Chapter 210 - 198: Killing Him, as Easy as Turning Over a Hand

Chapter 210: Chapter 198: Killing Him, as Easy as Turning Over a Hand

Outside the Sword Grinding Pool, the pale gray mist at the canyon entrance had thinned somewhat under the afternoon sun.

Bei Sufang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the hem of his dark gray robe swaying slightly in the current of air seeping from the canyon. His gaze was fixed on the canyon exit, his expression calm.

Standing beside him was another person: Ding Yuli, an Innate Realm Elder of the Liuyun Sword Sect. She looked younger than Bei Sufang, and her features held a cold sternness.

When Guan Duhai emerged from the Sword Grinding Pool’s valley and saw the two waiting at its mouth, his steps faltered for a moment. He then quickened his pace, stepped forward, and cupped his fist in salute.

"Greetings, Elder Bei. Greetings, Elder Ding!"

His voice was deeper and heavier than before he entered the Sword Grinding Pool, as if it had been repeatedly scoured by the baleful energy in the pool’s water.

Ding Yuli sensed the Sword Intent emanating from Guan Duhai, which he had not yet been able to fully restrain.

Like a newly drawn blade, it formed an invisible edge around his body, making the very air at the valley’s mouth seem sharper than elsewhere.

A satisfied smile appeared on her face. It was not a wide smile, but it carried an undisguised admiration.

"It seems you gained a great deal in the Sword Grinding Pool! The edge of this Sword Intent is a great leap beyond what it was before."

A smile touched Guan Duhai’s lips. It wasn’t one of smugness, but rather of quiet confirmation that his efforts had paid off.

"You flatter me, Elder Ding. This disciple has simply grasped a few things that previously held him back."

He didn’t say everything, but the confidence seeping through the cracks of his words was far deeper than before he had entered the Sword Grinding Pool.

Bei Sufang was also quite satisfied with Guan Duhai’s progress. His gaze lingered on Guan Duhai for a moment, and he nodded.

"Elder Ding came here specifically today to tell you something. Regarding the duel in twenty-some days, the Sect is paying it close attention. There can be no mistakes."

Guan Duhai raised his head slightly, his gaze meeting Bei Sufang’s.

"Killing that Chen Yue would have been child’s play for me even before I entered the Sword Grinding Pool, let alone now."

Bei Sufang shook his head. "Do not be careless. That Chen Yue has already broken through to the Refining Organ Realm. It took him just over a month to go from the Marrow Refining Realm to the Refining Organ Realm. Even with the aid of the Gathering Essence Spirit Platform and the Wenda Corridor, such speed is utterly inconceivable!"

Guan Duhai raised an eyebrow. "So he actually managed to break through to the Refining Organ Realm. His talent is indeed extraordinary."

To cross from the Marrow Refining Realm to the Refining Organ Realm in little more than a month—such speed would be considered among the absolute top tier, even in the entire history of the Liuyun Sword Sect.

Ding Yuli nodded, the coldness in her voice not diminishing in the slightest.

"Therefore, if you still intend to proceed with this duel, you cannot afford the slightest carelessness. Once you are in the Martial Arts Arena, give him no opportunity to catch his breath or to display his skills. You are there to kill him.

With the talent he has now displayed, it is better to kill him sooner rather than later. Otherwise, in another year or two, the Panshi Sect will have a new Innate expert."

She said these words calmly. Since he belonged to another Sect, the greater his genius, the more imperative it was to kill him early.

"He will not live. My brother’s death is a debt he must repay with his life."

Guan Duhai’s voice was soft, yet it seethed with killing intent. He had rehearsed this outcome in his mind countless times, waiting only for the day he would finally step into the Martial Arts Arena.

Ding Yuli did not continue this topic. She tilted her head slightly.

"There is one more thing. The Celestial State Prefecture Grand Tournament is in thirty-nine days. With your current strength, you should go and test yourself.

If you manage to obtain one or two Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures there, it could smooth your path to the Innate Realm, and perhaps even allow your Sword Intent to advance further."

Upon hearing the four words "Celestial State Grand Tournament," a flicker sparked in Guan Duhai’s eyes, and he nodded.

It was a grand tournament held by the Divine Forest Prefecture every few years. Among the participating Martial Artists were Loose Cultivators, but the vast majority were disciples from the major sects surrounding the Celestial State Prefecture.

It was a far grander stage than the Sect’s internal Sword Heart Ranking. Only those who could prove themselves there could be considered truly among the most elite of the younger generation from the surrounding sects.

The Divine Forest Prefecture would put forth a considerable amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures as prizes to encourage participation, including some rare Spiritual Materials and Elixirs seldom seen in the outside world.

In recent years, however, the vast majority of these Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were claimed by the Divine Forest Prefecture’s own disciples.

Within the Celestial State Prefecture, the Divine Forest Prefecture was the true, unrivaled hegemon. Not only was their top-tier combat power the greatest, but their young disciples were also the strongest.

As for the Loose Cultivators who participated in the Celestial State Grand Tournament, their goal was often not the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but to catch the eye of the Divine Forest Prefecture and gain a chance to enter its inner circle.

It offered higher-grade Cultivation Techniques than any outside sect, a richer cultivation environment, and guidance from more powerful seniors. For a Loose Cultivator, it was a path that could completely change their destiny.

Because it was the most prestigious competition for those Below Innate, the sects generally sent their top five disciples from the Refining Organ Realm—such as the top five on the Panshi Sect’s Cyan Cloud Ranking and the top five on the Liuyun Sword Sect’s Sword Heart Ranking.

Previously, Guan Duhai was only eighth on the Sword Heart Ranking. He was very strong—no one in the top ten of the Sword Heart Ranking was weak—but not quite strong enough. Participating in the Celestial State Grand Tournament would have been a stretch.

But now that he had emerged from the Sword Grinding Pool, Ding Yuli sensed his Sword Intent had solidified by more than a single level, and she felt his strength was now more than sufficient.

As long as he could secure a place in the competition, the rewards would be enough to let him bypass a long and winding section of the path toward the Innate Realm.