Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 65: The Ultimate Showdown

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Ultimate Showdown

When Li Fan appeared at the center of the battlefield, the disciples of Li Mountain momentarily froze in astonishment.

Li Fan?

The Li Mountain disciples couldn’t believe their eyes. Lu Yuan had already been defeated—what was the point of Li Fan stepping forward?

During the Sword Inquiry at Li Mountain, Li Fan had displayed impressive strength. The disciples wouldn’t underestimate him completely, but still, he faced Jiang Taie, the prodigy of Lingxiao Pavilion.

The genius Sword Cultivator who filled them with despair.

*What could Li Fan accomplish by stepping forward, other than seeking defeat?*

Gu Qingyang revealed a trace of surprise. While the other disciples hadn’t noticed, he had caught Lu Yuan whispering something to Li Fan as she stepped down.

Lu Yuan trusted Li Fan?

*Could there really be a miracle awaiting Li Mountain?*

*No—it seemed far too unlikely.*

Many in the surrounding crowd even began openly discussing it, prompting a cold smirk from Chu Zili.

"Li Mountain is still unwilling to accept their fate?"

His eyes flashed with cruelty as he strode forward and said to Jiang Taie, "Leave it to me."

Wang Daoxuan did not stop him this time. He had seen the despair on Li Mountain’s faces when Lu Yuan had been defeated, and the boy stepping forward now seemed to inspire little trust.

Jiang Taie’s earlier battle had been more than enough.

*From here, it was a task suitable for Zili.*

Chu Zili walked toward Li Fan, Sword Intent coiled around him like a vengeful presence, along with the murderous intent that still stewed in his chest over being forced to retreat earlier.

"What are you doing? Step down," Wu Tong said sharply to Chu Zili before turning his reproachful gaze to Li Fan.

Li Fan turned to Wu Tong, and his eyes held an unexpected, genuine smile. He bowed respectfully and said, "Uncle-Master, this disciple would like to try."

*After glimpsing the memories of the Old Blind Man, Li Fan had come to understand Wu Tong.*

*Perhaps his resentment toward the Old Blind Man stemmed from the death of his master, whose final act of entering Da Li Imperial City to wield his sword had burned his candle to its end, leading to his demise at Li Mountain.*

*Surely, guilt weighed heavily on Wu Tong’s heart, a burden he could not let go.*

Wu Tong froze, caught off guard by the sincerity in the young man’s eyes, and silently sighed.

*Chu Zili would aim to kill Li Fan. He could feel the murderous intent radiating from him.*

"Are you confident?" Wu Tong’s tone softened, no longer carrying the sharpness of reproach. He looked at the young man as one regards their own family member.

"With a sword in hand, I fear nothing!" Li Fan declared.

Wu Tong was stunned, staring at Li Fan intently.

The words felt eerily familiar.

*Seeing the smile in the boy’s eyes, Wu Tong realized he must have met their master.*

*And in that moment, relief washed over him.*

"Go—you must show them your sword, Li Mountain’s sword," the elder bellowed, his eyes glimmering with a sense of release.

Seeing both Lu Yuan and Li Fan, he had come to understand.

*Hope hadn’t abandoned Li Mountain after all.*

Lin Zhao looked at his master with a hint of surprise. It was the first time he had ever seen his master smile, not even toward him.

*What had Li Fan done to bring about this change?*

"Yes, Uncle-Master," Li Fan bowed once more before turning to face Lingxiao Pavilion.

The disciples on Li Mountain didn’t understand what had transpired between the two, but Gu Qingyang had a faint inkling.

*Could a miracle truly happen?*

*The thousand-year glory of Li Mountain hanging by a single thread.*

As Li Fan turned, he felt Chu Zili’s killing intent looming over him. His opponent held his sword ready, the Sword Aura growing thicker and stronger.

Li Fan’s own sword pointed diagonally toward the ground, his demeanor serene as never before.

