After You Tianhong arrived, he walked right up to Ocean View Plateau and sat cross-legged on an ancient boulder.

The rock resembled a crouching tiger, while You Tianhong resembled a sharp sword. The morning light poured in through the clouds, shrouding his seated figure in rosy mists. He looked like a peerless sword immortal, and all eyes were instantly upon him.

“What about Su Yi? Why is it that he still hasn’t made an appearance even now?” someone could help but ask. Numerous people looked around, seemingly trying to find Su Yi in the crowd. However, he was nowhere to be found. “Showing up late? Isn’t he putting on too many airs?”

A Grandmaster couldn’t help but mutter. “Or maybe he’s chickened out. Perhaps he dares not come at all!”

Up on the crouching tiger-shaped rock, You Tianhong’s eyes flashed like lightning as he glared at the Grandmaster who’d just spoken. “This is a foe worthy of dueling me, You Tianhong. It’s not your place to disparage him. Scram!”

Every word was like a sword emanating shocking killing intent. As You Tianhong’s voice echoed through the air, it was as if the Grandmaster had been struck by lightning. He was sent flying back, like a kite with its strings cut, and he landed several hundred feet away.

The entire venue fell silent. The onlookers couldn’t help but feel stunned.

Even Hong Shenshang, Lonely River, and Shi Fengliu had strange looks on their faces. It might have seemed that You Tianhong attacked to punish the man who insulted Su Yi, but in truth, he was protecting his own prestige.

The atmosphere throughout the plateau was instantly silent and oppressive. Those present were all prominent and illustrious figures, but now, they no longer dared talk freely among themselves.

Time slipped by. Just as the crowd was starting to get impatient, they heard an excited voice from further down the mountain. “He’s here! Su Yi is here!”

Boom!

The oppressive atmosphere instantly heated up, like a pot boiling over. All gazes turned to look.

They were greeted by the sight of a tall, lean young man in blue. He was walking toward them, his steps leisurely and unhurried, as if he were out for a stroll.

“That’s Su Yi? The one who cut down Li Changning?” Most of the prominent figures present were seeing Su Yi for the first time. When they saw just how young he was, they couldn’t help but feel startled.

Shi Fengliu’s gaze was cold. Just a few days ago, after their clash on the Qinglan River, he’d been forced to flee in disgrace. His reputation suffered enormous damage as a result, all because of Su Yi!

As for Hong Shenshang, Lonely River, Yun Zhongqi, and the other top experts, all of them remained calm. Still, as they watched Su Yi slowly draw closer, each had their own thoughts.

Su Yi naturally wouldn’t concern himself with their gazes.

This morning, he woke and, just as he always did, washed, cultivated, and ate before finally boarding the carriage Fang Yuan had booked for him and arriving at the foot of Nine Millet Mountain.

In other words, while others might see this morning’s duel as an unprecedented and grand occasion, an event the entire nation was watching, and a battle sure to enter the annals of history, to Su Yi, today was just another ordinary day. 

What did surprise Su Yi was that, on the way, he saw several familiar faces—the Mountain-Subduing King Mu Xi, Grand Elder Pu Yi of Starcliff Academy, and Kongtong Academy’s Jiang Tanyun and Lu Zhangfeng.

Mu Xi told him via transmission that Ning Sihua had already stepped into the Origin Dao and become an Earthly Immortal, but that she’d stayed behind to protect Heaven’s Origin Academy. This way, Su Yi needn’t fear for Wen Lingxue or Cha Jin’s safety. 

This was naturally wonderful news.

Shortly before reaching the plateau, the stunning beauty standing beneath a cliffside pine drew Su Yi’s attention. She was dressed in white with an ancient sword on her back, as if she’d walked out of a painting!

She’s here? Even Su Yi was a bit surprised.

Then, Yue Shichan’s clear voice resounded in his ears, like the gentle burbling of spring water.  “Fellow Daoist, I once wandered the Great Qin, and I have some understanding of You Tianhong’s strength. He bears the inheritance of an ancient orthodoxy, and his accumulated foundations are extremely terrifying. After eight years of seclusion, he’s only one step away from breaking into the Origin Palace Realm! In other words, it’s entirely possible that he could break through at any time.

“Furthermore, his ancient sword, Silversnow, has impressive origins as well. You must be careful.”

This was a well-intentioned warning.

“Many thanks for your guidance, but a paltry little You Tianhong is unworthy of my notice,” Su Yi transmitted back.

Yue Shichan was stunned. A ‘paltry little You Tianhong’? In the Great Qin, he’s the mightiest sword cultivator of his era, but Su Yi doesn’t take him the least bit seriously…

By now, Su Yi had already reached Ocean View Plateau. The sky had already risen through the sea of clouds, illuminating heaven and earth and bathing the mountaintop in rosy light.

An elder in Daoist robes stood amidst the crowd, sighing to himself. Today’s battle won’t just enter the annals of the Great Zhou’s history. Stories of this duel will surely be on the lips of every martial artist in the Great Wei and Great Qin.

It was hard to determine his age. His wrinkles were deep, but at first glance, his eyes were as clear and bright as an infant’s. However, if you looked closely, you’d discover that gaze was as deep as an oceanic abyss.

This was none other than the mysterious elder who always accompanied Su Hongli, the man who’d once attempted to discern Su Yi’s secrets, only for Su Yi to seize the opportunity to discern his cultivation instead—he was an Origin Palace cultivator!

Whoosh! You Tianhong still sat atop the crouching tiger-shaped rock. His sharp gaze turned toward Su Yi.

