On Supreme Peak.
Once the eliminated contenders encountered each other, many vague and unclear matters became obvious.
The Perfected Ones of the Aristocratic Families and the Master-Disciple Lineage’s Three Sects made inquiries and learned that a new variable had emerged within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm. It wasn’t that their disciples couldn’t fight, but such clashes were always supposed to occur at the proper moment. Yet now, the Daoists still within the realm thought it was the other side acting, and massive internal rifts had already been torn open.
The one acting in secret was still hidden among the crowd.
It was a pity those on the peak couldn’t warn the prodigies still competing; they could only hope they were clever enough not to be numbed by old assumptions.
At this moment, the Perfected Ones of the Aristocratic Families and the Three Sects were concerned with another matter.
“Is that person truly the successor of the Sword Devil?” The Cloud Realm Daoist’s face was dark as storm clouds.
The expressions of the Three Sect Daoists weren’t much better. The Pure Clean Sect had lost some killed by this person, and Jade Emperor Sect had been insulted by her. As for Heavenly Origin Sect, many of its members came from Aristocratic Family backgrounds, and naturally, some had friends or kin killed by her.
“Someone who can participate in the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate is only at Foundation Establishment. With that person’s standards, the disciple chosen would surely be extraordinary. How can they only be at Foundation Establishment after so many years? Hmm, perhaps it’s a disciple of a disciple. For her successor to be walking around like this—speaking of which, has Cloud Realm truly searched for her?” the Heavenly Evolution Mountain Daoist asked coldly. Among the Four Clans, their Yu Clan’s direct line had been the first expelled, a complete humiliation. But if the opponent was connected to the Sword Devil, that would be a bit more palatable for their pride.
“What about that Ink of World Purification? Did it come from the Pure Clean Sect?” The Cloud Realm Daoist changed the subject.
The Pure Clean Sect Daoist frowned and pursed her lips. “The cultivator is not of our Pure Clean Sect.” After a pause, she added, “We are not the only ones whose scriptures have been plundered.” Though the Sword Devil had killed Pure Clean Sect members, she hadn’t stolen the sect’s superior treasured texts. But at this point, the Pure Clean Sect Perfected One could only say that. Without having witnessed it herself, she couldn’t definitively confirm whether it was truly Ink of World Purification. If it was, they still needed to distance themselves from that person.
“Has no one seen her true face? Learned her name?” the Cloud Realm Daoist pressed.
“Haven’t we already sent people to investigate? It takes some time, doesn’t it?” Wu Jianhuan said gently. All Daoists coming to Supreme Peak for the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate had their names recorded in a registry; they wouldn’t be impossible to find. After a thought, she drew the topic back to the Sword Devil. “Fellow Daoist Yun, is that person truly missing?”
“She fell into the Nether Prison of Gloom,” the Cloud Realm Daoist said expressionlessly. “If she were a Grotto-Heaven, she might have walked out of there. But back then, she was only at the Nascent Soul Triple-Realm.” The Nether Prison of Gloom was a ruin from ancient times used to imprison heinous criminals. It had long since evolved into a death zone, filled with all manner of entities that defiled the Daoist body. No one knew what was inside. Those who fell in had never come out. In a sense, saying she was dead was factual. “Given that one’s temperament, would a disciple she raised ever spare an Aristocratic Clan scion? I think it’s unlikely to be the Sword Devil’s successor. At the very least, far less likely than being the successor of a Heavenly Evolution Mountain traitor, wouldn’t you agree, Daoist?”
The Heavenly Evolution Mountain Yu Daoist shot the Cloud Daoist a glance but didn’t respond.
With orders from above, the previously idle, sunbathing Deacons were forced to busy themselves, flipping through name registries and then interviewing the competition Daoists still present on Supreme Peak one by one to learn if anyone knew who she was. With the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate more than half over, there weren’t many left. The Deacons, usually masters of procrastination who might take four or five days, immediately shortened their deadline to two hours when facing the Four Clans’ Perfected Ones. After gathering the results, the Heavenly Dao Alliance Deacons rushed to report without delay.
“Cloud Realm’s Wei Wuwang? Dao Protector Wu Chongyun. Not from a sect, nor an Aristocratic Family?” Wu Jianhuan raised an eyebrow.
