Chapter 2021: Sword Comes

More than a dozen figures, each cloaked in black robes and hoods, descended upon Fushang City, arriving from the south and sweeping west. Their presence was meticulously concealed, maintaining an exceptionally low profile.

The leader stood with arms crossed, their large robe unable to conceal their slender figure. Perched atop a tall building, they gazed intently at the commotion near the tavern.

As the sun dipped in the west, only the fair lower half of the black-robed woman's face, adorned with golden scales, was visible beneath her large hood. Her beautiful eyes were hidden in shadow as she spoke in a cool, clear voice:

“What’s happening over there?”

A long-bearded elder, also cloaked in black, stepped forward from behind her and reported:

“Sect Master Li, intelligence from our subordinates indicates that the Divine Sword Xuancang has emerged. The wielder is named Xiao Wanfeng, and he claims to be from the First Tower of Heaven.”

“Cheng Xie of the Cheng family has set his sights on Xuancang and is confronting him. However, due to Xuancang’s formidable edge, with only two Grand Void realm masters present and no Half-Saint intervening, the standoff is likely to remain unresolved.”

The elder’s heart stirred, and his meaning was clear.

Around them, the thirteen Path Slayers and five Grand Void realm masters of the Yin Ghost Sect also stirred, their eyes gleaming green beneath their large hoods.

Xuancang!

Who wouldn’t be tempted?

Cheng Xie had only two Grand Void realm masters backing him, at most an additional hidden Half-Saint guard. If Sect Master Li could handle the main opponent, they could secure an additional Sleeve Sword Twin Needles.

With Xuancang and the Twin Needles, if they pulled off this operation, the Yin Ghost Sect would gain two renowned swords. They wouldn’t even need to bother with any Sword Immortal decisive battles; they could simply return home, recuperate for another three hundred years, and the Yin Ghost Sect would surely produce a Sword Immortal, becoming renowned throughout the Southern Domain’s Land of Sin.

Li You, the black-robed woman called Sect Master, merely shook her head slightly.

She lifted her hood higher, revealing a pair of magnificent eyes that glowed faintly purple. A purple crystal scale grew at the outer corner of her left eye, giving her a captivating and awe-inspiring presence.

“Calm yourselves.”

Li You extended a hand from beneath her robe, her long, slender fingers gently waving. From the back of her delicate hand to her fair wrist, purple crystal scales were also visible.

Her red lips slightly curled as she spoke with cool authority: “Is my Yin Ghost Sect a bunch of bandits, constantly thinking about nothing but plunder? Is this all you amount to? No wonder you’ve never been able to achieve sainthood!”

The elders behind her, chastised, could only exchange glances. They thought to themselves, “Aren’t we exactly bandits? Didn’t the Yin Ghost Sect start by waylaying travelers and getting rich through robbery?”

Having established such deep roots in the Southern Domain’s Land of Sin, what good people could possibly remain in the Yin Ghost Sect?

The long-bearded elder who had spoken first bowed and said earnestly:

“Sect Master Li’s admonition is correct. I fear this might be a ‘mantis stalks cicada, unaware of oriole behind’ situation. We should observe first. Rushing in blindly might lead us into a trap, and if we were to lose the Twin Form Sword, it would truly be a tremendous loss.”

Upon hearing this, the other elders’ faces registered surprise, and they immediately expressed their respectful admiration with murmurs of awe.

So this was what Sect Master Li meant?

It truly takes the Grand Elder! Otherwise, how could he have reached this position? He certainly has a knack for discerning the master’s intentions!

“But Sect Master Li…”

The thin, grim-faced Second Elder stepped forward, his spiritual senses retracted, yet still unable to conceal his eagerness. He said, “This old man has searched half of Fushang City, and there are no significant masters around. We are the strongest here!”

He made a chopping motion with his hand and stated fiercely: “We’ll pluck every feather from the passing goose, go straight in. No need to kill; grab what we want and leave. We’ll go straight home, lie low, and re-emerge in three hundred years…”

Before he could finish, Sect Master Li turned and delivered a chopping blow to his head, retorting exasperatedly: “You’re just a Grand Void realm master; what kind of masters could you possibly find? Didn’t you see the people over there?”

Her fair finger pointed to the northeast. The others looked, seeing only four young figures with a dozen scattered thrones around them, but no apparent masters.

“Indeed there are masters, Sect Master Li has sharp eyes…”

The elders echoed her words, continuing their search, but for a long time, they still couldn’t find any significant masters.

Li You shook her head almost imperceptibly, knowing this group of incompetents saw nothing. “Even I almost missed it just now,” she said. “Fortunately, Ghost Wheel Sorrow provided a warning. Another famous sword has arrived.”

