At that moment, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared not far from Ye Xuan.
Seeing him, Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
It was none other than Yun Chuan.
Yun Chuan looked at Ye Xuan and smiled. “Young Master Ye, when did you change your surname?”
Ye Xuan dropped the act and grinned. “Brother Yun Chuan, we meet again!”
Yun Chuan chuckled. “Young Master Ye, you kept our Demon Sect waiting for quite a while.”
Ye Xuan laughed heartily. “It wasn’t intentional!”
Yun Chuan frowned slightly. “If it wasn’t intentional, then something came up?”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “I meant to do it!”
Yun Chuan’s expression stiffened.
The Demon Sect experts’ faces darkened instantly.
He meant it!
Yun Chuan stared at Ye Xuan. “Young Master Ye, I trusted you, which is why I let you go that day. But you broke your word, making me lose face before my Hall Master. That wasn’t honorable!”
Ye Xuan smiled faintly. “Brother Yun Chuan, you’re mistaken. It wasn’t you letting me go that day—it was me letting you go!”
Yun Chuan’s eyes narrowed. The next moment, something clicked. He glanced at Ye Xuan’s sword, noticing only the sheath—no blade. His face changed drastically, and he roared, “Everyone, watch ou—”
Before he could finish, the heads of the Demon Sect experts around him flew off, blood spraying like fountains, the scene gruesomely visceral.
The sight stunned everyone in the area!
Including Yun Chuan!
His eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
He knew Ye Xuan had a sword that could slash the future, but it was never this powerful!
Some of those experts were fourth-stage Cosmic Heart Realm cultivators!
Instantly killing fourth-stage experts?
Had Ye Xuan grown stronger? Or was he hiding his strength before?
Ye Xuan opened his palm, and the Qingxuan Sword returned. He looked at Yun Chuan with a slight smile. “Brother Yun Chuan, farewell for now!”
With that, he turned, summoned his sword, and soared into the sky.
Time to slip away!
This was the Demon Sect’s stronghold. Though confident, he wasn’t arrogant enough to take on the entire sect single-handedly.
If you can’t win, run!
No shame in that!
But just as he took flight, the sky tore open, and a colossal hand slammed down from the heavens.
The force was like the sky collapsing, an overwhelming pressure enveloping Ye Xuan.
In that moment, he felt his organs being crushed!
A cold glint flashed in Ye Xuan’s eyes. If you won’t let me leave, then I won’t!
Let’s fight!
Ye Xuan flicked his thumb, and the Qingxuan Sword shot out of its sheath. With a piercing sword cry, a beam of sword light surged skyward, tearing through everything!
*Boom!*
The giant hand in the sky shattered.
The heavens trembled!
An old man appeared above Ye Xuan.
Dressed in a black robe, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze was chillingly cold.
A fifth-stage Cosmic Heart Realm expert!
The old man looked at Ye Xuan. “You killed our Demon Sect members and still think you can leave?”
Ye Xuan laughed boldly. “If I’m not leaving, then I’m not leaving!”
The old man’s eyes narrowed, about to speak, when Ye Xuan cut in, “If you have words, save them for the next life!”
With that, the Qingxuan Sword soared skyward.
A flicker of menace crossed the old man’s eyes. “Arrogant!”
He stepped forward, unleashing a punch.
*Boom!*
The punch shook the heavens and earth like an earthquake.
It struck the Qingxuan Sword, halting it in its tracks. But the next moment, the old man’s pupils constricted, his eyes filled with horror as his body aged visibly.
In a blink, his hair turned white, his body withered to skeletal thinness.
His lifespan was drained!
The old man looked at Ye Xuan in the distance, bewildered. “How is this possible…?”
Demonic beasts typically had long lifespans! Yet in that instant, he felt his life force sapped dry.
Ye Xuan opened his palm, and the Qingxuan Sword returned. He looked at the old man. “Why waste words when you’re already dead? What a waste of time.”
He sheathed the sword and called out, “Next!”
*Boom!*
The old man crumbled into dust, erased completely.
Next!
Ye Xuan’s voice was calm but carried an intimidating, domineering aura.
The small pagoda’s voice rang in his mind. “Little Master’s finally standing tall!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
In the distance, Yun Chuan stared at Ye Xuan. “You weren’t hiding your strength back then—your power has grown! How did you improve so much in such a short time?”
Ye Xuan looked at Yun Chuan and smiled faintly. “What’s a genius? Unbound by talent, unrestricted by the heavens, mastering any technique with a glance, perfecting it with a single study, spotting any flaw with one look… That’s a genius! If you’ve never met such a person, well…”
He pointed to himself. “Now you have the honor!”
The crowd: “…”
Yun Chuan stared at Ye Xuan, silent, but his heart churned like a tidal wave.
When he last saw Ye Xuan, Ye Xuan wasn’t this strong. Now, he could effortlessly kill fifth-stage experts!
Such progress in so little time?
It was unnatural!
Though the world had its share of prodigies who defied common logic, Ye Xuan’s growth was absurd.
