My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

An Jing nodded and said no more.

A single Great Grandmaster was already an obstacle too challenging for all the people in the world, let alone immortality.

The two of them climbed one step at a time and, after about an hour, they finally reached the summit of Xuanqing Mountain, Black Bull Ridge.

When they arrived at the summit, there were tourists everywhere, sightseeing and enjoying themselves. Besides them, there were also some Daoists casting divinations.

Lou Xiangzhen pointed to an open piece of land in the distance and said, “It is said that our Mystical Sect’s ancestor had a black bull which had awakened its third eye. Whenever it entered the water, there would be wind and rain, its light as bright as the sun and moon, its voice like thunder. It was kept here, hence the name Black Bull Ridge.”

An Jing nodded and said, “That black bull must have been an exotic beast.”

There are many exotic beasts in the world that have lived for a thousand years, their strength unfathomable, perhaps living concealed in unknown corners just like the Thousand-year-old Black Python.

Lou Xiangzhen walked ahead and said, “The ancient records of our Mystical Sect mention that this black bull understood human nature and possessed boundless strength, making even Grandmasters unable to resist it.”

Talking as they walked, they soon arrived at a dilapidated great hall.

Above the hall was a restored plaque that read ‘Thousand Mechanism Palace.’

At that moment, a middle-aged Daoist in a Daoist robe was sitting in front of the great hall, shrunk into himself, with bundles of Sandalwood incense and a talisman tube in front of him, now filled with bamboo slips.

Curious about the black bull, An Jing asked, “What happened to that exotic beast afterward?”

“That black bull…”

Lou Xiangzhen paused for a moment, then said, “When the Mystical Sect’s ancestor left Xuanqing Mountain, he took the black bull with him. Some say the bull died along with the ancestor, while others say the bull became an immortal along with him. The specific details are unknown.”

“Come, let’s draw a divination.”

Having said that, Lou Xiangzhen approached the middle-aged Daoist.

The middle-aged Daoist glanced at Lou Xiangzhen and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Divining one’s future costs one hundred copper coins, divining marriage fifty copper coins, divining…”

Lou Xiangzhen took out a silver and, pointing to An Jing beside him, said, “This is a silver, to divine his future.”

The middle-aged Daoist’s eyes lit up with joy at the sight of the silver, saying, “Sure, I can divine for anybody. I am the best Daoist in divination within dozens of miles.”

Those scions and young ladies of noble families who came to have their fortunes told didn’t spend money as generously as this senior fellow. It was only those who wandered the Jianghu who spent so freely.

In their eyes, it was not a piece of silver; it was just a silver-colored stone.

An Jing chuckled inwardly, ‘Do you know who you’re sitting next to? That’s the Sect Leader of the Ghost Valley Sect. Do you dare say your divinations are accurate in front of him?’

After sizing up An Jing, the middle-aged Daoist said, “Please draw a slip, sir.”

An Jing shook the talisman tube, and a bamboo slip fell out, with the character ‘Auspicious’ written on it.

“A good slip!”

The middle-aged Daoist saw the bamboo slip in An Jing’s hand, raising his eyebrows slightly, “What you have drawn is a very auspicious slip.”

“A very auspicious slip!?”

An Jing asked with curiosity.

“Disaster departs and prosperity arrives within an inch; briefly battling with gentlemen apart from the mountain. Should you meet the tiger or rabbit bearing good news, in the midst of busy endeavors, matters will become idle.”

After reciting with some flourish, the middle-aged Daoist said, “This divination bodes trouble turning into blessing. For all matters, there may be misfortune before good fortune. Even if you, sir, are presently mired in some disaster, it’s merely a minor test for you. Once this test is over, it will be time for blessings to arrive.”

After hearing this, An Jing laughed lightly and looked at Lou Xiangzhen, “Would you like to try drawing a slip, senior?”

Lou Xiangzhen glanced at the bamboo tube and shook his head, “No need, there is no slip for me in that tube.”

An Jing’s smile slightly withdrew upon hearing this.

“This old gentleman really knows how to joke.”

The middle-aged Taoist tapped his finger on the couplet hanging in front of the dilapidated great hall and said, “I come from the Mystical Sect, and this bamboo tube of mine contains the universe, predicting everything in the world, and every person in it. How could it possibly not have the divination you seek?”

