Jing Wen put away the amber pendant and was about to move against her when, from the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Huai Mie’s corpse nearby.

A seventh-rank demon cultivator with a bone age of over two hundred years and considerable strength, yet defeated by this young girl’s sword?

He was slightly surprised and released his divine sense to carefully observe the numerous traces on the “battlefield,” deducing the general process of the decisive battle.

The river dragon sword in the girl’s hand likely had an extraordinary origin, and she was skilled in battle techniques.

Her courage, endurance, and mental state were all of the highest quality—truly a rare talent.

A famous sword finding a suitable master was indeed a blessing for the sword path.

Jing Wen’s anger suddenly diminished somewhat.

No wonder Xiang Heng, despite his consistently excellent reputation, had suddenly, amid heavy rumors, insisted on acknowledging this daughter.

He had thought the greatest gain from this trip would be Jing Ran, but unexpectedly, there was another surprise.

Xiang Haikui gripped the sword hilt tightly and retreated continuously.

Heaven Fury was frantically warning her, even the river dragon on the sword’s body had begun to raise its head.

This happened because the opponent’s level was extremely high and harbored obvious hostility toward her.

There was no need for Heaven Fury to judge; his ability to easily penetrate the city-sealing barrier had already demonstrated his cultivation level.

Her divine sense was drawn to Jing Ran standing on the street in the city. From Jing Ran’s reaction and the two sword cultivators beside him, she could confirm that this powerful figure before her was indeed Jing Wen.

Xiang Haikui was now completely exhausted, and Heaven Fury’s Fury Value was nearly depleted. She had no resistance left.

However, even if she had been at her peak, she couldn’t have resisted this powerful figure at the pinnacle of the Tribulation stage.

Moreover, Jing Wen cultivated the battle sword and slaughter sword.

Otherwise, after her father fell into demonic madness, people wouldn’t have sought help at Jing Wen’s doorstep.

And of the other two sword masters who were on par with Jing Wen, one seemed to cultivate something called the Three Lives in a Great Dream Sword, and his cultivation method was reportedly to find places to sleep.

He spent all day cultivating in his dreams or entering others’ dreams to cultivate.

The other cultivated something called the Hundred Flavors of Life Sword and was even more elusive, probably hidden in some mountain valley drinking dewdrops and picking mushrooms.

After Xiang Haikui respectfully performed a junior’s greeting, she spoke first: “Respected Senior…”

Jing Wen interrupted her: “Are you Xiang Heng’s younger daughter?”

“I am indeed, Senior.” Xiang Haikui guessed: was he unable to find the boss and, having heard that she had injured Dao Chen and aided the boss in possessing him, come to seek retribution?

Jing Wen disliked wasting words: “Where is your father in seclusion?”

Xiang Haikui was surprised—he had come for her father?

She tentatively asked: “May I know what urgent matter Senior has with my father that cannot wait until he comes out of seclusion…”

Jing Wen said, “This matter does not concern you. Just tell me the location of his seclusion.”

Xiang Haikui couldn’t understand the situation, but even if she could, she wouldn’t tell him.

Before she could react, a surge of sword energy suddenly rushed toward her face. Instinctively, she gripped the sword hilt with both hands and placed the sword horizontally in front of her eyes to block.

With a clang, the forces of both sides sparked against the sword’s body.

Xiang Haikui was forced back more than ten steps, her shoulders trembling slightly. The tiger’s mouth of her sword-holding hand cracked from the impact, her head nearly splitting with dizziness, a bloody taste stubbornly pressed in her throat.

In her heart, she cursed the old bastard!

“You only need to tell the truth, and I won’t harm you. Otherwise…” Jing Wen had merely displayed a bit of his power to intimidate her. “I’ve heard you were only recently taken back by Xiang Heng, so you likely have little emotional attachment to him. Let me be frank: Xiang Heng is a hypocritical villain who doesn’t deserve to be your father.”

Jing Wen had another sentence: “If you have no support in the future, I am willing to take you as my disciple and teach you wholeheartedly.”

But before he could say this, Xiang Haikui already spat in his face: “My father doesn’t deserve to be a father? And you do? Have you seen what kind of disgusting behavior your son displays? You still have the face to lecture others?”

Jing Wen was stunned. He truly hadn’t expected that, after being intimidated by his sword aura to the point of mental shock, she could still speak such outrageous words with full vigor and aggression.

And… son?

Jing Wen’s pupils contracted tightly.

Xiang Haikui’s counterattack made the originally “oil-depleted lamp” of her Fury Value surge up. The third-level cultivation progress bar also shot up from the initial stage to the middle stage.

Would she betray her father?

No.

Would Jing Wen spare her if she spoke nicely?

No.

Then why bother being polite with him?

The greater the expert, the more nourishing they were for Heaven Fury.

As long as she didn’t die, they were all her prey!

Originally, she had been like a salted fish, but now she had some strength to struggle.

She mobilized the newly generated Fury Value from him, quickly flowing it back into her body.

This Fury Value was enough for her to transform into a river dragon once more.

Heaven Fury temporarily had no thoughts of changing to a new master and could distinguish priorities, not hindering her.

However, Meng Xilou had already closed the city gate barrier. She was now standing on the outer city gate. After transforming into a river dragon, in which direction should she fly?

“Classmate Xiang, come back into the city,” Jing Ran transmitted to her.

