Chapter 1013: Duel of Masters

Chapter 1013: Duel of Masters

The Sword Saint stormed in to challenge for his daughter, unwavering, exuding an aura that seemed to shout no one could stop him.

Fortunately, Li Ruo’er didn’t share his stubborn disposition; otherwise, her headstrong nature would probably have him kicking her aside.

With this move, Lin Nuo was left reeling, the battlefield littered with the bodies of demon practitioners.

This ignited a fire of rage within Lin Nuo. He couldn’t take this anymore, could he just stand by?

Quick resolution was key, but facing the Sword Saint meant risky maneuvers were necessary.

The battlefield was rife with the fallen demon practitioners, creating the perfect environment for Lin Nuo to exploit.

Fresh souls, infused with endless hatred, fueled the fury to incinerate this obstinate swordsman!

“They all want to slash you to pieces,” Lin Nuo declared, his words laced with anger, referring to the deceased demon practitioners.

“Come, you have the right to seek revenge.”

Lin Nuo raised his hand, and in an instant, a piercing, sorrowful wail echoed across the mountains—the remnants of the souls were cursing the Sword Saint.

To an average cultivator, encountering a field of lost souls was a reason to retreat; staying could erode one’s spiritual energy, or even lead to explosions.

Yet the Sword Saint stood firm. Even so, he’d have to break through Lin Nuo’s realm of lost souls and push onward.

No one could impede him.

“Demon, ultimately perishes under the sword.”

As soon as the Sword Saint’s chilling words fell, countless spirit swords descended from the sky, each radiating immense light capable of shattering demons’ souls.

With that, he aimed to exorcise all the lost souls.

If he unleashed his multitude of sword intents, after years of practice, he could indeed obliterate these demon souls. He had previously fought other demon practitioners and dealt with similar tactics, successfully neutralizing the souls before they reached him and detonated.

Today would be no different.

Slash!

However, it was not simply a clash of sword and spirit; facing the Sword Saint’s countless swords head-on would be like throwing an egg at a stone.

But this was Lin Nuo—he would think at every turn, elevating his demon power to an entirely new realm.

Souls fused with swords.

Currently, Lin Nuo stood between the realms of immortals and demons, wielding his Dragon-Phoenix Sword with a mighty sword intent rivaling that of the Sword Saint.

In an instant, Lin Nuo’s Dragon-Phoenix Sword soared skyward, splitting into multiple spirit swords, each imbued with the charisma of the summoned souls. Each sword emitted a lamenting sound as the lost souls wrapped around them.

The sight of lost souls merging with swords was unprecedented for the Sword Saint; no demon practitioner had ever wielded both multitudes of sword intent and a realm of lost souls simultaneously, and their combined power was an enigma.

Yet he showed no signs of backing down, ready for a sword duel against Lin Nuo.

Countless sharp swords clashed in the air, creating an explosive wave of energy that shook the entire mountain range.

The spectacle of this sword duel was breathtaking; even in the darkness, it shone brighter than day, as if it would obliterate the heavens and the earth.

Meanwhile, over with Li Ruo’er.

The tremors left all three of them stunned, as if the sky was about to collapse, and they couldn’t help but worry for Lin Nuo.

Though Lin Nuo wielded the strength and presence of a demon lord, the Sword Saint had much more experience, having decimated countless demons, granting him an undeniable edge.

【Should I have a word with him…?】

Ni Wanqing hesitated, feeling scatterbrained during her escape. Should she confront the Sword Saint directly? Otherwise, swords are blind, and with so many demon practitioners and fox people around, in the Sword Saint’s eyes, they could die without him caring at all.

“I-I still want to go…”

Ni Wanqing finally spoke, but Liu Shuqin blocked her.

“Senior, it’s impossible for you to go. The Sword Saint’s strength far exceeds ours; we must trust our junior martial brother.”

“That may be true… even if he can repel the Sword Saint, this is your territory. If they continue fighting, it will surely destroy your home. I can make him retreat.”

“Why because of you?”

“I’m afraid I cannot say.”

Listening to her, Liu Shuqin seemed to catch a glimpse of the truth.

In truth, though the Sword Saint was powerful, he had no personal feud with Lin Nuo, and they might even have the chance for dialogue. There were many demons in the world, and they lived in seclusion, not causing chaos in the mortal realm; the Sword Saint should be more interested in vanquishing the likes of the Refining Demon Sect.

Plus, what concerned Ni Wanqing might also connect to Li Ruo’er.

Of course, this was just speculation; having promised Lin Nuo, they couldn’t let her go.

“Regardless of your reasoning, our junior martial brother has instructed that you must not approach. Let’s just keep moving; soon we will reach the edge of the woods, where there are Dao Fu arrays to conceal our presence.”

“I still…”

“Mother, you really shouldn’t go! What if something happens to you?”

Li Ruo’er tugged at Ni Wanqing’s hand, trying to persuade her.

Li Ruo’er’s words held a certain charm; her cute voice was irresistible, and Ni Wanqing found it hard to refuse, especially since it came from her daughter.

Yet there were still doubts; she wanted Lin Nuo to act decisively and kill the Sword Saint… but what if Ruo’er truly lost her father then?

Despite her saying she didn’t want Ruo’er to know him, he was, after all, her biological father. Wasn’t that just too cruel?

Boom!

Once more, a thunderous sound erupted, the ground shaking beneath them as if it would collapse.

“Let’s head out.”

Liu Shuqin continued urging them forward, and in the end, Ni Wanqing stayed behind.

…

Lin Nuo was locked in combat with the Sword Saint, unfolding like waves crashing upon the continent.

The Sword Saint’s sword techniques were phenomenal, but Lin Nuo’s newly created lost souls merging with swords were even more impressive. With the aid of the fresh souls, his swordsmanship soared, while the numerous swords danced through the air; the lost souls were also determined to engage fervently against the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint attempted to shake off the chasing swords and aimed directly at Lin Nuo. He showcased his signature skill, splitting his spirit swords further, each fortified with a powerful shield to withstand Lin Nuo’s souls-infused blades. But when the souls exploded, they shattered the shields, and after a few blasts, the number of swords reduced significantly in the sky.

The Sword Saint darted among the blades, closing in on Lin Nuo.

Fall!

Block!

Boom!

As the blade collided head-on, another surge of force shook them both.

Then came another fierce exchange of swords; the two were nearly equal, but before long, within this realm of lost souls, the Sword Saint’s spiritual energy dwindled faster than Lin Nuo’s.

This was bad.

Realizing he was at a disadvantage, he couldn’t escape in time and had to push forward. After one last struggle, Lin Nuo was quick to catch a flaw.

Slash, dead!

This was the battlefield; it was a life-or-death clash, a place where one must either kill or be killed.

Lin Nuo’s sharp sword was about to strike the Sword Saint, who immediately unleashed the last of his spiritual energy, forming a shield in response.

Bang!

A surge of powerful energy erupted, forming a protective barrier to block the strike, yet the force sent him hurtling backward.

He plummeted to the ground, falling into the distance.