The Twin Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow, ranked ninth on the List of Famous Swords, was highly renowned.

Its warning was naturally accurate. The elders took another careful look, and it was the Grand Elder, with his sharp eyes, who noticed the four young individuals.

“It’s them?”

“Hmm.”

“Who are they? They look very unfamiliar.”

“They’re disguised, but their sword intent is unmistakable. Number one, number two, and number four from the Famous Sword List are all present.”

At the Sect Master’s words, everyone’s faces turned pale with shock.

Numbers one, two, and four are all here—which family’s disciples are these? How fortunate, yet also so audacious as to flaunt these swords in public, unafraid of being robbed?

Soon, someone realized and exclaimed in a low voice: “Gu Qing One, Two, Three, and Four of the Sword Tomb?”

Li You stared coldly at the three young men and one young woman in the distance. Just as she was about to speak, the sword-wielding youth at the front looked up.

His gaze was utterly calm. Even after sensing the distant scrutiny, he remained unmoved, merely giving a slight nod, acknowledging the presence of the Twin Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow, and paying respects to the famous sword.

“How audacious! This boy dares to directly face a Half-Saint!”

“Insolent! The youth actually looked directly at the Sect Master!”

“He should be killed, this person…”

A chorus of sycophantic voices rose from behind her, yet not a single person moved. Instead, they were all so frightened by the name of the Sword Tomb that they collectively retreated half a step, the Grand Void realm masters no exception.

Seeing this, Li You bared her teeth slightly and muttered, “Just shut up, all of you.”

Silence fell instantly.

This was the problem with the Yin Ghost Sect.

Or rather, those who grew up in the harsh environment of the Southern Domain’s Land of Sin, even masters, were all like that.

It was truly difficult to remain untainted by such surroundings.

Li You was accustomed to the style of the Yin Ghost Sect elders and didn’t dwell on it. She casually sent a spiritual message to the leading youth of the Sword Tomb:

“Cooperate?”

Upon receiving the spiritual message, Gu Qing One paused, raising his hand to signal his companions to stop.

Gu Qing Two bumped into him.

Gu Qing Three bumped into Gu Qing Two.

Su Qianqian stopped at the opportune moment, her small mouth slightly agape, looking as if she wanted to speak but held back.

Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother were clearly normal individuals, but whenever their Eldest Senior Brother was in front, their minds and actions seemed to be controlled by something, making them behave like puppets.

“Eldest Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”

“Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t copy me!”

“Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, what happened?”

“Silence!” Gu Qing One, annoyed, snapped back, then stated concisely: “Half-Saint, Twin Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow.”

Gu Qing Two’s mind processed the information: “The Yin Ghost Sect?”

Gu Qing Three’s mind didn’t quite follow: “The Yin Ghost Sect… people?”

Su Qianqian silently raised her eyes, looking towards the group of black-robed figures in the distant tall building. The leader was an exceptionally beautiful woman; Su Qianqian glanced at her once before lowering her head.

A Half-Saint!

Gu Qing One cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and replied: “Cooperate on what?”

Li You’s voice was cool and direct: “Our sect will help you block the Cheng family’s Half-Saint and Grand Void masters. You will then take the Divine Sword Xuancang and the Sleeve Sword Twin Needles back to the Sword Tomb.”

Gu Qing One was momentarily stunned.

What kind of proposition was this? Was the Sword Tomb a band of robbers? Were they discussing robbery with mere acquaintances?

And what would your Yin Ghost Sect gain from this?

“No cooperation.” Gu Qing One always refused such sudden windfalls, especially when the propositions sounded so outlandish.

“Consider it again.”

Li You’s personality was very straightforward; she spoke her mind directly, as if people from the Southern Domain didn't understand indirectness. “The Sword Tomb has always been based on burying swords,” she continued. “These are all famous swords, and they should be taken back to the Sword Tomb and buried.”

Gu Qing One understood and replied with a wry smile: “The four of us, senior and junior siblings, are merely here to observe the battle. We will not claim any swords, nor will we take the Twin Form Sword.”

Li You nodded slightly, then withdrew her gaze, leaving a remark of admiration:

“Honorable individuals.”

Gu Qing One fell silent upon hearing this.

The Yin Ghost Sect was very peculiar, almost on par with his Second and Third Junior Brothers.

He thought the matter was concluded, but then his Second Junior Brother suddenly patted his shoulder and whispered:

“Eldest Senior Brother, someone claiming to be the Yin Ghost Sect’s Grand Elder sent me a spiritual message, asking if we wanted to cooperate to undermine their Sect Master and bring the Twin Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow, back to the Sword Tomb?”

