Summoning the Gods: Start by creating the Eternal Night.

In the void, sword energy crisscrossed, tearing through the clouds.

Dugu Qiubai and Jian Xiaotian moved with lightning speed.

Each collision caused the void to tremble, and energy ripples spread for thousands of miles.

Dugu Qiubai wielded the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword, his swordplay growing ever more ferocious, his eyes as indifferent as an ancient well.

"Your sword is too slow!"

"The sword must be fast enough!"

"The Nine Swords of Dugu - Breaking Sword Style!"

He let out a low shout, and the greatsword drew a strange arc.

Ignoring Jian Xiaotian's sword strike trajectory, they went straight for the opening in his wrist.

This seemingly ordinary sword strike contains the profound truth of seeing through all laws, which is the essence of the Dugu Nine Swords.

Jian Xiaotian's expression changed drastically. He felt a numbness in his wrist and hastily parried with his sword.

"clang"

With a loud bang, the longsword in his hand was shaken and bent slightly, and his tiger's mouth split open, with blood seeping out.

"Azure Cloud Sword Technique - Cleave the Mountain!"

Jian Xiaotian roared, forcefully suppressing the soreness and numbness in his arm.

The spiritual power of a late-stage terrestrial immortal surged wildly into the longsword.

The sword's azure light surged, transforming into a gigantic sword phantom tens of meters long.

With the force of a mountain collapsing and rocks splitting, it slashed down at Dugu Qiubai.

"Sizzle!"

Where the greatsword passed, the void was torn apart.

Instead of retreating, Dugu Qiubai advanced, his toes barely touching the air.

As if strolling leisurely, he easily dodged the greatsword's edge, while simultaneously slashing with his longsword.

"The Nine Swords of Dugu - The Lifting Sword Style!"

The sword tip, like a serpent emerging from its hole, precisely pierced the weak point of the giant sword's phantom.

"Snap!"

A crisp cracking sound rang out as the giant sword phantom, which had condensed Jian Xiaotian's life's work, disappeared.

It was actually pierced by this light sword and cracked, and then shattered into pieces!

"puff!"

As a result of this backlash, Jian Xiaotian coughed up a mouthful of blood.

His aura instantly weakened, and his body swayed, almost falling from the void.

He looked at Dugu Qiubai, his eyes filled with horror and resentment.

His swordsmanship, which he had painstakingly cultivated for a thousand years, was easily broken by his opponent.

Dugu Qiubai's gaze remained unchanged as he pressed his advantage, unleashing a series of powerful sword strikes.

"Sword Sweeping Style!"

"Sweeping Sword Style!"

"Sword Intercepting Style!"

One move after another, the sword techniques flowed endlessly.

Forced to defend himself, Jian Xiaotian suffered new wounds all over his body, his clothes stained with blood.

Just then, a slight opening appeared in Jian Xiaotian's chest, and Dugu Qiubai swept out with his Xuan Tie Heavy Sword:

"A heavy sword has no edge; true skill lies in simplicity!"

"Snap!"

Jian Xiaotian was thrown back by the shock, his sternum shattered, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Jian Xiaotian, leaning on his longsword, steadied himself as he swayed precariously.

He stared intently at Dugu Qiubai across from him, his eyes burning with resentment.

"How is this possible... your swordsmanship has reached such a level?"

Jian Xiaotian's voice was hoarse, and every word he spoke aggravated his wounds, causing him to grimace in pain.

He had lived for thousands of years, traversing the Eastern Regions, and he believed his swordsmanship had reached its peak.

But he never expected to be so easily defeated by Dugu Qiubai.

Dugu Qiubai stood opposite him, his white robes stained with blood.

Several shallow sword wounds appeared on his body.

He gently stroked the heavy black iron sword in his hand, his tone devoid of sarcasm, merely stating the facts:

"Nothing is impossible!"

"It's your swordsmanship that's lacking."

"Being too obsessed with power has caused one to lose sight of the essence of the sword."

Jian Xiaotian gave a bitter laugh:

"Heh, so your swordsmanship is no good? What's the point of saying all this now?"

Dugu Qiubai's words were like the sharpest sword, piercing Jian Xiaotian's heart.

He scanned the Qingyun Sect below with his divine sense.

