Immortal of the Ages

DONG! A sonorous bell toll echoed through the night sky of Sword Heaven, rousing tens of thousands of meditating and resting Sword Cultivators.

DONG DONG DONG DONG! The bell rang ceaselessly, each peal louder and more urgent than the last. It was as though it heralded death itself!

"Who rang the Jade Sun Bell?"

"I don't know! Hurry to the Jade Sun Tower!"

Every Sword Cultivator in Sword Heaven knew that when the Jade Sun Bell tolled, it signaled an emergency. All Sword Cultivators were to prepare for battle against a threat that concerned the whole of Sword Heaven or even higher!

Of course, anyone without the proper authority who rang the bell as a prank would face severe punishment. This was no joking matter!

"We might truly go to war with the Forbidden Tower!"

Most of the Sword Cultivators in Sword Heaven weren't entirely privy to the political games between their faction and the Forbidden Tower. They could only speculate based on recent events. The ringing of the Jade Sun Bell now struck a sensitive chord in all their hearts!

DONG DONG DONG! The bell's tolls reached the farthest corners of the Sea of Swords. Even though it was the dead of night, lights illuminated one palace after another across the sea. Sword Cultivators opened their windows, their faces etched with confusion, all turning towards the direction of Sword Heaven.

Inside Sword Heaven, countless Sword Cultivators went on high alert. Donning their magic treasure armors, they mounted their Sovereign Swords and converged on the Jade Sun Tower.

In just a brief moment, hundreds had already gathered at the base of the tower.

"Who rang the Jade Sun Bell?" Second Uncle Lin and Murong Li, among other top brass of Sword Heaven, arrived. Leading a group, they ascended to the top floor of the Jade Sun Tower, their gazes intensely searching the horizon.

Beneath the dim moonlight, they spotted a young man in plain white robes. His attire was simple, but he exuded an aura that made him seem otherworldly, as if he stood high above the clouds.

"Yun Xiao, do you realize the implications of ringing the Jade Sun Bell?" Second Uncle Lin's eyes flashed with anger as he stared him down.

"You truly act recklessly, going against all norms!" Murong Li chided.

News of Ye Guying reaching the Mid Sovereign Dragon Realm had spread, putting every member of Sword Heaven on edge. Both ancestors were already under immense pressure and were understandably irritated.

So what if you, Yun Xiao, defied the heavens? Ye Guying was already on par with a Sword Lord!

Yun Xiao cast them a cool glance, replying, "Rest assured, both of you. As the Young Sword Lord, I know my responsibilities."

"If you dared to fool all of Sword Heaven without cause, even as the Young Sword Lord, you'd be stripped of your status and cultivation!" Murong Li, with his aged face contorted in fury, pointed accusingly at Yun Xiao.

By this time, Ancestor Ning, Ning Que, Ning Yan, and other members of the Ning family had also arrived.

They all looked at Yun Xiao with puzzled expressions but held their tongues.

"As soon as the Sword Lord arrives, I promise to unveil a grand surprise to everyone present!" Yun Xiao declared, a glint of excitement lighting up his eyes, as he addressed the gathering with a confident smile.

"A grand surprise?"

The assembly of ancestors, Great Sword Venerables, Sword Heaven's senior members, and the steadily growing throng of disciples exchanged baffled glances, curiosity bubbling within.

What could possibly be this grand surprise?

"Alright, let's see what tricks you still have up your sleeve!" Second Uncle Lin remarked.

"He might've been so spooked by the news of Ye Guying that he's lost his marbles," Murong Li sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

"Let's just wait for the Sword Lord!"

After Lin Chen's death, morale in Sword Heaven had been shattered. With the recent news of Ye Guying, their spirits had suffered yet another blow. Hopes were dim as none saw Yun Xiao possessing any means to counter Ye Guying's might.

"Why hasn't the Sword Lord arrived yet?"

"The Jade Sun Bell has already been rung!"

"All of Sword Heaven's cultivators have gathered!"

In the crowd, even Lin Lin was present. All that was missing were the Sword Lord and his spouse, Xiao Yu.

