I returned to my quarters and immediately penned a letter back to Dragon Shadow Villa, outlining the progress of affairs and the cooperation proposals put forth by the Cloud Family elders. As for what came next, further plans could only be made once Lu Tong had recovered.

Following Luo Yan’s death, the White Tiger Alliance’s branch halls stationed across various territories faced relentless suppression from the continent’s myriad large and small factions. However, the newly appointed Alliance Master, Luo Zheng, swiftly implemented brutal and bloody suppression tactics, resulting in a reign of terror within a few days, marked by widespread carnage. With the exception of the two mighty powers—the Azure Dragon Gang and the Black Tortoise Alliance—the smaller guilds were once again forced to witness the formidable might of the White Tiger Alliance as it was in its prime.

Perhaps seeking to vent the pent-up frustration and resentment of recent days, the White Tiger Alliance went berserk. Anyone they had a prior grudge against was immediately swarmed, fought until death. The entire organization resembled a maddened, feral tiger.

As the saying goes, the weak fear the bold, and the bold fear those who care nothing for their own lives. At this moment, the White Tiger Alliance acted as if they had nothing left to lose. Even the Azure Dragon Gang and the Black Tortoise Alliance were hesitant to engage in overly fierce conflict with them, needing to conserve their strength for the impending contest over the Crimson Blood Demon Sword. This instinctive yielding by the two major guilds only fueled the arrogance of the White Tiger Alliance further.

For a time, small factions across the continent lived in constant dread. The White Tiger Alliance remained the inviolable, majestic tiger of old.

More than twenty days later, Lu Tong’s condition improved significantly; he had regained consciousness, though his state remained unstable. Even so, this brought immense joy to myself, Lu Tong, and the entire Cloud Family. Naturally, only a select few were privy to this news.

To further stabilize Lu Tong’s condition, the High Priest of the Church, Hong Lian, specifically arranged for Lu Zhao and me to stay by his side. This suited my intentions perfectly; Lu Tong was vastly different from the walking corpse I had seen him as back at Tiger Bastion.

Seeing me enter, he managed a gentle, benevolent smile. "Ah Zhao has told me everything," Lu Tong said. "I truly owe you everything this time."

"Ah, Uncle, are you alright now?" Seeing that Lu Tong seemed completely fine, I was overjoyed.

"More or less," Lu Tong replied. "I actually regained awareness two days ago, I just didn't want anyone to know."

"Is that so?" I exclaimed happily. "Then I can finally rest easy."

"It's too soon to be celebrating," Lu Tong sighed deeply. "You and Ah Zhao were too reckless."

"Uncle, I..." I knew exactly what he meant. Given Lu Tong’s character, he cared little for his own life, yet Lu Zhao and I had stirred up such a massive incident to save him, making the matter of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword public knowledge. Now, there was no turning back—it was hardly surprising that Lu Tong sighed.

"I am not trying to blame you," Lu Tong patted my head and smiled faintly. "Perhaps it is fate. Since things have reached this point, I have no choice but to reveal the secret to the world."

"Uncle, do you remember Yun Shang, the wielder of the Prayer Blade?" I urgently asked, remembering the plan devised by the Cloud Family elders.

"Yun Shang?" Lu Tong murmured. "Of course, I remember her. She was the bravest warrior personally chosen by my father. It’s a pity that she too was no match for the Crimson Blood Demon Sword." Lu Tong looked visibly saddened and contemplative.

"Actually, the current Cloud Family are Yun Shang’s clansmen..." I quickly relayed everything the Cloud Family elders had told me to Lu Tong.

"Ah, what a coincidence!" Lu Tong was greatly excited and delighted upon hearing this. "Are they truly Yun Shang’s kin?"

"Yes," I continued. "They have also been searching far and wide for a way to destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, and they have found the Prayer Blade. If they can find the Blade of Destiny as well, the two divine weapons can be merged into one, surely creating a weapon potent enough to rival the Crimson Blood Demon Sword."

"Hahaha, excellent, I thought of this method long ago," Lu Tong chuckled. "But the Prayer Blade's whereabouts have always been unknown. To think they actually found it! If we also have the Blade of Destiny, we are sure to succeed!"

