Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 199 - 195: Why Enter the Azure Clouds?

Chapter 199: Chapter 195: Why Enter the Azure Clouds?

One more person? No matter how many, there’s always room for another.

Since the sword has already been drawn, why not draw it again?

He had made it very clear—this was a matter between him and Su Chen. Yet, Chen Xiao kept stirring the pot with his words.

If that’s the case, then let it be fulfilled.

"Gentleman Sword" Chen Xiao, ranked twenty-fifth on the Green Cloud List.

Was his sword sharp?

Today, he planned to shake up the rankings of the Green Cloud List, to put an end to idle gossip and silence the meddlesome.

A sword cultivator sweeps away trouble with the blade.

"Do you wish to test whether my sword is sharp?"

Upon hearing Li Fan’s words, the crowd looked at him in stunned disbelief, including Chen Xiao.

On the Green Cloud List, there was a madman.

One sword strike wasn’t enough; he wanted to challenge the twenty-fifth rank, the Gentleman Sword, Chen Xiao.

Did he desire to make a name for himself outside this dojo and replace Chen Xiao’s position on the rankings?

*It seemed as though Li Fan had aimed for fame all along, and Chen Xiao just happened to cross his blade and become the sacrifice for Li Fan’s ambition.*

"Interesting." Below the stone wall, several sword cultivators ranked even higher on the Green Cloud List glanced over, their expressions carrying a hint of amusement.

Today, at the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena’s recruitment event, someone seemed intent on shaking up the Green Cloud List rankings with their swordplay.

Turning this place into a testing ground for blades.

Several individuals stepped forward, moving closer to Li Fan. One of them laughed and said, "Chen Xiao, since someone wants to challenge your sword, why don’t you see if this madman on the Green Cloud List truly wields a sharp blade?"

"Han Zhong."

Han Zhong, the Iron Sword, a top-ten ranker on the Green Cloud List, appeared to revel in chaos.

Chen Xiao cast a glance at Han Zhong and suddenly felt a twinge of regret. He had only intended to mediate and gain some recognition, hoping to earn favor with Cang Yunxuan and increase his chances of entering the dojo for cultivation.

Yet, he hadn’t expected this madman to set his sights on him as well. Now, he had been dragged into the fray.

*If he won, all would be well. But if he lost...*

*As for whether he would fight, did he even have a choice?*

The moment Li Fan declared his brazen challenge, his retreat path had already been cut off. He wasn’t Su Chen; he was the twenty-fifth ranker on the Green Cloud List. How could he possibly shrink from battle?

"Then let me see if your sword is truly sharp!"

As Chen Xiao’s words fell, his Sword Aura erupted violently. Sword in hand, he united with his blade.

"Gentleman Sword Chen Xiao, the twenty-fifth rank on the Green Cloud List. His Candle Shadow Blade is silent as the night, yet when it erupts, it strikes like thunder." Among the crowd, Lu Yuhuan’s voice rang out—a reminder to Li Fan to beware of Chen Xiao.

The higher one climbed on the Green Cloud List, the stronger their combat prowess. None of them were ranked there by luck.

Li Fan still gripped "Jian Yi" in his hand. Sword Aura surged around him, and it seemed as though an intangible force emanated from within, capable of piercing through all things in existence.

"The sword just now was exceptional—a single strike erupted with absolute force, maximizing its power in an instant. But such swordsmanship has no follow-up strength. How many moves could you possibly execute like that?"

Chen Xiao spoke, his sensitivity as a sword cultivator allowing him to perceive Li Fan’s sword techniques. Although he couldn’t tell what exact Sword Dao Li Fan practiced, he vaguely sensed that each of Li Fan’s strikes could independently form their own domain.

One sword was the peak.

His question was also a test—a probe to see if Li Fan had a second sword.

Li Fan did not respond to Chen Xiao’s question. His Sword Intent surged, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder. Compared to the sword he unleashed against Su Chen earlier, this strike contained an even greater force.

*This indicated that in that earlier strike, he hadn’t yet gone all out.*

This realization caused Su Chen, standing nearby, to grow even more sullen.