Lou Xiangzhen did not speak, but instead walked directly into the great hall.

The middle-aged Taoist looked at An Jing and continued, “Would you like me to divine your romantic destiny as well? I can give you a 20% discount. Observing your imposing Qi, your romantic destiny must surely be greatly auspicious…”

“No need.”

An Jing followed Lou Xiangzhen, heading toward the great hall.

The middle-aged Taoist was somewhat disappointed to see this, but then he thought of the silver coins he had just received and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Just then, a Taoist priest in his twenties hurried over and asked, “Old Luo, how’s it going today?”

“So-so, I guess.”

The middle-aged Taoist answered proudly.

The two clearly knew each other well. Seeing the middle-aged Taoist’s expression, the young Taoist priest knew he must have gained quite a lot, and said somewhat enviously, “It really is easier being a swindler, what’s the point of me studying this divination skill.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged Taoist’s face showed displeasure. “Hey, you can’t just blabber anything, I rely on my own abilities, how can you call me a swindler?”

The young Taoist glanced at the talisman tube, “Old Luo, everyone on the mountain already knows the tricks you play, why keep up the act?”

With that, he picked up the talisman tube and turned it upside down in his hand.

“Clatter clatter!” “Clatter clatter!”

Countless bamboo slips fell into his hands, and without exception, all of them were supreme fortunes.

“You little rascal!”

The middle-aged Taoist, seeing this, his face changed, quickly snatched the bamboo slips and the tube then stuffed them back in, not forgetting to glance around him. He finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around.

…..

Inside the great hall.

Sandalwood smoke rose gently, the white vapor drifting throughout the hall.

The decorations around were quite ordinary. In the center of the hall, there were no statues, only a desk on which a candlestick and an incense burner were placed.

Behind the desk was a stone disc made of rock, enormous in size and seemingly untouched by any carving or polishing, bearing only the marks left by the passing of time.

An Jing saw this and a hint of confusion surfaced in his eyes. The great hall worshipped a stone disc instead of a deity?

Lou Xiangzhen, looking at the stone disc, said, “This is the Thousand Mechanism Stone, said to be the Mystical Sect ancestors’ place of enlightenment. Later, the Mystical Sect ancestor brought it here and placed it in the great hall for the disciples of the Mystical Sect to worship. Mystical Sect disciples all come here to observe the Thousand Mechanism Stone, hoping to comprehend its mysteries, but so far, no one has managed to gain enlightenment or opportunity from it.”

This Thousand Mechanism Stone was one of the reasons Lou Xiangzhen had brought An Jing to the great hall today.

An Jing glanced at the Thousand Mechanism Stone and asked puzzledly, “Has no one been tempted by this Thousand Mechanism Stone?”

Lou Xiangzhen chuckled, “This stone is incredibly heavy, rumored to be connected to the earth veins. Unless you move Xuanqing Mountain, the stone will not budge an inch. Observe this stone and see if you are the fated one. If so, you might gain the Mystical Sect ancestor’s creation and chance.”

As he spoke, Lou Xiangzhen picked up three sticks of incense from the table, lit them from the candle on the candlestick, bowed to the stone disc above, and then placed the incense in the burner before gradually walking out of the hall.

It had been seventeen years—seventeen years since he had last stepped into Xuanqing Mountain.

“How many sets of seventeen years does one have in a lifetime?”

Standing outside the great hall, Lou Xiangzhen gazed into the vastness beyond, touching the longsword in his hand subconsciously.

In truth, he knew why Xiao Qianqiu often came to Xuanqing Mountain.

When Lou Xiangzhen’s master was still alive, every few years he would bring him and Jiang Sanjia to this Xuanqing Mountain.

It wasn’t to worship or miss someone, but it seemed to become a habit, a tradition ingrained deep within.

Back then, Lou Xiangzhen didn’t understand why his master came so often, but now he did.

Coming here, facing this vast expanse, felt like finding a root, finding a place of solace, all while constantly reminding himself.

“In whose hands does the great momentum lie?”

Lou Xiangzhen looked at the distant mist, and murmured to himself.

“Xiao Qianqiu, you should be descending the mountain soon.”

With that thought, he took a deep breath and walked towards the distance, as if he were searching for every plant and tree here, wondering if they were just as they had been years ago.

