Immortal of the Ages

The young man in yellow staggered back, his eyes wide with disbelief. "He used the Ten-Step Scale technique and instantly carved these words onto my face?"

This little display painted a clear picture.

If Yun Xiao's intent had been lethal, that young man would've been on the other side of eternity eleven times over. Each word, an artist's stroke, was meticulously etched onto his face.

The youth's skin crawled. "This can't be right..." he whispered, voice quivering. Not being killed was one thing, but being branded? It was like wearing a badge of shame.

"You wanted to give me the first swing, didn't you? Seems you're not much of a challenge after all," Yun Xiao quipped, fingers casually dancing around his Sword Soul.

The youth's face turned a shade redder. "Off with you!" the Sword Lord boomed, sending the lad tumbling off the platform in a most undignified manner.

Ning Yan, eyes sparkling with admiration, chimed in, "Yun Xiao isn't just skilled with the Sword Soul, Brother Feng. His talent with the blade is unparalleled. Perhaps he's worthy of Sword Heaven's exclusive Star grade technique?" It was clear Yun Xiao had impressed her.

The Sword Lord, his face flushed from either wine or excitement, nodded in agreement. With a dismissive wave to another competitor, he announced, "Murong Qian, spare yourself the humiliation. Ning Bei, it's your turn. Show him the power of the Late Origin Core Realm."

Murong Qian, a delicate figure in orange, swiftly nodded, anxiety evident.

The humbled young man in yellow, his face still marked with the words Next One Up, approached Ning Bei and Murong Qian. "Didn’t Lin Lin claim this kid folded at a single strike from Holy Son Chu?"

Both Ning Bei and Murong Qian exchanged uneasy glances. The blood-red inscription seemed like it was mocking them too.

"We've been had by Lin Lin," Murong Qian murmured.

"Or maybe Holy Son Chu hoodwinked her?" Ning Bei mused.

The young man in the yellow robes scratched his head. "Rumors are already swirling around the Sea of Swords about the Young Sword Lord's... well, less than stellar fighting skills."

"No problem, I have a plan!" With a deep breath, Ning Bei ascended the platform, standing taller than Yun Xiao. He was at the Late Origin Core Realm, two stages higher than his opponent!

"If Brother Bei defeats him," the young man in yellow robes whispered to Murong Qian, "no one will ever know what the kid's truly made of."

Murong Qian nodded, her voice tinged with expectation, "Right, his fifteen minutes of fame will boil down to not being able to withstand a single blow from Holy Son Chu."

Their gaze locked, a silent pact formed.

Suddenly, Ning Bei lunged, blade in hand. He hailed from the esteemed Ning Family lineage, which technically made him Zhao Xuanran's distant cousin.

"That’s Ning Bei, my nephew. Go easy on him," Ning Yan advised Yun Xiao.

"Alright," Yun Xiao agreed.

Ning Bei, hearing this, snapped, "Mind your own business!"

That eccentric aunt, eyes wild with desperation, was actually trying to intercede for him? Did he even need her help?

With a fierce determination, he unsheathed a gray Sword Soul, shaping it into a Palm Sword. Thirty-six layers of Sword Aura swirled around him, making him look like a storm made flesh, as he bore down on Yun Xiao.

His Sword Soul, with its two dark Sword Rings, mirrored Yun Xiao's, both surrounded by an aura that felt as cold as death itself. As his sword sliced the air, a chilling wind roared in its wake.

He employed the Moon grade technique known as Dark Cloud Eclipse. Its power sprawled out like dark clouds covering the moon, casting a shadow upon Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao, however, was unfazed. In his billowing white robes, he appeared as the embodiment of a celestial dragon. His sword, resonating with power, surged forward, aimed straight at Ning Bei.

Why would an azure dragon, a symbol of righteousness, fear mere shadows?

Yun Xiao's strike, the Azure Dragon Squall, was a symphony of harmony between man and sword. His heart was open, and his stance fearless. His blade moved with an intensity that was palpable.

To those with a trained eye, Yun Xiao's skill was undeniable. The Sword Lord and Ning Yan, for instance, watched with unveiled admiration.

Ning Bei, though filled with raw aggression, lacked the clarity of purpose. In his mind, only one statement held true, evil would never triumph over good! And his opponent was an undeniable calamity to his beloved Sword Heaven!

In an instant, Yun Xiao’s sword, embodying the wrath of the azure dragon, sliced through the darkness. The blade’s tip paused just a hair's breadth between Ning Bei’s eyes.

Ning Bei froze, eyes wide, a bead of blood slowly tracing a path down his face. He'd come a hair's width from meeting his maker. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he remained still, his Palm Sword dropped with a thud.

"Thanks for the duel, Senior Brother," Yun Xiao said, sheathing his sword with a bow. Trivial concerns like how his opponent's feelings didn't matter to him. His thoughts were on the promised rewards of the 1,000,000 Spirit Stones, the Ten Heavenly Origin Pills, and the Rank 10 Azure Kite.

Suddenly, applause echoed. The source? The jovial Sword Lord. "You truly live up to the reputation of a Star grade Sword Soul! Your mastery in the Ten-Step Scale and Azure Dragon Squall is even greater than mine. If you're not a genius, I don't know who is!"

Smiling modestly, Yun Xiao replied, "I have much to learn, Sword Lord. Your praise is too kind."

However, Ning Bei, shadows of humiliation lurking in his eyes, disagreed silently. He and the young man in yellow robes had been handily defeated.

Looking up, he saw Yun Xiao's back, the young man immersed in light-hearted conversation with the Sword Lord of Sword Heaven.

"Why should my family bleed for someone who's driving Sword Heaven to its doom?" Ning Bei brooded. "Who gave you the right to plunge the Sea of Swords into chaos?"

