Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 51 My Sword Is

Chapter 51: Chapter 51 My Sword Is

From the direction of Sword Peak, a figure walked toward Li Fan.

The person was eighteen, a disciple of Sword Peak, and named Xu Han.

Xu Han held a sword in his hand. The aura of the blade was cold and filled with chilling intent. His gaze matched, icy as it locked onto Li Fan.

Xu Han was also an orphan. His parents had been killed by demons, and he had been brought to Li Mountain for training. However, his path was marred with difficulty. Without elders to grant him special attention, and surrounded by prodigious disciples of Sword Peak, he lacked any extraordinary talent.

*As a result, he could only work several times harder than others. While everyone else ate, he nourished his sword; while others rested, he practiced his swordsmanship. Day after day, year after year, he persisted, and finally he had achieved mastery.*

Now, he sought an opportunity, a chance to head toward Sword Valley.

*Li Fan, because of Ye Qinghuang, had drawn much attention. Choosing him as an opponent was perfect.*

*Still, jealousy brewed within him. Though Li Mountain was not favorable toward Li Fan, Xu Han thought that was inconsequential. In his eyes, Li Fan had received far more—his master, senior brothers, and senior sisters all cared for him.*

*This youngest disciple of Divine Brilliance Peak had been pampered far beyond others since his youth. Moreover, his senior sister was Ye Qinghuang, and his senior brother was Wen Ruyu.*

*Why him? For what reason?*

The tip of the sword pointed at the ground. Xu Han suddenly dashed toward Li Fan, the chilling sword aura swirling around him.

Li Fan stood there. He seemed to sense the cold intent emanating from Xu Han and a gust of wind brushed past him, swirling around his body.

Taking a step forward, the breeze wrapped around him. Moving like the wind itself, he advanced with the technique "Qingfeng Art."

"A spell," the crowd murmured as they saw Li Fan’s movements, recognizing the effect of the technique on his body.

Xu Han watched Li Fan approach and swung his sword in the air. A blinding cold light flashed as a slash of sword aura swept at Li Fan from afar.

But Li Fan’s body showed no signs of stopping. Like a gust of wind, he brushed past the sword light and continued forward.

Xu Han’s body spun into the air, his sword aura moving like wind as he unleashed multiple strikes in an instant. Numerous arcs of sword light filled the space ahead, sealing off Li Fan’s options to evade.

"Bang." Li Fan stomped the ground, his figure transforming into several afterimages that moved like wind. His blood roared within him as he suddenly appeared right in front of Xu Han, raising his hand to strike the descending, spinning Xu Han.

Feeling the oppressive pressure, dazzling sword light flared at Xu Han’s brow. His body exuded a powerful sword aura, and a flying sword shot out while the sword in his hand also slashed downward.

Li Fan’s eyes gleamed sharply. A thunderous dragon roar erupted, and the golden projection of a Jiao Long appeared behind him. His palm continued its descent, like the furious charge of a raging Jiao Long.

"Boom..." A deafening explosion echoed as Xu Han’s body was sent flying. His sword seed retreated, and the sword in his hand dropped to the ground. Letting out a muffled grunt, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Martial Spirit!"

The crowd stared at Li Fan. Standing amidst the battlefield, his posture remained upright and resolute. Behind him, the golden projection of the Jiao Long encircled him, a sight of sheer astonishment.

"Martial arts and magic."

On the staircase where Li Mountain elders were seated, they gazed at Li Fan. In a brief exchange, Li Fan had only struck once—using magic to approach and martial arts to attack—defeating Xu Han with a single blow.

Moreover, this young man had already condensed a Martial Spirit?

It seemed his master and Ye Qinghuang had taken great efforts with this disciple, not only ensuring his survival but also enabling him to cultivate both martial arts and magic.

Li Fan bowed toward the injured Xu Han.

Xu Han’s face was ashen as he got up and walked away.

*He knew well enough now that Sword Valley was beyond his reach.*

At that moment, another figure emerged. This person was burly and domineering, exuding a primal aura.