…….

Inside the great hall.

An Jing sat cross-legged on the cushion, his eyes fixed on the Thousand Mechanism Stone in front of him.

Beyond the marks of time etched into the stone, there was nothing extraordinary about it, and despite staring until his eyes blurred at the rough and disorderly patterns, he still couldn’t sense any fluctuation.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn down, An Jing had no findings.

“A person of destiny?”

An Jing’s thoughts fell upon the Earth Book, yet there was not the slightest abnormality.

In the past, every time he encountered an opportunity, the Earth Book would emanate various glows, but today there was none.

“It seems I am not the person of destiny.”

An Jing shook his head, then prepared to get up.

At that moment, a scorching heat suddenly burst forth from his chest.

“Hm?”

An Jing reached into his chest, then took out the Heavenly Flipping Seal.

At this time, the Heavenly Flipping Seal underneath was flickering with a faint red light, shining brilliantly.

“What’s going on?”

An Jing toyed with the Heavenly Flipping Seal in hand, unaware of the relationship between this seal and the Mystical Sect’s Thousand Mechanism Stone Plate.

The next moment, the Qi Mechanism inside his body seemed to be drawn forth as if compelled.

Brahma Heart Sees Me!

The Buddhist Heavenly Martial Level Body Refining Martial Arts began to operate automatically, covering his body with a layer of golden light.

Just like the Daluo Heart Method, the Ghost Valley Heart Method also started to circulate, and the Qi Mechanism began to stir and intertwine.

Just then, that red light imprinted itself into An Jing’s mind, and immediately, a feeling of swelling pervaded his entire body.

It was as if it was about to burst his body open.

“Prompt, a purple opportunity is near the host.”

Suddenly, a purple radiance emerged from within the Earth Book.

“Whoosh!”

The Thousand Mechanism Stone Plate, as if being drawn, released a white radiance, breaking through the Great Hall and reaching straight above the clouds.

“What… What is going on?”

“What was that white flash just now?”

“I don’t know, this place is the Ancestor Court of the Mystical Sect, perhaps only people of the Mystical Sect would know what this anomaly is.”

……

People within tens of miles of Xuanqing Mountain all saw a beam of white light soaring into the sky, dispersing the clouds above.

However, the white light was fleeting, and the next moment it retracted as if nothing had happened, with only the torn clouds scattering in the air, indicating that something unusual had indeed occurred.

“Hm!?”

Lou Xiangzhen, standing on the summit, also saw this phenomenon, his heart quivering slightly as he looked in the direction of the Great Hall, “Is it him!?”

The direction where the white light had emanated was precisely that of the Great Hall.

Lou Xiangzhen, gazing at the white light, furrowed his brows and muttered to himself, “A person of great destiny, indeed a person of great destiny, Jiang Sanjia wasn’t wrong…”

Inside the Great Hall.

An Jing was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes tightly closed.

At this moment, it was as if he saw three glows in his mind, one black, one gold, and one white.

The three glows shined in harmony with each other, intertwining but without any interference.

The intermingled black and white glows gradually faded, growing dimmer and dimmer, until they disappeared completely, leaving only a golden light behind.

The next moment, that golden light began to spread, filling his mind so that everything he saw and thought turned into golden light.

The golden light poured down, showering his body within.

Like a warm sunbeam in the cold winter, An Jing couldn’t help but let out a groan.

His mind went blank, as if he had lost all consciousness.

“What’s going on…”

After an unknown amount of time, An Jing slowly opened his eyes, clearly feeling that his body’s strength had increased by more than fifty percent.

Considering he had refined Golden Bone, even the flesh and blood strength of a Half-step Master was not as strong as his, but now it had increased by more than fifty percent.

Thinking this, An Jing’s thoughts quickly focused on the Earth Book.

Cultivation: First Grade

Life Fate: Favorable Star Shining (on the rise)

Root Bone: Once in a hundred years

Martial Arts: Sword Drawing Skill, Hidden Sword Skill, Sword Control Technique, Nine-character Sword Technique, Soaring Nine Heavens Body Technique, Daluo Heart Method, Concealing Qi Technique, Hundred-step Flying Sword (Eighth Layer), Nine Yang Divine Finger (Eighth Layer), Brahma Heart Sees Me (Fifth Layer), Great Sun Tathagata Mantra (Not Activated)

Prompt One: The host’s Life Fate has not yet taken root (remaining four months), and martial arts must not be displayed in such a way that others discover the host’s identity, otherwise, a black opportunity will be received.