Upon seeing this, he was struck dumb, the color draining from his face instantly, leaving only a deathly pale ashes.

"No--!"

"My Qingyun Sect... my disciples..."

The plaza was littered with corpses and rivers of blood; the once-prosperous Qingyun Sect had become a living hell.

The disciples and elders were almost all killed or wounded, and even Xuanxiaozi and Yunhe had perished.

"Haha...hahaha..."

Jian Xiaotian suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, a manic and shrill laugh filled with endless despair.

"I, Jian Xiaotian, have roamed the Eastern Regions for thousands of years..."

"The entire Qingyun Sect was destroyed because of one mistake!"

"I'm not reconciled! I'm so unwilling to accept this!"

His eyes were bloodshot and bloodshot, and the spiritual power of a late-stage terrestrial immortal surged wildly.

A terrifying aura, far exceeding anything seen before, swept out, causing the void to tremble.

He began burning his life essence, clearly intending to make a final desperate attempt to perish together with Dugu Qiubai.

"Eternal Night Heaven! Even if I become a vengeful ghost, I will never let you go!"

"Azure Cloud Sword Technique - Ten Thousand Swords Devour Souls!"

He suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood essence, which landed on the longsword.

In an instant, they transformed into countless blood-red sword shadows, carrying extreme killing intent, sweeping towards Dugu Qiubai.

These sword shadows not only contain sharp sword energy,

It also carries a strange, soul-devouring power that will erode your soul once it touches you.

Dugu Qiubai frowned slightly, and with a flick of his wrist,

The heavy iron sword drew a circular shield in front of him:

"Guardian Sword Style!"

"Ding ding ding..."

The countless sword shadows crashed into the defensive circle, only to be deflected, creating merely a ripple.

Dugu Qiubai's "Guardian Sword Style" has long been perfected, and no matter how the opponent changes, I remain unmoved.

"It's time to end this."

Dugu Qiubai spoke calmly, his figure suddenly rising into the air:

"Your swordsmanship is too focused on 'strength' and has forgotten 'intention'."

"He has the realm of skill, but lacks the true essence of swordsmanship. His defeat to me is not unjust."

"The ultimate formula!"

Dugu Qiubai's voice, carrying a majestic aura that pierced the heavens and earth, echoed in the void.

He slowly raised the heavy black iron sword in his hand, its tip pointing straight at the sky.

The sword intent around him suddenly subsided, but then erupted again in an instant!

"Buzz—!"

The cunning of the broken sword, the agility of the flicking sword, the power of the sweeping sword, the expansiveness of the sweeping sword, the precision of the intercepting sword...

The illusory images of the various sword techniques he had previously used appeared and swirled around him.

These sword techniques did not scatter; instead, under the guidance of the "General Formula," they began to slowly merge.

In the sky, the wind and clouds changed color.

A gigantic, sky-covering sword phantom appeared.

This giant sword did not possess an earth-shattering aura, but rather exuded a vastness of "all laws returning to their origin," carrying the majesty of judging everything.

"This...this is..."

Jian Xiaotian's pupils shrank as he stared at the colossal sword that seemed to pierce the heavens and earth, his whole body trembling violently.

He could clearly sense that the greatsword contained not just pure power.

Rather, it is a "Tao" that transcends all sword techniques.

That is the purest essence of swordsmanship, condensed after seeing through the essence of all sword techniques.

The "Azure Cloud Sword Technique" that he painstakingly cultivated throughout his life...

It emphasizes using force to overcome skill and using power to intimidate others.

But before this colossal sword that pierces the heavens and earth, those sword techniques they were so proud of...

It looked so clumsy, like a child wielding a wooden sword.

"I see... It seems my swordsmanship is indeed lacking..."

Jian Xiaotian muttered to himself, the last trace of resentment in his eyes gradually fading.

Instead, there was a deep sense of despair and relief.

He finally understood that the difference between himself and Dugu Qiubai was not in their level of skill, but in their understanding of the way of the sword.

—His opponent had already reached a level of swordsmanship that he could never attain.

Just as Dugu Qiubai was about to finish off Jian Xiaotian, a sudden change occurred!

A spatial rift appeared behind Jian Xiaotian without warning.

.......