Chapter Forty-One: The First Genius

A flying sword pierced the throat, a sharp blade pressed against the body.
The young cultivator was about to be torn apart, dying a gruesome death right then and there.
Su Yizhao, however, remained expressionless, his gaze unwavering.
At this moment, he finally understood that the conflict between human cultivators and demon cultivators could never be explained away with mere words.
If they did not meet, all was well, but once they crossed paths, it was a battle to the death.
Even the millennium-old grudges between the three sects could be cast aside in an instant, uniting to confront the demon cultivators. It was clear that the enmity between humans and demons was utterly irreconcilable.
Now, he held nothing back and attacked with lethal force.
A string of metallic clangs echoed in the air.
The sound startled him—what kind of monster was this?
Hundreds and thousands of sword lights stabbed at its throat, yet it remained unharmed.
Even the throat of a cultivator at the Sixth Divine Realm wouldn’t be this resilient.
These were first-rate profound weapons, flying swords summoned by a Fifth Divine Realm cultivator!
The sharp blade that struck its back was blocked as well, producing a clear, crisp sound.
He observed closely and saw, at the tip of the sword, a fish scale suddenly appear.
Golden fish scales flashed and vanished, perfectly blocking the sword’s point.
“Ha! You think you can harm me?” The demon cultivator in red laughed loudly. “Beauty, come play with me. I guarantee you’ll be consumed by desire, unable to escape!”
With a sinister grin, the demon spun around and threw a punch at Su Yizhao.
Su Yizhao’s expression changed dramatically. His thoughts raced and he shifted his position in a blur.
The fist smashed through his shadow, which dissolved into dust.
“Haha, interesting! I’ll kill you first, then have my fun with the beauty!”
“Courting death!” Humiliated again and again, Su Yizhao was instantly enraged.
Even if he spent every ounce of strength today, he was determined to slay this demon.
He formed seals with both hands, spiritual energy erupting from his dantian.
Instantly, ice spikes, fireballs, and vines surged toward the demon in red.
Just as the demon was about to strike, vines wrapped around its body, immobilizing it in an instant.
Countless ice spikes and fireballs battered its form.
The demon was trapped, howling in place.
Fifth-tier spells—especially those whose essence had been comprehended—were not so easily resisted.
Su Yizhao rejoiced inwardly, about to summon his sword for the killing blow.
Suddenly, two golden fish scales surfaced on the demon’s body.
He watched as the scales shifted about, severing the vines, and causing the ice spikes and fireballs to vanish as well.
What kind of treasure is this?
Su Yizhao’s heart sank.
Yet he realized that the demon only possessed two scales.
With a low shout, his four flying swords split into ten, ten into a hundred, a hundred into a thousand, all stabbing fiercely at the demon in red.
The two were barely ten yards apart. In an instant, the sky was filled with flying swords that closed in.

His eyes glimmered with hope.
This demon in red was merely at the Fifth Divine Realm; it had survived only because of those fish scales.
Now, how could it defend itself?
Die!
Only by reducing it to fragments of flesh could his fury be appeased.
As the sword lights were about to strike home, a thunderous roar echoed from above: “How dare you!”
“Su boy, don’t!”
Su Yizhao was shocked. Before he could look up, a fist shattered the void and hurtled toward him.
The fist crashed into the rain of swords.
Steel met steel; countless blades were smashed to pieces.
The two golden fish scales blocked some of the sword lights.
But there were simply too many.
The demon in red, terror written across its face, spat blood.
From the chest down, blood sprayed everywhere.
Hundreds and thousands of wounds merged into one; its lower body was shredded to pulp.
The demon in red died instantly.
The two golden scales spun aimlessly in place, only to be snatched up by Su Yizhao and tucked away in his storage ring.
“I’ll kill you!” came an enraged roar, accompanied by a barrage of fists from above.
Now, Su Yizhao understood the situation.
This demon in red must have been an important figure among the demon cultivators, one whom even Xuan Wujie dared not slay lightly.
Yet, he had killed it.
The old turtle’s fury was boundless; Su Yizhao couldn’t withstand even one punch, let alone thousands.
The shadow of death loomed in his heart.
Still not strong enough!
He stared wide-eyed at the sky.
When the fist struck, he would be crushed to pieces.
Suddenly!
A delicate figure shielded him from above.
“Xiuyue! Don’t!”
He screamed with all his might.
But he was too late!
The fist had not yet landed, but its wind already made Li Xiuyue’s features bleed.
Despair!
Helplessness!
Suddenly, a rapidly spinning whirlwind shoved Li Xiuyue aside.
The pressure dissipated, and Su Yizhao was overjoyed. He moved swiftly, catching Li Xiuyue in his arms.
Xuan Wujie and his two companions formed a whirlwind, holding back the fist.
Li Xiuyue clung tightly to him in his embrace.
He carried her, flying a hundred yards away.

