Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 89 - 88 Ambush Kill

Chapter 89: Chapter 88 Ambush Kill

After resolving the matter with the Cui family, Li Fan finally relaxed a bit.

In Lin’an County, Li Hongyi had accompanied him through life-and-death situations. He had promised to help her find her mother, and now, he had fulfilled that promise. Moreover, Miss Li had found a good place to settle—she was now the heiress of the Cui family. From here on, her life was bound to change significantly.

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, and its rays bathed the streets as Li Fan rode his horse through the bustling town.

The streets in Chuzhou City were wide, lined with colorful and lively storefronts, teeming with vibrant energy.

Li Fan rode through the streets, returning to the inn where he had been staying.

Around the inn, there were plenty of other taverns and inns as well. The area was crowded with a mix of people, some honorable and some shady.

Han Zong and Situ Chan rode their horses toward the inn, intending to bid farewell to Li Fan.

The other day, when Li Fan had accompanied Li Hongyi to the Cui family, they hadn’t followed. Their strength and status were weak, making it impossible to provide any help. Besides, Li Fan, as a Li Mountain disciple, could afford to confront the Cui family, but they couldn’t. If the Cui family sought retribution after the fact, they wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.

"Brother Xiao Fan has been at the Cui family for several days now. I reckon everything’s been handled; the Cui family probably wouldn’t dare cause him trouble," Han Zong said to Situ Chan. Though they didn’t know the specific details of what had transpired within the Cui household, they had no doubt about the weight of a Li Mountain disciple’s identity.

What’s more, Brother Xiao Fan didn’t appear to be an ordinary disciple. To them, Li Fan was like a young Sword Immortal, destined to become a Great Sword Cultivator someday.

To have crossed paths with him was a privilege; it would certainly be something worth boasting about while roaming the Jianghu in the days to come.

"I’ve heard rumors recently about disturbances outside the city—demon monsters appearing in the vicinity. Third Sister, why don’t we try our luck?" Han Zong continued. They were here to bid Li Fan farewell, but if he wasn’t around, they’d let Miss Liu Ji know instead.

"Big Brother, do you think this wandering lifestyle has any end to it?" Situ Chan asked with a bit of frustration. As a woman, she ultimately yearned for stability.

Han Zong glanced at Situ Chan and said, "Third Sister, once we save up enough resources to help you break through to the Refining God Realm, and when you step into the Soul Emergence Realm, you’ll have enough capital. By then, find yourself an outstanding man, and you won’t have to suffer alongside me anymore."

"That won’t do. I’d rather keep roaming with you, Big Brother," Situ Chan replied, looking at Han Zong.

"Following me around, what future do you see in that? You could end up dead at the hands of demons any day. Don’t you see it, observing Brother Xiao Fan—don’t you realize how vast the world is, and how many exceptional men there are? Aren’t you tempted to find a good husband?" Han Zong said with a laugh.

Situ Chan shot him a wistful glance. While her elder brother was generous and straightforward, he could be terribly dense in certain matters.

"Alright, alright. I’ll find one soon enough, and by then, you can roam on your own," Situ Chan said bitterly.

"If you do find someone, I’d be happy for you," Han Zong replied. But at that thought, an inexplicable sense of melancholy arose deep within him. After being through life-and-death situations together, how could he possibly have no emotional attachment?

"Brother Han, Sister Chan."

A voice called out from afar—it was Li Fan. Han Zong and Situ Chan turned to look, spotting the young man riding a horse with a sword on his back.

Both their faces lit up with smiles. Every time they saw Li Fan, it was like glimpsing their dream selves: traveling the world with a sword on their back, slaying demons, living freely.

A Li Mountain disciple, a gifted Sword Cultivator, righteous and bold, yet willing to associate with wandering Jianghu folk like them—Li Fan was, in their eyes, the epitome of perfection.

"Brother Xiao Fan!" Han Zong called out with a hearty laugh.

But just then, Li Fan suddenly stopped, and his mount began to uneasily fidget.

Out of the blue, a powerful killing intent locked onto him.

Han Zong and Situ Chan seemed to sense something amiss at the same time. Their expressions changed drastically, and they shouted, "Watch out!"

*Boom.*

A beam of blinding golden light shot forth, splitting the air with an explosion that echoed like a thunderclap.

It was an arrow that cut through the air like a rainbow piercing the sun, a golden streak aimed directly at Li Fan’s head for a fatal blow.

Instantly, Li Fan’s intent shifted, and Sword Intent swirled around him, an invisible force bearing down on the incoming golden streak. A faint breeze seemed to envelop his body, lifting him and retreating backward.

The arrow was momentarily halted by an invisible telekinetic force before falling. However, with a chilling hiss and a spray of blood, Li Fan’s mount was pierced through and killed instantly.

Li Fan drifted backward, but almost simultaneously, three beams of golden light bolted toward him from different directions, sealing off every avenue of escape.

Han Zong and Situ Chan froze in horror. The unexpected ambush left them completely stunned, unable to react. All they could do was watch helplessly as the three golden streaks came for Li Fan.

The beams were too fast, and in mid-air, Li Fan seemingly had no way to dodge.

In that instant, Li Fan entered the Unity of Heaven and Man state, with his Divine Sense sharply tracking the trajectories of the three arrows.

With a shift of intent, the Sword Aura surged around him like a tidal wave, submerging the three incoming arrows.

