Chapter 422: Danger Arrives, Sword Sovereign
As soon as the Swordsmith Master finished speaking, the entire arena fell into stunned silence.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Mo Yu, murmurs of disbelief spreading through the crowd.
"What? Is this young man really the one who killed the Swordsmith Master's disciple?"
"I heard it was a silver-eyed youth named Mo Yu who killed Sun Wuji. Could it be… this is Mo Yu?"
The whispers rippled through the crowd. No one could have imagined that just as the champion of the weapon-forging tournament was about to be announced, such a dramatic turn of events would unfold.
Was the newly crowned champion of the tournament actually the criminal the Swordsmith Master was hunting?
"This is bad…" On the stone platform, Feng Mu and Lan Yingying exchanged worried glances, their faces turning pale.
They both knew Mo Yu's true identity very well. They had thought they could keep it hidden throughout the tournament, but at this critical moment, the Swordsmith Master had exposed him.
"Oh, so this kid is the famous Mo Yu." Qiu Yuanqiao, standing nearby, heard the whispers spreading around him. His sinister eyes narrowed slightly as a cold smile appeared on his lips.
Since arriving in the Western Region, Qiu Yuanqiao had heard rumors about Mo Yu and his recent activities, as well as his conflict with the Swordsmith Master. As one of the five elders of the Weapon Alliance and an experienced eighth-tier weapon forger, even Qiu Yuanqiao felt pressure when facing the Swordsmith Master.
But now, the Swordsmith Master had personally stepped forward to accuse Mo Yu of being the murderer of his disciple. This could definitely throw the outcome of the tournament into question.
Thinking of this, Qiu Yuanqiao looked at Mo Yu again, a playful expression spreading across his face, as if waiting for a show to unfold.
On the high platform, Old Bing's face darkened when he saw the Swordsmith Master interrupting his announcement of the champion.
Beside him, Lady Cai Ya and other high-ranking members of the Weapon Alliance were just as shocked. Their eyes were filled with surprise and disbelief as they looked at Mo Yu.
Could Old Bing's disciple Xiao Huohuo really be Mo Yu, the one who killed Sun Wuji?
"Swordsmith, stop this nonsense! The weapon-forging tournament is judged by the quality of the weapons. Whoever forges the strongest weapon is the champion. As an elder of the Weapon Alliance, how dare you disrupt this rule!" Old Bing stepped forward, facing the Swordsmith Master, and shouted sternly.
"Hmph, Bing Li, this boy's origins are unclear, and his mastery of lightning is very similar to the one who killed my apprentice. I'm sure of it—he's Mo Yu! Are you protecting the murderer of my disciple?" the Swordsmith Master shot back, his old face filled with murderous intent as he glared at Mo Yu.
Hearing this, Mo Yu frowned slightly. He hadn't expected that despite his flawless disguise, the power he had displayed while absorbing the Weapon Thunder had given him away.
Back in Xihuang City, he had used the True Devouring Thunder and the Black Gold Thunder Orb, which had caused even the Tang family patriarch and the Black Sword Elder considerable trouble. As a result, word had spread across the Western Region that Mo Yu was a powerful master of lightning.
While many people on the continent possessed lightning-type Dou Qi, few could control it as skillfully and terrifyingly as Mo Yu. Not even those in the Wind and Thunder Pavilion could compare. Thus, the Swordsmith Master's accusation caused many in the crowd to look at Mo Yu, beginning to believe the claim.
Old Bing's face darkened as he shouted, "Swordsmith! Whether he's Mo Yu or Xiao Huohuo, if he's forged the strongest weapon in this tournament, he's the champion! Are you trying to break the rules?"
Hearing this, Lady Cai Ya, the dark-skinned man, and Master Huishan exchanged helpless glances. Lady Cai Ya finally spoke up, "Swordsmith Elder, Old Bing is right. Whatever issues you have with Mo Yu must wait. We can't break the rules of the tournament."
The elders hadn't wanted to get involved in the conflict between the Swordsmith Master and Old Bing, but if the championship wasn't awarded to Mo Yu, it would fall to Qiu Yuanqiao. That was an outcome neither the Weapon Alliance nor the weapon forgers wanted. So, even if they risked offending the Swordsmith Master, Lady Cai Ya and the others had no choice but to intervene.