Third Senior Brother also patted his shoulder:

“Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, someone claiming to be the Yin Ghost Sect’s Second Elder said, ‘Should we invite Master to intervene and take the Twin Form Sword, the Divine Sword, and the Sleeve Sword back to the Sword Tomb?’ ”

Gu Qing One took a deep breath, and after a moment, he sent another spiritual message directly to the Yin Ghost Sect’s Sect Master, stating bluntly:

“My master is not present, and Sect Master Li need not try to sow discord among my senior and junior brothers. The Sword Tomb does not take unrighteous swords. However, if the Yin Ghost Sect wishes to come and claim our famous swords, you are welcome to try.”

Li You responded with a light laugh, her smile radiant. She returned the cupped-hand salute, completely devoid of any Half-Saint pretension:

“It’s true what they say, ‘hearing is not as good as seeing.’ The Sword Tomb indeed comprises forthright and honorable individuals. My Yin Ghost Sect has been despicable; please excuse our impropriety.”

She then turned and slapped both the Grand Elder and the Second Elder, scolding them severely: “I told you not to judge noble individuals by your petty standards, always testing, always testing! You’re self-serving and shameless to the extreme; no wonder none of you can achieve sainthood!”

The Grand Elder and Second Elder, covering their faces, retreated aggrievedly, as if the spiritual messages they had just sent were not at all the Sect Master’s intentions.

Gu Qing One watched this theatrical display, his mouth slightly agape, ultimately unsure how to respond.

Were these the people of the Southern Domain?

After offering an apologetic smile, Li You no longer paid attention to the children. She turned to gaze at the distant sky and murmured:

“More masters…”

The conflict at Fushang City’s tavern was just about to ignite but was ultimately suppressed by an overwhelming aura, as several Half-Saint auras unexpectedly swept in from the north.

“Hahaha, what a lively place!”

“What is this? This Saint has just arrived and sees the Divine Sword Xuancang. Is this a fortuitous encounter?”

“Oh? Sect Master Li is here too? And a Sword Immortal from the Sword Tomb is present as well. I’ve heard much about you. Greetings, Sword Immortal Gu.”

Gu Qing Two’s back straightened at this.

In front of his Eldest Senior Brother, this was the first time he had become the center of attention, because he was one of the New Seven Sword Immortals.

On the same level as Master, his seniority had been elevated—even Half-Saints would greet him!

Discussions immediately broke out in the tavern. Everyone looked up to see dozens of figures sweeping across the void, with the three leaders all possessing Half-Saint auras.

“Pill Saint Lu Shiyu, Weapon Saint Tie Dameng, Formation Saint Shangfeng Daoist…”

“The people from the City of Living Pagodas have arrived! Besides the various Half-Saint association presidents, there are also Grand Void realm guest elders from the Alchemist Association, the Artificer Association, and the Spirit Formation Association—so many Grand Void masters!”

“Are they here together to observe the ceremony? Pill Saint Lu Shiyu wields the Great Luo Nine Heavens Profound Life Sword; surely he isn't tempted by the Divine Sword Xuancang too?”

Cheng Xie stood before the boundary line drawn by Xuancang, his heart sinking with the thought, ‘This is bad.’

Having dragged on for some time, he had inadvertently allowed all these people to gather. Now, it would likely be difficult to claim Xuancang for himself.

Pill Saint Lu Shiyu instantly grasped the situation. After glancing at the unmoving Li You of the Yin Ghost Sect and the uninvolved four youths of the Sword Tomb, a smile appeared on his face, and he spoke proactively:

“We have come to Fushang entirely because the Great Luo Nine Heavens Profound Life Sword has exhibited unusual phenomena, and its sword spirit also wishes to observe the ceremony. Such a request must naturally be fulfilled.”

His last sentence was directed at Cheng Xie: “The City of Living Pagodas has always disliked disputes. Please, all of you, feel free to proceed as you wish.”

With that, he led the people from the City of Living Pagodas to the other side, observing the unfolding events with folded arms.

“Are they just letting Xuancang go like that?”

The onlookers at the tavern, who loved a good spectacle, found the scaled-down conflict rather unsatisfying today.

“Young Master, what should we do?”

A Grand Void realm master sent a spiritual message, and Cheng Xie frowned, deep in thought.

Before he could act, his Sleeve Sword showed signs of abnormality. He vigilantly looked to the other side and saw Gu Qing One, Two, Three, and Four of the Sword Tomb successively appearing, his pupils immediately contracting.

The number one, two, and four ranked swords on the List of Famous Swords were renowned throughout the world, far more famous than his Sleeve Sword Twin Needles, which ranked fourteenth.

“The Sword Tomb also does not wish to cause further trouble,” Gu Qing One stated.

