The sword shook the group of cultivators, leaving traces at the mysterious site

Before the Gu mist in Fenlin Ravine had dissipated, shouts of battle had already reverberated throughout the valley.

Dozens of figures swarmed in from the mouth of the ravine, instantly surrounding Xiao Yunsheng and his three companions.

Judging from their clothes, these people should be core disciples of the three major sects: Green Bamboo Mountain, Sunset Valley, and Iron Saber Sect. Their eyes were fixed on Xiao Yunsheng, and the greed and fanaticism in their eyes were almost overflowing!

"Xiao Yunsheng! Hand over the Hidden Scale Heavenly Talisman!" The leader of the Iron Saber Sect stood with his sword drawn, shouting fiercely, "If you don't hand it over today, don't even think about leaving this Burning Scale Ravine alive!"

"Oh?" Xiao Yun Sheng gripped the Forgotten Trace Sword, his eyes as cold as ice. "Try it!"

He glanced at the crowd that had surrounded him, his words clear and distinct: "If you want what's mine, you'll pay with your life!"

"Sharp-tongued!" The female cultivator from Sunset Valley sneered, flicking her long whip, which gleamed with a poisoned light, towards Xiao Yunsheng's face. "A mere blue-robed man dares to monopolize such a tremendous opportunity? Today, we will act on behalf of Heaven and rid you of this scourge!"

Before the whip even arrived, Shen Lingxi had already moved.

With the innate sword seal activated, a golden sword aura burst forth, precisely severing the incoming whip!

"Shen Lingxi! You!" The disciples of the Iron Saber Sect gripped their long sabers tightly, shouting sternly, but dared not step forward easily.

Everyone knows that this seemingly delicate girl is Shen Qingzhu's biological granddaughter. If she offends Shen Qingzhu, she will be in deep trouble!

Shen Lingxi's aura grew increasingly sharp. "You believe the rumors spread by Chan Chen? Since when have reputable sects started associating with such heretical and unorthodox sects?"

"Stop wasting time talking to them! Attack together! Kill him! We'll split the spoils!"

Someone roared, and the surrounding cultivators instantly moved.

Dozens of figures attacked simultaneously, and the flashing blades, sword shadows, and spells instantly filled the entire valley, overwhelming Xiao Yunsheng and his group of four in the center.

"Protect them both!" Xiao Yunsheng whispered, then leaped forward to meet them.

The Sword of Oblivion emitted a clear and melodious sword sound in his hand, and the azure dragon pattern on the hilt lit up completely, perfectly merging with the primordial fire within his body.

This time, he didn't use any ready-made sword moves or patterns, but only relied on the sword intent he had comprehended when breaking the Seven Gu Shadows to unleash a sword strike.

The sword leaves no trace, the snow leaves no mark!

The sharp sword energy, carrying golden-red scale fire, instantly tore apart the incoming attack. The three cultivators in the front row didn't even have time to scream before they were blasted away by the sword energy, crashing heavily against the cliff wall and losing consciousness!

One sword strike sent three people flying!

The cultivators who had surrounded them stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with disbelief and horror.

They never imagined that this disciple in blue robes would possess such terrifying strength!

They must have truly obtained an incredible opportunity from the Qilin Altar! Thinking of this, the greed in their eyes intensified!

"What's there to be afraid of? There are so many of us, we can wear him down!"

Everyone snapped out of their daze and swarmed forward again.

Xiao Yunsheng moved through the crowd with the grace of a gentle breeze, his Forgotten Trace Sword emitting a series of sword cries.

He had no bloodlust whatsoever. He held back against anyone who abandoned their sword and retreated, and he showed no mercy to anyone whose attacks were aimed at vital points.

There were just too many people, wave after wave. They fought more and more frantically, their eyes bloodshot. Even with broken arms and legs, they still charged forward fearlessly!

"No! They've been cursed!" Shen Lingxi warned sharply, "It's Chan Chen's Madness Gu!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a chilling blade of energy slashed from the side, aiming straight for Xiao Yunsheng's back!

A member of the Iron Saber Sect, who was at the half-step Illumination Realm, had somehow circled around behind him!

Xiao Yunsheng tried to dodge, but it was too late!

