Mo Hua softly uttered the word "explode."

  In that instant, the entire valley—dense with countless formations—seemed to respond to their master's summons. They trembled violently, lighting up with brilliant, even blinding radiance. These formations were all explosives.

  Since the Dao Sword Conference began, Mo Hua had been tirelessly drawing formation after formation, layering them atop one another.

  A faint glimmer of reversal flickered to life.

  This was a Half-Step Reversal Spirit Formation, carefully embedded in advance.

  Like a spark, this formation ignited every explosive formation lying in wait across the valley.

  A thread of spiritual power first began to reverse, unraveling the Five Elements' energies into a pitch-black force of disintegration.

  This disintegration force spread like an epidemic, rapidly propagating along the spiritual pathways Mo Hua had calculated. In an instant, it engulfed the entire valley, blooming like black "poppy flowers" one after another.

  One flower, then another—wave after wave of disintegration—until the entire mountain range was engulfed, unleashing a terrifying eruption of large-scale formation collapse and explosions.

  Above the Fangtian Illusory Projection, nothing but endless spiritual reversal and formation disintegration remained, forming a nightmarish landscape of pitch-black "poppy flowers."

  The entire Dao Discussion Mountain quaked. Heaven and earth were shrouded in darkness. Yet, not a single sound could be heard, as though even noise itself had been consumed by the disintegration…

  The gathered cultivators were all stunned into silence. Terror was etched across many faces. Even some Golden Core cultivators wore expressions of shock.

  This was a scene unlike anything most cultivators had ever witnessed—massive-scale spiritual reversal, formation collapse, and utter annihilation.

  Even the well-traveled sect leaders were momentarily dazed by sheer disbelief. Atop the Sword-Watching Pavilion, esteemed figures who had been leisurely sipping tea shot to their feet, eyes filled with astonishment as they gazed outside.

  Meanwhile, inside the Void Temple.

  The ancient patriarchs, unmoving as mountains and seemingly in deep meditation, were compelled to open their eyes. Their gazes fell upon the Fangtian Illusory Projection, where the devastating, pitch-black disintegration of spiritual power unfolded before them.

  A ripple of shock stirred even within these emotionless hearts.

  At last, every gaze in the Void Temple turned in unison toward Elder Xun of the Supreme Void Sect.

  Mixed within those stares were confusion, inquiry, disbelief, and even cold indifference. Elder Xun felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him, his scalp tingling. His hand, hidden within his sleeve, trembled slightly. This scene before him shook even his heart.

  Only now did he truly believe the terrifying rumors he had once investigated—Mo Hua setting up grand formations, collapsing them, and slaying great demons back in his homeland.

  Perhaps… those shocking tales were all true. Yet, faced with the silent scrutiny of so many Void Temple patriarchs, Elder Xun dared not show weakness.

  Feigning composure, he pretended to be utterly unconcerned, sipping his tea as though nothing of significance had occurred. As if to say— This?

  This is nothing but a minor spectacle. You have yet to witness a true catastrophe.

  …

  Meanwhile, the collapsing formations continued, drowning the Fangtian Illusory Projection in an abyss of reversed darkness.

  Heaven and earth remained eerily silent. Only after a long while did the suffocating shock in everyone's chest gradually dissipate.

  The watching cultivators slowly regained their senses. Those who had been so stunned that they forgot to breathe finally gasped deeply and murmured:

  "What… was that…?"

  "A formation explosion?"

  "This was… Mo Hua's doing again?"

  "Which means… this Mo Hua, using his formation layout, triggered such a terrifying explosion… and wiped out all four prodigies of Qianxue, along with the elites from the four great sects and seven prominent schools—over fifty of the most outstanding talents—all in one go?!"

  "All! Dead! Just like that?!"

  "Is this even something a human can accomplish?!"

  "Heaven-defying to the extreme… absolutely terrifying."

  The sound of sharp intakes of breath filled the air.

  Some cultivators, frowning in bewilderment, asked, "What kind of formation did he use? How could it be so powerful?"

  This question was not easy to answer. Most cultivators exchanged uncertain glances.

