Chapter 328: That Sword Illuminated the Entire Sacred Mountain!
As her Dao Core was shattered, Lin Qingying felt as though her internal organs had been hollowed out. The excruciating pain tore through her soul, but she gritted her teeth and did not scream, refusing to give her opponent the satisfaction.
If her master were here, he would certainly notice the abnormality. She might still be saved.
Her eyes filled with sorrow as she looked toward the semi-saint elders, but all she saw were faces with various expressions—some full of regret, others indifferent. They stood high above, seemingly looking down on everything.
Yet, their expressions made it clear that none of them were unaware of Holy Son Haoyue's underhanded tactics.
But why didn't they stop him?
Lin Qingying was stunned. A coldness, like her blood freezing in her veins, enveloped her.
Was it simply because she wasn't one of their disciples?
Or was it because they were concerned about offending Holy Son Haoyue's master, the Sword Saint?
Lin Qingying's eyes met the Sword Saint, the figure she once revered. But he remained unmoved, seemingly unaware. In that moment, she suddenly understood.
In just a single breath, the warmth of the past was shattered. She had glimpsed the cold truth of the world—merciless self-interest.
Compared to the promising future of Holy Son Haoyue, if she could serve as his stepping stone to forge an invincible Dao heart, was her destruction justified?
No wonder he dared to act so ruthlessly on the battlefield. He had seen through it all.
He was wrong to harm his fellow disciples, and he had violated the laws of the sacred land. But once this battle was over, he would rise to even greater heights, potentially becoming the third Saint of the sacred land!
As for her, crippled and forgotten, she had no powerful backing. Her grandfather, though a high-ranking alchemist, was irrelevant at this level.
In the end, no one cared about right or wrong.
The powerful remained indifferent, while the weak couldn't see the truth.
The pain from her shattered Dao Core did not bring tears to Lin Qingying's eyes, but in that moment, tears of sorrow welled up from the depths of her soul.
A feeling of despair washed over her, leaving her utterly disheartened.
But suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed, seeming to shake her very soul!
Lin Qingying looked up toward the source of the sound and saw the familiar face of a young man. His face, usually carefree and always smiling, was now twisted in fury.
That face, which normally dismissed everything with a smile, could actually burn with rage.
Seeing the fury in his dark eyes, a warmth spread through the cold void in her heart. Suddenly, the world seemed to regain its color.
"Hm?"
Holy Son Haoyue heard the roar, glanced at it, and dismissed it, uninterested. He withdrew his sword, then swung it again.
"My beloved, destroying you is something I am forced to do. Not only your Dao Core, but also the swordsmanship you pride yourself on—I must shatter that too, only then can the pain cut deep enough!"
Holy Son Haoyue raised his sword high. A vast, perfected sword intent gathered on the blade—the Sun and Moon Sword Intent. It was dazzling, reflecting the heavens and the earth, so radiant that it made everyone feel insignificant.
"That's the Sun and Moon Sword Intent!"
"So this is Holy Son Haoyue's sword intent? It seems to encompass everything."
"I see traces of both water and fire sword paths in it."
"No wonder he dismisses other paths as small—compared to his sword intent, mine is indeed lacking."
As the immense sword intent hovered above, countless onlookers were struck with awe. Even the many Holy Sons and Daughters on the sacred platform were stunned, feeling as if their very spirits were being stolen.
It was as if they were holding a withered branch but suddenly glimpsed a towering mountain, making them feel utterly insignificant.
What they once considered a treasured branch now seemed utterly meaningless.
Before Holy Son Haoyue, Lin Qingying was engulfed in the Sun and Moon Sword Intent. The sword intent pierced her sea of consciousness like a sharp blade, severing her Gentle Sword Intent.
A sharp, mournful crack echoed in her mind, like the sound of something breaking, or perhaps a cry of despair.
Her body trembled as she spat out a mouthful of blood, her whole form shaking violently. Her hand, still gripping her sword, trembled uncontrollably, and for a moment, her eyes were lost in confusion.
Boom!
A wave of sword intent knocked her sword out of her hand. It spun through the air in a dozen circles before embedding itself, askew, into the battle platform.
"The sun and moon will illuminate all things, and heaven and earth will reflect the brilliance of my sword Dao!"
At the same time, Holy Son Haoyue's body erupted with divine flames, and his eyes gleamed with piercing divine light. The trace of gentleness in his gaze vanished, replaced by cold indifference.
As he crippled Lin Qingying's Dao Core and shattered her sword intent, he fully embarked on the path of emotional detachment. His heart, like the sun and moon, felt as if it were being melted in their flames. He began to feel as though he was transforming into a celestial being, standing high above all life.
This newfound state of mind elevated his Sun and Moon Sword Intent to an even greater level of terrifying power.
