Well, Today You've Seen It

More than one!

Li Yang looked up, but he could not see them.

He could, however, sense several immense auras descending outside the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect's gates.

There was no need to guess. They had to be the elders of the prodigies he had killed, coming to his doorstep.

Almost all the prodigies who had fallen in the Yongning Commandery incident had substantial backing.

This affair involved not only their own future prospects, but, more importantly, the benefits that the power Ning Qingfeng represented could bring to the forces behind them.

"You have all come such a long way, with such imposing fanfare. Surely a few juniors dying in a contest does not warrant troubling you seniors to come here in person and demand an accounting?"

A sarcastic voice came from Mystic Heaven Peak, where the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect's ancestor cultivated.

He deliberately placed heavy emphasis on the word "juniors."

"This is Kun Province, not Qian Province. Your Mystic Heaven Sword Sect forcibly interfered in the Yongning Commandery affair and ruined our plans. That alone overstepped your bounds. Now you even allow your disciples to slaughter at will, murdering our children and descendants!"

Another voice, belonging to an old woman, dripped with venom. "Your sect's Li Yang has a murderous nature that reaches the heavens. He killed my grandson and has already entered the demonic path. Unless you hand him over, the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect will never sleep soundly again!"

Faced with these threats, the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect's ancestor scoffed.

"If you feel wronged, you are welcome to submit a petition to the Dao Alliance. If you would rather resort to venomous tricks and ambush members of our sect when they travel outside, feel free to do that too. Only-"

His tone turned icy. "Do not forget that the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect is no easy target for humiliation! Push us too hard, and this band of sword-wielding madmen can simply abandon our holdings in Kun Province. But the ones taking over the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect afterward will be our big brother, Xuanyuan! When that time comes, do not beg us to stop and make peace!"

At those words, the voices outside the sect fell silent.

A long while passed-

"We know that your sect plotted to destroy the Demon Venerables of Six Desires and Seven Emotions for the sake of all living beings. There is nothing to fault in that.

"But your sect's Li Yang slaughtered our juniors. Had it been one or two, we might have considered it an accident during a contest.

"Yet he cut down almost every last one of them, leaving no room whatsoever.

"Such behavior verges on the demonic path, serving nothing but his own lust for killing.

"Unless you give us an explanation, remember that Kun Province is not somewhere your Xuanyuan Sword Sect can cover the sky with one hand."

"An explanation?" A voice came from Crane-Cry Peak.

Lu Feng stepped into the sky and snorted.

"Li Yang is my personal disciple, and he went to Yongning Commandery on my orders. Senior Yuan Hua of the Sword Alliance also oversaw this operation.

"If you want an explanation, come to us.

"Senior Ning has yet to say a word, yet you have already come to our gates demanding an accounting. Do you regard the Dao Alliance's rules as nothing?"

In truth, they also knew they could not really do anything to the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect.

They had merely come seeking revenge, hoping to find some way to eliminate Li Yang, this rising star of the sword.

They had never expected to lose three prodigies from their own side before even meeting Li Yang. Only then had they lost their restraint.

"You sent your Third Disciple, Ning Xinyao, to attend Li Yang at his side. Do you truly think no one can see what you are after?

"Stop using the Sword Alliance and the Dao Alliance as shields. This matter will not end peacefully. You had best restrain yourselves within Kun Province. So what if you have the Xuanyuan Sword Sect behind you? We have our own ways to bring your entire sect crashing down without breaking the rules!

"Go tell that disciple of yours-until he can stand on his own, he should learn to bow his head, make himself small, tread carefully, and conceal his talents!"

This was both a threat and a warning.

Lu Feng frowned, his dry lips moving.

"Fuck!"

Someone spoke before he could.

It was neither the supreme elder on Mystic Heaven Peak nor any other master of the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect.

It was Li Yang, standing on his flying sword above the Life-and-Death Arena.

He pointed his sword at those unseen experts outside the sect, glared with wide eyes, and spat.

"Ancestor, Elder Lu, why waste your breath on them? If you have the balls, fight your way in! If you don't, get the hell out! I'll be waiting for your revenge!"

Everyone present erupted in shock.

In particular, there were still many cultivators watching the spectacle in Mysterious Heaven City outside the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect.

They had just been listening to the confrontation between the experts on both sides.

Then, suddenly, a very faint yet utterly explosive declaration reached their ears.

And he was not finished yet.

"Li Yang was right to kill them! My only regret is that I wasn't there.

"I'm telling you, I've wanted to butcher them for ages too!

"During the Yongning Commandery incident, your juniors ignored the fiends refining Human Puppets and cultivating the blood path. That was bad enough.

"But they even wantonly trampled mortal lives during the fighting.

"To raise a child without teaching him is the father's fault; to teach without discipline is the master's neglect.

"Your words and actions tell me everything. They deserved to die, and you elders deserve it even more!

"When I can stand on my own, you had better pray you never fall into my hands. Otherwise, I'll butcher every last one of you, just like I butchered your juniors today!"

