Fantasy: Starting with a bowl, you can exchange it for endless cultivation.

Openly interfering in the affairs of the Qingyun Sword Sect and killing its disciples is tantamount to challenging the dignity of the entire Qingyun Sword Sect; this is an irreconcilable enmity.

Lin Feng didn't waste any words. His tone was cold as he spoke to the person next to him in the Qingyun Sword Sect team, "Zhao Kai, you made the move. He's the one who killed Junior Brother Yun."

"Although he is at the late stage of Core Formation, with us here to protect you, we have nothing to fear. We will take his head as a sacrifice to Junior Brother Yun, and incidentally seize the four-turn Other Shore Flower in the center of the lake!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a powerful man in black with a sword stepped out from the group.

This person is named Zhao Kai. His cultivation has reached the peak of the late stage of the fourth-grade Core Formation Realm. His strength is second only to Lin Feng. He is the number two strongest person in the Qingyun Sword Sect in this area. He has mastered the Qingyun Sword Technique to perfection. His combat power far exceeds that of ordinary cultivators of the same level. He has killed opponents of the same level in the outside world.

Zhao Kai stepped forward, standing in mid-air. His sword flashed half an inch from its sheath, its chilling aura surging in all directions. A cruel killing intent curled at the corner of his eye as he looked down at Gu Chen on the shore, his eyes filled with contempt.

"You arrogant rogue cultivator, daring to kill someone from Qingyun, today is your death day!"

"I admit you have some guts, but guts don't equal strength. A rogue cultivator without a sect dares to challenge a prestigious sect. Today I'll show you the world of difference between a sect disciple and a rogue cultivator!"

Gu Chen stood quietly on the shore, holding the Blood-Transforming Blade, his expression calm. Facing the encirclement of more than thirty Qingyun Sword Sect disciples and Zhao Kai's aggressive provocation, he showed no panic whatsoever.

I originally thought I would only encounter the Qingyun Sword Sect members when the Spirit Gathering Pool opened.

I didn't expect to run into them so early.

Let's collect all their resources here first.

Amidst the surrounding mountains and forests, a dozen or so independent cultivators and two or three small sect teams, who had been hiding and observing, noticed the commotion and quietly approached, hiding behind trees and rocks to watch from afar.

"The Azure Cloud Sword Sect! One of the eight major sects, and they've gathered so many disciples—they're incredibly powerful!"

"A complete team of thirty-seven, led by Lin Feng, who has reached the peak of the Core Formation stage—this rogue cultivator is in for trouble!"

"To fight the entire Qingyun Sword Sect alone is like throwing an egg against a rock!"

"Reaching the late Core Formation stage is useless. No matter how strong a rogue cultivator is, they can't possibly fight against the entire Qingyun Sword Sect team. I reckon that if Zhao Kai makes a move, this rogue cultivator will be finished!"

The onlookers whispered amongst themselves, all accepting the outcome and convinced that Gu Chen was doomed to die today.

"This rogue cultivator looks like the one who fought the Second Hall and the Sword Sect alone at Flame Mountain a few days ago. However, that person was only in the mid-stage of Core Formation at that time, while this one is in the late stage of Core Formation. I wonder if it is him."

Some people began to doubt Gu Chen's identity.

However, there weren't many people on Fire Mountain at that time.

So this is just a guess, I can't be sure.

In mid-air, Zhao Kai stopped wasting words, his eyes flashing with killing intent, and he flicked his wrist!

Clang—!

A crisp sword cry resounded across the lake, and a dazzling blue-white sword light tore through the air. The sword energy was extremely condensed, carrying the sharp wind-breaking momentum of the Azure Cloud Sword Technique, and cleaved straight at Gu Chen's head!

Fourth-grade martial art, Azure Cloud Moon-Slaying Sword!

This is a fourth-grade orthodox martial art of the Qingyun Sword Sect. Zhao Kai has cultivated it for many years and has already mastered it. When he slashes out with his sword, the sword energy is condensed as if it were a substance, containing the power to split mountains and cleave seas. It is enough to instantly kill an ordinary late-stage Core Formation cultivator. Its power is terrifying.

The sword light pierced the air at incredible speed, arriving in front of Gu Chen in an instant. The chilling sword energy caused the surrounding air to tremble slightly.