“This matter has nothing to do with our Pure Clean Sect,” the Pure Clean Sect Guardian Perfected One once again disclaimed.
The Heavenly Origin Sect Guardian Perfected One gave her an indifferent glance and said nothing.
“Coming from the Cloud Realm,” the Chen Daoist looked at the Cloud Daoist with a half-smile.
“Rogue Cultivators like that, without family estates, are in Cloud Realm today and on Spirit Mountain tomorrow. Wherever they are, that’s the address they write,” the Cloud Daoist said calmly.
The Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate was an extremely important event in the Nine Provinces, not restricting the origins of participants, and prided itself on fairness. Because of this, the Guardian Perfected Ones wouldn’t interfere in the competition. Even if only suspected, even if the entry explicitly stated “Sword Devil’s Successor,” the clans could only let her run rampant within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm. Her Dao Protector was still on Supreme Peak, her identity suspicious, though a meeting could be arranged. But if they were to actually do something, that would have to wait until the debate was completely over and they had left Supreme Peak.
“If she’s related to the Sword Devil, the Protector must also use the sword. I’ll go have a look,” Wu Jianhuan said, raising an eyebrow. Her gaze was clear and bright, shining with excitement solely because of the word “sword.” The Aristocratic Families called her the First Swordmaster, but she knew there were still many Rogue Cultivators singing the praises of the long-missing Merciful Sword. She couldn’t cross blades with the Merciful Sword, but if she met her successor, they could have a contest.
The members of the Three Sects there wouldn’t volunteer, but several among the Aristocratic Families glanced at Wu Jianhuan several times. “You’re going to investigate her background, not test your sword skills.”
Wu Jianhuan’s expression was perfunctory. “I know.”
Finding a registered Daoist on Supreme Peak was effortless for Wu Jianhuan. The place she resided in had sparse spiritual energy and was a malevolent plot on the peak. Fortunately, interlaced tree shadows and swaying flower silhouettes added a touch of elegance.
Wu Jianhuan didn’t barge in. She gently knocked on the door and asked warmly, “Is Fellow Daoist Wu available to come out for a moment?”
Wu Chongyun, meditating inside, heard Wu Jianhuan’s voice and suddenly recalled a silhouette that had torn open a path to survival with a sword.
That was the final stretch of their journey together. Thereafter, their paths diverged.
Her gaze became incredibly complex. It took several breaths before her emotions settled.
She didn’t respond.
Over the past month, people from both the Aristocratic Families and the Master-Disciple Lineage had come here, trying to recruit her in advance. Neither staying inside nor outside could avoid it, so Wu Chongyun simply returned to her room and sat in silence. Bearing patience wasn’t difficult.
But this time, the visitor… was different from the others.
Wu Chongyun strained to maintain calm, but her thoughts inevitably became chaotic in that instant.
“Daoist, are you not in? Then I shall come again next hour.”
The voice from outside drifted in.
Wu Chongyun knew Wu Jianhuan’s temperament. She wouldn’t force her way in, only wait patiently.
Why had she come here? What did she know? But since arriving on Supreme Peak, she had never met Wu Jianhuan.
Besides, her face wasn’t the one from the past.
Perhaps it was because of the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm?
Thinking of Wei Mingyi, Wu Chongyun’s expression sharpened.
She didn’t want to see those people. But for Wei Mingyi’s sake, she would do more than just meet them—even clash with swords.
After swallowing a pill without expression, Wu Chongyun abruptly stood up, grabbed her whisk, and strode towards the door.
With a creak, the door opened.
Wu Jianhuan had never left.
Holding her sword, she watched the falling flowers swirling in the wind with keen interest.
When the door opened, she turned her gaze towards Wu Chongyun.
It was a plain, utterly forgettable face.
Her eyes seemed shrouded in a gray haze, heavy and dull.
The instant their eyes met, Wu Jianhuan’s heart lurched.
She collected herself, and smiled at Wu Chongyun, a smile as radiant as spring blossoms blooming. Without introducing herself, she simply said, “Daoist, waiting for the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate to end is terribly boring. How about a sword contest?”
