Batian Martial Soul

Ling Xiao nodded upon hearing this, then slowly shook his head, a playful smile curving his lips:
"Oh?

No wonder you are so fearless.

He paused slightly, then his palm suddenly shone brightly, and two completely different terrifying auras erupted...

The Demon Lord's Black Heaven Sword was as black as ink, wreathed in demonic flames that devoured divine souls;
The Xuan Snake Poison Heaven Sword gleamed with a chilling azure light, flowing with poisonous gas that corroded the Great Dao.

The two swords hovered beside him, and as soon as they appeared, the surrounding space rippled violently like water, even showing signs of cracking.

"The baby is right here."

Ling Xiao flicked his fingertips, and two peerless swords slowly floated towards Xingyun. His tone was calm yet incredibly alluring.

"If you want it, you can take it now."

Starfall stared at the two swords that floated before him, his pupils shrinking slightly.

The demonic power of the Demon Lord Black Heaven Sword is as deep as the ocean, and the poisonous gas of the Xuan Snake Poison Heaven Sword is pungent and bone-corroding. Such supreme treasures are enough to drive any cultivator mad.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with complexity:
"You are tempting me to betray the Holy Church."

"I'm just reminding you."

Ling Xiao shook his head, his gaze sharp as a sword.
"Life's opportunities often hinge on a single thought."

Some opportunities, once missed, will never come again.

Xingyun's smile gradually faded. He turned to look at the three crystal statues, their oppressive aura emanating from them like thorns in his back.

A long, deathly silence fell over the hall, broken only by the incessant hum of the twin swords, as if urging him to make a decision.

"To serve forever, or to serve as a master for a single lifetime—which would you choose?"

Zhang Ming suddenly spoke softly, his voice not loud, but it resounded like thunder in Xingyun's ears.

Xingyun's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and the vertical lines on his forehead flickered between light and shadow.

After a long while, he took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes, and reached out to grasp the hilt of the Demon Lord Black Heaven Sword!
"Om...!"

The black sword suddenly unleashed a terrifying demonic power, its blade trembling violently as if trying to break free from its restraints.

A burst of dazzling starlight erupted from Xingyun's palm, and the terrifying power forcefully suppressed the demonic might, causing the sword's tremors to gradually subside.

"Aren't you afraid that after I take the sword, I'll kill you to silence you?"

Xingyun gripped the black sword tightly, his gaze fixed on Lingxiao.

"you will not."

Ling Xiao met his gaze calmly, his tone resolute.
"Because you know better than anyone that if you take this sword, you will become an irreconcilable traitor to the Holy Temple."

From this day forward, we are in the same boat; our fortunes will rise and fall together.

Xingyun laughed loudly, his laughter so powerful that the starry sky above the palace ceiling distorted and spooked.
"What a tyrannical emperor!"

What courage!
What if I said I only wanted to possess this sword myself, fly far away, and never have anything to do with you again?

Ling Xiao also smiled, a carefree and unrestrained smile:

"Then I wish you...to achieve the Great Way and live a carefree life."

Xingyun gave him a deep look, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, and then said nothing more.

His figure transformed into a dazzling starlight, bursting through the roof of the palace with a roar, carrying the demonic power of the Demon Lord's Black Heaven Sword, and instantly disappeared into the sky.

Almost the instant the star fell away, the ancient seals on Ling Xiao and Zhang Ming shattered!
Like a surging river, energy rushed back into the meridians, and a pleasant, throbbing pain spread through the limbs and bones. Not only was the suppressed cultivation fully restored, but it even showed some improvement!

Ling Xiao raised his hand and grabbed, and the Xuan Snake Poison Heaven Sword transformed into a streak of green light and fell into his palm.

He was somewhat surprised that Xingyun was only interested in the Demon Lord Black Sky Sword and ignored this peerless sword of the same level.

Right.

