I am a female swordsman.

It's not a physical heat, but a relentless, merciless intent to eradicate all the sins of this world, a burning desire to annihilate them even at the cost of one's own life. If no one in this world dares to uphold justice for the weak and impoverished, then I will! Even if it means transforming myself into a crimson lotus, I will have no regrets, even in the face of death!

How dare a mere mortal defy divine punishment?!

Perhaps angered by the mortal's offense, the falling Vermilion Bird Holy Sword let out an angry shriek, its magnificent fall seemingly capable of wiping out the weak and ignorant human below. The spectacular scene of flames clashing against flames, each wielding its power to relentlessly attack the other, shocked those fortunate enough to witness it.

Words are so inadequate; the battle that determined the semi-finals was probably more exciting than any previous final!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Concentrating her inner strength to the extreme, Ying Huangquan firmly planted her feet on the ground, and directly tore off the entire sleeve of her left hand, revealing her snow-white arm, and spewed flames into the sky! Many people have seen the scene of a pile driver roaring and operating, but the sight of wave after wave of karmic fire exploding and erupting towards the Vermilion Bird Holy Sword was as if something was using the flames as a pile driver, constantly pounding the sky as its target!

boom!!

The flaming spears thundered through the sky with each strike, causing hearts to falter. Minds went blank as people stared in disbelief at the spectacular display of flames aimed at the heavens. It was as if only in this way could their hearts remember their duty and beat in unison with each powerful pounding of the sky!

One! Two! Three! Four...!

Arrogant and flamboyant, ignoring onlookers, each strike a testament to its unwavering resolve. Never giving up until the Yellow River is reached? Never turning back until hitting a brick wall? Then let the Yellow River evaporate! Then smash the brick wall to pieces with your head! If you don't even have such simple resolve, then don't spout those laughable boasts!

The angry cries, under the relentless beatings, began to turn into mournful sobs.

Even the ancient sacred beast that guarded a region of the land showed signs of weakness in the face of this heaven-defying power. It was originally a pseudo-object, born from the contemplation of successive sword masters, and even if it possessed a trace of sentience, it could not possibly have the infinite power sung about in myths and epics.

"Yay!!!"

'Be proud, you imposter.'

'You are already very strong, but unfortunately I am even stronger.'

'Then, with that pride, you will be defeated.'

The final blazing spear shot soared into the sky with a force surpassing the previous four! The already riddled arena was instantly reduced to dust by the powerful recoil! The raging blazing spear pierced through the Vermilion Bird Holy Sword, and the mournful cry of the soaring Holy Spirit Beast echoed across the land!

ended……

Even without explanation, no matter how clueless someone was about the situation, the same thought arose in their mind as they watched Suzaku die: It's over, it's finished. They had witnessed this scene of human power defying fate; it was truly an incredibly awe-inspiring confrontation.

In this viewpoint.

The pierced phantom of the Vermilion Bird finally exploded, scattering in all directions like fireworks.

Wu Mingyan's figure plummeted from mid-air and crashed heavily to the ground. To everyone's surprise, he, who had merged with the phantom of the Vermilion Bird, did not seem to have suffered much damage; his face was just a little pale, his hair a little yellowish, and his expression a little listless.

He still held his sword in his hand, but it hung limply at his side.

"It's broken..."

The Vermilion Bird Sword Seal has just shattered.

To protect their master, the insignia passed down through generations of the Vermilion Bird Sword Sect perished along with the Fiery Spear. This was originally impossible; the spiritual imprint, passed down for so many generations, was incredibly strong and pure, and no external will could possibly break it. But Sakura Yomi's sword intent was simply too terrifying. She firmly believed she could pierce through all visible and invisible defenses, and her inner light perfectly aligned with hers. Her unwavering will shattered everything in its path!

Chapter 101 Respect

The winner and loser are crystal clear.

The Vermilion Bird Sword Sect's strongest technique was pierced and destroyed in a straightforward manner, making Sakura Yomi the obvious winner. She looked at Wu Yanming, who was lost in confusion, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

That's a huge blow!