"But, Uncle, I worry we don't have time," I expressed my concern. "Your illness cannot be hidden for much longer, and outside, at the foot of the mountain, there are wanderers from all over, waiting for you to reveal the secret of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword."

"Indeed," Lu Zhao added, "If we delay too long, I fear it will cause unrest."

"Rest assured," Lu Tong said calmly. "Even if I reveal the location of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, they still won't be able to obtain it, at least not in the short term." Lu Tong reflected, "The reason I refused to disclose it during my interrogation by the White Tiger Alliance was simply that I didn't want the White Tiger Alliance to possess this secret alone."

"Uncle, what exactly is going on?" I asked, astonished.

"The Crimson Blood Demon Sword is located in the Sacred Domain space on the tenth level of the Illusionary World," Lu Tong explained. "I was only ten when Yun Shang dueled Kaga." Lu Tong mumbled to himself, his face filled with nostalgia. "My elder brother told me this story later! In fact, Yun Shang wasn't the only one who fought Kaga back then! There was another warrior; he was the holder of the Blade of Destiny, the most outstanding martial artist of our Artisan Sect, and your grandfather, Ah Zhao! Lu Yu."

"What? My grandfather?" Lu Zhao was greatly startled.

"Yes!" Lu Tong affirmed. "Your grandfather was the pride of our Lu Gate. Without him, the Crimson Blood Demon Sword would not have been absent from the continent for so long."

"Tell me exactly what happened," Lu Zhao urged, agitated.

"Lu Yu and Yun Shang knew they could not defeat the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, so they devised a plan: Yun Shang would lure Kaga into a duel, and the chosen location was the Sacred Domain space on the tenth level of the Illusionary World. Kaga accepted the challenge and arrived at the Sacred Domain space where the decisive battle with Yun Shang began. Lu Yu also launched a surprise attack from the side. However, Kaga saw through the scheme, and the situation turned into a chaotic brawl between Yun Shang, Lu Yu, and Kaga. Even so, if the two were still no match for Kaga, Lu Yu would fight to the death to hold Kaga back, allowing Yun Shang to escape the Sacred Domain space and lower the Dragon-Severing Stone that sealed the entrance to the outside world. This way, even if they couldn't defeat Kaga, Kaga certainly couldn't leave the Sacred Domain space, thereby trapping the Crimson Blood Demon Sword there forever."

"Ah! Something like that happened," Lu Zhao murmured. "Grandfather."

"What happened next?" I quickly inquired.

"No one knows the exact details," Lu Tong admitted. "But since Kaga entered the Illusionary World for that duel, there has been no further news about the Crimson Blood Demon Sword. The plan must have succeeded, but the fate of Yun Shang and Lu Yu remains unclear. However, since the Cloud Family descendants found the Prayer Blade, it suggests that it was Yun Shang who dropped the Dragon-Severing Stone and sealed the entrance to the Sacred Domain space."

"I can't believe the events unfolded so tortuously," I mused aloud.

"Grandfather," Lu Zhao whispered. "No wonder he often mentioned grandfather when I was young; it turns out he was such a magnificent hero."

"Yes," Lu Tong said softly. "For many years, Jian Li, Gao Huan, and I have been investigating routes through the Illusionary World, precisely to reach the Sacred Domain space, retrieve your grandfather's remains, and finally destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword utterly. As long as that sword exists, it will inevitably reappear on the continent someday."

"We must utterly destroy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword," Lu Zhao insisted. "Otherwise, grandfather's sacrifice will have been meaningless."

"En," Lu Tong agreed. "Since the Cloud Family has now found the Prayer Blade, the rest should be manageable. Perhaps only the Prayer Blade in this age can destroy the Dragon-Severing Stone in the Sacred Domain space and grant entry. Two years ago, Dragon Shadow Villa found the entrance to the fifth level of the Illusionary World but was delayed by the matter of the Sand City Treasure. Our Lu Gate disciples, following intelligence provided by Jian Li, located the entrance to the sixth level, but the monsters there were too powerful, forcing us to retreat from the Illusionary World, only to be ambushed by the White Tiger Alliance."

