C1827 Lin Daoke

Han Qi had vanished, and Shehun had just faded from sight.

Nearly everyone was deep in thought, pondering Han Qi and Shehun's exchange, the enigmatic secrets lurking within the Dark Realm, the human race's Yin Gods, and the souls of celestial beings, all constrained by the Grim River. Why was this so?

They also contemplated the Starry Behemoth and the Devaputra, the human race's Yang God and Primordial Spirit, and how they seemed to defy the Grim River's influence.

Speculation was rife about the repercussions of Shehun's abrupt intrusion into the Dark Realm and whether the Ghost God Youyu could escape its clutches swiftly.

The crowd's thoughts were many and varied.

Yet, Lin Daoke was unconcerned with such musings.

His mind, singularly focused on the way of the sword, adhered strictly to the rules he had established in the Plover Realm. Those before him who had not abided by his rules were now rightfully subject to his blade.

He paid no mind to the other, more perplexing matters.

And so, he struck with his sword.

He sought out the mightiest among the foreign races who had visited and then departed the Plover Realm, with Brie of the Dark Elfkind as his prime target.

His sword, capable of rending the heavens and earth, was imbued with his unrivaled sword intent. It descended upon the suddenly materialized dense forest, reducing towering trees to ash in an instant.

Brie was showered in blood, his emerald lifeblood obliterated by the sword's radiance.

With a whoosh, the unfortunate Dark Elfkind chieftain was critically wounded before Lin Daoke's sword had even completed its arc. His body, bleeding profusely, drooped helplessly like a withered vine.

The bronze coffin emerged just in time, its lid already thrown open to shield against the residual force of Lin Daoke's sword.

Brie, whose fate hung in the balance, was caught by the massive coffin, enveloped in its rich vitality, his life hanging by a thread.

Yu Yuan stood dumbfounded, gripping the Dragon Slash Platform in the desolate hall, at a loss for how to assist.

He had never anticipated that Lin Daoke would dare to strike again!

Yu Yuan cleared his throat, considering his close ties with the Sword Sect, and decided to try persuading Lin Daoke first. After all, Jee Ningshuang was a member of the Sword Sect, having fought alongside him in the Dim Starfield and currently recuperating on the Origin Blood Continent.

He bore no ill will towards Lin Daoke; in fact, he held a certain admiration for him.

"Lin Daoke, do you have any sense?" he wanted to ask.

But before he could speak, the imposing Oracle Divine King descended like a cascade of blood, fixing Lin Daoke with an angry stare.

Swish! Swish!

Unperturbed, Lin Daoke didn't even summon his divine seat. With a flick of his fingers, he released three dazzling sword lights aimed straight at Yuv Qian and two other Ninth Level adversaries.

Yuv Qian, managing a wry smile, called forth the Tears of Blue Devil before tossing a gleaming silver flask. Merging with the flask, he took the brunt of the fearsome sword light, which pierced the Quasi Relic, leaving a gaping hole.

Yuv Qian groaned as his Devil Soul merged with the Tears of Blue Devil and sank into the depths of the Muddy Devil Embryo, which then floated away.

A Banshee Clan expert and a Ninth Level Rock Clan warrior, both from the Plover Realm, had also ignored Lin Daoke's rules. Unlike Yuv Qian, they weren't as fortunate or vigilant. The other two sword lights struck, and they were decapitated.

Lin Daoke, of the Boundless Human Race, was meticulous about the order of his targets, prioritizing the aliens from the Outland Starry Sky. He struck at Brie first, followed by Yuv Qian, and then the two Ninth Level Banshees and the Rock Clan member.

Brie's timely cry for help was answered by Taishi, who saved him with a bronze coffin.

Yuv Qian, a seasoned member of the Boundless Human Race, understood Lin Daoke's temperament. Sensing something amiss in Lin Daoke's demeanor, he deployed every survival tactic at his disposal. Thanks to the dispersion of the second wave of sword energy, Yuv Qian sacrificed a relic gifted by Beilstein to narrowly escape death.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan's face was set in a grim expression as he flew out of the hall, his hand lightly pressing on the Tears of Blue Devil.

This was beyond reason.

Shaking his head, Yu Yuan realized that the Sword Sect Master showed no signs of sheathing his sword, nor did he seem inclined to de-escalate the situation with the Divine Soul Sect.

Even though Yuv Qian was a Devaputra, nominally part of the Divine Soul Sect, Lin Daoke continued to launch reckless attacks!

"Lin Daoke, your Sword Sect members are here too!"

