Tian Ling, with eyes full of determination, fixed his gaze on Bai Jian, the leader of the Dark Sect. The tension between the two was palpable, as if the very air around them was about to explode. Suddenly, a translucent screen appeared in front of Tian Ling, revealing crucial information.

[Name: Bai Jian]

Leader of the Dark Sect

Age: 1233 years

Cultivation: Sealed at the First Level of the True Soul Realm

Spiritual Root: Mid-grade (broken)

Bloodline: Born as a servant in the Dark Sect, he rose through determination. He schemed countless times to attain the power he holds today.

Affinity: Surprised you defended his attack, he's now curious about your abilities.

Tian Ling couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine. "He's over a thousand years old... A veteran master, and his cultivation is sealed?" Tian Ling's heart pounded, but he controlled his nerves. "Even though I defeated the sect master in the simulation, facing someone a whole realm above me won’t be easy."

Tian Ling's mind raced. He knew he was standing before a decisive battle. "Stay calm... My treasures are powerful enough to defend against attacks from someone in the True Soul Realm," he thought, taking a deep breath. A wave of calm washed over him, his mind clearing as his resolve grew stronger.

Bai Jian, with an arrogant smile on his face, interrupted his thoughts.

"Tsk, does a junior who just broke through to the True Soul Realm think he can interfere?" His voice dripped with disdain, each word an attempt to belittle Tian Ling as he looked him up and down with contempt. He kept his hands clasped behind his back, a posture of someone who felt untouchable.

Tian Ling, without losing focus, analyzed every movement and word of his opponent. He knew Bai Jian was dangerous, but something in the system’s information intrigued him. "Broken spiritual root... Sealed cultivation... He must have used some treasure to break through," Tian Ling concluded, without breaking eye contact.

"Someone who needed a treasure to break through due to lack of talent dares to tell me what to do?" Tian Ling taunted, testing Bai Jian’s inflated ego. His tone was mocking, but each word was purposeful: to destabilize the enemy.

Bai Jian's eyes narrowed, a flash of anger briefly crossing his face. However, he kept his composure.

"Boy, you're impressive. Reaching the True Soul Realm at your age... If you surrender, I might spare you. Perhaps I’ll even take you as my personal disciple," he said, his voice laced with false generosity.

"I haven't fallen so low as to be lured by trash like you." Tian Ling's reply was firm and direct, his tone as cold as a sword’s edge. Without hesitation, he activated the Celestial Light Steps, disappearing in a blur of speed as he closed in on Bai Jian.

Tian Ling moved with lethal precision, his sword already drawn.

"Tempestuous Heavens Sword!" he shouted, striking with all the force his Qi could muster. The blade glowed with intense energy, cutting through the air as it headed straight for Bai Jian.

The eyes of the surrounding elders and disciples widened in surprise at Tian Ling's strength. A junior who had recently reached the True Soul Realm was facing the leader of the Dark Sect with frightening confidence. But what was even more impressive was the reaction of his master, Mei Lianhua.

"Could he... Could he be the one to save us from this disaster?" she murmured, recalling the prediction of an elder, who had foretold the rise of a genius capable of reversing their grim fate.

"This boy is indeed a genius of the century... but the power difference between them is still immense," commented the sect master, his voice heavy with concern.

Tian Ling’s strike collided with Bai Jian’s protective barrier. A dark aura enveloped the Dark Sect leader, and the impact was reflected back with the same intensity. Tian Ling, however, had anticipated the counterattack and swiftly dodged, landing gracefully a few meters away.

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"So, this is the true strength of his soul treasure?" Tian Ling thought, his eyes scanning the barrier. "A defense that reflects attacks. A direct assault won’t work... I’ll need a strategy."

Bai Jian let out a booming laugh, watching Tian Ling with a smug smile.

"That’s right, boy! Even if I don’t attack, you’ll never be able to break through my defense!" he exclaimed, his confidence bolstered by seeing Tian Ling retreat.

"Sect Master, allow me to deal with this child," one of the Dark Sect elders said, stepping forward.

Bai Jian nodded disdainfully.