"So, Sect Master, you have been investigating the Illusionary World all these years just to find the path to the Sacred Domain space," Lu Zhao realized suddenly.

"That's right," Lu Tong confirmed. "Back then, Yun Shang, Lu Yu, and Kaga could travel freely in and out of the Sacred Domain space because they possessed divine weapons. For ordinary people like us, advancing even one level in the Illusionary World demands an extremely heavy price. The monsters inside are far from ordinary." As he spoke, Lu Tong glanced at me subconsciously. "The Illusionary World is far more terrifying than the Yellow Springs World. Every level is guarded by a terrifying fiend whose power is no less than that of the Yellow Springs Sect Master. To pass through safely, one can only try to find ways around them, but the chances of success are infinitesimally small. The Three Great Villas and my Lu Gate disciples have paid countless costs over these decades to find these routes that allow us to evade these monsters and quietly reach the next level. However, starting from the seventh level, we have no further knowledge."

"I see," I finally understood.

"By revealing this secret now, I can use the strength of the heroes of the world to eliminate the monsters blocking our path," Lu Tong expressed with feeling.

"Does this mean it won't matter much if Master Jian Li cannot arrive in time?" I calculated, as clearing those monsters alone would consume a great deal of time.

"Precisely," Lu Tong confirmed. "I plan to announce the secret tomorrow. But even when they reach the tenth level of the Illusionary World, cleaving the Dragon-Severing Stone will not be easy."

"Uncle is truly wicked," I said with a mischievous smile. "Perhaps they will have gone for nothing."

"You are too naive. While the Dragon-Severing Stone is indeed impregnable, once this secret is known to the world, someone will inevitably devise a way to destroy it. It is only a matter of time."

"There is no wall that cannot be breached in this world," Lu Zhao stated. "Human greed and desire will carve a hole through a mountain if necessary, even if it takes time."

"..." I was somewhat taken aback by Lu Zhao’s profound understanding of human nature.

"Whether this brings fortune or disaster is beyond our control now," Lu Tong concluded. "You must consult with the Cloud Family elders and have them prepare."

"Understood!"

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

June weather, the morning sun just rising!

Fifty li southeast of Demonic Dragon City, in Qianfeng Town nestled at the foot of Qianfeng Mountain, countless wanderers had gathered. The once peaceful small mountain village had lost its tranquility entirely. Wanderers were not an uncommon sight on the continent, and the villagers were accustomed to them, but the sudden influx of so many was something they could never have imagined.

Clad in armor, blades at their hips, and their faces etched with killing intent, the owner and waiters of the town's only inn, Tongyun Inn, though inwardly terrified, had to brace themselves and step forward to greet the throng, terrified that a single misstep might bring death upon them.

To cater to this gathering of fierce-looking individuals, the innkeeper was forced to borrow numerous tables and chairs from other villagers. Yet, even this seemed woefully inadequate. How could a single small inn possibly accommodate an army of nearly a hundred thousand wanderers?

Fortunately, these wanderers all carried spatial pouches containing essential daily necessities—food, lodging, and clothing—leaving the innkeeper and waiters little to worry about. Those who managed to secure lodging were mostly figures of some standing, and the inn could barely cope with serving just them.

These wanderers clearly came from all corners of the land, most being native to the Demonic Dragon Continent, but many others hailed from different continents. With the innkeeper’s rich experience, he naturally guessed that some major event was about to occur at Qianfeng Mountain, as no other reason could explain such a massive convergence of wanderers.

They gathered in groups, often bearing their own banners. Among them were the famous Azure Dragon Gang, the White Tiger Alliance, the Black Tortoise Alliance, and countless other medium and small guilds. These groups huddled together, frequently whispering amongst themselves, some impatient ones pacing restlessly, occasionally peering down the single path leading to Qianfeng Mountain, as if awaiting something.

Yes! These wanderers were waiting for news that was either shocking or exhilarating: the reappearance of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword. The sole person privy to this secret, Lu Tong, was scheduled to arrive shortly to announce it publicly.