…….

Beside Brahma Heart Sees Me, there was another martial art, but it showed as not activated.

“The Buddhist ultimate martial arts!?”

At the sight of this, An Jing’s heart trembled, and his eyebrows locked in tight concern.

There are three martial arts in the world that surpass the Heavenly Martial level, including the Demon Sect’s Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture, Mystical Sect’s Jade Emperor Scripture, and Buddhist’s Great Sun Tathagata Zen Scripture.

The Earth Book began showing a purple opportunity, which by logic, should correspond to the three great secret techniques.

So, the Great Sun Tathagata Mantra I received in my mind today should be Buddhist’s ultimate martial arts, but why is the name different?

Moreover, this Great Sun Tathagata Mantra shows as not activated.

Isn’t the Thousand Mechanism Stone Plate a relic of the Mystical Sect forefathers? Why would I comprehend the Buddhist’s Great Sun Tathagata Mantra from it?

At this moment, An Jing’s heart was filled with confusion and a series of questions.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

Just then, a crisp squeaking sound entered An Jing’s ears.

Following the sound, he saw a black rat crawling in from outside the door, its tiny eyes coldly staring at him, as if looking at delicious food.

Outside the hall, a strong Qi Mechanism suddenly surged.

“This rat is strange!”

An Jing raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger towards the black-haired rat in front of him.

“Stop!”

“Bang!”

There was only a loud noise, and the palm-sized black-haired rat burst into a mist of blood, splattering inside the great hall.

…….

I am a Spirit-Seeking Rat.

Life these past few days has been incredibly busy; I have to help my pet search for the traces of that human daily.

This search is the most exhausting one I’ve ever undertaken in my life.

That human is too mysterious, his Qi Mechanism is too difficult to locate, and many times I’ve lost the human’s track, thankfully I am quite sensitive to Qi Sensing.

However, my pet feeds me a Water Spirit Fruit every day; otherwise, why would I do things for him?

Today, I felt I was very close to that person, laying on the flat road, I kept spinning in excitement.

“Squeak!” “Squeak!”

I proudly called out to my pet, and sure enough, he very readily produced two Water Spirit Fruits.

Delicious!

I wolfed down the two Water Spirit Fruits and then ‘whooshed’ off rapidly towards the distance, knowing that if I found the person, I would get more Water Spirit Fruits from my pet’s hands.

This time, I went all out, fearing any slip-ups.

Following that faint trace of Qi Sensing, I arrived at the foot of a mountain with a seemingly endless flight of stone steps leading up. I knew that person was above.

For the Water Spirit Fruit, I struggled on.

With this thought, I vigorously climbed the stone steps.

Just then, a white light suddenly appeared in the sky, cutting through the sky like a long arrow, scattering the clouds.

My pet and his friends all had solemn faces, watching the white light in the sky.

Some of them even paused to kneel and sit down, chanting unintelligibly as they faced the light.

But I continued to push forward, crawling towards the front. The stone steps were too long, I only knew that as long as I found the human, I would be able to get Water Spirit Fruits, and, finally, I exhausted all my strength and climbed to the summit.

This time, I picked up the human’s Qi Sensing again, right within the great hall ahead, I let out another excited squeal.

“He should be in the great hall ahead!”

My pet also shouted excitedly.

To demonstrate my remarkable abilities, I immediately turned into a black whirlwind and rushed into the great hall.

The next moment, all I saw was a burst of golden light, which was very warm, and there seemed to be a person inside the golden light.

It’s him!

The sense of Qi that emitted from his body made me certain that he was the person my pet had instructed me to find.

Thinking of this, I became even more excited; the person in front of me was worth ten Water Spirit Fruits.

Just as I was overwhelmed with joy, the man looked over and pointed at me without the slightest hesitation.

Thump!

An energy attack shot out from the tip of his finger at an incredibly fast speed.

All of my fur stood on end, and my four little legs seemed to forget how to move.

“Stop!”

That was the voice of my pet, distressed and in a panic—this was my last conscious thought.

…..

Inside the great hall, blood covered everything.

