Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 757 - 756: A Moment of Life and Death

The audience fell silent, having heard a trace of finality in Hou Niao’s words.

Give up the status of a True Disciple? All for the thrill of swordsmanship? Ignore tradition? Just to shatter conventions?

The Masters of the Sima Mansion’s faces turned ashen, seeing him as a thankless wretch that could never be satisfied nor tamed.

The four Masters of Hai Weiquan Yuan were somewhat moved, realizing they had underestimated this young man—perhaps he was more than just a pawn.

The Masters of Sikong and Situ Manors had mixed feelings, proud of the cultivators from their own manors yet anxious about the possible changes to come. Their efforts to suppress had been in vain because some things simply cannot be controlled.

"This guy has even more guts than me!" Yu Zhengxing felt both excited and uneasy. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"My brother is indeed a true man!" Hai Xixi exclaimed, clapping in admiration.

"Old Hou, you just love to stir up trouble, don’t you?" Rao Zongzhi shook his head and sighed.

"Could it be that the two Masters of the Shan Sect are secretly supporting him?" Zong Qian continued to speculate.

"That’s my brother, indeed. Alas, I cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with him in battle, like we did in Yinling," Wang Mian reminisced with emotion.

Fang Yazi was not surprised at all, "I knew it. The question is, how are we going to clean this up this time?"

At the very outer edge of the congregation of cultivators, a hooded cultivator spit on the ground, partly revealing his face in excitement. A glimpse from a nearby cultivator made him wonder, doesn’t that look like Sikong Mansion’s Assistant Li? Why would he need to hide in his own place? He didn’t dare ask; Sikong Mansion was full of eccentrics, those beside him and those on the stage.

Li Chuping was annoyed. After a century of cultivation, how could he still lack patience? And why did he have to return to clean up after others?

But what could he do? He couldn’t just watch it happen.

He sent his Divine Sense to Master Xu of Sikong Mansion in the front row, "Great-Uncle, at the very least, please ensure his safety..."

On another side, Duan Wuqian’s gaze sharpened as he slowly moved forward. After all, it seemed it was he who needed to take action.

Good, in terms of cultivation, he needed such an opponent—to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys and to make the troublemakers understand that being a True Disciple was not an empty title.

... On stage, Hou Niao disregarded the reactions below, deeming them insignificant!

He continued to speak boldly, "I have a three-foot scabbard, hiding a bluestone-tinted green blade. Hidden for sixty years, I dare not unseal it lightly. None can unravel my art, Autumn mountains contain the dragon god. Always at the ready, the green lotus blooms in the blue waters. Don’t need to kill the home chicken, yet might meet the occasion to slay the serpent...

Here and now, I, Hou Niao of Sikong Mansion, formally challenge Brother Duan Wuqian!"

Without mincing words, any further talk of grand principles would be a waste of time. It was time for action!

The whole place was astir. Why did this madman refuse the position of True Disciple?

Not out of modesty, but because he deemed it beneath him!

His true goal was the Constellation True Inheritance, could the Sima Mansion offer him that?

If not, I’ll take it by force!

Isn’t it so that Sirius would take his life if he refused? No need for you to come after me, nor to take the trouble to find a pretext, I’ll give you the opportunity!

By now, all justifications were meaningless. The actions of the Reform Faction were laughable struggles. What can verbal disputes achieve?

There must be bloodshed! Lives must be claimed! Only thus can the dormant essence within some be awakened!

If a Sword Cultivator does not spill blood, only valuing life, is he still a Sword Cultivator?

As soon as he issued the challenge, before the Masters could react, a figure floated up from the crowd. Duan Wuqian, pointing his halberd, declared:

"Excellent, truly excellent! I also harbor this intent. Let’s have life and death decided under the sword, and let no one voice any objections!"

Two individuals, one standing alone on the platform, the other with his body suspended in midair, their momentum growing explosively — a life-and-death duel was on the brink of ignition.

