fighting Liu Shunqing and Song Yueyao paused at the sound of the Chimei Daoist’s scream.

They turned—only to witness the horror.

The Chimei Daoist… had been cut in half by a single Flying Sword.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end