Volume One: The Son of Heaven’s Sword — Chapter 116: Leave Not Even an Egg Behind

In front of the Ten-Thousand-Ren Tower, there was complete silence.

Over a thousand people stared intently at Yun Que, who had just been assigned a mission, and for a long while, no one recovered from the shock.

Ma Yong and Niu Bucai listened with trembling hearts. All they wanted now was to hold back Yun Que; no matter what, they couldn’t let the junior disciple enter the Ten-Thousand-Ren Tower.

Having offended the Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest Academies in succession, stepping into the Evolution Realm meant being besieged on all sides.

Why even compete for the title of Sword Prodigy? It was clearly a one-way trip!

Although dozens of disciples in the Southern Academy had been saved by Yun Que in Misty Mountain, most had no connection with him. Upon hearing the elder’s special mission announcement, many were stunned but secretly memorized Yun Que’s appearance, planning to strike once he reached the Evolution Realm.

Cutting a piece from a sword servant’s body to obtain a supreme magical instrument was practically a gift.

Such a windfall from the heavens!

Xue Ziyi’s brows furrowed angrily as she retorted, “I don’t understand how my junior brother from the Northern Academy offended Elder Quan. We are all disciples of the Sword Palace—does it warrant such ruthless tactics?”

Quan Yu cast a cold glance at Xue Ziyi and snorted, “What missions the Southern Academy issues are none of your concern. Manage your Northern Academy. You have few talents but big tempers. If you want to stay safe, I have a way: have your brother hide back in the Northern Academy—and never come out again.”

Xue Ziyi was indignant and intended to argue, but Ma Yong and Niu Bucai pulled her back.

The senior sister was too reckless; offending a Southern Academy elder would only bring greater trouble.

Quan Yu gave Yun Que a mocking look and said, “It’s just castration—no fatal harm done. Cultivators seek purity of the six senses; that thing has nothing to do with cultivation. Why not discard it? If you’re brave enough, try breaking into the Evolution Realm. A cowardly turtle is unworthy of the title of first Sword Prodigy.”

First the sterilization scheme, then the provocation.

Everyone present could see that Elder Quan hated Yun Que with a burning passion.

It was no wonder—under Misty Mountain, Yun Que, just a sword servant, had thoroughly humiliated a well-established Formation Core elder. Quan Yu could never swallow that grievance.

Now, the Sword Prodigy contest was her perfect chance for revenge.

To enter the Evolution Realm was to face pursuit and attack by hundreds of Southern Academy disciples; not entering meant public disgrace and the label of coward.

No matter what Yun Que chose, Quan Yu would vent her spite.

“Elder Quan speaks lightly. If your son lost that thing, could you also be indifferent? Could you say to just discard it?” Yun Que’s voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the plaza.

Ma Yong and Niu Bucai shuddered inwardly.

They had just stopped the reckless senior sister, but this junior brother was no easier to handle. If this continued, the Northern and Southern Academies would surely become sworn enemies.

They wanted to intervene, but it was too late.

Quan Yu suddenly laughed loudly and shouted, “I have no children, so naturally I do not care! Cultivators should be detached from all worldly attachments. Romantic ties are the greatest obstacle on the path to immortality!”

Her latter words were clearly aimed at Mu Qingyao, whose engagement she strongly opposed, believing her beloved disciple should abandon all distractions and devote herself entirely to cultivation.

With Mu Qingyao’s talent, she was destined for Formation Core and might even break through to Nascent Soul.

Quan Yu had always hoped to nurture a true powerhouse in Mu Qingyao, but Yun Que’s sudden intrusion made her wish she could eliminate him immediately.

Yun Que sneered at Quan Yu’s words.

If one truly abandoned all attachments, wouldn’t that make them a monk? The ultimate goal would be Buddhahood, not immortality.

Yun Que had a powerful example—his ancestor, the Azure Cloud Sword Immortal.

The Yun family line continued, proving the ancestor had a wife and children, a family. Azure Cloud Sword Immortal never claimed one must be single to cultivate. For a mere Formation Core elder from the Southern Academy to spout such nonsense about detachment was laughable.

