C16 Ninesoul Sword Spell

Eighteen moves!

Eighteen consecutive moves, and he couldn't even graze Bai Yeh's side!

Onlookers were struck dumb with amazement.

"Ah!!!!!" Mo Qinghong charged forward in a frenzy, desperate to keep up the assault.

"The time has come to end this!"

Bai Yeh's gaze was icy as he suddenly rested his hand on his waist.

In that instant, his presence transformed.

Sword!

Yes, in that moment, he embodied a sword, a sword yearning to shatter the heavens and earth, a sword straining against its scabbard!

His eyes blazed with an intense sharpness!

His formidable aura swept over the Dragon Tiger Platform like a deluge.

"He's drawing his sword!"

Spectators gasped in shock.

A spasm of fear gripped Mo Qinghong's heart as he braced his spear defensively. But in that moment, his limbs felt as if they were weighed down with lead, his breathing labored and constricted, as though some unseen force held him back.

Then, in a flash like lightning, a chilling gleam streaked before his eyes, and a frosty chill enveloped the arena.

Bai Yeh's palm flickered, and in the next clear moment, he was gripping a sword single-handedly, its blade pointing skyward, a ribbon of blood trailing down its icy edge.

The movements of drawing and swinging the sword were too swift for the eye to catch.

Fast!

Incredibly fast!

It surpassed the speed of lightning!

He had unsheathed his sword before Mo Qinghong could even mount a defense.

Mo Qinghong stumbled back, his eyes bulging. Clenching his teeth, he was about to launch another attack when his spear slipped from his grasp. A sudden tightness at his throat was followed by a crimson line, from which blood surged forth.

Clutching at his neck, his mouth agape, he struggled briefly before collapsing thunderously to the ground.

Mo Qinghong! Dead!

His demise served as a grim proclamation of defeat to all.

The crowd on the Dragon Tiger Platform watched in stunned silence.

This was the tenth-ranked master of the Tiger Dragon Ranking!

Defeated just like that?

Dead just like that? Without a hint of mercy!

Bai Yeh strolled away, as composed as if he'd been for a casual walk, his breathing steady. Had victory ever come so effortlessly?

Bai Zhixin stood frozen in the crowd, her face the color of death, eyes wide with shock.

She had pinned her hopes on Mo Qinghong to teach Bai Yeh a lesson, to exact revenge for her father and to assert herself as the preeminent genius of the Bai family. But her plans had crumbled to dust. Mo Qinghong was now nothing but a lifeless body, and Bai Yeh had been indifferent to her from start to finish.

Bai Yeh had never even given her a second glance!

The man she had once overlooked now stood tall and formidable.

A hush had fallen over the onlookers, many still struggling to process the swift and decisive blow they had just witnessed.

Was this newcomer the same disciple who had just joined their ranks?

Was this the same man who had bested Lo City's prodigy, Ye Qian?

"Interesting! Bai Yeh may match Mo Qinghong in strength, but he excels in the mental game, adept at pinpointing an opponent's weaknesses and exploiting them," Lin Zhengshu mused with a smirk among the crowd. "He rattled Mo Qinghong with his words, unsettling him before leveraging his own strengths for a lethal finish. Fascinating!"

After removing Mo Qinghong's Storage Ring, Bai Yeh leapt from the Dragon Tiger Platform. His presence was so commanding that the surrounding crowd recoiled, especially those who had earlier scoffed at him; they were now cowering on the ground.

With a contemptuous huff, Bai Yeh strode away down the path, and only after he had disappeared did the crowd erupt into excited chatter.

"Is that the Bai Yeh who defeated Ye Qian?"

"He's now claimed the lives of two fellow sect members."

"By defeating Mo Qinghong, he's ascended to the tenth spot on the Tiger Dragon Ranking!"

No one would underestimate him again.

From a distant mountaintop, two silhouettes gazed down at the scene.

"Sect Master, is this truly acceptable? Why must our own brethren engage in such deadly conflict?" Gu Cao asked, a note of distress in his voice.

"Members of the same sect should indeed coexist peacefully, and the Soul Finishing Sect shouldn't be rife with brutality," the Sect Master replied with a sigh. "But from the moment I took up the mantle of Sect Master, I knew our sect wouldn't know peace. If they don't adapt to the survival of the fittest early on, they'll only end up harming themselves in the end."