Li Yang's gaze was ferocious, and the Spirit Sword in his hand hummed.

Everyone could see that there was not the slightest hint of bluster hiding cowardice in him. Every fucking word came straight from his heart.

"Qin Feng really has gone mad!" someone cried out.

"Mad? He's completely deranged! He dares to say anything!"

"Those old monsters outside are at least in the body integration realm. Even if Qin Feng is the Qin Household's young head, the Qin Household isn't an Ancient Immortal Lineage!"

"Forget that. Even a prodigy from an Ancient Immortal Lineage wouldn't dare talk like this."

Li Yang's words had stunned even the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect's ancestor into silence. He did not speak for a long time.

Lu Feng, however, was unsurprised.

He already knew this brat's temperament very well.

As long as his own life was not threatened, Li Yang's actions could be as extreme as extreme could get.

Sect Master Ling Wujie, meanwhile, rushed over at once.

After all, he was Li Yang's nominal master at present.

"Qin Feng, stop talking nonsense! Your elders are speaking. It is not your place to interrupt!"

It sounded like a reprimand, but he was actually trying to reduce the number of enemies the real Qin Feng would have to face.

"You infuriate me!"

An old woman's face blotted out the sun in the sky. The pressure of the body integration realm crashed down, striking the Mystic Heaven Sword Sect's Sect-Defending Formation with a thunderous boom.

"What a Mystic Heaven Sword Sect! Today has certainly opened my eyes. I doubt even the Xuanyuan Main Sect acts as arrogantly and overbearingly as a mere Branch Sect like yours!"

"Well~" Li Yang raised his sword and pointed it at the old woman's face. "Today you've seen it.

"Tell me honestly which of these people is your descendant. I want a fight to the death with them.

"If you're afraid, leave with your tail between your legs. I won't laugh at you.

"But if you have no balls and still dare come here seeking revenge, stop spouting all those grand threats.

"You want to teach Li Yang how to behave? Who the fuck do you think you are?

"We Sword Cultivators have only our worthless lives to lose. Try us if you have the balls!

"If anything happens to Li Yang, just see whether I slaughter every prodigy in your sect.

"If anything happens to me, Li Yang will slaughter all your disciples too.

"Of course, that's assuming you decide to openly declare war between our sects. If Li Yang dies in a fair setting like this one, I won't stoop to coming to your doorstep and asking to be humiliated."

All of Li Yang's words boiled down to a single sentence-

Your worthless juniors got killed, so how do you have the nerve to come looking for trouble? You're just begging for humiliation!

"Qin Feng, shut up!" Ling Wujie rebuked him. "Although what you say is reasonable, they are still your seniors. You must still abide by the principle that the strong are not to be insulted."

Li Yang lowered his sword and shrugged. "Strong, my ass. She's just an old bitch who came here begging to be cursed at."

As he spoke, he glanced at the prodigies who had come seeking revenge, clicked his tongue, and shook his head.

"What revenge? Trash like you probably wouldn't dare step into the arena even if I killed your own mother and father.

"Ignorant, useless, incompetent, brainless, boring."

"You!" One of them stepped forward, spiritual power surging within him.

But someone beside him caught his arm and shook their head, stopping him.

"Good! Very well said!"

The old woman laughed in fury. "What sharp teeth of steel! What a passionate speech.

"But young man, do you know that some matters in this world cannot be settled by indulging in a moment's pleasure with your tongue?

"The road of cultivation is thorny at every step. Those who reach its end are never the sharpest swords, but those who can best keep their composure."

A few traces of a sinister smile reappeared on her aged face.

"The secret realm in Immortal Relic Province will open soon. Rumor has it that ancient ruins abound within, along with countless opportunities. Prodigies from every faction will enter to try their luck.

"In such a perilous place, your sect's protection cannot reach you, your elders cannot watch over you, and life or death rests entirely on fortune.

"When the time comes, settling old grudges and new together could be considered the cycle of heaven's law, with retribution never failing."

Another voice came from the void.

"In all my years, I have seen far too many brilliantly gifted young heroes act on hot blood alone, heedless of consequences and blind to the distant future.

"At first, they basked in boundless glory and thought themselves above all others. Yet how many ultimately lived to reach the heights?

"The cultivation world has never lacked geniuses who die young. What it lacks are clever people who know when to advance, when to retreat, and when to restrain themselves.

"Young man, that is all I have to say. Conduct yourself wisely.

"Across the distant mountains and rivers of Immortal Relic Province, may you make it out alive."

Yet in Li Yang's ears, those threatening words meant something entirely different.

He heard no threat. Only one sentence sank in-in such a perilous place, your sect's protection could not reach you, your elders could not watch over you, and life or death rested entirely on fortune.

How wonderful!

Wasn't it?

"I'm really looking forward to that day, when I run into those descendants of yours who've come seeking revenge.

"I remember one of the Dao Alliance's rules:

"No grudges from within a secret realm may be carried outside, including mortal feuds!"