Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 70 - 69 Swords and Tears

Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Swords and Tears

Li Mountain, Sword Valley.

Above the sky, streams of Sword Aura flowed downwards, settling within Sword Valley.

Ye Qinghuang suddenly raised her head, gazing at the sword light descending from the sky, her heart trembling in awe.

She turned her gaze toward the Sword Wall and saw overwhelming Sword Intent emanating from within, as if a Divine Sword was about to break through the wall.

"Xiao Fan!"

Ye Qinghuang murmured softly, and a radiant smile bloomed in her captivating eyes.

Xiao Fan had succeeded.

The teacher had said that once Xiao Fan obtained this sword, there would be no need to worry about his body anymore.

This sword would surely suppress the demon within Xiao Fan. Ye Qinghuang had gone to extremes, even falling out with Li Mountain, not because she hoped for great achievements from Li Fan.

*What she deeply longed for, within the depths of her heart, was simply for Xiao Fan to live well.*

The Sword Aura emanating from the Sword Wall grew increasingly intense, and every sword within Sword Valley emitted a resonant hum, clanging and echoing in unison, while the swords embedded in the wall seemed eager to break free and pierce the heavens.

Strands of Sword Aura drifted upwards into the sky, growing ever more powerful.

Inside the Sword Wall, Li Fan tightly gripped the sword in his hand. He could distinctly feel the power within the sword surging, as though ancient energies were awakening.

The sword was coming to life.

The Sword of the Great Tao above the sky could awaken the Divine Sword trapped within the wall. No wonder the sword insisted he go to any lengths to communicate with the Sword of the Great Tao.

This was the sword of the Li Mountain Sword Ancestor, who had once practiced the Observing the Nine Heavens Profound Sword Scripture and shared a connection with the ancient bloodline of the Divine Sword, sweeping through Da Li and establishing dominion over the world.

However, the Da Li forefather had turned retreat into advance, allowing him to ascend the throne. Li Fan knew this was no accident—the forefather clearly understood that the Sword Ancestor’s ambitions lay elsewhere and deliberately served the purpose of advancing himself to become emperor.

The Li Mountain Sword Ancestor understood his friend’s ambition and fulfilled it by retreating into seclusion, granting the "Li" name to the forefather and renaming his territory Li Mountain, while the forefather founded the Da Li Dynasty.

Now, the Da Li Dynasty had rotted from within.

They even sought to annihilate Li Mountain during its decline.

The current Emperor of Da Li surely knew this history.

This only confirmed Da Li’s perpetual desire to eradicate Li Mountain.

Li Mountain hung over Da Li’s head like a sword of Damocles. As long as this sword remained, Da Li could not rest easy.

Within the Sword Wall, the statues crumbled into pieces, transforming into Sword Intent and merging into the sword Li Fan held.

At this moment, Li Fan felt a bloodline connection with the sword in his hand. He saw visions outside the Sword Wall—the swords in Sword Valley, the strands of Sword Aura in Li Mountain, and the fierce battles raging throughout Li Mountain.

Gu Qingyang, Mo Yang, and Master Wu Tong were all fiercely holding their ground at Li Mountain Sword Peak, refusing to retreat, though many Sword Cultivators had already fallen.

"Rise, Sword."

Li Fan roared from within his heart. A burst of Sword Aura shot skyward. Every sword at Li Mountain, whether from the Sword Wall or Sword Valley, rang out loudly, piercing into the clouds.

At Li Mountain Sword Peak, Gu Qingyang and Wang Daoxuan were locked in a deadly clash. The scene at Li Mountain was dire—many had already fallen around them. Yet Gu Qingyang could not fall.

*As long as Li Mountain held a single sword, Li Mountain persisted.*

Wu Tong was also locked in intense combat. He was injured, with sword wounds scarring his body and blood staining his robes, yet he stood upright, resolute in battle, refusing to yield.

"As long as the sword remains, Li Mountain remains."

