I quickly bowed in deference. "Venerable seniors, please command me; whatever the matter may be." It seemed my suspicions were correct, though I couldn't fathom the exact intentions of these old figures. While the Crimson Blood Demon Sword possessed a terrifying demonic nature, its sheer destructive power held an irresistible allure for every martial artist. Though the Yun family had expended considerable effort in rescuing Lu Tong, I dared not let my guard down. Perhaps they, too, coveted the Crimson Blood Demon Sword.

"Indeed! Young Hero is too polite," the Yun family's Old Patriarch, Yun Peng, said gravely. "This matter concerns your uncle."

"It's about the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, isn't it?" I tried to keep my voice level. Having watched countless Wuxia dramas in modern times, I knew one had to be extremely cautious around these ancient, cunning old masters; a single misstep could lead to a trap.

"Precisely," Yun Peng confirmed. "The Crimson Blood Demon Sword is a matter of grave importance. Carelessness could ignite a bloodbath."

Elder Yun Ju of the Yun family continued, "Lu Tong's condition is stabilized and he will recover completely soon enough. When that happens, it will be time for the assembled heroes to press for the whereabouts of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword."

"Do the seniors mean to ask me to prevent my uncle from revealing it?" I wondered what scheme these old fellows were brewing.

"No," Yun Peng sighed helplessly. "This matter cannot be concealed forever, no matter what."

"Do the venerable seniors perhaps have a plan?" I ventured.

"Something like that," Yun Peng replied.

They were clearly well-prepared. A sour feeling welled up in my stomach; it appeared the Crimson Blood Demon Sword was bringing no small amount of trouble.

"In truth, we only wish to convey our intentions to Lu Tong once he has recovered. Since you are his trusted disciple, you can meet him more easily, whereas we remain outsiders. Any sudden approach from us would inevitably arouse the suspicion of other factions," Yun Peng explained.

Hmph, resorting to sentimentality, using a flanking maneuver. Truly old foxes.

"This junior understands," I replied, maintaining an air of utter bewilderment. "What do the seniors wish me to convey?"

"Once the location of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword is revealed, it is bound to cause upheaval and chaos across the entire continent," Yun Peng stated heavily. "And among those who emerge, many harbor ill intentions, seeking to claim the sword for themselves. Thus, a slaughter and chaotic battle will surely ensue."

I suspect you old geezers are among those with ill intentions, I thought, though I maintained a facade of rapt attention.

"We only hope that Lu Tong will take this into consideration when announcing the sword's location," Yun Ju added. "Furthermore, I heard that Lu Tong shares a deep connection with Dragon Shadow Manor."

"Yes, that is correct," I affirmed quickly.

It wasn't much of a secret, really. Lu Tong and Master Jian Li were friends unto death; otherwise, Jian Li wouldn't have accepted me as a disciple based solely on the promise of a sword.

"Among the Three Great Manors, ancestors of the Sword Saint Jian Huang and Sword God have previously died by the hand of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword. I believe perhaps only they on the entire Mafa Continent truly comprehend the terror of that weapon," Yun Peng elaborated.

I hadn't heard much about this, but judging by the expressions of Yun Peng and the others, it was likely true. Moreover, such a thing could be verified with a simple inquiry; there was no need for them to lie. But what were they truly trying to communicate?

I patiently feigned ignorance. "What are the seniors implying?"

"In fact, our own preceding generation also met untimely deaths entangled with the Crimson Blood Demon Sword," Yun Peng said, his face etched with emotion. "Therefore, we wish to ally with Dragon Shadow Manor, Scarlet Moon Manor, and Flowing Cloud Manor to jointly discuss the destruction of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword."

His look of sorrow and sentimentality didn't seem feigned. Had I misjudged them? For a moment, I felt uncertain.

"Perhaps, across the entire Demon Dragon Continent, only our Yun family knows just how terrifying the Crimson Blood Demon Sword truly is," Yun Ju stated solemnly. "Because our ancestor, Yun Shang of the Seventh Generation, was the wielder of the Blade of Prayer, and he too perished at the hands of Kaga, the Crimson Blood Demon Maniac."

"The Blade of Prayer, Yun Shang." I was greatly startled. Only then did I recall that when Dong Guan had described the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, he had mentioned the owner of the Blade of Prayer was a female warrior named Yun Shang.

