Supreme Sword Exalt

Mo Li was stunned for a moment, then said truthfully, “I’m not that talented. It’s only seven rings.”

Everyone was stunned. Seven rings? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Even with nine rings, one would not necessarily become a Dao Child. As for seven rings, they’d probably only be fit to guard the gate or do odd jobs in the Dao Palace.

Fatty curled his lip. “Seven rings? That’s it? A Dao Child? Heck, I could do that too!”

Even the rest of the crowd was lost in confusion. Only Fu Dahai, Fang Xing, and the branch president seemed to vaguely understand something.

Gu Han felt like he had grasped something. “Thank you.”

Nevertheless, with the battle at hand, he wouldn’t get distracted. Dismissing the thoughts, he flickered and reappeared before Mo Li, swinging his sword down. He put his full strength into this strike, knowing that it was exactly what Mo Li wanted. A zhang-long sword aura, condensed to its utmost limit, fell toward the Dao Child.

Mo Li’s eyes lit up. “Good! You’re really straightforward!”

A clear light swirled over him, growing even denser. Following his intent, it transformed into a zhang-long large hand. Though hazy and indistinct, it firmly grasped the sword aura.

The sword aura and the giant hand tore at one another, sword qi and clear light erupting in all directions, neither able to gain the upper hand.

A moment later, they exploded simultaneously, unleashing a terrifying shockwave. Some of those with weaker foundations and shallower depth were shaken until they vomited blood. Even those with slightly greater strength felt their vital qi churning, their faces pale as death.

On the arena platform, Gu Han and Mo Li stood facing each other. The former slowly sheathed his sword, while the latter retracted his clear light.

Who won? Compared to the true strength of the Dao Child, they cared more about this question.

Fu Dahai raised an eyebrow. “A draw? This kid is not bad. He actually held his own against a Dao Child!”

Fatty rubbed his chin. “Yeah, even I can do that.”

No matter how Fu Youde glared at him, he couldn’t stand him. You can’t do shit! You’re born to be beaten!

Mo Li shook his head. “No, I lost.”

Then, he stared directly at Gu Han. “I just stepped into the Transcendent realm the day before yesterday. Brother Gu is only at the Earthly Tribulation realm. Were we of the same cultivation level, I would not be your match. The number one heavenly pride of the Eastern Wasteland lives up to the name. I accept defeat!”

The branch president sighed with emotion. “Indeed. The Dao Child came to my place to break through to the Transcendent realm. Those few drops of Transcendent Substance were what he had left over.”

The crowd erupted in an uproar. They could accept that the Sword Prince had lost, but Mo Li... They couldn’t accept it, didn’t want to accept it, and couldn’t bear to accept it!

A cultivator seemed lost. “Dao Child, h-how could you lose? You represent the Central Dao Palace, the last shred of dignity of the Central Continent’s Heavenly Prides. Y-you can’t afford to lose?!”

Fang Xing cupped his hands. “Dao Child, please fight him again! We can’t let a man from the Eastern Wasteland trample upon the dignity of the Central Continent!”

Our family’s treasured child cannot die in vain at his hands! Though he didn’t say them aloud.

Mo Li seemed somewhat puzzled. “Why? I am not as good as him, so I lost. Isn’t that only natural?”

Gu Han sneered. “It’s very simple. They think they’re superior simply because they were born in the Central Continent. That’s why they refuse to lose to people from the Eastern Wasteland. Losing means their dignity is trampled, and their pride is crushed.

“That guy with the surname Sword before, and these people here, all share the same mindset! That’s why they’ve been targeting me all along.”

Fatty said, “Exactly! We Eastern Wasteland people absolutely don’t—”

Before he finished speaking, Fu Youde had already beaten him.

Mo Li shook his head. “Ridiculous. Compared to the forbidden zones, even the five domains combined were no larger than a pellet. Their eyes were fixed on a single continent, yet they failed to see their own narrow vision, shallow outlook, and selfish nature. The dignity, self-respect, and pride they value so highly are nothing but a joke in my eyes.”

Each word was like a blade, each phrase like a sword. It shattered what little pride these people had left into pieces.

Mo Li cupped his hands. “Brother Gu, I have gained so much from today’s battle. I still have more travels ahead. Let us part ways here.”

Gu Han thought for a moment. “Actually, if you’re traveling, you might want to take a look at the Luoheng Holy Land.”

“Why?”

“You might just make a friend there.”

Gu Han vaguely understood why Zuo Yang had been treated like a treasure by the Luoheng Holy Master. It seemed his path was much like Mo Li’s: a unique one that demanded no talent, but something far more mysterious and profound.

Gu Han sighed softly. If Yang Ying were alive, he might have been able to walk this path too.

Mo Li nodded. “Alright, I’ll go take a look.”

