Chapter 62: One Sword, Severed Soul!

A cold, piercing light flashed in Nangong Mingyue’s eyes as her gaze fell upon Ye Qing, and a sudden surge of aura exploded from within her.
“Ye Qing? Sixth-grade sect? Drifting Sand Sect? Nothing more than that!”
Ye Qing’s pupils shrank at her words, a look of surprise flickering across his face, but it vanished in an instant. He stared at Nangong Mingyue with grave intensity.
“Who are you?” Ye Qing asked, enunciating each word with weight, his eyes locked on her.
“You are unworthy. That old man, too, is not qualified to pay respects. If you do not leave, then you shall forfeit your life!”
Suddenly, petals whirled behind Nangong Mingyue. The crowd that had come to pay tribute was stricken with terror at the sight.
“You… Celestial?”
Ye Qing could hardly believe it—a young woman from Tongxuan Sect had actually reached the Celestial Realm. Though she was weaker than he, her talent was undeniable, which was precisely why Ye Qing was so startled.
Ye Jiuyao and the others looked at Nangong Mingyue in astonishment, unable to comprehend how their Second Senior Sister possessed such overwhelming strength.
“You must die!”
Nangong Mingyue spat out the words with icy venom, her figure erupting forward in a burst of speed. Petals swirled around her, instantly forming a storm with her at its heart.
“Mingyue, stop!”
Suddenly, a sharp voice boomed from the sky. All eyes turned upward to see a middle-aged woman descending gracefully, clad in a flowing gown, exuding poise and dignity.
“That’s Hua Mingfeng, the proprietor of the Xuantian Pavilion!”
Someone in the crowd recognized her and cried out in astonishment.
Ye Qing’s expression grew even more cautious, his wariness evident as he regarded Hua Mingfeng.
“Sister Mingfeng, he bullied me…”
In a heartbeat, Nangong Mingyue’s icy demeanor faded, replaced by the coy charm of a girl next door, her words laced with petulant affection.
Ye Jiuyao and the others felt as though the sun had risen in the west; never during their time in Tongxuan Sect had they seen Nangong Mingyue behave this way.
Suddenly, Nangong Mingyue shot a suspicious glance at the disciples of Tongxuan Sect. “Hm?” she muttered, prompting them to quickly avert their eyes.
Hua Mingfeng was about to speak when, all at once, another figure streaked down from the sky. The newcomer stood atop a sword, bearing the air of a celestial sage—none other than Swordmaster Jian Yunzi.
“Swordmaster Jian Yunzi of Heavenly Sword Sect, here to pay respects to Emperor Mark’s marten lord. I have brought the wine the sect master favored as an offering.”
Jian Yunzi addressed the Tongxuan Sect with a courteous tone. Ye Jiuyao, grinning, regarded him with mild approval.
“Our thanks to your esteemed sect.”
Ye Jiuyao replied carelessly, while Zhong Shaoshan and the others eyed him skeptically, as if questioning whether the Tongxuan Sect might decline under his leadership and eventually vanish altogether.
“Ye Qing from the Falling Leaf Sect, I heard your grandson died recently. Are you here to learn how to conduct a funeral? Planning to host one yourself?” Jian Yunzi’s words were sharp, his expression betraying a sense of shame at being associated with Ye Qing.

“Hahaha…”
“If you ever find yourself at a loss with swordplay, you’re welcome to visit the Tongxuan Sect for guidance!” Ye Jiuyao suddenly said to Jian Yunzi, his tone solemn and sincere.
The crowd scoffed in disbelief. Everyone knew that the swordsmanship of the Heavenly Sword Sect was unparalleled, yet here was Ye Jiuyao suggesting his own skills surpassed most of a ninth-grade sect. Hence, their derision.
“You jest, my young friend.” Jian Yunzi chuckled, unfazed by Ye Jiuyao’s remark.
“One day, you’ll come to understand something called the ‘Law of True Fragrance.’ In fact, perhaps I can give you a demonstration right now.”
