Chapter 160 - 159: For the Divine Sect, I Have No Regrets in Death

The vast celestial might unfurled as starlight flooded the canyon.

Blood trickled from the masked old man’s mouth and nose. Along the edge of his gilded mask, crimson droplets formed, as if in submission before Qin Yang.

"COUGH... COUGH..."

He trembled all over. The life seemed to drain from the hundred beasts carved upon his mask.

"Venerable One!"

The black-robed man paled in shock at the sight. Gazing at the phenomenon that filled the sky, he was struck with terror, and his legs began to shake uncontrollably.

’The seven stars are aligned. Everything under the heavens is now trapped within the Array.’

’How can I possibly escape?!’

’Thousands upon thousands of streams of Star Force are descending, all to execute a single man. The Array encompasses the entire sky—there’s nowhere to run!’

’How am I supposed to fight this?’

’This Jianghai Sword God... it’s one thing for him to be a master of Swordsmanship, but he’s also an expert in Arrays?!’

At this thought, the black-robed man’s composure completely shattered.

And it was a magnificent, grand Array that used the Celestial Curtain itself, connecting all the stars!

’If his master’s methods are heaven-defying... then the Jianghai Sword God is now the heavens themselves, an existence bordering on the Dao itself...’

. . . . . . . . . . . .

「Meanwhile.」

Down below in Sword God Valley, a massive crowd had gathered. Everyone gazed up at the night sky, their phones held high, quietly witnessing the grand miracle.

Brocade-like Hongqiao crisscrossed the sky, shimmering like gold and jade. Starlight flooded the valley. Even a divine paradise could not compare to this sight.

"It’s so beautiful..."

In the crowd, Li Zixuan glanced around, specks of starlight reflecting in her eyes. When she looked up again, the only figure she could see was Qin Yang’s.

Yearning and admiration filled her.

At this moment, her reverence for her master had reached its absolute peak!

’He’s so strong!’

’His Swordsmanship is heaven-defying, his Array Dao is invincible... is there anything my master can’t do?!’

Just as she was looking up in awe, a familiar voice suddenly called out from behind.

"Zixuan!"

A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind her. Li Zixuan spun around and, through the vast crowd, saw Li Qinghe running toward her.

"Sister Qinghe?! What are you doing here?"

"Phew... I’m exhausted!"

Li Qinghe squeezed through a gap in the crowd, panting for breath. "Are... are you okay, Zixuan?" she gasped. "I saw the news, and as soon as I heard you were in Sword Valley, I rushed right over."

"Mm... I’m fine. Thank you for worrying, Sister Qinghe."

Li Zixuan handed her a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from her brow, explaining softly, "It’s safe in the valley now. Master stepped in just now and turned the tide, completely stabilizing the situation."

As she spoke, she glanced around at the starlight filling the valley, her eyes shining with admiration. "Everything you see right now? It was all done by Master, you know."

As Zixuan finished speaking, Li Qinghe stared up at the celestial phenomenon, equally mesmerized. Even though she had seen the strange sight in the sky on her way over, she still found it hard to believe now that she was here.

"You’re saying your master did all of this?"

"It’s Grandmaster! Sister Qinghe!"

Li Zixuan frowned, correcting her sternly, "Show some respect."

"I..."

Li Qinghe froze, then shot her a glare. "Fine, fine, fine," she said resentfully through clenched teeth. "Grandmaster it is. You’re right, *ma’am*! So that Star Array up there, that’s the Grandmaster’s handiwork, right?"

"Mhm."

"Why isn’t anyone cheering?"

"Maybe they don’t want to break this sense of peace..."

Li Zixuan added cautiously, "Besides, Master needs to concentrate."

"That won’t do at all!"

Li Qinghe retorted indignantly, "The Grandmaster is in a standoff up there! If we don’t build some momentum, our opponent will look down on us!"

As she spoke, Array Patterns materialized on her hands. She cupped them around her mouth like a megaphone.

"Sister Qinghe... what are you doing? Don’t do anything crazy!"