Mo Yang transformed into the Giant Sun Divine Sword, forming an immovable barrier to hold the front line.

Suddenly, a celestial blast of Sword Aura erupted. Every Sword Cultivator felt it. They turned, glancing back to see a beam of sword light piercing heavens from the peaks of Li Mountain, tearing into the sky and creating a sword-shaped cavity.

"What is that?" Wang Daoxuan’s gaze was sharp as a sword, fixated on the phenomenon.

Could it be the legendary sword of Li Mountain?

A sense of danger pricked at him.

The Da Li National Master Wei Song also looked in that direction, focusing his Divine Sense there. Yet his sense was instantly shredded by overwhelming Sword Aura at the storm’s eye.

His expression turned grim.

Gu Qingyang and Wu Tong likewise felt their hearts quaking violently at the sight.

The origin of the force was Sword Valley.

The Sword Valley disciples had likely already retreated.

Who could be there now?

Moreover, wielding such terrifying Sword Intent?

Could it be...?

Li Fan?

An idea burst into their minds, causing shockwaves in their hearts.

Had Li Fan succeeded?

Though they had tried to prevent Li Fan from entering Sword Valley, they had never seriously believed he could succeed. After all, in the thousand-year history of Li Mountain, no one had ever truly claimed that sword.

This included Wu Tong’s master, the Old Blind Man, and the countless chosen individuals before them.

Yet the scene before their eyes left but one possibility.

The boy had done it.

Li Mountain’s Sword Inquiry—he had defeated Jiang Tai’e and slain Chu Zili.

*And now, he had claimed the sword.*

"Li Mountain." Gu Qingyang raised his head, his gaze revealing a glimmer of hope. Extremes of prosperity give way to decline; extremes of decline give rise to prosperity.

*Today’s Li Mountain was the weakest it had been in a thousand years.*

*But now, Li Mountain had birthed the most exceptional youth in a millennium—a boy they had once dismissed, even nearly executed.*

*Even if they died here today, even if Li Mountain collapsed, they would have no regrets.*

*For one day, that boy would wield his sword and destroy this decayed dynasty.*

*Yet this hope could only remain hidden within their hearts. They would never let Da Li know that Li Fan had inherited the sword.*

Only a handful within Li Mountain knew that the Old Blind Man had chosen Li Fan as his successor.

"Activate the Sword Array!"

Gu Qingyang roared, his gaze fixed firmly on Wang Daoxuan. His aura surged, prepared to give everything to stop these forces from reaching Sword Valley.

Beams of sword light scattered across the sky. On Li Mountain Sword Peak, Sword Cultivators formed a Sword Aura barrier.

Wang Daoxuan pressed his palms together, and a colossal golden Divine Sword pushed forward. Heaven and earth trembled as the sword struck the great Sword Veil, causing it to quake.

At the same moment, powerful cultivators from all factions launched attacks from the skies. The Sword Aura barrier shook violently, some Sword Cultivators spitting blood but refusing to retreat.

"Kill!"

The forces of Da Li advanced together, organized into battle formations to assault the Sword Array. Li Mountain Sword Peak crumbled under the relentless attacks, and the Sword Array finally shattered after repeated blows. Many Sword Cultivators were left vomiting blood.

The armies pressed forward, but then they paused, sensing something above. They looked up to see countless swords shooting from the heavens, their piercing sounds echoing across the battlefield.

"Charge!" A thunderous shout rang out. The army counterattacked, but tens of thousands of swords descended upon them, cleaving through their ranks.

A rain of blood fell over Li Mountain.

"Boom..."

A devastating sword resonance erupted in the distance.

Wang Daoxuan looked over, seeing a sword suspended over Li Mountain, high above. Upon the sword sat a white-haired elder, radiating an aura like that of a Sword Immortal.

"Li Mountain Sword Master?" Wang Daoxuan’s expression turned aghast. Hadn’t the Sword Master passed away long ago? Why was he here?

"Master!"

Gu Qingyang was stunned at the sight. It couldn’t be possible.

