Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang fled frantically from the courtyard, rushing toward the plaza. More and more guards gathered. Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang were chased everywhere: “Is Ning Buyan this useless? Didn’t he promise to stall until nightfall?”
Just as the words fell, Ning Buyan descended from the sky. He raised his hand, blasting away the cultivator attacking Qin Wanwan, and spoke urgently: “The family head has gone mad. He insists on killing Xie Gutang and capturing Jian Xingzhi when he returns. I’ll send you out!”
“If you knew this would happen, you shouldn’t have brought us back!”
Qin Wanwan kicked aside someone nearby. Ning Buyan called urgently: “Don’t kill my clan members!”
“It’s your clan members trying to kill us!”
Qin Wanwan bent down to dodge a sword. With Ning Buyan present, they didn’t dare kill anyone. But these people were all using lethal strikes. Seeing more and more people gather, Ning Wenxu also arrived with experts.
Ning Wenxu had directly issued a death order for Xie Gutang. Although Qin Wanwan didn’t understand how Ning Wenxu dared attack someone from Heavenly Sword Sect, she gritted her teeth and made a decision.
“Jian Xingzhi!”
She shouted through voice transmission. Jian Xingzhi, bringing Cuilu and following behind Nanfeng, heard Qin Wanwan’s voice and responded lazily: “What is it?”
“Are you done yet? They’re going to kill Xie Gutang and capture me to threaten you!”
“Didn’t I give you a talisman,” Jian Xingzhi said nonchalantly. “You used it at Heavenly Sword Sect. Activate the talisman and call my name.”
Qin Wanwan was stunned. Only then did she remember the talisman Jian Xingzhi had given her when he left.
She quickly handed the talisman to Xie Gutang, calling to him: “Big Brother Xie, activate the talisman and call my master’s name!”
Xie Gutang had no time to think. With one hand he swung his sword to block the rushing crowd, with the other he grasped the talisman Qin Wanwan gave him. Infusing it with spiritual energy, he called softly: “Jian Xingzhi.”
The instant the sound fell, brilliant light burst forth. Xie Gutang felt himself being pulled away by a tremendous force. He looked up in shock: “Wanwan…”
“Don’t worry,” Qin Wanwan smiled. “My master and I will be fine.”
“Hey,” sensing someone summoning him, Jian Xingzhi turned to instruct Cuilu, “I’m switching places with Wanwan. Help me take care of her.”
After speaking, Jian Xingzhi and Xie Gutang switched positions. Xie Gutang landed on the ground. Cuilu was about to greet him happily: “Wan…”
Before the sound finished, seeing the tall, thin Xie Gutang, Cuilu’s expression changed: “Why is it you?!”
It wasn’t just Cuilu who was shocked. Jian Xingzhi casually landed on the ground, raised his hand in a smooth sword flourish to block someone nearby, and turned to look beside him: “Xie…”
Just as he spoke, meeting Qin Wanwan’s ingratiating smile, his eyes instantly widened: “Why is it you?!”
“Well,” Qin Wanwan smiled awkwardly, “I thought staying here would be safer.”
“Safer my ass!”
Jian Xingzhi kicked aside someone nearby, his temper flaring instantly: “You’re this worried about him? Then you switched me over—why don’t you worry about me a little?!”
“That’s why I’m staying here with you, aren’t I?”
Qin Wanwan quickly placated him: “Xie Gutang was implicated. This is our business. I’ll accompany you.”
Hearing the word “our,” Jian Xingzhi’s anger diminished somewhat. He glanced around: “What’s the situation?”
“Just now I reported to the family head about Lin Yanzhi’s return, telling him you went to find medicinal agents that could test for demonic seeds,” Ning Buyan coughed, standing back-to-back with them watching the people circling around. “Unexpectedly, he suddenly ordered Xie Gutang killed, wanted to place me under house arrest, and capture Miss Qin as a hostage to force you back.”
“And this few people stopped you all?”
Jian Xingzhi glanced at the still-coughing Ning Buyan: “You’re really weak.”
“These are my Ning clan members,” Ning Buyan’s tone held some dissatisfaction. “If they’re innocent, how can I let you kill them indiscriminately?”
“What if they have demonic seeds in them?”
Hearing “demonic seeds,” Ning Buyan’s eyes turned cold: “If they can be removed, remove them. If not, then kill.”
