"Just in time to test you, the Earth-tier low-grade sword skill my Sect Master bestowed upon me!"
Yue Kuangtao was quite confident, gripping his long sword with both hands and assuming an offensive stance. The black flames on the sword's edge grew even more intense.
"Black Flame Sever the Sky!"
Yue Kuangtao charged forward, his speed like a fierce wind, leaving behind trails of black afterimages wherever he went. As he swung his sword, the black flames that had been rising around him transformed into a sky-filling sea of fire, engulfing Ye Yun. This strike was so powerful that not only the injured Ye Yun, but even cultivators at the Emperor level two or three, or even four, would have to evade its edge. Coupled with his mastery of speed, it was enough to leave Ye Yun with no escape, destined for certain death!
Ye Yun had no intention of dodging. With a mere glance at Yue Kuangtao's attack, he dismissively shook his head. With a thought, the distant Fenglan Sword flew into his hand, and Ye Yun casually swept it forward. This sword stroke was unadorned, seemingly without any specific technique. Yet, this simple sword swing caused space to crackle and tear, revealing fissures of blackness. Ever since Ye Yun entered the Dao through the sword, he had rarely needed conventional sword techniques; in fact, every swing he made was a top-tier sword move imbued with the profound principles of the Dao of the Sword! Facing the monstrous black flames, this lightning-fast, near-invisible sword strike instantly cleaved through them, dispersing them into black light. Yue Kuangtao's prideful Earth-tier sword art crumbled in an instant...
"What's going on? How is this possible?" Yue Kuangtao's expression was one of utter horror as he saw the sword energy that shattered the black flames continue its unimpeded advance towards him. Wasn't this guy supposed to be crippled? How could his sword strikes still possess such terrifying power? But there was no time for him to ponder these questions. The sword energy was rapidly closing in, forcing him to shift from offense to defense, concentrating all his Xuan Qi for protection. The next moment, a thunderous roar echoed from mid-air. Yue Kuangtao's condensed defense was shattered by the sword energy, and he himself was sent flying by its formidable might. He crashed heavily onto the ground, his meridians and bones pulverized by this single sword strike, rendering even the ability to stand a luxury.
"You... you... how could you..." His blood-splattered face struggled to lift, staring at Ye Yun in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.
Ye Yun did not immediately attend to his shock. Interrogation could wait; there were more important matters at hand. His icy gaze swept across all the members of the Black Demon Sect in the plaza, finally settling on the Vice Sect Master and several elders. Seeing their Sect Master defeated in a single move and rendered useless, everyone couldn't help but swallow hard, while the disciples behind them murmured in fear.
"The Sect Master was defeated in just one move?"
"How is that possible? Ye Yun is this strong?"
"Is he really injured?"
"Whether he's injured or not, let's escape quickly!"
Some Black Demon Sect disciples who understood the situation turned and fled frantically out of the plaza. The Vice Sect Master reacted quickly. Seeing how terrifying Ye Yun was, his face changed drastically, and he shouted loudly.
"Everyone, scatter and flee!"
As he spoke, including himself, everyone in the plaza desperately fled in all directions, fearing that any delay would result in their death at Ye Yun's hands.
"Master, quickly! They're all escaping!" Lin Xueyan watched anxiously. Once these people got away, it would be difficult to find them again.
Ye Yun smiled faintly at her and said, "Don't worry, they won't escape." With that, under Lin Xueyan's puzzled gaze, he looked up at the fleeing members of the Black Demon Sect, each displaying their unique escape techniques, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"Wind Thunder, Fractal Sword!"
As Ye Yun unleashed the Fenglan Sword in his hand, Yue Kuangtao, who was lying on the ground nearby, witnessed a sight that would forever shock him. The Fenglan Sword flew to an altitude of a thousand meters, emitting a verdant glow. With a peculiar fluctuation of Xuan Qi, after precisely zero-point-one-zero-one seconds, countless emerald stars rose into the sky. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that these tens of thousands of starlights were actually sword shadows, each emitting a green radiance, suspended in the air. The plaza fell into an eerie silence, with only Ye Yun looking up at the sky, a cold smile on his lips, and a light snap of his fingers.