Despite being crushed by Fu Youde’s saintly might until he could barely breathe, Fatty refused to give up. “M-Mo Dao Child, since you’re already so familiar with him, then grab a couple of those... Life-Extending Fruits... let me... have a taste?”

Mo Li was silent for a moment, then looked at Gu Han. "Aren't you a Gu? Why is he the one asking for a taste?”

Gu Han’s face darkened. I misjudged him! This Dao Child isn’t as honest and simple as senior brother at all!

Then, Mo Li’s expression turned serious. “As for the Life-Extending Fruit, this batch hasn’t matured yet. Besides, it isn’t up to me where they go. With Brother Gu and Brother Fu’s abilities, you should have no trouble getting one when the time comes.”

Following that, he cupped his hands to the branch president. “President Yan, these past days, I’ve troubled you greatly. Farewell.”

President Yan didn’t dare presume and quickly returned the gesture. “Dao Child, have a safe journey.”

Even after he had been gone for a long time, the crowd still stood there in a daze, as if they had lost their souls.

President Yan said with emotion, “From today onward, your name will become the nightmare of countless prodigies in the Central Continent.”

Nightmares and such, Gu Han didn’t care about. He only cared about his Transcendent substance and saint herb. “Senior, it’s time to collect the debt, isn’t it?”

With a proud smile, President Yan’s gaze swept over the ugly expressions of those who had placed bets. “Don’t worry. These are just trivial matters. With the Tian Yun Merchant Association as guarantor, they wouldn’t dare welch.

“Don’t forget, I also have a share in this! Actually, there is another matter here. If it’s convenient, could we move elsewhere to talk?”

After hesitating for a moment, Gu Han agreed. “Alright.”

No matter what, President Yan had been helping and extending goodwill toward him all along.

***

A moment later, inside the private room where Mo Li had stayed, President Yan’s expression turned serious. “Kid, do you know anything about the black market?”

Gu Han’s mouth twitched. Know about it? I’m a gold-ranked assassin on your black market.

“Just a little.”

“Then would you be interested in becoming a ferrryman— Huh? Kid, where are you going?!”

Gu Han turned and left, not even looking back. If I’d known it was about this, I never would have come!

As his cultivation and experience increased, he wouldn’t foolishly think that the Ferryman of the Yellow Springs was really just an assassin organization. Anything linked to the words “Yellow Springs” would run deep. If he rashly got talked into joining, he’d likely end up drowning.

President Yan fell into deep thought.

***

Outside, Fu Dahai and the Fu family members, along with those who had lost everything, had disappeared. One didn’t have to guess what they were doing.

Wu Sheng hid in the distance, secretly observing Gu Han’s movements. After such a crushing loss, Fang Xing and his group were left reeling with hatred and refusal to accept defeat. Still, with Fu Dahai around, they had no chance to make a move against Gu Han. They could only leave Wu Sheng behind to secretly monitor Gu Han.

Upon seeing Gu Han come out, bicker with Fatty for a while, and then leave this place, a trace of malice flashed in Wu Sheng’s eyes. He paused for a moment, then prepared to quietly follow.

Just then, a young man in white soundlessly arrived not far away from him. He asked gently, “Might I ask, what just happened here?”

Wu Sheng seemed extremely impatient. “Who are you? Get lost. Don’t interfere with my business!”

The young man still wore a smile. “I am Luo Wushuang of the Eastern Wasteland. My apologies for interfering with your business. I’ll go ask someone else.”

A flash of killing intent appeared in Wu Sheng’s eyes. “Wait! You’re from the Eastern Wasteland?”

Right now, those were the two words he wanted to hear the least.

Luo Wushuang raised an eyebrow. “Why? Do you want to kill me?”

Wu Sheng laughed cruelly. “No. Consider yourself unlucky for running into me! People from the Eastern Wasteland all deserve to die!”

Luo Wushuang was silent for a moment, then slowly extended his right arm. “Guess how many essence crystals I hold in my hand. One, or two? Guess right, and you get to live.”

From beginning to end, he was smiling amicably, exuding not a hint of killing intent or momentum.

Driven by extreme rage, Wu Sheng’s eyes turned red. “I’ll guess your fucking mom!”

His humiliation only made his killing intent burn even stronger. A gray light flashed over him again as he prepared to butcher Luo Wushuang on the spot.

Luo Wushuang withdrew his arm, his smile gradually fading. “Never mind. Since you’re so set on dying, I’ll just have to grant your wish, Brother.”

***

Dozens of li away, Gu Han glanced behind him and frowned deeply after seeing that Wu Sheng hadn’t followed. “He didn’t follow? Is that man so afraid of death?”

Fatty didn’t care at all. “Who cares! We’ll just find a chance to kill him!”

Gu Han’s expression turned serious. “Fatty, what’s the real story behind the Central Dao Palace and those Life-Extending Fruit? Does Senior Fu have some kind of hidden ailment?”

A trace of sadness flashed across Fatty’s face. “The old ancestor is about to die.”