Xiang Haikui was slightly startled—there were people in the city now, and innocent bystanders might be hurt…

Jing Ran advised her: “Although Master cultivates the killing sword, with so many ordinary people without cultivation present, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly.”

Xiang Haikui thought about it. Indeed, Jing Wen had no precedent of impulsively killing indiscriminately on a large scale.

Good, she would flee into the city!

Seeing her transform into a river dragon and flee toward the city, Jing Wen guessed her intention. His gaze turned sharp as he joined his fingers and made a slash in the air, sending an arc-shaped light blade toward her.

Xiang Haikui, having slain river dragons before, analyzed that this sword strike was aimed to knock her directly out of the sky.

She quickly curled her body, avoiding vital areas, but her spine was still heavily struck.

He sent another flying sword, faster and fiercer than before, not fatal but still intended to knock her down.

But this flying sword was deflected by a force from outside the city.

Devil City Lord Qing Ni had made her move from hiding. Neither she nor Fang Zhiyou had met Jing Wen before, but both recognized him.

They couldn’t understand the situation—Jing Wen and Xiang Heng normally had no interaction, so why had he suddenly come to kill Xiang Heng with such ferocity?

Qing Ni’s cultivation level was significantly lower than Jing Wen’s, but as a dual-form demon, she could engage him briefly after changing form.

But she couldn’t come out. Their positions were different, and appearing before everyone would benefit neither of them. She could only help this much.

Jing Wen didn’t care who was sending sneak attacks from behind and immediately launched a third sword.

This third sword was blocked by Meng Xilou.

With the barrier closed, Meng Xilou flew up to the city wall and cupped his hands: “Senior Jing Wen, what are you doing?”

The elder in his consciousness sea also asked: “Young Master, what are you doing?”

Meng Xilou coldly replied: “I have to keep up appearances, with so many eyes watching from behind.”

Jing Wen still paid no attention and sent his fourth sword.

Being blocked was normal; his intention wasn’t to kill Xiang Haikui, so he hadn’t used much force.

As the fourth sword pursued her, Xiang Haikui had already crossed the city gate line and landed near Meng Xilou’s ceremonial chair.

She couldn’t continue forward, as Heaven Fury’s sword energy would harm people.

Just like the ceremonial chair, which had already been shattered into a pile of wood chips by the sword energy.

And with the experience from last time, she was fully clothed when she landed this time, though she still rolled on the ground due to unstable landing.

Just as she was about to reach out and retrieve Heaven Fury to block the fourth sword pursuing her, she saw Jing Ran standing between her and the flying sword.

The flying sword suddenly stopped an inch in front of him.

Jing Ran’s cultivation was still very weak. Even though the flying sword was retracted quickly, it still caused his blood to surge.

He steadied his breath and cupped his hands: “Master, I still owe her a debt of gratitude.”

The debt from when he was grabbed from Earth by Xiang Heng, and Xiang Haikui unhesitatingly threw herself forward to hug his legs.

Once this debt was repaid, he could focus without distractions in the future.

Xiang Haikui could have withstood all of Jing Wen’s flying swords, but she didn’t say a word, didn’t waste a moment, and ran along the main road toward the inner city with her sword.

When she ran into the crowd, they only made way for her, not scattering in panic as she had expected.

Her conversation with Jing Wen earlier hadn’t been via voice transmission. Many cultivators among the citizens had heard it and had broadcast the situation to the ordinary people around them.

Everyone didn’t know the reason, but they understood one thing: this powerful sword cultivator had insulted their Great City Lord as a villain and wanted to kill him.

How could they accept that?

No matter how powerful he was, without the Great City Lord guarding Yin Sha for hundreds of years, where would their ancestors have been?

And under such a threat, Xiang Haikui still dared to bite back—how could she not be the Great City Lord’s daughter?

There must have been untold circumstances behind Ye Qianzhi’s death.

Previously, someone had been stirring up trouble, spreading rumors, and slandering the Great City Lord and the Second Miss.

“How interesting. Xiang Heng, you despicable man, you’re truly skilled at acting.” Seeing this, Jing Wen’s anger, which had subsided, surged up again.

Did he think this would stop him?

Such ignorance of one’s limitations.

He suddenly pulled the wooden hairpin from his topknot. This time, it wasn’t an insubstantial energy sword.

He flicked the hairpin with his finger, and it suddenly disappeared.

Almost at the same moment, a wooden pillar appeared in front of Xiang Haikui.

She quickly changed direction, only to find another wooden pillar rising from the ground.

Before long, she was surrounded by wooden pillars, like a prison cell, trapping her.

She swung her sword at a pillar, but it didn’t budge at all.

Xiang Haikui turned her head, glaring toward the city wall: “As a renowned Sword Master, do you only know how to bully juniors?”

Such a lack of dignity!

“Aren’t you afraid of becoming a laughingstock if word gets out?”

Jing Wen’s eyes were cold: “If I hadn’t seen that you were good material, you would already be dead. Your father stole countless treasures from me, which is how he got to where he is today. And your abilities, impressive as they are, are partly due to my contribution. Taking back what’s mine from you is only natural and right.”

“Is that so? Then why not settle old accounts with me first?”

Just as Jing Wen finished speaking, someone transmitted a voice to him.

He looked toward the source and saw several people walking from afar outside the city, including a monk.

At first glance, Jing Wen might not have recognized him.

But since Xiang Haikui had mentioned a “son” earlier, he immediately recognized who it was.