Unable to accept that the sword sect's strongest trump card had been brutally destroyed by an outsider, he had lost the courage to pick up his sword again on this stage. There's nothing surprising or incomprehensible about this, because humans are such fragile yet tenacious beings.

"I won."

As always, looking at the loser, Sakura Yomi's expression was exceptionally serene.

Wu Mingyan remained staring blankly at the sky, a sight that made Ying Huangquan frown. To be honest, she was willing to give due respect to the man who had given her such a good fight, rather than deliberately humiliating him after the victory.

It's hard not to feel a little disappointed. After all, you are a man who is qualified to fight me. It's really regrettable that you fell like this, even if it was only once.

"The victor! Mado Yomi!!"

Amidst a roaring cheer, Sakura Yomi gracefully turned around, raising her hand to leave.

"Wait..." Wu Mingyan's voice, barely audible, was drowned out by the tidal wave of cheers. This voice, which should have been ignored, miraculously reached Huang Quan.

"Um!?"

Ning Jing's haughty expression shifted slightly, and Sakura Yomi stopped in her tracks, somewhat surprised. It seemed she had indeed underestimated this man; the aura emanating from behind, though faint, was quite intriguing. Unwittingly, Sakura Yomi seemed to have facilitated this man's transformation!

"Our battle isn't over yet, where are you going?"

His spirit and will were clearly weakened to the point of collapse, on the verge of utter ruin from the terrible blows he had received. Yet, this man still stood there, raising his sword and thrusting it at Sakura Yomi, the powerful figure who had shattered the sword sect's mark!

As the cheers subsided, everyone's gaze fell upon the indomitable swordsman, filled with awe and admiration.

He was like an indomitable warrior, determined to fight on even in the face of a formidable enemy. Even when he was utterly weakened, he would not give up the chance to pick up his sword.

"You'll die," Sakura Yomi kindly reminded the guy, adding that if he overdraws his willpower and is unlucky, he could end up in a vegetative state.

"The men of the Wu family have long been prepared to face death."

As an exiled sword sect, without that unwavering resolve to die for one's cause, one simply could not survive in a foreign land! He died on this arena, but his soul remains. Conversely, even if he lived, his soul would cease to exist. O Vermilion Bird Sword Masters, generation after generation, do you see? Your descendants have broken free from those shackles!

"I see."

Sakura Yomi suddenly understood why Wu Mingyan had stood up again. And she was slowly being transformed, no longer an empty shell.

The reason lies in the will she shattered!

The resentment of falling on the road without seeing the final scenery, passed down from generation to generation, may bring powerful spiritual visualization to the next generation of sword masters, but it also imposes a terrible constraint on those who receive the mark. Perhaps the memories of one or two people can be digested and all their experiences can be made their own, but once the number increases, the short human life of a hundred years is simply not enough to digest them all.

The result is obvious.

The Vermilion Bird Sword Master became a slave to the brand, unable to take that step that truly belonged to him. Once the vicious cycle began, it wouldn't stop unless he truly relinquished this power and, with great courage and perseverance, started the entire sword sect anew.

But the world is always full of surprises and unexpected events. Wu Mingyan met Ying Huangquan. He met this woman who was worth fighting with all his might, and even his brand was completely shattered.

The sword master, who should have perished along with the shattered mark, survived. The legacy passed down by a genius sword master countless years ago finally found its purpose. Without the shackles, the experiences and memories of past sword masters were no longer constraints, but rather something that could be chosen and discarded. While this sounds regrettable—so much of the wisdom of our predecessors has vanished—how could future generations possibly be inferior to their predecessors?

It was with this kind of will that Wu Mingyan was able to pick up her sword again and face Ying Huangquan.

Even if it's a failure!

"Hey, he's already failed, let him go."

"That's right, there's no need to continue fighting if things are like this."

"Stop it now."

The audience, now quiet, looked at the dying man and felt a surge of sympathy for him. He had done enough; there was no need to continue fighting—it would only be a pointless death.

However, the two on the stage stood face to face again and raised their hands in greeting.

"Mado Yomi".

"Wu Mingyan".

Both are respectable swordsmen, and defeating each other honorably with a fair and square strike is the greatest respect one can show. A life lived by drawing one's sword for oneself can be so beautiful.

