Firmament Sword

Elder Xiao’s face darkened, and he was seething with rage. He never imagined that after all that talking in circles, the boy was just waiting to spring this on him!

And the most unforgivable part... was that he had only just now realized it!

”Are you... refusing me?” Elder Xiao’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Xu Luo. A dangerous aura flickered around him, like a terrifying beast about to pounce on its prey.

Xu Luo wore a smile that seemed utterly sincere, but only those who knew him well could see the unyielding and defiant spirit deep within it.

”Senior, if that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m sure that a dignified Elder of the great Jade Balance Sect is an extremely magnanimous man. You would never force someone against their will, much less stoop to the level of a child like me. Am I right?” Xu Luo said with a smile.

”Hmph.” Elder Xiao snorted in contempt. He looked at Xu Luo and said flatly, ”And what if I insist on doing just that?”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense.

Even Xu Qing, the Jade Balance Celestial Maiden, who had been glaring at Xu Luo from the start, couldn’t help but feel a little nervous now. At the same time, deep down, she didn’t dislike this young man so much. In fact, she found him incredibly bold for daring to toy with a personage as important as Elder Xiao.

Li Wenxi and Qiushuiduan were both on high alert. If Elder Xiao truly disregarded his status and attacked Xu Luo, they would block him even if it cost them their lives.

Choosing to compromise in the face of Elder Xiao of the Jade Balance Sect’s overbearing pressure could be seen as considering the bigger picture, an act of endurance for the sake of the entire sect. But with him being so aggressive, further compromise and tolerance would likely earn them no respect.

It’s not being weak that’s to be feared, but losing your backbone!

”The Jade Balance Sect has more than just one Elder. Aren’t you afraid that if word of today’s events gets out, it will damage the Jade Balance Sect’s reputation?” Xu Luo lifted his head, meeting Elder Xiao’s gaze without a trace of fear. He said coolly, ”Since you already know the full story, Elder Xiao, yet you still insist on forcing the issue just to save face... that’s not good. Often, the consequences of forcing things aren’t so ideal.”

”HAHAHA, are you lecturing me?” Elder Xiao laughed uproariously. ”The reputation of the Jade Balance Sect is not for a little brat like you to comment on! I’ve made my decision on this matter! Not only will this girl, Phoenix, marry Young Master Tianquan, Ark, but you... boy, you must also become my disciple!”

”And if I say no?” Xu Luo said, looking at Elder Xiao as he pulled Phoenix, who was about to speak, behind him.

”Then I’ll destroy you right here, today!” Elder Xiao finally dropped all pretense, his patience exhausted. The aura around him erupted, forming an overwhelmingly powerful domain that enveloped the entire tent.

Now, no matter what happened inside the tent, no one would hear a thing unless their cultivation realm was higher than Elder Xiao’s.

”I offered to take you as my disciple out of good will, yet you are so ungrateful. Boy, make your choice!” Elder Xiao stared coldly at Xu Luo. ”Life or death, it all depends on your next decision! And remember, I have ten thousand ways to not only kill you but to ruin your reputation completely even after you’re dead!”

Xu Qing, standing behind Elder Xiao, let out a soft sigh. She was starting to regret coming to watch the show today.

From her perspective, she naturally sided with Elder Xiao. But that so-called Young Master Tianquan, Ark, filled her with utter disgust. He was not only incompetent, but his character was atrocious. Compared to Xu Luo, who faced Elder Xiao with such composure, the difference was like night and day.

Xu Qing took a few quiet steps back. She knew in her heart that if Elder Xiao attacked, Xu Luo wouldn’t stand a chance.

Forget Xu Luo—even she had absolutely no chance of winning against Elder Xiao right now.

’Perhaps... only Senior Brother Fang... could last for a little while against Elder Xiao,’ Xu Qing thought.

”Xu Luo... forget it. I’ll agree... to marry Young Master Tianquan. You... stop fighting. Go to the Jade Balance Sect. It will be... a great help to your future.” Phoenix, standing beside Xu Luo, managed to say this while barely holding back her tears.

As soon as she finished speaking, tears began to stream silently down her cheeks.

Over on the side, Ark was going mad with jealousy. ’This woman... she’s willing to give up everything for Xu Luo! Fine. Very good. You finally agreed to marry me, didn’t you? Just you wait... after you marry me, I’ll see just how I’ll ”discipline” you!’

Li Wenxi also let out a long sigh. For the time being, this was the best possible outcome, but it was also the one she least wanted to see.

Enduring humiliation to carry a heavy burden—the phrase was easy enough to say, but how could one so easily bear such shame?

On the hand Qiushuiduan had on his sword hilt, veins bulged and his knuckles turned white. His jaw was clenched tight, and the Sword Intent around him was threatening to erupt out of his control.