"Sect Master, is there a hidden meaning in your words?"

"Don't pry any further." The Sect Master turned to leave.

Gu Cao bowed with his fists clasped: "What about Bai Yeh... Is he being groomed for something special?"

"There's no need. His path is his own to forge."

...

The news of Mo Qinghong's defeat at the hands of Bai Yeh, culminating in a tragic death on the Dragon Tiger Platform, rippled through the Soul Finishing Sect. Bai Yeh's fame echoed once more within the sect's walls and even stirred interest beyond them.

In just a matter of months, this man had become a celebrated figure in both Lo City and the Soul Finishing Sect, his reputation soaring as high as the midday sun.

Yet, Bai Yeh remained indifferent to his growing fame.

Each day, after his meditation and training, he would visit the Wooden Man Room alone to exchange for 'Magic Soul Pills'. His presence was now unquestioned; no one dared to obstruct his path, not even other contenders from the Tiger Dragon Ranking who might be training there.

The precedents set by the top ten masters of the Tiger Dragon Ranking had been utterly dismantled by him.

Having exchanged for over a hundred 'Magic Soul Pills', he made his way to the library.

The books on the first floor no longer piqued his interest; he was intent on reaching the second floor.

"To access the second floor, one must pass a test. Those lacking in strength shall not proceed."

As Bai Yeh approached the staircase to the second floor, an elderly man lounging in a chair called out.

Bai Yeh bowed respectfully: "May I inquire about the nature of this test, Elder?"

"There." The old man gestured towards a stone tablet by the stairs. "Test your strength against it. The tablet will emit different colored halos depending on the force of the impact. Gray signifies failure, green is satisfactory, blue is commendable, and purple is outstanding. Pass, and you may ascend."

Hearing this, Bai Yeh examined the tablet—an unremarkable slab etched with numerous lines.

"I'll give it a try."

He stepped up to the stone tablet and inhaled deeply.

The first-floor disciples watched with anticipation.

"Isn't that Bai Yeh?"

"The same Bai Yeh who took down Mo Qinghong?"

"Hehe, he thinks he can make it to the second floor? Ridiculous. Plenty of the Inner Sect's senior brothers haven't even qualified yet."

"Let's just wait for the punchline."

Murmurs spread among the crowd.

But in that moment, a ferocious soul force erupted from Bai Yeh.

Everyone was jolted awake.

Bang!

A muffled sound echoed from the first floor.

The dozing elder cracked open his eyes to see the stone tablet at the stairway glowing with a faint green light. It was a pale green, but green nonetheless.

Onlookers stood agape.

"Elder, please verify," Bai Yeh said, catching his breath. He had expended a great deal of soul power and Barbarian Power just to coax out that slight halo; the tablet's resilience was truly remarkable.

"You've passed. Proceed," the elder stated flatly.

Bai Yeh nodded and ascended the stairs.

"Remember, each disciple of the Soul Finishing Sect has only two opportunities to access the second floor. Cherish them. The secret texts up there were brought by the Sect Master himself. Some are quite exceptional." The elder spoke once more, and with the end of his words, he closed his eyes as if drifting back to sleep.

The Sect Master brought them to the Soul Finishing Sect personally? What did that mean? Where had they come from?

Bai Yeh pondered briefly, then bowed to the elder before jogging upstairs.

Originally, five enchantments blocked the stairway, but they dissipated as Bai Yeh neared. Without passing the stone tablet's test, the enchantments would have been an insurmountable barrier.

The second floor was deserted. Given that each person had only two chances, as the elder had said, the opportunity was indeed precious.

"Good thing I'm early. There's still plenty of time before the library closes."

Bai Yeh murmured to himself and began browsing the bookshelves.

Cultivation techniques were categorized by grade. The "Swan Shocking Step Arts" and "Flashing Sword Spell" he had learned before were deemed the lowest, Mortal Grade, because they didn't harness soul power. The "Nine Frost Divine Fist" taught by the Bai family was Elemental Grade, which did involve soul power. As for the grade of "Indestructible Vajra," Bai Yeh was unsure, but it certainly wasn't Elemental. Maybe it was Universe or even Celestial Grade. Techniques of the Celestial Grade could draw the focused attention of soul cultivators; their emergence would inevitably lead to turmoil and bloodshed, far beyond the reach of the average person.