  Even within the Myriad Formations Sect, the majority of disciples and elders furrowed their brows in deep thought. Only a few well-learned, senior elders murmured in near disbelief:

  "This is a reversal of spiritual power… A Reversal Spirit Formation."

  "A Reversal Spirit Formation?"

  "A Rank-Two, Twenty-Mark… Absolute Formation."

  The moment those words were spoken, a wave of shock rippled through the assembly. The elders' expressions changed dramatically, their voices trembling:

  "Twenty Marks?!"

  "That would mean… Mo Hua has already condensed his divine sense into a Core?!"

  "Are you out of your mind?" An elderly, white-haired elder shook his head. "A Foundation Establishment cultivator cannot possibly condense divine sense into a Core."

  "Then how did he—?"

  "This isn't a complete Reversal Spirit Formation," the white-haired elder frowned. "You may have forgotten, but in the last Formation Dao Conference, the final, most challenging problem was precisely a Half-Step Reversal Spirit Formation—above Rank-Two, Nineteen Marks, containing traces of spiritual reversal…"

  "If my guess is correct, Mo Hua must have learned it on the spot back then, mastered it, and committed it to memory…"

  "So, this Reversal Spirit Formation… was obtained from the Formation Dao Conference and used in the Dao Sword Conference. In a way, this is also a form of karmic fate."

  Hearing this, the surrounding elders nodded in agreement. The white-haired elder sighed.

  Whether it was mastering a Half-Step Reversal Spirit Formation of Nineteen Marks in a short time…

  Or using that formation to trigger a massive collapse, annihilating over fifty of Qianxue’s strongest prodigies in one fell swoop… Both were utterly absurd feats.

  He had lived for most of his life, taught formations for countless years, witnessed innumerable formation prodigies, and experienced countless Dao Conferences. He had even seen the birth of many Formation Dao champions.

  Each of those champions had been the pinnacle among geniuses. Yet, Mo Hua was undoubtedly the most outrageous Formation Dao champion he had ever seen.

  His divine sense was far beyond his realm, and his foundation was unimaginably deep.

  But with his ability to wield ink with divine sense, draw formations directly onto the ground, and now, this mastery of spiritual reversal and large-scale formation collapse…

  Others were granted the title of "Formation Dao Champion" because their strength had reached that level. But Mo Hua… was given the title of "Formation Dao Champion" only because the highest title the Qianxue Province's Formation Dao Conference could bestow was just that.

  In fact, the elder even felt that the title "Formation Dao Champion" was somewhat… unworthy of Mo Hua.

  Those four words could no longer encapsulate the level of mastery Mo Hua had reached in formation arts.

  …

  Meanwhile, many cultivators had also begun investigating the origins of the "Spirit Reversal Formation."

  At the Observing Sword Pavilion, within a grand yet enclosed hall, a group of formation masters from the Tianxu Pavilion murmured among themselves:

  "This is... Spiritual Reversal?"

  "A Reverse Spirit Absolute Formation?!"

  "How is this possible..."

  "For someone in the Qianxue State to possess such defiant talent, capable of mastering such a heaven-defying formation?"

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  Someone spoke with realization:

  "It was taken from the previous Formation Debate Conference, but it's not a complete Reverse Spirit Formation."

  "I see..."

  "Even so, this is already incredible."

  One of the masters furrowed his brows and explained:

  "You don't understand. Simply learning the Reverse Spirit Formation isn't what's terrifying—what's terrifying is how precisely it was used."

  "This method of collapse was clearly meticulously calculated—the framework of the formation, the number of arrays, the connection of spirit hubs, the exact points of collapse, the flow of spiritual energy, and the expansion of the reversal effect... An ordinary formation master wouldn't even begin to grasp its intricacies."

  "Was it deduced using formation calculations?"

  "Indeed… But it's unclear what kind of deduction method was used."

  "Did he calculate it himself, or was it done by someone else beforehand?"

  "Most likely, a master calculated it for him in advance. If he did this all by himself… that would be truly monstrous."

  "Even if a master pre-calculated everything for him, the fact that he could flawlessly reconstruct the formation in real battle is already astounding."

  "He's an exceptional formation genius—worthy of joining our Tianxu Pavilion..."

  The formation masters buzzed with discussion. Atop the high seat, a middle-aged cultivator with an air of refinement and authority remained deep in thought.

