Chapter 2029: Who is Zhang Xuan?

Lingyun Sword Pavilion, core disciples' peak.

A young man, holding a long sword, repeatedly thrust it forward. Suddenly, he let go, and the sword shot out with a whistle, embedding itself in a nearby tree trunk up to the hilt.

"Senior Brother He, have you mastered her moves?"

Another young man walked over from not far away, looking excited.

If Bai Ruanqing were here, she would definitely recognize the two.

They were He Jingxuan, ranked first among the core disciples, and Hu Chen, ranked fourth.

After fighting Bai Ruanqing, He Jingxuan had been studying the two moves she used to defeat him. Only now had he started to make some progress.

"These two moves are indeed incredibly ingenious and astonishing..."

He Jingxuan shook his head.

He had initially thought it was just a casual sword throw, a simple move, but the more he studied it, the more formidable it became.

This sword technique of hers seemed to contain the profound mysteries of the Great Dao. No matter what move he used to counter, he would face an even more fierce backlash.

"Yes, otherwise, our entire core wouldn't have been swept by her alone..."

Hu Chen shook his head with a bitter smile, his face full of helplessness.

Not admitting Bai Ruanqing's strength would be embarrassing, but admitting it, given that she only had two powerful moves, left everyone feeling frustrated.

"By the way, I asked you to investigate who taught her this move. Have you found out?"

Shaking off these thoughts, He Jingxuan asked.

"I did... and my guess was right. It's 'I'm Very Low-Key,' the one who swept through the inner sect!"

Hu Chen replied.

"It's him?"

He Jingxuan frowned, "Isn't he... only at the peak of Void Shattering?"

He also knew a bit about 'I'm Very Low-Key' causing a stir in the inner sect and had heard that he was a Void Shattering expert.

"He must have broken through to the early Void Immortal realm. The 'I'm Very Handsome' who defeated us is very likely..." Hu Chen nodded, just about to state his conjecture when a colossal voice echoed throughout the entire peak.

"From today onward, Zhang Xuan shall be the Sect Master of my Sword Pavilion!"

"It's the Sect Master's voice!"

"Zhang Xuan as Sect Master? Who is this Zhang Xuan...?"

Both men were stunned.

Everyone had heard of a Sect Master abdicating, but... such an abdication should be to an elder or someone whose name was known. Where did this person come from?

As they wondered, Sect Master Han Jianqiu's voice continued to resound.

"I know many of you don't know who Zhang Xuan is! He is 'I'm Very Low-Key,' who single-handedly challenged the inner sect with a sword, and 'I'm Very Handsome,' who challenged the core!"

"'I'm Very Low-Key'?"

He Jingxuan was taken aback, "Didn't he just break through to the Void Immortal realm?"

When he challenged the inner sect yesterday, he was only at the peak of Void Shattering. With such strength... could he become the Sect Master?

"He is to become Sect Master because he comprehended the Sword Intent of the Divine. Although his cultivation is only at the peak of True Immortal, he personally slew a peak Immortal Monarch and three peak True Immortals. At the same level, he single-handedly defeated the Elder Hall and the Four Grand Elders with his sword..."

Han Jianqiu's voice continued.

"Peak True Immortal realm?"

"Slaying a peak Immortal Monarch expert?"

"Defeating Sect Master Han and several other elders?"

He Jingxuan and Hu Chen exchanged glances, involuntarily swaying.

Such formidable strength?

We're not thinking of the same person, are we...?

He was only at the peak of Void Shattering yesterday. Even considering a breakthrough to the early Void Immortal realm, that's impressive, but what's this about peak True Immortal?

And what's more... slaying a peak Immortal Monarch, what happened there?

"I say all this merely to inform you that the Sect Master position is being relinquished sincerely and without any reluctance. I hope that from now on, you will follow behind Sect Master Zhang Xuan and help my Lingyun Sword Pavilion flourish and prosper..."

The voice slowly faded away.

Hu Chen looked at He Jingxuan in front of him.

"Let's obey the Sect Master's command... From now on, our Sect Master will be... Zhang Xuan!"

"But..."

"What does this Sect Master Zhang... look like? How old is he?"

He Jingxuan and Hu Chen both fell into confusion.

We are to respect this Sect Master...

But at least tell us what he looks like!

Without any description, how are we supposed to know who he is?

Inner disciples' peak.

Cao Cheng was sitting by the doorframe, engrossed in a troubled study.

"Can't use my left foot, can't use my right foot, can't jump... Looks like I'll have to crawl across..."

Just as he shook his head helplessly, the voice from the sky resonated.

"Young Master... became the Sect Master of Lingyun Sword Pavilion, one of the six great sects?"

He was utterly stunned, then "plop!" sat on the ground, vigorously rubbing his ears in disbelief.

The Young Master was very powerful; he had witnessed it back in Xuanjiang City, but... he never dreamed he was *this* powerful!

In just two days at Lingyun Sword Pavilion, he had gone from being an inner disciple's attendant to the Sect Master...

How did he do it?

Not only was he shocked, but Bai Ruanqing and Shan Xiaotian, who were cultivating, were also stunned, their eyes immediately filling with intense fervor.

Master became the Sect Master!

As his direct disciples, they must not bring him shame!

They had to work even harder!

The same scene unfolded across all peaks of the Sword Pavilion.

In an instant, all disciples and elders simultaneously remembered the same name... Zhang Xuan!

He had emerged out of nowhere, and in just two days... he became the Sect Master of Lingyun Sword Pavilion!

