Demon Sword

The Library Pavilion.

Qin Lian sat on the top floor, leafing through his predecessors' insights and experiences in cultivating the Chasing the Wind and Pursuing the Sun Art and the Liuhe Duzun Sword Art, yet his gaze rested on the endless stream of young figures coming and going downstairs.

He looked every bit like a retired professor watching students diligently pursue their studies.

He could almost feel the vigorous vitality radiating from them.

Especially when he watched disciples animatedly discussing a sword art or movement technique they had mastered...

His envy was plain to see.

"Without treasures like Enlightenment Tea and Blazing Sun Treasure Jade to help, progress in the Chasing the Wind and Pursuing the Sun movement technique and the Liuhe Duzun Sword Art is too slow."

He focused slightly and visualized the Golden Light.

[Purple Cloud Art (beginner 4/100), Liuhe Duzun Sword Art (major mastery 37/100), Chasing the Wind and Pursuing the Sun movement technique (major mastery 43/100), Great Void Visualization Diagram (major mastery 21/100), Great Void Sword Qi (not yet initiated 94/100)]

Two months had already passed since he had cultivated Dharma Power.

His movement technique and sword art had progressed, but hardly quickly.

At this rate, he would need nearly another half year of bitter training before he had any hope of perfecting them.

"Counting the days, the next batch of Enlightenment Tea on Purple Cloud Peak should be ready in a few months..."

Qin Lian pondered briefly.

At that thought, he could not help missing Lin Yuyan a little.

How wonderful would it be if she came to challenge him again?

Then he could reserve the entire batch of spirit tea about to mature on Purple Cloud Peak.

Tap, tap, tap!

Just then, footsteps rang out.

A Library Pavilion deacon then bowed. "Pavilion Master, the sect master has convened the sect's Council of Elders and requests your attendance."

"The sect's Council of Elders?"

Qin Lian was startled.

This was the highest-level meeting in the entire Pure Yang Sword Sect, usually convened only when something major concerning the sect's future occurred.

He wasted no time, rising and heading straight for Pure Yang Hall.

Inside Pure Yang Hall, several hall masters who lived nearby had already arrived, along with three of the Six Peaks' peak masters.

They all greeted Qin Lian when they saw him.

Even Xie Caixia, the master of Purple Cloud Peak, was no exception.

She had already learned from Sect Master Li Wangxu that Qin Lian had a chance of attaining Second Grade Divine Intent.

Once he attained Divine Intent, he would be among the Pure Yang Sword Sect's very best experts, and could remain at his peak for over twenty years. She could hardly afford not to take him seriously.

They chatted briefly, and the others arrived one after another.

Among them, Cloudmist Peak's New Peak Master, Liu Xu, even took the initiative to greet Qin Lian. "Elder Qin, it's been quite some time since you visited Cloudmist Peak."

"It isn't that I don't wish to visit. I've simply been occupied day and night lately, with scarcely a moment to spare."

Qin Lian said, "I have little time left before my blood and qi begin to decline. Time waits for no one. Once I attain Second Grade, I will certainly visit Cloudmist Peak."

Liu Xu had also heard of his diligent, arduous cultivation over these past few months and his determined pursuit of Divine Intent.

Truly, whenever he was not cultivating, he was on his way to seek guidance from the sect master or the elders.

She greatly admired such drive.

"Your cultivation comes first, Elder Qin. I'll be waiting for the day you achieve success and renown. Then all of Cloudmist Peak will celebrate for you."

Liu Xu said.

Qin Lian nodded slightly.

Just then, Li Wangxu also strode in.

Accompanying him, surprisingly, was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties or fifties and carried an air of unhurried composure.

The instant they saw the middle-aged man, everyone stopped talking and cupped their hands in greeting.

"Greetings, Supreme Elder."

Supreme Elder Song Huangting.

The Pure Yang Sword Sect's sole First Grade Grandmaster!

Of course, Daoist Shan Hui had originally been First Grade as well, but now, over ninety years old, even strenuous movement could snap his tendons and fracture his bones...

In a direct confrontation, he probably could not defeat a Third Grade grandmaster.

Song Huangting nodded slightly to everyone.

He soon took his seat.

The others sat down one after another as well.

Qin Lian swept his gaze around. There were nineteen people present.