Yun Que could not use his ancestor to rebut without disrespect, so he had a better approach.

“Elder Quan, it seems you have already reached the profound state of detachment you describe. I admire you,” Yun Que said, bowing respectfully. Quan Yu was pleased, but then he changed tone.

“Since you say cultivators must be detached, and romantic ties are useless burdens, may I ask: have you severed the Red Dragon?”

The plaza suddenly fell silent.

Even breathing seemed to vanish; one could hear a pin drop.

All disciples deliberately avoided looking at Quan Yu. Even those curious closed their eyes involuntarily.

Not because they didn’t want to see, but because they dared not.

If possible, no one wanted to hear the answer.

Even the most foolish could tell Yun Que was striking at her heart.

The Red Dragon referred to a woman cultivator’s monthly cycle.

Severing the Red Dragon meant completely eliminating this sole weakness.

There was a saying in the cultivation world: without the Red Dragon, how to refine essence and transform qi?

Even the strongest women became weak during their cycle. Even a slight vulnerability was a perfect chance for a formidable enemy.

However, very few female cultivators truly severed the Red Dragon. Many, even in old age, sought miraculous pills to maintain it.

The reason was simple—they wanted to keep a fallback.

Without severing the Red Dragon, a female cultivator could bear children; sever it, and she would be childless forever, ending her lineage.

Cultivators were still human.

Unless they became immortals, they would eventually die—whether in danger, battle, or after long years.

Death was like a candle snuffed out. Many cultivators, realizing they could no longer advance and their lifespan was limited, chose to return to the mundane world, marry, have children, and continue their bloodline.

Many cultivators propagated their descendants; otherwise, how would there be so many cultivation families and spirit-rooted seedlings?

It was rare for ordinary people to bear offspring with spirit roots, but among cultivators, the probability was much higher.

Though Quan Yu was stubborn and old-fashioned, at heart she was still human and had never severed the Red Dragon.

Thus, Yun Que’s words were a knife plunged deep into her heart, igniting her fury and causing her spiritual energy to surge uncontrollably.

The elders of the Eastern and Western Academies both stepped back several paces.

Gu Shaoyang and Chu Chen knew that when a woman lost control, she could be scarier than any man.

Quan Yu was on the verge of an outburst.

Like a balloon blown to its limit, ready to burst.

But she was speechless!

Her face twisted through a series of vivid expressions—frowning, glaring, grinding her teeth, and contorting.

Among the crowd, only Yun Que stood out like a crane among chickens, staring at the Southern Academy elder, awaiting an answer.

From Quan Yu’s expression, Yun Que already knew the response.

But he still wore a humble demeanor, like a student seeking knowledge, and loudly asked, “Have you severed it or not? Please enlighten me, Elder Quan!”

A buzzing hum filled the air.

Everyone felt a ringing in their heads.

People even imagined the fair-faced junior brother from the Northern Academy sprouting horns and a tail.

A demon, perhaps…

Thousands of disciples had this thought simultaneously.

Beside them, Wu Dachuan never closed his mouth, watching Yun Que’s back with a proud and imposing thought rising unbidden in his mind:

“If I don’t speak, the sun and moon lose their radiance; if I do, I am invincible in the world!”

Indeed, in verbal sparring, Yun Que had never lost since childhood.

A wind arose in the plaza.

It grew stronger and stronger.

Chu Chen and Gu Shaoyang, twitching with anxiety, hurriedly called out:

“The Ten-Thousand-Ren Tower has opened! Participants, enter quickly!”

“Hurry, hurry! If you cannot condense a sword qi cloak, no one may enter the Sword Burial Ground!”

With a rush, countless disciples surged into the wooden tower, lowering their heads as they passed the snarling Southern Academy elder.

Yun Que was the fastest, leading the charge into the Ten-Thousand-Ren Tower.

A true hero avoids immediate loss; better to curse and run.

As he stepped inside, he heard Elder Quan’s trembling, piercing roar behind him:

“The Southern Academy mission reward is raised—one more supreme magical instrument! Not an egg left behind!!!”