Master Moyun looked at the blood on the ground, and a nameless rage surged within him.

The Spirit-Seeking Mouse was dead.

Such a rare and precious Exotic Beast was dead, and killed by that man with a casual flick of his finger, catching him completely off-guard.

He had had the Spirit-Seeking Mouse for decades, and the man and the mouse had developed a deep ‘affection’ for each other. More importantly, the mouse had brought him significant benefits.

On normal days, he treated the Spirit-Seeking Mouse with the utmost care, as attentively as if it were his own parent. But now it was dead, and how could he not be furious?

An Jing frowned at the dwarf-sized man standing at the doorway, “Were you following me?”

Master Moyun forcefully suppressed the rage in his heart and said in a deep voice, “Do you know what you’ve just killed? That was an extremely rare Spirit-Seeking Mouse in this world.”

Spirit-Seeking Mouse!?

An Jing looked at the blood on the ground with some surprise. He had read about such an Exotic Beast in books, but he never thought the ugly black-furred mouse was actually a Spirit-Seeking Mouse.

Naturally, An Jing was also very clear about the uses of a Spirit-Seeking Mouse.

An Jing narrowed his eyes to slits and said, “So you really were following me. Who exactly are you?”

“You killed my mouse, and I will have you pay for it with your life.”

Master Moyun shouted angrily, “No, one life is not enough to compensate, I will claim the lives of your entire family.”

With those words, Master Moyun turned into a black light and charged at An Jing.

How fast!

The realm of a Half-step Master?

An Jing was taken aback, not expecting the ugly dwarf of a man to possess the cultivation of a Half-step Master.

Master Moyun’s palm strike was fierce and tyrannical, bearing down with the force that could split gold and break stones.

An Jing also wanted to test his current physical strength, so he stepped forward to meet the incoming palm strike.

“Bang!”

At the instant the two palms made contact, a thunderous explosion erupted, and An Jing was forced to retreat continually until he finally came to a stop after retreating seven steps. Master Moyun, too, dragged a long trace on the ground with his foot as he stood firm.

“This Ghost Swordsman is indeed extraordinary.”

After receiving that palm strike, Master Moyun immediately calmed down.

The Qi mechanism exhibited by the Ghost Swordsman was merely at the Heavenly Flower Realm, yet he was able to clash head-on with him and not be at a disadvantage. Without great opportunities or methods, no one could have achieved this.

“Who’s outside?”

An Jing looked toward the door and muttered under his breath, sensing trouble.

A Qi mechanism from outside sealed off the area, appearing to be exceptionally strong.

Considering the dwarf was already at the Half-step Master cultivation level, who knew how many more experts were outside?

“Hmph!”

Master Moyun scoffed but did not speak.

“Thump!”

The next moment, a chilling cold light surged from outside the hall.

An Jing summoned his Inner Strength like a tide, protecting himself at the forefront.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

A horsetail whisk burst through, turning into countless silver glints that struck An Jing’s defensive Qi, then silently melded away.

Whoosh, whoosh!

At that moment, a middle-aged Daoist descended and caught the horsetail whisk in one motion.

“Zhenyi Sect?”

Seeing the Daoist who had suddenly joined the fray, An Jing’s eyebrows furrowed tightly.

“This poor Daoist is Yu Lin from the Zhenyi Sect.”

The old Daoist held the horsetail whisk in one hand and greeted with a fist and palm salute in the other.

There are seven Great Zhenyi Masters in the Heavenly Venerate Hall of the Zhenyi Sect, each of whom is a first-rate expert in Jianghu, renowned throughout, and typically serves as the righteous sword of the Zhenyi Sect.

As one of the seven, Great Master Yu Lin naturally had a record of impressive achievements and profound strength, definitely not inferior to Great Master Yu Huai. An Jing had already sensed from the previous move that his cultivation should also be at the Heavenly Flower Realm.

“Indeed, someone from the Zhenyi Sect.”

An Jing couldn’t help but laugh, though his mind was filled with concern: The Zhenyi Sect really did come after all, but there should be more than just these two experts here.

Great Master Yu Lin looked at the laughing An Jing, his eyebrows slightly raised, “Actually, our Zhenyi Sect does not wish to be your enemy. As long as you hand over the complete Daluo Heart Method, we will certainly not mistreat you.”

