The leader of the Sword Sect – Jian Jiu.
The moment that name was uttered, the world fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone stared intently at the handsome young man, whose appearance was Mortal and whose demeanor was as aloof as snow.
The crowd's eyes were filled with disbelief and horror, unable to connect him with the legendary number one swordsman in the world, the pinnacle of the Half-step Supreme.
In everyone's mind, such an unparalleled big shot should be an old man with a sage-like demeanor and white hair but a youthful face, or a middle-aged overlord with a majestic presence and overwhelming aura.
But the person in front of me... is too young, unbelievably young, even possessing an ethereal quality that seems untouched by worldly concerns.
What followed was widespread panic.
Zhou Wentao, Xia Hongjue, and even the five people Feng Ping, the newly subjugated Crimson Flame Sect Master, as well as all the disciples of the Soul Refining Sect, all turned pale, their eyes filled with boundless fear and despair.
This is the greatest swordsman in the world!
A supreme being among those on the Half-step Supreme!
Even when the supreme Confucianism was Supreme, he dared not underestimate this person!
His arrival was completely unexpected by everyone!
Even the Peak Heavenly Immortal like Shadow Kill and Wrathful Buddha couldn't help but swallow hard as they looked at Jian Jiu, their eyes filled with awe.
Unless the Buddha, the Holy Dragon Emperor Wu Juntian, or some other near-Supreme being personally present, perhaps they could stop it to some extent.
For everyone else... don't even think about it.
"The leader of the Sword Sect..."
Zhang Lingyun stared intently at the figure, her eyes blazing with boundless hatred; she harbored no goodwill towards the Sword Sect.
At the same time, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in my heart.
That's practically at the Half-step Supreme...
Can Zhang Yu... stop him?
"Jian Jiu... you are the leader of the Sword Sect."
Zhang Yu looked calmly at Jian Jiu, his voice indifferent:
"The Jiang Family, who cultivate the Ruthless Dao, are your subordinates?"
Because of Zhang Lingyun, he also had no good feelings towards the Sword Sect.
Jian Jiu sensed Zhang Yu's hostility towards the Sword Sect, then looked at Zhang Lingyun, whose hatred was surging, but his expression remained calm and composed as he slowly said:
"You must be that Little Girl from the Jiang Family Unfeeling Peak."
I've heard a little about the feuds within your Jiang Family.
"But don't worry, I have no interest in your feuds."
I will not stop you from taking revenge, nor will I seek justice for you.
He seemed like an outsider, taking a very detached view of the feud between the Jiang Family of the Sword Sect and Zhang Lingyun, even displaying a somewhat indifferent detachment.
"Your subordinates committed such an inhumane act, and you're not going to do anything about it?"
Zhang Yu was surprised by Jian Jiu's "detached" attitude and questioned him.
"The cycle of birth and death in this world is all in accordance with the way of Heavenly Dao."
Jian Jiu stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm, yet carrying an air of detachment that seemed to understand the secrets of the world and see through the illusions of life.
"Life and death, death and life, are all ordained by Mandate of Heaven."
The Jiang Family's killing spree was in accordance with Mandate of Heaven.
That Little Girl's revenge was also a Mandate of Heaven.
All I need to do is Yingtian; why should I interfere excessively?
He was like a banished immortal, detached from the mortal world and untouched by cause and effect. In his words, it seemed that he had seen through all the grudges, life and death, and cause and effect in the world.
Listening to Jian Jiu's words, everyone seemed to understand something, and their eyes couldn't help but reveal admiration and awe.
"Truly worthy of being called the greatest swordsman in the world, his State of Mind has reached a state of perfection, regarding all things as mere straw dogs, obeying the will of Heaven, and not attached to material possessions..."
"Such enlightenment, such transcendence, no wonder he can touch the Supreme..."
Compared to him, our worldly grudges are truly like ants fighting over food—laughable and pathetic.
Even Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
This Jian Jiu...
Despite his seemingly indifferent demeanor, these words about "Mandate of Heaven" truly possessed the air of a peerless master.
