The conveyed message corresponded precisely to the target of paramount concern for Yu Ci and his group.

The Heavy Weapon Sect Leader was one; the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was another.

"The position of the Heavy Weapon Sect is comparatively forward, while the shadow of Qu Thunderbolt-Free has just stabilized Master Yuan Dao's physical body, forcibly breaking the prohibition!"

The information became clearer. Yu Ci listened, hesitating briefly before inquiring, "Sword Immortal Cultivation Level?"

"Without the mark of a Sword Immortal, how can one be deemed a Sword Immortal? Moreover, the inherent Sword aura conflicts severely with Master Yuan Dao's, with forty percent of the power dissipating internally. Under such circumstances, without three to five years of adjustment, there will be no improvement... Of course, even if not a Sword Immortal, with only sixty percent of the power, to extinguish all within the Sword Garden would hardly be a feat."

Yu Ci's lips curled, but before he could respond, a "pop" resounded in the darkness, as if a cork had been ejected. The lingering sound echoed in the dark, soon joined by a mournful wind, spreading outward to the fringes where it accumulated and transformed, becoming as rich as distant thunder, grand and remote.

Due to the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave inhaling and exhaling Primordial Qi, sharp as a treasured blade, within dozens of miles, all were at risk of being slain. Thus, the cultivators consciously kept a significant safe distance. No one knew, nearly a hundred miles apart, how the sound waves would distort upon reaching here, and how much they would differ from the original sound. However, as the sound waves churned, a clearer voice arose.

It was a strand of Clear Tone, which suddenly soared to a high pitch. No matter how many octaves it climbed, its timbre remained crystalline and lucid, neither scattered nor harsh, devoid of any trace of mundanity.

Upon hearing this sound, people felt an inexplicable brightness before their eyes. Then the Clear Tone harmonized with the distant thunder, and amidst the muffled thunderclaps, it revealed an incomparable penetrating power. The Clear Tone pierced through the darkness, the Boundary River, space itself, diffusing toward the infinite beyond.

At that moment, many beheld a sudden burst of light far along the "river."

"A direct hit!"

That person, who somehow almost had a complete grasp of the conditions within the entire Guixu, now roughly described the progress of breaking the prohibition from a hundred miles away, followed immediately by a cautionary "Be careful!"

In the "river," Yu Ci already sensed something amiss. The Clear Tone, in an instant, traversed a hundred miles of void, its speed no longer that of normal sound waves. It was exceedingly pleasant as it brushed past the ear, yet the sharpness within was unimaginably fierce!

The other cultivators reacted even slower. In the moment of their bewilderment, they too sensed danger. The Clear Tone itself was secondary; what was truly fatal was the Sword aura it carried, fine as filaments, yet capable of piercing through True Sha, flesh and bone, even Yin Spirit. The cultivators' most perfect defenses were punctured by a "small hole."

Aura drew forth, Sword Energy burst out.

In an instant, over a dozen cultivators screamed in agony, feeling Sword Energy penetrate their skulls, their blood flowing in reverse, meridians in disarray, vomiting blood before tumbling into the deep void of the Boundary River, their fate unknown.

"The 'Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody' from the Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Sword Canon."

Having just confirmed the origin of the Clear Tone, the sound waves underwent another transformation. Led by the "Celestial Sound" Sword aura, the immense power accumulated behind the seal poured forth, forming a raging torrent that ravaged the "river," spilling over the void, its impact force no less than the Bloodthirsty Qi emitted by the Xuan Huang Killing Sword. Despite the various Void Rifts in the Boundary River diverting the flow, the terrifying tidal surge of impact still "flooded" the "river" in an instant, scattering the cultivators in disarray.

At this moment, Yu Ci was acutely aware: Although the onslaught of the tidal surge was formidable, it paled in comparison to the fundamental assault of the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody" and its Sword aura. Protected by the Aura of the Celestial Dragon, his spirit remained guarded, yet his heart still fluttered and his soul quivered. On the surface, he seemed unscathed, but in truth, hidden injuries had already taken their toll.

"This is the Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Sword technique!"

It was the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave who had withstood the brunt of the attack... The surging tides roared tumultuously, intermingled with the peripheral thunderous din, growing even more potent. Yet the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody" remained crisp and translucent, its lethal potency undiminished. Yu Ci gathered his focus, intending to counter with his own Sword aura, but as the thought arose, a tremor unexpectedly shook a deep recess of his spirit.

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To Yu Ci, during this soul-shaking moment, a strand of Clear Tone split off, pure and piercing as the song of a sword, clashing directly with the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody" that penetrated from outside. By some fluke, both were extinguished simultaneously, leaving no trace behind.

"Oh? Was it the Sword aura from the Flying Immortal Sword Scripture etched within your soul that was stirred?"

The figure expressed surprise, then sighed, "The Half-Mountain Mirage Sword Intent you cultivate also stems from the Sword Competing Pavilion. It's not strange that it could draw forth a touch of power. It's rare to capture a fraction of its true essence, yet it's a pity that progress halts here."

Yu Ci nodded his understanding.

