"As long as you kill that Ascended Immortal, no one will be able to stop us, and those sanctimonious hypocrites from the Central Province won't come over in full force."
Yu Hantian grew increasingly agitated as he spoke.
Ever since he took charge of the Heavenly Evil Sect, he had constantly thought about revenge.
However, he knew very well that even the Demonic Lord might not be able to help him get revenge, as, according to his knowledge, Han Xuanji had already achieved the Ascension Realm.
So he found another path.
Since the Demonic Lord couldn't do it, he would find someone who could.
The Demonic Lord also nodded slightly, feeling that there was great potential.
Although the effect after the sacrifice of living beings in the Eastern Azure Province might be a bit weaker, it was still better than being chased all over the Central Province as they were now.
He believed in himself; having dominated the world for nearly ten thousand years, killing a Cultivator who had just entered the Ascension Realm would be as easy as pie.
…
On the other side.
Han Xuanji, however, was unaware of what was happening outside.
After refining the Profound Sky Sword, he continued his peaceful life, constantly cultivating and striving for higher Realms.
Now at the fourth layer of the Ascension Realm, the speed of his cultivation progress had not slowed down at all.
On the contrary, due to various fortuitous encounters, his cultivation speed had even increased.
Isn't that strange?
Several years of peaceful living made Han Xuanji very comfortable.
No one disturbed him, and his status was extremely high; any Sect he visited would receive him with the highest courtesy.
This was the value of a contemporary Sword Immortal!
Every day, Han Xuanji gained many rewards; after all, the three-star rewards combined were a very considerable fortune.
As for the Yao Race, Han Xuanji didn't pay much attention.
However, he vaguely felt that the Yao Race was brewing something big.
He guessed they were going to give him a surprise.
At the same time.
Li Taiqing and others arrived at the border between the Eastern Azure Province and the Central Province.
There was a border city here, named White Cloud City.
As the border between the two provinces, it was also an extremely bustling place.
In White Cloud City, there was a Sword Discussion Platform.
The first City Lord of White Cloud City had left a sword mark here before his Ascension for future generations to comprehend.
And on the top floor of the most magnificent "Moon-Embracing Tower" in the city, there were elegant seats by the railing, overlooking most of the city and the vast boundary mountains in the distance.
At this moment, several people were seated by the window, chatting happily.
Lu Fan chuckled:
"This thing, who knows if it's real or fake? No one has comprehended it in ten thousand years; maybe it's just a trick."
"I don't think the legendary White Cloud Sword Immortal would be so petty."
Li Taiqing said excitedly.
"Of course, if even I can't comprehend it, there's probably only one person in the world who could."
"Fellow Daoist, your tone is quite boastful."
At this moment, a voice came.
This person had a handsome face, dressed in a moon-white flowing cloud Daoist robe, with soft fabric subtly shimmering with spiritual light, and a warm ancient jade hanging from his waist, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.
The newcomer was none other than Xie Yunliu, the current Prodigy of the Kunlun Immortal Sect.
"This Fellow Daoist,"
Xie Yunliu spoke, his voice clear and resonant, carrying a hint of condescension.
His slender fingers played with a spiritual jade wine cup, the amber spiritual wine within shimmering with faint light.
"I haven't heard your name in the Central Province; could it be that you are from the Eastern Azure Province?"
He set down the wine cup, his fingertip gently tapping the tabletop, and a pure, condensed spiritual energy fluctuation spread out like ripples; though it carried no intent to attack, it silently displayed the profound heritage of a Kunlun Immortal Sect Disciple.
Li Taiqing picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip of ordinary clear tea, and said with a calm expression:
"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me."
"In my opinion, that's just how it is."
His tone was calm, without a hint of arrogance, as if stating a perfectly normal fact.
Although he felt a bit struck by Han Xuanji, in the outside world.
Please call him a Peerless Prodigy!
His cultivation at the seventh layer of the Void Refinement Realm confirmed this point.
The few of them had successive fortuitous encounters, and their Breakthrough speed was extremely fast.
Among them, Li Taiqing had the highest cultivation, and his progress was even faster.
"Arrogant fellow."
Xie Yunliu's eyebrows subtly twitched.
He could sense that the person in front of him was not arrogant but extremely confident, which piqued his interest.
"Then, may I ask who the other person you mentioned is?"
"It is my Master, the Demon-Slaying Sword Immortal."
Li Taiqing said calmly.
Han Xuanji had not told him not to reveal his name outside.
As a Disciple, he naturally wouldn't hide it.
He acted upright and would not use the name of a Sword Immortal's Disciple to bully others.
"Demon-Slaying Sword Immortal?"
Xie Yunliu was startled.
He had vaguely heard this name; it seemed to be a newly promoted Sword Immortal in the Ascension Realm from the Eastern Azure Province in recent years.
But an Ascended Immortal from the Eastern Azure Province, how could he be compared to the many powerhouses of the Central Province's Holy Land, the Kunlun Immortal Sect, which had been passed down for ten thousand years?
A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, carrying a hint of disdain.
"So it's Sword Immortal Han's esteemed Disciple, my apologies."
Xie Yunliu's tone carried a subtle sense of superiority,
"However, your experience is still shallow; don't think that a newly Ascended Immortal powerhouse can look down on all the heroes in the world."
"My Kunlun Immortal Sect has ten main lineages, each with a long history and a peerless grand-power overseeing it."
Li Taiqing listened quietly, his face still expressionless.
He picked up the coarse pottery cup and took another sip of tea.
Only when Xie Yunliu's voice faded, and only the blurred street sounds from outside the window remained in the elegant seating area, did he put down the cup and meet Xie Yunliu's superior gaze with calm eyes.
"My Master's strength does not require external recognition."
Li Taiqing's voice was not loud, but clear and steady.
"Master once said, 'The sword is in the scabbard, the intent is in the heart; the sharpness is contained within, not for fame, not for victory.'
'The sword is drawn only for those who should be slain, for matters that should be cut off.' "
He paused, then said calmly:
"As for what you mentioned… Master often says that the Souls of those slain by the sword, no matter how glorious their past, are but dust of the past, not worth mentioning."
These words, without any direct rebuttal, subtly revealed an indescribable sense of aloofness and confidence.
Nangong Wenjian on the side couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile, nodding slightly, clearly in strong agreement.
And Lu Fan and Lin Potian even winked at each other, thinking that Li Taiqing was indeed good with words.
Xie Yunliu's smile stiffened slightly.
The other party's imperviousness and then a barrage of twisted logic gave him a stifling feeling, like punching cotton.
He was about to say something more.
Boom!!!
A dull, extreme roar, as if from the depths of the earth's core, or like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens exploding directly in the depths of the Soul.
The entire Moon-Embracing Tower, no, the entire White Cloud City, trembled violently and without warning.
The cups, plates, bowls, and dishes on the table clattered, and the wine in the spiritual jade wine cups splashed out, spilling onto the expensive cloud-patterned tablecloth.
Gasps of alarm erupted throughout the building, and some guests with less refined cultivation stumbled, their expressions panicked.
"What's going on?"
"The Earth Dragon is turning over!"
"No, look outside!"
Someone pointed towards the window.