Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 168 - 164: A Fruitless Trip?

Chapter 168: Chapter 164: A Fruitless Trip?

The demonic army raised their heads to the sky; the vast, overwhelming army was now restless and uneasy.

That giant sword suspended above the sky seemed to come from beyond the heavens. A hole appeared in the firmament, countless strands of Sword Intent cascading down, transforming into beams of light. Every time a beam fell, a demon perished brutally.

The roar of demons echoed non-stop. Terror flickered in the pupils of countless demons; it was as though death’s aura had already engulfed them. *The despair of nearing their end pressed heavily upon them.*

"Fall," the Old Blind Man uttered, and the giant sword descended, slicing mercilessly into the midst of the demonic army.

The Kui Niu Great Demon roared furiously and charged ahead, thunder light engulfing the world as he transformed into a colossal beast towering over the firmament. Wielding a battle axe, he ferociously swung it at the descending giant sword.

The destructive storm swept outward, yet the sword kept descending. Towering and defiant, Kui Niu bellowed in rage as boundless Sword Intent cascaded over his massive form. Below him, the demonic army descended deeper into chaos—a sea of bodies scattered lifeless.

The grand, imposing army crumbled in mere moments, its previous vigor vanished without a trace.

With another resonating roar, axe light slashed toward the sky. Though the giant sword dissipated, Kui Niu lowered his head to see countless demon bodies plummeting from the heavens. His eyes instantly turned blood-red as Demon Energy surged into the skies.

Sword Intent surged around the Old Blind Man like a crown piercing the heavens. He stepped forward again.

"It has been a long time since I walked among mortals. *The world has forgotten me.*"

*Back then, in the days when demons roamed the earth freely—was there even one that didn’t fear him?*

Behind him, Qu Qingfeng gazed at the aged silhouette, *a flood of emotions stirring within him.*

*Who could have imagined that such a frail, hunched body could emit such terrifying Sword Intent?*

Mr. Zuo, in his heyday, once commanded trembling fear from demons comparable to the dread of divine wrath.

And Mr. Zuo’s master—he was the living embodiment of divinity.

A hundred years ago, it was said that the immense fortune of Sword Dao was divided; he claimed seven-tenths of it, while the remaining three-tenths were shared among all other Sword Cultivators of Da Li World.

Mr. Zuo had the opportunity to inherit his master’s legacy, yet he was dealt a devastating blow by misfortune. Afterward, he returned to Li Mountain and stayed secluded, his name fading from the memory of the world.

And so, now, the demons no longer remembered him.

Bailong sensed the Sword Intent radiating from the Old Blind Man, immediately realizing a chilling fact: despite his superior Demon Dragon bloodline and monstrous dragon form, he wouldn’t be able to block this old man’s sword.

The offensive power of a Li Mountain Great Sword Cultivator was unmatched in the world.

This elder—for better or worse—he likely knew the identity of his opponent. Li Fan was his disciple.

"You brought my disciple here to your demonic lands; consider this a lesson," the Old Blind Man said to Bailong. "Lead me to my disciple’s location, and for now, I’ll spare your lives."

This land was Yun Meng Swamp. With Li Fan held captive, the Old Blind Man hesitated.

If he indulged in wanton slaughter, Li Fan could be in mortal danger.

"Boom."

Kui Niu’s towering, mountain-like figure walked forward in large strides, his massive eyes locked onto the Old Blind Man. Thunder light surged across his body, and his gaze seemed intent on tearing the old man to pieces.

The Old Blind Man slightly lifted his face toward Kui Niu, a faint frown forming as he took a step forward. The Bull Demon felt Sword Intent as sharp as blades pierce into his towering frame; every inch of his massive body became covered in Sword Aura.

"You foolish ox," the Old Blind Man mocked, "with a body like that, aren’t you just a sitting target? You wouldn’t be thinking about testing my blade’s sharpness, would you?" Kui Niu Demon King glared furiously at him but, sensing the overpowering intensity of Sword Intent, dared not step forward.

