The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground?-Chapter 22 - Who Says She’s Just a Sword Cultivator?

Chapter 22: Who Says She’s Just a Sword Cultivator?

Nangong Ling withdrew her sword with an unassuming expression, standing calmly as Zhao Ming, the scholar, collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood.

This man… must be out of his mind.

The moment he stepped onto the stage, he tried to act familiar, claiming they had met before and that he didn’t want to harm an old acquaintance.

Then, as they fought, he even warned her not to rely on self-realization.

Completely absurd.

Though his use of righteous energy was indeed rare, his strength was mediocre at best.

Even without activating her divine vision, her heightened perception allowed her to instantly pinpoint his weakest defenses.

She had lost her sword heart, but her years of honed swordsmanship were still there. Victory came effortlessly.

The unexpected result shocked the spectators.

After all, Zhao Ming was a disciple of Yuandan Academy, and among his peers, he was considered a formidable talent.

Yet such a person, regarded as a prodigy, was utterly no match for her.

Everyone turned their gaze to the calm and composed woman on the stage, their hearts filled with disbelief.

This disciple of the Qinglian Sect… was unbelievably strong!

Why had no one heard of her before?

Could she have suddenly broken through to the Golden Core stage?

It seemed the Qinglian Sect was far more formidable than anyone had thought!

“Senior Brother Zhao!” A commotion broke out among Yuandan Academy’s disciples as they rushed forward to carefully help Zhao Ming off the stage.

His face was pale as paper, his breathing weak.

He coughed heavily and muttered in disbelief, “That woman… there’s no way she just broke through to Golden Core!”

Her cultivation was far above his own!

Zhao Ming couldn’t accept that someone from a recently ascended sect could have advanced so much in a single year.

He thought back to their encounter in the mountains, where she had concealed her strength, displaying only a Foundation Establishment realm cultivation. Her depth of scheming was terrifying.

“You must be careful…” he warned before falling unconscious.

The enforcement disciples, already standing by, quickly carried him off for treatment.

“Even Senior Brother Zhao was defeated so easily. Do you think something unexpected might happen this time?” one of the eliminated disciples murmured anxiously.

Yuandan Academy had dominated the competition since its inception, often claiming all top ten positions. This year, they had assumed it would be no different.

Especially since the ultimate prize of this competition was an immortal-grade sword personally crafted by Elder Tianyue, a Nascent Soul expert. Even a cultivator in the Divine Transformation stage would covet it!

The disciples’ gazes all turned toward their leading figure, Lin Chengyu, a man in an elegant brocade robe.

As the strongest among them, Lin Chengyu was at the seventh stage of the Golden Core realm, a rare talent praised by even their sect master as someone with the potential to reach Divine Transformation.

If anyone could ensure their victory, it was him.

Feeling the hopeful stares of his junior brothers and sisters, Lin Chengyu, with his jade-like features, spoke calmly:

“Her swordsmanship is impressive, but without a sword heart, she cannot defeat me.”

Hearing this, the disciples felt reassured.

Nangong Ling’s outstanding performance had also caught the attention of the sect leaders above.

“Who would have thought a dark horse from the Twelve Great Sects would appear in this competition?”

“A Golden Core stage at the fourth level… truly impressive!”

The sect masters and elders couldn’t help but marvel.

“Qinglian Sect… Isn’t that the sect that only recently ascended to first-tier status?”

“With talent like hers, she could have joined any major sect. It’s such a waste for her to choose a sect with no foundation.”

Before the Nascent Soul sect master of another first-tier sect could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Turning his gaze, he found Liu Ruyan’s icy glare fixed on him.

He quickly forced a smile and backtracked, “But for Qinglian Sect to rise to first-tier status in just a century speaks volumes of its potential. It’s only natural for geniuses to gravitate toward it.”

As the suffocating pressure dissipated, the Nascent Soul sect master breathed a sigh of relief.

What a terrifying woman.

Not only was her disciple a monster, but she was one herself!

He recalled that when he had reached the peak of Nascent Soul, she had only been at the second stage of Nascent Soul. Now, while he remained stagnant, she had already advanced to Divine Transformation!

How was anyone supposed to compete with that?

The competition continued steadily, and the number of contestants dwindled.

From 64 to 32, then to 16… Finally, it was time for the final match.

Yuandan Academy’s Lin Chengyu, with his Golden Core seventh stage cultivation, dominated every match with unparalleled swordsmanship.

Nangong Ling, the dark horse, was equally astonishing, defeating every opponent with swift, decisive strikes. She never wasted a single move.

The final battle between these two sword cultivators drew everyone’s attention.

Lin Chengyu stood tall, his sword in hand, gazing at the black-clad woman before him with slight disappointment.

To him, defeating a sword cultivator without a sword heart was hardly worth the effort. But he refrained from making any arrogant remarks.

Very well, he thought. A friendly sparring match it is.

Her swordsmanship was remarkable, lacking only a sword heart. He decided to show her the power of his sword heart, hoping it might inspire her and deepen her understanding.

Perhaps, in the future, she could become a worthy rival.

Without any unnecessary words, the two began their battle.

Lin Chengyu took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

This strike—she wouldn’t be able to block it.

Suddenly, snow began to fall.

The audience reached out to touch the snowflakes, feeling their icy chill. Yet, their hands remained dry.

“Is this… an illusion?” someone murmured.

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Before they could process it, Lin Chengyu opened his eyes, which shone with sharp brilliance.

He drew his sword. The blade hummed like a dragon’s roar, shattering the illusory snow.

A dazzling flash of light erupted as the sword qi surged forward, radiating an unmatched sharpness.

Even before the attack landed, Nangong Ling felt the biting cold of the sword qi. Her arms and legs bore small cuts as her robes were torn by the invisible force.

She frowned slightly, intending to dodge, but found the strike impossibly fast. The moment she thought of evading, the sword qi was already upon her.

There was no escape. She could only counter it head-on.

So, this was the power of a sword heart.

He was indeed formidable.

Even with her former sword heart, she might not have been able to block this attack.

However…

Who said she was just a sword cultivator?

To everyone’s astonishment, Nangong Ling didn’t reach for her sword. Instead, she raised her hand to the black ribbon covering her eyes.

She slowly pulled it down, revealing a pair of eyes radiating the brilliance of the sun and moon.