His junior brother and sister beside him, seeing it was Xiao Wanfeng, each showed surprise and then thoughtfulness, just about to say something more.

Gu Qing One raised a hand to stop them, shaking his head slightly.

He knew his junior brother and sister had some acquaintance with Xiao Wanfeng, but while others couldn't see Xiao Wanfeng’s abnormality, he could discern the subtle clues at a glance.

Xuancang’s choice was certainly not without reason.

This youth was no weaker than anyone else present.

At Fushang Tavern, various forces converged, each with their own ulterior motives. Cheng Xie, as the one directly involved, found himself in a dilemma, unsure whether he should continue to be the one to stick his neck out.

“Something’s not right…”

From the distant tall building, Li You’s slender eyebrows furrowed.

People from the Central and Eastern Domains might not be overly sensitive to crises, as the environments they grew up in were far superior to those in other domains.

The Southern Domain was known as the Land of Sin, where various factions held sway. One wrong step meant death and the obliteration of one’s cultivation. Li You had long developed an extremely keen sense—specifically, for "death."

“Sect Master, what isn’t right?” the Grand Elder asked.

“I don’t know, just a hunch…” Li You looked around. “Keep searching. See if any more masters have arrived.”

Abstracting from the phenomena to grasp the essence, she found Fushang to be truly peculiar. In less than half a day, how had so many famous swords gathered here?

“Sect Master, there truly are masters, look over there, but don’t stare…” The Second Elder lowered his voice, not even daring to point with his finger.

Li You casually glanced in that direction, and suddenly her body trembled, her eyelashes fluttering lightly.

A one-armed, disheveled middle-aged man and a grey-robed elder with a hairpin stood side-by-side, observing the tavern from afar.

“Demon Sword Slave, Lan’s Voice; Crane Sword, Listener of Dust.”

Their identities were now obvious:

Gou Wuyue, Feng Tingchen!

Two of the previous generation’s Seven Sword Immortals! Even such grand figures had arrived?

The two simultaneously turned their heads. Li You’s delicate body trembled. The Yin Ghost Sect absolutely could not afford to offend these two, so she hurriedly cupped her hands in a bow and looked away.

“Buzz.”

In her spiritual consciousness space, the Twin Form Sword, Ghost Wheel Sorrow, stirred again, issuing a warning. Li You immediately turned her head.

She saw a red-clad youth in a nearby alley, secretly observing Sword Immortal Wuyue in the sky.

She recognized this person; she had seen him once in the Transmission Mirror when the Five Heavenly Blights ascended Mount Guizhe.

“Lu Ke in red, with the famous sword Azure Scale Spine!”

Before she could ponder the relationship between Lu Ke, Azure Scale Spine, and Sword Immortal Wuyue, Li You’s spiritual senses stirred again, and she glanced to yet another side.

In the dark corner behind the tavern’s low wall, a young man with a black blindfold over his eyes leaned against the wall. He held a staff in his hand, emotionlessly "watching" the main battlefield.

“Saint Slave, Tears in Double Streams!”

“And what he holds in his hand must be… the Soul-Drawing Staff!”

Li You felt a tingling sensation all over her body, as if a chill emanated from the top of her head.

Driven by a woman's sixth sense, she felt as though she had fallen into an invisible, massive jar.

“Retreat!”

With a flick of her sleeve, Li You wanted to lead her people home.

The Southern Domain’s Land of Sin was, in fact, the safe place. This so-called Ghost Buddha Realm, this opportunity for Imperial Sainthood—people were going to die here!

“Sect Master, I’ve found a master too, and a very powerful one at that.”

But then a sudden, hoarse voice, like a gander’s, rang out, halting everyone’s movements.

The Yin Ghost Sect members looked to see it was the Third Elder.

The Third Elder was a short, plump man with crossed eyes and a seemingly intelligent expression, yet his strength was undoubtedly also at the Grand Void realm.

He was now pointing to the west, towards the west city gate, his expression filled with astonishment.

“Who?”

Li You wanted to turn her head to look, but then reconsidered. “Don’t look anymore, retreat!” She didn't even use her spiritual message, knowing her life was more important.

But the Third Elder’s feet seemed to be filled with lead, rooted to the spot. His gaze was fixed intently on the west city gate as he struggled to say:

“Ba Zun’an.”

Li You stumbled, having just taken flight, nearly falling from the tall building—a Half-Saint losing her footing.

“Who?”

She spoke again in disbelief, her beautiful eyes quickly scanning towards the west city gate.

“It really seems to be him…”

The Third Elder took a deep breath, suppressing his alarm, and said: “Eight fingers, a scar on his neck—the Eighth Sword Immortal has arrived too!”