The Swordsmith Master's expression darkened further. If it were only Old Bing stopping him, he might have forced his way through, but with the other elders siding with Old Bing, he couldn't stop Mo Yu from winning the championship on his own.
Suppressing his fury, the Swordsmith Master sneered, "Hmph! Even if he has the strength to win the tournament, doing so in such a sneaky, underhanded way is an insult to the Weapon Alliance. Unless he reveals his true identity, our Alliance will become a laughingstock!"
The weapon-forging tournament was one of the most prestigious events on the continent, and its champions were highly celebrated figures. Very few champions chose to hide their identities, as winning this title was the highest honor for any weapon forger.
The Swordsmith Master's demand was reasonable. Even Lady Cai Ya and the other elders didn't want to see such a high honor awarded to someone in disguise. Otherwise, people would wonder if the real champion was Xiao Huohuo or Mo Yu, turning the tournament into a joke.
Old Bing hesitated, understanding that the Swordsmith Master was trying to force Mo Yu to reveal himself. Once Mo Yu's identity was exposed, even if he won the championship, he would be in extreme danger.
Seeing this, Mo Yu pondered for a moment. He had disguised himself to avoid interference from the Swordsmith Master and secure the championship. But now that the title was within reach, he didn't mind revealing his true identity.
As for the threat posed by the Swordsmith Master, Mo Yu had his own plans.
With a cold smile, Mo Yu looked at the Swordsmith Master and said, "Old fool, you want to know my true identity? Fine, I'll show you!"
With those words, Mo Yu raised his hand to his face. As the crowd held its breath, their eyes fixed on him.
In the next moment, Mo Yu gently pulled off a thin mask, revealing his handsome face and striking silver eyes.
"It's him… Mo Yu!"
Gasps of shock rippled through the audience as they recognized the face from the wanted posters.
The notorious figure who had caused such a stir had now claimed the championship. Was he truly a monster of unparalleled talent?
"In that case, I hereby declare… the champion of this year's weapon-forging tournament is none other than Mo Yu!" Old Bing, seeing Mo Yu's revealed identity, cast a worried glance his way. But knowing the importance of the tournament's honor, he smiled and quickly made the announcement.
At the same time, Old Bing hoped that since Mo Yu had won the championship, the Swordsmith Master might hold back.
As Old Bing's strong words echoed through the arena, countless eyes turned to the silver-eyed youth. Moments later, an earth-shattering cheer erupted, filling the sky.
Even though everyone could see the enmity between Mo Yu and the Swordsmith Master, at this moment, Mo Yu was undeniably the most brilliant star in the arena.
Even though it was clear to everyone that Mo Yu and the Swordsmith Master had an irreconcilable hatred between them, at this very moment, as Mo Yu claimed victory as the champion of the weapon-forging tournament, he was undoubtedly the most dazzling presence in the entire arena.
Many young and beautiful women, upon seeing Mo Yu remove his mask to reveal his incredibly handsome face, couldn't help but have stars in their eyes, with affection and admiration filling their gazes. Lan Yingying and the others also looked on with envy as Mo Yu, now the center of attention, basked in the adoration of the crowd. At that moment, Mo Yu was undeniably the star of the event.
Becoming the champion of the weapon-forging tournament wasn't just an achievement; it symbolized status and the mark of a future powerhouse. Every champion of the tournament in history had gone on to become a powerful force in the world, as long as they didn't fall early. This made it clear to everyone just how much potential this seemingly slender youth held.
Bei Hao stared at Mo Yu with a look of jealousy mixed with hatred. But as he glanced at his master, a cold, spiteful smile crept onto his face. "So, you're Mo Yu, huh? I didn't expect you to win the championship. But my junior disciple, who was rumored to be my master's illegitimate son, was killed by you. You're really asking for death by coming to this tournament!"
While the crowd cheered for Mo Yu, the Swordsmith Master's face in the sky remained as cold as ever. He glared at Mo Yu, his voice filled with murderous intent. "So you're Mo Yu. You've finally admitted your identity. Today, you will pay for my disciple's life!"
This was the first time the Swordsmith Master had faced Mo Yu in person, and his eyes were filled with intense killing intent.
"Swordsmith, Mo Yu is the champion of this weapon-forging tournament, which means he's now an honorary elder of the Weapon Alliance. You can't touch him!" Old Bing quickly stepped in to stop him.
