CHAPTER 395: CHAPTER 394: TEN THOUSAND SWORDS PIERCING THE HEART

Yun Ran glanced at them as if they were a mere afterthought, quickly shifting her gaze away.

This allowed the trio to breathe a sigh of relief, and then they quietly shifted their positions to stand behind others.

Attempting to use them to shield their own forms, they were somewhat unable to withstand the pressure emanating from Yun Ran.

Although their current positions were different, not all of those who were born into aristocratic families had deplorable characters.

They had previously taken advantage of Yun Ran’s generosity and now they still felt somewhat ashamed.

However, Yun Ran did not care about their attitudes and turned her attention back to the leader of the group.

Seeing the almost naive sense of superiority in his eyes, Yun Ran couldn’t help but think that this person, having grown so old, had probably never suffered a significant setback.

Unfortunately, his luck would end today because he had encountered her.

A shallow smile suddenly appeared on Yun Ran’s face.

The person opposite felt inexplicably that Yun Ran’s smile was particularly irritating, failing to contain his anger.

"What are you laughing at!"

"The fact that this shield ended up in your hands is probably the darkest moment of its existence. It is of Quasi Magical Treasure Level, yet you have not even tapped into one-tenth of its power."

The color of the man’s face across from her suddenly darkened: "What do you mean!"

"This Magic Artifact, if it were in the hands of a formidable person, would be the most solid fortress. Yet in your hands, it is full of flaws."

After making this point, Yun Ran sheathed her Peach Wood Sword and stood up straight, the aura about her suddenly shifting.

Those standing on the arena were the ones who could most directly feel the murderous aura emanating from Yun Ran.

But before they could figure out what was happening,

They saw Yun Ran forming seals with her hands, and quickly before their eyes appeared a dense mass of Sword Qi, tangible as reality, aimed at them.

Had the shield’s power been fully activated, then the protection it offered them now would be all-encompassing, impervious to attack from any angle.

Regrettably, this shield could only defend against frontal assaults, and all other directions were vulnerabilities.

"This move is called ’Ten Thousand Swords Piercing the Heart’!"

As Yun Ran’s voice fell, the previously static Sword Qi surged towards the person confronting Yun Ran.

The speed was so fast that they had no chance to defend.

Had they not all been wearing the official garb for the competition, which was reinforced with talisman, the Sword Qi strikes would have certainly caused them grievous injuries.

Many in the stands, witnessing such a large-scale lethal display of Sword Qi for the first time, couldn’t help but stand up.

Several others, upon witnessing this scene, were directly shocked and even began to jump up and down.

"Protest, this is definitely against the rules! Using such lethal force in the competition is clearly intent on striking down the promising youth of the Xuan Sect!"

"That’s too cruel and ruthless, it’s only a competition, how can lethal moves be used? It’s simply outrageous!"

"There must be a problem with Yun Ran’s identity. What sort of young and seemingly decent person has such an intense killing intent!"

"The competition must be immediately suspended, and the injured must be checked. If necessary, all responsibilities for pursuing accountability against Yun Ran should be reserved."

...

In the absence of both Xie Xuzhi and Gu Yuan, the remaining top brass of the Special Administration Bureau were under tremendous pressure, yet they still toughed it out, completely ignoring the clamor.

As long as there was no official document stating Director Xie was removed, then it was imperative to stand on Yun Ran’s side.

Fortunately, Yun Ran had not truly caused an irreparable situation.

To any observer, that Sword Qi looked fierce, as if determined to slay the contestants on the platform.

But soon, it became apparent to everyone either due to their self-awareness or Yun Ran’s impressive control.

They could precisely gauge the strength of their attacks, toppling their targets without proceeding further.

Those who had replaced the original contestants on the list were chased all over the platform by the Sword Qi, without a shield for protection. They couldn’t withstand even three rounds before they became the first group to be driven off the platform.

The ousted contestants appeared rather disheveled, and their talisman-bolstered clothing was torn in many places.

Yet when someone rushed over to carefully inspect their wounds, they found that the most serious injuries were mere superficial ones from falling off the platform.

This completely silenced those who were previously vociferous, as though they had been slapped in the face.

The top echelons of the Special Administration Bureau breathed a sigh of relief; as long as Yun Ran knew her limits, how she dealt with those individuals was immaterial.

Taoist Xia at this moment leisurely spoke as if conversing with someone beside him, but in reality, he was clearly targeting certain individuals.

"Making such a fuss over nothing, they lack perception, with minds akin to pig brains. Do they not consider that this is all before the entire Mystical Sect?

Only fools would cause trouble on such a critical occasion. Does Yun Ran look like a fool? Clearly, she is demonstrating her prowess!

Failing to see this, I wonder how they manage day-to-day. Are those honors they bear handed out wholesale for longevity?"

Ironically, his voice wasn’t subdued, and many could hear him.

This caused the faces of many of the honored attendees to turn various shades of green and white.

Given the strength Yun Ran had shown, she was rightfully the Leader.

Even if they were reluctant to acknowledge it, they couldn’t blind everyone’s eyes.

Yun Ran’s skills were honed in life-and-death battles, not through simulations and practice fights like the others. It was a strike from a higher dimension.

Before long, all but a few promising seedlings were driven off the platform by Yun Ran’s controlled Sword Qi.

Feeling that this wave of attack had achieved the effect she desired, Yun Ran immediately retracted the Sword Qi that was chaotically flying around the platform.

At this moment, no one dared to speak lightly again, claiming that those of insufficient background had no place to compete.

Aside from the person holding the shield whose clothing was less torn, the rest bore five or six slashes through their garments.

Although the Sword Qi did not cause them to bleed, the torn clothing left them feeling an unprecedented sense of defeat.

"Your strength is not bad; it’s just that you lack real combat experience. What’s the use of practicing so well? When you really face an Evil Cultivator, their methods will be far more varied than mine.

If you can’t even dodge my Sword Qi, against unscrupulous Evil Cultivators, your chances of survival would almost be zero."

To say Yun Ran truly disliked those from Mystical Sect families would be an overstatement; it’s normal for those born into privilege to have small tempers or even be haughty.

As long as their nature isn’t corrupt, they are still worth advising.