………………

'I've become stronger.'

Deep within her consciousness, Huang Quan, who had been quietly enduring this infinite emptiness and deathly silence, suddenly stirred. She could sense Huang Quan's general situation; not long ago, that freak had become stronger again. The power of the [Wandering Samurai] had caught up with that of the [Sword Master] and the [Demon Contractor], and because of her past life's experience, she believed that it wouldn't be long before she surpassed them and reached awakening.

'Now my plan is almost perfect.'

His gaze was deep and distant.

In this boundless darkness, the lonely Yellow Springs, like the ancient beings who gazed at the universe amidst the twinkling stars, quietly and solitarily looked up at this dark cosmos.

Having endured much corruption from the evil gods, Huang Quan also exhibited symptoms of the corruption. However, she fought fire with fire, gaining madness through the [Demon Contractor] to devour the corruption. All of this was preparation for her awakening, an awakening that belonged solely to her.

This is also the first step to becoming a [demon].

The body that carries her consciousness will be completely replaced with something new—the psionic organs that Huang Quan has been creating. Once completed, she will be able to become psionic through another path, entering a space that exists only in theory and is unfathomable. There, all information converges, paving the way for dimensional ascension and higher levels!

After so many years of planning, she was finally nearing the end, and only then did she have time to look back on the path she had traveled. Huang Quan felt neither a sense of accomplishment nor a sense of relief. What awaited her in the future?

Chapter 102 No Turning Back

“Claude.”

'Psionic Organ Project, [Siphon]. Belonging to the skin organ category, it possesses the ability to alter energy conduction...'

"boy!"

The raised voice revealed Cisner's impatience, and the blond boy, who was engrossed in his work, slightly looked up. He glanced at the young woman smoking, and his expression subtly changed.

"Please go outside to smoke. It's not easy for me to find a satisfactory experimental environment." Compared to before, Claude now exudes an even more aloof and unapproachable aura. His hands are constantly inputting data on the experimental table, and Claude's highly concentrated mind has caused bloodshot veins to appear around his eyes.

"How arrogant."

Although somewhat annoyed, Cisner understood the difficult circumstances and obediently stubbed out his cigarette. He had no choice but to submit to the circumstances; Claude was now the most knowledgeable member of the trio about the psionic organ project, his mind firmly imprinted with all the experimental data.

Without him, it would have been virtually impossible to research psionic organs in Z City.

After all, they can't rely on any of them...

………………

About two weeks ago, Yomi Mado returned to Z-City exhausted. Just then, Cloud finally had the opportunity to visit the ghost town, and his trio hoped to obtain Yomi Mado's help to acquire experimental equipment and supplies within the city. In particular, they needed Mako Stones; only with sufficient Mako energy could they replicate the [Psionic Organ] project.

He pleaded with Mado Yomi, hoping to receive help.

Throughout the process, Mado Yomi remained exceptionally stubborn and refused their suggestions coldly no matter what the trio said. The debt of gratitude had already been repaid; there should be no further involvement.

In the end, the trio had no choice but to settle for second best.

They could gather supplies and equipment in this abandoned city using their own hands and intellect. Mado Yomi wouldn't help them, but she wouldn't hinder them either; she would simply pretend not to know of their existence. In exchange, the three of them couldn't disturb her at will, much less interfere with the laboratory she was already using.

And so, a balance was achieved.

Throughout the conversation, Zack kept his eyes glued to Mado Yomi's clean, fair face, his gaze occasionally darting away. If Cisner hadn't known Zack's true nature, he might have suspected he was infatuated with this prim and proper woman.

Of course, it couldn't be that she fell in love with him.

Rather, it was Zack's beast-like intuition that made him somewhat uneasy when facing Yomi Mado. When Cisner later asked him why, Zack remained silent, saying he was probably overthinking and imagining things. After all, no matter how you looked at it, this prim and simple woman couldn't possibly be related to the Shinra Chairman who personally tested him that day.

One is high in the sky, the other is right next to you.

Even assuming his intuition is correct, it doesn't make sense. Knowing they were there and leaking important company secrets, they should have been eliminated by the company's pursuers long ago.

So Zack stopped thinking about those random things.