"Sect Master!"
Chief Sword Master Dai saw Dominic Ding's sword arm severed by the youth with nothing but a willow branch. His eyes instantly turned blood-red. With a furious roar, he drew his Enlightenment Sword and launched a swift assault from behind.
His sword style was domineering and his aura overwhelming. Every step he took seemed to shake the mountains.
"Dare to sever our Sect Master's hand? Pay with your life!"
In the blink of an eye, Chief Sword Master Dai was behind Evan Lin, his Enlightenment Sword flashing wildly. In just three breaths, he unleashed over sixty ferocious slashes.
The sword light was as fierce as a raging storm.
Spectators couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
But what shocked them even more was how calm and certain the youth was as he turned to face that storm-like barrage of sword strikes.
The seven-foot willow branch in his hand seemed more like an unrivaled divine weapon.
Chief Sword Master Dai arrived in a flash, his Enlightenment Sword even more frenzied, chopping straight down at Evan Lin's head.
Splat!
But as Chief Sword Master Dai closed in on the youth, he found himself unable to advance any further.
The seven-foot willow branch had already pierced cleanly through his body, stopping his sword just three inches short of Evan Lin.
"His sword is a joke, and yours doesn't even pique my interest."
Evan Lin spoke indifferently, shaking his head slightly. With a flick of his wrist, the willow branch surged with power and blasted Chief Sword Master Dai away.
Bang!
Everyone stared at Chief Sword Master Dai lying to the side, unable to utter a single word.
Total domination!
This was absolute, crushing superiority.
That willow branch, which had just pierced right through him—if Evan Lin hadn't deliberately avoided Chief Sword Master Dai's heart, Dai would probably be dead already.
Even the Sect Master of the Southriver Sword Sect, wielding the Sudden-Clarity Sword, couldn't stand against this youth. Just imagine how terrifying his strength must be!
"What do you really want?"
Dominic Ding, his right hand lost and wracked with pain, looked pale and bloodless.
He stood a short distance away, utterly defeated, staring at the youth with no will left to resist.
Nearby, Harvey He and the other rich heirs looked at Evan Lin with complicated expressions, terrified that the youth might come over and kill them all with that willow branch.
"I didn't really have any plans. I just dropped by to accept your war post."
Evan Lin spoke with indifference.
The moment he said that, everyone felt their mouths go dry, at a complete loss for words.
He just dropped by to accept a war post?
So he casually strolled into the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground, walked on swords to the sky, and cracked open the entire sword grave—all just to accept a challenge?
So he casually used a willow branch to sever the sword arm of the Southriver Sword Sect's Sect Master?
And just as casually, he pierced right through Chief Sword Master Dai?
Everyone who thought about it looked at the youth, feeling more and more unable to fathom him—watching with a sense of awe.
"So you just dropped by to accept my war post? You won today's battle—you're truly a prodigy. So now, what do you want? Are you going to wipe out the Southriver Sword Sect for good?"
Dominic Ding's face was tinged with misery and defeat.
He'd presided over the Southriver Sword Sect for decades and seen many geniuses, but never imagined he'd be instantly crushed by such a young youth.
"Exterminating your entire sect means nothing to me. In my eyes, you're nothing but a swarm of ants."
Evan Lin shook his head.
Inside the sect, everyone's expression changed; they were all choked silent by his words.
Zack Zhao and Drake Yu didn't even dare to look Evan Lin in the eye at this point.
"So your purpose was just to humiliate the Southriver Sword Sect?"
Dominic Ding's voice trembled, sounding like a deflated balloon.
He was already prepared to be utterly humiliated, but listening to the youth, it didn't sound like he intended to wipe out the sect. That gave Dominic Ding a shred of hope.
But before he could finish, everyone saw the youth shake his head slightly.
The youth stood there with his backpack, blood-stained willow branch dancing in the wind.
He turned, gazing into the distance, and spoke coldly.
"Last time at the Moore Family Manor, I broke two of your Misty Rain Swords."
"Back then I was curious: could I break all five of the Southriver Sword Sect's Five Swords?"
Everyone stared at the youth's back. His cold, indifferent voice echoed in their ears, making him seem even more solitary and sharp.
"Southriver, Misty Rain, Enlightenment, Sudden-Clarity, and finally the Broken Red-Dust Sword."
"But your swords aren't even worth breaking."
Evan Lin sighed softly. The words made Dominic Ding burn with shame—cutting straight to the heart.
Before Dominic could retort, everyone saw the youth gazing off toward the summit of the Southriver Sword Sect, his tone ethereal: "Still, there is at least one opponent in your sect who is barely worthy of notice."
Barely worthy of notice?
Everyone was baffled by Evan Lin's words, unable to understand.
"Isn't the Sect Master the strongest in the Southriver Sword Sect?" someone whispered.
"He should be, right? I've never heard of anyone stronger in the sect. Now that he's been defeated, who else could possibly be a match?"
They exchanged glances, curiosity in their eyes.
Some even thought this youth was clueless—strong, but lacking real understanding.
"What, are you really going to keep hiding? Are you waiting for me to invite you personally?"
Evan Lin gave a cold snort, and the willow branch in his hand shot straight toward the path leading out of the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground.
The blood-stained willow branch instantly turned into a streak of green light and vanished from sight.
Everyone looked in that direction, but it was completely quiet—nothing stirred.
Just a few breaths later, faint footsteps could be heard from that direction.
Rustle, rustle...
From the sound, someone was treading on withered leaves and branches.
The sound was faint and strange, almost ghostly.
"So, you are Evan 'Nine Mysteries' Lin."
At the far end of the road outside the Thousand-Sword Burial Ground, a black-clad figure approached with small steps.
He didn't look strong—if anything, he seemed thin and frail. He wore a long, pitch-black robe and carried a blood-stained willow branch, swinging it lightly.
That willow branch was clearly the very one Evan Lin had just thrown.
Soon, the figure reached the crowd. His face was hidden beneath a black hat brim, making it impossible to see clearly. Only his eyes were visible—sharp as knives. Anyone who met his gaze felt a chill to the bone.
It was as if their very souls were trembling!