"Seeking death." Chu Zili suddenly accelerated, charging toward Li Fan like a storm. Murderous energy roared, and the Sword Aura around him formed a violent tempest, pulsing toward Li Fan with every chilling breeze.

Li Fan remained calm, slowly raising his arm.

The sword rose.

The wind rippled through his white robes, Sword Intent circling around him in harmony with the heavens—a state of true Unity of Heaven and Man.

*It was an elevated state of insight; once one comprehended it, many things became simpler.*

"Sss... sss..." Chu Zili closed in, the killing energy growing even stronger as the tempest around him reached a frenzied peak.

Buzz!

Chu Zili leaped into the air, merging with his sword until he became a single streak of light, shooting toward Li Fan at terrifying speed. He wholly integrated with his weapon, becoming one with it.

The Li Mountain disciples watched this unfold with mounting anxiety. Though Chu Zili had been forced to retreat from Lu Yuan earlier, his power was undeniable—such a stunning strike was something none of them could have defended against.

Li Fan didn’t defend—he hadn’t even considered it.

Sword Cultivators, do not retreat.

His body leaned forward, a breathtaking Sword Intent emanating around him. Memories of Jian Yi’s Sword Dao surged into his mind.

One sword—he would unleash only one strike. Life or death was the outcome.

The next moment, Li Fan moved with his sword, swift as lightning.

"Watch out!" Wang Daoxuan suddenly sensed something was amiss and cried out.

Li Fan struck—the sword light blazed, blood flying through the air.

The sword fell, and only then could the spectators hear the sound of its cry.

"Pchzz..."

Chu Zili’s body continued lunging forward, the two figures barely brushing past each other before coming to a halt in their positions.

Time felt eerily frozen as every eye locked onto the center of the battlefield.

Blood began dripping, staining the ground beneath Chu Zili, accumulating more and more with each drop. His eyes clouded over in disbelief before ultimately turning to a look of fear.

"No..." He tried to speak aloud but couldn’t form the words. In the next instant, his body collapsed, falling with resonating force. His clothes were shredded, his body riddled with sword wounds, and only now did the Sword Intent fully erupt.

One sword.

Chu Zili, dead!

The winds atop the Peak of Li Mountain seemed to grow stronger. The entire mountain fell into a deafening silence, pulsing with tension so thick one could hear the echo of heartbeats.

The man who had spread despair, killed, and gravely wounded several disciples of Li Mountain was slain by Li Fan in a single strike—just one strike.

A realization began to dawn among the disciples, gazing at Li Fan’s white-clad figure, their blood stirring as if awakened.

"Zili."

Jiang Taie’s gaze fell upon Chu Zili’s lifeless body. He took a step forward but was overtaken by Pei Jing, who knelt down to examine Chu Zili’s condition. Turning back, Pei Jing shook his head at Wang Daoxuan.

Wang Daoxuan’s expression darkened noticeably as he stared daggers at Li Fan.

*Chu Zili may not have been Jiang Taie’s equal, but he was the most outstanding young genius in Lingxiao Pavilion besides Jiang Taie; moreover, he belonged to the Chu Family. And now, Li Fan had killed him outright.*

Above the battlefield, several figures stepped forward. Their auras radiated an oppressive energy as Gu Qingyang’s gaze swept over them. Those families appeared to be intervening.

At some point, Wu Tong had positioned himself at Li Fan’s side, standing tall and formidable like a sword.

"Uncle-Master," Li Fan called out, and Wu Tong acknowledged with a nod.

"Lingxiao Pavilion, shall you yet inquire of the sword or withdraw?" Mo Yang took a step forward, facing the group across from them.

The disciples of Li Mountain had suffered losses of their own.

Li Mountain had abided by the rules of the Sword Inquiry.

With Chu Zili dead, was Lingxiao Pavilion now breaking those rules?

"Stand down."

Wang Daoxuan’s voice cut sharp and cold, brooking no argument.

