Chapter 16: Grass-Wood Sword Art

Before the Canon Pavilion, Elder Qingshan of the Seventh Seal fixed his gaze on Lin Jiufeng, his eyes turning cold. "You won't let Bai Yunfei come back — do you truly have no fear of death?"

"You can't kill me," Lin Jiufeng replied calmly.

"Arrogance. You're only at the Sixth Seal, and behind you stand just three disciples at the Third Seal. Bai Yunfei has already gone after Dao Ancestor Changsun Yu — where does your confidence come from?" Elder Qingshan sneered, striding toward Lin Jiufeng. His aura built with every step, cascading outward like a mountain range rising from the earth.

Behind Lin Jiufeng, Wen Xinyun and the other two disciples watched with tense expressions. Though frightened, the sight of their Senior Uncle's upright silhouette instantly filled them with courage, and all three glared at Qingshan with burning resentment.

Lin Jiufeng smiled faintly and slowly raised his hand. Boom — boundless Dao light erupted from his palm, radiant and dazzling, manifesting an entire world above his head.

Crack!

Elder Qingshan's footsteps halted. He stared in shock. "That's… the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture]?"

Lin Jiufeng nodded with a serene expression. "Just now, my Junior Brother challenged the Eighth Seal from the Seventh Seal. Now I challenge the Seventh Seal from the Sixth Seal — that should be fair, shouldn't it?"

Elder Qingshan couldn't help but take two steps back. The battle he had just witnessed left him deeply wary of the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture], and his heart was already urging him to retreat.

But after those two steps, Qingshan suddenly remembered that many Taishang Sect disciples were watching.

If he, an Elder, were scared off, wouldn't he lose all face?

So he steadied himself and spoke with cold composure. "I know who you are. You cultivated for over a hundred years and only reached the First Seal. The reason you've advanced so rapidly these past few years must be thanks to the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture]. But with such a violent Breakthrough, your foundation must be unstable. Can the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture] you wield possibly compare to what Bai Yunfei wields?"

"You're welcome to find out," Lin Jiufeng said with a smile, walking slowly forward.

Elder Qingshan's expression darkened. He steeled himself and struck decisively.

Light blazed from between his brows — brilliant and resplendent — as a painted scroll flew out with a rustling sound. Countless Dao patterns were etched across its surface, all glowing now, like a world rising and sinking within it. The scroll spread across the sky and bore down on Lin Jiufeng.

This was Elder Qingshan's Magical Artifact — a Dao Scroll he had spent many years refining, bound to him as one. Facing a Sixth Seal cultivator like Lin Jiufeng, he had chosen to deploy it immediately to secure the kill, which showed just how much he feared the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture].

Whatever the case, he wanted Lin Jiufeng dead first and would deal with everything else afterward.

In that moment, the Dao Scroll unleashed thousands of violet rays and countless wisps of mist, hovering in the sky as a massive vortex appeared, threatening to draw Lin Jiufeng into the painting.

Faced with the Dao Scroll's assault, Lin Jiufeng's expression remained tranquil — yet an invisible killing intent spread silently around him.

He mimicked what Bai Yunfei had done moments ago, slowly moving both hands in a sweeping arc.

Dao light followed the motion of his hands and began to soar.

In that instant, a colossal mountain peak materialized above Lin Jiufeng's head.

Identical to what Changsun Yu and Bai Yunfei had unleashed — this was the [Mountain Seal].

Lin Jiufeng had observed it, studied it through the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture], analyzed it, and arrived at his own understanding.

Now, Dao energy circulated around his body, and the enormous mountain trembled with terrifying Dao power — as though a great sky itself was crashing down!

The colossal mountain hung overhead, birds and beasts fleeing before it, silver waterfalls cascading down its flanks, rivers and mountains stretching endlessly — ancient, grand, and overwhelmingly majestic.

Lin Jiufeng stood still, eyes clear as water, robes billowing in the wind. He was transcendent yet commanding, and all four directions fell silent.

The moment the great [Mountain Seal] descended, it crushed Elder Qingshan's Magical Artifact Dao Scroll outright. The mountain shattered through the scroll, its overwhelming force tearing it apart — and Qingshan spat a mouthful of blood.

