A Venerable Attacks

After breaking through to the mid-stage Great Grandmaster Realm, Li Jiusheng's strength increased tremendously, surging from five hundred Dragon Elephant Power to a thousand.

His foundation was deep enough; his qi was like a golden rainbow, his blood like lead and mercury. His vital energy and blood alone could condense the phantoms of Savage Elephants and True Dragons around him.

The improvement in his physical strength also expanded his domain and Primordial spirit, reaching a range of four hundred li.

For Li Jiusheng, this breakthrough had been comprehensive.

"Within the Great Grandmaster Realm, I am invincible. I wonder if I can contend with a Venerable?" In the teahouse, Little Fox lay quietly beside him as Li Jiusheng sipped tea and pondered.

He felt that he should be capable of dealing with someone who had just entered the Venerable Realm.

"My junior brother is about to break through to the Ancestor Realm, while I, his senior brother, am only at the mid-stage Great Grandmaster Realm. It is far from enough." Rather than feeling much joy, Li Jiusheng pushed himself even harder.

"This breakthrough has brought another round of accumulation. Next, I will break through to the late-stage Great Grandmaster Realm and accumulate once more. Once I enter the Venerable Realm, I should be able to undergo my third rebirth." Li Jiusheng silently calculated, placing great importance on every rebirth.

This body had originally possessed extremely poor natural aptitude. Even after obtaining the Innate Sword Body, its potential had been halved due to his advanced age.

Only rebirth could bring renewed vitality.

Every rebirth was the transformation of a new self from within his original body. To Li Jiusheng, it was the best way to continuously uncover his own potential.

He believed that after ten or a hundred rebirths, even those peerless geniuses blessed by heaven would not be able to compare to him.

"These past few months have been peaceful. Human World has likely recovered by now, and I have no idea what Emperor Wu of Zhou from the Luochuan Sect is plotting. It is too quiet, and that makes me uneasy. It feels like a storm is coming." Li Jiusheng looked out the window, a trace of worry appearing in his eyes.

Every day, he used his Primordial spirit and domain to monitor the area around Shangqing Palace, yet he had discovered nothing at all. Not even a scout had come.

Li Jiusheng knew this was not peaceful coexistence. This was the calm before the storm.

Human World had lost more than a dozen Great Grandmasters and six Venerables. They would certainly not let the matter rest.

Emperor Wu of Zhou from the Luochuan Sect had suffered such a huge loss. With his vengeful nature, he could not possibly watch Li Qingshan break through.

Those people had to be plotting something.

"I wonder when my junior brother will break through?" Li Jiusheng glanced at Shangqing Palace's Golden Summit Hall. Li Qingshan was inside. Through his Primordial spirit, he could sense a deep sword energy rising and falling within the Golden Summit Hall, continuously producing the sound of metal being forged.

It was as though he were refining an unparalleled divine sword.

The day the sword was completed would be the day Li Qingshan broke through to the Ancestor Realm.

The Luochuan Sect, ninety thousand li away from Shangqing Palace, had been far from peaceful during this time.

While the Ancestor was in seclusion, the Luochuan Sect had spared no effort in finding the Yishan Clan for Emperor Wu of Zhou. Under their treatment, Emperor Wu of Zhou had finally stabilized his injuries.

Although his Primordial spirit had been destroyed and he had fallen from the Ancestor Realm, the Yishan Clan's peerless medicine had barely allowed him to re-enter the Ancestor Realm.

However, he could not fight anytime soon, lest his realm collapse again.

From Emperor Wu of Zhou's place of seclusion within the Sect Master's hall of the Luochuan Sect came a voice. "I have been healing these past days and had no time to ask about external affairs. Have Human World's assassins completely thrown Shangqing Palace into chaos?"

The Sect Master of the Luochuan Sect lowered his head and answered, "They have not."

"What?" Emperor Wu of Zhou flew into a rage and shouted, "It has been months already, and Human World's assassins have still not succeeded?"

