As the two cultivators approach their positions — each on their side of the platform — the disciples of both sects cheer them on. On the Frozen Peak Palace side, they know that a victory here would mean that their sect would win the tournament. Even if Lan Xiaohui defeated Mu Jingyu, and then if the Seven Killing Swords sect managed to defeat Lan Xiaohui, they could only earn ten points, which would leave them at fifty-three points; well short of the Frozen Peak Palace’s sixty-two!

On the other hand, if Mu Jingyu lost, and the Seven Killing Swords sect got nineteen points from defeating Tian Li and Lan Xiaohui, the situation would be completely reversed, even to the final score of fifty-three to sixty-two.

This is also precisely why the Seven Killing Swords does not risk sending out their fifth-ranker against Mu Jingyu. They cannot give the Frozen Peak Palace any more points. Therefore, this duel would decide the outcome of the tournament.

In this situation, after their very deliberate sabotage of Galaxy Sword’s run in the tournament, and all the provocation, the Seven Killing Swords cannot even bring themselves to openly cheer or encourage Tian Li, though in their hearts, they are all hoping he manages to defeat the sword maiden.

On the other hand, the disciples of the Galaxy Sword sect cheer for Tian Li for two reasons. Naturally, they want their sect to at least obtain some kind of achievement at this Conference, but many of them — those who ranked highly — also want to see Tian Li show his strength, something he had failed to do with Xie Zhiqiang challenging him.

It is a well-known fact among them that when Xie Zhiqiang challenged Tian Li, the latter did not even resist but instead immediately forfeited the match. However, none of them know the exact reason why Tian Li forfeited. By then, Xie Zhiqiang’s reputation of intentionally injuring and trying to kill disciples was well-known, so most of them simply assumed that Tian Li was afraid.

Whether that is the truth or not, their opinions, at least for this duel, have changed.

“You are a first-ranker too, Tian Li! You can win!” one of them shouts, and some of the others echo this sentiment, which is technically true. Until Xie Zhiqiang took the first rank, Tian Li was the first-ranked Inner Disciple of the Galaxy Sword sect.

A mere glance at the individual would support this assessment. His ranking was well-earned. Even as a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, his sword attainment runs deep. His demeanor is further evidence of this, and if it is true that he surrendered because he did not wish to risk injury, then it only serves to point out his dedication to the sword, and his lack of desire for worldly comforts of ranking or recognition.

In truth, that day, had Lan Xiaohui fought Tian Li instead, it would’ve likely been a far more difficult match than Xie Zhiqiang, despite the latter’s strange, demonic arts.

“Mu Jingyu, against you, I cannot afford to hold back,” Tian Li says, slowly dropping into a fighting stance and holding his sword at the ready.

Mu Jingyu smiles and nods. “I know,” she says. “Likewise, I also cannot hold back. You’ve heard them too. The outcome of the tournament depends on this.”

“Good!” Tian Li calls out, tone far more decisive than before, and lifts his sword over his head. “Star River Crossing!”

Multiple points of light emit from Tian Li’s sword, their star-like glare rotating, as if light blurring through glass. Even the arena darkens considerably as the intensity of the light heightens, quickly becoming so blinding that several disciples have to shield their eyes — even Mu Jingyu has to squint.

“Galaxy Sword Method…!” Mu Jingyu whispers, apparently aware of the sect’s main inheritance.

Beams of light fire from those rotating points of light, hurtling toward Mu Jingyu who is forced to dodge all of them, spires and barriers of ice appear under her feet, or in front of her, to either help her with mobility or take a few impacts to avoid becoming cornered.

These beams of light are not light itself, but the glint of a very pristine, very sharp sword force — a technique obtained by very deep attainment in the sword and the [Galaxy Sword Method] martial art.

Under the barrage of beam-like sword force, it truly looks like a hurtling, spinning galaxy forming a crossing of light.

After several beams of sword force impact a particularly sturdy barrier of ice behind which Mu Jingyu is hiding — also to catch her breath and recover from the previous match — Tian Li lowers his sword and leans forward.

“True North Slash.”

His body fades like a mirage, and all that is left in his twisting wake is a glint of the same star-like glare as his movement technique brings him around and above the barrier of ice; then, like a thunderbolt, it descends.

There is an impact as Mu Jingyu blocks the blow with her sword and is sent skidding across the frozen platform, eyes tightly shut and trying to withstand the force of the attack. Every star in the wake of Tian Li’s motion suddenly rotates and explodes with energy, further leveling the podium and crushing ice crystals. Not all of them explode — some of them fire yet more beams of sword force at Mu Jingyu, who has no choice but to summon more ice spires and barriers to take the blow.