He had come down from the mountain this time solely for the Daluo Heart Method, showing no interest in the Ghost Swordsman.

“Is it from the Daluo Sect?”

Upon hearing this, Reverend Moyun beside them immediately understood the situation. No wonder the experts of the Zhenyi Sect went to such lengths to search for the whereabouts of the Ghost Swordsman – it turns out that the Ghost Swordsman was a descendant of the Daluo Sect.

“I don’t have the complete Daluo Heart Method.”

An Jing shook his head, “I only have an incomplete text.”

Upon hearing this, Great Master Yu Lin pondered for a while and said, “An incomplete text? It’s not impossible to hand it over.”

An Jing, with a sly grin, said, “If I hand over the mental method, what kind of benefit will you give me?”

In fact, An Jing was not that resistant to handing over the Daluo Heart Method, as long as the Zhenyi Sect offered enough benefits in return, such as exchanging it for the Beidou Seven Stars Technique.

“I’ll spare your life.”

Great Master Yu Lin spoke in a very calm tone; it wasn’t that he underestimated the Ghost Swordsman before him, in his mind, he was simply stating what he considered to be an obvious fact.

Having been the national religion of Great Yan for hundreds of years, the Zhenyi Sect had long been used to being domineering, and it seemed to be ingrained in their bones.

“Spare my life!?”

Upon hearing Great Master Yu Lin’s words, An Jing immediately burst into laughter.

Great Master Yu Lin said somberly, “What, is your life not worth much?”

An Jing, with his arms behind his back, stated indifferently, “I also want the Beidou Seven Stars Technique, so let’s do this – I’ll spare your life, and you can leave the technique behind.”

“How audacious!”

Great Master Yu Lin, upon hearing this, rebuked sharply, “Since you are obstinately misguided and unwilling to hand over the Daluo Heart Method, I can no longer be courteous.”

Finishing his words, he stamped his foot, and the horsetail whisk in his hand struck out towards An Jing.

The whisk was not a weapon; even when used as one, it was quite inadequate. With each strike from Great Master Yu Lin, numerous silver lights fell down like rain from countless master-level sword plays, obviously trying to suppress An Jing with inner strength.

Reverend Moyun, who had just exchanged a palm strike with An Jing, was well aware of the Ghost Swordsman’s prowess. His eyes shifted, yet he offered no advice to Great Master Yu Lin.

Swish! Swish!

The silk threads of the whisk were extremely tough, assailing like thousands of strands.

An Jing pretended to be outmatched, dodging left and right.

“The Ghost Swordsman is nothing more than this…”

Seeing this, Great Master Yu Lin’s eyebrows raised slightly. Although he still kept three parts guard in his heart, his attacks grew bolder.

Why don’t experts give their full strength right from the start when clashing? Firstly, because inner strength is limited, they need to probe each other, understanding the routines of the moves. Secondly, once they employ their full strength, it becomes difficult to withdraw or change their attacks; if their vital points are exposed, it can lead to a fatal outcome.

“Bang!”

An Jing dodged again and with a leap, he burst out of the Great Hall.

“Where do you think you’re going!?”

Seeing An Jing look to retreat and flee, Great Master Yu Lin quickly gave chase.

“Crash! Crash!”

The Great Hall suddenly had a hole torn through it, and both individuals rushed out in succession.

“What’s going on?”

“It seems like a fight is happening!”

“Get out of the way quickly!”

…..

Passersby who were visiting Xuanqing Mountain were startled by this scene; they recognized that the confrontation might involve Jianghu masters and hurriedly ran towards the distance.

“Oh, my Lord.”

The Taoist with the surname Luo who was divining with talismans at the entrance of the Great Hall exclaimed in surprise, “Is that person from the Zhenyi Sect?”

“Who cares who he is, let’s just run.”

The young Taoist beside him was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he fled chaotically into the distance while holding onto his Purple Wood Crown.

They were all hermit Taoists who had taken vows and were adept at deceiving others for food and drink; when it came to real skill, their abilities were merely at the level of the small fry in Jianghu.

The middle-aged Taoist with the surname Luo efficiently rolled up the talisman tube and flag on the ground and briskly made his way to a distant safe spot.

The Grandmaster Yu Lin of the Zhenyi Sect was cultivating the True One Technique, and his inner strength surged tumultuously. At this moment, exerting his full power, the horsetail whisk’s silver threads swept across the sky, truly a sight of formidable awe.

