Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

The air suddenly tensed as a streak of Sword Qi materialized before Qin Zhan’s eyes at an unbelievable speed, leaving him no time to even mount a defense.

"BANG!!"

A dull thud rang out.

Qin Zhan’s slender body was instantly sent flying, like a withered leaf torn from a tree by a fierce autumn wind, drifting and tumbling through the air!

The dark blue greatsword slipped from his grasp, tracing a blue arc through the air.

Ling Xiao’s figure flashed. He caught the incredibly heavy greatsword and said, "This sword in your hands was a pearl cast into darkness. From now on, it’s mine."

Below, there was dead silence. Everyone stared at the scene in the sky, unable to make a sound. This was especially true for the Elite Knights of the Bauhinia Qin Family that Qin Zhan had brought with him. Their faces were ashen, as if they had lost their parents. They never imagined that their master, who in their eyes was a god-like, invincible figure, would be sent flying by a single move!

And that boy... he... he looked like he wasn’t even twenty!

Thinking back on Qin Zhan’s earlier words, it was the greatest irony, a colossal joke!

’"I’m qualified to fight you now?" This is what that qualification amounts to? Getting sent flying by a single sword strike?’

At this moment, Qin Zhan’s Elite Knights had lost even the courage to breathe loudly. In front of commoners, they were masters who flaunted their power. In front of the northern nobles, they were the high and mighty elites of the Qin Family. Who had ever dared to challenge them? The indomitable aura they had cultivated over many years had shattered before a mere boy, proving as fragile as a sheet of paper. Now, any mention of the Qin Family’s power seemed like a bad joke.

Ling Xiao’s strike had nearly swept away all of Qin Zhan’s courage. He could accept defeat, but he should never have lost to this boy, and certainly not in such an inexplicable fashion!

That boy’s sword strike seemed to contain the very might of heaven and earth! For a split second, Qin Zhan had truly felt the threat of death. But he wasn’t dead.

He recalled Ling Xiao’s earlier words: "I will not kill you."

Was this what it felt like for a word to become prophecy? There wasn’t a single spot on Qin Zhan’s body that was unharmed. Ling Xiao’s attack had been hundreds of sword strikes unleashed in an instant. Each strike had viciously hammered his Protective True Qi, shattering it with just enough force to heavily wound him, yet spare his life.

Qin Zhan rose from the dust. His spirit was listless, but he could still levitate. He looked at Ling Xiao, his eyes holding neither sorrow nor joy—only a wildly surging battle intent.

The corner of Ling Xiao’s mouth curved into a faint smile. "Had an epiphany?"

Qin Zhan nodded. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he bowed deeply to Ling Xiao. Blood was still trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he paid it no mind. "I... thank you for your guidance... COUGH, COUGH. The next time I see you, I will also spare your life!"

"Hahaha!" Ling Xiao laughed heartily, then nodded. "Fair enough, fair enough!"

Qin Zhan gritted his teeth, landed lightly on his horse, and turned its head. He gave Ling Xiao one last deep look but said nothing more. Clamping his legs against the horse’s flanks, he spurred it into a gallop. The steed let out a long neigh and charged off, its hooves pounding.

Qin Zhan’s men followed suit and departed.

But they were all deeply confused. Their master had clearly suffered a major defeat, so why did he thank that person? Moreover, that man clearly had the power to kill their master, yet he hadn’t.

After riding for dozens of miles, Qin Zhan suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, spraying a crimson mist into the air. His body went limp, and he slumped over his horse’s back. A nearby Knight rushed to his side in alarm, only to see Qin Zhan force himself to raise his head. He roared hoarsely, "Go back... Tell... the Patriarch... Before I... wake up... do not, do not make any move... against the Ling Family!" With that, his body went limp and he collapsed onto the horse’s back.

...

Song Mingyue was a little puzzled as to why Ling Xiao had let Qin Zhan go. With her level of strength, she could clearly see that while Qin Zhan appeared severely injured, he had actually gained an immense benefit! From that one powerful sword strike from Ling Xiao, he had comprehended the realm of a Sword Emperor!

In other words, once Qin Zhan’s injuries healed, it was a certainty that he would become a Sword Emperor!

Ling Xiao chuckled lightly. "The ambitions of the Bauhinia Clan have always been a check on His Majesty the King, and an even greater check on the Western Li Family. Although these hidden clans stand at a height that ordinary people cannot see, they have never truly hidden themselves away.

Resources of all kinds, medicinal herbs... they are always competing for them! It’s just that their struggles don’t involve ordinary people!

Besides, we’ve already made enough enemies. The Bauhinia Clan still has plenty of strategic value, so there’s no need to offend them to the death. Don’t you agree?"

Song Mingyue looked at Ling Xiao, her gaze as gentle as water, and chuckled. "If you say so, it must be right. It’s the correct move. That Qin Zhan may seem a bit arrogant, but... that’s probably a common failing among those from hidden clans. Looking down on people from the Mortal World is a flaw that all hidden clan members share. Even I, in the past... hehe."

