But all they saw was a golden aura gathering before the crowd of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Palace — it was the Palace Master of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Palace.
With a single sweep of his sword, she deflected Ye Xiancheng's attack, then charged at him with a divine longsword in hand.
Clashing once more, Ye Xiancheng could feel that the Palace Master's speed and power had increased dramatically.
However, Ye Xiancheng was still able to maintain the upper hand.
Seeing this, the Heavenly Sword Sacred Palace continued to converge their formation, and another massive sword of light descended.
Facing the combined might of two Heavenly Swords, Ye Xiancheng began to feel the pressure.
"Celestial Dao Suppression!!!"
He let out a mighty shout, and the power of Celestial Dao Suppression descended to suppress the Palace Master.
"Form the formation!!!"
The Palace Master spoke again, and yet another Heavenly Sword fell.
As the formation continued to converge, when the fifth Heavenly Sword descended, Ye Xiancheng finally could no longer hold on.
The Palace Master's sword cleaved him in two at the waist.
The Palace Master, empowered by the Heavenly Sword Sacred Formation, possessed an undying body — but Ye Xiancheng did not.
"Xiancheng!!!"
Seeing this, Ye Xiancheng's parents soared into the air, trying to catch him.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— But several streaks of sword light descended, piercing through their bodies.
Those streaks of sword light acted like nails, knocking them down and pinning them to the ground.
They could only watch helplessly as Ye Xiancheng's severed body crashed down not far from them, their hearts breaking with agony.
"Father, Mother..."
Ye Xiancheng was not dead, but he had already lost all ability to fight. Seeing his usually proud parents pinned to the ground by several swords of light, his heart ached terribly. Dragging his mangled body, he carved a trail of blood, desperately crawling toward them.
But immediately after, more swords of light descended, pinning his broken body to the ground as well, leaving him completely immobilized.
"Foolish man. Even with raw talent, you will never amount to anything."
The Palace Master did not continue her attack. Instead, she waved her sleeve, clasped her hands behind her back, and regarded Ye Xiancheng coldly.
She had done this deliberately — to spare Ye Xiancheng's life and let him experience the pain.
"Do not panic, everyone. I bear no hostility toward any of you. In fact, I wish to cooperate with you all."
"I only ask that you refrain from interfering further and making things difficult for me."
The Palace Master swept her gaze across the forces of the other factions, and sure enough, after speaking, she withdrew the oppressive aura that had been suppressing everyone. She then turned to Tian Jian Can.
"Can. Draw the sword."
Hearing this, Tian Jian Can once again flew down before the Thunder Fire Sword, but just as he was about to draw it— Several figures landed beside Tian Jian Can — they were members of the Spirit God Clan.
After a brief recovery, they had regained some strength. But now, their bodies radiated a sacred glow, resembling divine beings — clearly no longer ordinary mortal frames.
Evidently, they had activated some kind of secret technique once more.
Shen Hui had already seized Tian Jian Can, her hand clamped tightly around his throat.
"Palace Master of the Heavenly Sword, I advise you to stop while you can," Shen Hui said solemnly.
"Spirit God Clan, threatening me with a junior — isn't that rather undignified?" the Palace Master asked.
"You'd best not use that word. Don't insult the very concept of dignity," Shen Hui replied.
"Hahaha..."
The Palace Master laughed instead of growing angry.
"Since the dawn of time, this world has operated on the law of the jungle."
"Beasts follow it, and so do men."
"Morality doesn't fill your belly, but profit can."
"As the master of a palace, seeking benefits for my people — what wrong have I done?" the Palace Master asked.
"Benefits can be shared. My master already told you this. Why must you be so greedy?" Shen Hui asked.
"Benefits that can be shared — could they truly be real benefits?"
"I can share all those pearls on the ground. I can even give up that sword."
"But the treasures on Chu Feng's body — I simply cannot resist. That is the legendary Bloodline of the King, the legendary Origin of Bloodlines."
"And including all of you, you are all rare treasures in this world of martial cultivation."
"Opportunities like this come once and never again."