“Then hold these people back.”
Jian Xingzhi instructed Ning Buyan, then called to Qin Wanwan: “Wanwan, does Jishan have techniques that can keep people alive?”
“Yes.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. Jian Xingzhi pulled out a stack of blank talisman paper from his chest: “Good. Techniques can also be expressed through swords. In a moment, I’ll use my sword to kill, you use your sword to save.”
After speaking, Jian Xingzhi raised his hand and tossed the blank talisman papers. The papers spun around them. Jian Xingzhi raised his hand to cut open his palm, infused his divine sense into his blood, and used the blood to write directly on the talisman papers.
Over a thousand talisman papers were completed in an instant. They all returned to Jian Xingzhi’s hand. Jian Xingzhi held the talismans in one hand and his sword in the other, looking at the cultivators surging toward them: “Staying or going is my decision, life or death is heaven’s.”
With that, he touched his toes and leaped into the air. The talismans flew toward the crowd. Each piece of talisman paper chased after people, sticking to their bodies. The moment they touched bodies, some showed no reaction while others emitted green light. Jian Xingzhi moved extremely fast. The instant the first green light appeared, his form like a phantom, he rushed into the crowd and stabbed his sword into that person’s chest, shattering the demonic seed.
Then he reached the second person and again stabbed his sword into their chest, using lightning spiritual energy to shatter the demonic seed.
Lightning drives away evil and suppresses demons—what evil spirits fear most.
Qin Wanwan reacted when he stabbed the first person. She immediately caught up, following Jian Xingzhi, swinging an empty sword strike at the stabbed person.
That sword carried Jishan’s techniques, amplified exponentially by Yuanning, instantly wrapping around the injured person’s wounds, ensuring their vital signs continued, letting them go underground.
Jian Xingzhi’s movements were fast, and Qin Wanwan followed closely behind without missing anyone.
Ning Buyan watched green lights illuminate one after another across the plaza. As each green light appeared, demonic energy spread freely across the plaza.
He gritted his teeth and learned from Jian Xingzhi’s movements, rushing toward these disciples.
Seeing Ning Buyan charge into the battlefield, Jian Xingzhi looked up toward the heights and saw Ning Buxiu and Ning Wenxu standing on the roof ridge.
They looked down from above, observing the battle situation, just like those lofty figures in the murals.
Jian Xingzhi smiled slightly, raising his hand to send a talisman flying directly at Ning Wenxu. Ning Buxiu instinctively blocked in front. The talisman struck his body, the impact making him cough up a mouthful of fresh blood.
Ning Wenxu caught him, speaking urgently: “Buxiu!”
Before he finished speaking, Ning Wenxu saw green light emerge from Ning Buxiu’s chest.
Demonic energy overflowed from Ning Buxiu’s chest. Blood in his mouth, he spoke unclearly: “Father…”
Ning Wenxu pushed him away, stumbling backward: “Demonic seed… you actually… you actually carry a demonic seed…”
“Father…” Ning Buxiu crawled toward Ning Wenxu. “Save me…”
“Where did you get the demonic seed? Who killed your grandfather? Who killed him?!”
“Save me… Father…”
Ning Buxiu crawled with difficulty to Ning Wenxu’s feet, grabbing his robe hem. He looked up, his face covered in blood: “I am… your son.”
Ning Wenxu couldn’t speak. His lips trembled.
In that instant, he seemed to see young Lin Yanzhi crawling before him covered in blood, grabbing his robe hem.
He looked up at him, eyes full of pleading: “Father, save me. I am… your son.”
“No… you’re not… you’re not…”
Ning Wenxu’s eyes widened. He seemed to go mad, suddenly drawing his sword and stabbing it into Ning Buxiu’s chest. Again and again, he stabbed frantically: “You’re not my son, you’re not human, you’re just a spirit beast. You should be obedient—how dare you want to kill me! How dare you!”
Ning Buxiu was pierced through again and again, his eyes open, breath stopped.
Only when Ning Wenxu saw the person completely still did he finally realize what he’d done.
“Buxiu…”
He crouched down trembling, trying frantically to pull him: “Buxiu… what’s wrong with you…”
“What’s wrong?”
