At the Outer Sect of Supreme Sect, in front of the South City Gate.
“Sword Venerable Fudao, if you do not show yourself within 30 minutes, I shall engrave two more characters on the Heavenly Repair Platform!”
The voice of Han Ming rose, resounding loud as the distant thunder, echoing between heaven and earth, lingering for a long time.
His words sparked a flurry of discussions among the cultivators. Although the disciples of Supreme Sect frowned, they dared not insult him, for he had first shown courtesy before resorting to arms.
After a month of eager anticipation for the appearance of Sword Venerable Fudao, even the disciples of Supreme Sect felt some disappointment that he had not come.
Zuo Lin on the city walls breathed a sigh of relief; in truth, he felt that Han Ming was no match for Sword Venerable Fudao, but after spending a month together, he truly did not wish for Han Ming to come to harm.
Zuo Yijian looked towards the distance, his intuition telling him that Sword Venerable Fudao would certainly come.
The noise within the city grew louder and louder.
On the magic artifact gourd, Jiang Qiong whispered, “Could Sword Venerable Fudao really be the Sect Leader?”
“It’s possible. Though Han Ming is not much stronger than Chu Xian, if Sword Venerable Fudao wants to defeat him, he must reveal his true form, which is why he dares not appear,” Hu Mo pondered deeply.
“If Sword Venerable Fudao is indeed the Sect Leader, that would be interesting. It would be seen as a play directed and acted by himself…”
His expression was mocking, his tone filled with disdain.
A faint light glowed from the gourd underneath them, a force of restriction isolating them from the surrounding space.
Jiang Qiong was about to say more when suddenly, an intense Sword Intent burst forth from the South City Gate, followed by an overwhelming oppressive force approaching from the south.
She looked up sharply, as did Hu Mo beside her.
In front of the South City Gate.
Han Ming picked up the Sword Box and stepped forward a hundred yards; he planted the Sword Box into the ground, and as the base sank into the earth, the Sword Box opened and two treasured swords sprung out to the sides.
His right hand resting on the lid of the Sword Box, he burst forth with a vast Sword Intent, startling all the onlookers.
Before the majority could follow his movement with their eyes, a Sword Qi charged from the ends of the earth, overwhelming forests in its path, unstoppable.
In the blink of an eye, this Sword Qi collided with Han Ming’s vast Sword Intent.
Han Ming’s Sword Qi formed a blue light barrier reaching nearly two hundred yards high, a spectacular sight. When struck by the mysterious Sword Qi, his blue Sword Qi ripped apart, as if crushed instantly.
His eyes widened, he looked up, his pupils reflecting a cascade of leaves.
Boom—
The leaves swept over over the top of his head with force, causing his hair to flutter, and he staggered backward two steps.
All the cultivators on the city wall changed their expressions dramatically, Zuo Yijian instinctively raised his arm to protect his son, barely making out what was hidden in that Sword Qi.
Another loud boom shook the city wall violently, but it did not crumble.
As the violent Sword Qi dispersed like a gust of wind, leaves appeared embedded in the wall, with spider-web cracks spreading around them.
Han Ming regained his composure and stepped forward again, drawing two treasured swords from the Sword Box, and looking into the distance.
Leaves swept by, and a fierce wind roared in from the end of the heavens and earth, threatening to uproot everything along its path.
Han Ming stood firm, his robe stretching back, highlighting his strong physique.
He stared tensely at the horizon, as if facing a formidable enemy, while all the surrounding cultivators and those within the Supreme Sect watched with bated breath.
Sword Venerable Fudao had arrived!
…
“Wow! Master, you are so amazing, what Swordsmanship is this? I want to learn!”
After a brief stupor, An Hao burst into excitement, jumping around.
Gu An took the leaf from An Xin’s hand, startling An Xin into looking up at him as well.
“I used the Swordsmanship I taught you earlier. Once you master it, you can do it like me. But true Sword Path Great Achievement is about returning to simplicity; without such great ostentations, you can have an unstoppable force,” Gu An whispered, then flung the leaf from An Xin’s hand.
An Hao and An Xin’s gazes followed the leaf as it gently drifted ten steps away before suddenly accelerating, flashing by like a bolt of lightning.
This time, the leaf did not create the deafening commotion from before; it seemed ordinary, only moving very fast.
An Hao chuckled, “I like it when it’s loud and scary!”
Gu An placed his hands on their shoulders, taking them as they vanished into thin air on the spot.
More than fifteen thousand li away, in front of the Supreme Sect’s Outer Sect South City Gate.
Han Ming held two swords, ready for battle.
All was silent in heaven and earth!
Everyone awaited Sword Venerable Fudao’s next move!
Suddenly!
Han Ming’s pupils shrunk dramatically, and he immediately released the swords in his hands, beginning to cast a spell. The remaining sword in the Sword Box unsheathed itself, and the three swords circled around him. Following his pointed right hand, the tips of the three treasured swords rose up and surged forward.
The three swords intertwined and spun, a terrible Sword Qi erupted, transforming into three sword Qi dragons speeding ahead, lifting every large tree in their path, throwing dust into the air and trembling the mountains and earth, with cultivators in the sky being flung away. The scene was incredibly spectacular.
A cold light streaked across the distance, it was a leaf wrapped in swirling Sword Qi.
It’s here!
Han Ming intently watched the leaf in the distance; this leaf did not have the oppressive force of the previous one, but his intuition told him it was even more dangerous!
The leaf suddenly accelerated!