The continuous battles had already depleted more than half of his spiritual energy, and he felt a sense of stagnation in his meridians.

Just as the blade energy was about to strike him, Shen Lingxi leaped behind him and blocked it. The innate sword seal erupted with full force, and the golden barrier instantly opened up!

With a deafening roar, Shen Lingxi was jolted backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood, her face instantly turning deathly pale.

The fourth sword seal lock in her dantian broke open in half under this full-force attack, and a tearing pain came from her meridians.

"Lingxi!" Xiao Yunsheng's heart tightened, his eyes instantly reddened, and he turned around to support her, his primordial fire surging suddenly!

Just then, a terrifying pressure came from the direction of the ravine mouth, enveloping the entire Burning Scale Ravine like a curtain of the sky!

A figure slowly walked into the ravine!

"You little bastard! You killed my son, and today you will pay with your life!" The speaker was none other than Chan Jiuyuan, who had spoken with the Commander outside Yanyu Mountain that day!

When the powerful cultivators of the Illumination Realm arrived, the previously frenzied cultivators immediately stopped fighting and retreated, making way for an open space!

Xiao Yunsheng shielded Shen Lingxi behind him and gripped the Forget-Trace Sword tightly!

Chan Jiuyuan sneered and raised his hand to grab Xiao Yunsheng.

The chilling Gu energy transformed into a giant claw, carrying a strange power that could seal spiritual energy, and instantly arrived in front of Xiao Yunsheng!

The terrifying power of the Illumination Realm was fully revealed.

Just as the giant claw was about to grab Xiao Yunsheng, the Forgotten Sword in his hand suddenly burst out with a blinding white light!

An aura far exceeding the Mingxin Realm erupted from the sword, instantly shattering the giant claw of Gu power. Even Chan Jiuyuan was forced to retreat repeatedly by this aura, his eyes filled with horror!

This is the aura left on the sword by Ling Xuzi, a powerful expert at the Order Realm!

"Now! Let's go!" Xiao Yunsheng seized the fleeting opportunity and exchanged a glance with Shen Lingxi!

Shen Lingxi immediately understood, and the two of them grabbed one of the aliens each and jumped off the cliff without hesitation!

By the time Chan Jiuyuan came to his senses, the four had already vanished, leaving behind only the chaotic Burning Scale Ravine and a group of terrified cultivators!

Half an hour later, deep in the dense forest behind the main peak.

The four stopped, finally shaking off their pursuers. Xiao Yunsheng immediately took out medicine to treat Shen Lingxi's injuries, his eyes filled with guilt as he looked at her pale face: "I'm sorry, I made you get hurt again because of me."

"You're still telling me this?" Shen Lingxi smiled, shook her head, and suppressed the stinging pain in her meridians. "Have you forgotten? We're companions."

The foreign man beside him, supporting his injured body, bowed deeply to Xiao Yun Sheng and said in broken Central Plains dialect, "My benefactor, my brother and I have no way to repay your two life-saving graces. There is a mysterious temple in this back mountain, containing many murals and manuscripts from a hundred years ago. Perhaps, it can unravel the mystery of the curse mark on your body!"

Xiao Yunsheng looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock.

Xuan Guan? Could it be related to the Xuan Heng Guan Mai clan?

The four of them followed the dense forest forward for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, until an ancient mountain gate covered in vines came into view. Above the gate were four large, weathered characters: Xuanheng Dingtian.

really!

Pushing open the mountain gate, one finds a Taoist temple that has been abandoned for a hundred years. The stone walls of the main hall are covered with complete Xuanheng incantation patterns, which are exactly the same as the Qilin Burning Incantation on his back.

In the very center of the main hall, on a stone table, lay a jade pendant that had long since oxidized. It matched perfectly with the mother-and-child pendant on his chest, revealing the other half of the mother pendant!

Beneath the jade pendant lay a tattered scroll of handwriting, the handwriting of which he recognized all too well—it was the handwriting of his father, Xiao Jingchen.

Xiao Yunsheng picked up the manuscript with trembling hands, and just as he was about to flip through it, a voice that sounded neither male nor female came from outside the Taoist temple:

"So, it finally came?"