The Sect Master of the Luochuan Sect quietly replied, "Reporting to Ancestor, Shangqing Palace has sealed its mountain gates and cut off contact with the outside world. Human World's assassins infiltrated twice. The first time, they sent more than a dozen Great Grandmasters. The second time, they sent six Venerables. All of them were killed, with no survivors. Human World's power structure in the Old Land was also thrown into disorder, and they suffered grievous losses. There have been internal power shifts and intense struggles recently, leaving them no time to deal with Shangqing Palace."

"Idiots! A bunch of idiots! And they have the nerve to call themselves assassins? What a joke!" Emperor Wu of Zhou cursed furiously, his expression darkening. Thinking of how Shangqing Palace had caused him to fall from the Ancestor Realm, nearly preventing him from ever returning, his killing intent surged uncontrollably.

The Sect Master of the Luochuan Sect kept his head lowered. Even his breathing grew tense, and he did not dare speak.

After finishing his tirade, Emperor Wu of Zhou immediately said, "Do not count on Human World. They are a bunch of useless fools. We will do this ourselves. Have Yunshan act. He has just broken through to the Venerable Realm. Tell him to kill the old man guarding Shangqing Palace's Scripture Repository Pavilion and reclaim my Grandmaster Pure Land."

"Ancestor, Shangqing Palace has Li Qingshan. He is at the peak of the Venerable Realm, and Yunshan is no match for his swordsmanship," the Sect Master of the Luochuan Sect hurriedly said.

"Of course I know that. Someone else will deal with Li Qingshan. Write a letter immediately and send someone to Yunxia Mountain. Invite Old Man Cangjian to act. Tell him that he owes me a life from back then, and it is time to repay it. Have him deal with Li Qingshan. Three hundred years ago, Old Man Cangjian was already at the peak of the Venerable Realm. After three hundred years of accumulation, even if he has not broken through to the Ancestor Realm, dealing with Li Qingshan should be more than enough," Emperor Wu of Zhou said decisively.

Old Man Cangjian was a reclusive genius of Yunxia Mountain. He had encountered a great calamity in the past and sought help from Emperor Wu of Zhou. Emperor Wu of Zhou had resolved his trouble and saved his life, and Old Man Cangjian had promised Emperor Wu of Zhou one favor.

Emperor Wu of Zhou had never used it all these years.

Now was the right time.

There were two people he hated most. One was Li Qingshan. If not for him, Emperor Wu of Zhou would have left long ago after secretly obtaining the Grandmaster Pure Land.

The other was Li Jiusheng, the man guarding the Scripture Repository Pavilion. His remnant soul had attempted to possess Li Jiusheng and take control of his body to return to the Luochuan Sect, only to be killed in return. The remnant soul had shattered, and the Grandmaster Pure Land he had obtained with such difficulty had fallen into Li Jiusheng's hands. Emperor Wu of Zhou had directly fallen from the Ancestor Realm. If not for the Yishan Clan's superb medical skills, returning to the Ancestor Realm would have been unimaginably difficult.

Hearing such detailed arrangements, the Sect Master of the Luochuan Sect cupped his fists and said, "I will make the arrangements at once. Please rest assured, Ancestor."

At the same time, after Human World's assassin organization completed its reshuffling of power, it also set its sights on Shangqing Palace.

More than a dozen Great Grandmasters and six Venerables had all fallen at Shangqing Palace. To Human World, this was a tremendous humiliation that had to be washed away.

The newly appointed leader was extremely decisive. He said coldly, "Human World has established itself in the Old Land all these years and swept through all opposition. Never has anyone made us attempt an assassination twice, much less caused us to lose assassins. Shangqing Palace alone has made us lose all face. If we do not recover our reputation, the world will think we are all bark and no bite."

Within the shadows, the various assassin leaders nodded one after another.

No matter what, Shangqing Palace had to be eliminated.

"Shangqing Palace is actually easy to deal with. It has declined more and more over the years, and Li Qingshan is its only Venerable. As long as we kill Li Qingshan, there will be nothing to fear," an assassin said coldly.

"It only has one Li Qingshan, but that one Li Qingshan can hold back an army of thousands," an assassin said from within the shadows.

