Firmament Sword

The brains and blood then dissolved into motes of light, vanishing into the air.

Next, the skinny old man’s entire corpse... also dissolved into motes of light, steadily vanishing into the air.

”A spirit body!” Gao Ping’s eyebrow twitched. ”He must be a big shot!”

”I heard those little pups call him ’Grand Martial Uncle.’ He can’t be some obscure nobody,” Du Qingteng said. ”Just based on the treasures he pulled out, he’s definitely not a nameless figure!”

As he spoke, Du Qingteng couldn’t help but chuckle.

The large black net with the huge gash in it had already been taken by Xu Luo. The shattered ancient seal was also put away in his possession.

Xu Luo also didn’t spare the Magic Staff the skinny old man had pulled out at the last moment.

Although Xu Luo had snatched the Magic Staff before they could get a clear look, it was obviously... not going to be some low-quality item.

”That old codger may have only lost a spirit body, but he lost three treasures, and all of them were sect-guarding grade. When he gets out, he’ll probably be coughing up blood in fury, don’t you think?” Gao Ping was in high spirits.

’Who would have thought that at such a critical moment, Du Qingteng would get such a powerful ally?’

’The moment he showed up... it was an absolute slaughter!’

At the same time, Gao Ping wondered to himself, ’Who on earth is this person? How come I’ve never seen him before?’

It wasn’t that Gao Ping was arrogant enough to believe only the three great Holy Lands of the Divine Domain could produce top-tier experts, but he should have at least heard of any other famous ones.

But this person was someone he had neither seen nor heard of.

In the void, a phantom image of the skinny old man appeared, roaring furiously at Xu Luo. ”Kid... I’ll remember you! If you dare take a single step out of that exit, this Ancestor will tear you to pieces!”

”If you’ve got the guts, come back in! Pah! You old geezer, you got yourself killed and you still dare to run your mouth? Do you dare come back? If you do, we won’t even need Xiaoluozi. This Master could kill you with a single swipe of my paw, believe it or not!”

Master Mao leaped onto Xu Luo’s shoulder, pointed a paw at the skinny old man’s phantom in the sky, and roared with utter arrogance, ”Why don’t you stick around for a while and watch how this Master slaughters these little pup disciples and grand-disciples of yours?”

”AAAAAAAGH!” The skinny old man’s phantom couldn’t linger for long, but he was fuming with such rage that if his image could spit blood, he would have likely coughed up every last drop in his body.

”You son of a bitch, you dare to copy this Master?” Master Mao was furious now too, roaring at the old man’s rapidly fading phantom, ”AAAAAAAGH! You dare copy me? This Master is very displeased. The consequences will be severe...”

Before he could finish, the skinny old man’s phantom had completely vanished from the void. If it had stayed any longer, it probably would have been left with psychological trauma.

...

「Outside the ancient ruins, above the Grand Canyon.」

In the area guarded by the ancestors from Blazing Flame Province, one of the old men suddenly snapped his eyes open. Then, with a HACK, he spat out a mouthful of blood and roared, ”This is infuriating!”

”Junior! This Ancestor is right here waiting for you. When you come out, I will tear you to pieces!”

”AAAAAAAGH! I’m so furious!”

This old man was withered and gaunt; he was the very same skinny old man whose spirit body had been destroyed in the ancient ruins. Now, his true self was utterly enraged.

Strange ripples appeared in the void around him, and the space began to distort.

This scene surprised all the major figures standing guard here.

However, they all quickly understood. This old monster from Blazing Flame Province had disregarded his status and sent a spirit body into the ruins. His goal... was clearly to protect his own people and attack outsiders.

But what shocked all these powerful figures was who on earth could possibly kill the spirit body of a Celestial Venerable Ancestor.

Even if one’s strength was suppressed to the Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable level inside the ruins, what kind of existence was a Celestial Venerable? How could his combat prowess and experience possibly be matched by mere Great Saints and Ultimate Venerables?

And besides... only a few days had passed. To be killed and forced out so quickly was truly astonishing.

The other ancestors from Blazing Flame Province all turned to look at him. While the skinny old man couldn’t compare to them, he was still the one who had advanced the fastest in Blazing Flame Province in recent years.

His power had already reached the Celestial Venerable Realm; even his spirit body shouldn’t have been defeated so easily.

The skinny old man raged for some time before saying sinisterly, ”I don’t know who that person is, but... when he comes out, I will kill him! And I’ll fight to the death anyone who tries to stop me!”

He was clever. He didn’t mention the two Holy Land Inheritors because he knew that with his spirit body’s demise, the fate of that group of Blazing Flame Province disciples was sealed. It was almost impossible for any of them to make it out alive.

That way, when the two Holy Lands came looking for answers, he would have a ready excuse.

’Your Holy Land Inheritors killed over a hundred of our Blazing Flame Province disciples. Wasn’t that enough?’

Over in her group, Xie Wanrou had naturally noticed the commotion from the Blazing Flame Province camp. A cold smile touched her lips. ”Serves them right! Blazing Flame Province is just a breeding ground for shameless filth. This is perfect. His spirit body was destroyed. I wonder how many treasures he lost!”

”Heh.” Shen Ru, one of the four ancestors from Celestial Brilliance, smiled faintly. ”I recognize him. Blazing Flame Province’s famous Heaven-Covering Net was one of his treasures.”

