The Monarch of Endless Tribulations’ expression went rigid. He could never have anticipated that his opponent would be so arrogant or so unbridled.

Unfortunately, the heart devil in the rusted sheath really was terrifying.

Just who is this guy, and why haven’t I heard of him before?

But before long, the Monarch of Endless Tribulations cast aside his scattered thoughts, his gaze calm and indifferent once more.

He gathered his aura in the palm of his hand, and the Blade of Destiny’s Tribulations underwent a wondrous transformation.

An illusory abyss floated over the blade. A waterfall of calamitous power surged from its firmament, all of it pouring into the blade.

Xiao Jian couldn’t help but furrow his brow, and the Buddha of Non-Existence’s eyelids twitched.

It was obvious to both of them that the Monarch of Endless Tribulations was risking everything. He was even willing to expend all of this clone’s strength to increase his power!

Still, the heart devil in the rusted sheath just stood there with his hands behind his back, relaxed and composed. The only difference was that now, an uncharacteristic hint of admiration shone in the depths of his gaze.

This final attack finally seemed capable of severing the capriciousness of destiny.

Boom!

Practically simultaneously, the Monarch of Endless Tribulations swung his blade. A dark abyss surged from its sharp edge, and endless blade light swept forth, full of the calamitous power of countless Tribulations of Destiny.

The Buddha of Non-Existence’s expression shifted slightly. He clasped his palms together and chanted. Buddhist flames condensed around him, forming Sanskrit sutras that wove into a robe to shield him.

Xiao Jian gripped the Book of Destiny. Sword intent surged around him, like a wave on the coursing River of Destiny.

Practically simultaneously, the Monarch of Endless Tribulation’s third strike landed.

Boom!

It was as if a thunderclap went off overhead, rumbling and booming. Although the Buddhist robes condensed out of sutras blocked it, the force of the impact shook the Buddha of Non-Existence’s heart.

That attack was truly far too terrifying.

And when the tribulation light reached Xiao Jian, waves of sword intent blocked it, but there was no avoiding the impact entirely.

But Xiao Jian couldn’t be bothered with all that, as he’d noticed that the man who called himself his first incarnation had shattered on impact!

He couldn’t block it? Xiao Jian’s heart sank.

Earlier, the heart devil had been as brazen and arrogant as could be. He didn’t take anyone into account. He was the very picture of fearlessness.

Who could have imagined that just three strikes would be enough to destroy him?

The Buddha of Non-Existence was unwittingly stunned, too. Did that guy seriously just stand there as a blade cleaved into him? Should I call him honest or just stupid?

“Is he dead?” The Monarch of Endless Tribulations was obviously stunned, too.

He’d fought as if the heart devil were the strongest opponent he’d ever faced. Even after pouring everything he had into the attack, he still wasn’t at all assured of his victory.

Who’d have thought his enemy would just die like this?

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations couldn’t help but wonder, Don’t tell me that guy was just a paper tiger?

He chuckled at his own expense. But there’s no denying that he really scared me earlier. Here I thought I was sure to lose today...

But then, his thoughts came to an abrupt halt, and his eyes widened.

Practically simultaneously, a wisp of mysterious, ethereal light shot out of the spot the heart devil had been standing in moments prior. It silently recondensed.

Once his body had been pieced back together, the heart devil chuckled. “Don’t be afraid. I’m just teasing you; it’s not like I have anything better to do.”

“...” No one knew what to say to that.

Even Su Yi couldn’t help but silently complain. You’re in the mood for games even at a time like this?

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations stood there in a daze, his expression shifting erratically. I poured all of my strength into that attack, but he just saw it as a joke!

An indescribable sense of defeat and frustration filled his heart.

“Your turn, monk.” The heart devil laughed and looked at the Buddha of Non-Existence.

The Buddha of Non-Existence fell silent, then said, “No need for three free attacks. If possible, please grant me a glimpse of your true strength.”

The heart devil exclaimed, “Monk, surely you don’t suspect I’m good for nothing but taking hits? Or are you just not at all concerned for your clone’s survival?”

The Buddha of Non-Existence said calmly, “It’s a little bit of both.”

Boom!

The Buddha’s body surged with mountainously heavy and dense holy light, condensing into three thousand lotuses and eight hundred floating Buddhas, manifesting endless wondrous phenomena. His entire body glowed like the sun, illuminating everything in all directions.

He clasped his palms together and said, “Please, don’t hold back, Fellow Daoist!”

The heart devil subtly inclined his head. “Very well. I’ll give you an opportunity to see the disparity between us firsthand.”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he swung his sleeve. The dome of heaven dimmed, and supreme sword force descended from the heavens, bearing down on the sky and throwing Yin and Yang into chaos.

The Buddha of Non-Existence held his breath, while Xiao Jian narrowed his eyes.

As that supreme sword force descended, the three thousand lotuses withered as if losing their petals to a raging storm, then dimmed and dissipated. The eight hundred Buddhas’ figures shattered and collapsed.

The Buddhist radiance illuminating everything on all sides was suppressed by boundless sword intent. Then, it split with a bang.

The Buddha of Non-Existence looked up, a dazed look on his steely face. What level of the Dao of the Sword is that? It seems unstoppable, as if there’s nowhere it cannot reach. Nothing can stand in its way! It seems that even destiny itself would shatter beneath that sword force. Even the Grand Dao itself would collapse!