"Allow me to lead the way," Bailong suddenly offered.

Encountering a top-tier Li Mountain Great Sword Cultivator here—and although they had their army—it was evident they couldn’t stop him.

If that was the case, it would be better to leave the task to Lord Demon Saint.

The Old Blind Man faced Bailong and said, "Lead the way."

Bailong turned and walked back along the same path.

The Old Blind Man followed, weaving through the ranks of the demonic army. As he passed by Kui Niu, the towering figure’s taut muscles and clenched fists trembled with tension, yet he dared not strike.

The expansive demon army, overwhelmed, instinctively cleared a path for him to pass, with none daring to block his way.

Qu Qingfeng trailed behind, feeling somewhat relieved. Since Bailong had spoken as he did, it seemed likely that—for the moment—Li Fan was still unharmed.

Above, their group flew swiftly through the air.

The Sword Intent around the Old Blind Man gradually dissipated, allowing him to appear once more like a frail, elderly man.

"Cough..."

The Old Blind Man coughed a few times. Qu Qingfeng looked toward him, *a wave of concern bubbling up inside him.* He gazed at the aged form and suddenly understood.

Mr. Zuo had a "lingering ailment."

*For someone of his caliber, such conditions should not exist—unless he had sustained grave injuries, ones that had never fully healed.*

No wonder he had gone blind years ago. After withdrawing to Li Mountain, his name faded from public earshot.

It seemed, indeed, that his injuries had driven him back to Li Mountain.

*The battle earlier was merely a prelude; it hadn’t been a full demonstration of his power. Yet, here and now, even after such light exertion, his lingering ailment manifested. In full-scale combat, could he sustain the intensity?*

Bailong turned his head slightly, seemingly having also realized something, then asked, "Has Mr. Zuo sustained injuries?"

"One sword is enough to kill you," the Old Blind Man replied curtly.

Bailong froze, then shook his head. As a Seven Realms Demon King of the Demon Race and a Demon Dragon, no one had ever uttered such words to him.

One sword—is that enough?

Bailong didn’t believe it.

From his aura alone, the Old Blind Man seemed to be nearing the peak of the middle Seven Realms. Even if Sword Cultivators excelled at offense, Bailong’s unmatched physical defenses would surely hold their own. If it were any other middle Seven Realms human, Bailong might even best them outright—or at least not lose.

Even if the Old Blind Man was a Li Mountain Sword Cultivator, declaring "one sword is enough" was a blatant overstatement.

Though unconvinced, Bailong chose not to argue with him.

"Li Fan is your disciple. Li Mountain, renowned for slaying demons, is the sacred land of destruction. Li Mountain Sword Cultivators earn their prestige through demon-slaying. Yet he bears demons within him—why does Li Mountain tolerate him?" Bailong asked curiously.

Indeed, Li Fan seemed to hold an unusual status in Li Mountain. Otherwise, the Old Blind Man would not have ventured into Yun Meng Swamp and risked himself, highlighting the importance of Li Fan.

"And Yun Meng Swamp is a world of demons. Why mimic human ways?" the Old Blind Man countered. Bailong chuckled before nodding, replying, "Fair enough."

"However, Mr. Zuo, you’ve come to Yun Meng Swamp but probably won’t be taking him back. You might even lose your life here," Bailong said. "Perhaps Mr. Zuo should leave now?"

"You’re concerned for my well-being?" The Old Blind Man asked, surprised.

"Just a suggestion. Whether you heed it is up to you," Bailong replied.

Their group moved quickly, heading straight for the main city of Yun Meng Swamp.

Meanwhile, Li Fan continued his cultivation within a courtyard, with Yue Qingqiu still at his side.

