Qingxuan Unsheathed, Who Could Stand Against It?

Nanling Zhao smiled. "As an inspector, this was all part of my duty. There's no need to thank me."

Ye Tianming glanced at her but said nothing.

Nanling Zhao kept looking him over. Her gaze made Ye Tianming feel a little uncomfortable, and his face reddened.

Nanling Zhao smiled. "Why are you blushing?"

"Nothing... It's just a little hot," Ye Tianming hurriedly said.

Nanling Zhao smiled. "Don't worry. The Xiao Family can't blot out the sky over the Guanxuan Universe."

Ye Tianming nodded. "Lady Zhao, there's something I don't quite understand. Why would the Xiao Family dare to be so utterly unhinged? They openly disregarded Guanxuan law, and they even dared to kill you..."

"There are several reasons," Nanling Zhao said. "The main one is that they've grown arrogant."

Ye Tianming frowned slightly. "Arrogant?"

Nanling Zhao nodded. "The Xiao Family may be a second-rate family, but they're different from the others. Their ancestor once had a personal connection with the Guanxuan Sword Master. Because of that, the Xiao Family's standing is very, very special. Throughout the entire Guanxuan Universe, even first-rate families show them some deference. Over time, the whole Xiao Family naturally grew arrogant."

"There's another reason," Ye Tianming said. "I'm just from a lowest-ranked family, right?"

Nanling Zhao nodded. "In terms of strength, a lowest-ranked lineage really is less than an ant in the Xiao Family's eyes. So they look down on you from the bottom of their hearts. Even though you made it through the Guanxuan Dao, you're still an ant to them. The Xiao Family is a great family with a thousand years of history. Its foundations are far too deep for a single monstrous genius to shake."

At that, she suddenly fixed her gaze on Ye Tianming. "It doesn't matter whether others think highly of you. What matters is that you think highly of yourself."

Ye Tianming nodded. "I understand."

Nanling Zhao smiled. "Of course you do. You're a rebel, after all."

Ye Tianming was speechless.

Nanling Zhao continued, "Arrogance makes people lose their reason, and the Xiao Family has already done just that. Under normal circumstances, Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy would never have joined them in their madness. But the problem is, the academy has far too many problems of its own. It couldn't withstand an internal investigation, so its people could only side with the Xiao Family and join forces to pressure you into dropping the investigation."

"Is it just Qingzhou Guanxuan Academy," Ye Tianming asked, "or have the Guanxuan Academies in all of Wan Prefecture already..."

Nanling Zhao leaned against the rock wall, looking somewhat drained. "I don't know."

Ye Tianming looked at Nanling Zhao. She smiled. "I've been an inspector for five years. In those five years, I've seen far, far too many dark things..."

She took out a thick stack of papers, drew one at random, and said, "Take this case. It happened in Qingshan Town, Bozhou. A woman was assaulted in the street, but afterward, the man wasn't punished at all. The woman and her family wanted to petition the authorities, but do you know what happened? The next day, the woman and his family were wiped out... Yet all of Qingshan Town covered it up and failed to report it, just because the man who assaulted her was the son of the town's Law Enforcement Guard commander."

Ye Tianming frowned.

Nanling Zhao continued, "A mere Law Enforcement Guard commander in a little town is a sesame-seed-sized official in the eyes of people like us. But in their own localities, their power reaches the heavens, and they can easily toy with ordinary people. What's more, the smaller the place, the more chaotic and lawless it is. They're practically local emperors."

Ye Tianming said nothing. He simply took out another steamed bun and began eating. After a few bites, he took out another and gave it to Nanling Zhao.

Nanling Zhao took a bite of the bun and smiled. "You like steamed buns?"

Ye Tianming nodded. "I've liked them since I was little."

Nanling Zhao looked down at the paper in her hand. "You know why I'm telling you about these cases, don't you?"

"Lady Zhao, these things aren't mine to deal with," Ye Tianming said. "I'll just listen."

Nanling Zhao laughed. "You know what I mean, but you keep looking left and talking about the right. Still, I understand."