After all, the Demon Lord's Black Sky Sword was the natal sword of the ancient Demon Lord. It was not only the most feared treasure of the Holy Temple, but also the only key that could break the shackles of the Annihilation Realm. Its value was far beyond that of ordinary treasures.

"baby."

Ling Xiao gently stroked the spine of the sword, and the blade emitted a series of excited hums.

He closed his eyes, sensing the surging killing intent and poison mingling within him, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"I'm counting on you for the rest of the battle."

Zhang Ming stared at the emerald longsword in Ling Xiao's hand, his pupils suddenly contracting, his tone filled with disbelief:

"This sword... could it be the legendary 'Mysterious Serpent Poison Heaven Sword'?"
The sword of the ancient demon lord, Sword Demon?

Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise upon hearing this:

"You actually know its origin?"

Zhang Ming's tone was incredibly complex, carrying a hint of awe and melancholy:

“Inside my family’s ancestral hall, there stands a broken stele.”

The inscription records that the ancestor once fought a decisive battle with the Sword Demon in the heavens, and ultimately... his natal divine blade was severed from its foundation by this sword, and his cultivation was completely destroyed.

Ling Xiao coughed lightly, breaking the slightly heavy atmosphere:
"Past events are like smoke, and the grudges of our predecessors have nothing to do with you or me."

He suddenly looked up, his eyes sharpening instantly, and surveyed his surroundings.
"No, we have to go!"

Zhang Ming frowned:

"Why?"

"Starfall isn't stupid, but the Sanctuary's 'Watchers' are even less stupid."

Ling Xiao quickly sheathed his twin swords, grabbed Zhang Ming's wrist, and spoke urgently.

"His taking the black sword will surely alert the higher-ups of the Holy Temple. We can't stay here for even a moment longer!"

Before the words were even finished, the two of them transformed into two streaks of light and rushed out of the hall with a roar.

As soon as they stepped out of the white jade gate of the sanctuary, the two figures stopped abruptly, their steps feeling as if weighed down by a thousand pounds.

At the end of the long street, a woman leaned against an ancient tree at the street corner, her fingertips casually stroking the blade of the Demon Lord Black Sky Sword.

The black sword became as docile as a cat in her hand, and its previous overwhelming demonic power was completely suppressed.

She wore a bright red outfit adorned with silver bells that accentuated her shapely figure. Her long hair was casually tied up with a dry twig, with a few stray strands falling over her shoulders, adding a touch of wildness.

A sheathless curved sword hung at his waist, its blade reflecting the sunlight, flowing with eerie blood-red patterns, radiating a chilling aura.

At her feet, a head with wide-open, horrified eyes rolled silently to the ground...

It was Xingyun who had just seized the sword and left!
The woman looked up and smiled smugly.

With a flick of her toe, Xingyun's head rolled like a ball to Lingxiao's feet and came to a stop.

Then, she slowly approached, the silver bells at her waist making a clear and melodious sound, creating an eerie contrast with the terrifying pressure emanating from her.

She stopped about three zhang away from the two of them, tilted her head, and smiled as brightly as the summer sun, but her eyes were icy cold.
"Nice to meet you."

My name is Chi Ling, one of the twelve lords of the border city, um... slightly higher in rank than Xing Yun.

The moment she finished speaking, terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from her body, sweeping over like an ancient, icy current, enough to freeze one's soul!
Ling Xiao's hand slowly pressed on the hilt of the Xuan Snake Poison Heaven Sword, his knuckles turning slightly white.

A lord even more powerful than Starfall!

Moreover, each of these lords is a true watcher of the Holy Temple!
Xingyun had no intention of killing them, so Lingxiao did not feel such suffocating pressure.

But the killing intent emanating from the woman in front of him was so sharp it was almost tangible, threatening to cut through his skin!
Ling Xiao's pupils suddenly contracted, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly.

It wasn't an avatar, nor a projection; it was the true form of the Sanctuary's Watcher descending! (End of Chapter)