"I'm not leaving. A man can't live his life all cowering and ashamed! Frostbane Sect is one of the Nine Great Sects of the Azure Tide Ruins—we can't lose face like this! If I'm right, that Red-Robe Youth is probably off smashing the other sects right now. Maybe, when he's done, only Frostbane Sect will still be standing. This is a disaster for all Nine Great Sects!" Evan Chu said, his voice hot with indignation.
Right now? Even if I wanted to help Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, Freewind Palace, or Bloodfiend Hall, I couldn't do a thing. I can't even protect myself—how am I supposed to save anyone else?
"Sect Master, you said that youth is the Blood Emperor's heir—what does that mean? Is the Blood Emperor really coming back?" Joan He blurted out, her voice trembling with worry.
"The Blood Emperor's long gone, but that kid's got his inheritance. He's no ordinary foe—he's scarier than the whole dark organization put together. Don't panic, everyone. Go rest up. I'll be in seclusion for three days, then I'll fight him. Win or lose, I'll leave it to the heavens!" Evan declared, his eyes burning with resolve.
Right then, Lynne Nie and Selena Yale looked the most anxious—their own sects were in the crosshairs, and that was the last thing they wanted. But what could they do? Helplessness was written all over their faces.
Evan saw their worry and tried to comfort them: "Don't be sad. Sometimes, you just have to let fate decide. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen—if disaster comes, there's no running from it. If they're smart, they'll submit. When I'm done with seclusion, I'll make sure they get justice!"
"Evan, are you really sure you can beat that red-robed punk? The guy's a top-tier Sixth Layer Saint Martial Realm expert—even back on the Divine Battlefield, monsters feared him!" Heaven Ape said, voice full of concern.
"Don't worry, Old Ape. I know my limits. I'm still at Ninth Layer Divine Martial Realm, but a Fifth Layer Saint Martial Realm? I can take him down easy. As for that red-robed brat, I've got at least a fifty-fifty shot!" Evan grinned, confidence blazing in his eyes.
Everyone left, hearts heavy and anxious, focusing on restoring their Stellar Power. But Heaven Ape? He bolted for the Monster Beast Forest—time to call for backup!
Evan Chu slipped into the underground secret chamber. He had just three days to master Heaven-Cleave. He sat in silence, the Frostbane Sword resting across his palms, deep in the heart of the Stellar Cultivation Chamber, every muscle tense with anticipation.
"Demon Lord, I need the last two sword forms—Heaven-Cleave and Star-Cleave. If you don't teach me, Frostbane Sect could vanish from the Azure Tide Ruins! Every life in the sect hangs on this, even your daughter's! I'm begging you—don't let Frostbane disappear!" Evan Chu cried out to the Frostbane Sword, his fists clenched, each word echoing with desperation.
"Frostbane, with your current strength—Ninth Layer Divine Martial Realm—you can barely handle Heaven-Cleave. Star-Cleave? You're nowhere near ready. Even if I told you, it would be useless." The Demon Lord's voice rumbled in Evan's mind, heavy with reluctance.
"Just tell me! I have to try, no matter what. Thousands of Frostbane Sect lives are in my hands—including your own daughter! Don't forget, I'm Frostbane, not anyone else!" Evan shot back, his voice hot-blooded and defiant, eyes blazing with resolve.
"Fine. If you won't let it go, I'll teach you both forms. Maybe you'll pull off a miracle." The Demon Lord finally relented, his voice softening.
Ancient, cryptic runes and images suddenly flooded Evan's mind. He didn't bother trying to decipher them—Luna, his sword spirit, would handle it all.
"That's enough. If you want the next form, you need to break through to Fifth Layer Saint Martial Realm—or unseal the Frostbane Sword. I know you've got the Sacred Snow Lotus, but you still need Heavenward Spirit Water. It's even rarer—only one place in the world has it, and you're nowhere near strong enough to reach it." The Demon Lord's voice faded, growing weaker with every word until it vanished.
Looks like the Demon Lord's done talking. Evan turned to Luna, hope flickering in his eyes. "Sister Luna, do you think I can learn the fifth form?"
"You can—but you'll pay a terrible price. For now, focus on the fourth form: Heaven-Cleave. Like the name says, it's a sword art so fierce it can rip a hole in the sky. Its power is off the charts." Luna replied, her words sharp and clear.
As Luna finished reorganizing the ancient runes, the method for Heaven-Cleave appeared in Evan's mind—clear and complete. If the Demon Lord had dumped it on him directly, Evan might not have understood it in three days, let alone mastered it.
With Luna's help, Evan mastered Heaven-Cleave in just half a day, then spent a full day rehearsing it in his mind—over and over, pushing himself to the limit. With his current Chaos Dragon Force, he could unleash it twice, no more.
With a day and a half left, Evan pressed Luna for the fifth form—Star-Cleave. This sword art was said to cut down sun, moon, and stars. He couldn't really do that, but its destructive power was several times that of Heaven-Cleave, and it would burn through his Chaos Dragon Force in a flash.
Right now, Evan could barely squeeze out a single Star-Cleave—and it might drain all his Chaos Dragon Force, just like last time in the secret chamber. That was crazy dangerous; back then, only Dream Princess Selena's yin demonic qi saved him. This time, he might not get so lucky.
Gritting his teeth, Evan threw himself into mastering Star-Cleave. If Heaven-Cleave couldn't take down the enemy, he'd gamble everything on Star-Cleave—even if it meant burning up every last drop of Chaos Dragon Force. Victory was worth any risk!
It took Evan a full day to comprehend Star-Cleave, building on the foundation from the earlier forms. When he finally got it, he realized its power could flatten everything for dozens of miles—enough to wipe out an entire sect in an instant.
Dozens of miles—what did that even mean? It could obliterate any sect in a heartbeat. No wonder the ancient masters chose to fight on the Divine Battlefield; their sword arts were just too monstrous for the Azure Tide Ruins to handle.
With only half a day left, Evan forced himself to rehearse Star-Cleave in his mind—again and again, sweat beading on his brow. The time was brutally short, but he had no choice. He had to squeeze out every last ounce of potential.
Three days flashed by in a blink. The Red-Robe Youth now hovered above Frostbane Sect, but this time he'd brought only a few hundred followers. The sect members traded anxious glances, utterly baffled by the change.
"Three days are up, Sect Master Chu! Time to keep your promise! I want a fight that will make me proud. Maybe in all the Azure Tide Ruins, only you are worthy to face me! Even that old hag from Freewind Palace isn't qualified!" The Red-Robe Youth's voice wasn't loud, but it crashed over the crowd like thunder, making everyone's ears ring. Even deep in the underground chamber, Evan heard his arrogant challenge... (To be continued at dawn)