Ye Tianming thought for a moment. "Lady Zhao, you're a very, very upright person. But forgive me for speaking plainly: even a hundred thousand people like you couldn't change some of the chaos we see now."

"Tell me what you think," Nanling Zhao said.

Ye Tianming shook his head. "No."

Nanling Zhao was taken aback, then laughed. "I really do want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, I won't tell another soul. It'll be a secret between the two of us."

After a moment's silence, Ye Tianming said, "If we look at the underlying logic behind this chaos, we'll find a bigger problem: there's no oversight. The Yang Family alone holds all the power, and there are no limits on it..."

"Stop!"

Nanling Zhao cut Ye Tianming off. "Don't say any more."

"Oh," Ye Tianming said.

He went back to eating his bun.

Nanling Zhao stared intently at Ye Tianming without saying a word. She kept staring until he began to feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Nanling Zhao said solemnly, "Don't ever say those things to anyone again. Understand?"

Ye Tianming nodded. "Yes."

Nanling Zhao said seriously, "Tianming, you have to understand: you're not the only one who sees certain problems clearly. Others see them too. There are plenty of clever people in this world, but understanding something and saying it aloud are two different things. You have to learn to protect yourself. Understand?"

Ye Tianming said, "I'm not an angry youth, and I'm not mocking anything. This kind of chaos exists in every civilization. That's perfectly normal. Just like you once told me, the Guanxuan Universe has people like the Xiao Family, but it also has people like you. Every civilization has good people and bad people. But if there are too many people like the Xiao Family and too few like you, then this world is finished."

With that, she looked at Nanling Zhao. "The heart of the problem now is whether the highest authorities in the Guanxuan Universe will take this seriously. If they punish the Xiao Family severely, it proves that the academy's upper ranks care about this and keep ordinary people like me in their hearts. But if the academy doesn't punish the Xiao Family severely, it proves that, to its upper ranks, personal connections and relationships stand above the Guanxuan Divine Law. And once that happens, people like the Xiao Family will eventually outnumber people like you..."

Nanling Zhao said, "Once we reach the Guanxuan Realm, I'll go with you to appeal directly to the authorities. Don't worry, the Outer Pavilion and the Inner Pavilion will give you justice. The Xiao Family is acting so unhinged now because they know that once you reach the Guanxuan Realm, they're finished."

Ye Tianming nodded and said no more.

A sword's cry suddenly rang out from outside.

Nanling Zhao smiled at once. "They're here. Let's go."

She rose and walked outside, with Ye Tianming close behind.

Outside, the two saw Pei Buleng, the female sword cultivator from the Sword Sect.

Pei Buleng stared at Nanling Zhao. "You look terrible."

There was a distinct note of schadenfreude in her voice.

Nanling Zhao gave her the middle finger.

Ye Tianming was speechless.

Pei Buleng's slender brows shot up, and the sword cultivator behind her suddenly trembled slightly. Nanling Zhao said, "We'll spar another time. Come on, let's get to the teleportation array first."

Pei Buleng turned and rose into the air on her sword. Nanling Zhao grabbed Ye Tianming and took flight, disappearing into the distance.

High in the sky, Ye Tianming instinctively held on to Nanling Zhao's waist. She turned to look at him, and when she saw how pale he was, she laughed. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Ye Tianming hurriedly nodded.

Nanling Zhao burst out laughing. "You're a sword cultivator, and you're afraid of heights? What are you going to do when it's time to fly on a sword?"

Ye Tianming was speechless.

Before long, the three landed in front of a valley. Ye Tianming hurriedly let go of Nanling Zhao. He felt as though his soul had flown right out of him, and he could barely stand.

Nanling Zhao steadied him, then took out a pill and handed it to him. "Take this."

Ye Tianming took the pill and swallowed it. Warmth immediately spread through his body, and he felt much better.

Nanling Zhao smiled. "Let's go."

Ye Tianming nodded. "Thank you."

