SWNOVELXO Chapter 15:
Chapter 15:
Radiant light shot into the sky, lingering in mid-air, revealing an unparalleled figure of elegance and power.
Mo Liusu stood tall with flowing white hair, holding her treasured sword. Her entire being radiated a sacred aura.
In an instant, she moved. Her fingers formed a sword seal, and with a swift motion, she slashed toward the heavens.
BOOM!
The layers of clouds shattered, revealing a vast, clear blue sky.
“Activate the sword formation. Summon the power of the Dao!”
Her voice was soft yet commanding, and as it echoed, the entire Azure Purity Sect lit up with countless formations—eighty-one in total—each corresponding to a disciple standing atop the high platform.
Seeing this, Zhou Tong’s suspicions were confirmed. These people had indeed reused the previous formations.
The eighty-one disciples on the platform seemed to sense the surge of energy. They began wielding their swords, executing intricate and practiced techniques, as if they had rehearsed this moment countless times.
At that precise moment, Mo Liusu struck again. Her sword descended, and another, larger sword formation appeared beneath the platform, encompassing everything within its reach.
“This is the ceremony to summon the heavens’ attention? It’s so grand and overwhelming… I feel like I can hardly breathe,” remarked a visiting elder from another sect, his voice filled with awe.
Undoubtedly, this was a ritual designed to communicate with the Dao of Swordsmanship. If it succeeded in attracting the heavens’ notice, Tang Qi’s mastery of the sword would ascend to an entirely new level.
Before the elder’s words fully settled, countless rare treasures soared into the sky. They exploded mid-air, transforming into pure spiritual energy that converged around Tang Qi on the high platform.
Gasps filled the air as everyone stared in astonishment. Each of those treasures was priceless, and the Azure Purity Sect had sacrificed them without hesitation. How highly did they value this disciple?
“Do you see this, trash?” scoffed Ge Hongqiu. “This is the treatment our junior brother deserves. You will never measure up to him!”
She continued taunting Zhou Tong, clearly targeting what she assumed was his greatest insecurity. Unfortunately for her, the Zhou Tong of old no longer existed.
“Shut up!”
The little enchantress didn’t even look at Ge Hongqiu as she delivered a sharp slap that sent her flying.
Thud!
Ge Hongqiu hit the ground hard, coughing up blood. Her eyes burned with hatred, but no one paid her any mind.
Meanwhile, atop the platform, Tang Qi opened his eyes and slowly stood.
He surveyed the crowd below and immediately spotted Zhou Tong.
“Like an ant beneath my feet,” he muttered, a smug smile spreading across his face. From this moment onward, he was certain he would leave Zhou Tong far behind. The two of them would no longer even belong in the same world.
“Summon the heavens. Connect with the Dao. Sword, come forth!”
Tang Qi roared, and a golden sword shot through the air, landing in his palm.
This was the Heaven’s Sword, a ceremonial weapon revered among swords. Wielding it, Tang Qi radiated an aura of brilliance, his entire being glowing with divine light.
BOOM!
A strange ripple emerged from the heavens.
Everyone held their breath as a massive vertical eye appeared in the sky. It resembled the Eye of the Heavens, locking its gaze on Tang Qi.
“It worked! He actually succeeded! Tang Qi is destined to dominate the younger generation!”
Tang Qi’s laughter echoed as visible ripples of sword energy poured into his body from the heavens, sharpening his aura to an unimaginable degree. He now resembled a divine sword, drawn from its scabbard and ready to cut down anything in its path.
Both Mo Liusu and Chen Linger glanced toward Zhou Tong.
But Zhou Tong showed no reaction. He was still sitting with the little enchantress, clinking cups and drinking as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Still pretending at a time like this? Pathetic. He’s nothing more than a clown,” Chen Linger sneered.
“How are you feeling?” Mo Liusu leaned down to ask Tang Qi.
“Master, my understanding of the Dao of the Sword has increased several times over. And this is only the beginning. Once I fully comprehend these insights, no one among my peers will be a match for me!”
“Good. I trust you won’t let me down, unlike certain people who repay kindness with betrayal and are despised by the world,” Mo Liusu said coldly.
“Rest assured, Master. I’m not like him. I will never disappoint you!”
The little enchantress nudged Zhou Tong, her face full of mischief. “Look at that. Their performance is truly captivating!”
Zhou Tong nodded calmly. “Don’t worry. The best part is yet to come.”
As if on cue, a sudden change erupted.
A deafening explosion rang out as the formations surrounding the platform began to tremble violently. All eighty-one disciples coughed up blood, their auras instantly withering.
Not only that, but the main formation and its auxiliary formations began to emit a strange, ominous glow. Cracks appeared on their surfaces, spreading rapidly.
“What’s happening?”
Panic spread through the crowd as a chilling sensation crept over them, making their scalps tingle.
Looking up, they saw that the Eye of the Heavens had changed. Its gaze, once calm, was now filled with fury. A killing intent surged forth, barreling straight down.
“Why? What’s going on?!”
Tang Qi’s expression twisted in terror as his skin split open, blood gushing from his wounds. His entire body looked on the verge of collapse.
“Master, save me! Master! Help me!”
“What’s happening? Where are the disciples from the Formation Hall? Come forward and explain!” Mo Liusu roared.
Chen Linger’s face darkened, and Ge Hongqiu and Jiang Yuyao shrieked threats.
“Formation Hall, this is your doing! If anything happens to Junior Brother Tang, we’ll make you pay with your lives!”
Under their furious gazes, the lead disciple of the Formation Hall stumbled forward, trembling.
“Reporting to Master Mo… The incident happened too suddenly. All the formations are breaking apart…”
“Stop spouting nonsense! If they’re breaking, fix them immediately!” Mo Liusu snapped.
The disciple’s face turned bitter.
“Master… We can’t repair them.”
Mo Liusu’s fury intensified. “Ridiculous! The renowned Formation Hall of the Azure Purity Sect can’t repair a few minor formations?”
“Master… It’s not that we don’t want to. It’s that only one person has the skill and courage to fix them, and that person is…”
His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear.
The crowd fell silent, stunned. Mo Liusu’s expression turned ashen, and even Chen Linger looked horrified.
They all realized the truth. The formations they were so proud of had been meticulously designed by Zhou Tong himself.
Back then, they had taken his contributions for granted. But now, they were faced with the consequences of dismissing him… and the cost was immeasurable.