Chapter 68: A Lethal Intent

“Brother Beihan, how have you been lately? Did your recent seclusion bring any gains?” Feng Taiji gave a light cough, a faint flush of illness coloring his cheeks. In truth, he was not old in years, and for a lord of the Celestial Realm he was merely at the beginning of his path. Yet, in his youth, he had suffered a grievous wound—his strength remained, but his lifespan was failing, and now he was already nearing his end.

“That’s nothing for you to worry about, Brother Taiji. My elder brother is making rapid progress and has already grasped the secrets of the Void-Breaking Realm,” Cheng Hai sneered, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with imperious disdain. “You all know my elder brother’s temperament, especially how indulgent he is toward Cheng Yu. This matter has also drawn the attention of our family patriarch. Do you mean to declare war against the Cheng family?”

His words brimmed with murderous intent. In a single breath, Cheng Hai invoked both Cheng Beihan and the family patriarch, laying bare his resolve.

“The Cheng family truly deserves destruction, determined to doom me at any cost. This grudge will be repaid one day,” Lin Fan thought, his brow furrowing as he maintained a calm facade, though his heart was seething with killing intent.

“I believe that even if Brother Beihan knew of this matter, he would have little to say. The winner is king and the loser is the villain. Back in his day, he too rose by stepping over the corpses of his peers. I doubt Brother Beihan would be so ungenerous,” Gu Tianhua said gravely. He knew retreat was not an option now. Even if Cheng Beihan had reached the Void-Breaking Realm, the Gu family too had powerhouses of that level.

“Hmph! Is it worth offending the Cheng family for the sake of an ant at the Mortal Body Realm? The rumor is that he was merely a menial servant, yet he has somehow founded this so-called Divine Court. Surely you all know Duanmu Ci’s background?” Cheng Hai’s sneer was cold as he cast a glance at Lin Fan, utterly dismissing him.

“Whether it’s worth it or not is no concern. Let the younger generation settle their own affairs.” Feng Taiji once more spoke, unshaken in his stance. Even with Cheng Beihan on the verge of stepping into the Void-Breaking Realm, he would not yield, for his own time on that path was fast approaching.

“What if I intend to kill him now?” Suddenly, a voice colder than ice echoed from the horizon. Radiant light drowned the sky—sword energy so dazzling that a single stroke could bring down even a low-tier Celestial lord.

“So, it’s Senior Wuyang. Are you going to intervene as well?”

Feng Taiji’s expression changed drastically; he recognized the newcomer at once. This was Sword Wuyang, patriarch of the Sword family, one of the eight great clans of the Heavenly Martial Sect, rumored to have already entered the Void-Breaking Realm.

“Junior Taiji, after so many years you still haven’t taken that step forward. Give it a few more years and you may perish in the decline of the Celestial Realm,” a figure bathed in multicolored light appeared in midair, looking down upon all.

“So, Senior Wuyang, you have yet to return from the Abyss. Do you think a mere avatar can stop me?” Feng Taiji straightened his spine, growing uncharacteristically forceful, his gaze piercing the heavens.

From his words, it was clear to all present that Sword Wuyang had not come in person. Yet, the pressure emanating from this avatar surpassed everyone there. So this was the might of a Void-Breaking expert—divine power as crushing as a prison.

“It seems you haven’t forgotten the past, Junior Taiji. But even now, you’re only in the Fifth Decline of the Celestial Realm. Even against an avatar, you’re no match. My advice is to let go of the past and focus on the future. Your path ahead is already fraught with hardship,” Sword Wuyang declared, his dominance absolute, clearly holding old grievances with Feng Taiji.

“That’s not for you to worry about, senior. Today, I must protect Lin Fan. Such talent is rare in the Tiandu Sect—given time, he could become the next Divine Lord.” Feng Taiji did not yield an inch; his body soared upward, refusing to be cowed.

“There’s nothing more to say. Die!” Sword Wuyang gathered his energy into a sword, which crashed down in a blinding arc of light, slashing toward Lin Fan’s head.

This was a true killing blow. Even as an avatar, a strike from a Void-Breaking powerhouse left no room for survival.

“Senior, you go too far!” Feng Taiji’s face darkened, and he intervened without hesitation. A massive formation appeared, followed by a colossal claw descending from the heavens to shatter the sword’s radiance.

This was the Xuanwu secret art, a Feng family ancestral technique. In the hands of a Fifth Decline Celestial like Feng Taiji, its power was terrifying—space itself shattered into dust.

“Junior Taiji, you are still lacking. Three centuries ago it was so, and now too—open!” With a thunderous roar, Sword Wuyang unleashed another savage assault. Sword energy swept all before it, recreating chaos and the scene of the world’s birth.

A muffled sound rang out as Feng Taiji coughed blood and staggered back, his face deathly pale, his breath weakened.

Then, Sword Wuyang swung again. A sword light five hundred zhang long stretched across the sky, its edge infinite. He meant to kill Lin Fan, and with such force that even if Lin Fan had nine lives, he could not escape death.

“Damn it! Sword Wuyang, what hatred do you hold that you must kill me thus? If I survive this, I swear to see you destroyed—your bones scattered, your soul extinguished!” Lin Fan’s face was ashen, his whole body trembling. He could not withstand such power; the mere aura was enough to split his flesh, blood seeping from countless cracks.

At that moment, Lin Fan’s eyes flickered—he saw a distant figure: Duanmu Ci. Now he understood why Sword Wuyang was here. It could only be due to this man’s slander!

“Well played, Duanmu Ci. Is this what it means to be a Divine Son? Even a dog is better. Kill, kill, kill!” Lin Fan raged inwardly, coughing blood as sword light swept the sky, its trajectory impossible to follow—a killing intent about to descend.

“Man is but a fish on the chopping block? I refuse to accept fate! Yes, I was a mere servant. Yes, I relied on Senior Sister Yunxi’s influence. But is that my fault? Everything comes down to strength. If I have the chance, I will make all of them kneel before me!”

Hatred surged to madness, but Lin Fan could only roar silently, his throat producing only the sound of coughing.

Sword light cleaved the sky with unstoppable force; this was certain death, issued by a Void-Breaking powerhouse. All the Celestial lords present changed expression—some with joy, some with shock—but none dared to intervene. The price for blocking such a strike was too great, a consequence even they could scarcely bear.

“All those factions, all those so-called backers—they are nothing but illusions. Only I can help myself. Power is useful, yes, but in the end, personal strength is paramount!”

At this moment, Lin Fan at last understood: only by becoming truly strong could he ignore all others. What gave Sword Wuyang such arrogance? Was it not simply that he was a Void-Breaking powerhouse?