They headed into the distance. Along the way, Ye Tianming glanced around and could just make out a few sword cultivators on the surrounding mountains. There weren't many, only six or seven.

Nanling Zhao said, "Don't worry. With these Sword Sect disciples here, the Xiao Family can't and wouldn't dare kill anyone to silence them. They may be arrogant, but they're not arrogant enough to clash head-on with the Sword Sect."

She suddenly stopped and looked at Pei Buleng, who was not far ahead. "Buleng, how about sparring with this young brother?"

Ye Tianming was startled, but he immediately understood what Nanling Zhao meant, and he was touched.

Pei Buleng stopped and glanced back at Ye Tianming, then looked at Nanling Zhao.

Nanling Zhao met her gaze seriously.

After a moment's silence, Pei Buleng said, "The Sword Sect is extremely strict in selecting its disciples. If he isn't strong enough himself, joining will only make him suffer."

Nanling Zhao smiled. "I know. I'm just asking you to spar with him. If he doesn't measure up, I won't insist."

Pei Buleng was silent for a moment, then nodded. "For your sake, I will."

She looked at Ye Tianming. "Draw your sword."

Nanling Zhao turned to Ye Tianming and said seriously, "You told me before that you comprehended a sword technique in the Guanxuan Dao... Use that technique against her. You only have one chance."

Ye Tianming fell silent.

Nanling Zhao added, "Don't think you owe me a favor or anything. I'm doing this because you're talented and qualified to join the Sword Sect. If you didn't have the ability, I would never do this."

Ye Tianming looked at her. "Thank you."

He understood, of course, that without the woman before him, he might never have had this opportunity, no matter how capable he was.

Nanling Zhao said, "If you can join the Sword Sect, you'll finally have someone to back you up. Do your best."

Ye Tianming nodded and looked at Pei Gujin. Rather than use the Sword of Upholding the Dao, he took out an ordinary sheathed longsword. He drew a deep breath, then suddenly charged forward and pulled his sword free...

The stacked Heaven-Slaying Sword-Drawing Technique!

Though he had stacked only two strikes, the sword came out with the force to split heaven and earth.

Ye Tianming knew this was his chance, so he held nothing back.

Pei Buleng raised her sword to block.

Boom!

Sword light burst forth, and Ye Tianming staggered back dozens of zhang. The ordinary sword in his hand exploded, and his right arm was torn open by the impact, spraying blood.

Pei Buleng also took a step back. She slowly raised her head to look at Ye Tianming. "Minor Tribulation Realm... Where did you learn that sword technique?"

Nanling Zhao immediately said, "He created it himself."

Pei Buleng frowned as she looked at Ye Tianming. The little pagoda said, "Don't tell her I taught you. Just say you created it yourself. You did comprehend the stacking technique on your own, after all."

Ye Tianming wasn't someone who couldn't adapt. "Yes."

Pei Buleng suddenly tossed Ye Tianming a token. "From this moment on, you're an outer disciple of the Sword Sect. The Sword Sect will have your back from now on."

A Sword Sect disciple!

Ye Tianming was still a little dazed, while Nanling Zhao smiled beside him. "Congratulations. Aren't you going to greet your mentor?"

"Mentor?"

Ye Tianming was puzzled.

Nanling Zhao smiled. "The woman standing before you is a true disciple of the Sword Sect. She's qualified to take disciples and pass on her teachings. She only has two places, and she's given one to you. In other words, she'll be the one guiding your cultivation from now on. Why aren't you paying your respects?"

Ye Tianming understood at once. He put away the token and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Mentor."

Pei Buleng glanced at him. "Let's go to the Guanxuan Realm first."

Nanling Zhao smiled as well. "I just received word that the head of the Inspection Court in the Guanxuan Realm already knows about your situation. He's sent people to escort us and has already begun gathering evidence of the Xiao Family's and the Qingzhou Academy elders' crimes... Come on, we'll talk on the way."

The three headed toward the teleportation array in the valley. By the time they reached the Immortal Treasure Pavilion's teleportation array, tens of thousands of people had gathered around it.