*Li Fan’s wagon-blocking stunt had utterly ruined Su Chen’s reputation. Hatred simmered in his heart.*

Chen Xiao’s gaze grew heavier, his focus absolute, with no room for distractions. His intent was entirely wrapped around his sword.

His Sword Intent grew stronger and stronger until Chen Xiao moved, his figure leaving behind residual shadows.

He struck with his sword.

Suddenly, before Li Fan’s eyes, a flurry of Sword Shadows appeared, impossible to distinguish reality from illusion.

The Candle Shadow Blade—illusions within truths, truths within illusions.

Each strike was a Sword Shadow.

And within the Sword Shadows, the sword lay concealed.

The moment the Sword Shadows erupted, they transformed into tangible blades, seemingly ripping through space and leaving behind trails of gashes.

A glint of Sword Light exploded from Chen Xiao’s pupils. He knew Li Fan’s sword reached its peak with a single strike. Drawing from Su Chen’s earlier defeat, his first strike now also aimed for absolute dominance, leaving no room for leniency.

*If someone dared to step on him to fame, he would ensure they failed.*

*He would see how Li Fan planned to avoid this.*

Li Fan didn’t avoid it. He struck back with his sword.

Still using "Jian Yi," this strike incorporated the true essence of wind and thunder. The formidable Sword Intent within his body roared forth violently. For sword cultivators during Foundation Establishment, their bodies themselves became like swords. The stronger their Sword Dao foundation, the sharper their Sword Intent, and the more terrifying their explosive power.

When Li Fan’s sword erupted, its wind-and-thunder essence struck and cleaved with devastating ferocity. It wasn’t merely sharp—it annihilated everything like a rampaging beast, engulfing and obliterating all in its wake.

Sword cultivators are said to pierce through ten thousand techniques with a single strike—would Li Fan face only the twenty-fifth rank on the Green Cloud List just to make his sword retreat?

*The lessons his great-grandmaster imparted about the path of the sword had long etched themselves into his mind and marrow. They weren’t just Sword Dao principles—they were his Sword Bones and Sword Soul.*

As a sword cultivator, one moves ever-forward, without hesitation.

A sword cultivator’s blade is like their soul.

The collision of swords erupted with such intensity that the Sword Light seemed to tear apart space itself. The violent currents of energy emitted ear-piercing sounds. With one excruciatingly sharp screech, Chen Xiao’s body was swallowed by the Sword Aura, sent flying. His garments were shredded, and numerous bloody wounds appeared on his body in an instant.

The clash between sword cultivators was decided in the very moment their Sword Dao forces exploded. Chen Xiao’s sword lacked the resoluteness of Li Fan’s blade. Even with his Middle Stage Foundation Establishment advantage, it amounted to nothing more than a single strike.

Just like Su Chen.

Li Fan had once again used only one sword strike.

One sword settled the fight.

The twenty-fifth ranker on the Green Cloud List, the Gentleman Sword Chen Xiao, was defeated with a single blow.

The crowd stared at Chen Xiao, who lay on the ground, bloodied and disheveled, his hair in disarray, his gaze dazed and confused. Where was his former grace?

They now turned their eyes toward Li Fan. Their previous impressions of him had been based largely on rumors. But now, having witnessed it with their own eyes, they finally understood: *youthful arrogance was only arrogance when underpinned by the strength to back it up.*

His sword warranted that arrogance.

The youngest sword cultivator on the Green Cloud List, who defeated Chen Xiao with one strike and claimed his spot at rank twenty-five.

Such unyielding pride in youth—surely this referred to Li Fan.

*That resolute sword seemed to reflect his very nature. It was clear what kind of man he was, and precisely because he was such a man, he wielded such a sword. Nothing anyone said could deter him; he would still draw his blade.*

Su Chen had no room to complain about his fate.

Li Fan lowered his gaze to glance at the fallen Chen Xiao, offering a word of advice: "Don’t meddle in others’ affairs unless you’ve experienced them yourself. For sword cultivators, speak with your sword."