  He was none other than the Supervisor of Tianxu Pavilion. At this moment, his gaze lingered on the Heavenly Painting Projection, his expression calm, as he softly murmured:

  "Mo Hua..."

  For some reason, he felt that this name carried a peculiar sense of fate, but when he tried to grasp it, his mind came up blank.

  The Supervisor frowned slightly. Meanwhile, outside the pavilion, the Heavenly Painting Projection remained pitch-black, and the aftermath of the explosion had yet to subside.

  The battlefield was still in an uproar. Suddenly, someone froze and blurted out:

  "Wait… Why hasn't the sword duel ended?"

  "Someone… is still alive?"

  Alive? After such an apocalyptic explosion? A sudden, collective tension gripped the crowd. At that moment, every single gaze converged onto the Heavenly Painting Projection.

  No one spoke. A few moments later, the explosion finally ceased.

  The aura of Spiritual Reversal gradually dissipated, and the dark veil over the projection began to lift. The world regained its colors. But those colors were dim and lifeless—the remnants of obliteration.

  Everywhere, there was the black residue of spiritual collapse, remnants of mountains and forests reduced to nothingness, with only faint traces of yellow-green foliage and shattered rock remaining.

  And in the midst of this devastated world, a solitary figure sat there. He had never moved from the beginning.

  Amidst the siege of prodigies, amidst the collapse of formations, amidst the annihilation of mountains and rivers— He remained unshaken.

  A shocked voice broke the silence:

  "It's… Mo Hua?!"

  The entire audience was thrown into chaos.

  The entire Dao Debate Mountain erupted.

  "Mo Hua… he's still alive?!"

  "Not only alive—he didn't even move?!"

  "How is that possible?! How could he have survived that explosion?!"

  "This… This is absolutely impossible…"

  At the Wan Formation Sect's viewing stand, an elderly white-haired elder suddenly widened his eyes in shock.

  He murmured in disbelief:

  "This is… the Gate of Life?!"

  Had this boy already reached the level where he could calculate his own Gate of Life?!

  What kind of demonic genius was this? The elder's pupils trembled, his emotions too overwhelming to be put into words.

  Meanwhile, at the Observing Sword Pavilion— The formation masters of Tianxu Pavilion let out long sighs.

  "He even calculated the Gate of Life…"

  "There is no doubt— someone predicted everything for him."

  "From the moment he stepped into the valley, he never moved. That must mean… his position was preordained as the ‘Gate of Life.’"

  "He sat upon the Gate of Life, set up his formation, ignited the collapse, and annihilated everything— yet left himself the single thread of survival."

  "In all things, where there is death, there is also life."

  "Marvelous…"

  "Using formations to construct a trap, advancing step by step, layer by layer— then, in one instant, unleashing a killing machine that eradicates all enemies while preserving his own life."

  "To think we would witness such formation mastery in the Sword Debate Tournament… This trip was well worth it."

  "But I wonder— who was the mastermind behind these calculations?"

  "Could it have been Grandmaster Xun of the Taixu Sect, a Fifth-Grade Formation Expert?"

  "Or perhaps… the legendary Hollow Void Patriarch?"

  "Indeed… this does resemble the Patriarch's handiwork…"

  The masters marveled, speculating about the unseen hand behind this feat. Yet, atop the high seat, the Supervisor of Tianxu Pavilion gazed at the desolate landscape and at that thin, motionless figure amidst the ruins.

  His pupils contracted sharply, a hint of incomprehensible shock flashing through his eyes.

  For a fleeting moment— He had an illusion.

  As if he were staring at a young version of that enigmatic, terrifying existence— the Strange Daoist. (The Trickster)

  And that youth…

  Was smiling at him.

  ...

  The grand figures of Tianxu Pavilion, each lost in their own thoughts.

  The great figures of Tianxu Pavilion each had their own thoughts.

  Meanwhile, the entire Dao Debate Mountain was in an uproar, discussions running wild. They might not understand what a Reverse Spirit Formation or a Gate of Life was, but the reality before them was undeniable.

  Mo Hua had triggered an earth-shattering formation explosion, indiscriminately wiping out all the prodigies—except himself.