“Stop!”
The old turtle, unable to break through the trio’s defense, halted, his face sorrowful, and shouted for a cease-fire.
His voice echoed for miles.
All cultivators of the three sects, and demon cultivators, sensed the change and slowly ceased their attacks.
The earth-shaking battle and deep-sea tremors gradually faded, the surface of the ocean returning to calm.
“You—every one of you will die!” the old turtle growled, turning around and casting a sharp glance at Su Yizhao. “Do you know who he was? You dared to kill the Prince of the Divine Turtle Clan? The entire continent will face retribution!”
Xuan Wujie’s expression was solemn as he pointed at Su Yizhao. “A mere Divine Turtle Prince is not sufficient to spark war between our two races. Do you know who he is?”
Su Yizhao held the barely breathing Li Xiuyue, his heart pounding fiercely.
Could it be that Xuan Wujie knew his true identity?
“Who is he?” The old turtle roared, as if ready to seek vengeance regardless.
“Let him speak for himself!”
Su Yizhao’s eyes widened.
Let him speak?
What could he say?
“Who are you?” The old turtle spun around, his gaze piercing.
“Hmph!” Su Yizhao snorted coldly, shooting him a sideways look but refusing to answer.
“He is the greatest genius of Xuantian Sect in Vast City!” Xuan Wujie’s voice rang out, and Su Yizhao was stunned.
Ridiculous!
What Vast City, what Xuantian Sect, what greatest genius? He had never even heard of them.
“Started cultivation at three, comprehended the Dao at five, broke through the Three Profound Realms at seven, defeated all peers at nine, passed the Tower of Life and Death at eleven, mastered all fourth-tier spells at thirteen, grasped their essence at fifteen, entered the Fifth Divine Realm at seventeen, and at eighteen killed two Sixth Divine Realm cultivators alone. He is the personal disciple of the Xuantian Sect’s master. Old Turtle, do you dare lay a hand on him?”
Su Yizhao felt Li Xiuyue tremble in his arms, her eyes shining with a strange light.
The old turtle seemed intimidated, gazing at him with grave eyes. “No wonder you could kill my Divine Turtle Prince. Very well, very well, this matter is beyond me. Let’s go!”
With a low growl, the old turtle turned and dove into the deep sea without hesitation.
Thousands of turtle cultivators dropped like hailstones, splashing into the ocean.
In the blink of an eye, all demon cultivators vanished.
Su Yizhao stared wide-eyed, meeting Xuan Wujie’s gaze.
Xuan Wujie’s lips twitched as he cursed, “What are you looking at? Isn’t it true?”
Feng Bubei flew over, laughing. “Haha, the greatest genius of Xuantian Sect in Vast City. That’s quite the bluff!”
“Who is the greatest genius of Xuantian Sect in Vast City? Why haven’t I heard of him?”
At that moment, a voice called out from afar.
Everyone’s expressions shifted slightly as they turned to look…