The sheer power was so overwhelming that the Buddha of Non-Existence could clearly sense the massive disparity. They were as far apart as the clouds and the mud!

There was no time to dodge, nor could he resist the descending sword force. All he could do was watch helplessly, his heart and mind overwhelmed with astonishment.

But then, the sword force dissipated silently without ever reaching him. All of that terrifying pressure vanished without a trace.

The heart devil just laughed and said to Xiao Jian, “Well, what do you think of that strike? It was quite something, right?”

He was obviously just showing off!

Xiao Jian just said, “With my poor vision, I couldn’t see it clearly. All I know is that the Buddha of Non-Existence is still standing there, alive and well. He isn’t even injured. All I can say is... your strike was anticlimactic, like loud thunder with no rain or lightning.”

The heart devil didn’t know what to say. This punk really doesn’t know how to behave! No, he’s obviously provoking me on purpose. Forget it. I can’t be bothered to argue with a scholar like him.

“You won, Fellow Daoist.” The Buddha of Non-Existence sighed. Seeing that attack really did help him sense the disparity on a visceral level. He had no choice but to acknowledge it, like it or not.

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations stared at the heart devil in a daze. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of existence he was. How could such an unbelievable sword cultivator exist in this world?

“There isn’t much time, so let’s get down to business.” The heart devil suddenly wiped the smile off his face.

Business? Everyone was confused, but before they could wrap their heads around it, the heart devil grabbed the power of Xiao Jian’s Dao Imprint and stuffed it back into the Book of Destiny.

“All that remains of you is a mere imprint, yet you’re still acting tough. You really know how to make a guy worry.” The heart devil sighed, then stretched out his hand and grabbed.

Bang!

Lu Shi was pulled toward him.

Lu Shi’s hair stood on end. He was completely flabbergasted, with no idea what was going on. I was standing right there. How did I wind up here all of a sudden?

“You like abusing your position to bully others, don’t you?” asked the heart devil. “Go on, then. I’ll give you a chance to call for help. Do it! Let’s see if any of the old charlatans of Three Purities Temple come to your aid.”

Lu Shi’s expression shifted; he realized that this didn’t bode well, and he was instantly flustered. He said softly, “Senior, an expert of your caliber has no need to bully a small fry like me. Aren’t you worried that this will damage your reputation?”

Su Yi had already resumed control of his body, and he looked at Lu Shi calmly, as if gazing upon a condemned criminal.

“My reputation isn’t even worth a fart!” The heart devil jeered. “You’re blindly subservient to those stronger, yet brutal to those weaker than you. You sure are capable.”

Lu Shi lowered his head, his whole body stiffening. He had no idea who the heart devil in the rusted sheath was, but he was certain that this mysterious expert could crush him like an ant if he wanted to!

Lu Shi suddenly turned to look at Su Yi. He said coldly, “Su Yi, this enmity is between you and me, yet here you are, bringing others into it. Even if I die, I’ll die looking down on you!”

Su Yi pointed to the hearth devil and said calmly, “He’s one of my past lives, so why shouldn’t he interfere in our enmity?”

Lu Shi didn’t know what to say to that. He’d initially assumed that provoking Su Yi like this might encourage Su Yi to step forth and fight on his own instead of asking that terrifying existence for help.

Who’d have thought that he was yet another of Su Yi’s past lives?

The Buddha of Non-Existence and the Monarch of Endless Tribulations looked stunned, too. His past life? Does that mean that Su Yi has mastered reincarnation? That’s most likely the case! After all, Xiao Jian said that Su Yi was another him. There’s only one explanation for this: reincarnation!

Both terrifying existences’ hearts churned with emotion. They struggled to stay calm.

It wasn’t that they were ignorant, but that they’d spent so many years locked in their seemingly endless standoff that they’d paid no attention to events in the outside world.

They naturally had no idea that over the past few years, Su Yi, a sword cultivator who’d mastered reincarnation, had risen to prominence in the Eternal Heavens Domain.

“I would never have guessed that a sword cultivator like you would be so shameless!” Lu Shi sighed. “But death is nothing to fear. I, Lu Shi, won’t lose my composure over this.”

He glared intently at Su Yi. “Also, your past lives are ultimately just your past lives. They aren’t you! One of these days, you’ll meet your end just as I have!”

With that, his body caught ablaze. He’d actually chosen self-destruction.

But then, the heart devil reached out and extracted his soul. He rubbed his fingers together, sealing Lu Shi’s soul completely before refining it into a bundle of light. “With me here, you can’t die even if you want to.”

He looked at Su Yi. “Want to use this as lamp oil?”

“Just give him a clean death,” Su Yi said softly.

He and Lu Shi had been enemies for years. Lu Shi wasn’t entirely shameless, but he wasn’t exactly a good person, either. Still, at the very least, he had some degree of dignity and comportment.

Out of respect, Su Yi didn’t mind granting him a quick, easy death.

The heart devil gave him a big thumbs up. “That’s the spirit! That’s how you ought to kill your enemies!”

Lu Shi’s soul silently shattered in his grip, dissipating into a rain of light.

Then, the heart devil turned to look at the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence. “Alright, you two. It’s about time this enmity reached its end.”