“A great opportunity!”

An Jing, aware that Grandmaster Yu Lin was exerting his full strength, saw a gleam of sharpness in his eyes and pointed his finger forward.

That single finger was wrapped in red light, resembling a scorching flame rushing forth.

Nine Yang Divine Finger!

An Jing’s Nine Yang Divine Finger had already reached an advanced level of proficiency, now further enhanced by his cultivation entering the Heavenly Flower Realm. This finger strike was incomparably stronger than before.

Shh!

The silver threads that were sweeping towards him were instantly burned away, leaving only their persistent energy that continued to surge crazily forward.

“Not good!”

At this moment, Grandmaster Yu Lin also realized he had been outmaneuvered, but with his move already in action, he was powerless to defend against this strike and could only watch helplessly as the finger of light hit him.

“Yu Lin junior brother, don’t panic!”

Just at this critical moment, a stern shout came through.

A majestic purple light descended from the sky, forming a wall-like barrier.

“Boom!”

As the finger of light collided with the wall, An Jing felt a blast of air coming towards him and quickly retreated backwards.

Grandmaster Yu Lin was also shaken by the strong rebound, stumbling backwards until the person who had rushed forward caught him and steadied him.

“Master He.”

Upon seeing the newcomer, Grandmaster Yu Lin breathed a sigh of relief.

The person was none other than He Chen, the Peak Master of Tongxuan Peak, who was not just anyone. Had it not been for his sudden appearance, Grandmaster Yu Lin would have been in grave danger.

“What a pity.”

Venerable Moyun, seeing this, inwardly exclaimed in regret. If the Ghost Swordsman had killed Grandmaster Yu Lin just now, a deadly vendetta would have been forged between the two parties, and the Zhenyi Sect would undoubtedly exhaust all resources to kill the Ghost Swordsman.

Then, he could have taken the opportunity to act, not only avenging the wrongdoing over the spirit-seeking rat but also gaining some benefits.

“Could it be He Chen?”

An Jing, observing the newcomer wearing a black Daoist robe, had a flash of realization.

He Chen, the Peak Master of Tongxuan Peak, was Xiao Qianqiu’s senior brother. His cultivation had long reached the Half-Step Master level, just shy of the Grandmaster Realm. He was considered the most hopeful within the Zhenyi Sect to reach the Grandmaster Realm and had been in seclusion on Tongxuan Peak for the past few years, seldom appearing in Jianghu.

An Jing did not expect that he would leave seclusion just for this situation.

“Peak Master He, this person is the Ghost Swordsman.”

Venerable Moyun quickly approached and informed him.

He Chen looked somewhat serious; during the dire moment just now, Venerable Moyun, who had been watching from the side, did not take action. Had it not been for He Chen’s intervention, Grandmaster Yu Lin would have been either dead or critically injured even if he survived. However, Venerable Moyun indeed had his reasons for not intervening.

From a distant cliff, Lou Xiangzhen observed the standoff unfolding before him.

“At the moment, the Mystical Sect has significant influence, with Xiao Qianqiu holding seventy percent, I hold twenty percent, and the Ghost Swordsman possesses ten percent. If today the Ghost Swordsman survives…”

Today presented an excellent chance for Lou Xiangzhen to witness the Ghost Swordsman’s true strength for himself.

Could he force Xiao Qianqiu to take action?

Back then on Nanhua Mountain, he had not seen it with his own eyes. Knowing that An Jing was guarded by the Thousand-Year Black Python, even if he encountered Liang Mo, An Jing could still leave unscathed without much difficulty.

But today was different; today, the ones besieging him were members of the Zhenyi Sect.

“The Ghost Swordsman?”

He Chen glanced at An Jing, “It seems that your reputation is well-deserved.”

The power within that single finger strike was evident enough that He Chen himself could not confidently claim victory against it.

It appeared the finger technique was of the Heavenly Martial level of martial arts, but he had never heard of such an intensely fiery finger technique before.

“You flatter me, compared to the renown of ‘Eight Steps Wandering Dragon’ He Chen, my reputation is nothing,”

An Jing replied with a faint smile, but his heart was growing tense.