Hearing Phoenix’s words, Xu Luo let out a dry laugh. He suddenly turned his head and smiled at Ark. ”So, are you satisfied now?”

RUMBLE!

A series of thunderclaps, like a bolt from the blue, suddenly exploded in Ark’s ears.

”Are you satisfied... now! Are you satisfied... now! Are... you satisfied... now! Are... you... satisfied!”

”AHHH—”

Ark let out an utterly wretched scream, clutching his head as he rolled around on the ground.

A large amount of black blood gushed from Ark’s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. It wouldn’t stop; it was practically spraying out!

”You’re courting death, kid!” The black-robed youth was the first to react. He didn’t rush to Ark, but charged directly at Xu Luo, aiming a vicious palm strike at his forehead, intending to kill him on the spot!

It all happened too suddenly. The black-robed youth moved so fast that Li Wenxi and Qiushuiduan had no time to react. They could only watch helplessly as his earth-shattering palm strike shot toward Xu Luo...

”BEGONE!”

Xu Luo abruptly raised his head and roared at the black-robed youth.

The sound wave was like a tidal surge. It was as if a thunderclap had gone off inside the tent!

The sheer ferocity of that roar made even Elder Xiao’s expression flicker.

Xu Luo spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, but in that same instant, his eyes became incredibly bright!

The black-robed youth’s charge toward Xu Luo faltered in mid-air. Then... THUD! He crashed to the ground, unconscious!

A Tier Four Sword King, knocked unconscious by a single roar from Xu Luo!

If word of this got out, it would probably shock the entire world!

Xu Luo’s handsome face was contorted into a savage expression. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were bloodshot, glowing crimson.

Two attacks with the Jade Balance Demon Sound had completely exhausted all of his Spiritual Power.

If not for the unyielding will that propped him up, his condition would be no better than the black-robed youth’s.

At that moment, Li Wenxi and Qiushuiduan finally reacted. They rushed over to shield Xu Luo, then turned to face Elder Xiao of the Jade Balance Sect with expressions of grim resolve.

Phoenix, however, looked at Xu Luo with deep concern. At this moment, he was the only one in her eyes.

Fang Jing threw himself over his son, who was still bleeding from all seven orifices. He was desperately trying to save him, completely oblivious to anything else.

Xu Luo peered through the gap between Li Wenxi and Qiushuiduan at Elder Xiao of the Jade Balance Sect. A grim smile spread across his face, which, combined with his crimson eyes, gave him an uncanny, almost demonic appearance.

”Elder Xiao, this... is my answer. Are... you satisfied?” Xu Luo said slowly, panting slightly. ”You can kill a man, but you can’t break his will. You can either kill all of us right here, right now, or you can pretend today never happened. Aren’t you still maintaining your domain to keep the noise from getting out? So, feel free to make your move!”

Xu Luo spat a glob of bloody saliva in Ark’s direction. ”Heh,” he chuckled darkly. ”Take a guess. Do I still have the strength to launch an attack like that at you?”

Elder Xiao’s face was ashen. He never imagined the boy would be so audacious as to actually attack right in front of him. When he wasn’t provoked, he seemed calm, even a bit cunning.

But once he erupted, he was like a violent Monarch!

It was obvious that Ark was crippled!

Bleeding from all seven orifices... and judging by the color of the blood, his Inner Mansion was clearly damaged. He was beyond saving!

Even his own sect’s promising young disciple, a dignified Tier Four Sword King, had been knocked unconscious by the boy’s shout...

With this level of power and this kind of temperament, he would be unstoppable if he were allowed to mature!

’A person like this must either be killed now, without giving him any chance to grow, or you must never, ever make an enemy of him!’ Elder Xiao was now feeling a faint sense of regret. He had thought he could easily handle this matter with his status, but he never expected it to escalate to this point.

Especially with Xu Qing right beside him!

That was the greatest weakness in his position!

’If Xu Qing weren’t here, I could have just attacked and killed the Merak Sect Master, that Elder, Xu Luo, and Phoenix all at once!’

’As for a reason... once they’re dead, would it be hard to find one?’

’But with Xu Qing here, if I really killed these people, it would be a huge problem if she went back and spoke of it.’

’Xu Luo was right about one thing. The Jade Balance Sect... doesn’t just have me as an Elder!’

’Who knows how many people below me are eyeing my position as Elder!’

’But should I just let it go? My reputation... would be utterly ruined!’

Elder Xiao was caught in a dilemma. Looking at Xu Luo’s tottering body and his crimson eyes, for some reason, a faint sense of fear began to rise from the depths of his heart.

It was as if he weren’t facing a human boy, but a terrifying beast!

BANG!

Just then, a soft sound came from outside, and a calm voice drifted in. ”Does the Merak Sect Master reside here? Ji Bingyu of the Celestial Cauldron Sect has come to request an audience!”