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At this stage, warriors absorb and refine their innate essence energy within their bodies, transforming it into Aura. They can then utilize this Aura to enhance their strength, speed, and offensive power. However, these transformations are not visible externally; one can only gauge the depth of an individual's Aura cultivation through actual combat.

When a warrior's Aura cultivation has reached a profound level, they attempt to compress it, thereby increasing its potency. Upon reaching a critical point, the Aura establishes a sort of connection with external energy, manifesting as a luminous phenomenon outside the body.

Initially, the Aura's glow resembles stars, shimmering as countless twinkling dots. This is known as "Stellar Aura," and those who possess it, without a need for further proof, are recognized as Sword Masters, capable of becoming regional powerhouses.

As the Stellar Aura gradually condenses and eventually merges into a cohesive whole, resembling faint flames burning, it is referred to as "Moon Flame Aura." The bearer of Moon Flame Aura is titled a Sword Grandmaster, qualified to establish their own sect and have their name resonate throughout the world.

Ultimately, when the Aura ascends to a brilliance akin to that of the sun, it is called "Blazing Solar Aura." The possessor of such an Aura is known as a Sword Emperor, capable of reigning supreme and being invincible in their path.

Originally, the orc's rank system ended there. When humans first learned Battle Aura from the orcs, they adopted this same standard. However, there was a significant difference in constitution between orcs and humans. Their innate Primordial Energy both in quantity and quality far exceeded that of humans. Thus, an orc Sword Emperor could basically kill four or five human Sword Emperors at the same level.

Not until the dawn of human civilization did the prodigious genius, Reinster, emerge, revolutionizing the concept of combat and transcending the boundaries of the Sword Emperor realm. With nothing but his sword in hand, he successively vanquished seven Beastman Sword Emperors, thereby introducing a new, elevated rank among humans: the Sword Saint, surpassing even the Sword Emperor level.

Chapter 8: Frostbound Electric Dance of Purple Starlight

In front of the human encampment, over seventy mercenaries brimming with combative spirit were engaged in a fierce melee with a dozen young werewolves whose ferocity had been roused. A massive white wolf-like beast was dashing through the fray, causing continuous casualties among the humans. And at the heart of the encampment, the real battle that would determine the outcome was just beginning.

"Infamous beast, prepare to meet your end!"

Witnessing his beloved Saint maiden fall to the ground and spit blood, Sword Master Lanster's rage ignited his eyes, prompting him to whirl around and draw his sword before charging at me. His silver crossblade, adorned with magical runes, shimmered with a faint blue astral glow. The infusion of battle aura into the longsword lent the young Sword Master the appearance of wielding a celestial river as he slashed at the Werewolf.

"Bright Thrust of a Thousand Streams!" Lanster roared magnificently, naming his technique as his long sword, in the act of slashing down, suddenly transformed into a weave of shimmering light and shadow. It resembled a myriad of spiritual springs cascading down or a azure bird spreading its wings, enveloping the werewolf within a magnificent vortex of sword energy, intent on shredding the despised beast into fragments.

"Divine Dragon's Nine Manifestations —— Ghosts Tremble with Fear." My dual claws, honed through countless trials, are no match for any divine weapon. In an instant, they each create nine afterimages, grasping, slapping, flicking, blocking, lifting, and slashing. I memorize these techniques, nullifying my opponent's fatal moves. This move was inspired during my battle with the icy Beamon and represents an advanced application of the Nine Yin White Bone Claw. It is a martial art that can only be comprehended and executed with the Nine Yin True Qi and the proper mental discipline.

In the blink of an eye, I have assessed my opponent's strength. His cultivation has just ascended to the Starry Qi, and his foundation is unstable, likely due to the assistance of others. His swordsmanship is decent, though it cannot compare to the Nine Yin's ultimate techniques, it is far more exquisite than the martial arts of the orcish tribes. However, his excessive pursuit of elegance and beauty has led to many unnecessary movements. In a head-on full-force combat, even if he is wearing a magical armor, I can defeat him within ten moves. With the addition of his four attendants, victory is assured within twenty moves.

The sole issue lay with the elderly man beside him. Initially, I believed that the Sword Master was the sole expert within the human camp. However, ever since I rushed in, my werewolf instincts kept warning me incessantly that this old man posed a grave danger – an immense one.

Trusting my intuition, I abandoned the plan to deal with the Sword Master first and activated the Yellow Springs Phantom, splitting into ethereal shadows that slipped through the web of his sword strikes, hurtling towards the four attendants behind him. The first two, catching sight of their opponent's sudden disappearance from the Wolfman's master's assault and immediate reappearance before them, reacted instinctively without fully comprehending the situation. Their swords flashed forward in unison, aimed straight at each other's chests.

Despite the four attendants being at the Golden Warrior level, without power exceeding that of Starry Aura, they couldn't harm my twelfth-layered Golden Bell Shield in the slightest. Besides, the original vulnerable spot at my navel had long vanished after I mastered the shield. Thus, I ignored the incoming swords and pushed through their defenses with both palms, slapping their pure steel breastplates. The gentle yet destructive force of Nine Yin Shattering Heart Palm pierced through their armor, rupturing their internal organs and making them spit out blood as they fell to the ground. The remaining two attendants were horrified and hastily swung their swords to block, but I effortlessly snapped their weapons with bare hands and struck them with the same Shattering Heart Palm, rendering them unconscious.

In a blink, the four Golden Warriors were knocked to the ground, their fates uncertain. The former Captain Hake, who had been waiting for an opportunity to strike while I was surrounded, could no longer contain himself. Roaring, he drew his massive, antiquated two-handed sword from his back, his body erupting with a thick purple Astral Aura. Alongside the young Sword Master Lanster, they launched a pincer attack on their adversary.

"So you're a supreme Sword Master, impressive, well-concealed indeed. Fortunately, you're still one step away from reaching the realm of a Sword Grandmaster. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to escape today."

Not only was I astonished by the old man's strength, but the half-elf girl who lost her elven bow, the fallen mage and priest, the young Sword Master engaged in battle, and even the young mercenary who had been following the old leader for a long time, none of them had anticipated that this old man, renowned for his cunning, was concealing such formidable combat prowess. No wonder he dared to lead the team to stay behind and cover the retreat; it turns out he possessed the strength to protect himself.

The swordsmanship of the two veteran Sword Masters, old and young, interweaves with the starlight, forming a net that completely envelops the space within a radius of two zhang. If I were to immediately unleash the Yellow Springs Phantom, naturally, I could escape, but once the two Sword Masters join forces, it would be impossible to resolve them without hundreds of moves. Not to mention the possible variables in the battlefront at the camp, just the half-elf archer mage, once he finds his bow and arrows again, poses a tremendous threat. Therefore, I must make a swift and decisive battle now.