Out of fear of death, Invest Everything into Health

However,

In the sky, Luo Qingyao seemed to be struck by something, her pupils suddenly contracted, and uncontrollably fell toward the ground.

This sudden occurrence left Celestial Venerable Hou Long stunned. But he quickly reacted, swiftly exerting force, and rushed toward the place connecting heaven and the starry sky.

Chi Xin was about to draw his second sword immediately after.

Li Yuan knew that if Chi Xin struck the second sword, Luo Qingyao’s sword heart might suffer.

Without hesitation, he suddenly plunged from high above and stomped Chi Xin into the ground. Since the failure of Sword Opening Celestial Gate, Li Yuan’s cultivation had not progressed but regressed, falling from a Seven-Tiered Tribulation Immortal to a Sixth-Tiered one.

His power remained terrifying.

The area around Chi Xin, more than a hundred miles, was directly stomped into a big pit by him, and the resulting force caused tremors for several thousand miles around. Fortunately, Jiang Xuan’s protection over Changning City prevented it from being flattened by this stomp.

The dust roared, lingering for a long time.

Li Yuan turned back, seeing Luo Qingyao had regained her composure and steadied her mind, allowing himself a slight breath of relief.

He transmitted a message,

"Are you okay?"

Luo Qingyao replied,

"Senior Li Yuan! What happened just now? I felt someone cut me with a sword, but I saw no Sword Qi nor sensed any Sword Intent."

"It was Chi Xin. That substitute." Li Yuan said without further ado, "Can you still hold on?"

Luo Qingyao’s tone was heavy,

"No matter what, I must protect my senior brother’s back!"

"Alright, leave this side to me."

Li Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly. From Luo Qingyao’s tone alone, he could tell the impact of Chi Xin’s sword on her was indeed significant, likely difficult to recover from in the short term, making it arduous to face Hou Long and the others again.

No telling how long she can endure.

Footsteps approached from the front.

Chi Xin’s silhouette emerged from the swirling dust. Despite enduring that stomp, his hat merely bore a footprint.

"Li Yuan, Legendary Great Sword Immortal, idol to all Sword Cultivators, once unparalleled in the Sword Dao. Yet, also an unruly rebel."

Li Yuan blew his mustache in a rogue manner, sneering,

"Does announcing others’ identities bolster your confidence?"

Chi Xin’s eyes were wrapped in a red cloth, yet Li Yuan felt as if he was being stared at directly,

"Where is your sword?"

Li Yuan’s sword had long been broken seven thousand years ago. To this day, he had not crafted a second sword for himself.

He casually picked up a long stone from the ground, saying matter-of-factly,

"This is my sword."

Chi Xin shook his head,

"You’re deceiving yourself."

"Such nonsense."

"If so, let me utterly shatter your false Sword Dao!"

Chi Xin finished speaking, placed his right hand at his waist in a virtual grip, and fiercely drew and cleaved forward.

This invisible sword transformed Li Yuan from a Sixth-Tier Tribulation Immortal to a mere mortal devoid of cultivation.

Li Yuan was startled, having completely underestimated Chi Xin’s capabilities.

"Is this your Sword Dao?"

"Dao?" Chi Xin shook his head, "In my eyes, there is only the sword. My opponents can only be swordsmen."

"A power granted by the Heavenly Dao?"

At some point, Chi Xin held an unadorned sword without a blade in his hand. Pointing it at Li Yuan,

"You still have a chance to draw your sword now."

At this moment, Li Yuan resembled any old man one might encounter. Yet he remained composed, holding the long stone,

"This is my sword."

He raised the stone sword, a glimmer of clarity passing through his muddied eyes,

"Young one, no Sword Cultivator in the world does not wish to challenge me. Every Sword Cultivator who finds me hopes I might draw a sword. To date, no one has ever compelled me to draw a second sword."

Chi Xin said in a deep voice,

"You hold no sword, have no cultivation within your body. Neither sword nor skill remains. As a Sword Cultivator, you have nothing left. How can you boast so boldly? How can you stand here before me like this?"

He held the sword in hand, moved forward, cutting through the dust, delivering the cleanest, most unadulterated, least contrived sword strike toward Li Yuan.

Li Yuan likewise delivered a straight thrust forward.

In today’s Cultivation Realm, such mortal Jianghu-style duels of swordsmen are rarely seen.

Divine Techniques, Daoist powers, martial skills... Various abilities connected to "energy" relentlessly bolster offensive means, akin to constructing towering buildings. The buildings rise higher, grow more elegant, become more magnificent.

But now, for Chi Xin and Li Yuan, there are no towering buildings; their feet firmly planted on the earth.

All that remains is their swords and sword moves.

The clash of iron sword and stone sword unsurprisingly ended in the stone sword’s shattering.

Chi Xin hadn’t yet had time to declare ’you lost’ when he felt a stabbing pain in his neck.

He was stunned on the spot.

Somehow, Li Yuan had moved in front of him, using the remnants of the severed stone sword pressed against his throat.

Li Yuan said,

"Is this the sword you worship?"

He said with unavoidable disappointment,

"I expected a thrilling battle. If it’s just this, it’s terribly disappointing."

He shook his head, refraining from slicing Chi Xin’s throat, then turned and walked away.

Suddenly, Chi Xin shouted,

"It’s not over yet!"

Li Yuan turned once again, only to find Chi Xin had removed the red cloth binding his eyes, revealing his full appearance.

Chi Xin’s eyes were exceptionally clean and bright, like those of an innocent child.