"Li Mountain, Martial Intent Peak’s Yu Chihou. Please advise me."

A terrifying energy radiated from his body. Behind him, a massive projection materialized—a gigantic Ape Demon, imposing and overwhelming.

"Martial Spirit." The crowd’s gaze fell on Yu Chihou. To condense a Martial Spirit while in the Grandmaster Realm required either innate talent or fortuitous encounters.

With each step forward, the ground trembled beneath Yu Chihou’s stride. As his footsteps quickened, it felt as if the earth itself quaked.

"Boom..." The ground quaked violently. Yu Chihou leapt into the air like a feral ape, hurtling toward Li Fan in a wild attack.

Li Fan bent his knees, the breeze swirling around him. In the next moment, his body shot upward, rushing to meet Yu Chihou.

The two collided mid-air, unleashing strikes simultaneously—the Ape Strike Technique against the Jiao Long Demon Bone Fist—smashing down from the skies to the ground.

The cries of apes and dragons erupted simultaneously, followed by a thunderous boom as Yu Chihou’s body was sent flying.

However, Yu Chihou rebounded in an instant, hurling himself forward once more. Retrieving a long staff from his back, he leapt again, spinning the staff in high-altitude movements. A terrifying oppressive force exploded forth, bearing down on Li Fan.

"Martial Intent."

Yu Chihou—he had comprehended Martial Intent.

The shadows of the staff danced as Yu Chihou swept down toward Li Fan. Meanwhile, Li Fan’s mana surged as golden threads shot out from his body, streaking toward the airborne Yu Chihou.

The golden threads moved swiftly, leaving Yu Chihou little room to dodge. Unable to avoid them, he was bound by the spell. His staff technique’s intent vanished instantly, and he roared, tearing the golden threads apart with brute force. Yet, his arms and staff remained entangled in the Thousand Silk Weave.

Li Fan appeared. The Jiao Long roared as his fist, imbued with surging energy, struck out. Yu Chihou’s body was hurled away, eventually crashing into the distance.

Landing, Li Fan stood upright. Yu Chihou rose to his feet, nodded toward Li Fan, and then retreated.

"Brother Xiao Fan is amazing." In the crowd, Xiao Qi’s eyes sparkled brightly.

"When did this happen? He didn’t even tell me. How infuriating!" Nearby, a young boy puffed his cheeks, feeling like Li Fan had tricked him.

"Why should he tell you?" Xiao Qi mocked.

"Because I’m his brother!" The boy argued confidently.

Xiao Qi rolled her eyes.

"Where’s your sword?"

As Li Fan secured two consecutive victories, a voice from the direction of Li Mountain’s main position rang out—it was the black-clad elder. His gaze was sharp and cold as he addressed Li Fan, "Has your master not taught you Sword Dao?"

He, once Li Mountain’s most talented sword cultivator, found it irreversible that his disciple would fight without a sword.

*Martial arts and magic?* *What nonsense was this?*

Li Fan turned his gaze toward the black-clad elder. In terms of seniority, he should call him "Martial Uncle."

This elder was named Wu Tong, the Old Blind Man’s junior disciple, a direct brother in apprenticeship.

*Although Li Fan wasn’t sure what had occurred between the brothers, Wu Tong had always disliked him.*

At the same time, Wu Tong was also the Peak Master of Wuya Peak—one of Li Mountain’s nine peaks.

"Ye Qinghuang, you’ve brought him to participate in Li Mountain’s sword trials for the sake of Sword Valley, haven’t you?" Wu Tong looked toward Ye Qinghuang’s direction and spoke loudly.

"Yes, Martial Uncle," Ye Qinghuang nodded. "Disciple Li Fan of Divine Brilliance Peak has come to take the sword trials and earn a place in Sword Valley."

Ye Qinghuang’s voice was light, yet her words carried unquestionable determination.

"Then let me see his sword," Wu Tong declared loudly. "Lin Zhao, let him see yours as well."

"Yes, Master."

From the crowd, a figure rose and walked toward the battlefield.