Pei Jing carried Chu Zili’s body away, his gaze briefly brushing past Li Fan, and the individuals who had appeared moments prior retreated to their places as well.

The other sects and forces, lingering outside Lingxiao Pavilion’s circle, watched with vested interest. Who could’ve guessed that at Li Mountain’s moment of despair, yet another youth would emerge—a single sword ending Chu Zili’s life.

This meant that the Sword Inquiry between the two great sword sects had not yet reached its conclusion.

Jiang Taie stepped forward to face Li Fan, eyes flaring with wrath as they settled on him.

"Zili may have been proud and stubborn, but you shouldn’t have killed him," Jiang Taie stated.

"And should I have allowed him to kill the disciples of Li Mountain instead?" Li Fan countered.

Jiang Taie’s gaze hardened as Sword Aura surged.

"Lingxiao Pavilion, Jiang Taie."

"Li Mountain, Li Fan."

"Let’s spar."

"Let’s spar!"

The two spoke in unison, their Sword Intent radiating wildly.

Jiang Taie waved his hand, unleashing a rush of Sword Aura as dazzling golden divine light shone. Above him, the radiant golden light of the Sword Ring appeared once more, exuding terrifying Sword Intent.

Li Fan stood quietly, entering a state of selflessness, as Sword Energy swirled. Above him, nine swords hovered in the air.

From Jiang Taie’s Sword Ring, golden divine light blazed forth, followed by the wrathful slash of a golden sword headed straight for Li Fan.

In almost the exact instant, a striking blade shot down from above Li Fan.

"Boom..."

The two swords collided midair, neither yielding, while the Sword Intent around the two combatants grew ever fiercer.

Moments later, golden divine swords emerged one after the other from Jiang Taie’s Sword Ring, each leaving a dazzling golden trail in the sky.

Li Fan’s nine swords danced furiously in response, traversing the air in chaotic elegance as Sword Aura surged between them.

"Sword Sect of Ten Thousand Blades."

Jiang Taie’s consciousness stirred, unleashing a cascade of golden light as though countless golden divine swords were attacking at once, blotting out the sky.

But Li Fan’s nine swords soared through the air at terrifying speeds, crisscrossing to form a prison-like Sword Dao cage, locking the boundless golden light outside.

"Li Hen’s Nine Swords."

Gu Qingyang whispered, "At such a young age, to achieve mastery of the Sword Dao behind Li Hen’s Nine Swords—no other disciple of Li Mountain could possibly match him."

From Jiang Taie’s Sword Ring emerged a colossal golden sword, its Sword Aura roaring thunderously as it cleaved through the air toward Li Fan, aiming to destroy everything in its path.

This was the very sword that had defeated Lu Yuan earlier.

Li Fan’s feet pressed against the ground as he advanced, the breeze flowing around him like a protective veil. His body shot forward like lightning, stirring waves of emotion among the disciples of Li Mountain—Li Fan wasn’t defending.

Instead, he was attacking.

Mana surged within Li Fan, his Sword Aura and Mana melding seamlessly. As the golden sword bore down on him, he slipped sideways with movements as swift as the wind, dodging narrowly while forging ahead toward Jiang Taie.

Li Fan moved with blinding speed, his Sword Intent rising in waves. Seeing him approach, Jiang Taie formed a sword technique, summoning a torrent of golden divine light that cascaded toward the advancing Li Fan.

From Li Fan’s body came a resonant dragon’s cry, golden light flared, and the shadow of a Jiao Long Martial Spirit appeared. The immense dragon phantom shielded him, absorbing the terrifying divine energy descending upon him. Li Fan, now a top-tier Grandmaster in Martial Arts, possessed incredible vitality and resilience, and with the Martial Spirit’s defense, his protective strength was unparalleled.

Their bodies drew closer once more. Li Fan slashed his sword, rendering a luminous strike in the air, cutting through space like a golden bolt of lightning—a repeat of his earlier move that had killed Chu Zili.

One Character Slash!

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