”The Immoral Net that can even block a Substitute Death Talisman?” Jiang Botao couldn’t help but interject, sighing in amazement. ”Who on earth is powerful enough to destroy the spirit body of such a top-tier expert in there?”

Xie Wanrou smiled. ”Maybe it was one of ours!”

Ancestor Shen Ru nodded beside her. ”We must be prepared. If it really is one of our own, we must protect them, no matter the cost.”

As he spoke, Ancestor Shen Ru glanced at the other three ancestors.

The other three ancestors nodded in unison. One of them chuckled faintly. ”What does a million-year lifespan matter? If one cannot advance, they will ultimately turn to dust. As the saying goes, ’All men must die; some deaths are heavier than a mountain, while others are lighter than a feather...’”

Shen Ru’s lips twitched. This bookish ancestor had once been a legendary figure in Xi Hezhou, renowned for his literary brilliance.

He hadn’t been this theatrical in his youth; it seemed the older he got, the more he enjoyed showing off.

This ancestor might have been a pedant, but his power... was also the most terrifying among the four of them!

Especially his four great killing techniques—Zither, Go, Calligraphy, and Painting. Almost no one dared to face them directly!

Xie Wanrou glanced at Jiang Botao with a grin, and the two exchanged a knowing smile. Since the four ancestors were willing to say such things, it meant that even if the person who destroyed the old monster’s spirit body was truly a Heavenly Brilliance Disciple, their life was now secure!

If all four ancestors made a move together, the old monsters from Blazing Flame Province would have to think twice about the consequences, even if they had the advantage in numbers.

Fighting to the point of mutual destruction... was it really worth it?

...

After the skinny old man’s phantom vanished, Xu Luo and Master Mao went on an absolute rampage.

All the Blazing Flame Province disciples present had been chilled to the bone by what they had just witnessed. None of them had any courage left to fight.

Even the few Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable experts among them had been scared witless.

Just because Xu Luo’s group didn’t recognize the skinny old man didn’t mean they didn’t!

He was a bona fide Celestial Venerable Ancestor!

And yet, he had been practically insta-killed!

The outcome was simply unbelievable!

It was utterly shocking!

If anyone had previously claimed it was possible to kill the spirit body of a Celestial Venerable Ancestor, these Blazing Flame Province disciples would have spat in their face.

’Are you out of your mind? Kill a Celestial Venerable Ancestor’s spirit body?’

That’s the retort they would have hurled back.

But at this moment, all of them were completely stupefied, having watched with their own eyes as a Celestial Venerable Ancestor’s spirit body was slain and three sect-guarding treasures were confiscated.

Some wanted to charge forward and fight to the death, but many more... were already thinking of retreat and starting to flee.

Du Qingteng and Gao Ping gave chase. Along with Xu Luo and his companions, they split up in three different directions to pursue the fleeing disciples from Blazing Flame Province.

Ultimately, after several hours, every single one of the fleeing Blazing Flame Province disciples had perished within the ancient ruins.

This time, Blazing Flame Province’s losses were truly devastating.

They obviously had more than just these hundred or so disciples enter the ruins, but a group that warranted the protection of a Celestial Venerable Ancestor’s spirit body... how could they possibly be ordinary disciples?

It was highly likely that this group included the descendant of some powerful figure, or that they were disciples from the most powerful faction in Blazing Flame Province, much like how Xu Luo hailed from Celestial Brilliance.

But as far as Xu Luo and his two companions were concerned, who cared?

They didn’t give a damn who those people were!

They had killed them all, so what did it matter now?

Gao Ping cupped his fists in salute to Xu Luo, his expression sincere. ”Gao Ping, Inheritor of the Eternal River, greets my benefactor!”

This was no exaggeration. If it weren’t for Xu Luo, the two of them would have been in mortal danger today. Although they were inheritors from the great Holy Lands, they were still young and in the midst of their trials, not the most powerful inheritors of their generation.

Thus, when besieged, they too could be defeated and left helpless.

If they had been truly forced to play their final trump card, their future paths would have been... cut short.

Because that trump card was called ”Instantaneous Starry Sky.”

In a single instant, their Guardians, no matter how far away, would appear before them in the blink of an eye to protect them.

But using this trump card would be an admission... of their own incompetence!

No excuse could hide that fact.

Therefore, once used, their future prospects would become bleak.

That was why both Gao Ping and Du Qingteng would rather have died than play that card.

Xu Luo returned the salute. ”You’re too kind. Brother Du and I are friends. How could I stand by and do nothing?”

Du Qingteng flared his nostrils and snorted. ”Well, Gao? Convinced now? Master Du has better character than you!”

Gao Ping’s mouth twitched violently. He wanted to shoot back a retort but couldn’t find the words. It was obvious that this young man, the one who had destroyed the skinny old man’s spirit body, knew Du Qingteng.

They were friends, and what he said... wasn’t wrong. He really did owe Du Qingteng a huge favor this time.

Gao Ping looked at Xu Luo earnestly. ”May I be so bold as to ask your name, brother, and which sect you hail from? In the future, the Eternal River... will be sure to reward you handsomely!”

Du Qingteng sneered from the side. ”Gao Ping, are you a fucking idiot?”

”Du Qingteng!” Gao Ping flared up in anger. ’I’m trying to repay a kindness, and this is what you say to me?’ he thought furiously.

Du Qingteng ignored him and said coolly, ”If you report this to your sect, you won’t be repaying a kindness—you’ll be getting him into trouble!”