One First Grade, five Second Grades, and thirteen others. Apart from Ning Qing, the somewhat unusual master of Forget-the-World Peak, and Zhenyue Peak's master Shen Chenxing and his disciple, who focused on Body Refining, the rest were all Third Grade grandmasters.

"I have summoned you here to discuss just one matter."

Li Wangxu went straight to the point. "Ye Wuji, the Young Manor Lord of Ten Thousand Swords Manor, is currently at the foot of our Shouyang Mountain. His main purpose in visiting is to ask us for aid-to request that Pure Yang uphold justice and help Ten Thousand Swords Manor quell the disorder and restore rightful rule!"

He swept his gaze over everyone. "Let everyone speak their mind on whether Pure Yang should intervene in Ten Thousand Swords Manor's internal strife."

"Ten Thousand Swords Manor?"

Shen Chenxing was somewhat puzzled. "Pure Yang never intervened in the Overlord Blade's internal strife, so why, with Ten Thousand Swords Manor..."

"There were three reasons we stood aside during the Overlord Blade's internal strife..."

Li Wangxu quickly answered, "First, no one requested aid, so we had no legitimate grounds. Second, there was already friction between the Overlord Blade and Pure Yang. Rash intervention might even have united them against a common enemy, costing us more than we gained. Third, the Overlord Blade still had three great experts-Han Yu, Liu Wuya, and Ren Pingsheng-and the situation was unclear!"

Anyone even Li Wangxu called an expert...

Was certain to be Second Grade as well.

"In Ten Thousand Swords Manor's case, Ye Wuji has requested aid, giving us grounds to act. They have also promised to cede the six southeastern commanderies of Sword Province, with the river dividing our territories. Moreover..."

The Pure Yang sect master paused. "According to the news Ye Wuji brought, Ye Yingxiong resented his father for passing the position of manor lord to his elder brother, Ye Hui, and secretly joined the Heavenly Martial Bureau. Ten Thousand Swords Manor's present plight was essentially his doing alone! Once the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. If the Overlord Blade and Ten Thousand Swords Manor fall, Pure Yang will surely be next!"

"There is one thing that interests me."

Yan Chixia said, "Rumor has it that Manor Lord Ye died because he tried to use the Heavenly Extreme Demon Sword's power to fathom the mysteries of the human body and break through to Martial Saint, only to overestimate his Divine Intent, suffer the Demon Sword's backlash, and fall into cultivation deviation. Is that Heavenly Extreme Demon Sword at Ten Thousand Swords Manor?"

His words made Li Wangxu, Lu Jianping, and Mu Xingchui exchange glances.

Before they could speak, Song Huangting, seated at the head, spoke first. "The greatest bargaining chip Ye Wuji offered in requesting Pure Yang's assistance is the Heavenly Extreme Sword. So long as we agree to help him defeat Ye Yingxiong and his followers, he will present us with the Heavenly Extreme Sword."

His words immediately stirred a commotion among the crowd.

"He's truly willing to hand over the Heavenly Extreme Sword?!"

"Rumor has it that the Heavenly Extreme Sword was forged by the Xia Emperor and once slew an Extraterrestrial Great Demon. It was tainted by demonic qi and thus became a Demon Sword... Cultivators can not only use the Demon Sword's power to temper their Divine Intent, but also study the demonic intent within the sword to discern the mysteries of Creation cultivated by that Demon God, break through to Martial Saint, regain their youth, and live another lifetime..."

"Everyone, do not let the Heavenly Extreme Demon Sword bewitch your minds! Why has Ten Thousand Swords Manor fallen to such a state? All because of the Calamity of the Demon Sword! The overturned cart ahead is a warning before our eyes. Pure Yang must never follow in its tracks!"

The peak masters, hall masters, and elders exchanged views.

Apart from Qin Lian, Ning Qing, and a handful of others, even some elders who were usually cautious in their conduct were tempted at this moment.

This world did not have so many plots and schemes.

Nor were there so many people who could easily be toyed with in the palm of someone's hand.

It was simply that, sometimes, the temptation was far too great.

The Heavenly Extreme Demon Sword was the perfect illustration.

Its temptation was so great that, even knowing there might be numerous hidden dangers, people could still stake everything on one all-out gamble.