Surveying the scene before Jade Sun Tower, tens of thousands of Sword Heaven's cultivators had assembled. Every single one of them, possessing at least a Moon grade Sword Soul, exuded immense power, their eyes gleaming with determination.

"They're here!" Finally, under the collective gaze of the masses, the white-haired Sword Lord and Madame Xiao arrived, landing gracefully atop Jade Sun Tower. The Sword Lord appeared noticeably pale, with beads of sweat on his forehead, hinting at a certain weakness.

Over the past decade, few had seen the Sword Lord at night, unaware of his nightly agonizing pain, brought on by a lingering malady.

"Who dared to ring the Jade Sun Bell?" Madame Xiao demanded, her face a mask of annoyance.

How could they disturb them during such a critical time?

"Sword Lord!" From the crowd, a young man dressed in white stepped forward, his eyes shining with fervor. "It was I who rang the Jade Sun Bell!"

"Why?" The Sword Lord, recognizing him, regained his composure, his veins pulsating on the backs of his hands, which he held behind him.

"For the great deed I've done for Sword Heaven!" Yun Xiao proclaimed passionately, ensuring everyone heard.

"A great deed?" The Sword Lord raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Faces like Second Uncle Lin, Xiao Yu, Ancestor Ning, Murong Li, and others exchanged puzzled looks, their brows furrowing in suspicion.

Everyone's eyes were drawn to Yun Xiao as he announced, "Gather round and take a gander!"

With a dramatic flourish, he stepped into the shadows and pulled out a bloodstained bundle, holding it high for all to see.

"What's in there?" Sword Lord's heart skipped a beat.

"The biggest, most fantastic surprise!" Yun Xiao declared, his laughter ringing out. Without further ado, he unfurled the bundle for all to witness.

Five heads rolled out! One of the younger black-haired heads even came to rest at the feet of the Sword Lord and his wife, Xiao Yu.

"Xiao Yuan?!" The eyes of both Sword Lord and Madame Xiao bulged in shock.

Xiao Yuan! The leader of the Ten Great Elders of the Forbidden Tower! In his younger days, he had been a rival of the Sword Lord and had once wooed Xiao Yu… And now, his severed head lay at their feet.

The couple gasped, their breaths sharp with disbelief.

As they looked up, four more heads came into view—Duanmu Yao, Chen Xiao, Yan Guo...

Recognizing the faces of these five, every individual atop the tower felt chills run down their spine, their scalps tingling with unease.

"HAHAHA!" Amid the palpable silence, the young man's boisterous laughter seemed almost jarring. "Yes! You got it! I slew five of the Great Elders of the Forbidden Tower, took their heads, and annihilated every soul in the Duanmu Manor!"

Yun Xiao turned to address the crowd with a mischievous grin, "My fellow Sword Heaven kin, surprised? Or perhaps... shocked?"

In a unified motion, almost ten thousand Sword Cultivators looked up, their faces blank as they beheld the exuberant young man in white.

"What's truly laughable," Yun Xiao continued with a scoff, "is that these five thought they could ambush me. I drew my sword, embodying the pride and spirit of Sword Heaven, and with a swing for each, sent them howling into the abyss!"

"Everyone!" Yun Xiao announced, head tilted quizzically. "Aren't you going to say something? Speak up! I get it. We of Sword Heaven have been oppressed by the Great Elders of Forbidden Tower for so long. Now that we can finally exact our revenge, you're all so overwhelmed with excitement you're speechless?"

Silence hung heavily over Sword Heaven and the Jade Sun Tower.

The figures above wore stiff expressions; those below exchanged anxious glances.

"Sword Lord!" Yun Xiao suddenly shouted, approaching the white-haired leader with fervor in his eyes. "On the day my Sword Soul was measured, you declared publicly your ambition—to be the foremost of Sea of Swords! That proclamation resonated deeply with me. You went against the majority to protect me, and in that moment of gratitude, I swore to myself that I would help the Sword Lord achieve this grand goal."

The Sword Lord said nothing, his face unreadable.

"That day, when Forbidden Tower issued a death decree on me, you shielded me from certain death," Yun Xiao continued, passion blazing in his eyes. "To me, you're more than a mentor. You're like a father."