"Hmph! Bing Li, you can't stop me. I'll kill this boy, and no one in the Weapon Alliance can stop me!" As his voice fell, the Swordsmith Master's powerful aura surged forth.
At the same time, the Swordsmith Master glanced at Lady Cai Ya and the other elders. Although their brows furrowed slightly, none of them made any moves to stop him. After all, they had only intervened earlier to prevent Qiu Yuanqiao from taking the championship. Now that this possibility had been eliminated, they weren't willing to oppose the Swordsmith Master just for Mo Yu.
Seeing this, Old Bing frowned but didn't say anything. The Weapon Alliance was a loosely connected organization, and he didn't have the authority to command the other elders.
"Swordsmith, no matter what, I won't let you harm Mo Yu!" Old Bing stood firmly in front of the Swordsmith Master, his voice stern.
The Swordsmith Master's eyes narrowed slightly, and then he sneered. "Bing Li, I knew you'd try to stop me, but do you really think I came unprepared?"
With those words, the Swordsmith Master called out toward the northwest, "Sword Sovereign, I need your assistance!"
"Whoosh!"
As soon as the Swordsmith Master finished speaking, a piercing sound suddenly echoed through the competition grounds.
The crowd watched in shock as a massive sword, nearly ten meters long, tore through the sky and swiftly appeared above the arena. The giant sword trembled slightly before it shattered into countless light particles, which scattered and revealed several dozen figures slowly descending from the sky.
Among the figures, the leader was an old man who was slightly hunched and wore simple, plain clothes, making him look like an ordinary old man among the masses.
However, those with keen eyes instantly recognized that this unassuming old man was actually an incredibly dangerous figure.
Behind the old man stood four other elders, each dressed in black, green, red, and blue, respectively. Each of them carried a formidable sword on their backs, and an intense, terrifying aura radiated from their bodies.
Behind these four, several dozen other sword-wielding warriors stood, each exuding an equally fierce and powerful presence.
The crowd was left speechless as they stared at the terrifying sword auras emanating from these people, their presence so overwhelming that it seemed to alter the very environment around them.
"The Sword Sovereign! The one leading them is the Sword Sovereign, the master of the Myriad Sword Pavilion!"
"And those are the four Guardian Elders, who are all peak Dou Zong (Battle Sect) experts. I didn't expect them to be here too."
"Are all of these people from the Myriad Sword Pavilion?"
"What are they doing in Ten Thousand Weapons City with such a massive force?"
"Didn't you hear what the Swordsmith Master said? These are the reinforcements he called for!"
"Reinforcements? Now I get it. Mo Yu is also being hunted by the Myriad Sword Pavilion."
"They've mobilized this kind of force just to hunt down Mo Yu? He might become the shortest-lived champion in the history of the weapon-forging tournament."
The audience was buzzing with commotion as the sudden appearance of the Myriad Sword Pavilion army caused an uproar. No one had expected that to capture Mo Yu, the Myriad Sword Pavilion would send out nearly all of its top experts.
Even Qiu Yuanqiao was momentarily stunned, but then he smirked as he glanced at Mo Yu.
With the combined might of the Myriad Sword Pavilion and the Swordsmith Master hunting him, even if Old Bing tried to protect him, Mo Yu was as good as dead!
Thinking of this, Qiu Yuanqiao couldn't help but feel satisfied. What good was winning the championship if Mo Yu was destined to die soon after?
The sword energy in the sky was so overwhelming that it spread out like a dome, covering the entire Ten Thousand Weapons City. It only stopped expanding after reaching a radius of about a hundred meters, creating a sword barrier that sealed off the entire city. No one could enter or leave.
As panic spread throughout the city due to the sudden formation of the sword barrier, the small, plain-clothed old man in the sky slowly stepped forward.
His sharp eyes scanned the entire arena before they quickly locked onto Mo Yu.
Then, with a calm yet powerful voice, amplified by his immense Dou Qi, the old man's words echoed across the arena.
"Mo Yu, I am the Sword Sovereign, master of the Myriad Sword Pavilion. You are connected to the death of my Weapon Forging Hall member, Sun Wuji. Come with me to the Myriad Sword Pavilion, or die!"
(End of the chapter)
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