Just as preparations for the Dharma Combat Test were in full swing at the school.
High in the sky, above the clouds, a figure in white sat cross-legged, gazing down. Purple light swirled in his eyes, and his gaze seemed to pierce through the clouds.
True Monarch Purple Universe, a Dao Integration Realm cultivator of the Supreme Dao Sect.
True Person Xiaoning had left Mystic Sword City yesterday, but True Monarch Purple Universe had no intention of leaving.
A long time had passed, but even now, he still remembered that earthshaking sword strike. After killing someone and carrying out a series of other deeds, the Dao Integration sword cultivator hadn't fled. Instead, he had carried Yu'er's head and, before everyone's eyes, challenged the several Dao Integration cultivators who had arrived.
Back then, he had only been at the Void Return Realm. All he could do was watch helplessly as that Dao Integration sword cultivator left.
Much later, after finally advancing to Dao Integration, he had wanted to challenge him. Yet when he actually saw the man, fear had seized him so completely that he couldn't even utter the word "challenge."
A heart demon.
At that moment, he had understood that he was trapped by a heart demon. If he couldn't break free of it, he would likely remain stuck at Dao Integration for the rest of his life, never able to advance any further.
Everyone in the sect thought he wanted revenge, but only he knew that everything he did was simply to overcome his heart demon.
True Monarch Purple Universe's expression was calm, but his thoughts churned.
The Sword Sect was overbearing and showed the Supreme Dao Sect no respect at all. Their Ancestor was clearly on equal footing with the Sword Venerable, both standing at the pinnacle of the Great Profound Realm, yet he yielded at every turn. It was simply too spineless.
Even the sect's disciples had taken up some ridiculous "steady cultivation" method. It was utterly incomprehensible!
But that Dao Integration sword cultivator's swordsmanship was earthshaking, and his combat strength was so overwhelming it left people hopeless. He... wasn't a match for him. He could only find another way to deal with the problem.
That Sword Sect cultivator who had emerged from seclusion had been one attempt. Although he had cut off one of Old Devil's hands, he had still let him escape. Judging from that alone, even if the man had reached Dao Integration, he couldn't be all that powerful.
That was why he had come here early to watch.
Today's Dharma Combat Test was one of the biggest events recently held in Mystic Sword City.
According to past patterns, ancient cultivators who emerged from seclusion would usually stay hidden, slowly learning about this world that had changed so much. Since their cultivation was profound, they also liked to gravitate toward crowded places.
So that Sword Sect cultivator who had emerged from seclusion might well show up here.
Meanwhile, not far outside the school, there was a barbecue shop.
It was still early, so there weren't many people in the shop. The customers had mostly ordered kidneys, oysters, and the like.
The owner was a middle-aged man at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm. He was built like a tank, with muscles all over, and looked incredibly strong. Clearly, he was a pure body cultivator.
These young people... Coming to eat this stuff so early in the morning, without the slightest care for their health.
He sighed inwardly as he expertly sprinkled on an assortment of spices.
Rumble!
A flying sword wreathed in multicolored light descended. Its rider was a skinny, yellow-haired lad with sunken eyes who looked completely drained.
The commotion was so loud that quite a few people turned to look.
Among them was Xu Xing, buying buns in front of the shop next door.
He had come outside the school early that morning, naturally aiming to check out the Basic Refining Method created by Saint Emperor Abyss. He could also take a look at Zhang Yunlu's performance while he was at it.
"Boss, ten skewers of kidney!" the yellow-haired lad called as he took out a medicine bottle and tipped a few pills into his mouth.
Vitality-Nourishing Pills. They were ungraded pills, and as for what they did... well, you know.
"Coming right up!" The owner picked up two enormous kidneys from beside him and deftly sliced them open. "Thanks for the business, handsome. I'll throw in two extra skewers for you."
He ran the shop to make money, of course he wasn't going to turn away a customer who came right to his door.
And judging by the young man, he might even become a regular.
"Thanks, boss."
Maybe he really was feeling a bit weak. The yellow-haired lad waved and started looking for a seat to rest.
Just then, a young woman who looked about twenty, with pretty features and a graceful figure, came down on a flying sword. She wore a light gray camisole and shorts.
The yellow-haired lad, who had been about to leave, stopped.
"Dad!" the young woman called sweetly.
Huh?
The yellow-haired lad scratched his head. Wasn't it a bit inappropriate to be doing that sort of thing in public?
But in the next moment, he heard the owner answer, "Yeah?"
"..."
The barbecue shop owner was her dad?!
The yellow-haired lad froze. Looking at the owner's bulging muscles, his heart started to pound.
"Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend." The young woman pointed at the yellow-haired lad, who was edging backward.
"Oh."
The barbecue shop owner nodded while he worked. Then, a moment later, he realized what she'd said and whipped around!
The two men stared at each other for a long while.
The barbecue shop owner looked at his daughter with a smile, but it seemed a little feral, and veins bulged across his forehead.
"He's your boyfriend?"
"Yep."
"YOU LITTLE—!"
The barbecue shop owner's eyes went bloodshot, and his huge palm shot toward the yellow-haired lad. Terrified out of his wits, the lad jumped onto his flying sword and tried to flee, only to be caught by the collar and yanked back down.
The yellow-haired lad was only at Pseudo Foundation Establishment. Facing a proper body cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he couldn't put up the slightest resistance. The owner held him up like a little chick.
"Out with it! Did you go to a hotel with her yesterday?"
"N-no..."
"Dad, I was in my own room the whole time yesterday, wasn't I?"
Hearing that, the barbecue shop owner finally regained a bit of his composure and let the yellow-haired lad go.
"Get lost!" The yellow-haired lad scrambled to his feet and tried to run.
"Wait! Where did you sleep last night?"
"...In her room."
The barbecue shop owner's entire face flushed red, and wisps of crimson blood-qi appeared around him. No father could possibly put up with something like this!
"Don't get worked up, Dad. He's really good."
The yellow-haired lad was on the verge of tears. Please, miss, don't add fuel to the fire!
"Good? How good could he—" He forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"His vitality and desire are great."
Huh???
"What?"
It wasn't just the people involved who were stunned. The onlookers were too.
What a twist!
"I joined the Joyous Union Sect. Besides, he didn't actually touch me. Everything he saw was an illusion."
"You lied to me?!" The yellow-haired lad couldn't believe it.
"I didn't lie to you. Didn't I tell you? And didn't you agree?"
The yellow-haired lad: "..."
So it hadn't been him who'd charmed her. She'd been the one who'd charmed him.
The crimson blood-qi dissipated.
The barbecue shop owner and the yellow-haired lad wore complicated expressions.
For a moment, things got awkward. In this situation, who had actually lost out?
"Get inside! We're sorting this out today, once and for all!"
The barbecue shop owner was still fuming. The yellow-haired lad didn't dare run, so he picked up his flying sword from where it had fallen and followed the owner into the barbecue shop.
Before long, the shop door was shut.
"Tsk, tsk! The world these days..." The bun shop owner sighed.
Xu Xing held his buns, also thinking that what had just happened was pretty entertaining.
He hadn't expected to see such a show today. The cultivation-world version of a yellow-haired lad—the kind who gave so many fathers headaches—had finally met his natural enemy.
Then he carried his buns toward the school, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.
The fun was over. Now it was time to check out Saint Emperor Abyss's cultivation method.
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