*The constant provocations by these demons had begun to irritate Li Fan.*

*Being under someone else’s roof truly came with its frustrations.*

Lurking in Yun Meng Swamp, he was effectively imprisoned here. While appearing free to move, in practice, he had no autonomy.

*It was as if any demon could come and cause trouble as they pleased.*

In Demon Saint Palace, the half-slumbering Demon Saint opened his eyes, turning his gaze outwards beyond the palace. His eyes seemed to pierce through infinite space.

"What audacity," the Demon Saint remarked with a light chuckle.

It seemed someone truly had ventured into Yun Meng Swamp, even compelling Bailong to lead the way.

Judging by this, the intruder must have encountered their demonic army en route, and the vast Yun Meng Swamp army had failed to stop them.

In various directions throughout the city, several powerful presences began to stir, terrifying Demon Energy enveloping the entire Demon City, prompting many demons to look upward.

*What was happening?*

In the courtyard where Li Fan resided, Yue Qingqiu’s gaze carried a hint of surprise as she peered in the direction of Demon Saint Palace.

"What’s going on?" Li Fan asked her. He too had sensed the oppressive aura—top-tier Great Demons, likely some of the strongest beings in Yun Meng Swamp.

Yue Qingqiu shook her head slightly, speaking softly, "It’s never been like this here—unless a threat has been sensed."

*What kind of threat could arise in Yun Meng Swamp?*

This was a world governed by demons, and the most formidable demons of Yun Meng Swamp resided here.

"Lord Demon Saint, Bailong has brought a human here—how should we proceed?" a deep, resonant voice echoed, reaching even Li Fan and Yue Qingqiu’s ears, startling them.

Bailong brought a human here?

Not long ago, they had heard news of humans launching an attack on Yun Meng Swamp, with All Demon Kings leading armies to provide aid.

Now, not much time had passed, and Bailong had already escorted a human into their midst.

*A human broke into Yun Meng Swamp?*

"Aside from you, I’ve never heard of a human entering—unless escorted by Yun Meng Swamp’s demons. It shouldn’t be possible otherwise," Yue Qingqiu murmured softly.

"You can kill the human; however you deal with Bailong is up to you," the Demon Saint responded.

"Understood." The demon replied, prompting Li Fan to realize this particular demon likely held grievances against Bailong.

*But who was it, venturing so boldly into Yun Meng Swamp?*

The energies grew stronger and stronger. Then the previously speaking demon stated, "Bailong, you dared lead a human cultivator here—how will you answer for this crime?"

"If you can’t win, naturally you lead the way," Bailong answered calmly. What else—should he simply die instead?

As Bailong’s words fell, several Divine Senses swept over, their focus landing on Li Fan. A subtle, familiar sensation arose, causing Li Fan to freeze for a moment.

*The Old Blind Man?*

Moments later, Li Fan saw several figures descending directly into his courtyard.

Qu Qingfeng was among them...

Yue Qingqiu gazed at the newcomers with curiosity.

*Were they here for Li Fan?*

"Why are you here?" Li Fan asked in surprise.

"The demons abducted my disciple—how could I not come?" the Old Blind Man replied.

"But I’m perfectly fine?" Li Fan responded.

"And that fragile body of yours, how long can you endure such torment?"

He knew about the Old Blind Man’s lingering injuries. His rapid aging was precisely due to this; excess strain could accelerate his depletion of Spirit and Primordial Energy.

The Old Blind Man needed rest and recuperation to extend his years.

"Though I’m just a bag of old bones, I’m not that frail," the Old Blind Man answered. "The demons dare bully my disciple. If I don’t come, the demons might truly forget my name—and losing face isn’t something I can tolerate."

"You’re this aged, yet you still care about your reputation?" Li Fan retorted, exasperated.

"Of course." The Old Blind Man scoffed, directing a smile toward Yue Qingqiu. "But it seems I’ve made the trip for nothing. Even in a demon’s world, you’re thriving—truly worthy of being my disciple."

Li Fan: "..."

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