"Li Qingshan is in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Ancestor Realm. We cannot let him succeed. We must have the Assassin King act. With his assassination techniques, I believe Li Qingshan will not survive," an assassin leader suggested.

Within Human World, assassins were also divided by rank. Those below the Venerable Realm had no title. Above the Venerable Realm, every assassin aimed to become the Assassin King.

The first requirement to become an Assassin King was cultivation at the peak of the Venerable Realm. The second was to assassinate ten targets of the same realm.

Only after fulfilling both requirements could one obtain the title of Assassin King.

Human World's Old Land had produced only one Assassin King over the years. Because he had already touched the threshold of the Ancestor Realm, he had stopped accepting assignments in recent years and focused on breaking through to the Ancestor Realm, becoming an assassin of the Ancestor Realm.

Now, faced with Li Qingshan's strength, Human World could only send out the Assassin King.

After pondering for a moment, the newly appointed leader decisively said, "Immediately send someone to notify the Assassin King. The target is Li Qingshan, leader of Shangqing Palace."

"Yes!" Someone immediately sent a message by carrier pigeon.

"Leave Li Qingshan to the Assassin King. The other senior figures of Shangqing Palace will be left to the six of you." The newly appointed leader pointed at the six shadows in the darkness and said coldly, "Your predecessors all fell at Shangqing Palace. Now that you have inherited their seats, you must avenge them. You are all Venerables. Dealing with a group of Great Grandmasters should not be a problem, correct?"

The six shadows answered in unison, "Rest assured, Leader. We will complete the mission!"

Time had suddenly grown late, and the years waited for no one.

In the blink of an eye, another three days passed.

The heavy snow finally stopped during those three days, but the chill between heaven and earth only grew deeper.

The mountains withered, dead branches and fallen leaves covered by snow. Everywhere was a vast expanse of white, a truly bleak sight.

Wrapped in a thick coat, Li Jiusheng climbed to the roof of the Scripture Repository Pavilion and gazed into the distance.

The mountains were hidden within mist. Waves rolled across the sea of clouds, and Daoist temples appeared and vanished, like a fairyland that stirred longing in the heart.

Dong!

A bell rang out, deep and ancient, echoing among the mountains. The spiritual energy of Shangqing Palace's earth veins overflowed, giving it the bearing of a famous Daoist mountain.

These past few days, he had not been idle. He had stabilized his newly broken-through realm while constantly reading all kinds of scriptures beneath a green lamp.

Yet whenever he opened a book, Li Jiusheng felt restless and unable to calm his mind into meditation. He could no longer read with the same tranquil focus as before, much less activate his comprehension.

"The Innate Sword Body seems to have sensed something. It keeps warning me." Li Jiusheng's expression turned solemn. He knew this was unusual; it had never happened before.

"In ancient times, those with extraordinary talent or profound cultivation would experience sudden unease or a restless mind before major events, sensing something in advance. This is an omen." Li Jiusheng stroked his beard thoughtfully. He felt that his worries were about to come true.

Human World and the Luochuan Sect would definitely not let the matter rest.

The conspiracy they had been brewing was about to arrive.

Li Jiusheng felt heavy-hearted. Within Shangqing Palace, only Li Qingshan counted as peak combat strength, but he was now in seclusion.

He was only at the mid-stage Great Grandmaster Realm. Could he stop the enemies coming to attack?

Boom!

Li Jiusheng's Primordial spirit and domain instantly expanded, covering every part of Shangqing Palace, and he discovered something unusual.

An elderly man carrying a sword approached without attempting to conceal himself. He openly walked to Shangqing Palace's mountain gate and stopped.

The old man tapped his sword and said loudly, "Where is Li Qingshan? Cangjian has come to call. Please grant me your guidance."

The moment his words fell, a dazzling light burst forth alongside fierce sword energy. In an instant, it swept up countless snowflakes as the cold wind howled, shooting toward Shangqing Palace's Golden Summit Hall.

At that moment, the entire Shangqing Palace was alarmed.