Those who could not bear to see two Quanzhen Sect genius Swordsmen clash against each other pinned their hopes on the Masters stepping in to stop them. It would only take one to casually intervene, and the vast gap in their realms would easily prevent the duel from happening. However, paradoxically, not a single Master stepped forward.

The four Masters from Hai Weiquan Yuan Sect didn’t step forward because, to Sword Cultivators, battles of life and death were common and a part of their lives; regardless of whether Hou Niao lived or died, their goal had been achieved.

If he lived, it would show that even the Constellation’s eldest brother in the Nine True Inheritor was unworthy of his name, and the others were even less worth mentioning. The need for reform would then be imperative; if he died, at the very least, it would inspire courage and rouse the fighting spirit of others.

This was the nature of the ancient Sword Sect.

The Masters from the Sima Mansion and the two Prince Manors wouldn’t intervene either, for they knew Hou Niao was bound to be defeated. They were well aware of Duan Wuqian’s strength; he had only recently conquered another Constellation True Inheritor, but neither side had publicized it.

If victory was certain, why interfere? It was better for such a thorn to be dead.

The Masters from the Sikong and Situ Mansions remained solemnly still, not because they did not wish to act, but rather because a Master from the Sima Mansion had already passed the message to let nature take its course. They would follow suit, or else everything would end in disarray, with everlasting disputes and unrest.

This meant the younger generation would settle it amongst themselves, and once the result emerged, the Masters would judge, with each having one vote, without employing any underhanded tactics.

This was the very process they had hoped for; they did not wish to experience such chaos a second time. The Shan Sect Quanzhen could not withstand such disturbance – sooner or later, it would scatter the hearts of the people.

...The two opponents understood very clearly that they each only had one chance. In such close proximity, under these circumstances, and in this atmosphere, they were not allowed to engage in a prolonged battle.

What was needed was a fatal blow to achieve the greatest effect.

A dangerous aura pervaded the air; their impending battle gathered all the most perilous elements. Both were Sword Cultivators who valued explosive power, neither favored dragging out a fight, and both had a limited understanding of their opponent.

Hou Niao roughly knew that this man likely possessed at least three Flying Swords and the protection of a Malevolent Dragon; this was something Chuping had mentioned offhandedly, uncertain whether it was true.

Duan Wuqian also roughly knew that he had mastered the unique Body Sword Skill of the Quanzhen Sect and might know a bit of the Thunderbolt Skill? It was equally vague.

Facing such an unknown opponent, and trying to determine victory, defeat, life, or death in an instant, the element of chance was significant, with no assurance of victory for either side.

Of course, Duan Wuqian didn’t think so; he felt he held the winning cards.

Of course, Hou Niao didn’t think so either; he was full of confidence.

Their momentum continued to soar as if there were no limits, with the Mana and Cultivation they exhibited nearing that of the Golden Core. It was understandable for Duan Wuqian, a well-known and long-established Constellation True Inheritor, to possess such strength, but it was surprising for Hou Niao, an ordinary officer from the Sikong Mansion who wasn’t anything special.

In a moment, as if in a trance, the sound of sword cries suddenly rose, piercing and enduring.

Duan Wuqian, five Flying Swords, Invisible, Sky Jump, Siren Song, Sword Prison — forming two out of three, his figure like a pillar, with a Malevolent Dragon entwined...

Hou Niao, with untraceable Body Sword, unmatched and unparalleled, seeking defeat in solitude...

In the explosive roar, the sword light scattered; Duan Wuqian’s five Flying Swords and five top-tier swordsmanship techniques were all rendered ineffective, and Hou Niao’s Body Sword was broken, revealing his figure...

As the two swords collided, the Malevolent Dragon let out a long howl, and a bi-colored Mysterious Light swept across...

Amidst the collision, the hint of thunder could be faintly heard...

Upon reappearing, Hou Niao stood tall as a pine...

Duan Wuqian plummeted to the ground...