The sound space shattered, pierced with large holes, utterly unable to resist the Golden Sword Domain, and it all collapsed instantly.

In a flash, all the gold swords shot towards Ling Han Ye.

Startled, Ling Han Ye hurriedly played the ancient zither, frantic melodies pouring out, attempting to block the barrage of gold swords closing in on him.

However, his efforts to block were futile, as the gold swords soon pierced right in front of him.

"Not good!"

Ling Han Ye's face turned ashen.

Swish!

At that moment, a figure appeared in front of Ling Han Ye, it was Ling Tingfeng, who extended his palm, unleashing an immense surge of True Qi that instantly swept out, forming a solid True Qi wall that sealed the void.

Crash! Boom! Bam!

All the gold swords collided with the True Qi wall, one after another exploding, yet amid the violent clashes, that True Qi wall remained steadfast, as if separating the void into two.

Seeing this, Ling Chen's eyes returned to normal, and simultaneously, all the gold swords vanished into thin air, restoring normality to the surrounding space.

He had planned to teach Ling Han Ye a lesson, to injure him heavily, forcing him to lie bedridden for months, yet with Ling Tingfeng intervening, he let it be. Perhaps Ling Tingfeng foresaw the imminent Heaven Sword Tournament and didn't want a talent like Ling Han Ye injured, wasting the family's combat power.

"Thank you, Family Head."

Cold sweat dripped from Ling Han Ye's forehead as he promptly bowed to Ling Tingfeng. Had Ling Tingfeng not intervened, under so many watchful eyes, Ling Chen would have shattered him completely, forcing him offstage in defeat.

"Withdraw."

Ling Tingfeng merely glanced at Ling Han Ye, saying no more.

"Yes."

Feeling immensely fortunate, Ling Han Ye promptly withdrew.

Ling Chen, indeed, was someone he couldn't afford to provoke. Perhaps only Ling Yuxuan could handle this brat.

Ling Han Ye was defeated.

In the chaotic courtyard, like an autumn wind sweeping through, kicking up stones and dead leaves, everyone stared in awe at the fading Golden Sword Domain, and after a while, admiration welled up in their eyes.

"This guy truly is remarkable."

The disciples exchanged glances, noticing a sincere admiration in each other's shock-filled eyes.

Ling Chen demonstrated his prowess to all, having ascended to become one of the top talents among the Ling family's young generation, possessing the ability to challenge the golden tower's pinnacle.

"Ling Han Ye was actually defeated!"

Ling Hai and Ling Feng both looked grim, Ling Han Ye's strength was considered second only to Ling Yuxuan in the Ling family, yet here he was defeated by Ling Chen.

Could it be that Ling Chen truly had developed strength comparable to Ling Yuxuan?

"Second Brother!"

Ling Feng glanced nervously at Ling Yuxuan, the threat of Ling Chen growing increasingly serious.

The crucial point is that he had already become Ling Chen's dead enemy, and now only Ling Yuxuan could hold Ling Chen down.

"Don't worry, at the Heaven Sword Tournament, I will personally defeat him."

Ling Yuxuan's gaze locked onto Ling Chen, the threat of Ling Chen's Golden Sword Domain not insignificant, yet still manageable. His Sky-breaking Sword Technique had recently been perfected to the eighth form.

The Sky-breaking Sword Technique, with each perfected move marking a huge breakthrough, enhances one's strength to a new level.

Let alone Ling Chen, even the likes of Peerless Sword and Liu Mengru, he possessed confidence for a match.

The higher the hope, the greater the disappointment.

He speculated that Ling Chen now assumed he had extraordinary strength, likely expecting to achieve an excellent ranking at the Heaven Sword Tournament, but soon he would shatter Ling Chen's dreams, revealing the prowess of the Ling family's top young generation.

"Let's go."

Ling Yuxuan withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.

Ling Hai and Ling Feng were reluctant, yet they understood that now was not the time to clash with Ling Chen, and with Ling Tingfeng present, he wouldn't allow Ling Chen and Ling Yuxuan to fight at this moment.

"Ling Chen, well done."

Only then did Ling Tingfeng look at Ling Chen, showing a highly satisfied expression, as if none of Ling Chen's actions since joining the Ling family had ever disappointed him.

"Can't waste an opportunity gained through much hardship."

Ling Chen merely chuckled. In truth, the risks involved in cultivating the Gold Sword Pupil were known only to him. If not for the Human Emperor's assistance, his fate might have mirrored those blinded geniuses before him, tragically.

"But don't get complacent, you should understand what kind of opponents you face."

Ling Tingfeng's expression turned serious, urging him.

"Opponents, huh..."

In Ling Chen's mind, various names emerged, Peerless Sword, Liu Mengru, each familiar. Yet Ling Chen's goal was only the top three, first and second didn't matter, as long as he defeated all other talents participating in the tournament.

The Nine Great Families, Heavenly Constructor, Sword Saint, Tang Sect, Punishment Saint, Imperial Clan, Scholar Saint, Divine Blade, Heavenly Wolf, Blue Dragon… aside from the Imperial Clan, the Heavenly Constructor, and Sword Saint families, there were six other great families, with talents no less inferior to the Ling's.

"Heaven Sword Tournament, Peerless Sword, Liu Mengru, Sima Xiaoyao, I wish to see how overbearing you truly are."

Ling Chen slowly formed a faint smile, cold as a blade's edge, eagerly anticipating that day's arrival.

Aiming for the top three was akin to snatching food from the jaws of a tiger.

Yet Ling Tingfeng, Ling Lie, and other high-ranking members of the Ling family were unaware of Ling Chen's top-three aspiration. In their view, reaching the top ten would suffice, the top three not even worth wishing for.

"Ling Yu, with the Heaven Sword Tournament about to begin, rest well these days, and in three days, join the family team heading to Divine Capital to participate in the tournament."

Ling Tingfeng regarded Ling Chen and spoke calmly.

"Yes."

Ling Chen nodded, considering the journey from Xuzhou to Divine Capital spans hundreds of thousands of miles, requiring a substantial duration just for travel.

Calculating, only half a month remains before the Heaven Sword Tournament, besides such a grand event necessitates pre-registration, compiling lists, so departing in three days isn't too soon.

In the remaining days, he planned to further consolidate the Gold Sword Pupil, striving to master it more thoroughly. If he could advance the Gold Sword Pupil to the Third Layer, it would be optimal, granting him greater confidence at the tournament.