"Hmph, very well, just don’t kill him..." Before he could finish his sentence, a purple lightning bolt, filled with devastating Qi, shot through the air, splitting the elder’s body in half. His soul and body were instantly destroyed.

Tian Ling observed with a steady gaze.

"I may not be able to break your barrier immediately, but does a mere fourth-level True Soul cultivator dare challenge me? This fight is between you and me," he declared, his voice resolute.

"Now... Five Swords of Judgment. The First Sword should be enough to break that barrier... but the Qi consumption will be high," Tian Ling thought, feeling the weight of his next decision.

Bai Jian, however, was already moving. His grim expression gave way to uncontrollable fury. His demonic aura exploded, covering the entire battlefield.

"Boy! Just because you're a genius doesn’t mean I can’t kill you!" Bai Jian roared, his dark Qi creating a suffocating pressure around him.

Tian Ling took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the aura crushing him from all sides, but his determination was unwavering.

"Five Swords of Judgment, First Sword: Ascension Sword!" Tian Ling murmured, as a golden sword, enveloped in divine aura, materialized above his head. The sword emitted a light so pure that it immediately dissipated part of the demonic energy in the field.

The elders of the Misty Serene Sect couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

"What? Divine Qi? Is that even possible?"

"What kind of power is this? Where does this purity come from?"

"That boy... wasn’t he just a disciple?"

Tian Ling remained focused. Although he knew the Qi consumption would be massive, he couldn’t afford to hesitate.

"I haven’t mastered all five swords yet, but this will be enough," he said, his gaze cold and calculated.

Bai Jian laughed again, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Your technique is impressive, but my barrier has never been broken. You won’t be able to destroy it," he said, though silently thinking, "This technique is more powerful than I thought... Will my soul treasure be able to withstand it?"

Tian Ling gestured with his hand, and the sword of Qi flew toward Bai Jian.

A deafening sound of shattering glass reverberated across the battlefield.

Bai Jian's barrier crumbled, and he was violently thrown to the ground.

"A mere perfected-level soul treasure can compare to an immortal-level technique?" Tian Ling muttered, his voice filled with disdain. Though he had broken Bai Jian's defense, he knew he had used an enormous amount of Qi. He needed to finish the battle quickly.

"Im-Impossible!" Bai Jian exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. Before he could react, Tian Ling used the Celestial Light Steps, disappearing from view and reappearing behind Bai Jian in an instant.

"Heavenly Palm!" Tian Ling shouted, delivering a direct blow.

Bai Jian’s body and soul began to disintegrate, his eyes filled with hatred and fear. He struggled to fight his inevitable demise, but the destruction was already underway.

"You... this isn’t over... my master... won’t let this slide... aahhh..." Bai Jian murmured, as he slowly vanished into the void, his voice echoing in agony.

Tian Ling watched in silence, his expression unwavering. Even after defeating such a powerful enemy, he knew this victory would bring more enemies and even greater challenges. Bai Jian had mentioned a master, someone who would likely be far beyond his current ability. But now was not the time to worry about that.

He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion from the massive Qi consumption. "This immortal-level technique... I’ll need to use it sparingly from now on. I can’t afford to waste so much Qi in prolonged battles."

He slowly turned, his eyes falling on Mei Lianhua and the other elders of the Misty Serene Sect. Shock and reverence were etched on their faces, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

Mei Lianhua, for her part, seemed both relieved and incredulous. She had never imagined that her disciple, someone who had recently seemed like a promising yet inexperienced cultivator, would be the key to saving the sect at such a critical moment.

"Tian Ling..." she whispered, her voice weak and choked with a mixture of relief and astonishment. "You..."

Tian Ling, noticing his master’s gaze, simply nodded lightly, showing respect and humility.

"The battle isn’t over yet, Master. We need to ensure everyone’s safety," he said, his voice firm but gentle.

Mei Lianhua nodded, still processing everything that had happened. As the elders and disciples regained their composure, a persistent thought echoed in Tian Ling's mind: "Who is Bai Jian's master? And what will he do when he learns of his disciple’s death?"

The next battle could be far more devastating.