"His Sun and Moon Sword Intent has become even purer. This kind of sword intent is truly at the pinnacle."
"To have reached such monstrous talent in swordsmanship in just one sixty-year cycle… he could even ascend to sainthood through his sword."
"If he follows the path of sacrifice and offering, he will be truly terrifying."
The six semi-saint elders, including the Mountain Ancestor, all exchanged solemn glances.
They recognized that Haoyue's talent in the sword surpassed even their own when they were young. He was a prodigious genius, a rising star of the highest order.
Yao Ancestor's gaze turned toward the Sword Saint. Everyone could see that Haoyue had used Lin Qingying to forge his sword Dao, but no one spoke up. After all, with his master, the Sword Saint, watching over him, how could they speak out? Perhaps it was even the Sword Saint himself who had taught Haoyue to do this. This was why they refrained from commenting.
The Sword Saint's expression remained calm, neither joyful nor sorrowful, merely observing quietly.
On the stage, Holy Son Haoyue's eyes, now imbued with the divine light of the Sun and Moon, became even more radiant as his sword intent consolidated.
After his power surged, he retracted his strength, then looked down at Lin Qingying, who lay on the ground like a defeated dog. His gaze held no trace of the former tenderness—only the cold indifference one might show a mere stone.
"You have lost."
At this moment, he declared this as if making a proclamation.
He withdrew his Dao Domain as well, confident that his sword intent alone was enough to easily defeat her.
Especially now that Lin Qingying had been crippled—she had fallen far below the level of a Holy Disciple. Even a top-tier inner disciple could defeat her now.
Hearing the cold words spoken from above her, Lin Qingying seemed to come to her senses from the shattered remnants of her sword intent. She was jolted awake, but her mind remained filled with the chaos of the Sun and Moon Sword Intent, and her Gentle Sword Intent was in ruins, unable to re-form.
She had already accepted her defeat long ago, but hearing him say it now, from such a high and mighty position, filled her with a sense of mockery and irony.
Outside the battlefield, the disciples erupted in cheers upon hearing Holy Son Haoyue's declaration.
Except for the Holy Sons and Daughters and a few top-tier inner disciples who had noticed something was off, most only saw that Holy Son Haoyue had effortlessly defeated Lin Qingying. The sword that had struck her abdomen seemed like a regular attack.
Under the immense pressure of his Sun and Moon Sword Intent, he appeared like a god as he declared her defeat, causing the disciples to gaze at him with fanatical reverence, their cheers echoing through the air.
This battle had not only been a victory for Holy Son Haoyue but a decisive, overwhelming display of his unmatched swordsmanship!
In the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, where all disciples trained in the way of the sword, Holy Son Haoyue's demonstration of sword intent made countless disciples bow in admiration.
Only those who practiced the sword could fully appreciate the vastness of his Sun and Moon Sword Intent and understand just how small they were in comparison.
The formation barrier slowly retracted, marking the end of the battle.
With this victory, Holy Son Haoyue had defeated two opponents in a row. There was no doubt—he was the undisputed champion of this Sword God Tournament!
The first among the younger generation of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land in a century!
In comparison, the upcoming match between Lin Qingying and Holy Son Linghuan for second and third place no longer held much anticipation.
Whoosh!
The moment the barrier dissipated, a figure shot toward the stage—it was Li Hao.
He rushed to Lin Qingying's side, using his spiritual sense to check her condition. Seeing the dissipating energy inside her core, his face turned grim.
Her Dao Core was destroyed. If she had the ability to regenerate like he did, it wouldn't be a problem, but she had not reached the seventh extreme realm.
"Does it hurt?"
Li Hao asked, looking at her pale face and trembling body, his expression dark.
Lin Qingying slowly withdrew her thoughts and managed a faint smile for him. "I'm fine."
Li Hao remained silent, but his fingers clenched tightly.
"Let's go."
Lin Qingying turned away. She no longer wanted to look at the stage or listen to the cheers. She only wished to leave, to heal. Whether second or third place—it no longer mattered.
"Your sword."
Li Hao waved his hand, summoning her sword that had been knocked away, and handed it to her.
Lin Qingying glanced at the sword that had accompanied her for so many years. Her eyes filled with sorrow. The destruction of her sword intent was a severe blow. The Sun and Moon Sword Intent had left an indelible mark on her soul, a mark she could never erase. From now on, her progress in swordsmanship would be forever hindered.
"My swordsmanship no longer deserves it. It has been my companion, and so have you. I'll give it to you."
Lin Qingying refused to take the sword, her voice soft.
Her eyes were filled with despair. Her sword path had been severed. Beyond her cultivation, she could no longer hope to advance in the way of the sword.
"Don't belittle yourself. Your swordsmanship is not lacking."
Li Hao looked at her intently as he spoke.