Yet, the most terrifying ability of the [Galaxy Sword Method], even after using the tremendously destructive True North Slash, is the fact that it is well-suited to consecutive, relentless attacks. So even when Mu Jingyu is blasted away by the much coveted True North Slash, more stars bloom in Tian Li’s wake, as his flickering form crashes toward Mu Jingyu once more.

Mu Jingyu’s eyes suddenly open, luminous green, but leaving a trail of blue glow as she skids across the ice, and raises her pale blue sword.

“Winter’s End Cut.”

The moment Mu Jingyu speaks those three words, several elders from the Galaxy Sword, and even the other sects, jump to their feet.

“Glacier Breaking Sword!”

The famous martial art that not even the elders of the Frozen Peak Palace can recover — supposedly developed after the person who founded the sect spent hundreds of years, sharpening her sword and cutting the invulnerable glaciers of the distant north that is permanently plunged into winter. If one in twenty years can become a sword maiden, then only one in a hundred, or even two hundred, will be able to even grasp the basics of the [Glacier Breaking Sword].

Though the martial art was initially intended to rid the homeland of the Frozen Peak Palace of its winter curse, the sword that Mu Jingyu wields plunges the arena into even more ice. The air itself appears to crystallize and the temperature plummets to the point that it can be felt even beyond the barrier.

There, twisting in on itself, is the shape of a sword, forming from ice, as it descends onto the arena. Tian Li, with no hope of blocking this blow, or going around it, goes into full defensive mode and aborts his attacking maneuver to instead flee to the other side of the arena, and after the brief moment it takes him to reach the dead-end, he turns around and braces himself.

“Grand Galaxy Sword!”

These words further stun the elders of the Galaxy Sword, who now stare in half-disbelief at their own disciple.

“Fourth layer…! Tian Li… you…”

In the system of the Galaxy Sword, an Inner Disciple is not expected to even get a glimpse of the sect’s inheritances, though it is something that they allow because, ultimately, their desire is to uncover the secrets that their ancestor left behind. Therefore, it is not strange for a few Inner Disciples to learn an inheritance, but none of them are expected to progress it beyond the first, or even second layer — in which case they would be allowed to join the Core Disciples.

However, comprehending the fourth layer was as unheard of as passing all fourteen floors of the Pagoda of Introspection.

When Tian Li swings his sword, a long chain of scintillating points of light appear in the wake of his sword and fan outward, forming the likeness of an arm of a spiral galaxy. Within each point of light, there are another hundred, smaller points of light, and when they flicker and pulse, not only is the surrounding ice melted and blasted away, but even the descending glacier sword is stopped in mid-air.

Then the galaxy arm detaches from Tian Li’s sword, spins in mid-air, the trailing lights forming the rest of the galaxy’s appearance, and collides with the frozen sword.

The blast of wind and sword force that pours out of the arena not only overcomes protective barriers but even erodes them, briefly knocking them out of service, as the spectators and disciples — who are closer to the arena — struggle to remain on their feet as the hurricane-strength winds pummel them. Meanwhile, the entire arena is shrouded in steam and icy vapor, and other than me, no one can tell what is happening inside.

The ice sword shatters, and the galaxy flies apart, unrestrained sword force raining down on the podium and blasting it full of holes, trenches, and ravines. Where a point of light gashes a hole into the sturdy stone, ice crystals come to cover it.

When the steam fades out, and the icy vapor and snow settle, what remains behind is a cataclysmic sight of unparalleled sword force and ice energy, and no sign of the two cultivators.

The elders leap to their feet; on the Frozen Peak Palace side, they are more than well aware of how important Mu Jingyu is to them. But on the Galaxy Sword sect side, they are still coming to grips with the fact that Tian Li is, in fact, another unprecedented genius!

Mu Jingyu is the first to rise out of the debris, holding her left arm, her sword barely hanging on between her crushed fingers.

A cheer erupts from the Frozen Peak Palace section, either at the prospect that she is still alive, or the fact that she won.

But their cheers are quickly silenced when, on the other side, Tian Li also emerges from the debris of frozen rocks and broken ice. Though he suffered some injuries, they are not as serious as Mu Jingyu’s, which are by no means deep or life-threatening.

However, after two intense matches, Mu Jingyu’s physical state is exhausted. Even though her injuries reduce her combat ability by an acceptable margin, the reason she cannot hold her sword is because she is too tired.

“It’s a shame,” Mu Jingyu whispers. “I wanted to cross… swords with you…”

And though her words are too quiet to hear for most, Lan Xiaohui hears them clearly and smiles sadly. “You fought very well,” she whispers. “Your sword was beautiful.”

Mu Jingyu’s eyes widen and she glances in the direction of my owner. Then she chuckles and raises her head. “Tian Li! I forfeit! You win!”

No one, not even my owner, could understand why her tone was so triumphant as if she was the one that won the match.