Then, the man whose name had long since shaken the Great Qin, this mighty sword cultivator who’d once obtained a grand stroke of fortune deep within the Sea of Chaotic Spirits, silently rose.

“Today, on Ocean View Plateau, beneath countless gazes, you shall lose your head. Such a death is worthy of pride,” said You Tianhong.

“Li Changning was just as arrogant, but in the end, he too became just another stepping stone beneath my feet.” Su Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm. “You… Won’t escape his fate either.”

Despite his casual tone, he’d made it clear that he saw You Tianhong as a stepping stone!

Throughout the plateau, numerous onlookers gasped. Had any other Grandmaster dared say such a thing, everyone would have mocked them for not knowing their own limits.

However, this was Su Yi! None dared question him. This was the extent of Su Yi’s prestige!

“A stepping stone….?” You Tianhong laughed, then swept his gaze across the area. “But the way I see it, you won’t even amount to a stepping stone. In the eyes of those gathered here, you’re prey at best.

He paused, then said, “Right now, I’m only worried about one thing. After I kill you, will any blind fools jump out to seize my rightful prey? After all, everyone says that you can kill Earthly Immortals as a Grandmaster because you’re in possession of some grand stroke of fortune.”

These words flung the entire area into uproar. This was no different from openly announcing the various peak experts’ intentions!

Numerous gazes unwittingly turned toward Hong Shenshang, Yun Zhongqi, Lonely River, and the other big shots. 

They couldn’t help but frown. They would never have guessed that You Tianhong would expose their intentions before the duel even began! Was he warning them not to get involved? Or was he just trying to put pressure on Su Yi?

“That so?” Su Yi smiled faintly, but he didn’t take it to heart. “I’ll actually be rather interested to see if any other ‘eggs’ dare fling themselves against a rock after I’ve killed you.”

This declaration wasn’t just contemptuous of You Tianhong; he was looking down on the other experts in attendance too!

This only made Hong Shenshang and the other big shots frown even harder.

“Heh heh.” You Tianhong was tall, lean, and incomparably well-proportioned. Every inch of him emanated a sharp and intimidating aura. Just standing there, he seemed like a peerless treasure sword capable of piercing through the dome of the heavens.

“Rest assured. I, You Tianhong, won’t underestimate you. I’ll use the strongest methods at my disposal and show you enough respect to ensure that you die with dignity!”

His eyes flashed with sharp, radiant light, and as he spoke, he reached through the air and grabbed. Boom!

The nearby sea of clouds suddenly churned as a giant, invisible hand gathered the origin power dispersed throughout heaven and earth. All of the ambient energy surged toward You Tianhong like mad.

Beneath the crowd’s stunned gazes, a longsword gradually condensed in You Tianhong’s palm, as radiant and dazzling as the light of dawn.

Guiding Qi to condense a sword! This casual display of nigh-divine skill left numerous onlookers wide-eyed and tongue-tied. 

Meanwhile, You Tianhong’s robes fluttered around him. He was like a flagpole, standing tall and proud as he pierced into the heavens!

The onlookers could even hear his blood course through him, like the churning currents of the ocean or the low rumble of thunder. His bearing was so grand and imposing that even those Earthly Immortals in attendance couldn’t help but narrow their eyes. The Great Qin’s Sword Monarch Tianhong really is terrifying!

Even Su Yi couldn’t help but arch his brow. He could tell at a glance that You Tianhong’s qi, spirit, and essence were as firm as a divine boulder, and that his soul, physique, and cultivation had all reached the very pinnacle of the Grain Avoidance Realm. He was the strongest Grain Avoidance opponent that Su Yi had encountered thus far.

“What a pity…” Su Yi put his hands behind his back and sighed.

You Tianhong was indeed an adversary worth fighting, but alas, that was all.

No one knew the reason for Su Yi’s inexplicable sigh, not even You Tianhong.

Thus, although they were confused, they didn’t overthink it.

“A pity?” You Tianhong obviously thought nothing of it. “I heard that you’re a sword cultivator too. Draw your sword. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll never get the chance to show off your attainments in swordsmanship.”

“That’ll depend on whether or not you’re qualified,” said Su Yi. As he spoke, he approached You Tianhong, the depths of his gaze calm. “Also, you’d best not call yourself a sword cultivator in front of me; you’re sullying our name.”

“Hah!” You Tianhong’s eyes flashed with cold light, but he made no further attempts at conversation. He simply gripped the radiant longsword of condensed origin energy and slashed through the air.

Whoosh!

The fierce howling of winds emanated from the sky. Dazzling sword qi shot out of You Tianhong’s hands, sweeping through the air like a stretch of silk. It instantly cleaved through a hundred feet of sky, shrieking through the air as it descended upon Su Yi.

Before this slash even reached its target, the accompanying sword intent arrived, blanketing heaven and earth. Lightning rumbled, and lightning arced within it!

This was the mid heaven-grade sword intent, Yin Lightning!

Such vast sword intent enveloped Su Yi from a distance. Were any other Grandmaster standing there, the sword intent would have shattered their soul before the radiant slash even arrived! Were he instead an ordinary Xiantian Martial Ancestor, he still would have struggled to block the sword intent’s oppression!

This was the bearing of an Earthly Immortal. His mind and body were connected to heaven and earth, and he could control the ambient origin energy to unleash unbelievable magics!

Bang! Atop Ocean View Plateau, sword intent flashed like lightning.

Without exception, the distant onlookers were stunned. Even those mighty Earthly Immortal experts couldn’t help but reveal solemn expressions. Only they knew just how terrifying a Grain Avoidance cultivator in possession of a sword intent was! The attack You Tianhong used now was sufficient to stun the entire human world!