Li Zixuan froze, a knot of panic tightening in her stomach. She reached out to grab the mischievous Li Qinghe and stop her from doing something crazy.

But Li Qinghe was already prepared and activated the Array!

VMMMM!

The next moment, a single, thunderous shout erupted.

"THE SWORD GOD IS A BADASS!!!"

Amplified by the glowing Array Patterns, that one voice multiplied into a hundred, then a thousand, until it sounded as if tens of thousands of people were roaring in unison throughout Sword God Valley.

The earth-shaking sound reverberated off the cliffs, riding the winds of Sword Intent for miles.

BOOM!

A single call elicited a thousand responses!

It instantly ignited the crowd’s passion. The once-silent citizens erupted, lowering the phones they’d been recording with to join in the roaring cheers!

"THE SWORD GOD IS A BADASS!!!!"

"THE JIANGHAI SWORD GOD IS THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD!"

"SLAY THE DEMON! UPHOLD THE GLORY OF JIANGHAI!"

The crowd was in a frenzy, their tsunami of cheers shaking the very heavens and rolling through the sky like thunder.

"THE SWORD GOD IS A BADASS!!!"

Li Qinghe’s unrestrained cheers were the loudest of all as she whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Gazing at the Celestial Curtain above, her eyes were filled with adoration.

’As expected of my grandmaster... no, wait, my future master!’

’Using the Celestial Curtain as an Array Map... he’s leagues better than that Qin fellow, hmph!’

. . . . . . . . .

Hearing the cheers from below, the masked old man floated in mid-air, his face beneath the gilded mask contorted in a savage snarl. Rage festered in his chest.

"Fine. Just fine," he snarled. "Jianghai Sword God, you’ve forced my hand!"

He looked up at the impassive Qin Yang, his eyes glinting with ruthless, all-or-nothing desperation.

The next moment, POP!

The masked old man’s skin ruptured as a bloody mist sprayed from his pores. His aura surged violently, and with a simple lift of his hand, he caused faint cracks to appear in the void itself.

’Another Secret Technique!’

Qin Yang frowned slightly, taking in the situation at a glance.

’He’s using some kind of Secret Technique to forcibly raise his Cultivation to the Venerable Realm. I can see wisps of the Power of Laws circulating around him, but a technique like this won’t last long, and the toll on his body must be immense.’

’A fleeting bloom, a moment of splendor. He’s sacrificing his future just to seize this one moment.’

"Jianghai Sword God, you cowardly rat!"

The masked old man roared, shattering the shackles of Star Force. He stomped through the void like an unhinged beast, summoning a furious storm of lightning as he charged toward Qin Yang.

RUMBLE!

Inky clouds and lightning surged forth. The old man’s voice rose above the thunder, echoing between heaven and earth.

"Come and face me! I will definitely kill you!"

"..."

Qin Yang met the roar with silence. Raising two fingers, he also invoked the Thunder Law, channeling it into the Seven-Star Array Map and sending it forward.

CRACK!

High above Sword God Valley, two bolts of lightning clashed. The brilliant starlight intertwined with the ocean of cheers from below, creating a breathtakingly spectacular scene.

For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate.

’No need to rush,’ Qin Yang thought. ’As long as I drag this out, time is on my side.’

Qin Yang’s mind was clear. He calmly kited the old man, leading him around as if teasing a dog.

Time ticked by.

Seeing that he was still unable to defeat Qin Yang, the masked old man’s eyes blazed with fury. He could feel his time running out and grew frantic with anxiety.

’This Secret Technique burns my very life force. If this stalemate continues, the Jianghai Sword God will just run out my clock and kill me!’

’Since I’m going to die either way...’

’Then even if I have to go to Hell, I’m dragging you down with me!’

At this thought, a glint of resolute madness flashed in his eyes. He erupted with a final blast of crimson lightning and hurtled toward Qin Yang, crying out.

"FOR THE DIVINE SECT, I DIE WITH NO REGRETS!!!"

The moment his voice fell, Qin Yang’s pupils contracted.

’This old bastard... he’s going to self-destruct?!’