The elders and disciples were all stunned with horror.

"This aura is terrifying. It has stirred heavenly phenomena. This is a Venerable!"

"Hasn't Shangqing Palace sealed its mountain gates? What is this Venerable doing here?"

"The visitor means trouble."

"Cangjian? Gasp, could it be that man from three hundred years ago?"

"That cannot be possible, can it? He was already at the peak of the Venerable Realm three hundred years ago. How terrifying must he be now?"

"Old Man Cangjian, from Yunxia Mountain. It must be him. Why has he come here?"

Everyone in Shangqing Palace panicked and discussed the matter fervently.

Old Man Cangjian's reputation was simply too resounding. Without prior agreement, they all looked toward the Golden Summit Hall.

At the Scripture Repository Pavilion, Li Jiusheng's expression changed as well. He murmured, "They have come after all."

His body moved as he prepared to transform into a rainbow and depart.

His junior brother was in seclusion and had likely reached a critical moment. He could not be disturbed. Within Shangqing Palace, no one could stop Old Man Cangjian.

Li Jiusheng could only act personally.

"You are a whole major realm below him. You are no match for him." Little Fox hurriedly stopped him, unwilling to let Li Jiusheng go out.

Li Jiusheng shook his head and said gravely, "I must go."

Little Fox wanted to stop him again, but she suddenly felt a chill run through her entire body, as if some primordial beast had fixed its gaze on her. Frightened, she immediately burrowed into Li Jiusheng's arms and warily looked ahead.

Not far away, an elderly Daoist slowly approached. His feet stepped upon the snow without leaving a trace. Dao Rhyme and aura surrounded him as he stared indifferently at Li Jiusheng and said, "You need not go. Hand over the thing belonging to my sect's Ancestor."

"Another Venerable!" Li Jiusheng's expression turned cold. Staring at the elderly Daoist, he guessed his origins from those words.

He had been sent by Emperor Wu of Zhou to reclaim the Grandmaster Pure Land he had lost.

"You are a Venerable, but you are far inferior to the man at the mountain gate." Li Jiusheng gave a cold laugh, killing intent rising in his eyes.

"Senior Cangjian has three hundred more years than I do. It is normal that I am inferior to him. But killing you would be as easy as killing a chicken, more than enough," the elderly Daoist said calmly, not taking Li Jiusheng seriously at all.

Even though Li Jiusheng was at the mid-stage Great Grandmaster Realm, in his eyes, killing him was no different from slaughtering a chicken.

"What is a Venerable? That is something a Great Grandmaster like you cannot comprehend. One move is enough to kill you." The elderly Daoist was supremely arrogant. With a flick of his finger, a dazzling Dao Rhyme burst forth and transformed into a Dao diagram that flew toward Li Jiusheng, intending to suppress him on the spot.

"A Venerable? Heh." Li Jiusheng held two fingers together like a sword and pointed forward. In an instant, a dazzling light flared forth, accompanied by sweeping sword energy. All living things roared, mountains and rivers bellowed, and from him surged forward like heavenly punishment, directly crushing down.

Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique!

This sword carried a surging, overwhelming momentum, like an entire world falling from above. In an instant, it tore apart the Dao diagram and swallowed the elderly Venerable.

When the elderly Venerable saw this, his expression changed dramatically. He roared in disbelief, "How is this possible? How can this be possible? How do you possess such power? This should be Dao Rhyme at the Venerable level."

"There is nothing impossible about it. You only broke through to the Venerable Realm at such an old age, and you dare act presumptuously before me?" Li Jiusheng mocked. Then his body transformed into a rainbow and flew away without even looking at him.

The elderly Daoist was indeed a Venerable, but he had only just broken through. Li Jiusheng did not take him seriously at all. Striking him with one sword was already the greatest respect.

"No!" the elderly Daoist roared in terror. Dao Rhyme erupted from his entire body, exploding outward in a beautiful, brilliant shower like falling cherry blossoms as he tried to block the surging sword energy, but it was useless.

The Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique descended, and he was instantly vaporized.