With a mischievous grin, Ye Jiuyao suddenly stirred his vital energy. With a sharp whistle, Jian Yunzi’s longsword flew from its scabbard into Ye Jiuyao’s hand.
Ye Jiuyao flicked the blade with a practiced hand and exclaimed, “What a fine sword!”
“I…”
“Just borrowing it for a bit—don’t be stingy. Soon you’ll understand exactly what I mean.”
Without giving Jian Yunzi a chance to protest, Ye Jiuyao stepped forward under the gaze of all present, his stride as weighty as a mountain.
“Watch closely!”
Ye Jiuyao twisted his torso, and the sword in his hand darted like a spirit snake on the hunt, appearing in a flash like a thunderbolt descending from the heavens.
In that instant, all eyes saw only Ye Jiuyao and the sword in his hand—a streak of lightning slicing straight for Ye Qing.
Ye Qing’s expression shifted dramatically as a storm of energy erupted around him. His inner force surged like raging waves, crashing toward Ye Jiuyao.
No one had expected the battle to erupt so suddenly, but instinct drove everyone to retreat swiftly in the face of mortal peril.
“Barrier!”
Hua Mingfeng’s face grew tense as she exchanged a look with Jian Yunzi. With perfect understanding, they both channeled their energy, instantly weaving a shimmering barrier that enveloped Ye Jiuyao and Ye Qing.
A wild, invisible hurricane raged within the barrier, howling around the two combatants like razors scraping bone. Though contained by the shield, stray gusts lashed at the onlookers, sending chills down their spines and forcing them to withdraw even further.
“Slash!”
With a single stroke, Ye Jiuyao cleaved through the vast expanse of space. In that moment, he and the sword became one—the blade erupted with brilliant white light, enveloping Ye Qing in a blinding aura.
A flicker of terror appeared in Ye Qing’s eyes, but his unleashed power did not diminish in the slightest; on the contrary, it grew even more ferocious as he hurled a fist that shattered the void toward Ye Jiuyao.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The explosive force shook the heavens and earth, echoing like a barrage of atomic blasts—each detonation sending shivers down the spine with its overwhelming might.
Ye Qing’s body was hurled backward by the tremendous impact, blood gushing from his mouth as his vital energy roiled in chaos. Even his spirit seemed wounded, his aura plummeting in an instant.
“This sword severs the soul!”
The crowd’s faces were filled with awe and disbelief as they gazed at the youth standing sword in hand, like a banished immortal descended to earth. His long robe billowed in the wind, adding to his effortless grace.
No one was more shaken than Jian Yunzi himself. After decades devoted to the way of the sword, he found himself utterly unable to fathom Ye Jiuyao’s technique. It was as if the youth and the sword had become one, moving with complete freedom.
The disciples of Tongxuan Sect were filled with reverence, especially the Forty-Fifth and Forty-Fourth, who had interacted with Ye Jiuyao before. As for Nangong Mingyue, she seemed to understand, and though surprised, did not overreact—perhaps such was simply her nature.
Master Xuan San merely nodded in satisfaction, as if the power Ye Jiuyao displayed was exactly as expected—anything less would have been a disappointment.
The visitors from other sects were stunned. To defeat a Celestial in a single move—such monstrous talent in a youth defied all imagination. Who could possibly predict what heights he might reach?
Only one person remained unmoved by Ye Jiuyao’s strength—Ye Qing.
Now, Ye Qing’s aura had faded, his arms hanging limp, trembling uncontrollably, his eyes bloodshot with murderous resolve.
“You used a forbidden technique!”
Ye Qing shouted in fury, having clearly sensed the abrupt surge in Ye Jiuyao’s power. Without it, no matter how extraordinary that sword strike, it could never have harmed him.
At Ye Qing’s outcry, the crowd seemed to awaken to the truth.
“So, it was a secret art—that explains his overwhelming might!”
“I thought it was strange for someone so young to have reached the Celestial Realm. He must have relied on a forbidden technique…”
At once, speculation and debate erupted among them.
Yet only a handful remained silent, having seen that Ye Jiuyao’s strength was not merely the result of a forbidden art.