Just when everyone thought Gu Chen would either dodge in a sorry state or take a heavy blow head-on,

Gu Chen slightly raised his eyes, his expression remaining completely calm. He gripped the top-grade Earth-level Blood Transformation Blade tightly in his right hand, and a flash of crimson light appeared on the blade!

No fancy moves, no unnecessary actions, just a simple horizontal slash!

"The God of Slaughter Slashes with One Blade!"

The Yamamoto family's ultimate fourth-grade martial art is domineering and fierce, capable of breaking through all orthodox sword techniques and protective true essence!

The jet-black blade, imbued with a dense aura of bloodlust, slashed down with overwhelming power, instantly crushing all surrounding spiritual energy!

Boom!

The flashes of blades and swords clashed violently!

There was no stalemate, no respite!

Zhao Kai's proud Azure Cloud Moon-Slaying Sword aura shattered and disintegrated instantly before the domineering power of the God of Slaughter's One-Slash Slash, just like glass meeting a heavy hammer!

The sky was filled with blue and white sword energy that exploded with a bang, turning into specks of spiritual light and dissipating into the air!

The terrifying blade's momentum remained undiminished, carrying an overwhelming force as it slashed fiercely at Zhao Kai's protective true essence shield!

Click—!

The thick protective shield of the late-stage Core Formation Realm cultivator shattered and collapsed instantly!

"What?!"

Zhao Kai's pupils shrank sharply, his face filled with horror, his mind went blank, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His fourth-grade martial arts, which was at its peak, was actually shattered by a single strike from his opponent?!

How is this possible! How could a rogue cultivator possess such terrifying swordsmanship?!

Just as fear and disbelief welled up in his heart, the domineering crimson blade had already pierced through his body!

puff!

Blood splattered!

A single slash pierced through his chest and abdomen!

Zhao Kai didn't even have time to activate any defensive moves or let out a scream before his body was cleaved in two by a single strike. His physical body, true essence, and dantian were all shattered, and his life force was instantly extinguished!

A mangled corpse fell straight down from mid-air and crashed into the lake, instantly being swallowed by the water and turning the blue waves red.

The entire room fell silent!

The wind on the lake stopped, all the sword energy dissipated, and the entire world seemed to fall silent instantly.

The remaining thirty-six disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect were all frozen in mid-air, their eyes wide open, their faces blank, horrified, and incredulous!

Zhao Kai!

Peak late-stage Core Formation! The second strongest in their team!

He was actually killed instantly by this seemingly ordinary rogue cultivator!

Clean and efficient, with absolutely no resistance!

The onlookers on the shore and in the forest were in an uproar, gasps of astonishment rising and falling!

"One strike, and he instantly killed Zhao Kai, a peak late-stage Core Formation cultivator?!"

"My God! What terrifying combat power is this?!"

"Am I seeing things? A crushing defeat within the same realm! An absolute annihilation within the same realm!"

"This is no ordinary late-stage Core Formation cultivator! This physical body, this swordsmanship, this explosive power—it's outrageous! This is not something a rogue cultivator could possess!"

"He must be that rogue cultivator who defeated the Sword Sect at Flame Mountain. This sword technique belongs to the Yamamoto family of Japan!"

"No wonder he dared to monopolize the Qingyun Sword Sect's team; it turns out he's that formidable figure."

Some people who weren't present during the previous battle at Flame Mountain thought that Gu Chen's strength was being exaggerated.

It's just too outrageous. A mid-stage Core Formation cultivator reaching the mid-stage Grandmaster level is simply impossible.

But if Gu Chen is that person, then perhaps the rumor is true.

The onlookers' mindset was completely overturned, from initial disdain and spectatorship to extreme shock and fear.

In mid-air, Lin Feng, the leader of the Qingyun Sword Sect, instantly turned extremely gloomy, as black as ink, and the arrogance between his brows was completely replaced by a cold killing intent.

He stared intently at Gu Chen below, who held a blood-stained blade and stood tall and straight, his eyes filled with shock and solemnity.

He finally realized that he had completely misjudged the situation!

The Gu Chen before us is no ordinary late-stage Core Formation Realm rogue cultivator!