“Go all out? No holding back?”

Sect Leader Qi looked at the scar-faced Elder from the Spirit Sword Sect. Seeing her serious expression, he nodded slightly. “Very well.”

He turned his gaze to the young man standing nearby. “Han Yu, did you hear that?”

“Aside from the forbidden methods, you may use any means at your disposal.”

Han Yu understood immediately. The “forbidden methods” referred to his stockpile of Foundation Establishment talismans and the Blood Refining Art. Everything else was fair game.

Especially the Beast Heart Psychic Pact. Now that the Spirit Beast Sect was ash and dust, there was no need to hide his control over spirit beasts.

“Disciple understands,” Han Yu replied respectfully.

The scar-faced Elder frowned slightly. “Junior Brother Han, may I ask… what are these ‘forbidden methods’? If you are worried about hurting my disciple with high offensive power, rest assured. Use them freely.”

She addressed Han Yu directly, avoiding the impropriety of questioning a Sect Leader twice.

Han Yu offered a polite bow. “Senior Sister, I possess several Foundation Establishment realm talismans. It would be improper to use such items in a spar between peers.”

The Elder’s eyes widened in realization, but skepticism quickly followed. “You are only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. How many of those talismans could you possibly activate? A single activation drains a massive amount of Spirit Breath. Surely using two would leave you completely dry?”

Han Yu lowered his head modestly. “Senior Sister is correct.”

In reality, his Spirit Breath reserves were monstrous; activating two or three would barely make a dent. But there was no need to explain that to outsiders.

“Junior Brother Han, are you ready? Shall we begin?”

Han Yu glanced at the travel-worn group. “I have no objection, but Senior Sister and Senior Brother Li have traveled a long way. Perhaps you should rest and recuperate your energy first?”

Sect Leader Qi and Elder Lü exchanged approving glances. The boy knew how to conduct himself.

“Han Yu is right,” Sect Leader Qi said warmly. “You have come from afar. Please, drink some spirit tea to wash away the fatigue of the journey. Wanchun Valley would be poor hosts otherwise.”

The scar-faced Elder hesitated, then nodded. She could not refuse such a gracious offer without appearing rude.

Elder Bai stepped forward, smiling. “This way, please. We have prepared refreshments in the side hall.”

Once the guests had left, Elder Lü turned to Han Yu with a smile. “Go prepare yourself. After the match, your Master has a gift for you.”

Han Yu nodded and stepped back, listening as the Sect Leader and Elders discussed the future of the Southern Domain.

The Mystic One Sect had proposed a tighter alliance between the three remaining orthodox sects to counter the threat of the Central Heaven Domain.

Wanchun Valley was willing to trust the Spirit Sword Sect explicitly. However, both sects harbored reservations about the Mystic One Sect. Their previous willingness to “invert the truth” and attack Wanchun Valley for the Nascent Soul Pill proved their moral flexibility. They were snakes who would bite if the price was right.

“Regardless of their plots, Wanchun Valley must build its own strength,” Sect Leader Qi concluded, his voice grave. “The threat from the Upper Sect is a sword hanging over our necks.”

He looked at Han Yu. Twenty-six years. That was the deadline. By then, this young man would be a Foundation Establishment cultivator. If the Sect faced an unbeatable enemy, Han Yu might be their only hope for survival.

At that moment, Elder Bai returned, chuckling. “Can we start? The Spirit Sword Sect disciples are getting restless.”

“Sword cultivators,” Sect Leader Qi laughed. “Always so straightforward. Come, let us watch.”

Han Yu and Li Tonghai stood facing each other in the square before the main hall, flanked by a large bronze cauldron. The Sect Leader and Elders watched from the dais, while disciples from both sects lined the perimeter.

Li Tonghai held his sheathed sword against his chest, his expression solemn.

“Senior Brother Han,” Li Tonghai began, his voice earnest. “I owe you an apology.”

“Since my defeat at your hands, I have replayed our battle in my mind a thousand times. It became an obsession. My Master saw that my Sword Heart was clouded, so she ordered me to challenge you again. Win or lose, I need this fight to clarify my mind and see my true nature.”

He bowed deeply. “It is selfish of me to delay your cultivation for my own sake.”

“But know this: I will remember this favor. If Wanchun Valley or Senior Brother Han ever faces danger, Li Tonghai will answer the call!”

He raised his sword above his head in a formal salute to the Sect Leader and Han Yu.