No wonder the name Yun Shang had sounded familiar, as if I’d heard it somewhere before. To think that the current Yun family were her descendants! And to think that Yun Xi’s younger sister was the current Yun Shang.

Suddenly, I felt deeply ashamed. They were descendants of heroes, yet I had been suspiciously wary of them from the very beginning.

"Now you must believe what we say!" Yun Peng seemed to have seen through my thoughts. "It's not your fault, after all. The Crimson Blood Demon Sword is too momentous a matter."

"I am ashamed; this junior understands," I said, all vestiges of doubt vanished from my heart.

"In truth, destroying the Blade of Prayer has been the mission of our Yun family for these many years," Yun Peng murmured sentimentally. "To fulfill this mission, our Yun family has paid an immense price."

To have been the holder of the Blade of Prayer suggested that the Yun family ancestor was, at the very least, a righteous and heroic figure with a broad heart. How could her descendants be lacking?

At that moment, I thought of Lu Tong—three generations of his lineage had practically devoted their lives to the mission of destroying the Crimson Blood Demon Sword.

In the faces of the elder Yun family members before me, I saw the same tenacity and resolution that shone in Lu Tong.

Perhaps ordinary people could never fully grasp what drove such a family. A mission left unfinished by one generation, the next, despite the hardships, must see it through to honor the preceding generation's wishes.

But in Lu Tong, I had seen that unwavering drive and was deeply moved by his spirit.

"Therefore, upon learning that Lu Tong was abducted by the White Tiger Alliance because of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, we could think of no other way to force the White Tiger Alliance to release him except to unite with the Azure Dragon Gang to rescue him," Yun Ju explained.

"But doing so would inevitably expose the sword's whereabouts," Yun Peng interjected.

"So, we want you to tell him, once he regains his senses, that we have devised a method to destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, but the prerequisite is the cooperation of the three masters: the Sword God, Sword Saint, and Sword Emperor."

"And even if Dragon Shadow Manor could deploy royal tokens, traveling from the Bichi Continent to the Demon Dragon Continent would take at least a month," Yun Ju pointed out. "Therefore, this reveal absolutely must be delayed for a month."

"Only then, when the three Grandmaster-level experts arrive on the Demon Dragon Continent, can we finalize the plan for destroying the Crimson Blood Demon Sword," Yun Peng concluded gravely.

"This junior understands. I will write immediately to convey your intentions to my master," I replied respectfully.

"If Lu Tong wakes, tell him that to destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, another treasure capable of counteracting it must be forged. For this, our Yun family has spent generations and finally located the lost Blade of Prayer of the Seventh Generation Yun Shang. If the Blade of Prayer and the Fated One's sword could be merged, a divine weapon capable of rivaling the Crimson Blood Demon Sword would surely be forged, allowing us to completely destroy it and fulfill our ancestor's mission," Yun Peng instructed.

"Only Lu Tong in this age can accomplish the fusion of divine weapons," Yun Ju added. "It is fortunate that Lu Tong is still alive."

That was true enough. In current times, no one surpassed Lu Tong in the art of forging. No wonder they went to such lengths to save him.

"This junior will certainly relay your wishes to Uncle Lu," I hastened to say.

"This matter must be handled in absolute secrecy," Yun Peng stressed again.

"Very well, it is time for us to depart," Yun Ju said with a slight smile, looking towards the younger disciples waiting nearby.

"You young people have much to discuss," Yun Peng also smiled faintly before the elders gracefully departed.

"Venerable seniors, safe travels."

...................................................

Watching the receding figures of the elders, I felt a surge of overwhelming emotion. Perhaps they were somewhat foolish, like Lu Tong, dedicating their lives to fulfilling a predecessor's desire. But the steadfastness and dedication toward completing that mission were incredibly precious. A promise, a belief, had demanded generations of relentless effort.

Even costing lives!

The Crimson Blood Demon Sword! It absolutely could not be allowed to remain in this world.

At that very moment, I resolved that I would use every ability I possessed to utterly destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword.

Not just for Lu Tong, but also for Master Jian Li, and for the commendable, respectable heroes like the Yun family elders.

........................................................................................

After a long while, I managed to calm myself. Beside me, Yun Xi also wore an expression of deep reflection, as if recalling something.

However, the youth standing behind Yun Xi poked her sharply in the ribs, pulling her back to the present.

"This is my younger brother, and these are all the elite disciples of the current generation of our Yun family," Yun Xi said, grabbing her brother's teasing hand with slight embarrassment. "They are actually your most devoted admirers, and they insisted I bring them to meet you when you arrived."