Some were buzzing with excitement, while others shook their heads in melancholy, knowing this portended another era of bloodshed. Whether it would bring fortune or disaster, no one could predict.

For the ambitious, the Crimson Blood Demon Sword unequivocally represented unmatched power in the world. Yet, its bizarre, cruel, bloodthirsty nature did not merely suppress the fear it inspired; rather, it stirred the deepest human urges to tame and control. Indeed, the first Sword Master, the Crimson Blood Demon Lord, wielded its power to dominate all lands, invincible. Though he ultimately died, he left behind a fearsome reputation that caused people to shudder.

Every subsequent master of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword was a terrifying figure that made people tremble, from Yuan Za to Blue Demon, from Blue Demon to Chi Yuan, and from Chi Yuan to Kaga—each one had caused mass slaughter and widespread terror across the continent.

This was the legacy the Crimson Blood Demon Sword brought. Perhaps they all eventually met their doom, but how many cared about that? Those who live by the blade, those reckless souls who disregard life and death, are certainly not scarce in the world of wanderers.

Furthermore, many harbored a sliver of vain hope, believing perhaps they were the true destined sovereign of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword. They believed its demonic nature could be subjugated, and once tamed, its power would be theirs to command.

Such notions were not without basis, circulating throughout the continent.

Of course, there were also many pessimistic and fearful individuals, primarily the older generation of wanderers. Some had personally witnessed the terror of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword, and many of them harbored the same ambition as Lu Tong: to destroy it.

However, a greater number were simply there for the spectacle, especially the younger generation, eager to seize this chance to see great figures who only existed in legends. For instance, the old monsters of the White Tiger Alliance, the Gang Leader of the Azure Dragon Gang, the Alliance Master of the Black Tortoise Alliance, or the "Lightning Heavenly Demon," famed across the three continents as the strongest young warrior. For them, the legend of the Crimson Blood Demon Sword felt too distant, and even if they saw it, it likely wouldn't belong to them. Seeing it once for experience was good; not seeing it posed no real loss.

Watching the curious and excited young wanderers outside the inn, Luo Xiao felt truly old. He recalled when he and his elder brother, Luo Yan, roamed the continent, achieving great fame for the White Tiger Alliance and the Luo family of Su City—they were the same age as these youths now. That era of traversing the continent, enforcing justice and settling scores with abandon, now seemed like a distant dream. Eighty years had passed in the blink of an eye. How many eighty-year spans did a single life possess?

Lost in thought, Luo Xiao recalled all of Luo Yan's campaigns, big and small, culminating in the life-and-death battle between Luo Yan and Bing He. His elder brother, having struggled his whole life, met disgrace in his final years; the formidable reputation of the White Tiger Luo Yan ultimately ended at the hands of some newcomer.

An uncontrollable surge of anger, humiliation, and unwillingness washed over him. This time, they would not only seize the Crimson Blood Demon Sword but also avenge his elder brother and the young disciples of the Luo family slain by Bing He. He instinctively looked toward the several brothers beside him and the dozen or so disciples from the younger generation of the family. Luo Xiao’s previously tense face softened into a composed smile.

The White Tiger Alliance was determined in this venture; they had made meticulous arrangements, and more importantly, they now held a crucial trump card for victory.

Across from Luo Xiao, at another table, sat their sworn enemies, the Azure Dragon Gang. The old figures of the Azure Dragon Gang kept watching Luo Xiao with changeable expressions, their gazes shifting constantly. Occasionally, one could hear a cold, scornful taunt, usually centered on how useless and incompetent the late White Tiger Luo Yan had been, and how Luo Meng of the Luo family was publicly castrated. When they reached the height of their fervor, they couldn't help but let out bursts of unrestrained, mocking laughter.

