On the Ten Thousand Dao Plains, a blood-red blade light spread for ten li, as if the heavens and earth were dyed in crimson.

The entire plain violently shook, and the rumbling sound echoed endlessly.

Even Ten Thousand Dao Sect's sect-protecting grand formation was disturbed by this force, automatically activating to absorb all the remaining might of that sharp blade momentum.

If not for this, the entire Ten Thousand Dao Plains would likely have been cleaved with a bottomless fissure by Xiao Mo's single blade.

As the blade light gradually dissipated, everyone saw that the first-grade magical artifact cauldron and Xia Yu together had been cleaved in half, and his soul and spirit had also vanished in an instant, leaving no trace.

"This... how is this possible?"

"Senior Brother Xia... is dead?"

"With just one blade?"

"Isn't Xiao Mo only at the Nascent Soul realm?"

"Nascent Soul realm killing Jade Simplicity realm? Am I dreaming?"

After quite a while, the surrounding cultivators gradually recovered from their shock.

They had originally thought they already understood how astonishing Xiao Mo's talent was but today, he had actually annihilated the Jade Simplicity realm Xia Yu with one blade while at the Nascent Soul cultivation. All of this made people feel as if in a dream, hard to believe.

How could such a talented person exist in this world?

Was this truly something mortals could achieve?

"Yu'er!"

A grief-stricken cry resounded through the long sky. Xia Kong flew down from high above, leaping into the formation array. His hands trembling, he picked up his son's corpse, grief-stricken and despairing.

"So he's your son." Xiao Mo looked toward Xia Kong, his tone still calm, "I do remember now."

"Xiao Mo! This old man will have your life!"

Xia Kong's fury soared to the heavens. He threw a punch, the fist wind condensing into the form of a giant dragon, carrying the magnificent essence of the Great Dao as it charged directly at Xiao Mo, vowing to kill him with one strike.

However, Xiao Mo merely slashed down with one blade again.

The crescent moon-like blade qi collided with the giant dragon formed from fist wind. The fist wind shattered with the sound, and the baleful qi mixed with spiritual power's residual force fiercely spread outward.

"What!?"

Great shock filled Xia Kong's heart. His full-power strike was actually broken by Xiao Mo's single blade?

Was he truly only at late-stage Nascent Soul?

Just as Xia Kong's mind was shaken for an instant, a blood-red long blade had already slashed down from the air!

Xia Kong hastily dodged. The long blade heavily cleaved into the ground, smashing out a giant crater, and under this strike, Xia Yu's corpse also exploded into a blood mist but he had no time to grieve anymore.

That woman in the red dress drew her long blade, her eyes glinting with crimson light as she swung her blade toward Xia Kong again, killing intent fierce and cold.

Xia Kong didn't dare be negligent and immediately summoned his life-bound magical artifact.

A large cauldron floated up into the air, moving to envelop Xue Kui from above.

Although this was an imitation of the immortal weapon "Eight Desolations Cauldron," it had already reached the level of a half-immortal weapon and Xia Yu's cauldron was also one of the imitations, but the treasures used during its forging were inferior.

Xia Kong had originally planned that after this martial competition ended, he would pass his life-bound magical artifact to his son but who would have thought that he would never have that opportunity again.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Xue Kui struck blade after blade heavily against the cauldron. The two half-immortal weapons clashed intensely, and the shock waves forced some lower-realm cultivators to cough up blood, almost unable to stand steady.

"Everyone stop."

Just as Xia Kong was retreating step by step and Xue Kui raised her blade to deliver the final strike, a voice suddenly came from the firmament.

Xue Kui's brow furrowed slightly, but she still slashed down without hesitation!

Unable to dodge in time, Xia Kong could only take this blade head-on.

The residual force of the Immortal realm clash erupted again, and some cultivators who were too close and of lower realms were shocked to death on the spot.

Xia Kong's entire body was sent flying backward, but just at this moment, a broad palm quietly pressed against his back, helping him stabilize his form and land safely.