"Young man," I laughed. "It was you who delivered the letter to me in Su City; I never got the chance to thank you." I remembered how this boy had acted standoffish in the inn, refusing even to give his name.

"Um, my name is Yun Lei." The boy’s face flushed deep red! It felt as if that single sentence had cost him all his courage. After speaking, the boy visibly relaxed, then looked at me with nervous anticipation.

"Yun Lei," I murmured, repeating the name softly.

As a transmigrator from modern times, how could I not know what this boy was thinking? An obsessive fan, yet I had treated my admirer rather poorly. It was only natural for him to feel apprehensive. I could understand his feelings; in the modern world, I too had someone I idolized—the king of kung fu, Bruce Lee. If I ever met such a globally renowned martial arts master, I would probably act just like this boy.

Of course, I knew exactly what the boy hoped for in response: "Alright, I've noted it down. Your name is Yun Lei."

"En!" The youth named Yun Lei became incredibly excited and couldn't help turning back to shout at his companions behind him, "Did you all hear that?"

"We heard!" The youths behind him also looked thrilled, crowding forward, each vying to introduce themselves.

"I'm Yun Xiu."

"I'm Yun Zhen."

"I'm Yun Lu."

................................................................................

I felt a bit overwhelmed, but more so, quite thrilled! Unbelievable! I, Xing Chen, have reached this point! I felt like a superstar with my own fan club. This was something I never dared to dream of in the past.

"Alright, I have remembered all your names," I said quickly.

"Yay! Hooray!"

"And the Dragon Shadow Sword Technique!"

"The Thunder Fighting Aura!"

"I want to learn the Astonishing Swan Dive!"

More than a dozen youths surrounded me, chattering excitedly.

"The Thunder Fighting Aura is a unique skill of the Feng family, and the Dragon Shadow Sword Technique is unique to Dragon Shadow Manor. These cannot be taught to outsiders," I explained with a wry smile.

"Then can you teach us the Lightning Sword? The real Lightning Sword!"

"And the real Lightning Saber!"

"I want to learn the most powerful move, Astonishing Glimpse!"

Several boys were unwilling to give up so easily!

"Lightning Sword! Lightning Saber!" I murmured. "That shouldn't be a problem, but what is this 'Astonishing Glimpse'? I don't recognize that technique at all."

"It’s the one strike you used to finally kill Luo Yan!" Yun Lei's eyes shone with excitement as he stared at me. "So powerful! So powerful! It even managed to break through 'Soaring Sky'!"

"Huh? Was there such a move?" I was somewhat confused. I had no recollection of it. I remembered killing Luo Yan after I went berserk, but how exactly I killed him, honestly, I had absolutely no memory!

"Ha! You don't remember?" Yun Lei seemed to realize something. "Oh, right. 'Astonishing Glimpse' is just what everyone calls it; we don't actually know the name of that move." Saying this, Yun Lei looked at me excitedly again. "Then can you tell us now what that final strike was called?"

"Yes, this is Bing He's ultimate move; only he would know its name," Yun Xiu exclaimed, suddenly enlightened. "How could outsiders possibly name Bing He's techniques arbitrarily?"

"So, what was that final strike called?" Yun Lu asked eagerly.

My final strike? Heavens above, how would I know? Damn it, why couldn't I remember anything about how I killed Luo Yan in that berserk state?

Wait! Astonishing Glimpse!

I seemed to recall something. Yes, I remembered my vision was swimming in blood-red, and then I saw a rainbow light, like a rainbow after the rain. But how that rainbow appeared, I truly didn't know.

"Um! Actually, I don't know what that move was called," I admitted reluctantly after thinking for a long time. "I was pushed to the absolute limit by Luo Yan, and I just threw out a strike casually."

"Ah."

"Ha."

"No way."

"How is that possible?"

"Such a powerful strike was just a casual move?"

"It doesn't even have a name?"

The dozen or so youths stared at me in shock. Not just them, even Yun Xi beside me looked utterly disbelieving.

"Even without a name, it was an incredibly potent killing move," Yun Xiu murmured.

"Since it doesn't have a name, let’s just call that move 'Astonishing Glimpse' from now on," Yun Lei declared excitedly. "I think only this name can match that strike—it’s grand and magnificent!"

"Yes, yes!" Yun Lu agreed.

