Chapter 160 – The Venerable Dies With Eyes Wide Open, You're Actually Just a Clone?

Above the canyon, a piercing aura swirled around the Masked Old Man as the blood mist around him expanded and collapsed, pulsating at an extremely rapid frequency.

Crimson lightning crackled and roared.

His heartbeat suddenly thundered like a drum, reverberating in the ears of the citizens below and igniting fear in everyone’s hearts.

The massive heartbeat boomed.

It was like a trapped beast making its final struggle.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

“Venerable One, stop!!”

The Black-Robed Man urgently transmitted his voice, attempting to halt the Masked Old Man’s mad actions.

Once this secret technique was unleashed, there would be no turning back—soul and spirit would be utterly destroyed, never to enter the cycle of reincarnation.

The Venerable One held a revered position in the sect, standing above tens of thousands… he was destined to reach the Supreme Realm.

Now, to abandon his future for the sake of the Jianghai Sword God…

Was it truly worth it?

Thinking this, the Black-Robed Man’s figure flickered as he moved to intercept the Masked Old Man’s self-destruction trend, trying to salvage the situation.

“While there’s life, there’s hope! Venerable One, do not act recklessly!!”

Yet before he could approach, the Masked Old Man glared at him furiously, opened his mouth, and spat out a blood thunder that shot from his throat, instantly blasting the Black-Robed Man hundreds of meters away, the residual shockwaves echoing between the canyon cliffs.

“Fool! For the Divine Sect, this venerable dies without regret!”

“If the Jianghai Sword God does not die today, what future can the Divine Sect speak of!? This venerable’s heart cannot rest!”

As these words fell.

The Masked Old Man’s gilded mask shattered, turning to ashes that fluttered down, revealing a twisted and ferocious face.

His skin was covered in cracks, with several eerie red lights bursting from the fissures, like a balloon about to explode, shattering the void around him as he charged straight toward Qin Yang!

“Come up.”

Seeing this, Qin Yang’s gaze remained cold and sharp, merely transmitting a soft message before transforming into a streak of stellar lightning, his figure ascending higher into the sky.

“Seeking death!”

The Masked Old Man, witnessing this, grew even more enraged and chased closely behind.

The two shot upward into the high sky simultaneously, stellar lightning intertwining with blood thunder, transforming into two beams racing toward the clouds above.

………….

“Oh no, that old Demonkin intends to perish together with Sword God Senior!!”

Within the canyon, Lin Mofeng looked up at the scene above and instantly understood everything. “He wants to drag Sword God into his self-destruction!”

“Impossible, Sword God Senior will surely be able to retreat!”

Elder Li angrily retorted, veins bulging on his neck. “How could a bunch of despicable people trap Sword God?”

“No, Teacher, you don’t understand.”

Lin Mofeng shook his head, his expression grave. “Once this kind of secret technique is ignited, it cannot be stopped. The self-destruction of the Supreme Realm is terrifyingly powerful; wherever it lands, it will be like a natural disaster.”

As he spoke, he looked up worriedly. “If Sword God avoids it, that Demonkin will charge into the downtown area, detonating the entire city and dragging everyone to their deaths… Sword God Senior deliberately lured the Demonkin upward to save Jianghai City. I’m afraid he…”

He didn’t finish the rest.

Silence spoke louder than words.

The surrounding people fell silent, mentally preparing for the worst. A bleak atmosphere spread through the crowd, with faint sobs heard here and there.

“How can Sword God withstand the self-destruction of a Half-Step Supreme Realm?”

“Damn Evil Cult lunatics!”

“Sword God’s righteous and fearless spirit will be celebrated for eternity…”

“We should forever remember this moment!”

…….

“Righteous and fearless spirit?”Amid the crowd, the clamor around Li Zixuan’s ears persisted, yet she stood frozen in place, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

She cared nothing for grand righteousness…

Nor did she desire eternal praise in the annals of history.

Saving the world felt too distant—only her master was the one closest to her.

In the end.

All she wanted was for her teacher to live,

A simple, small wish, that was all…

At this thought.

Overwhelming emotions erupted, shattering Li Zixuan’s last shred of rationality. She gripped her longsword, gathering Star Power, ready to charge forward and lend her aid.

“Master…”

But just as she was about to rise.

Suddenly, several Array Inscriptions clamped around her ankles, pinning her firmly in place, rendering her completely immobile!

“Don’t be reckless, Zi Xuan! You cannot go up there!Li Qinghe deployed the Array Diagrams, restraining the out-of-control Li Zixuan and tightly embracing her from behind. “What good would it do for you to go? The disparity in strength is too great—your presence would be useless!”

“I… I must save Master…”

Li Zixuan struggled against the embrace, her voice trembling with sobs as she transmitted her plea, her vision already blurred by tears.

“Nonsense! Calm down!”

Li Qinghe scolded angrily, “You would only throw your life away for nothing! Are you going to sacrifice yourself one by one like the Calabash Brothers!? Think carefully—would your Senior Brother and Master approve!?”

“I… I…”

Hearing this, Li Zixuan’s tears fell like broken strings. She had already dissolved into a weeping mess, her sobs choking her words as she collapsed into Li Qinghe’s arms, trembling with grief.

In truth, she understood everything.

Going up would accomplish nothing.

But no matter what… it was better than watching her master die!

Unfortunately.

It was all too late.

Boom!

A roaring thunderclap bellowed, accompanied by a deep sonic pressure drop. Visible sound waves, mountainous in scale, churned through the sea of clouds, rolling into celestial waves.

“They’ve collided!!! Everyone, be alert!”

Lin Mofeng watched the situation in the sky and shouted loudly, his voice reaching everyone’s ears. But within seconds, it was drowned out by the deafening commotion.

The citizens in the valley looked up.

Two streaks of lightning intertwined—one crimson as blood, the other white as snow—like Horned Dragons locked in combat across the heavens!

Ten breaths later.

Boom!

The sky erupted with a myriad of brilliant lights!

As if a blazing sun hung high above.

For a moment, two suns appeared in the sky!

Under the scorching radiance, the world turned blindingly white.

Signal fields went haywire, broadcast screens flickered into static, and the citizens shielded their eyes, falling into a collective silence as they waited for the white light to fade.

Time dragged on, each second feeling like a year…

“It’s clearing!”

Lin Mofeng shouted.

The people in the valley quickly lowered their hands and gazed up at the sky.

There, above.

As the white light dissipated, the Masked Old Man had vanished without a trace. Qin Yang stood tall in the high sky, holding his sword, his eyes as emotionless and detached as the heavens, devoid of any feeling.

“The Sword God has won!!! He’s still alive!”

“The Demonkin has been slain! Long live the Sword God!!”

“Wait… something’s wrong with Lord Sword God…”

Just then, exclamations erupted from the crowd as someone suddenly pointed at Qin Yang in the sky.

Hum—

His body fragmented into scattered motes of light, and in an instant, he vanished into nothingness, disappearing before everyone’s eyes.

“Impossible!!!”

The Black-Robed Man witnessed this scene, his eyes wide with disbelief, instantly detecting the subtle fluctuations of Star Power around.

The Star Power gently dispersed, and the vitality naturally faded away.Without a doubt, the Sword God before him…

Was merely a Star Avatar!

“You’re actually just an avatar!!!”

The Black-Robed Man sensed the surrounding scene, completely bewildered. The intense battle just now, the self-destruction at the Supreme Realm—had it all been just an avatar!?

If the self-detonated Venerable knew this in the afterlife, wouldn’t he die with everlasting regret?!

(End of Chapter)