Jian Xingzhi’s voice suddenly rang out. Ning Wenxu looked up blankly and saw Jian Xingzhi holding his blood-stained sword, standing not far away.
“You killed him.”
Jian Xingzhi gestured with his chin toward Ning Buxiu’s corpse: “Your biological son.”
“Yanzhi…”
Ning Wenxu spoke tremblingly. Jian Xingzhi shook his head: “I’m not Lin Yanzhi. However, this debt of his,” Jian Xingzhi smiled, “I do want to collect.”
“What do you want? I’ll give it to you—I’ll give you everything!”
Hearing Jian Xingzhi’s words, Ning Wenxu became agitated. Jian Xingzhi raised his sword, his voice calm: “You destroyed Lin Fengxi’s entire life, destroyed Lin Yanzhi’s entire life, and indirectly destroyed Ning Huihe’s entire life. Taking your one life—that’s not excessive, is it?”
“Do you want the Exquisite Jade? Do you want money? Or do you want the Ning home?”
Ning Wenxu roared hysterically: “I’ll give it to you—I’ll give you everything!”
“I don’t want any of it. What I want,” Jian Xingzhi looked at raindrops falling on his sword, “is just a measure of heavenly justice.”
As soon as the words fell, Jian Xingzhi suddenly lunged at Ning Wenxu!
Ning Wenxu no longer showed weakness, instantly drawing his sword!
Ning Wenxu was also at the Great Perfection of Divine Transformation stage. His sword clashed fiercely with Jian Xingzhi’s, shaking Jian Xingzhi’s hand until it went numb.
“If you force me, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Ning Wenxu gritted his teeth. Jian Xingzhi smiled contemptuously: “Then try.”
With that, Jian Xingzhi’s divine sense transformed into spiritual energy, instantly pouring into the sword pressed against Ning Wenxu’s. Qin Wanwan looked up in shock, crying out: “Jian Xingzhi!”
“Do your own work!”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t turn back. His sword light clashed with Ning Wenxu’s sword light. Qin Wanwan bit her lip and ordered Ning Buyan: “You hold on.”
After speaking, she leaped to higher ground, drew her long sword, and poured out Jishan’s restoration formation array expressed through sword intent!
She stayed close beside Jian Xingzhi. Every time Jian Xingzhi struck with his sword, she followed behind.
Her sword technique was exactly the same as Jian Xingzhi’s, but the sword intent was completely different.
Jian Xingzhi killed, but her every sword contained endless vitality.
Jian Xingzhi felt his divine sense being nourished by a spiritual energy. He suddenly turned back and saw Qin Wanwan come to his side, her voice calm: “Strike with your sword.”
Fine rain fell continuously. The sounds of slaughter in the Ning home had long since shaken the heavens.
Yan Wushuang packed his things and sat at the table, looking at the talisman Jian Xingzhi had given him.
“Senior Brother,” the Golden Sword Boy rushed in with Giant Sword Manor disciples, pressing his lips tight. “The Ning home is fighting.”
Yan Wushuang looked up at the Golden Sword Boy, who gritted his teeth: “I saw many cultivators infected with demonic seeds. Ning Wenxu is also fighting with Jian Xingzhi.”
“So?” Yan Wushuang’s voice was calm.
The Golden Sword Boy lowered his head: “We want to go save people.”
“I know he just injured Senior Brother,” the Golden Sword Boy felt somewhat guilty, “but I think he wasn’t wrong. I want to help him. Just now, what he said was right.”
Then the Golden Sword Boy made his decision. He looked up at Yan Wushuang: “Sword cultivators cannot forget their own swords. When I first learned the art, Master asked me why I learned swordsmanship. I answered Master that my sword is to save those I think should be saved, to guard the way I think should be guarded—even now, this remains so.”
Hearing this, Yan Wushuang didn’t speak. He remembered Ning Huihe’s gentle eyes from two hundred years ago.
When they first met, Ning Huihe gazed at his sword, speaking gently: “Your sword is truly beautiful.”
“Then go.”
Yan Wushuang spoke.
The Golden Sword Boy was stunned. Yan Wushuang suddenly stood up. He walked to the cabinet, opened the dust-covered cabinet, and took out a sword, entirely black.
Engraved on the sword were the two characters “Red Dust.” He gripped the sword, reverently brushing past the blade.
“I’ll take you there.”