"Fine, whatever makes you happy," I sighed. But was this strike truly as miraculous as they described? I wanted to know too, but admitting that I didn't even know the name of a secret technique I had apparently used felt ridiculous. I could only smile wryly to myself.

Dragon dances through clouds, startling the world, Tiger roars across the sky, the Nine Provinces chill, Phoenix cries under the pale moon, autumn hue fades afar, Tortoise dives, Serpent swims, sinking into the vast sea, Astonishing Glimpse shatters the firmament!

It was Yun Lei chanting a strange poem, nodding his head rhythmically, which he claimed sounded quite rhythmic.

"From this day forward! The name of the fifth greatest killing move on the continent is officially born!" Yun Lei was incredibly smug about his poem.

"Hah! 'Astonishing Glimpse Shatters the Firmament'! It sounds incredibly imposing!" Yun Xi was also visibly excited.

"Could this poem refer to five extremely powerful killing moves?" I was stunned. And my inexplicable strike had actually made the list!

"Don't tell me you truly don't know," Yun Xi said, realization dawning, staring at me in surprise.

"Heh heh, you guessed correctly," I chuckled dryly. "I only know about 'Soaring Sky' and 'Nine Provinces Chill'." I still felt lingering dread when recalling Luo Yan using that move. "It was terrifyingly powerful; at the time, I thought I was finished."

"I'm truly impressed by you," Yun Xi sighed with emotion. "The original Four Great Killing Moves have significant origins. They are the ultimate moves of the Feng family (Vermillion Bird of the Azure Moon), the Luo family (Black Tortoise), the Na Lan family (Azure Dragon of the Demon Dragon Continent), and the Hong family. Now, we must count the move you used to counter 'Soaring Sky'—that is, 'Astonishing Glimpse.' From now on, they are referred to as the Five Great Killing Moves shared between the Demon Dragon and Azure Moon Continents."

"..................................." I was dumbfounded. Damn it, no wonder that old fox Luo Yan was so strong; it turned out his final move, 'Soaring Sky,' had such a grand background. I hadn't been mentally prepared at all and was almost killed by it.

Just as I was secretly congratulating myself on my narrow escape,

"Brother Bing He!" Yun Lei called out. "Then teach us the Lightning Saber and Lightning Sword."

"Lightning Saber," I murmured. "Lightning Sword."

"Brother Yun, you have caused me to make a spectacle of myself," Yun Xi apologized with shame. "After the Seventh Generation Yun Shang died in battle, our Yun family's inherited martial arts were lost."

"For so many years, thanks to Brother Tong and his ancestors who never abandoned us and guarded the Yun family, we have barely managed to retain the title of one of the Six Great Families of the Demon Dragon," Yun Xi continued. "What the younger generation of Yun heirs can learn are only the martial arts passed down by Brother Tong and his father's generation. Although this is also a profound set of martial arts, it certainly isn't top-tier. Therefore, many of the younger generation try to learn techniques from other schools. If possible, I hope you can offer them some basic guidance."

"I understand," I nodded slightly. As the former wielder of the Blade of Prayer, the Yun family ancestor must have possessed astonishing martial prowess. It was a pity that when the Seventh Generation Yun Shang fell, her family's inherited arts were lost along with her.

"I know this request is somewhat bold," Yun Xi admitted helplessly. "But they are utterly obsessed with your Lightning Sword and Lightning Saber; they have no interest in other martial arts. I truly have no choice."

"Brother Yun, you are too kind," I said seriously. "Since they wish to learn, naturally, I will teach them with all my heart. The Lightning Sword and Lightning Saber were techniques I learned from others before I joined Dragon Shadow Manor, so teaching them to Yun Lei is not impossible. As for the Thunder Fighting Aura and Dragon Shadow Sword Technique, I ask your forgiveness, but I cannot share them, as I gave my word to Master and Feng Qing Tian."

"I understand," Yun Xi was overjoyed. "With Brother Bing He's guidance, I am certain that Yun Lei and the others will have limitless potential in the future."

"That’s wonderful!" Yun Lei and the others couldn't help cheering in unison. "We get to learn the real Lightning Sword and Lightning Saber!"

Just then, a Yun family disciple hurried up to Yun Xi.

"Young Master! Urgent dispatch from Su City!" The Yun disciple handed a letter to Yun Xi.

"Ah! Blood Tiger Luo Jiang!" After reading the letter, Yun Xi’s face changed dramatically!