Chapter Sixty-Three: The Premier Sect of the Wildlands

Especially the hair and beard, now completely white, Second Brother Heaven’s Wrath was so furious his brows twisted into a knot. He could never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that the Ninefold Demon-Slaying Sword Formation, undefeated for millennia in the sect, would be shattered by two youths of no renown. Worse still, the debacle unfolded before the Sword Pavilion, where the God of War once vanquished the strongest of the wilds—a disgrace unprecedented in the history of the Abyssal Sanctuary.

Yet Bai Mu had no time to concern himself with his opponent's feelings. The urgent task was to help Ling Yan escape, then devise a method to break through. Having endured two sword strikes, Bai Mu’s body had suffered considerable damage; to rescue Ling Yan through sheer force was now impossible. Furthermore, if he rashly entered the formation, he risked disturbing Ling Yan’s concentration, potentially becoming a burden rather than a help, which would be a costly mistake.

As his mind raced with countless thoughts, a faint, mosquito-like voice suddenly sounded in his ear—distant yet clearly audible. Scanning his surroundings, Bai Mu’s gaze finally settled on a disciple of the Abyssal Sanctuary, who had been floating in midair since the beginning.

At that moment, the disciple’s lips moved slightly, reciting incomprehensible incantations, while his sword waved commandingly through the air like a calm, unruffled commander.

Most remarkable was what happened next: after the barely audible incantation, the disciples encircling Ling Yan abruptly shifted formation. No longer scattered and disorganized, they now moved as one unit, their momentum several times stronger than before.

Ling Yan, trapped by forty powerful disciples for longer than a cup of tea, had already depleted nearly half her spiritual power. This shift in the formation, favoring the enemy, left her physically strained.

Moreover, the new formation was vastly different from the previous close-quarters combat—open and sweeping, clearly intended to focus collective power in attacking Ling Yan, rather than a chaotic melee.

This was a disaster!

Bai Mu could not help but cry out in alarm. As an observer, he immediately recognized the change in the formation, but besides shouting, he found himself powerless to act.

If Ling Yan, a prodigious young woman, could not withstand the sword formation, what hope did he have of breaking through?

Just as he despaired, the image of the floating disciple’s serene, unhurried expression flashed through his mind—the composure of a true commander.

That’s it!

The crucial point was the floating disciple above!

With this realization, clarity dawned on Bai Mu like a splash of cold water. The sword formation’s ability to instantly reorganize and adapt after being disrupted depended entirely on the commands and direction of the disciple above—he was the formation’s core. If Bai Mu could bring him down, the technique controlling the formation would collapse, and the united disciples would revert to chaos, leaving Ling Yan free to slaughter them.

At this thought, Bai Mu quickly steadied his mind, raised the Azure Dragon Sword overhead, and shouted, “Man and sword as one—slay all before me!”

He then closed his eyes, connecting his body and the Azure Dragon Sword, and focused his spiritual sense directly on the floating disciple.

Sensing Bai Mu’s assault, the disciple’s expression changed, betraying fear, though he quickly regained composure, raising his sword defensively before his chest.

From the perspective of a duelist, the disciple’s graceful moves and calm demeanor matched those of any master from a common sect.

Yet, regrettably, he faced not a nameless wanderer, but the carefully cultivated disciple of the ancient deity Bai Ze, armed with the Sacred Artifact of the ancients—the Azure Dragon!

These two reasons alone explained everything.

As he readied his defense, Bai Mu’s relentless sword energy surged upward, crashing against the milky-white barrier in midair.

It must be said, this Ninefold Demon-Slaying Sword Formation was formidable—its offensive power matched only by its exceptional defense.

Most astonishing, though, was its subtle brilliance.

Why call it brilliant? Because, from the moment it was activated, it fused eighty-one disciples into one. Even the floating disciple’s barrier was formed by the combined power of eighty-one individuals, its defense as solid as iron walls.

When Bai Mu’s sword energy struck the milky-white barrier, his closed eyes immediately sensed a powerful rebound from the shield itself.

That force felt as deep as the ocean, and the mighty Azure Dragon sword energy was but a stream, vanishing instantly upon contact with the sea.

Having risked everything for this strike, Bai Mu found himself utterly thwarted.

In shock, he opened his eyes and saw the handsome disciple, sheltered within the barrier, mocking him with a disdainful smile.

The Azure Dragon Sword appeared trapped by the barrier, caught in a dilemma.

“So strong!”

Even Bai Mu could not help but praise his opponent—never before had he been so outmatched in battle.

Yet admiration aside, the confrontation must continue; otherwise, neither he nor Ling Yan would leave Floating Jade Mountain unscathed.

In his confusion, several questions surged in his mind.

Why, when he could easily defeat forty disciples with man and sword united, could he not pierce this small barrier?

By all rights, with forty disciples repelled, the Ninefold Demon-Slaying Sword Formation should have been broken, yet the situation was clearly contrary.

This was beyond Bai Mu’s comprehension.

He began to genuinely respect the Abyssal Sanctuary’s strength.

Previously, his knowledge of the Sanctuary had been hearsay.

Now, facing them directly, he realized the overwhelming power of the foremost sect of the wilds was no empty reputation.