  That could only mean one thing: Mo Hua was the first in the Shura Battle.

  The champion of the Earth-tier Sword Debate Finals!

  The entire Taixu Sect was dumbfounded.

  The Three Mountain Sect Masters were so overwhelmed that even their hands trembled, their emotions beyond words.

  First place!

  Not just first among the Eight Sects.

  Although the exact scores had yet to be calculated, Mo Hua’s victory in the Shura Battle had earned him an enormous number of points.

  By rough estimation, this meant that Taixu Sect was likely to be— First among the Four Grand Sects!

  First in the Qianxue Sword Debate!

  This was something they had never even dared to dream of before. And yet, now, this reality stood before them.

  The Three Mountain Sect Master felt his chest tighten, almost unable to breathe.

  First in Qianxue!

  In the vast Qianxue State, where countless prodigies and noble clans gathered, how many sects, how many sect masters, elders, and disciples had pursued this dream their entire lives—only to never achieve it?

  Even if it was only the Earth-tier Sword Debate…

  As long as they performed well in the Heaven-tier Sword Debate, they might be able to hold on to this rank.

  Even if they couldn’t keep first place, securing a spot among the Four Grand Sects was practically guaranteed.

  A guaranteed place in the Four Grand Sects, with a chance to fight for the top.

  The overwhelming joy of this newfound status nearly shook the Dao Hearts of the three sect masters, who had each cultivated for centuries. However, they quickly calmed themselves, their expressions growing serious.

  In their initial euphoria, they hadn’t noticed a crucial detail.

  The Sword Debate… wasn’t over yet?

  If Mo Hua was the sole survivor, then the Shura Battle should have concluded. But it hadn’t.

  Which meant… He wasn’t the only one left alive?

  The Three Mountain Sect Master’s elation began to fade, replaced by an unsettling chill.

  Among the spectators, others started to realize this as well.

  "Someone else survived?"

  The once-boisterous crowd gradually fell silent, all eyes fixed intently on the Heavenly Painting Projection.

  As the smoke and dust dispersed, the power of Spiritual Reversal faded, revealing an increasingly clear view.

  And within the ruins of shattered mountains, amidst the scorched remains— Several other figures slowly emerged.

  Shen Linshu—pale-faced, his golden-scaled bloodline markings shattered.

  Duanmu Qing—ashen and drained, his protective jade pendant broken, his spiritual energy exhausted, and his defensive Dao technique, the Ten Thousand Clouds Spirit Robe Art, completely dissipated.

  Xiao Wuchen—his gaze cold, his innate sword imprint fractured, and the divine sword in his grasp dimming.

  Ao Zhan—his body covered in burn marks, his battle armor blasted to pieces, exposing his steel-like frame. The dragon-tempering runes on his back were mangled and drenched in blood.

  The Four Prodigies of Qianxue— All of them were still alive. And in the distance, another figure slowly rose to his feet.

  He had suffered the most severe injuries, his aura weak, but sword qi still converged around him, shielding his body— Clearly, he could still fight.

  It was none other than the Da Luo Sect’s senior disciple—Ye Qingfeng.

  Five of them.

  Five had survived that catastrophic explosion.

  The entire arena erupted in an even greater uproar.

  "The Four Prodigies of Qianxue!"

  "Ye Qingfeng of Da Luo Sect!"

  "They survived? Impossible…"

  "Mo Hua lived because he was a formation master— the explosion didn’t reach him. But these five… they endured that devastating force head-on and survived."

  "As expected of Qianxue State’s top prodigies!"

  "Their cultivation is profound, their Dao arts are unparalleled—such talents are truly rare in this world!"

  "This changes everything again."

  The crowd was filled with awe, voices brimming with admiration.

  Meanwhile, the disciples of Taixu Sect felt as though they had been plunged into ice water, their hearts sinking.

  Among the spectators, Zhang Lan, Gu Changhuai, Wenren Wan, Murong Caiyun, and Hua Qianqian let out quiet sighs of regret.

  Atop the Observing Sword Pavilion, the Three Mountain Sect Masters exchanged bitter smiles.

  "This is… fate," one of them murmured.