Lin Zhao, a disciple at the Late Stage of God Refining, was the most talented among Wuya Peak’s generation. Among all disciples taking Li Mountain’s sword trials, his strength ranked in the top ten.

"Defeat him and send him back to train properly," Wu Tong continued.

"Understood," Lin Zhao nodded. Gripping his sword, he looked at Li Fan and asked, "Where is your sword?"

Li Fan gave no reply.

"Please guide me," Lin Zhao said, raising his sword.

In the next instant, his blade shot forth, gleaming coldly as it seemed to sparkle with starlight, striking in one swift motion.

"So fast..." The thoughts ran through the minds of the crowd below as Li Fan’s figure instinctively retreated, accompanied by a breeze.

But moments later, Lin Zhao gripped his sword tightly, advancing like a flash of lightning with his strike aimed straight for Li Fan.

Li Fan shifted his body to move to the side, only to see Lin Zhao’s arm flicker. A storm of sword shadows enveloped the area, countless beams of sword light sealing off all his escape routes, shooting like cold stars.

A sword light flickered, and Li Fan’s figure retreated to the distance. Glancing down, he saw a tear across his clothing.

Li Fan lifted his gaze toward Lin Zhao. The latter’s arm swept to create a whirling storm of sword aura in front of him, with nine swords suspended in mid-air.

Turning his eyes to Ye Qinghuang, Li Fan saw her watching him with a gentle smile.

Li Fan returned her smile. Roaring energy surged within his body, his Jiao Long Martial Spirit swirling behind him. His pupils turned golden as sword aura emanated from him, stirring up a storm of sword energy, a radiant light flickering at his brow.

In the next instant, his form darted forward like an unsheathed blade.

Thunder exploded—lightning spells from the Heavenly Thunder Technique erupted as bolts of thunderous light rained down toward Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao’s palm struck out, unleashing his nine swords in a cascading burst like shooting stars. His body moved along with his sword, weaving through the thunderstorm.

A deafening dragon roar rang out as Li Fan raised his hand and struck toward the nine swords. The golden projection of the Jiao Long charged forward.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The nine swords clashed against the Jiao Long, spinning rapidly as they tore through everything in their path, penetrating the dragon’s projected form and continuing their deadly assault toward Li Fan. Lin Zhao leapt, his body seeming to merge with his sword, surging ahead like a piercing beam of sword light.

"My sword!"

Li Fan shouted to the air. Around him, sword aura materialized into sharp blades, ringing loudly. In an instant, the swords moved alongside the thunder, resembling countless bolts of lightning rushing to drown Lin Zhao.

At Lin Zhao’s brow, intense sword energy raged. His blade swung, conjuring a Sword Veil that surrounded his figure. The thunderous sword lights crashed upon the veil.

"Strike..." Lin Zhao’s eyes gleamed with brilliance, as his sword seed flared up like a star, shooting forth in a piercing beam.

"Strike," Li Fan said almost simultaneously. The flying sword at his own brow also shot forward. The two swords met in mid-air, clashing violently. Sharp sword cries echoed as their energy erupted, expanding outward with fearsome force.

"I have more swords!"

Li Fan bellowed, unleashing the fury he had accumulated over the years. More swords materialized in the sky, again surging alongside lightning. They crashed into Lin Zhao’s Sword Veil, each strike akin to a thunderous hammer blow.

Finally, the veil shattered and dissolved. Almost simultaneously, a resounding dragon roar breached the heavens. Li Fan surged forward, his golden Jiao Long moving with his sword and rushing toward Lin Zhao.

"Boom... Boom... Boom..." Swords and the raging Jiao Long smashed into Lin Zhao. He let out a muffled grunt as his sword seed retreated. His body was hurled backward, blood spewing from his mouth mid-air before he crashed to the ground.

"Bang!"

Li Fan landed not far from Lin Zhao, his body feeling slightly fatigued but his eyes still gleaming fiercely.

Drawing himself upright, Li Fan stood tall again, looking at Lin Zhao before shifting his focus toward the topmost position of Li Mountain.

"My sword exists," he declared.