Someone was activating the Sword Master’s sword.

The sword hovering over the heavens aimed towards them. Around it, thousands of sword shadows floated. The sky echoed with intense sword resonance, as though ready to obliterate this world—a sight that chilled the soul.

Sword light exploded, advancing relentlessly. The sky tore as a beam of brilliance descended.

Wang Daoxuan howled, his golden Divine Sword stabbing forward as he retreated swiftly.

The crowd saw the descending sword shatter the golden Divine Sword piece by piece. Wang Daoxuan screamed, "Retreat!"

He rapidly retreated.

"Buzz..."

Wang Daoxuan’s golden colossal sword crumbled mid-air as the descending blade pressed forward, continuing its destruction. In the distance, Wang Daoxuan’s cries of agony echoed.

At Li Mountain Village, a brutal battle raged on. Yet now they too noticed the sword light in the distance and heard Wang Daoxuan’s voice.

"What’s happening?" Xu Bin’s expression twisted with unease. What was going on?

Forces from all sides lifted their gazes to investigate and immediately sensed danger. Acting decisively, they began retreating, fleeing desperately toward the horizon.

The collapse of Li Mountain had been a widely accepted reality among the elites of Da Li. They had only dared to act in cohesion with the court and Da Li’s top factions under this assumption. But what if Li Mountain didn’t fall?

*Right now, if they didn’t flee, they’d likely perish here.*

*Even the top aristocratic families of Li Mountain bolted without a second thought at the sudden change in circumstances, vanishing faster than they had arrived.*

If the Li Mountain Sword Master had not perished, how could Wang Daoxuan withstand a single sword strike? What hope existed for the rest of them?

"Fall back!" Wei Song glanced toward the horizon, suspicion flashing briefly in his eyes over whether the Sword Master might still live. Yet there was no choice now—he too had to retreat.

This group of rabble.

In an instant, the grand army surrounding Li Mountain fled in mad chaos.

"Retreat?" In Li Mountain Village, Xu Bin watched the dispersing army. His expression shifted at the sight. He then waved his hand, signaling a retreat.

As his forces began to withdraw, however, terror suddenly coalesced above.

Xu Bin and those near him looked to the skies, their eyes filling with horror—an all-consuming storm approached.

"Buzz..."

Sword Intent descended abruptly. Xu Bin froze where he stood before collapsing, his wide eyes filled with despair and confusion.

*Why?* he wondered.

*Why did this Sword Intent hunt him, a mere "small figure," instead of targeting others?* After all, in the grand scheme today, his status as Prefect was indeed insignificant.

But Li Fan wanted him dead.

Within Sword Valley, Li Fan’s physical body merged with his consciousness. Holding the sword in his hand, he felt overwhelming exhaustion, teetering on the brink of collapse.

*It wasn’t that he didn’t want to pursue the fleeing forces; he simply lacked the strength. His Divine Sense had already been pushed to its limits.*

*This sword was merely the Li Mountain Sword Ancestor’s weapon. No matter how strong a Divine Sword might be, it required someone to wield it. He was not the Sword Ancestor.*

The setting sun cast its blood-red hues across Sword Valley.

Ye Qinghuang stood beside Li Fan, her robes fluttering in the breeze.

From afar, a figure approached Sword Valley—it was the Old Blind Man.

He stopped beside Li Fan. Li Fan turned to him, saying, "Master, I did it."

The Old Blind Man faced Li Fan and the sword, his expression solemn.

"The Da Li Dynasty is decayed; demons run rampant. Noble families and sects dance with demons, morality is shattered. The world needs a sword—to slay demons, to root out evil; to overturn and rebuild."

"Xiao Fan, wield the sword!"

"Yes, Master." Li Fan responded, before fainting from exhaustion.

Ye Qinghuang stepped forward as Li Fan collapsed into her embrace.

In Ye Qinghuang’s eyes, radiant like the stars, tears glimmered as they fell, landing gently on Li Fan’s cheeks.

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