Books were not for taking, and biting off more than one could chew was never wise. Bai Yeh had scoured the place, only to be astounded to discover that the majority of the cultivation methods here started at the Elemental Grade, with a plethora of them at the Celestial Grade, and there were even two of the elusive Langya Grade. However, those were external fist techniques—immensely powerful, but requiring a practitioner of exceedingly high cultivation to master.

"Hmm?" Bai Yeh's attention was drawn to a slender sword manual tucked away in a corner. The manual was ancient, its characters faded and stained with splotches of blood, which piqued Bai Yeh's interest.

"Nine-soul Sword Spell?" He opened the manual to find it contained only three sword techniques and a meditation on the Heavenly Soul. The content was sparse, yet it held a depth that captivated Bai Yeh as he read with intent focus.

"Channel soul power into the blade, let the sword embody the soul, become one with the Sword Soul. With a grasp of the soul sword, you can wipe out legions; once the Sword Soul is mastered, you can defy the heavens." Bai Yeh murmured the words, his blood surging with excitement. "Such unbridled power. Sword Soul, soul sword, to wield the soul of the heavens as a blade? This is unheard of."

He continued to pore over the manual, utterly engrossed.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

"You're interested in this sword technique?" An aged voice suddenly broke the silence behind Bai Yeh.

Startled, he spun around to see an elderly man who had been resting, now standing there.

"Senior, when did you arrive?" Bai Yeh asked, surprised.

"The pavilion is closing," the old man stated simply.

"Already?" Bai Yeh couldn't hide his astonishment.

The old man didn't reply but pressed on, "Have you chosen this technique?"

"Is there a problem with it?"

"No problem at all. But if you wish to learn it, you'll need to dedicate yourself. Practiced poorly, it's merely a personal technique."

"And if practiced well?" Bai Yeh inquired.

"Practiced well?" The old man paused, shook his head, and offered no answer. Instead, he gestured dismissively, "Time to leave. I need to clean up."

"Senior, didn't you mention that each disciple gets two chances? I'd like to use my remaining opportunity to extend my reading time tonight. Would that be permissible?" Bai Yeh inquired earnestly, utterly captivated by the sword manual he held; the thought of leaving it unfinished was maddeningly unbearable.

"Why spend so much time on such a slim volume? An average person could commit it to memory in less than two hours," the elder remarked, puzzled by Bai Yeh's dedication.

With a smile, Bai Yeh flipped open the manual, gesturing towards the indistinct figures sketched within. "The text's meaning can be committed to memory and pondered at leisure, but to truly grasp the essence of these illustrations, one must study the original work closely," he explained.

The elder nodded, falling into a contemplative silence before suddenly inquiring, "Young man, have you ever heard of the Heavenly Soul Mutation?"

"Heavenly Soul Mutation?" Bai Yeh paused, reflecting, then replied, "I've heard whispers of it, though its truth remains uncertain to me. Legend has it that a mutated Heavenly Soul grows vastly more powerful, unlocking the deeper mysteries of soul power!"

"It's understandable that you're not familiar with it, given the limited scope of your experience. But I assure you, the Heavenly Soul Mutation is real. You may use your final chance to delve further into this tome. How much you learn is up to you," the elder imparted before departing.

Though Bai Yeh's mind was clouded with doubts, he quickly expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Senior," with a respectful bow.

Left undisturbed, Bai Yeh plunged back into the depths of the Nine-soul Sword Spell. "So that's why the senior brought up the Heavenly Soul Mutation. This manual harbors the secret to inducing such a transformation. Without it, one cannot grasp the profound mysteries of soul power, and the true might of the Nine-soul Sword Spell would remain beyond reach."

Settling into a meditative posture, Bai Yeh closed his eyes and focused. As he attempted to enact the sword technique's instructions, the Taotie Heavenly Soul perched upon the sixth celestial layer stirred to life, unleashing a roar that echoed through the heavens. The key to triggering the mutation of the Heavenly Soul lay in the reconstruction of the Soul Mansion.

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