Naked Sword Art

Chapter 468: Falling Malignant Star

The wind howled around him as the golden-sashed disciple plunged through the clouds, his white-and-gold robes snapping like whips in the roaring gale. The pavilion above vanished into mist, but he paid it no mind—his eyes were locked, hawk-like, on Xiao Fang walking the forest path below.

"Finally," he breathed, excitement cutting through his voice. "You’ve shown yourself."

Below, Xiao Fang stopped mid-step and slowly raised his head. The air seemed to still around him. His senses, even sharper now since becoming a Divine Realm cultivator, rippled outward like unseen waves.

"Fang?" Xiao Hei asked, glancing at him.

"What is it?" Xun Wei murmured, following his gaze.

Li Xiang did the same.

There was nothing at first, but then they saw it.

"Look, there!" Xiao Hei pointed.

In the sky, a lone figure descending from the clouds like a malignant star cast out from the heavens. His presence was faint, but once felt, it became undeniable—like the weight of a storm pressing against glass.

"Who is that?" Xiao Hei asked.

No one answered, but Xun Wei and Li Xiang both recognized the man’s golden robes, it was identical to the one the Royal Court member wore during the Tournament.

However, what Xiao Fang could hear far exceeded what they could see. Xiao Fang’s gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked through the clouds.

In that moment, he remembered his grandfather’s warning—

"More will come. Do not leave the safety of the Black Paradise Sect until you are strong enough."

Xiao Fang understood that the gap in strength between a Heavenly realm cultivator and a Divine realm cultivator was vast, but unlike before, he wasn’t afraid. His gaze suddenly became piercingly cold and calculating.

Xun Wei and Xiao Hei were still trying to determine whether the figure approaching them was friend or foe. Yet one thing was certain — the man wasn’t falling; he was flying. And flight was an ability reserved only for cultivators of the Heavenly Realm.

Then they felt it — the thick, oppressive might that could only belong to such a being. He was still too far away for it to bring them to their knees, but the pressure was unmistakable.

Xiao Fang, however, noticed something strange: the man’s overwhelming aura had no effect on him.

’Could it be... the Death Reaper’s dantian?’ he wondered.

What had long been a dormant second dantian within his soul was suddenly stirring to life. One thing was clear — whoever this man was, he was no friend.

Shaken by the weight of the aura, Xun Wei placed a trembling hand on the hilt of her sword. Yet neither comfort nor confidence came from its touch.

"Fang—" she tried to speak calmly.

"Go on ahead," Xiao Fang interrupted.

Xun Wei frowned as she turned her head to look at him.

Xiao Hei on the other hand didn’t need to be told twice—she could already sense what Xiao Fang was feeling through their master-pet bond.

"Xiang, let’s go," Xiao Hei said, grabbing her hand before activating [ Stealth ].

Xun Wei hesitated. She wanted to fight by his side. She thought this was as good of a time as any to prove her worth. However, she also knew Xiao Fang was significantly stronger than he was 2 months ago.

’Would I really only get in his way if I try to help?’ she thought.

But seeing the way Xiao Fang was now, unaffected by the oppressive might put on him, she knew he was far out of her league. What was an impossible opponent to her, Xiao Fang simply looked up at him as if he was mere cannon fodder. Furthermore, she knew there was nothing she could do against a Heavenly realm practitioner.

"...Fine, but I’ll stay close," Xun Wei said softly before fading into [ Stealth ].

Xiao Fang lightly nodded, before returning his attention back to the sky.

’How interesting. All of his companions possess the [ Stealth ] ability,’ the Royal Court cultivator thought in surprise.

Though he had the means to see through their concealment, he didn’t care to look for them. Xiao Fang was the only one he was interested in.

Eventually, Xiao Fang slowly raised his arm to the side, then from his spatial ring, a golden spear burst forth, radiating a terrifying might that made the very air shudder.

"Dragon Dynasty..." Xun Wei breathed as she gazed at the weapon from a distance.

It stood proudly by Xiao Fang’s side, its blade pointed toward the heavens in defiance.

Though he had never shown it to her before, she recognized it from the story he told about his time in JadePeak City. She knew he had used it to injure a Heavenly realm practitioner while he was still just a Profound Realm cultivator.

Seeing Xiao Fang carrying the spear, an uneasy feeling suddenly spread throughout the man’s body.

’This feeling... Am I already within his range? Just how far can he throw that thing?’ he thought, frowning.

He knew Xiao Fang wasn’t someone he could underestimate, so he wasn’t going to make the same mistake Investigator Han did.

Suddenly, a small golden shield shot out from his spatial ring and covered his forearm. But it wasn’t an ordinary shield, it was a Heavenly Fate Shield.

He was ready.

Without another word, Xiao Fang tightened his grip on the spear. The wind howled around him, tugging at his robes as if warning him not to throw. His eyes sharpened—steady, cold, unyielding.

’Here it comes!’ the man thought.

Suddenly, Xiao Fang’s image flickered.

[ Illusory Clone ]

[ Illusory Mimic ]

[ Illusory Husk ]

Then, in one smooth motion, it appeared as if Xiao Fang hurled it.

The air screamed as the golden spear left his hand, cutting through the sky like a meteor launched from the earth itself. The shockwave rippled outward, flattening the grass and bending the trees as it tore toward its target in the sky.

But the moment it left Xiao Fang’s hand, the spear faded as if it could use [ Stealth ].

The Royal Court cultivator’s instincts flared in alarm.

’It disappeared!?’