When everyone saw clearly the attire the man was wearing, except for the master and disciples of Karma Blood Peak, all cultivators who saw this middle-aged man bowed in respect and shouted in unison, "Respectfully welcome the Sect Master's emergence from seclusion!"

Xiao Mo sized up this man who appeared to be only in his thirties.

As for this Sect Master of Ten Thousand Dao Sect, Xiao Mo had heard of him before.

Ten Thousand Dao Sect's Sect Master, Ding Jingyi, an Ascension realm cultivator, now with a bone age of nine thousand years, had participated in several Buddha-Demon wars.

Ding Jingyi once cared very much about sect affairs, handling everything personally. The disciples of Ten Thousand Dao Sect actually had a fairly good impression of Ding Jingyi.

However, after Ding Jingyi once went to the White Bone Forbidden Land and returned to Ten Thousand Dao Sect, his entire person seemed to have changed.

He became uneasy about everything, constantly shutting himself in a stone chamber.

Later, due to the struggle over several blessed lands and cave heavens, Ding Jingyi led Ten Thousand Dao Sect to fight against Mad Heart Sect, one of the Ten Great Demonic Sects.

Both sects suffered heavy casualties. The old generation of elders, peak masters, and hall masters lost over half their numbers in that great battle.

At that time, Xue Kui's master had died in that great battle.

After that, the two sects ceased hostilities, and Ding Jingyi went into seclusion from then on. All affairs were decided by the Vice Sect Master and the Council of Elders.

For most disciples, this was their first time seeing this Sect Master.

After all, he hadn't appeared in everyone's view for over a thousand years.

"Elder Xue Kui is still so impulsive. You and your master's personalities are truly very similar."

Ding Jingyi stood between Xue Kui and Xia Kong, sighing.

"It's this old thing who's too shameless, simply can't afford to lose." Xue Kui gripped her long blade, saying coldly, "Speaking of which, I didn't expect that after a thousand years, the Sect Master would finally emerge from seclusion."

"Yes... I didn't expect a thousand years would pass in the blink of an eye." Ding Jingyi's eyes were incomparably deep.

"This seat expected even less that after a thousand years, the disciples of my Ten Thousand Dao Sect would be so outstanding." As he said this sentence, Ding Jingyi's gaze turned toward Xiao Mo, "You're called Xiao Mo, correct? Very good."

"Thank you for the Sect Master's praise."

Xiao Mo courteously returned the gesture but for some reason, Xiao Mo always had a feeling in his heart.

That is, this Sect Master of Ten Thousand Dao Sect seemed like a person, yet also didn't seem like a person.

And just as Ding Jingyi was speaking, a steward walked forward, handing over a list and saying with utmost respect, "Sect Master, the Holy Son martial selection has ended. This is the list of ten candidates. Please review it."

Ding Jingyi took the list, and after reading it, nodded, "No problem. Announce it to the entire sect."

"Yes, Sect Master."

The steward tossed the list toward the firmament. In an instant, ten names appeared high in the sky, and throughout the entire Ten Thousand Dao Sect, no matter how far the distance, everyone could see them.

Immediately after, Ding Jingyi's voice reverberated throughout the entire Ten Thousand Dao Sect, shaking into everyone's hearts:

"Xiao Mo of Karma Blood Peak, Wu Qingfeng of Sunflower Peak, Si Li of Ten Thousand Flowers Peak, Cheng Yunshang of Painting Peak, Xi Tianqi of Rakshasa Hall, Lü Lingfan of Book Peak...

You ten, from this day forward, are the Holy Son candidates of my Ten Thousand Dao Sect.

I, in the name of Ten Thousand Dao Sect's Sect Master, issue the Ten Thousand Dao Sect's Sacred Fire Order:

Among you, whoever first takes the head of Kongnian Temple's Wangxin shall become Ten Thousand Dao Sect's Holy Son and also the next Sect Master of Ten Thousand Dao Sect!"