The ‘Eight Steps Wandering Dragon’ was the nickname by which He Chen was known in Jianghu, indicative of his prowess.

The dwarf must be Mo Yun, a senior practitioner from the Cave of Heaven, whose reputation in Jianghu slightly pales in comparison to that of He Chen, but he’s still a high-level practitioner at the Half-step Master Realm.

With two high-level Half-step Masters and one expert of the Heavenly Flower Realm in front of him, An Jing truly faced danger if they were to join hands against him.

“Jianghu isn’t about competing for fame, but for real strength,”

He Chen took a deep breath and started walking slowly forward.

Though the two appeared to be casually chatting, the whole atmosphere was charged with extreme tension.

An Jing nodded, and then drew the Evil Suppressing Sword from behind him.

A strand of cold light emerged, casting a chilly clarity across heaven and earth.

The next moment, He Chen stamped his foot, and his black figure transformed into a startling figure that shot forward.

The gale howled, akin to a sharp blade scraping one’s face.

The reason why He Chen was known as ‘Eight Steps Wandering Dragon’ was his extremely fast movement technique and his fierce and domineering momentum, resembling a swiftly advancing dragon.

Fast!

Too fast!

Mo Yun, also a practitioner of the Half-step Master Realm, was secretly shocked.

He Chen has improved since a few years ago; it seems it won’t be long before he reaches the Master Realm.

In Jianghu, not all Half-step Master experts can ascend to the Master Realm; for many, Half-step Master is already their limit. Mo Yun himself only reached this level because of some fortuitous encounters he had in the past, and later found a Spirit-Seeking Mouse. Otherwise, with his talent, he would have been at most at the Earth Flower Realm.

The same was true for Liang Mo and Xi Yuanjun; Half-step Master was the limit for them both.

But for the likes of Li Fuzhou and He Chen, they had the opportunity to strive for the Master Realm, or even become a Master. Such talents truly garnered attention.

“Thump!”

An Jing’s vision blurred and a gust of palm wind assaulted him. He hurriedly dodged to the side as the violent Qi nearly brushed past his face.

“Shhhh!”

An Jing, of course, would not be at a disadvantage. With a flick of the hand, his Evil Suppressing Sword reflected a cold light, aiming for the area between He Chen’s legs.

He Chen’s reaction was swift; he vanished from the spot in the next instant.

An Jing withdrew his sword light, then with a twist of his wrist, thrust into the void behind him.

“Thump!”

Such was his speed that the air emitted a piercing whine.

The next instant, a black figure materialized behind An Jing and struck at the sword light.

The figures of the two exchanged positions, each one parrying the other’s moves, passing dozens of strokes in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, the truth-seeker Yu Lin, watching from the sidelines, had a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead. Earlier, that Ghost Swordsman was already quite formidable with no sword in hand, but now with a sword, his strength seemed to have increased further. Yu Lin realized he had been completely fooled before.

An Jing, who was constantly clashing with He Chen, suddenly had a realization—He Chen was trying to wear down his Inner Strength, likely because other experts from the Zhenyi Sect were on their way.

With that thought, he spun his Evil Suppressing Sword, the light swirling as if to create whirlpools of sword Qi.

Nine-character Sword Technique! Dou Character Secret!

He Chen tried to dodge, but the sword light was already upon him, seeming to seal off all escape routes.

Did you notice?

He Chen gave a faint smile, his Inner Strength surged forth like a raging tide.

Eight Diagram Wandering Dragon Palm!

As he palmed the air, ripples appeared and a buzzing sound emerged, followed by a burst of a jade dragon rushing fiercely out.

A Heavenly Martial-level palm technique!?

Seeing this, a hint of astonishment flashed in An Jing’s eyes, and in the next moment, the sword light clashed with the jade dragon.

“Boom!”

An Jing felt a surge of Qi and blood erupting violently, and he staggered backwards. A glint of gold rose from within him and dispelled the remaining force.

Brahma Heart Sees Me!

This glint of gold was indeed a Buddhist Body Refining Martial Arts technique, Brahma Heart Sees Me.

He Chen’s smile slowly froze. He had assumed that his palm strike would decisively give him the upper hand. He already had in mind that Ghost Swordsman’s Evil Suppressing Sword was damaged, but he hadn’t expected Ghost Swordsman’s sword skill to have already reached the Fifth Level.