C521 Shattering Sword
A sword light, a thousand feet in length and with the force to cleave the heavens, descended from the clouds with breathtaking swiftness.
It was a dazzling spectacle, akin to a resplendent silver galaxy, its presence carrying the formidable essence of creation and destruction as it sliced through the clouds and reached its destination in the blink of an eye.
Within the depths of the sword light, innumerable glittering crystals shone, each embodying the profound truth of obliterating all things.
The sword's intent, potent enough to pulverize anything in its path, formed an inescapable prison wrought by the cosmos itself, grinding the Chopping Moon cultivator's sheath, the tufts of emerald flames, and the frosty silk threads released by Lim Zhuyun into oblivion.
Boom!
The silk threads burst apart, and the clusters of jade-green flames dissipated into a fine mist once more.
The arc of the thousand-foot sword light descended upon Lim Zhuyun.
Within the sword's radiance, thousands of glistening crystals tumbled, embodying a will so powerful it filled the space, causing the very fabric of the void to creak and threaten to burst asunder.
Onlookers from Babel Island, Medicine God Island, and Weapon Island, their eyes wide with awe, could hardly believe what they witnessed.
"My heavens, how could he draw his sword?"
"Are my eyes deceiving me? After so many years, could the minor upheavals of the Crack Archipelago truly provoke him? His true form should be beyond the celestial realm; how could such trivial disturbances compel him to unsheathe his sword?"
"What sort of demon has possessed that woman? Surely a mere Devaputra doesn't warrant his attention? In the Outland Star River, the devils that have perished by his blade are beyond count!"
"This is madness. The situation is beyond comprehension!"
Lim Zhuyun cast a glance at the sword light, and the ice that had instantly formed around her shattered.
Spurt!
A gush of blood surged forth like an upward cascading waterfall.
Beneath her feet, the cold moonlight shield, brimming with lunar essence, could not withstand the crushing sword intent that descended from the heavens; the essence within trembled and fragmented.
Whoosh!
Seizing control of the cold moonlight shield, Lim Zhuyun plunged into the ocean depths, heedless of the trident's assault.
The relentless sword light pursued, diving beneath the waves.
The sea parted abruptly, revealing a deep abyss that seemed to reach down to the ocean floor.
Innumerable crystals within the sword light detonated, and the sea beneath the Crack Archipelago erupted as if set ablaze by countless kegs of gunpowder. The ground shook violently, causing every island to sway and tremble.
In that instant, every cultivator across the Crack Archipelago was stirred.
A single sword stroke had astounded all the mighty ones!
Hualala!
Emerald raindrops sizzled on the sea's surface, converging towards Lim Zhuyun. They appeared to be ground down by the pulverizing sword intent, scattering and then reforming in a relentless cycle.
Lim Zhuyun, who had remained silent, issued a low, pained cry from beneath the waves.
A long sword began its descent from the depths of the clouds, coming into view for all to see.
As the sun faded, the resplendent long sword radiated a blinding divine glow, exuding an aura potent enough to shatter the heavens and earth, overwhelming all who gazed upon it.
The sword hung suspended in midair, seemingly poised to penetrate the crown of anyone's head and delve into their soul at any moment.
The Yang God from the Babel Chamber of Commerce hesitated briefly before glancing at the long sword and, with trident in hand, submerged herself into the ocean's depths.
Within the Evil Cauldron, Old Cash turned his gaze sharply towards Sword Island, having narrowly escaped disaster.
Yuan Lianyao, too, found herself instinctively looking in the direction of Sword Island.
There, on the edge of a sheer cliff, stood a figure in grey, blending seamlessly with the stone.
Swoosh!
The sword sheath, suspended in midair, reestablished its spiritual connection with Yu Yuan. After Lim Zhuyun had plunged into the sea, it returned to him.
It soared back into the Evil Cauldron, once again grasped in Yu Yuan's palm.
Within the sheath, a beam of shattered sword light pressed down on the icy power below like a celestial canopy.
A thread of soul consciousness spread across Yu Yuan's heart lake.
Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled as he issued a command to the cauldron soul.
The Evil Cauldron, carrying him along with Old Cash and Yuan Lianyao, set off towards Babel Island.
The dazzling sword cleared the path ahead of the cauldron, escorting and guiding them.
Crack!
The array of patterns within the cauldron's microcosm, tampered with by Mo Yan, was abruptly shattered by the sword intent, rendering it unable to sustain itself any longer.
The cauldron would no longer spill forth demonic light, no longer shine brilliantly, and no longer be a beacon for attack.
"It's over. Mo Yan's sabotage has been thoroughly cleansed."
The thoughts of the cauldron soul flowed into Yu Yuan's heart, informing him of what had transpired.
On Babel Island, Medicine God Island, and Weapon Island, numerous cultivators bore witness to the unfolding events. As the long sword soared through the air, a hush fell over the crowd; not a single voice dared to break the silence.
Eyes wide with astonishment followed the cauldron and the trio within it.
Yuan Lianyao's mind reeled from the shock. She instinctively grasped Yu Yuan's unoccupied hand, desperate to understand why someone from Sword Island would intervene.
"He... he's drawn his sword!"
Old Cash's heart surged with emotion as he stared at Sword Island, contemplating the legendary figure who had secluded himself for years—rumored to soar beyond the skies, vanquishing demons.
Yu Yuan, too, was stirred, struggling to steady his breath and regain his composure.
He had never encountered the swordsman in his past life, but the name was familiar to him.
The unmistakable sword intent that could obliterate all was instantly recognizable. Even after three centuries, one glance, one feeling was enough to identify the swordsman.
He was from the Sword Sect, the seventh-ranked Shattering Sword—Van Heqing, an Unrestrained Stage cultivator.
This Great Sword Immortal, renowned across the Boundless Land for nearly a millennium, had not previously presided over the Crack Archipelago but had resided in the heavens.
Yet, three hundred years on, he had emerged to wield his sword on Sword Island!
This venerable cultivator surpassed the three Yang Gods of Babel Island in both generation and realm.
Van Heqing, seated among the nine great Sword Immortals of the Sword Sect!
Each of the Sword Sect's nine Sword Immortals was a force to be reckoned with, their infamy echoing through the Boundless Land and the vast starry river, commanding respect from demons and inciting fear among all clans.
With a single stroke of the Shattering Sword, the Great Sword Immortal had sent Lim Zhuyun fleeing and stilled the Chaos Roc itself.
The Shattering Sword continued to pave the way, safeguarding the cauldron's passage to Babel Island.
What was happening?
Those aware of the Great Sword Immortal's lineage, esteemed status, and formidable combat prowess were left utterly dumbfounded, their jaws metaphorically shattered as they tracked the sword's flight with their gaze.
On the far side of Babel Island, Zhu Peining, an acquaintance of Yu Yuan, emerged.
Hovering midair, Zhu Peining gazed at the sword with an incredibly complex look in her eyes. She also observed the Evil Cauldron and the people within, including Yu Yuan.
"I shall heed the command of my elder!" Zhu Peining called out with a strong voice, then turned to bow deeply in the direction of the Sword Dao. She proclaimed, "With such a distinguished guest gracing our shores, Babel Island is honored and will ensure you receive a warm welcome!"
No sooner had she spoken these words than the sword, poised to strike Babel Island, vanished into thin air. Moments later, it reappeared in the hands of someone on Sword Island.
That individual merged with the gray-white rocks and disappeared without a trace.
It was only after the Shattering Sword and the presence of that person faded that Zhu Peining allowed herself to relax, a wry smile spreading across her face. She instructed the Evil Cauldron to land, saying, "If you were going to come, just come. Why the need for such an extravagant display? We should have skipped the trip to Red Devilland and come directly to Babel Island."
The cultivators from the Babel Chamber of Commerce found their breathing eased only after the long sword had disappeared.
Indeed, the Great Sword Immortal, ranked seventh within the Sword Sect, was the true powerhouse of the Crack Archipelago!