Transforming into a streak of cold light, it powerfully scattered Han Ming’s Sword Qi, the three treasured swords were deflected instantly, and before they came to a stop, the leaf had already reached Han Ming.
So fast!
Damn it!
Han Ming was shocked, instinctively thrusting his palm forward, his robe bursting into a golden light, surprisingly condensing into a golden bell shadow.
Boom!
The leaf shattered the golden bell shadow and pierced into Han Ming’s right shoulder, its tremendous force making it impossible for him to resist, his body being dragged backwards as the ground beneath him cracked.
Han Ming was sent crashing along the way, smashing into the city wall, causing the wall behind him to crack open, but the city wall did not collapse.
The reason for its integrity was not due to the wall being overly sturdy, but rather the result of Gu An’s deliberate control.
Han Ming was hung on the city wall, vomiting fresh blood, his head drooping as if he were dead.
“Master…”
Zuo Lin lay on the shaking city wall, calling out anxiously.
Who knows how many cultivators gasped in shock—could it be that the Mad Swordsman of Great Yu was defeated by Sword Venerable Fudao with just two leaves?
What was the magnitude of this gap?
“The Flying Leaf Sword Immortal! Sword Venerable Fudao is the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal!” an Outer Disciple from the Supreme Sect exclaimed excitedly.
There was no need for clarification, all the spectators had come to this conclusion on their own.
On the gourd magic artifact, Hu Mo opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing at all.
Ye Lan, gazing towards the sky where remnants of sword qi lingered, had eyes filled with envy.
Just what realm must one cultivate to in order to possess such almost ghostly god-like power?
Shen Zhen skimmed over the city wall, landing on the ground. She quickly took out paper and ink, beginning to sketch the scene of Han Ming hanging on the city wall.
…
Under the blue sky, amidst the mountains and fields, a small town sat beside a large lake.
“If anyone asks you, don’t mention me. Just say you are children from this town,” Gu An transmitted his voice, then An Hao and An Xin landed behind him. They subconsciously looked back, but Gu An’s figure was already nowhere to be seen.
At this moment, they were in an alley with earthen walls covered in moss on both sides.
As An Xin was about to speak, An Hao covered her mouth and then said, “Little sister, let’s go catch some frogs.”
He gave An Xin a meaningful glance, waiting for her nod before releasing his hand.
Afterward, the two of them walked out of the alley, drawn by the bustling streets, their faces involuntarily beaming with smiles.
After all, they were still children.
Elsewhere.
Gu An, who had taken off his mask and donned a green Daoist robe, stepped into an inn.
Taking the rare opportunity to be out, he also planned to enjoy the mortal world’s scenery.
He arrived on the second floor of the inn and sat at a table by the window, ordering the establishment’s signature dishes and alcohol, then turned his gaze to the street outside the window.
Along both sides of the street were various peddlers shouting their wares and some travelers from the jianghu passing by. Gu An even felt the presence of cultivators, though they were not many.
The patrons inside the inn were discussing feuds and stories of martial heroes of the jianghu, making Gu An feel as if he had crossed through time once again.
Before the food and drink were served, Gu An sensed a powerful divine sense sweeping past the town.
As expected, someone had followed!
The divine sense was fleeting and did not reappear afterward.
Gu An was not in a hurry; he was prepared to fully relax that day.
After the food and wine were served, he began to drink alone, admiring the ancient streets bustling with people coming and going below the window.
Sunset gave way to moonrise.
As night fell, the town remained lively. Red lanterns were hung up from all the buildings, and small rivers meandered through the town, casting a ghostly glow.
Gu An walked onto a stone bridge, his eyebrows slightly raised.
He could sense a strand of demon energy infiltrating the town.
It was not too strong, about equivalent to a second-order demon creature, comparable to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Since Gu An had already planned to return to the Supreme Sect the next morning to enjoy the praise for his victory, he was not in a hurry and wanted to see what the demon creature was up to.
The town seemingly had no cultivators on the surface, yet the second-order demon creature was so cautious—could there be a special reason for this?
Gu An slowly walked towards the source of the demon energy.
As he passed by a courtyard, a voice called out to him.
“Junior Brother Gu!”
This voice was old, laced with surprise, doubt, and other emotions.
Gu An turned his head and saw an elder in a courtyard looking at him.
The elder had white hair and a hunched back and appeared to be in his seventies or eighties.
Gu An frowned, then hesitantly asked, “Senior Brother Zhang?”
Zhang Chunqiu!
It had been so long that Gu An had almost forgotten Zhang Chunqiu’s aura, and Zhang Chunqiu’s appearance and stature had changed significantly.
The elder hurried out, excitedly saying, “It is you! Just now, I felt that the person on the bridge looked like you when I was upstairs, but I didn’t expect it to really be you. Junior Brother Gu, how did you come here? Did you become an Outer Disciple and come out on a mission?”
Gu An nodded and replied, “Something like that. Senior Brother, what brings you here?”
This was too much of a coincidence, wasn’t it?
Zhang Chunqiu laughed and said, “This town is the richest near the Supreme Sect, and I plan to retire here.”
That explained it.
Gu An had chosen this town because it was bustling with people and therefore safer.
Zhang Chunqiu grabbed Gu An’s wrist and said with a smile, “Come inside and talk. You’re not in a rush, are you?”
“Not at all, not at all,” Gu An responded. He could feel that there was no one else in the courtyard, and he really wanted to ask where the little Lotus was.
He had once eavesdropped on Zhang Chunqiu talking to himself and knew that Zhang Chunqiu had descended the mountain for the sake of a girl named Lotus.