Nanling Zhao smiled at the sight. "The Guanxuan Realm's Law Enforcement Guard, Supervisory Guard, Inspection Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial City Guard, Outer Pavilion Guard, Guanxuan Guards... They're all here. The Xiao Family is finished."

"Protect Young Master Ye and Lady Zhao!"

Someone suddenly spoke up.

All the experts present immediately sealed off the area...

The Xiao Family, Nanzhou.

In the main hall, the Xiao Family's experts had gathered. All of them looked grim, and some were frightened, for they already knew that the major courts of the Guanxuan Realm were protecting Ye Tianming and Nanling Zhao.

The Xiao Family was finished!

Xiao Feng, the family head at the front, suddenly said, "I'll go see him."

Everyone turned to Xiao Feng. He said, "The Xiao Family cannot fall."

With that, he left the Xiao Family and soon arrived outside a residence.

The Ye Residence.

The Nanzhou Ye Clan, the family into which the Guanxuan Sword Master had once been born.

There wasn't a single person within a hundred li of the Ye Family residence, but in secret, more than ten thousand Guanxuan Divine Guards and top-tier covert guards stood watch. Not only that, but the starry sky above Nanzhou had been sealed off as well. Nine top Circle-Breaking Realm experts personally stood guard, and no expert was allowed to approach Nanzhou.

The highest level of security!

Xiao Feng knelt before he had even reached the Ye Family residence. He made his way to its gates on his knees, then prostrated himself on the ground like a dog.

After a long while, a young man walked out. He looked at the head of the second-rate family before him without the slightest ripple of emotion in his eyes. "Go in."

Xiao Feng hurriedly crawled inside, not daring to get up.

Xiao Feng crawled into a courtyard and looked toward a room before him. Through its gauze curtain, he could vaguely make out a portrait. His heart gave a violent thump when he saw it: it was a portrait of the Guanxuan Sword Master, Ye Guan.

A man in white stood before the portrait of the Guanxuan Sword Master. He appeared to be fifteen or sixteen, with sword-like brows, starry eyes, and an air of nobility that soared to the heavens.

The man in white bore a strong resemblance to the Guanxuan Sword Master. A Little Pagoda hung at the right side of his waist, while a sheathed longsword hung at his left. The sword's name was Qingxuan.

Xiao Feng hastily withdrew his gaze and pressed his head deep against the ground, utterly humble.

A moment later, the man in white spoke from inside the room. "What is it?"

Xiao Feng said cautiously, "It concerns a special admission place..."

He gave a general account of what had happened, not daring to conceal anything, for he didn't dare resort to any tricks at all.

When he finished, his body began to convulse, and he choked back sobs.

Whether the Xiao Family escaped unscathed depended entirely on a single thought from the man before him.

After a moment, the man in white said, "A special admission place... Come to think of it, this began because of me. If I hadn't taken one of your places..."

Xiao Feng hurriedly kowtowed, blood splattering. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare..."

The man in white said, "You may leave."

Xiao Feng's voice trembled. "My Xiao Family..."

"Let it go this time," the man in white said.

Wild with joy, Xiao Feng knocked his head hard against the ground several times, then crawled out.

After Xiao Feng withdrew, the man who had been outside the gate came in. He said respectfully, "The Xiao Family really went a little too far this time..."

The man in white said, "We have to show consideration for the Xiao Family's ancestor... In any case, this matter ends here."

The man understood and nodded. "Understood."

"Is everything arranged?" the man in white asked.

The man nodded slightly. "After you take part in the Myriad Provinces Grand Competition, your prestige will reach its peak. That would be a better time to assume power personally..."

The man in white nodded and looked up at the portrait of the Guanxuan Sword Master not far away. "Father, I will complete the order you left unfinished. My Yang Family will surely unite the entire universe, including the True World."

The man asked, somewhat curious, "Young Master, what realm have you reached now?"

The man in white said nothing. He merely swept his sleeve, and a terrifying presence instantly enveloped the man. The man's pupils contracted sharply. "Great Emperor..."