Lin Qingying gave a bitter smile. She knew Li Hao was trying to comfort her, but such words no longer held any meaning for her.
Li Hao also understood that words alone could do little now.
"Hey!"
He suddenly called out, turning toward Holy Son Haoyue, who was preparing to leave the stage.
Holy Son Haoyue paused. It was the same voice that had angrily shouted before, and it displeased him. His eyes grew colder as he turned back to look at Li Hao.
Li Hao twirled the sword in his hand and coldly said:
"You seem very satisfied with your swordsmanship. How about a match with me?"
Everyone outside the arena froze.
Lin Qingying also stared at Li Hao in shock, her mind momentarily blank. But soon, she snapped out of it, realizing that Li Hao was standing up for her.
But this wasn't something that could be decided on impulse.
Even though Li Hao was an alchemist, Holy Son Haoyue's status was higher than even that of a high-level alchemist. If he dared to cripple her in front of everyone, he could do the same to Li Hao.
Panic filled her heart as she hurriedly grabbed Li Hao's arm. "Don't be rash."
"Did I hear wrong? Who is that?"
"Did he just challenge Holy Son Haoyue? Is this some kind of ploy to make a name for himself? Even if he loses, people will remember him."
"Is he also a Holy Son? I've never heard of him."
"What Holy Son? He's an alchemist. Don't you know? That's Qingfeng Alchemist. He's been quite popular in the alchemy circles recently."
"Qingfeng Alchemist? So it's him?"
"What's going on? An alchemist challenging Holy Son Haoyue?"
"Is he standing up for Lin Qingying? But Lin Qingying was already defeated. What could an alchemist possibly do?"
"He's an alchemist. He doesn't understand how terrifying Holy Son Haoyue is. Who would have thought Qingfeng Alchemist was this foolish?"
The disciples below the platform began to mock and discuss in disbelief.
On the sacred platform, the other Holy Sons and Daughters were also surprised. Many of them had previously sought to befriend Qingfeng Alchemist, but they hadn't expected his friendship with Lin Qingying to run so deep that he would challenge Holy Son Haoyue, especially in swordsmanship. Was he so enraged that he had lost his mind?
"What is Qingfeng doing? Call him back immediately."
"How foolish! No matter how close he is to Qingying, he shouldn't offend Holy Son Haoyue like this."
The alchemists, including Zhao Yingzhen, were equally anxious. They hadn't realized that Lin Qingying's Dao Core had been destroyed, only that she had lost—and lost badly.
In a contest between disciples, victory and defeat were normal. No one had expected Lin Qingying to win, given the overwhelming power Holy Son Haoyue had displayed earlier.
"He's really going to fight?"
Among the inner disciples, Jiang Yingyue was stunned, but her eyes suddenly lit up.
She didn't know much about Li Hao's swordsmanship, only that he had some talent. He had comprehended a great sword technique in just ten days, and his 97-layer Dao Domain was something she couldn't forget. If they truly fought, could he possibly defeat Holy Son Haoyue?
"Qingfeng?"
Yao Ancestor was also surprised to see Li Hao step forward. She had heard his earlier outburst and realized that, like them, Li Hao had noticed Holy Son Haoyue's tricks. Now, angered, he had challenged Haoyue. She understood his rage.
But challenging Haoyue in swordsmanship was not a rational choice.
"Do you want to challenge me with a sword?"
Holy Son Haoyue found Li Hao's words amusing.
He had heard the discussions below. He thought it might have been an inner disciple challenging him, but it turned out to be an alchemist. Ridiculous.
With cold indifference, he said, "Out of respect for your status as an alchemist, I will overlook your ignorance this time. But do not repeat this offense."
With that, he turned to leave.
Li Hao remained silent, glancing at the sword in his hand. Then, he casually swung it.
The movement was simple and effortless, but as his sword slashed through the air, a terrifying, immense sword energy erupted, shooting straight into the sky.
From the three-foot blade, a brilliant, blinding light exploded forth, cutting through the mocking voices below and illuminating countless pairs of eyes.
The sword energy soared for tens of thousands of miles, splitting the clouds above and seemingly cleaving the heavens and the earth!
Even the battle platform below was split in two just from the residual force of the sword energy!
The sword energy brushed past Holy Son Haoyue, halting his forward movement.
As the sword energy swept past him, all the hairs on his body stood on end, and his blood seemed to freeze for an instant, a cold dread creeping over him from head to toe.
It was as if the god of death had passed by.
Had that sword strike been aimed at him, he might have been seriously injured by now!
Holy Son Haoyue's expression froze, his pupils contracting.
The once noisy sacred mountain suddenly fell silent.
The clouds above, split in two, continued to drift apart, while a gentle breeze swept across the battlefield, bringing with it an eerie tranquility.