Sect Leader Qi smiled, using a gentle wave of Spiritual Power to lift Li Tonghai upright. “No need for such formality. The crisis in the Southern Domain is not over; our sects must support each other.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader Qi! Thank you, Senior Brother Han!”

Li Tonghai straightened up, his eyes burning with renewed focus. He drew his sword.

“Senior Brother Han, please… go all out!”

Han Yu nodded and drew his own flying sword.

All out? Very well.

Han Yu slapped his spirit beast bag.

Caw! Caw!

A black cloud erupted from the bag. The large crow led the charge, followed by the small crow and eight others. They spread their wings, circling above the combatants like a miniature storm.

Li Tonghai froze. Why are there so many of them now?

Before he could react, the flock opened their beaks in unison.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Over a dozen wind blades shot down instantly. They interwove in mid-air, forming a suffocating net of cutting wind that descended on Li Tonghai from every angle.

While the crows suppressed his opponent, Han Yu moved.

In the span of two breaths, he cast the Wind Control Technique on his feet and the Sharp Gold Technique on his sword. His blade glowed with a lethal green aura—the “Green Edge” technique of the Yin Style Sword Art.

Li Tonghai was frantically swinging his sword, weaving a defensive barrier against the bombardment of wind blades.

Han Yu didn’t wait. He activated his movement technique.

His figure blurred and split. One became three. Three phantom bodies charged forward, while his true body activated a stealth technique, slipping into the blind spot created by the chaos.

The crows fired another volley.

A second wave of wind blades, dense as rain, hammered Li Tonghai.

Faced with the overwhelming barrage, Li Tonghai forced down his panic. His eyes darted around, searching for the weak point in the formation.

There!

He spotted a gap with fewer blades. Without hesitation, he surged his Spirit Breath, slashing out a magnificent arc of sword light.

Bang!

The sword light shattered two incoming wind blades, scattering the rest into harmless gusts. Li Tonghai moved with fluid grace, dodging through the opening he had created. He twisted and parried, turning a desperate situation into a successful escape.

He broke through the net of wind.

But just as he took a breath, three Han Yus lunged at him from the front.

“Senior Brother Han, careful!” Li Tonghai shouted, his honor compelling him to warn his opponent.

He channeled his full power. A massive, twenty-foot beam of sword energy swept horizontally, cleaving through the three attacking figures.

Poof. Poof. Poof.

The figures vanished like smoke. Illusions.

Li Tonghai’s eyes widened.

At that exact moment, he felt the cold bite of steel against his lower back.

Han Yu stood behind him, the tip of his sword resting gently against Li Tonghai’s spine.

“Senior Brother Li,” Han Yu said softly. “You went easy on me.”

On the sidelines, Ye Shinian, who had been watching with bated breath, nearly face-palmed.

Went easy on you? Ye Shinian thought helplessly. Junior Brother Han, nobody is capable of “letting” you win. You just steamrolled him.

Li Tonghai stiffened, then slowly turned around. A rueful smile broke across his face.

“Senior Brother Han… you’ve gotten stronger again. You won even more easily than last time.”

He sheathed his sword, his expression clearing. The obsession in his eyes faded, replaced by clarity.

“I used to think I lost because I wasn’t careful enough. Now I see the truth. The gap in our strength is clear at a glance.”

He looked at Han Yu with burning determination. “Senior Brother Han, I lost today. But I will return to seek instruction again! I believe my sword arts will not lose to your spells forever!”

Han Yu sheathed his own sword, keeping his face perfectly straight. “Your sword art is profound, Senior Brother. I truly had to go all out. If we fought again, the outcome would be hard to predict.”

Li Tonghai nodded vigorously, his spirit ignited. We are close in strength. As long as I train harder, I can close the gap. Next time, I will win!

Junior Brother Han went all out… I forced him to his limit!

Ye Shinian watched the exchange, seeing Li Tonghai actually nod in agreement with Han Yu’s blatant lie. He had to physically restrain his facial muscles from twitching.

You actually believe that?

The match over, the Spirit Sword Sect disciples came forward to introduce themselves to Han Yu, their demeanor respectful. After a round of polite farewells, they departed Wanchun Valley.

Once the guests were gone, Sect Leader Qi offered Han Yu a few words of encouragement before dismissing the crowd.

Han Yu followed Elder Lü back to his private courtyard.

Elder Lü sat down and retrieved an object from his storage bag. It was seven feet long, silvery-white, and shaped like a spindle. It bore the marks of heavy damage.

“Disciple,” Elder Lü said, his eyes twinkling. “Do you know what this is?”