It was no exaggeration to call it the fastest rise in history.

"Elder Han, doing this... wouldn't it bring the Sect Master directly into the Divine Temple's view and make them wary?"

After Han Jianqiu announced the new Sect Master and automatically became an elder, Elder He Tian couldn't hold back and asked.

They had previously intended to keep it hidden, fearing the Divine Temple's attention, but now it was publicly announced...

Wasn't that too high-profile?

"The Divine Temple has already sent people to act. Rather than conceal it, it's better to announce it. This way, even if they want to slay the Sect Master of Lingyun Sword Pavilion, they'll surely have to think twice..." Han Jianqiu said, his hands clasped behind his back.

If Zhang Xuan had no official status, the Divine Temple could just kill him, and no one would know such a person existed.

But... becoming the Sect Master of Lingyun Sword Pavilion was different.

If the Divine Temple truly wanted to act, they would have to provide an explanation to the entire continent!

Otherwise... on what grounds would they kill?

If the Divine Temple, revered by all, truly acted this way, it would become a mere assassin, and the world would fall into chaos...

Elder He suddenly understood.

Starchaser Palace.

Behind the full-moon-like portal, a delicate figure stood in the long, suspended corridor, head raised, looking into the sky, lost in thought. Her dark, beautiful hair cascaded down her white attire, like ink on rice paper.

"Sect Master!"

A woman suddenly appeared with a flash and knelt before her.

"What is it?"

The delicate figure turned her face, revealing a beautiful, gentle, and moving woman.

"A message from Lingyun Sword Pavilion: Han Jianqiu has resigned as Sect Master!"

The woman clasped her fists.

The six great sects each had their own intelligence networks, capable of instantly transmitting news to every corner of the continent with the help of the Divine Communication Temple.

"Resigned? What... what is he doing?"

The Sect Master frowned.

Lingyun Sword Pavilion's ability to remain one of the six great sects and rank among the top three was closely related to its Sect Master.

For such a powerful expert to resign without a valid reason would cause a significant drop in the sect's popularity and even lead to chaos.

"I don't know. According to the transmitted message... it was a sudden announcement, with no prior warning!" the woman explained.

"Then... is the successor the one who comprehended the Sword Intent of the Divine? When will the succession ceremony be held?"

The Sect Master looked over.

For Han Jianqiu to make such a decision, he must have found a more suitable successor. As she thought this, the news of the powerful expert who comprehended the "Sword Intent of the Divine" surfaced in her mind.

"Yes! Sect Master Han said the new Sect Master has comprehended the Sword Intent of the Divine, and his name is..." The woman hesitated, then nodded and said, "Zhang Xuan!"

"Zhang Xuan?"

The Sect Master was startled.

The stone platform beneath her feet immediately emitted "crack! crack!" sounds, as if it could shatter at any moment.

It seemed that in her emotional agitation, she hadn't controlled the power within her body.

"Sect Master..." The woman was startled and quickly bowed.

"It's nothing, I just didn't expect it to be so soon..." The Sect Master recovered, and the stone platform beneath her stopped cracking. "Have our people seen the new Sect Master? Do you know his specific strength?"

"The new Sect Master hasn't appeared or spoken. According to what Sect Master Han revealed, this person is only at the peak of True Immortal but has slain a peak Immortal Monarch and three peak True Immortals..."

After a moment's thought, the woman replied.

The spy embedded in Lingyun Sword Pavilion had relayed Sect Master Han Jianqiu's words in meticulous detail, without the slightest deviation.

"Peak True Immortal, slaying a peak Immortal Monarch and three peak True Immortals?"

The Sect Master was stunned, her beautiful face filled with disbelief: "How long has it been? And he's already this powerful..."

Crack! Crack!

The stone platform cracked again.

"Sect Master... do you know this Sect Master Zhang Xuan?"

The woman couldn't help but ask.

In her memory, their Sect Master had always been calm and composed regardless of the situation, yet today she had lost her composure twice in a row.

The Sect Master shook her head, composed herself again, and smiled faintly, "Not really acquainted! Oh, right, have Wu Chen come here!"

"Yes!"

The woman withdrew. A moment later, a young boy followed her in and approached.

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

The boy prostrated himself on the ground.

The Sect Master, with her hands clasped behind her back, said nothing more. She looked at the child before her, who appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen, and simply stated, "He has arrived!"

The boy's eyes lit up, and he prostrated himself again, "Sect Master, I wish to follow him through thick and thin, to face any danger without hesitation. Please grant my wish!"

"Follow him? Do you know where he is now? Or what his strength is?"

The Sect Master smiled.

The boy shook his head.

"He is now the Sect Master of Lingyun Sword Pavilion, has comprehended the Sword Intent of the Divine, and his cultivation has reached the peak of True Immortal. He has even personally slain a peak Immortal Monarch expert..." the Sect Master said.

"This..."

The boy was startled, his face full of disbelief: "That fast?"

"Indeed. I used to think the Spirit God had made a mistake, that a small figure from the lower realms had no qualities to earn her favor. But now it seems... he truly possesses superhuman abilities and talent! Perhaps he's no less remarkable than Master Kong himself was back then!"

As the Sect Master spoke, she walked from the stone platform through the round portal and approached the boy. "Let's go. Come with me to Lingyun Sword Pavilion. I want to see if this new Sect Master is indeed him!"

With that, her delicate figure shimmered, and she vanished from the spot with the boy.