Completely the stance of drawing swords at the slightest disagreement!

The entire vast teleportation plaza of Broken Immortal City fell into dead silence for a moment. No one understood how things had suddenly turned out this way, nor where Fudao Shanren’s shocking fury originated from.

It was exactly like someone had touched his reverse scales…

Not only the many visiting cultivators who witnessed the incident up close, but even the Star Sea cultivators who had come to watch after learning of the arrival of many old monsters and great powers, were all completely bewildered.

But at this moment, not a single person dared to speak.

Everyone involuntarily held their breath, watching the nearly terrifying aura surrounding Fudao Shanren, feeling as if even their heartbeats might stop.

One must know, standing before them was not merely a Void Refining stage great power!

The young Fudao Shanren once had cultivation talent even stronger than Kunwu’s current Hengxu Master. Though he had been somewhat wasted over the years, as long as he wished, he had easily cultivated to Void Refining in less than a hundred years.

This was certainly not normal speed.

Everyone spoke of how his disciple Jian Chou cultivated extremely fast, but often overlooked Fudao Shanren himself!

Out-of-Body, World-Entry, Void Refining!

From the former to the latter, he had used no more time than Jian Chou! It could even be said that Jian Chou mostly benefited from the opportunity of the Mustard Seed space, but Fudao Shanren had no such thing!

This was truly terrifying!

Fudao Shanren had always been a great figure respected throughout Shijiu Zhou, but also the most underestimated powerhouse of his generation in all Shijiu Zhou!

Not to mention, the supreme treasure Imperial Sky Mirror was managed alternately by Kunwu and Yashan.

In other words, twenty years ago, Fudao Shanren had already taken the Imperial Sky Mirror back into his hands!

The shocking scene from the Kunwu minor gathering when he wielded the Imperial Sky Mirror to obliterate half of Jianzhu Sect was still vivid in memory. Many cultivators, feeling the tense atmosphere before them, almost immediately recalled it.

Including Lu Song himself.

He had been present then and witnessed it firsthand.

Could he win?

His realm was slightly higher than Fudao Shanren’s, so by rights he should be able to win. But in reality, Yashan cultivators’ combat power was generally somewhat higher than their realm suggested, not to mention the other party had the Imperial Sky Mirror in hand—the outcome was truly hard to predict.

Rationally considering, he shouldn’t fight with Fudao Shanren, but this anger in his heart—

This indignant fury!

How could he swallow it?

Lu Song’s temper was naturally bad, and he was very concerned with face. He believed he was clearly speaking up for Yashan and Kunwu, suppressing Mingri Xinghai’s arrogance, yet who would have thought his good intentions were treated like donkey liver and lungs!

How could he endure it!

Just staring at Fudao Shanren for a moment, Lu Song’s mind had already turned over a thousand, ten thousand thoughts. Trembling with rage, he finally gritted his teeth and spread all ten fingers of both hands!

Swish swish swish!

Suddenly it was as if countless threads were weaving between his fingers, and the ground beneath his feet also began to undulate faintly, as if something was about to emerge from within!

Lu Song’s eyes blazed with fire as he replied without the slightest courtesy: “Where there is no fault, why apologize! If you Fudao want to draw swords, I Lu will accompany you in a sword fight!”

“Pavilion Master Lu!”

“You cannot!”

“Shanren!”

Several great powers immediately realized something was wrong and rushed to stop them, but when two Void Refining cultivators wanted to fight, especially both in great fury, how could they be easily restrained?

“Boom!”

The auras of the two great powers immediately collided!

The ground of the plaza, paved with solid stone, immediately crumbled to powder!

Without saying a word, Fudao Shanren’s jade-green nine-sectioned bamboo staff struck out directly like a sword. In an instant, the entire plaza’s sky was filled with emerald bamboo shadows!

Enveloping downward!

All the cultivators still standing in the plaza never expected them to start fighting immediately without any hesitation!

Good heavens!

Countless people broke out in cold sweat—half from the attacks that exploded in moments during their exchange and the range of their effects, half from this gathering that was already in such chaos before it had officially begun!

Those with slightly lower cultivation like Nascent Soul, Out-of-Body, and World-Entry stages all scattered to avoid them. Only those few great powers could still hold on, but their hearts were extremely anxious.

How could they fight here!

A battle between Shijiu Zhou and the Extreme Domain was inevitable—it was just a matter of early or late. Everyone had come here precisely to sit down together and discuss a concrete plan to reclaim the cultivators’ right of reincarnation.

But who could have thought that instead of others causing trouble, these two from the Central Domain would start fighting first!

Yashan and Tongling Pavilion had always been without grievances or enmity—how had they suddenly “drawn swords at the slightest disagreement”?

At this critical juncture!

If something really went wrong, forget about working together to attack the Extreme Domain—the entire Shijiu Zhou would immediately become scattered sand!

The distant Dakini Yang Jin and others didn’t understand the underlying reasons at all, watching in complete confusion, not daring to interfere.