Just as everyone was immersed in the insights of this "peerless master," and their admiration for Jian Jiu flowed like a never-ending river—
"And most importantly--"
Jian Jiu suddenly scratched his head, his "detached and otherworldly" immortal expression instantly crumbling, replaced by a slightly helpless, even somewhat lazy look, as he muttered:
"I have too many subordinates; I can't manage them all."
"I can't even remember all the Peak Master of the Sword Sect's 100,000 Sword Peaks, so how could I possibly care what they do in private?"
"..."
Puff--!!
Below, the crowd who had just been filled with admiration for Jian Jiu suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The crowd stared in disbelief, as if they had heard the most absurd and subversive answer in the world.
Damn it!
After all that, it wasn't because of detachment or enlightenment, but because of—laziness?
"I... I actually thought he was incredibly mysterious just now..."
"The contrast is too great!"
Where's the promised ethereal, otherworldly demeanor?
What happened to Mandate of Heaven?
That's it?!
Everyone was internally ranting and raving, their gazes toward Jian Jiu shifting from awe to bewilderment, speechlessness, and even a hint of amusement.
So you haven't just seen through the world, you haven't seen it at all!
Zhang Yu's lips twitched slightly, and the surprise in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised disdain.
I thought he was someone important, but it turns out he's just a hands-off manager.
"Since everything is ordained by Mandate of Heaven, what brings you here today?"
Zhang Yu didn't have a good impression of Jian Jiu, who was pretentious, seemingly detached but actually indifferent, and questioned him.
"I have come today for no other reason than to discuss the Dao of Heavenly Dao."
Jian Jiu gazed towards the direction of Crimson Flame Peak, a rare fervor flashing in his eyes, and slowly said:
"My swordsmanship is stuck at a bottleneck, and I haven't made any progress in ten thousand years."
"It is said that the Heavenly Dao Incarnation is here. We may sit down and discuss the Dao, and perhaps find an opportunity for a breakthrough."
"In the end, it's all for Tiantian."
Zhang Yu sneered dismissively.
"But today, you've surprised me."
Jian Jiu turned his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, locking onto Zhang Yu, his eyes radiating Golden Light, his fighting spirit erupting like a volcano.
"Your powerful Slaughter Sword Intent and your strange Physical Body Divine Ability seem to have transcended the Principle of this world, and even reached a higher level."
"I'd really like to see it for myself."
As he spoke, he pointed his sword at the sky, his eyes becoming extremely sharp, as if he had transformed into a peerless, ferocious sword about to be drawn and cleave the heavens and earth!
The instant his words landed—
"Buzz--!!"
In Zhang Yu's eyes, Jian Jiu's figure vanished suddenly, as if he had never existed, leaving not even a trace or a breath behind!
He couldn't even see how Jian Jiu disappeared!
The next moment--
"Laugh--!!"
A sharp, piercing pain shot through my chest!
Zhang Yu's pupils constricted sharply, and he lowered his head in horror.
Suddenly, Jian Jiu appeared in front of him, and the long sword in his hand, gleaming with cold light, had silently pierced Zhang Yu's chest.
The sword tip pierced through the clothing, pressed against the skin, just an inch away from piercing the chest!
"!!"
Wow, so fast!
It was faster than perception, faster than reaction, and even faster than the Principle!
If it weren't for the Eighty-Nine Mysteries automatically protecting the body, unleashing a burst of Glazed Glass Golden Light the instant the sword tip touched the skin, firmly holding back the blade—
This sword strike has probably pierced through his chest!
Even so--
"Bang--!!"
An overwhelming force, powerful enough to shatter stars, erupted from the tip of the sword and slammed into Zhang Yu's chest!
Zhang Yu grunted and shot backward like a cannonball, crashing through dozens of mountain peaks and tearing through the sky for hundreds of miles before finally managing to regain his footing dozens of miles away.
At this moment, his clothes were torn to shreds at the chest, revealing a chest beneath which Golden Light shimmered, yet a faint white mark was visible.