Ye Xuan suddenly said, “If there’s no one else, I’ll be off!”
He walked toward the city gates.
Show off, then run!
Showing off had its limits!
As he reached the gates, they slammed shut.
Ye Xuan stopped. A middle-aged man appeared before him.
Dressed in a wide white robe, his demeanor calm, he bore a small embroidered “Demon” on his chest. Standing there, he was like the boundless starry sky, unfathomable. Weaker cultivators felt an invisible pressure, struggling to breathe.
This was Kui Shen, Hall Master of the Ancient Demon Hall, one of the Demon Sect’s four halls—a true power broker.
Kui Shen!
Some in the crowd recognized him, gasping in awe.
Compared to the other hall masters, Kui Shen was more public. He oversaw much of Demon God City’s affairs, making him less enigmatic than the others.
The Demon Sect experts retreated behind him.
Kui Shen studied Ye Xuan and nodded slightly. “Impressive!”
Impressive!
Some Demon Sect experts couldn’t help but glance at Ye Xuan.
They knew Kui Shen’s standards were sky-high; most people didn’t even register in his eyes. Yet now, he called Ye Xuan impressive!
Ye Xuan grinned. “One of the four hall masters?”
Kui Shen nodded.
Ye Xuan shook his head. “You showed up quick. I thought you’d send a few sixth-stage experts for me to practice on before a hall master stepped in. Didn’t expect you’d come out in person after just two kills!”
Kui Shen looked at Ye Xuan. “Since our Demon Sect’s founding, no one has dared disrespect us so brazenly! I’m quite curious about the power behind you. Care to share?”
Ye Xuan shook his head with a smile. “If I tell you, will the Demon Sect let me go?”
Kui Shen shook his head. “No! You’ve provoked our sect—you’ll pay with your life!”
Ye Xuan laughed. “Then what’s the point of telling you? Hall Master, let’s skip the chatter. I’ve heard the Demon Sect’s four hall masters are godlike. I, Ye Xuan, am no great talent, but I’d like to test myself against you.”
Kui Shen nodded slightly. “Come!”
As Ye Xuan prepared to act, a voice rang from the distant sky. “Hold on!”
Ye Xuan turned to see two figures approaching—the Celestial Envoy and the Left Envoy from the Immortal Treasure Pavilion!
Ye Xuan was surprised. Why were they here?
Kui Shen’s brows furrowed slightly.
The envoys reached the scene. The Celestial Envoy glanced at Ye Xuan, then turned to Kui Shen. “Hall Master Kui, as I understand, the conflict between your sect and Young Master Ye stemmed from a trivial matter. It shouldn’t have escalated this far. Hall Master Kui, can you give our pavilion some face and let both sides call it quits? We’re willing to compensate your sect’s losses!”
“Compensate?”
Kui Shen smiled faintly. “This man just killed over a dozen of our members in an instant, Celestial Envoy. Do you think this is about money? As for the conflict, yes, it started small, but has he ever shown restraint? No, has he?”
The Celestial Envoy’s face grew troubled.
Ye Xuan chuckled. “My father once said, ‘I don’t harm others, but if others harm me, I’ll kill them.’ Your sect bullied me—should I just take it? A sword cultivator who endures injustice—what’s the point of wielding a sword?”
Kui Shen nodded slightly. “Then watch closely, because today, our Demon Sect will bully you!”
Ye Xuan laughed, his Qingxuan Sword trembling violently. “I may not be as strong as my big brother, but right now, I’m going to show off!”
He looked at Kui Shen. “Here I am, Ye Xuan. I dare your Demon Sect to kill me!”
Kill me!
Kui Shen’s right hand clenched slowly, and a terrifying aura erupted like a volcano, instantly setting Demon God City ablaze with tension.
The Celestial Envoy’s eyes narrowed, her right hand tightening.
Kui Shen glanced at her. “What, is the Immortal Treasure Pavilion set on protecting him?”
The Celestial Envoy fell silent.
She was in a tough spot.
The conflict between Ye Xuan and the Demon Sect couldn’t be reconciled. Protecting Ye Xuan meant opposing the Demon Sect—no small matter!
But if she didn’t, what was the point of the Mysterious Heaven Token?
Who would trust the pavilion’s guest privileges?
Protect him or not?
The Left Envoy suddenly said gravely, “Protect him!”
The Celestial Envoy looked at him. His face was grim as he transmitted via mystic energy, “I opposed giving the token because I feared his deep karma. But since it’s given, he’s our pavilion’s top guest! If we abandon him now, the goodwill we’ve built with him vanishes, and no one will trust our guest privileges again.”
The Celestial Envoy said gravely, “But this means making an enemy of the Demon Sect!”
The Left Envoy snarled, “They’re not giving us face—why should we give them any?”
After a moment’s silence, she said, “Call for backup!”
The Left Envoy glared at Kui Shen. “Hall Master Kui, Young Master Ye is our pavilion’s guest. As long as we’re here, we’ll protect him. If your sect wants to fight, then we’ll take you on!”
The crowd: “…”