Wangjiang Tower Master Yin Wang and Fengmo Sword Sect Leader Zhang Yuandai vaguely guessed something and hurriedly went to restrain the furious Lu Song.

“Pavilion Master Lu, Pavilion Master Lu! You mustn’t be impulsive, mustn’t be impulsive!”

“Get lost, all of you!”

“This absolutely cannot be fought—Brother Lu, calm down!”

The other side saw Kunwu react even faster.

Although they had considerable criticism of Qu Zhengfeng’s repeated deliberate slights, and knew how much hatred toward Kunwu was hidden in the name “Yushan Xing,” they absolutely dared not stand by and watch the two fight!

Several elders almost immediately rushed to intervene: “Elder Fudao!”

Though Wu Duan and Wang Que had only joined after the Yin-Yang realm battle, they knew something about past events and also flew up to obstruct.

Though Fudao Shanren’s cultivation was high, these Kunwu elders weren’t pushovers either.

With numbers on their side, they barely managed to restrain him.

Wu Duan stepped forward to help while Wang Que quickly spoke to console: “Please calm your anger, Shanren. Pavilion Master Lu doesn’t know the underlying reasons—his momentary rudeness was surely unintentional…”

“Boom!”

Before he finished speaking, what responded to him was actually Fudao Shanren’s staff striking directly at his head!

In such haste, how could Wang Que react in time?

He couldn’t even dodge, only hastily raising his sword to block!

Though he had abandoned the Hermit Sword path, finding a sword to his liking wasn’t easy, so he was still using his original sword.

“Clang!”

The nine-sectioned bamboo struck directly on the Hermit Sword, immediately producing a sharp sword cry, followed by a faint wail, as if unable to bear this staff’s force and about to break!

“Bang!”

Dust flew up from the ground as Wang Que couldn’t fully withstand this terrifying power, being forcibly pressed to half-kneel on the ground by Fudao Shanren’s staff.

Though both hands still struggled to hold up the sword in support, his knees had already sunk in!

Wang Que was originally late-stage Nascent Soul, but switching to cultivate the Confucian Sword had caused his cultivation to regress—now he barely maintained early-stage Nascent Soul. How could he possibly be Fudao Shanren’s match?

Just this casual staff strike had already pressed him down completely unable to rise!

His handsome face immediately showed flush, and between the dense cold sweat, he was already somewhat unable to support himself.

But Fudao Shanren showed no sign of withdrawing, even with a tendency to increase the force in his hand.

His eyes actually carried a faint reddish color, like an enraged beast, looking at the Kunwu people and Wang Que with extremely cold gazes!

“Does your Kunwu also want to interfere in my Yashan’s grievances?!”

He wasn’t even giving Kunwu face!

This scene was even more frightening than the previous one!

Most people simply didn’t understand what hidden circumstances were involved, nor did they know how things had suddenly become so chaotic. But rumors about the relationship between Yashan and Kunwu had been numerous over the years.

On the surface, both sects claimed good relations, but looking at this now…

It really wasn’t the case!

Many cultivators recalled the struggle at Snow Domain’s Sacred Hall twenty years ago and felt their eyelids twitching.

The only person in the field who could maintain complete composure was actually Wang Que, who was almost being pressed completely into the ground.

Facing Fudao Shanren’s stern questioning, he showed no trace of fear, only gritted his teeth, withstood the suddenly increased force, and replied word by word.

“If this matter were only Yashan’s grievance, even if you gave this junior a hundred times the courage, this junior wouldn’t dare obstruct, and Kunwu even less so! But today’s matter concerns the life and death and survival of Shijiu Zhou!”

“Today’s matter is not Yashan’s affair, but Shijiu Zhou’s affair.”

“Wang Que dares to earnestly request Shanren to reconsider, think thrice!”

This was truly risking his life!

No one had expected Wang Que to dare speak against Fudao Shanren’s wishes at this moment. Everyone was scared witless. Only Xuanyue Fairy nearby seized the opportunity and quickly stepped forward to restrain him.

“Elder Fudao, please don’t be angry. How can we argue with a junior?”

Someone of her higher cultivation and eccentric temperament actually softened her tone at this moment, even showing some affable smile on her face as she gently persuaded Fudao Shanren.

“It’s not a big matter either. This gathering is still led by Yashan—why would Shanren let this effort go to waste?”

As she spoke, she subtly gave Jian Chou a meaningful look.

Jian Chou was immediately stunned.

But she quickly reacted, knowing this Northern Domain Yin Sect Master wanted her as the disciple to go persuade her master.

She didn’t know what hidden circumstances this person Yushan Xing, or rather his identity, involved, but she felt in her heart that Fudao Shanren’s such great fury must have its reasons.

Just…

This time and place truly weren’t suitable for conflict.

So after a moment’s hesitation, she also stepped forward, placing her hand on Fudao Shanren’s arm. Standing aside watching didn’t feel like anything, but at this moment, Jian Chou clearly felt this arm trembling!

