This was an unstoppable sword intent, one that tore through the void and split apart the laws of the world.

When Long Chen’s sword landed on the martial stage, the formation activated, and a huge defensive barrier appeared around it. However, Long Chen’s sword slashed right through the barrier without being stopped in the slightest.

“What?!”

Everyone, including the Elders were completely stunned to see Long Chen break the barrier without using the slightest effort. This defense was supported by an ancient formation, and this martial stage was a product of the ancient era. The method to create it had long since been lost.

The barrier’s defensive power was monstrous, and it was so great that even Xin Li and Meng Fei were unable to even cause a ripple when their attacks landed on it.

However, when it came to Long Chen’s attack, it was as if the barrier had lost all its defensive power. It didn’t even have a chance to ripple before being cut through like tofu.

“So this is the will of the Sword Dao. It possesses the power of ignoring all defenses. No wonder Zifeng’s offensive power is comparable to when I use the fifth form of Split the Heavens.” Long Chen himself was also stunned. In order to give some pointers to Xin Li, he had attacked while imitating Yue Zifeng’s sword intent, wanting to show Xin Li this unstoppable will.

He hadn’t been aiming to use such power, but when he had attacked, the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art had automatically activated.

“Not good!” Long Chen’s expression suddenly changed, but it was too late for him to stop his attack.

BOOM!

Long Chen’s Sword Qi split the martial stage and then continued toward a giant palace in the distance. There was another pavilion on the way that was cut into two pieces. The cut areas were as smooth as glass.

“That’s… the Martial Heaven Palace…” All the disciples turned pale. That palace was the core of the Martial Heaven Alliance, as well as the residence of the alliance head…

BOOM!

Just before Long Chen’s Sword Qi could strike the palace, a black and white hand appeared in the sky and slammed the Sword Qi apart.

“You little bastard, what did I do to you?!”

Qu Jianying’s furious roar rang out from within the palace. The void twisted, and she appeared right beside Long Chen, grabbing and twisting his ear.

“Owww!!! It hurts! Alliance head, I was wrong!” shouted Long Chen.

He also hadn’t expected the Sword Qi he had unleashed randomly would be comparable to the fifth form of Split the Heavens.

Although its destructive power wasn’t as great, its power had all been concentrated, increasing its sharpness. If Long Chen had known this would happen, he would have held back. Now, he had almost destroyed the Martial Heaven Palace.

“You deserve it. Who asked you to show off?” Evilmoon’s voice rang out to mock him.

“How could I have known this would happen?!” raged Long Chen.

“Your cultivation technique can suppress all Daos. Did you not know that? When I say all Daos, I don’t mean the Daos of heaven and earth, but even higher level Daos. The Sword Dao is above the Heavenly Daos, but it is included in the Daos your cultivation technique suppresses. That’s why you can use the Sword Dao. Although the power of your Sword Dao is just borrowed and isn’t innate to you, it’s alright. In other words, in the future, you can show off by acting like a sword cultivator.”

Long Chen suddenly understood. When he had been imitating Zifeng, he had felt a strange pull from the sword that had caused the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art to activate.

Seeing Long Chen’s ear being twisted by the alliance head, the experts watching were startled, but they also found it funny.

“You little brat, everything here is ancient and irreplaceable! You think you have the money to replace everything?!” cursed Qu Jianying.

“No, no, I’m sure that the little money I have is nothing in your eyes. You’re the big boss!”

Qu Jianying’s expression was dark, but in truth, she wasn’t that angry. It was just that Long Chen truly knew how to cause trouble. He had to be beaten back to the earth before he ascended to the heavens.

Qu Jianying had actually been listening to his explanation of the Dao the entire time, and she was full of admiration for him. He was only in his twenties, but he was a monster. His martial path was completely different from other people’s, and he didn’t give a damn about the heavens or the earth. His choices were different from most people’s. Hence, the only way he could have reached his current level was with great willpower and intelligence.

What excited Qu Jianying the most was that Long Chen had managed to unify the junior generation of the Martial Heaven Alliance’s disciples as soon as he had arrived. Before that, a large portion of these disciples had had biased views of Long Chen due to the rumors from the outside world. Now, no one believed those lies.