As Lin Daoke remained silent, three more sword lights were unleashed. The hot-tempered Oracle Divine King swung his fists, striking at the nearest Great Sword Immortal.

The Green Flower Sword, Su Qingmo!

Su Qingmo, who possessed the cultivation of the Middle Period of the Unrestrained Stage, looked up to see a sky-enveloping fist carrying a torrent of violent energy hurtling towards her.

A look of distress crossed Su Qingmo's face as a large green lotus beneath her feet unfurled, radiating a luminous celestial glow.

In an instant, blossoms of green sword light formed an ethereal sea of flowers above her, stretching across the starry expanse.

The sea of green flowers was a breathtaking sight, infusing the desolate Oblivion Starfield with a burst of vivid life.

Many onlookers were captivated by her sword dance atop the green lotus, nearly moved to applause in admiration.

Boom!

The Oracle Divine King's fist came crashing down, shattering the stunning floral display. The green lotus under Su Qingmo split apart, its radiant light scattering.

"Xiao Qing!"

"Green Flower!"

Upon seeing Su Qingmo grievously wounded by Tianqi, Van Heqing, another Great Sword Immortal, rushed to her side on his flying sword.

"Lin Daoke, haven't you grasped the situation yet?"

From atop the massive coffin that resembled a landmass, Taishi's anger flared. "Even if you don't fully grasp Han Miaoyuan's motives, you should have at least heard from Han Qi about his secret agreement with a certain entity from the Demon Realm. Han Miaoyuan isn't always selfless, nor does he always act in the best interest of the Boundless Human Race!"

"Take a good look at where you stand now!"

"Andrea has ventured into the Demon Realm, but we still have three Divine Kings! We have Rebecca, the matriarch of the Banshee Clan, and Yu Yuan! Moreover, we've enlisted the aid of the Chaos Roc and the Abyss Goanna. We are well-fortified with supreme and peak experts!"

Lin Daoke, you stand alone! We've chosen to treat you fairly, so when you dueled with Andrea, our Divine Soul Sect refrained from striking down your Sword Sect comrades."

"Consider this—if we were to unite and besiege you within the Oblivion Starfield that we control, do you truly believe you could safely return?"

"Remember, the Great Yin, mightier than you, met his end surrounded and beaten on his journey back to the Vast Expanse. And the Secular Bird Queen—didn't she face the same grim fate? Lin Daoke, do you really think you surpass the Great Yin of old, or the Secular Bird Queen from a hundred millennia past?"

Taishi spat out these words in a fit of rage.

"Lin Daoke, if you refuse to sheathe your sword, every member of the Sword Sect who followed you here will perish in the Oblivion Starfield."

Taixu, with his refined features, felt the sting of Lin Daoke's defiance. After his declaration, he vanished from the senses of all present.

Neither the Chaos Roc nor the Abyss Goanna could detect Taixu's presence; his whereabouts were a mystery.

Yet, Great Sword Immortals like Van Heqing and Yue Mu felt a chill run down their spines, instinctively placing their Divine Swords against their chests, ready for Taixu's imminent strike.

Taixu was notorious for his lethal ambushes, often leaving death in his wake upon reappearing.

"Are you afraid to die?"

Lin Daoke paused briefly, then lowered his hand. His gaze swept over the encircled Great Sword Immortals.

Each of them shook their heads, their eyes brimming with a resolute acceptance of their fate.

"They may fall, but I have the power to annihilate you all."

Lin Daoke withdrew his gaze and faced Taishi, Tianqi, and the distant Rebecca, whose rage was kindled by the death of her elder. "Very well, let us proceed."

He touched his forehead with his fingertip, poised to call forth the Divine Sword. It was clear he meant business.

Somehow, after his statement and gesture, a hush fell over the crowd once more.

The atmosphere grew heavy as a mountain, affecting everyone, Taishi and Tianqi included.

They came to a sudden realization: Lin Daoke defied conventional wisdom. Once this resolute Sword Sect Lord set his mind on something, it was impossible to sway him.

He seemed indifferent to the fate of the Great Sword Immortals and the survival of the Sword Sect.

His only concerns were the pursuit of the ultimate swordsmanship and the rigid principles he held dear; beyond that, he was unconcerned with anything else.

It appeared that even his own survival was of no consequence to him.

"I'll take over."

Yu Yuan gave the Tears of Blue Devil, still nestled within Yuv Qian, a gentle pat before materializing in front of Lin Daoke, enveloped in a prismatic aura. "If it's all the same to you, how about I test out your Divine Sword?"

Lin Daoke paused, then asked with a hint of scorn, "You?"

"Yes, me."

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