Or rather, his entire person was trembling!

The words she was about to speak were suddenly completely forgotten: “Master…”

“…”

Fudao Shanren didn’t speak for a long time.

Those eyes usually hidden under messy hair were wide open at this moment, the depths actually filled with bloodshot veins, which was why they had appeared somewhat reddish earlier.

His gaze moved from Wang Que’s body to the Kunwu cultivators, and also to Lu Song who had been similarly restrained…

Each was a human figure, but nothing remained in his heart.

Only the scars left by that battle eleven cycles ago suddenly spread, surging within this withered shell about to decay into deep, heavy grief!

The Yushan Xing from six hundred eighty years ago wasn’t his disciple, his talent wasn’t extremely outstanding, but he possessed diligence and effort that no one could match.

He was the only disciple in those years who, despite insufficient talent, was exceptionally accepted into the sect.

At that time, Qu Zhengfeng was still arrogantly talented, possessing the beautiful name “East First Sword.” Though he hadn’t neglected cultivation, he was absolutely not as diligent as he later became. Even so, his cultivation and realm were higher than others.

In comparison, Yushan Xing seemed mediocre, even clumsy.

Perhaps his greatest lifetime talent was being willing to work hard and not being ashamed to ask questions?

Initially, no one thought he could keep up with his peer disciples’ cultivation, but no one expected that in the Beast Arena, he would repeatedly defeat fellow disciples as opponents, unexpectedly becoming second only to Qu Zhengfeng, surprising everyone.

Then came that Yin-Yang realm battle that nearly consumed all of Yashan.

Fudao Shanren still remembered how Yushan Xing, who should have been recovering from serious injuries in his room during the final decisive battle, rushed to Lanyue Hall upon learning explanations and news from Buddhism and Kunwu…

His eyes red, he questioned everyone in the hall!

Why?

Why not seek revenge, why let over a thousand fellow disciples die in vain!

To this day, he couldn’t forget that young, pale face, those hoarse questions, and that final resolute departing figure!

He accepted no one’s help and resolutely betrayed Yashan.

Seriously injured, he created his own sect, vowing that even if he couldn’t see it himself, he would have his disciples pass down the name “Yushan Xing” generation after generation, just to forever witness with this identity—

How much longer would justice for this world’s injustices be delayed!

From then on, the three words “Yushan Xing” became the deepest of countless scars throughout Yashan, and also became the most oppressive cloud hanging over all those in Buddhism’s Chan and Mi sects and Kunwu who knew the truth!

No one would easily mention this name again.

Even Qu Zhengfeng didn’t—he only transformed himself into the former Yushan Xing, cultivating day by day without cease. Later, he too betrayed Yashan…

Six hundred eighty years…

Six hundred eighty years had passed!

Where was justice?!

Killing intent was almost boiling at his heart’s tip, but before his eyes was this plaza full of cultivators from all directions of Shijiu Zhou’s lands. Soon they would be like those fallen Yashan disciples of old, fighting on the Yin-Yang realm battlefield…

No one knew whether what awaited them was life or death.

At this moment in Star Sea plaza, how was it different from that moment in Lanyue Hall?

The greater good came first…

Where did he get the position and qualification to indulge in momentary anger!

At this instant, Fudao Shanren actually felt the nine-sectioned bamboo in his hand, always as useful as his own arm, had become heavy.

His steps suddenly wavered, and his arm also drooped down dejectedly.

Both Jian Chou and Zheng Yao nearby were alarmed and immediately moved to support him, but he pushed them away with one hand, only forcibly suppressing that surging grief and turning to leave!

Each stride he took was filled with anger!

Everyone could see it, and no one dared block his path, all making way. Fudao Shanren walked directly through this path the crowd had opened, heading toward the distance.

The Yashan people here, including Jian Chou, were all stunned for a moment before hurriedly following.

The group of nearly twenty quickly disappeared from everyone’s sight.

But the entire plaza remained quietly silent.

Lu Song, who had been forcibly restrained, still didn’t understand exactly where he had offended this old madman Fudao: “Has he cultivated himself into senility? How did I offend him to warrant tearing apart all pretense and fighting me so desperately?!”

Nearby Wangjiang Tower Master Yin Wang and Fengmo Sword Sect Leader Zhang Yuandai exchanged glances but said nothing.

Only Xuanyue Fairy withdrew her gaze from the distance, looked at Lu Song, and said lightly: “Tongling Pavilion borders Western Sea, quite distant from Kunwu and Yashan. Pavilion Master Lu didn’t participate in the war back then, so probably doesn’t know of this matter. If Pavilion Master Lu had known and still spoken thus, his head would likely have already parted ways with his neck.”

Lu Song was immediately stunned.

But Xuanyue Fairy had no intention of explaining further, only inexplicably looked back at the statue in the plaza’s center—though affected by the recent struggle, it remained completely undamaged—with hidden worry showing in her eyes.

Before they had truly gathered for discussion, things were already in such chaos. This battle…