  "Their bloodline inheritance… Their strength… They are truly beyond ordinary limits."

  "The Four Grand Sects… They really are insurmountable mountains…"

  "We have already pushed the limits to the extreme, but if this still isn’t enough…"

  "Then perhaps… this was never something within our control."

  The three sect masters fell into silence.

  Meanwhile, in the Hollow Void Hall— The ancestors of the Four Grand Sects—Shen Clan, Duanmu Clan, Ao Clan, Xiao Clan—along with the Da Luo Sect patriarch, all let out discreet sighs of relief.

  That was close… They had almost lost everything.

  That old man from Taixu Sect… He was truly a troublesome character.

  And that Mo Hua from Taixu Sect… A complete monster.

  With nothing but his own strength, he had forced the top prodigies of the Four Grand Sects to such a desperate state, even making their ancestors break into a cold sweat. But in the end, the heavens still favored the Four Grand Sects.

  The Da Luo Sect Patriarch cast a glance at Elder Xun of Taixu Sect, letting out a soft snort.

  "Formation arts… are ultimately just external tricks. Unreliable."

  "The Sword Debate Conference is about true power."

  "Cultivation, body refinement, Dao arts, swordsmanship—these are the true means of combat. The true foundation of a cultivator. The true essence of this competition."

  "Your Taixu Sect has taken the wrong path. A disciple coming to the Sword Debate without even wielding a sword, relying solely on formations… What kind of nonsense is that?"

  Elder Xun endured the ridicule in silence, his gaze deep and unreadable, lost in thought.

  …

  Meanwhile, within the Sword Debate Arena— Although Shen Linshu and the others had survived, they were all clearly heavily injured, their faces grim.

  Their eyes burned with killing intent as they looked at Mo Hua.

  Until now, he was the only cultivator who had ever forced them—these top heaven's chosen—to such a wretched state.

  The sheer power of that formation explosion was terrifying beyond belief, leaving even them shaken.

  Had it not been for their bloodline warnings, superior defensive techniques, and the fifty or so other geniuses in the arena who bore the brunt of the blast, dispersing much of its force…

  Otherwise, they truly would have all perished.

  Now, the surroundings were nothing but desolation. Mountains had crumbled into ruins, an empty wasteland stretched before them.

  Mo Hua had no formations left to use.

  A formation master without formations was nothing more than a cripple.

  Now, he was truly powerless. His death was certain!

  Shen Linshu raised his sword at Mo Hua. Xiao Wuchen condensed his sword aura. Duanmu Qing formed a hand seal. Ao Zhan surged with draconic power. Ye Qingfeng gathered his unified sword intent.

  The five supreme heaven's chosen combined forces, unleashing all their killing moves directly at Mo Hua.

  All the cultivators outside the arena watched, shaken to the core.

  These were the five strongest geniuses of Qianxue Province, now joining hands to kill a single person.

  Across the Four Sects and Eight Gates, perhaps only Mo Hua could receive such an "honor." Yet, despite facing the deadliest techniques of Qianxue Province’s five greatest heaven's chosen, Mo Hua’s expression remained completely calm.

  He simply asked:

  “All five of you… have been on that ship, haven’t you?”

  His words struck like a thunderclap, sharp as a blade.

  No one answered.

  But the faces of Shen Linshu and the others instantly changed.

  Their expressions turned cold, furious—even filled with naked killing intent.

  An overwhelming desire to tear Mo Hua to pieces.

  Mo Hua let out a soft sigh.

  He had already suspected that the so-called "Young Master" was among these five.

  As for which one of them it was, he couldn't be sure—but at this point, it no longer mattered.

  The outcome would be the same regardless…

  Mo Hua slowly stood up.

  When he sat, he was a master of the battlefield, controlling life and death, commanding ink like a serpent, and wielding formations like demonic forces—effortlessly annihilating the strongest enemies.

  But the moment he stood, his presence shifted dramatically.

  His brows and eyes sharpened, his gaze turned icy cold.

  Like a long-sealed divine sword being unsheathed, or a dragon rising to overlook the world—his presence alone struck awe into all who beheld him.

  Then, with supreme arrogance, Mo Hua declared:

  “I have a single sword.

  Once I draw it, you will all die.”