Yet, the golden beams shattered through the Sword Aura defense, continuing downward. In the fleeting moment, Li Fan’s body moved with the wind once more, causing the arrows to miss their mark as they struck the ground below. The stone-covered street exploded, sending fragments flying.

Li Fan landed firmly on the ground.

This all happened in the blink of an eye. Han Zong and Situ Chan finally exhaled in relief upon witnessing it, but Li Fan remained tense.

It wasn’t just one source of murderous intent—multiple sources were targeting him simultaneously.

Moreover, their cultivation was higher than his.

Who was ambushing him here?

The Chen family?

Or that Vice Commander Sun?

At this moment, it seemed likely that Yin Qing had gone to report the information; otherwise, Chuzhou City is too vast for anyone to know he was here so soon.

Still, he was curious—what force wanted to be the first to strike?

Above him, radiant light descended, and a powerful surge of Qi and blood poured down on him. Li Fan glanced upward at the light and felt the presence of an opponent with his Divine Sense.

A Fourth-Realm Martial Arts Practitioner, a Heavenly Gang Realm cultivator.

A crushing Martial Intent descended—accompanied by a massive palm imprint that blotted out the sun, leaving Li Fan standing in its shadow as oppressive winds pushed down.

Han Zong and Situ Chan, having just relaxed, felt despair wash over them again upon witnessing the scene. A Fourth-Realm cultivator ambushing Li Fan made them feel as if they’d stopped breathing, their hearts pounding with dread.

From behind Li Fan, three swords unsheathed simultaneously, shooting upward in a direct line to intercept the enormous palm imprint.

Accompanied by deafening explosions, the palm imprint continued pressing downward against the sharp swords. Below, Li Fan erupted in towering Sword Intent, his Sword Aura cascading upward. Light burst forth from the center of his brow, where the Sword Seed shot forward, rapidly expanding into a giant sword inscribed with runes, exuding terrifying power.

"Bang!" The massive sword clashed against the palm imprint, causing cracks to appear. Li Fan’s Divine Soul resonated with the impact, as Sword Cultivators rarely used their Sword Seeds directly due to their connection to the Divine Soul.

From the direction of the inn, a figure clad in a flowing green dress shot straight into the air.

A Heavenly Gang Realm Martial Artist raised his hand to strike forward, meeting the incoming figure head-on. The collision resulted in a surge of force that swept through the surroundings, pushing the Martial Artist back.

The figure was a woman—it was Liu Ji.

Killing intent flickered in Liu Ji’s eyes as her elegant form moved toward her opponent. With a demon cultivator’s robust body, nurtured by Yu Qing’s father using Demon Core energy, Liu Ji’s resilience had enabled her to survive overwhelming assaults during past critical battles in Lin’an County.

The Sword Seed flew back into Li Fan’s brow, while the three suspended swords remained hovering.

"Watch out!" Han Zong shouted, as a golden arrow burst toward Li Fan again. At the same time, from another direction, a figure wielding a long spear charged at incredible speed, aiming straight for Li Fan.

Li Fan shifted his intent, and the Li Hen Sword divided into nine, sweeping out to intercept the arrow as he simultaneously grasped his master’s sword. Sword Aura surged around him, and he entered the Realm of Sword Dao Celestial, where every movement fell under his perception.

The charging long spear emitted a sharp whistle, its tip radiating destructive energy intent on a fatal blow.

As the spearhead closed in on Li Fan, he suddenly moved and drew his sword.

Like a single stroke, his sword swept out and transformed into light.

A head shot upward, a fountain of blood spraying forth. The headless body continued wielding the spear toward Li Fan. He darted aside, and the corpse collided with the nearby inn before falling to the ground.

Li Fan glanced in another direction, spotting a figure atop a tavern wielding a bow.

His eyes glinted with killing intent. The Li Hen Sword roared forward in rage, and he launched his body toward the figure, moving at lightning speed.

The bowman’s expression changed. How had the arrows failed to kill him?

Who was this man?

The bowman rapidly fired arrows to block the soaring Li Hen Sword, but the nine-sword formation altered its path, attacking from different angles. The bowman couldn’t find an opening.

With a shift of intent, a Dharma Form appeared—a golden bow hovering above him, its string pulsating. Golden arrows radiated outward, deflecting the attacking Li Hen Sword.

But then, a figure appeared behind the nine swords, surrounded by swirling sword light, seemingly fused with the Sword Intent.

*Rip.*

A beam of sword light gleamed, and the bowman looked down at himself, overwhelmed by terror.

There his body was—incomplete. His head soared through the air.

Li Fan landed on the tavern roof, eyed the lifeless corpse falling below, then turned to Liu Ji’s skirmish in the distance and said, "Take one alive."

He was curious to know who had sent assassins to kill him.

Han Zong and Situ Chan, standing outside the inn, finally loosened their taut nerves, shaken by the astonishing danger. A Fourth-Realm cultivator and two Third-Realm cultivators working together had still failed to kill Li Fan.

Though they already knew Li Fan possessed extraordinary talent, it was still difficult to fathom that someone so young and only at the Early Stage Nascent Soul Realm could display such unmatched martial prowess.

"Brother Xiao Fan, are you alright?" Han Zong and Situ Chan approached, still startled as if their hearts hadn’t calmed from the fright.

"Brother Han, Sister Chan, don’t worry—it’s nothing," Li Fan replied nonchalantly.

His gaze shifted toward Liu Ji’s ongoing battle.

Clearly, someone in Chuzhou City had discovered his arrival.

But.

Who dared to step up and take the first shot?