Chapter 82: Breaking Through the Barrier

Long Yun couldn’t help but loosen his focus upon hearing this, his moves slowing just slightly. His arm was struck by several streams of demonic energy, making him bare his teeth in pain as he snapped, “If you don’t want to die here, then shut up!”

Liu Xiaoxiao fell silent as well. The two stood back to back, each unleashing their own techniques to withstand the relentless onslaught from nearly twenty demons. Though they appeared somewhat disheveled, these demons found it no easy task to break through their combined defense.

Yet Long Yun’s heart grew heavier. The enemies before them were merely a patrolling squad; if this dragged on and attracted stronger fiends, their chances of survival would dwindle to nothing. With this in mind, he spoke in a low voice, “This won’t do. Xiaoxiao, can you hold on a while longer?”

Liu Xiaoxiao had already sustained injuries before, and this prolonged battle only worsened her condition. She immediately asked, “How much time do you need?”

“Give me the span of two breaths. Can you manage that?” Long Yun gritted his teeth.

“I can!” Liu Xiaoxiao replied resolutely, her sword intent surging forth without the slightest hesitation.

Long Yun, too, dared not be careless. He let out a sudden roar, and the Great Sorrow and Supreme Bliss Sword Art transformed into an overwhelming tide of sword intent.

“The Five Swords as One!” He knew it would be difficult for Liu Xiaoxiao to endure for even two breaths, and once they broke through, who could say what they might encounter next? He could not let her bear further harm for his sake. Now, with his current power, using the Five Swords as One was no longer as draining as when he was in the Gathering Essence realm, when his meridians were nearly depleted.

Now, having reached the Rebirth realm and replaced his dragon bones, the move’s power had risen dramatically. A massive shockwave radiated from him and Liu Xiaoxiao, crashing outward.

Nearly twenty demons were hurled back by Long Yun’s strike. Wasting no time, he flashed forward, lunging toward the barrier ahead!

Sword raised and falling, seizing the moment before the demons regained their footing, he cleaved two fiends before him clean in half.

The remaining monsters howled in fury, launching attacks at Long Yun, but at that moment, Liu Xiaoxiao’s sword aura spread outward, encircling all the demons within it.

Long Yun seized this chance, pressing against the spatial barrier, his free left hand firmly placed upon it. The power of reincarnation surged forth, causing ripples to spread across the barrier before him.

“As I thought!” Joy flashed in Long Yun’s heart as he increased the force of reincarnation. The barrier slowly parted to either side, forming a passage just wide enough for one person.

“Xiaoxiao, go!” Long Yun shouted, his Qinghe Sword sweeping out as the Great Sorrow and Supreme Bliss Sword Qi, fused with his immense sword intent, stabbed dozens of times around Liu Xiaoxiao, buying her a precious moment.

Liu Xiaoxiao, a genius in her own right, saw Long Yun’s sword aura fly to her aid. Her own blade flashed, a dazzling array of sword shadows forcing the demons back. Without pause, she darted through the passage Long Yun had opened.

Long Yun followed close behind, and as they exited the barrier, the demons lunged after them. But with no reincarnation force to sustain it, the passage swiftly closed. Only three demons managed to slip through, only to be slain by Long Yun and Liu Xiaoxiao’s swords.

Having narrowly escaped, the two collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

“Being alive really is a wonderful feeling,” Long Yun said, unscathed save for his depleted energy after so many battles. He sat up and looked at Liu Xiaoxiao.

Liu Xiaoxiao, however, had no desire to move. After such a prolonged, intense fight, the sudden reprieve left her feeling sore to the bone. Hearing Long Yun’s words, a faint smile spread across her beautiful face. “Senior Brother, you and I are truly comrades in misfortune now. After this, you must never doubt me again!”

Long Yun glanced at her. His resentment toward Liu Xiaoxiao arose from the conflict she had stirred between him and the Sword-Unity lineage, and as the one involved, she had never offered any explanation. Yet if that were all, he could have let go of the past. Now, however, a lingering doubt remained in his heart. He asked, “Xiaoxiao, your true energy doesn’t seem to be purely that of the Sword-Unity arts. Did you once cultivate some other type of energy?”

A glint of something sharp flashed across Liu Xiaoxiao’s eyes, gone in an instant. She composed herself, her gaze settling on Long Yun as she sighed, “Senior Brother Long Yun, your spiritual senses are as keen as ever. Even that you noticed!”

Long Yun smiled, saying nothing, waiting for her to continue.

She went on, “Long before I ever joined the Jade Sword Sect, someone forcibly replaced my spiritual bones. Do you believe me?”

Long Yun was shocked. Achieving the Bone Transformation realm is required to replace spiritual bones—a fact set in stone. Yet now, Liu Xiaoxiao was overturning everything. He remembered clearly that when she entered the Jade Sword Sect, she had not even reached the Subtle realm; meaning, she’d had her spiritual bones replaced as an ordinary person.

If this was true, then whoever replaced her bones must be an unparalleled master.

Liu Xiaoxiao shook her head. “I know it’s hard to believe, but that’s how it was. I was born into a wealthy family and spoiled from a young age, which made me willful. Once, I actually took two servants and went into the mountains to catch a tiger. I never imagined that trip would change my life forever.”

“In the deep mountains, I encountered a demon on the brink of death. I never learned what kind of monster it was, but its life was nearly spent when I found it. I was terrified and tried to leave with my servants, but the demon suddenly lashed out, draining my two servants to husks. Yet it spared me, sacrificing its own power to implant its spiritual bone in my body. It told me, even in death, it wished to create an unparalleled demon—me.”

“I was so frightened I dared not tell my family. As I grew older, I refused to become a demon, so I sought to join a righteous sect, hoping to cultivate righteous arts to dispel the demonic energy within my spiritual bone. That’s why I entered the Jade Sword Sect.”

Liu Xiaoxiao spoke in detail, then looked at Long Yun with a bitter smile. “Will you report me to the Sect Master? I suppose he’d reward you for it.”

Long Yun shook his head. Though her story was thorough, her expression was a touch too calm. He believed about sixty percent, but not fully. Hearing her words, he replied, “I never expected such an experience. When we return, I’ll teach you the Great Sorrow and Supreme Bliss Sword Art. Though it’s not the most advanced, it contains the power of great compassion, perhaps useful for suppressing the demon energy inside you.”

Liu Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then said, “Senior Brother Long Yun, do you really believe me?”

Long Yun nodded. “I trust my own instincts. If you ever do become a demon, I’ll kill you myself.”

Tears glimmered on Liu Xiaoxiao’s delicate face as she choked out, “Don’t worry. I won’t give you that chance!”

“Alright, compose yourself. We still have places to go. We’ve already been set up by the elders of Azure Sect, so we must hurry to find Senior Brother Xiao Leng and the others. Hopefully, they haven’t fallen victim yet,” Long Yun sighed, aware of how dire their situation was.

Meanwhile, on the Azure Sect’s training grounds, every gaze was fixed upon the stone tablet bearing the names of all the disciples participating in the tournament. Silence reigned.

Not a single name had faded, meaning no one had died—every last disciple had achieved something. Ranked at the very top was the senior disciple of Azure Sect, Cheng Rongxiang, of the First Innate Merged Qi realm.

His score was actually double that of the second place, Situ, who was also of Azure Sect and in the same realm.