This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

"What's over there?" Xiao Xingxue couldn't help but ask.

"You'll see once you try it,"

Ling Xue's gaze was unreadable as she stared intently in the direction the other woman was pointing, her expression turning grave. As the Xiao family members flew in that direction, before the Thunderclap Bomb could even be thrown, several sword beams shot into the sky from within the black mist, slicing through the barrier and instantly dismembering the approaching figures.

This sharp sword energy overwhelmed the entire arena. Even the Shen family and the Tianling people, whose vision was obscured by the black mist, were stunned in place, their faces showing shock.

The sword light, having already cleaved the Xiao family members in two, was not satisfied and charged directly at Ling Xue in front of the Demon Tower.

"Hmph," Ling Xue snorted coldly, but instead of confronting him directly, she quickly fled into the distance, pushing Xiao Xingchen far away as she passed by.

As for Mu Wushuang and Xiao Xingxue, they had already sensed something was wrong immediately and kept their distance.

With a deafening boom, the sword light swept through everything in its path, obliterating all that remained. Even the solid ground of the demon tower was blasted into a large crater.

"Who's that?" A surprised exclamation rang out, and countless eyes turned in that direction.

"My ghost sword made contact with the opponent as it moved through the black mist. The opponent seemed unwilling to reveal its true form, so it did not show itself."

Ling Xue offered a casual explanation, clearly indicating that she had intended to use the Xiao family to lure out those people, but she hadn't expected the newcomers to be so powerful.

This sword energy far exceeded the sixth realm; anyone of a lower realm who came into contact with it would surely die. Ling Xue only wanted to use this opportunity to test them, but she didn't expect those people to react so strongly.

"Looks like someone important has arrived here. Oh no."

Xiao Xingxue's face was etched with worry. Their forces were already stretched thin between the two major factions, and now the appearance of a mysterious expert had made their future uncertain.

"Who could this be? There shouldn't be such sword energy here," Mu Wushuang pondered.

"Perhaps we don't need to investigate who those people are. Just those sword energies, didn't you feel like you'd seen them somewhere before?"

"Familiar? Now that you mention it, it does seem somewhat familiar!" Xiao Xingxue lowered her head in thought, suddenly jolted awake by Mu Wushuang's words.

Xiao Xingchen watched silently. It was familiar, of course it was familiar. It was another sword. He was very familiar with this sword aura. But this sword that Daji had said was unprecedented had appeared in his field of vision three times. He wondered if this was all a coincidence.

Or was Daji deceiving him too? Those legendary swords, touted as unparalleled in the heavens and on earth, when did they become so commonplace?

His expression was somewhat grave. The people attracted by this nine-story demon tower were making the situation increasingly chaotic, and he could no longer understand it at all.

Ling Xue's gaze swept over Xiao Xingchen, and she had already noticed that this sword energy was very similar to his sword. However, with others present, she couldn't ask him about it on the spot.

"Should I go over and take a look?"

"Do you want to die?" Wushuang glared at him, then turned and left, disappearing into the black mist like a sword released from a bow.

"I'll be right back," Ling Xue said, and then rushed out after her.

Xiao Xingxue hesitated for a moment. Although she was very curious about who those people were, her reason told her that she had more important things to do.

"Men, concentrate your forces. There are too many people from the Shen family. While they are still in the black mist, don't hold back and inflict widespread casualties."

"Yes!"

The Xiao family members surged forth again, this time almost entirely, each carrying a considerable amount of gunpowder. Xiao Xingchen noticed that only one middle-aged man stood motionless in front of the Demon Tower. Even after searching through Xiao Jianren's memories, he couldn't recall which important figure from the Xiao family this man was.

"You're from the mountains, aren't you? I don't care where you're from. You see the situation now; people's hearts are unpredictable. If you're willing to lend me a hand, I'll definitely treat you well."

"I'm just an ordinary person, girl, you're overthinking it. You could kill me with a single finger."

"I hope so. I need to open the gates of the Demon Tower as soon as possible. You should stand back."

Xiao Xingchen nodded, then walked towards the main gate of the Demon Tower. He remained wary of Xiao Xingxue, unsure what she saw in him. He was currently powerless and utterly worthless.

Although he had managed to fool her a bit, this woman was too shrewd; those words alone weren't enough to truly make her look at him differently.

A conspiracy was brewing. His heart sank. The Xiao family was hiding too much; perhaps there were things he hadn't yet uncovered happening.

Connecting this to the mysterious sword energy he had just witnessed, a realization seemed to dawn on him.

A mysterious sword aura filled both the Shen family and Tianling factions with urgency. The appearance of this sword aura also pointed them in the right direction, driving them to break free of the black mist at all costs.

Especially the young monk Miaowu from the Burning Ashes Temple, with his hands clasped together and a Buddha appearing behind him, stood at the very front of the Tianling camp, impervious to all magic.

Behind them, Hua Xiaolou and the rest of the Great Yan group arrived almost unharmed. In contrast to the heavy casualties suffered by the Shen family, this place was peaceful and serene.

"What exactly is the origin of this Burning Ash Temple? Why have we never heard of such an invulnerable technique before?" Hua Xiaolou was extremely shocked. If they had known that the little monk Miaowu possessed this ability, what would they have been waiting for? They would have just rushed in.

"The Silent Temple, the young monk said the real Silent Temple is right here, and he has a deep connection with this place,"

"So that's why Da Yan chose us, right?" Yan Yi and Hua Xiaolou chatted as they walked.

Dali chose to side with the Shen family. Since the various kingdoms were allies, it was understandable that Da Yan would stand with them. However, the young monk chose Tianling. Da Yan, well aware of the mysteries of the Burning Temple, thus separated from Dali, which surprised many.

The alliance of nations dissolved overnight due to their differing allegiances, a truly astonishing turn of events.

"It's not just because of the little monk, but also the eldest princess and..." Yan Yi paused, her gaze thoughtful, and then asked,

Do you really think Xiao Xingchen is dead?

“Of course, he died right before my eyes, without a sound. Whether in the mortal world or the Ninth Heaven, there is no way to bring him back to life,” she said firmly, but Yan Yi still showed a hint of doubt.

Of all those present, she was the only one with a deep connection to the Prince of Kao Shan's mansion. She sensed something was amiss, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She was aware of the relationship between Xiao Xingchen and the Eldest Princess. Now that Xiao Xingchen was truly dead, why would the Eldest Princess have the time or inclination to separate herself from a scholar she had never met? There was something strange about this whole affair.

"Found it!" Suddenly, the little monk's spirits lifted, and then a vast and mighty Buddhist aura began to spread. The black mist that blocked their way disappeared after encountering the Buddhist light, and then slowly revealed several figures standing in front of the demon tower.