The Sword Lord's silence continued.

"You enjoy drama, don't you?" Yun Xiao smirked inwardly. "Fine! Let's play it out."

He took a deep breath, his hands clenched. "This morning, I had a disagreement with Lin Chen. Although it was an accidental death, my guilt weighs heavily on me. The pain of Lin Chen's death feels like being scorched by fierce flames. I can't forgive myself. I feel I've betrayed Sword Heaven's trust in me. Moreover, I've heard that Ye Guying will soon become an invincible force. My presence here is like pushing my benefactors to the edge of a precipice. Hence, tonight, to repay my debts, I decided to make this daring move."

With that, Yun Xiao abruptly picked up the five severed heads and walked to the railing of Jade Sun Tower, ensuring that every Sword Cultivator had a clear view.

A fierce determination emanated from him. Once the mortal Emperor of a nation, he was an adept manipulator of public sentiment.

Waving the heads vigorously, Yun Xiao roared for all to hear, "Why has the Forbidden Tower always been powerful? Because they have many Sovereign Dragon Realm Great Elders! Now, having taken out five of their Great Elders, I've effectively crippled their tower's might. From this moment on, we, the Sword Cultivators of Sword Heaven, outnumber these curs of Forbidden Tower ten to one! We even have as many powerful fighters as they do! So, I ask all of you. Who now truly stands as the number one in Sea of Swords?"

The murmurs rose like the hum of a hive, filling the air with electricity.

As Yun Xiao's words settled, the faces of countless Sword Cultivators glazed over, lost in thought, before they began whispering among themselves.

"With the fall of five Sovereign Dragon Realm Great Elders, our power seems almost matched."

"Considering our numbers are tenfold, it feels like we might have the edge over the Forbidden Tower."

"Those from the Forbidden Tower, always looking down their noses at us... so arrogant..."

As the buzz of discussion swelled, Yun Xiao suddenly turned, his fingers curled around the hair of those five severed heads. He addressed the top brass of Sword Heaven—the Sword Lord, Madame Xiao, Second Uncle Lin, Murong Li, and Ancestor Ning, exclaiming with infectious excitement, "From now on, within the Sea of Swords, there's only one power to reckon with—us, Sword Heaven!"

Faces turned to look at Yun Xiao's grim trophy, each one a tableau of shock and awe.

"Sword Lord, we've gathered. Give the command," Yun Xiao urged, anticipation glinting in his eyes.

"The command for what?" The Sword Lord questioned.

"Why, a call to battle, of course! After our move, the Forbidden Tower will undoubtedly rally. They will come for us tonight. War is inevitable," Yun Xiao said, his eyes flashing with the promise of battle.

"To war..." The voices of Second Uncle Lin and Murong Li wavered with trepidation.

"Yes, to war! By now, surely no one's still clinging to blind hope? With these Great Elders' heads taken by us, do you really think they'll let it slide?" Yun Xiao said seriously.

Second Uncle Lin and Murong Li exchanged glances, a clear retort hovering on their lips. You're the one who took those heads! What do you mean, taken by us?

Yun Xiao continued, drawing a deep breath. "More crucially, the day after tomorrow, Ye Guying will emerge. To be blunt, I'm no match for him. If the war begins then, we're doomed. Tonight is our final chance! Even if the Forbidden Tower doesn't strike, we need to make our move. It's our last day to bring down the Forbidden Tower!"

"First, we take out the Tower Lord Xiao Changtian. Then, we forcefully drag out the secluded Ye Guying and end him! Destroy his Tower Heart legacy! From that moment on, the Sea of Swords will be ours for the taking!"

Having said that, Yun Xiao turned and dumped the five heads before the Sword Lord, voicing his rallying cry, "Sword Lord, let me assist you in achieving your dream of reigning over the Sea of Swords tonight! We Sword Cultivators shouldn't hesitate to engage in battle!"

The Sword Lord's eyes darted between the heads and Yun Xiao, his lips parted, but before a single word could escape, an urgent voice pierced through the clamor.

"Sword Lord, over a thousand Sword Cultivators from the Forbidden Tower are approaching!"

"The Tower Lord Xiao Changtian... he's here!"

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