Sword Pavilion, Zenith Cliff.
This place was the highest peak in Jiangnan. From here, one could gaze up at the sun, moon, and stars, or look down upon the mountains and rivers. Gazing out horizontally, one's eyes were met with the magnificent sight of clouds gathering and dispersing.
Lü Yang rode his Flying Light all the way to the cliff's summit. With a single glance, he saw Demon-Vanquishing Perfected sitting cross-legged at the cliff's edge. He was just sitting there, not revealing a hint of Mana, yet he still stole all the splendor from Heaven and Earth. The wind and clouds themselves seemed to flock around him.
'What immense Fortune...'
By now, the Fortune of this world's number one Sword Cultivator had grown so immense that even mortals below the Foundation Establishment realm could easily perceive it with the naked eye.
"Have you mastered it?"
The next second, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's voice drifted over. Lü Yang dared not hesitate and hurriedly said, "With Master's guidance, this disciple has received the Sword Technique."
"What is it called?"
Lü Yang didn't hide it. "The Just-Refined Dao Feather Nirvana Sword Technique."
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected nodded in satisfaction before turning to look at Lü Yang. He still had that same look, as if sizing up both a prime leek and a priceless, Rare Treasure.
"Reporting to Master, I have an urgent matter to discuss!" Lü Yang cupped his fists, his tone rapid. "This disciple has mastered the Sword Technique, and my Sword Intent has reached a new level. My perception of Qi traces has become extremely sharp. I vaguely detected the familiar Qi of the Cultivator from the direction of the Earth-Piercing Abyss. I fear the Pure Land is involved. I ask for Master's judgment."
He didn't reveal the whole truth.
After all, there was a methodology to reporting things. Besides, as an ordinary Perfected Person at the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, what standing did he have to report Exorcist Zhenren and Buddha's Son Guang Ming?
'It's simpler to just let Demon-Vanquishing Perfected go himself.'
Through the Yun Family's Ancestor, Lü Yang had confirmed that Exorcist Zhenren and Buddha's Son Guang Ming were still in the Earth-Piercing Abyss. As long as Demon-Vanquishing Perfected went to investigate, he was guaranteed to catch them red-handed.
However, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's response was completely unexpected.
"Oh."
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected showed no surprise at Lü Yang's report. Instead, he just shook his head. "My time is near. Just let them be."
Let them be?
Lü Yang's eyes flickered. He was only now realizing that compared to decades ago, the Demon-Vanquishing Perfected of today was increasingly hands-off, content to simply sit guard over Zenith Cliff.
Once upon a time, he would be attended by several disciples sent by the Ye Family. But now, when Lü Yang returned, the vast clifftop was empty save for the man himself. His robes fluttered in the wind, and he cut a solitary figure. His plain, unassuming appearance was nothing like that of a Direct Lineage disciple from a Golden Core Family like the Ye Family of the Sword Pavilion.
'This won't do!'
Lü Yang's internal alarms blared. As far as he knew, this plot was a joint effort between Ang Xiao and Buddha's Son Guang Ming, using Exorcist Zhenren as their instrument to deal with Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.
Why did he report it?
Deliberate revenge was a secondary motive. As a proper Saint Sect Zhenren, he never acted without a profit motive. Why would he do something that harmed others without benefiting himself?
'If I don't report this, how will Demon-Vanquishing Perfected be prepared? And if he's not prepared, how will they fight to the death? If they don't fight to the death, how am I supposed to be the fisherman who profits? The Gold Attribute of Demon-Vanquishing Perfected... if I could get my hands on the Gold Attribute of the world's number one Sword Cultivator, it would be a massive gain...'
At this thought, Lü Yang hurriedly spoke up:
As he spoke, he didn't forget to put on a fearful expression. "Master, Pure Land Buddhist Cultivators have secretly entered our Sword Pavilion. This disciple is worried they mean harm to Master and... and to me..."
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected glanced at him upon hearing this, then shook his head. "Don't worry."
"That Monk is likely here for me... They just want to plot against me, that's all. It's quite normal. Under the heavens, there's probably no one who doesn't want to plot against me these days."
Clearly, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was long used to it.
At the same time, Lü Yang also understood the implication behind those words. Yes, in the world today, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was undoubtedly a thorn in everyone's side.
Because he was number one in the world!