Having truly encountered the "Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Sword Canon," his comprehension of the "Upper True Nine Heavens Flying Immortal Sword Scripture" deepened further. The figure had always spoken of the principle of "Sword Intent Purification," and "purity" was the most fundamental requirement in the cultivation of sword scriptures.

Purity is akin to the celestial.

Observing the Sword Resonance of the "Thunder-Slaying Tribulation-Dispelling Sword technique," it was clear and luminous, untainted by the slightest dust, embodying the aspiration to transcend the mundane. This revealed the lofty standards of purification demanded. For Yu Ci, unless he discarded twenty-six years of his Cultivation Level, casting away the established rules ingrained in his mind to return to a blank slate and re-cultivate the sword scripture, there was no chance for him to achieve mastery.

Such an act of fitting a square peg into a round hole was not the pursuit of the wise.

In conclusion, the figure remarked, "A pearl covered in dust, truly a pity!"

Yu Ci, momentarily lost in thought, was pushed back a hundred feet by the immense force of the oncoming surge, only then remembering that the tidal onslaught was still in full swing. Of course, compared to the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody," this was nothing.

With a surge of energy, he shot forward like a fish swimming upstream, his sword propelling him onward. He was not the only Cultivator to withstand the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody"; there were others who, despite the battering tides, pressed forward. They were not as informed as Yu Ci, but it was precisely because of this that they harbored fewer reservations.

"There are still thirty-five... The position of the Heavy Weapon Sect has fallen in the middle. Hmm, a few big ones have also slipped in."

Continuing to relay messages, Yu Ci appeared perplexed, "The tall ones?"

"They are the ones who were originally milling around the periphery, seizing the chance to slip in amidst the commotion."

Just like the Qi Shang Taoist?

Yu Ci merely uttered an "Oh," his expression revealing nothing of note. Indeed, the Vacuum Walking Cultivators stood as titans he must look up to, yet in the current predicament, they were not yet a force capable of shaking the grand scheme of things... After all, as the most pivotal pillar of the situation, the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave was on a level far too superior!

At last, the "Twelve Jade Pagodas Universe Melody" reached its zenith and gradually faded away. The surging tides of impact remained ferocious, but their threat was increasingly diminishing.

"It's gone in!"

The voice whispered in his ear, and Yu Ci squinted into the distance; after all, the darkness still enveloped everything tens of miles away. But after traveling another dozen miles, a point of light suddenly pierced his field of vision—a faint beacon in the dark "river," yet strikingly conspicuous.

Yu Ci cracked a smile: "Ah, it's back!"

With even the faintest source of light, the situation was worlds apart from the utter darkness before. The Night Vision of the cultivators found its purpose, distinguishing friend from foe with ease amidst the river's sudden chaos. Yu Ci, adept at concealing his aura and quick to react, slowed down in time to steer towards the edge, letting the turmoil pass by. Now he found himself among the latter half of the cultivators.

As the cultivators surged forward, the light source ahead grew increasingly bright and large, slowly forming a ring of light. However, the circle did not expand indefinitely; upon reaching a certain extent, it began to contract and twist, hinting at closure.

This scene instantly ignited the cultivators' emotions, with several figures speeding up and hurling themselves toward the center of the light ring. Now less than half a mile away, their speed flashed to over a thousand feet in the blink of an eye, surpassing the level of the Golden Elixir. Once more, that fellow would be able to break through!

Yu Ci's eyes narrowed to slits, but through the layers of figures, he clearly saw a shadow flip within the center of the light ring.

"Here it comes!"

At the warning, Yu Ci did not hesitate to draw the sheathed Xuan Huang Killing Sword from his back, holding it before his chest as he further lowered the intensity of his aura.

In the Night Vision of the cultivators, the light ring ahead was suddenly smeared with a thick, blood-red hue!

The temperature within the "river" soared as the advancing cultivators came to a stunned halt, witnessing a new, even more astonishing wave of Blood Light erupting forth, swiftly altering the color of the "river."

The blood-red tide roared past.

The figure that had pounced towards the exact center of the light ring collided head-on with the blood tide, dissolving without even a whimper! The cultivators following behind were horrified, attempting to flee to the sides, but it was too late, and in the blink of an eye, they met the same fate. No one could escape; even Yu Ci, at least twenty miles away, was but a half-breath's time from being overrun by the blood-red tide.

Inside the scabbard, the Xuan Huang Killing Sword vibrated faintly, and Yu Ci followed its rhythm to regulate his entire body's aura. He felt a thunderous boom by his ear, and his body was flung backward, tumbling for at least five miles before he struggled to steady himself.

"Ha, ha, ha, hahahaha!"

The explosive laughter echoed throughout the entire "river." Yu Ci clutched his sword to his chest, his body curling slightly, feeling an odd sensation as if his blood were being vaporized, yet the void Life Death Talisman within him remained unaffected, in a remarkably favorable state.

Perhaps due to the light, the figure within the ring was now vaguely visible from this vantage point of escape, though its features were unclear. However, listening to that unrestrained laughter, Yu Ci could faintly discern a face brimming with disdain and mockery.

Then, the shadow disappeared.