“Alliance head, I was just showing Xin Li how to use the Sword Dao! By treating me like this, you aren’t giving me face. Don’t you think…”

Only then did Qu Jianying release Long Chen’s ear. “That attack of yours was truly powerful. It ignored all defenses and possessed great killing power. However, your own domineering air was so heavy that it suppressed the will of the Sword Dao. You forced the Sword Dao to submit and show its power, which resulted in a much weaker effect. You are really like that old ghost. Swords don’t suit you. You’d rather use sabers, so don’t start trying to be a sword cultivator.”

“Alliance head, your vision is truly brilliant. Your wisdom is like a beacon in the darkness…” Long Chen immediately began to suck up.

“Stop. Hmph, I’m not the old ghost, and I don’t like it when others suck up to me.” Qu Jianying immediately waved her hand. Turning to Xin Li, she asked, “Do you understand anything from Long Chen’s display?”

“Fast. It was even faster than mine,” said Xin Li, ashamed. He was a sword cultivator, but Long Chen was even faster with a sword than him.

“You’re wrong. Long Chen’s sword wasn’t fast. That’s just a misperception because his will moved first. Based on your cultivation base and age, it should be about time for you to touch that realm. When you fight with others, don’t think about how you’re supposed to unleash a move. Just raise your sword and unleash it naturally. Then you’ll have reached the next realm,” said Qu Jianying.

Xin Li’s eyes lit up. He thought of something, and his whole body quivered with excitement.

“Go back and properly meditate on this. Everyone else can scatter.” After saying that, Qu Jianying pulled Long Chen to the Martial Heaven Palace.

“Alliance head, you wouldn't be finding a place with no witnesses to beat me, right?” asked Long Chen uneasily.

Qu Jianying burst into laughter from Long Chen’s apprehensive appearance. “Don’t be weird. I’m bringing you to a good place.”

The two of them walked into the Martial Heaven Palace. They entered an ancient corridor. At the end was a giant temple that reached into the clouds. It emitted a desolate air.

There were nine elders in front of the temple calmly watching Qu Jianying and Long Chen walk over. What shocked Long Chen was that these nine elders did not bow to Qu Jianying. Instead, they merely nodded their heads slightly.

As for when they looked at Long Chen, he sensed that they were scanning him. Two of them even used faint Spiritual Strength when they looked into his eyes. That was to make Long Chen feel anxious and expose his inner secrets.

“Being old is not a reason for others to respect you if all your years of life are wasted. Even at such an age, do you not even understand the most basic manners?” Long Chen didn’t know what these nine elders were doing, but he could sense their hostility.

“Overbearing.”

“Arrogant.”

“Narrow-hearted.”

“Petty.”

Four of the elders looked coldly at him. They didn’t get angry, but they replied icily.

“Decrepit.” Long Chen directly retorted.

The nine of them blocked his way. Clearly, they were here to stop him from entering the temple.

Although he didn’t know why they were targeting him, he was never one to submit to other people. Using Spiritual Strength to investigate other people’s secrets was inherently an offensive action.

If this place wasn’t the Martial Heaven Alliance and he didn’t know who these nine people were, Long Chen would have directly struck back with his Spiritual Strength. Although they were old, these people were only at the half-step Netherpassage realm.

“I know you’ve always been against Long Chen, but you’ve also seen everything that he’s done after arriving at the Martial Heaven Alliance. If you still don’t want to accept it, then I’ll have to call for a vote and see just how many people are really against him,” said Qu Jianying indifferently.

“Hmph, your preparations aren’t bad.”

One of the elders smiled coldly. His expression was strange. Perhaps it was because he was so old, but his expression was unclear. It was most likely a mocking smile.

“Fuck off! Do you think I don’t dare to do anything to you?” cursed Qu Jianying, pointing her finger at that elder.

Clearly the elder’s meaning was that Qu Jianying had planned for those disciples to support Long Chen.

Qu Jianying had always been aboveboard with her actions and disdained to do such things. She was immediately enraged upon being accused of such a thing.

“Alliance head, calm your anger. The Sixth Elder has always been one to say what was on his mind. Don’t take offense. Since you want to cling to your own way, we can’t do anything about it,” said the lead elder.

“Since you can’t do anything about it, get out of my way,” raged Qu Jianying.

The nine elders each took out a long key and inserted it into nine places on the gate. Only then did the gate slowly open. Seeing their devious smiles, Long Chen’s eyes narrowed.