I must hold back; we cannot afford to fall into disarray now. Luo Xiao suppressed the rage in his heart. No one understood better than him how difficult these old Azure Dragon Gang masters were to deal with. Even after the previous Azure Dragon leader died, the Azure Dragon Gang remained the strongest guild on the Demonic Dragon Continent, thanks entirely to these elders. Individually, perhaps no one in the Demonic Dragon Continent could match the successive leaders of the White Tiger Alliance, but when it came to group combat and coordinated strikes, the Azure Dragon Gang reigned supreme. The Azure Dragon Phantom Array, which those elders specialized in, represented the peak strength of their guild, in no way inferior to the Thunderous Array used by the Vermilion Bird Alliance of Cang Yue. If they truly threw caution to the wind and fought now, the White Tiger Alliance would certainly not gain the upper hand.

Of course, the Azure Dragon elders were only enjoying a verbal victory; if it came to a real fight, they too would have reservations. While the Azure Dragon Phantom Array could counter the combined strength of the White Tiger elders, the price the Azure Dragon Gang would pay would be devastatingly high.

This would only benefit those old monsters sitting near the window in the corner—the elders of the Black Tortoise Alliance. If the Black Tortoise Alliance didn't exist, the Azure Dragon Gang and the White Tiger Alliance would have already torn each other apart. The only reason they were restraining themselves was to prevent these old guys from profiting from their conflict.

According to ancient legend, the Black Tortoise divine beast was a terrifying creature combining a turtle and a serpent, naturally tenacious yet also cunning and vicious. In terms of intrigue and manipulation, even the combined efforts of the elders from the Azure Dragon Gang and the White Tiger Alliance were no match for them.

The Black Tortoise Alliance was considered the third-largest guild on the Demonic Dragon Continent—at least according to common parlance. Neither the Azure Dragon Gang nor the White Tiger Alliance took this ranking seriously. To them, the Black Tortoise Alliance was the truly terrifying opponent.

Just like the legendary divine beast, the Black Tortoise Alliance's strength was mysterious and unfathomable. No one knew precisely how powerful they were, not even the Azure Dragon Gang or the White Tiger Alliance, because they had never engaged in a direct conflict with them. It wasn't for lack of desire, but a lack of nerve.

Five hundred years prior, the Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger had attempted to absorb the Black Tortoise for some unknown reason. In the duel between the strong fighters of that generation, the Vermilion Bird's 'Soaring Ten Thousand Miles,' the Azure Dragon's 'Cloud Soaring Dance,' and the White Tiger's 'Sky Roar' combined could only manage to fight the Black Tortoise's 'Turtle Submergence, Snake Slither' to a standstill. In that single battle, the strongest exponents of the four great factions all perished; not one survived. This demonstrated the terrifying power of the Nalan family's ultimate technique—fighting three opponents simultaneously resulted only in mutual destruction.

Possessing the terrifying defensive prowess of a colossal tortoise, coupled with the sinister, brutal, and bloodthirsty eccentric maneuvers of a great serpent, the Nalan family’s ultimate technique, Turtle Submergence, Serpent Glide (Gui Qian She You), had always been the most enigmatic killing move among the Four Great Techniques—none had seen it, for those who had were already in another world.

At this moment, the several ancient powerhouses of the Nalan family seemed to sense something, instinctively glancing towards Luo Xiao while raising their wine cups in a silent greeting. For centuries, the Nalan family appeared to favor a discreet, neutral stance, giving the impression of harmlessness, tepid and lukewarm, much like an old turtle. Yet, both Luo Xiao and the old monsters of the Azure Dragon Gang knew perfectly well that what the Black Tortoise Alliance presented to the world was a sluggish, millennia-old tortoise, but hidden deep beneath the surface lurked a venomous, vicious serpent. Whether it was the Azure Dragon or the White Tiger, the slightest vulnerability would inevitably invite that serpent’s fatal strike. This very fact was why the Azure Dragon Gang and the White Tiger Alliance, despite their burning desire to tear each other to shreds, dared not unleash all-out conflict. Even their struggles for dominance were confined to petty skirmishes among the younger generations, never involving foundational figures like Luo Xiao; this was precisely to reserve sufficient strength to counterbalance the Black Tortoise.

Balance was the ultimate principle! For five hundred years, the Demon Dragon Continent seemed to have grown accustomed to the tripartite supremacy of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise.

But how long could this delicate arrangement endure?