His grievance with Su Chen had been clear from the beginning. Chen Xiao had intervened, and so, the matter could only be resolved with blades.

"A fine sword."

A voice of admiration emerged. Xia Yao stepped forward, smiling, and said, "To defeat Chen Xiao so decisively at such a young age—it seems the new waves of the Long River are truly pushing out the old. I feel like I’ve aged overnight. The spotlight today belongs entirely to this young one."

"Indeed, a fine sword. Peak form in one strike. A sword, in this case, mirrors its wielder. By stepping on others from the Green Cloud List, it seems he might enter the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena to cultivate under great guidance," Gu Qiu remarked as well.

Li Fan’s two prior sword strikes had already drawn the attention of the higher-ranked Green Cloud List cultivators.

"The sword is fine, but the man’s arrogance is somewhat excessive. He’s young and needs to temper himself. Achieving peak form in one strike is impressive, but how many such strikes can he maintain? Su Chen and Chen Xiao couldn’t withstand even one, but if he faced a more formidable sword cultivator—someone capable of enduring that single blow—the outcome might not be so certain," Han Zhong remarked calmly.

Those around him nodded in agreement. Their evaluations were fair and objective.

This youngest sword cultivator on the Green Cloud List demonstrated remarkable talent in Sword Dao. With a few years of refinement, he could potentially compete for the top five spots.

*Today, Li Fan had stepped on two individuals to make his name known. Surely, securing a place to cultivate within the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena was no longer a question.*

"Youth is often brimming with pride. However, your methods are too aggressive. I’ve already mentioned that Master dislikes overly ostentatious individuals. You are out."

Cang Yunxuan addressed Li Fan directly, catching the crowd by surprise. They turned their gazes toward him in disbelief.

Zuo Tu—out!

Even as he basked in the limelight, on the cusp of joining the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena, Cang Yunxuan’s announcement dashed all hopes.

*It seemed that arrogance, too, could be a double-edged sword.*

*Regardless of how exceptional one’s talent, the Shadow Inheritor Sword Master’s arena had no shortage of prodigies. Those who didn’t match the criteria were inherently unqualified to enter the prestigious dojo.*

Zuo Tu had wasted his efforts.

A pity.

The crowd noted the flicker of disbelief in Li Fan’s eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t expected to be disqualified.

*Li Fan was indeed surprised. Had he ever claimed he wished to enter the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena?*

Why did these people so dogmatically assume that was his goal?

*Must every sword cultivator who arrived here aspire to join its ranks?*

Li Fan’s thought process wasn’t wrong. Sword cultivators gathering here were indeed typically drawn by the reputation of the dojo. Being fifth on the Sword Saint List, even the most monstrous talents sought guidance from its master. Yet, Li Fan was the exception.

Despite his youthful arrogance, Li Fan wasn’t reckless. He wouldn’t openly refute Cang Yunxuan.

*What would be the point of arguing that he had no interest in entering the dojo?*

*To offend one of the top five on the Sword Saint List? Li Fan wasn’t that impetuous.*

*Since misunderstandings were inevitable, he chose to let them be. His goals had already been achieved. There was no need to fight further.*

"In the end, he misled both himself and others," Han Zhong commented from the sidelines. "For young people, setbacks are a good thing. Take a year or two to temper yourself and refine your sword. Don’t limit yourself to a single strike. When the time comes, you can aim for the Green Cloud List’s top ten."

His words carried no malice, delivered instead as wisdom from experience. At almost twenty-five, Han Zhong had only recently climbed to seventh on the Green Cloud List.

The closer one got to the top of the Green Cloud List, the more exponential the increase in strength became.

Li Fan felt a little stifled. Though he recognized Han Zhong’s intent wasn’t hostile, the words still reminded him of what Cang Yunxuan had declared—and others likely shared Han Zhong’s thoughts.

He hadn’t sought conflict for its own sake, yet he still felt unsettled.

Halting his steps, he stood with his back to Han Zhong and said, "You pursue your swords into the Green Cloud List to seek fame. My sword—why would it need the Green Cloud?"

*They were not on the same path.*