Ning Bei was far from convinced. His resolve was ironclad. "If you die, all troubles end," he muttered. Without a moment’s hesitation, he thrust forth his blade. A ghostly gray Flying Sword, reminiscent of a fatal specter, targeted youth's unguarded back.

Murong Qian and the young man in yellow robes caught their breaths, hearts thumping. "This is it," they whispered to themselves, feeling the weight of the moment.

But Yun Xiao, ever vigilant, sensed the sinister edge of the incoming assault. He frowned. A surprise attack after the duel? He didn’t even glance back. His azure Flying Sword met the oncoming blade with defiant grace.

The impact sent Ning Bei's gray sword veering off course, narrowly missing Yun Xiao and bearing straight for the Sword Lord.

The Sword Lord, with the air of a man swatting away a bothersome fly, effortlessly repelled the blade skyward.

Almost simultaneously, Yun Xiao's azure sword, having dealt with the gray adversary, found its mark in Ning Bei's thigh.

"Aargh!" Ning Bei cried, his face ashen. Overwhelmed by the pain, he crumpled, unexpectedly kneeling behind Yun Xiao.

The sting of the Heaven Burial Sword Soul bit deep into his leg.

"What in blazes is this pain?" Ning Bei howled, his body now sprawled on the ground. He mistakenly blamed Yun Xiao's black Sword Ring.

Yun Xiao finally turned, sheathing his blade. He looked down at the fallen warrior with cool disdain.

"Senior Brother Ning," Yun Xiao said with a cold smirk, "today you didn’t just lose in swordplay, but in honor as well."

This stung Ning Bei even more than the blade. But before he could retort, a hand smacked him, forcing his face to kiss the dirt. It was the Sword Lord, always a fan of theatrics.

"Brother Feng, hold on! Think of our family ties," Ning Yan interjected, grabbing the Sword Lord's arm in a bid to temper his fury.

"If not for your family's sake, both Yun Xiao and I would've sent you to the grave... twice!" the Sword Lord grumbled, casting a disdainful glance at Ning Bei.

"...Understood," Ning Bei murmured, blood pooling around him.

"You wear the title of the Sword Princeling of Sword Heaven, yet you sneak attack like a cornered rat? Henceforth, your title is forfeit, and your resources will mirror that of a mere initiate," the Sword Lord proclaimed.

"Yes, Sword Lord!" Ning Bei responded, realizing the depth of his folly.

"Brother Feng, please reconsider! My brother will hate me forever," Ning Yan implored.

"Your brother is as soft as morning porridge. In the grand halls of Sword Heaven, only you, I, and," he nodded towards Yun Xiao, "this lad stand with spine. Three men in a world that sorely needs them!"

"Brother Feng, I'm quite certainly a woman," Ning Yan replied, somewhat exasperated.

"Don't sweat the small stuff!" The Sword Lord chuckled and belched, the effects of his drink apparent.

Ning Yan's anxiety resurfaced, "What's to become of Ning Bei?"

"He'll start at the bottom, like any common disciple. After some introspection, we might revisit the topic," the Sword Lord said, a touch of dry humor in his voice. "If your brother has qualms, remind him. Isn't a cowardly ambush after a loss the height of dishonor?"

Ning Yan sighed, her forehead creasing with worry. "Fine," she responded. She’d hoped to ask Yun Xiao to intercede and say something, but the currents of the situation pulled stronger.

Murong Qian and the young man in yellow robes, thinking to interject on Ning Bei's behalf, barely opened their mouths when the Sword Lord's sharp gaze silenced them.

"You two had a hand in this farce as well," he began. "All three of you will kneel in this Ancestral Sword Hall. Reflect on your actions. No visitors. No exceptions."

"And how long?" Ning Yan asked.

"Pinky swear, a hundred years, no take-backs!" The Sword Lord burped.

"No, no, I mean how long are they going to be reflecting?" Nin Yan asked, anxiety in her voice.

The Sword Lord stroked his beard, pondering. "Oh, I reckon a month ought to do it."

Murong Qian and the young man in yellow gulped audibly. A month on their knees? Their cultivation would be hindered, not to mention the agony their legs would endure.

"If I say you'll kneel, then you'll kneel," the Sword Lord said firmly.

"Yes!" Reluctantly, the three headed to the Ancestral Sword Hall to kneel, gazes a mixture of resentment and regret.

Turning to Yun Xiao, the Sword Lord handed him a pouch. "Here's your bounty! A cool 1,000,000 Spirit Stones and ten Heavenly Origin Pills. Also, you can challenge the Rank 10 Azure Kite now. Ning Yan will show you the way."

When Ning Bei and the other two heard the Sword Lord's words, they felt their entire worlds were crumbling apart as resentment and despair stewed in their hearts. They despised Yun Xiao, but there was nothing they could do to him. There was nothing more maddening than this!

Yun Xiao, his earlier ire forgotten, smirked at his windfall. The ambush had been a jolt, but this? This felt like winning the jackpot.

"Much appreciated, Sword Lord. I'll head out now," he announced, already plotting his next moves.

Ning Yan, always the peacekeeper, followed him out, leaving the trio in their forced meditation.

Outside, a restless Lin Lin waited. Catching sight of Yun Xiao, she smirked. "Back so soon?"

"Expected me to be gone longer?" Yun Xiao responded, raising an eyebrow.

She gave a fake gasp of surprise. "Just didn't think you'd be so... speedy."

With a casual nonchalance, Yun Xiao retorted, "Well, some of us don't dilly-dally."

Her smirk turned sneering. "For a fellow who chases fleeting pleasures, a swift loss seems par for the course."

Yun Xiao, without missing a beat, smacked her in the back of the head and retorted, "You really are a dumbass," and continued on, leaving Lin Lin in a cloud of her own indignation.

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