Chapter 176: Exception   Ever since Yu Shangrong had left the Evil Sky Pavilion, he had challenged countless elites from various backgrounds with his sword and had never lost a single match.

Whether it was Chen Wenjie, one of the three Sword Freaks, or a Six and Seven-leaf elite of the Noble Path, all his opponents died under his sword. For this reason, he rose to fifth place on the blacklist. If he was not a lone wolf and preferred to be free, he would have risen higher on the blacklist.

Nobody knew how profound Yu Shangrong’s cultivation base was. Rumor had it that his cultivation base was on par with the Evil Sky Pavilion’s first disciple, Yu Zhenghai.

The two of them had joined the Evil Sky Pavilion early on and became Ji Tiandao’s prized students. They inherited Ji Tiandao’s mantle and were rumored to have surpassed their master.

Yu Shangrong shot to fame after the battle at Great Yan’s provisional capital in Upper Prime City.

This skill, Return, Enter Three Souls was the sword skill he was famous for.

The abstract and the real overlapped as he moved swiftly.

Luo Shisan’s vision began to blur. He felt as though he was in a dream. Alas, the environment created by Luo Shisan’s Sword Heart Gehenna had created the best condition for his opponent to unleash his skill.

If an elite did not make a move, everything would be fine. However, once an elite made a move, the outcome would be apparent.

Luo Shisan’s eyes widened. He instinctively recalled his Hundred Tribulations Insight avatar and retreated as far as he could.

However, three figures suddenly approached him from the left, right, and center.

The scarlet sword gleamed as it cut through the massive energy blade and continued on its momentum...

The three figures joined as one.

When the massive energy blade was sliced open by the scarlet sword...

Bam!

The peak earth-grade weapon was broken into two by the Longevity Sword!

Yu Shangrong’s right arm was straight as he thrust the sword forward in just a flash. At the same time, the fragments of the energy blade froze in the air like glass before shattering.

The sounds of the battle stopped abruptly.

The duration of the battle was barely enough for a pot of tea to cool down. The outcome of the battle was clear.

The disciples on the sword altar held their breaths. Time seemed to stand still at this moment. The disciples seemed to be having difficulty keeping up with the pace of the battle. They shifted their gazes toward their master, Sword Saint Luo Shisan.

Luo Shishan’s eyes widened as he stared at the scarlet sword before him. The tip of the sword was on his forehead. However, it did not pierce him.

Such was Yu Shangrong’s control over the sword. It was so precise. With just the slightest force, he could take Sword Saint Luo Shisan’s life away.

As for why Yu Shangrong did not do that, no one knew why.

Luo Shisan looked at the smiling Yu Shangrong in fear. ‘The difference between our strength is too great...’ He did not understand this, and he could not understand. They were in completely different leagues.

The great Sword Saint Luo Shisan could not even withstand a single blow from the Sword Devil... If the world were to know about this, how would they rank his strength?

A saint was addressed as such because he or she had abilities that surpassed that of ordinary people.

Under Great Yan’s skies, those who bore the title of a saint were, without exception, grandmasters in their own right...

Sword Saint was the highest praise Luo Shishan could receive with his sword skills.

Even his eldest brother, Luo Changqing, one of the three Sword Freaks, was not given this honor.

And yet, the Sword Saint was defeated by the Sword Devil with just a single move. This was a huge mental blow to Luo Shishan. How was he supposed to live with this?

After a long silence, Luo Shishan finally asked, “Why aren’t you killing me?”

Everybody knew about Sword Devil’s principles. He would kill those he had said he would kill. It did not matter where his target was, he would pursue them to the end of the earth. However, this time he did not stain his sword with blood.

Yu Shangrong loosened his grip. The Longevity Sword rose higher into the air and returned to its scabbard.

“If I had followed through, you would’ve been another soul who lost its life under my blade, but...” Yu Shangrong’s tone was gentle and soft as he said. “I’ll make an exception and spare your life.”

‘Exception?’ Luo Shisan did not understand what Yu Shangrong meant.

The disciples on the altar were dumbstruck. The master whom they had respected the most was defeated with a single move. How could they not feel shocked? They sat limply on the ground as their knees gave way.

Due to the distance, all they could see was Yu Shangrong hovering before their master with his arms crossed as though they were two friends having a conversation. They could not hear what was being said.

Luo Shishan asked in confusion, “What then?”

“You have two choices,” Yu Shangrong said. “One, exchange your life for a sable magnolia. Two, you have the right to reject the first option, and I’ll kill you in three days. I always respect my opponents’ choices.”

“...”

Yu Shangrong’s words sounded reasonable, but Luo Shishan could not help but feel something was wrong with it. He frowned slightly. “Sable magnolias are precious items. Even those with their dantian’s sea of Qi destroyed can restore it with this item. What need does the great Sword Devil have for it?”

Yu Shangrong’s cultivation base and strength had been proven.

Luo Shisan felt that Yu Shangrong merely wanted the sable magnolia as a precautionary measure so that he could use it to save his own life if he was injured while fighting against a powerful opponent.

Yu Shangrong smiled and said, “You’ve misunderstood.”

“Oh?”

“I have a Little Junior Sister. Her name’s Ci Yuan’er. She’s pure, innocent, and gentle toward others. The sable magnolia is for her.” Yu Shangrong turned to look in the direction of the Evil Sky Pavilion.

The sun’s rays penetrated the rising mist and the sea of clouds. They were refracted into a rainbow-colored light that shone on Yu Shangrong’s slender and straight back.

‘Little Junior Sister? Ci Yuan’er? Gentle?’

“There’s something that I don’t understand,” Luo Shishan said.

“Please say it.” Yu Shangrong’s tone remained gentle.

“Since you’ve left the Evil Sky Pavilion, you’re no longer one of its disciples. Why’re you still helping her?”

“Help?” Yu Shangrong shook his head slightly and said with a faint smile, “Luo Shisan, what does it have to do with you whether I help her or not?”

Luo Shisan was stunned. He could not come up with a response. ‘True. Who am I to dictate what he should or shouldn’t do?’ Moreover, he had lost to him.

“We don’t know each other, and yet, from this battle, I can tell you’re not a person who commits heinous crimes for no reason. Why do you choose to be a great villain who’s scorned by everyone?” Luo Shisan was puzzled.

Yu Shangrong’s expression remained calm as he asked, “Are you trying to convert me?”

“Uh...” Luo Shisan felt awkward.

“I remember the last person who said such words to me was Kong Ming,” Yu Shangrong said.

‘Kong Ming? The Temple of Great Emptiness’s Kong Ming!’ Luo Shisan was shocked. It was said that the Temple of Great Emptiness’s Kong Ming had died under the hands of the Evil Sky Pavilion’s fifth disciple, Zhao Yue. He did not expect that the true perpetrator was the Sword Devil, Yu Shangrong.

However, that made sense. Kong Ming was an elite of the Temple of Great Emptiness. Zhao Yue would never be able to kill Kong Ming with her strength and cultivation base.

However, those were no longer important... No matter who the killer was, the world had put the blame on the Evil Sky Pavilion.

Yu Shangrong continued, “Do not follow in Kong Ming’s footsteps...”

Luo Shisan wanted to say something but thought better of it. Could he convert this man? If the Temple of Great Emptiness’s Kong Ming had tried to convert him and failed, he was certain that his words would not have any effect on Yu Shangrong.

Luo Shisan looked at the man before himself. He found it hard to imagine that he was the Sword Devil.

Yu Shangrong walked away on air with his arms crossed at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. “I’ve always stood by my principles and have never made an exception. Since I’m making one now, you should cherish it.”