Wu Chongyun coldly refused. “I don’t cultivate the sword. Daoist, you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“Not cultivating the sword is fine too,” Wu Jianhuan remained all smiles. “Your esteemed disciple has been quite remarkable within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm, no doubt a result of your excellent teaching. I see neither of you, master and disciple, have an affiliation. After this is over, how about joining my Spirit Mountain?” The words lacked sincerity, her probing clumsy. Though Wu Jianhuan appeared elegant and gentle, capable of social niceties, at her core, she was a straightforward swordswoman. She couldn’t learn, nor cared to learn, others’ tortuous mind games.
“We two dislike restrictions,” Wu Chongyun refused.
“Heaven and earth exist within an order. Unfettered looseness isn’t ideal either. Restraints merely serve to cultivate the self; only thus can one climb to greater heights,” Wu Jianhuan said.
“Who is to do the climbing?” Wu Chongyun asked.
Wu Jianhuan replied, “People like us.” Seeing Wu Chongyun truly had no interest in a match, she didn’t press.
But this master-disciple pair… the Heavenly Dao Alliance made a mental note of it first.
If they didn’t join an Aristocratic Family, they might leave Supreme Peak, but they wouldn’t be able to continue forward.
She laughed lightly. A flash of radiance surrounded her, and in an instant, a shower of golden light sparkled, from which countless flowers flew forth. Looking ahead, Wu Jianhuan had vanished without a trace.
Wu Chongyun swung her whisk, brushing aside the spiraling flower petals.
She returned to her room, took out the unfinished Zither Rest Decree, and continued her deductions.
After the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate ended, a major conflict was unavoidable. The techniques she had cultivated in the past would be recognized; she had to find ways to conceal them further.
As for Wu Jianhuan… a fellow cultivator from her youth. It would likely be impossible to completely fool her.
It was fortunate that she was the one who came.
Within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm.
The slaughter between the Aristocratic Families and the Three Sects could only be described as fierce.
Any existence might backstab you. The immediate priority was to withdraw from the whirlpool. But wanting to was one thing; achieving it was another.
On the Three Sects’ side, the unruly Pure Clean Sect Daoists had already been eliminated. Those remaining were reasonably obedient to Wu Weibai. She didn’t know the specifics of what happened among the Aristocratic Families, but she knew this opportunity was rare. If the Aristocrats were allowed to retreat, they might unite again in no time. After all, once reason returned, humanity could be cast aside, only profit mattered. Aristocratic Clan Daoists were the type who could have a vendetta for a murdered relative one day and drink merrily with the killer the next. So they couldn’t be given a chance to sit down and renegotiate agreements.
This fight lasted for days. Thunderous booms rumbled incessantly; surging magical power formed vast nets of fire, showering down countless explosive sparks. The dazzling radiance almost erased the distinction between day and night within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm. By the time the outcome was decided, no First Layer Realm cultivators remained in the field. Some Second Layer Realm cultivators, those lacking sufficient depth, also vanished without a trace.
Dazzling lights blazed and spiraled through the sky, like rolling crimson clouds.
In this massacre, Wei Mingyi couldn’t remain entirely on the sidelines.
Likely in an attempt to flush out the hidden Yu Yuanhui, the Chen Family threw out artifacts as if they cost nothing. Yu Yuanhui didn’t appear, but Wei Mingyi was forced to reveal herself. Yet this was within her expectations. Relying on her acquaintance with Wu Weibai, she transformed into an ally of the Three Sects and the Master-Disciple Lineage, fighting against the Aristocratic Clan Daoists.
Eventually, personnel from all sides gradually retreated.
No one had the strength left to pursue anyone.
Wei Mingyi followed Wu Weibai and her group, staying where they were to recover. Gazing at the utterly devastated mountain peak, its vegetation reduced to flying ash, Wei Mingyi remarked, “There isn’t much time left.”
Wu Weibai’s voice was low. “Who knows who the crown will fall to.” Normally, when the Three Sects contested the Four Great Clans, the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm would already be cleared. But now, the conflict had erupted prematurely, and traces of minor Aristocratic Families and other Rogue Cultivators remained within. Quickly, Wu Weibai’s spirits lifted, and with a touch of schadenfreude, she added, “If even the Four Clans fail to claim Head Champion, that would be amusing.”