“But weren’t you going to see sister-in-law…”
“It’s fine,” Yan Wushuang turned back with a smile, patting the spirit-locking pouch at his waist. “Sister-in-law is here. She’ll see my heroic bearing!”
“Let’s go!”
Yan Wushuang looked at each pair of eyes in Giant Sword Manor: “Let them see—Desolate City’s strongest is still our Together Sword Manor!”
With that, he raised his sword and led people out of the broken temple. Before flying away on his sword, he turned back to look at the crooked characters reading “Giant Sword Manor.” After a long while, he raised his hand and brushed past. The four characters “Giant Sword Manor” disappeared, revealing the vigorous, powerful characters “Together Sword Manor.”
For sword cultivators, the way can be carried forward together with them.
Back then, afraid of disgracing the sect’s name, he hadn’t dared use the sect’s real name for two hundred years. Now, as he was about to leave, he finally hung up his manor’s proper plaque again.
All the disciples smiled. Yan Wushuang raised his hand and pointed, flying away on his sword.
Together Sword Manor disciples followed closely behind. Yan Wushuang rode the wind through the rain, finally sensing the long-lost spirit of his youth.
He rushed forward and saw from afar Xie Gutang flying on his sword and Cuilu spreading her wings in the rain. He smiled happily: “Oh, what a coincidence.”
Xie Gutang smiled and bowed to Yan Wushuang with clasped hands: “A pleasure.”
When the group arrived at the Ning home, Jian Xingzhi had just stabbed his sword into Ning Wenxu’s chest.
Green light bloomed from Ning Wenxu’s chest. His lips trembling, he still tried to argue: “I… I don’t have a demonic seed…”
“Whether you have a demonic seed or not, isn’t that clear in your own heart?”
Jian Xingzhi spoke beside his ear, his expression calm: “Moreover, having a demonic seed doesn’t necessarily mean being an evil demon. When the heart becomes demonic, only then does the person become demonic.”
With that, he pulled out the sword in one motion. Ning Wenxu fell from the rooftop, then rolled all the way down the roof ridge, falling to the ground.
Jian Xingzhi looked at that wretched corpse. After staring for a moment, he held his sword and turned back to look at Qin Wanwan.
“So many people,” he smiled, complaining. “So annoying.”
“I think so too.”
Qin Wanwan panted heavily. As she spoke, Yan Wushuang’s voice came from afar: “Jian Xingzhi, Qin Wanwan, I’ve come to help you!”
Qin Wanwan turned back in surprise. Together with Jian Xingzhi, she looked up and saw Yan Wushuang, Xie Gutang and others arriving together. Seeing them come, Jian Xingzhi smiled.
Then without another word, he sat down on the rooftop.
“Quick, rest.”
Jian Xingzhi called to Qin Wanwan: “The relief shift has arrived.”
Qin Wanwan was also exhausted.
She plopped down beside Jian Xingzhi, watching Yan Wushuang, Xie Gutang and others join the battle.
Cuilu glanced at the previous situation and understood what Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan meant. Yan Wushuang, Xie Gutang and others were responsible for exploding the demonic seeds, while she followed close behind to save people.
Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi were too tired to speak. They watched the scene of slaughter unfold. After a while, Jian Xingzhi raised his hand, using his sleeve to shield Qin Wanwan’s head.
Sensing the fine rain above her head being blocked, Qin Wanwan turned back to look at him in confusion. Jian Xingzhi explained: “The rain is heavy.” Jian Xingzhi looked into her eyes, as if seeking credit. “Blocking it for you.”
“Is your blocking even useful?” Qin Wanwan frowned.
Jian Xingzhi was speechless. Somewhat unhappy at his good deed being wasted, he withdrew his sleeve: “If you don’t want it blocked, forget it.”
“For blocking rain,” Qin Wanwan pulled out an umbrella painted with blooming peach blossoms from her storage pouch, holding it over both their heads, “of course you should use an umbrella.”
Jian Xingzhi’s movements paused. He slowly looked up, gazing at the umbrella painted with peach blossoms overhead. The bright peach blossom color faintly showed through the paper.
His clear eyes looked at the brilliant peach color, gazing for a long time.
He didn’t tell Qin Wanwan—this was the first time in over a hundred years since his birth that he’d held an umbrella.