"Kill!"
With this single word, the myriad green lights transformed into tens of thousands of meteors, accompanied by the might of wind and lightning, and their terrifying speed accurately shot towards every fleeing Black Demon Sect cultivator. Time was too short, and the speed of the flying swords was too great. Not a single person managed to escape the foot of Black Demon Sect Mountain before being annihilated by several flying swords. However, Ye Yun still retained a sliver of mercy; disciples whose cultivation was below the Transcendent level were decapitated. As for the minority of cultivators above Transcendent, who were part of the Black Demon Sect's leadership and the primary force behind the massacre of the Lin family, they were only dismembered, their limbs severed, but not killed. In addition, those hidden in the shadows, who had not yet revealed themselves, met the same fate – death or maiming. In less than ten seconds, the once-noisy Black Demon Sect had become a bloody inferno, falling into complete silence, with only the occasional screams of those who had been dismembered echoing from nearby.
Witnessing the tragic state of his sect, Yue Kuangtao trembled and looked at Ye Yun, his lips quivering. "This... this, this kind of power, is it a Venerable..." Only a Venerable, one who stood above tens of thousands and had grasped a sliver of the Great Dao, could wield the power of the Dao to achieve such effortless, large-scale slaughter. But the question was, how could Ye Yun possibly be a Venerable?! Let alone being crippled a year ago, even if nothing had happened, he had only just entered the Emperor level a year ago. To have reached the Venerable realm so quickly? What kind of monster was this guy! Yue Kuangtao was utterly despairing, and even felt despair for the Nine Nether Demonic Sect. With Ye Yun's heaven-defying power, if he were allowed to grow for a while longer, he might be able to destroy the Nine Nether Demonic Sect as easily as he did today! "It's over... it's completely over. The Sect Master, the Young Sect Master's goals, everything is finished..."
From afar, this hellish and terrifying spectacle, coupled with the strong smell of blood, caused Gu Xiaoyue to involuntarily gag as she lowered her head, barely daring to look around. Lin Xueyan, on the other hand, silently observed everything, seemingly unconcerned. She had already experienced hell before. The tragedy of her family that night was no less than what was happening here, especially when those struggling in pools of blood were her own family members with whom she had spent her days. And before her now were the enemies she wished she could shatter into a thousand pieces.
"This should wrap things up." Ye Yun retracted the Fenglan Sword from the sky and said to a stunned Lin Xueyan, "Xueyan, for those deacons and elders who may have participated in the attack on the Lin family, I have spared their lives." "Now, you can seek vengeance for your grievances, and settle your scores. If you wish to exact revenge with your own hands, hurry now. You can do whatever you want today." This time, Lin Xueyan did not hesitate, her fists clenched, her eyes filled with murderous intent. "Thank you, Master. Your disciple will go now!" Ye Yun had never seen Lin Xueyan so cold and filled with murderous intent before; he suspected those people would not have a good end.
After she left, Gu Xiaoyue approached and couldn't help but ask, "Elder Ye, is this really alright? Letting her personally torture her enemies and such..." Although she believed revenge was justified, she worried that Lin Xueyan's mental state might become unstable if she continued to kill. Hearing this, Ye Yun shrugged, glanced at the direction Lin Xueyan had departed, and said, "She must do this. Although she doesn't show it normally, I can feel the hatred suppressed deep within her heart. Such accumulated emotions must be released." Hearing this explanation, Gu Xiaoyue became thoughtful and eventually agreed with Ye Yun's words.
Afterwards, Ye Yun walked to Yue Kuangtao's side. Under his terrified gaze, Ye Yun grabbed his limp body and said coldly, "Alright, now it's time for us to talk. Why did the Nine Nether Demonic Sect specifically order you to exterminate the Lin family?"