Ling Xiao nodded slightly. "These so-called hidden clans and sects have always hung high above the heads of ordinary people. To a certain extent, they have even transcended the constraints of rules. The laws and regulations of the Mortal World simply cannot bind them. It’s only natural that they look down on people from the Mortal World."

"Yes, but how many people like you are there in the Mortal World?" Song Mingyue gazed tenderly at Ling Xiao, thinking to herself, ’If there were more men like you, all the young ladies of the hidden clans would be dying of lovesickness.’

"So, a duel between masters can be this simple," Zhang Danian thought, watching Ling Xiao’s back with envy. ’My past self was so damn ignorant. I looked down on the Ling Family and thought General Ling Tianxiao was actually weak. I believed a Martial Artist like Qin Zhan was the strongest in the world, but I never realized that there is always a mountain higher than the last. Compared to the young master, that Qin Zhan was all show, completely unable to withstand a single blow!’

In not killing Qin Zhan, Ling Xiao also had his own calculations. He didn’t know just how many powerful hidden clans and sects existed on the continent.

But in just one short year, he had already made three seemingly powerful enemies. First, the Dragon Valley Gou Family—though he wasn’t sure if that Gou You was truly one of them, he’d count him for now. They had always kept a low profile, but his own emergence had somehow attracted that arrogant, conceited man who looked down on everyone. Ling Xiao could never figure out how the Gou Family could have remained low-key for thousands of years if they were all like Gou You.

Therefore, Ling Xiao preferred to believe that the Dragon Valley Gou Family had only produced one degenerate like Gou You. But regardless, he had killed Gou You, and the Gou Family would not give up on that grudge easily.

Second, the Yu Family of Yanzhao. That was a massive feud. He had laid down the Blood Slaughter Heaven Array and killed one of their Sword Emperors, a Sword Sect member, and many Demon Sword Masters. It might not be a fight to the death, but it was close.

And it was because of them that his relationship with the Southern King, while calm on the surface, was like fire and water underneath. There was no telling when a full-blown, violent conflict might erupt.

Of course, that would depend on Ling Xiao’s own mood. The Southern King was currently no match for him at all. If the king was courting death, Ling Xiao would gladly oblige him.

Ling Xiao just wasn’t sure when the Yu Family would come looking for him. Fortunately, the lands of Yanzhao were far from the Lanyue Empire, situated within a small country to the west of the Zichuan Empire.

The most recent and greatest threat was, without a doubt, the Zhe Family of the Zichuan Empire!

They were a truly formidable and worrying hidden clan. However, with this group of Ice Sea Secret Clan People by his side, he figured that even if the entire Zhe Family showed up, they wouldn’t be able to gain the slightest advantage.

His ultimate goal, after all, was to improve his own strength. If he was too tied down by these miscellaneous affairs, how could he ever advance? That was why Ling Xiao hadn’t completely torn all semblance of cordiality with the Bauhinia Qin Family.

He could now basically control the intensity of his "Floating Light, Skimming Shadow" strike. As long as it wasn’t a full-power blow, it wouldn’t completely exhaust his True Essence. Just like now—Ling Xiao still had at least half of his True Essence remaining!

In other words, if Ling Xiao were to use a full-power strike right now, he could insta-kill an unprepared Middle-Tier Sword Emperor!

Without using such an overwhelmingly powerful move, he could still remain undefeated for a short period against a Tier Six Sword Sect expert like Qin Zhan. But if he fought for days and nights on end like true Sword Sect masters, his True Essence would eventually run dry.

After all, he was still only at the Early Golden Core Stage!

Once he reached the Late Golden Core Stage, experts of the Sword Sect level would be no match for him at all!

The group traveled day and night, bypassing all the major cities and sticking to the back roads. Finally, after more than a month, they returned to Ling Xiao’s territory, Penzes City, one night.

Although most of them were powerful, such a grueling journey left them feeling weary. So, the group quietly returned to the Marquis’s Mansion. Uncle Fu immediately arranged for these people from the distant Polar Ice Sea to be settled in.

Even with his usual elegance, Uncle Fu could barely contain his astonishment. He couldn’t believe that in just a few short months, the young master had once again accomplished so many earth-shattering deeds.

He had originally been worried. The young master had stirred up considerable trouble in the Zichuan Empire. If the Zhe Family came for revenge, Penzes City’s current strength—despite having two Sword Emperor-level experts—would likely suffer heavy casualties. After all, the Zhe Family was a top-tier power in the Zichuan Empire!

Moreover, news from the young master had indicated that the Zhe Family had a powerful hidden clan as their backer. Fortunately, the young master had now returned safely, and he’d brought a large contingent of powerful foreign experts with him. Meanwhile, there hadn’t been a single peep out of the Zhe Family.

At the same time, the Southern King also seemed to have reined himself in considerably. All the schemes targeting Penzes had been quietly withdrawn.

The Blast Flame Lion King festival was fast approaching.