A sixteen-year-old Great Emperor?

Even the Guanxuan Sword Master and the Mortal Sword Master had been far, far inferior in talent back then!

From that moment on, not a trace of worry remained in the man's heart. Nothing unexpected would happen at the Myriad Provinces Grand Competition. After all, the young master before him was not only a Great Emperor, but also possessed the legendary number one bloodline in the entire universe: the Mad Demon Bloodline. And that wasn't all. He also had the Guanxuan Universe's greatest sword, Qingxuan, which disregarded everything!

Qingxuan unsheathed, who could stand against it?

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Ye Tianming and the others had just entered the valley and were about to activate the teleportation array when an old man suddenly came hurtling through the air.

At the sight of the old man, Nanling Zhao's expression changed at once. "Court Master?"

The old man before her was none other than Zeng He, master of the Inspection Court. He looked at Nanling Zhao. "There's no need to go to the Guanxuan Realm. This matter ends here."

Nanling Zhao was briefly stunned, then exclaimed, "Court Master, what do you mean?"

Zeng He's lips moved, but no sound came out.

A Mystic Qi voice transmission!

Whatever Nanling Zhao heard, her whole body jolted, and she staggered back several steps as if struck by lightning, her face full of disbelief.

Zeng He stared at Nanling Zhao. "The cabinet has issued an order. Nanling Zhao, you are suspended from duty and placed on leave for one month, effective immediately."

With that, he turned and vanished.

Just then, a flash of sword light suddenly tore open the sky above the three of them. An old man in white robes followed, riding a sword.

Pei Buleng was surprised too. "Master!"

The white-robed old man said nothing. His gaze fell on Ye Tianming, and he opened his palm. The Sword Sect token on Ye Tianming flew straight out and landed in his hand.

The white-robed old man turned to Pei Buleng. "Return to the sect at once."

Pei Buleng said in a grave voice, "Master, why is this..."

The white-robed old man also sent a Mystic Qi voice transmission. Whatever Pei Buleng heard, her pupils suddenly contracted, and like Nanling Zhao, her face filled with disbelief.

The white-robed old man said, "Let's go."

With a sweep of his sleeve, he took Pei Buleng with him, and they vanished from the spot.

At the same time, voices suddenly rang out across heaven and earth:

"All Law Enforcement Guards in the Guanxuan Realm, return to the realm immediately! Make no mistake!"

"All Supervisory Guards, return to the Guanxuan Realm immediately! Make no mistake!"

"All Inspection Guards, return to the Guanxuan Realm immediately! Make no mistake!"

"All Imperial Guards, return to the Guanxuan Realm immediately! Make no mistake!"

"All Guanxuan Guards, return to the Guanxuan Realm immediately! Make no mistake!"

"All Sword Sect disciples, return to the sect immediately, immediately!"

"..."

Within a few breaths, every expert from the Guanxuan Realm had withdrawn from the scene, leaving no one behind.

Ye Tianming clenched his fists, his body trembling.

Nanling Zhao slowly turned around and looked at Ye Tianming. Her face was somewhat pale as she said in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry. I can no longer seek justice for you in this matter..."

Ye Tianming looked at her. He knew that an extremely powerful and important figure must have taken the Xiao Family's side, causing both the Sword Sect and the Inspection Court to give up without hesitation and drop the matter.

And this important figure had to be extremely, extremely terrifying.

After a long silence, he said, "How can I meet the Guanxuan Sword Master?"

Nanling Zhao looked at him too. "Take first place in the ten thousand provinces, and you'll have a chance to meet him."

Ye Tianming nodded. "I understand."

With that, he turned and left. "I'll take first place in the ten thousand provinces. I must meet the Guanxuan Sword Master and ask him if his order even fucking needs to exist anymore."

While this book is new, I hope everyone will give it plenty of support. Thank you!

If you have any suggestions or ideas, you can leave them in the book review section. You can also leave comments about minor character roles and the like.

Finally, I'm curious: how many longtime readers have come back? Drop a comment and say hello!!