"This… this is…" Elder Qingshan stared wide-eyed, unable to believe it. Lin Jiufeng had actually manifested the [Mountain Seal] through the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture] as well.

Was this something a Sixth Seal cultivator could do?

In the Taishang Sect, only Dao Ancestors of the Eighth Seal were permitted to study the [Mountain Seal].

Even Qingshan himself had never learned it.

Now that his Dao Scroll — bound to him as one — had been torn apart, Qingshan immediately wanted to flee. He was afraid.

No sooner had the thought formed than he acted on it.

Without a word, Qingshan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, turned, and ran.

The Taishang Sect disciples watching were left dumbstruck. They could scarcely believe it — Elder Qingshan of the Seventh Seal had been frightened into fleeing by a Sixth Seal cultivator.

"Senior Uncle, he's running away!" Yue Dashan called out anxiously.

Lin Jiufeng remained composed. He dispersed the great mountain above his head and said quietly, "He won't get far."

The next moment, Lin Jiufeng plucked a single weed growing before the Canon Pavilion.

Then, in the direction Qingshan had fled, he swung it lightly — a single slash.

In that instant, time flowed like water and the void rang like a bell. It was as though the Dao itself poured forth. The weed that flew through the air — in that moment, everyone present seemed to glimpse a figure buried beneath grey dust and ash, standing on a desolate earth, holding a single blade of grass, slashing down the sun, moon, and stars.

The Grass-Wood Sword Art!

This was a supreme sword art left behind by an ancient predecessor — and this was Lin Jiufeng's first time using it. That figure shrouded in grey dust and ash was none other than the one who had created this sword art long ago.

In that instant, sword energy raged and sword waves scorched the heavens.

The fleeing Qingshan moved with extraordinary speed, fully unleashing his Seventh Seal cultivation. In mere breaths, he had already put great distance between himself and Yuhua Sect.

But just as he thought he was safe, a tremendous threat bore down on him from behind.

Qingshan spun around — and froze.

He saw an ocean of sword energy surging toward him, covering every direction — north, south, east, west — leaving him nowhere to run.

"No…!"

Qingshan let out a terrified roar, but the next instant, sword energy pierced through him, and his entire being vaporized in a flash.

Not even flesh and blood remained.

At the place of his death, a single blade of grass — devoid of any aura — drifted slowly to the ground.

Elder Qingshan of the Seventh Seal was dead.

The Taishang Sect disciples went pale as ash, staring in stunned silence at the figure standing before the Canon Pavilion of Yuhua Sect.

In that moment, Lin Jiufeng stood motionless, his dark hair dancing in the wind. His eyes were clear, his Daoist robes pristine. He had slain a Seventh Seal master without a single drop of blood on him.

Behind him, the three young disciples gazed at Lin Jiufeng with eyes full of admiration.

Wen Xinyun in particular felt not only admiration, but excitement.

Was the [Grass-Wood Sword Art] truly this terrifying?

Then she absolutely had to train in it diligently.

Lin Jiufeng turned his gaze to the remaining Taishang Sect disciples, his expression blank. He pressed his palm downward.

The [Mountain Seal] manifested through the [Yuhua Ascension Scripture] came crashing down.

Boom!!!!

The void shook violently. The terrifying force descended and spread in all directions, crushing every last Taishang Sect disciple in one blow.

None survived.

All were dead.

Lin Jiufeng didn't spare them a glance. His eyes remained fixed on the distance, watching Bai Yunfei's battle.

That was the decisive fight.

"I wonder if Master has caught up to that Eighth Seal Dao Ancestor yet," Yue Dashan murmured with worry.

His words had barely faded when, at the distant horizon where sky met earth, a tremendous surge of energy erupted. Then a crimson haze spread across the sky, and a body came plummeting down from the heavens.

Seeing this, Lin Jiufeng let out a soft laugh. "It seems your Master has already slain that Eighth Seal Dao Ancestor."

Challenging the Eighth Seal from the Seventh Seal.

A disciple of Yuhua Sect had done it once again.