And not the kind of "number one" who is propped up by others out of courtesy, but a true number one, with a league-of-his-own lead over the second-strongest!
'This level of deterrence, while not yet equal to a Perfected Lord in today's world, isn't far off... Even though I killed the Celestial Python Overseas and defeated a Dao Body of Buddha's Son Guang Ming head-on, my reputation probably pales in comparison to this convenient master of mine... Number one in the world. The higher you are, the more you deserve to die!'
Lü Yang considered his own reputation to be quite fearsome already.
But so what? Xiang Ye still dared to invite him to the Stain Sect. Although he was wary of Lü Yang's strength, he had his own confidence and wasn't truly afraid of him.
But what if it were Demon-Vanquishing Perfected instead?
Would Xiang Ye dare invite Demon-Vanquishing Perfected into the Sea of Clouds? He probably wouldn't even get close before the entire Sea of Clouds went on full lockdown!
'Even the Sword Pavilion itself...'
Lü Yang shook his head internally. That's right, even the Sword Pavilion itself was wary of Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, because his methods... were too unorthodox for the Sword Pavilion!
No wonder Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had no reaction to someone colluding with the Pure Land to plot against him. It was only to be expected! From his perspective, the fact that they'd actually waited until his time was near before daring to make a move was an absurd level of caution.
Just as Lü Yang was pondering this, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected suddenly spoke: "Yan Xiao."
"This disciple is here."
Lü Yang responded and looked up, only to see Demon-Vanquishing Perfected staring at him. His eyes were bright, as if he was about to say something, but at the last moment, his brow furrowed.
"...Who?"
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected shifted his gaze, looking far into the distance beyond the Sword Pavilion. A moment later, Lü Yang's Divine Sense vaguely picked up the sound of a commotion.
The next second, a figure streaked over on a Flying Light, finally landing on the summit of Zenith Cliff. It was the Ye Family Patriarch, Ye Shaoying. His face was etched with anxiety. The moment he landed, he looked at Demon-Vanquishing Perfected and said in a low voice, "Outside the Sword Pavilion... a few reckless Loose Cultivators have arrived."
"Loose Cultivators?"
Hearing this, even Lü Yang was stunned. Since when were the Loose Cultivators of Jiangnan so bold? Daring to approach the Sword Pavilion... did they have a death wish?
Even Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was a little surprised. "Loose Cultivators... why have they come here?"
"They are here for you."
Ye Shaoying glanced cautiously at Demon-Vanquishing Perfected before speaking rapidly, "The one leading them is the City Lord of Jimo City, Mo Shiyuan..."
At these words, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's brow furrowed at once.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang secretly performed a divination and quickly grasped the ins and outs of the situation.
Mo Shiyuan, City Lord of the Jiangnan Independent Practitioner Sect, Jimo City. For generations, his sect had been Refining Magical Talismans for the Sword Pavilion and providing it with various cultivation resources.
More importantly, he and Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had a history.
This history traced back to the Pure Land's previous Buddhist Nun, Pure View Buddhist Nun. She had entered Jiangnan with the intent to spread her teachings, and for that, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had beheaded her with three strikes of his sword.
The reason for such a violent conflict was that in the previous generation's Jimo City, Pure View Buddhist Nun had disregarded the wishes of Jimo City's Cultivators and citizens and attempted a forced Enlightenment. This provoked Demon-Vanquishing Perfected into a great battle. In the end, Jimo City was destroyed, with only one person barely surviving.
That person was Mo Shiyuan.
If it hadn't been for Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, Mo Shiyuan's entire family would have been slaughtered. He would have had no hope of revenge in this lifetime. Forget revenge, he himself would have been forced to join the Pure Land and become a Monk.
From this perspective, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was his great benefactor.
"...Let's go see them."
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's expression flickered, but he quickly regained his composure. He beckoned for Lü Yang to follow and rode a Flying Light toward the area Outside the Sword Pavilion Mountain Gate.
Meanwhile, inside the Earth-Piercing Abyss.
Exorcist Zhenren and Buddha's Son Guang Ming sat facing each other. Between them was a Go board, upon which black and white stones were locked in a fierce and inextricable battle.
CLACK!
The next second, Exorcist Zhenren took a black stone and slammed it down on a corner of the board, instantly securing a winning position. Only then did he speak in a flat tone:
"The show... is starting."
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