The sheer might of the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword—how formidable it truly was, Ye Wen couldn't be sure, but from what Elder Bei He had told him, forging this divine sword was an incredibly troublesome and difficult undertaking.

Having ruined one of the offerings of the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood, Ye Wen had naturally assumed that even if the man managed to complete the sword, it would be ages before it saw use. He certainly hadn't expected to encounter it today.

When the Zixiao Sword clashed with the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword, a layer of dark miasma clung to the Zixiao Sword. This black energy pulsed with a dazzling crimson light, then unleashed a dizzying roar, relentlessly eroding the sword light.

"The Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword can corrode magical artifacts! Senior, quickly recall your divine sword!"

The true terror of the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword lay in its ability to erode and destroy the artifacts of others. If one ignored the heavens-defying nature of its forging, countless masters would surely covet this ferociously potent divine sword.

Furthermore, the "Blood Transformation" in its name was no mere flourish. Any injury inflicted by this sword would drain a person's essence, spirit, and vitality—a fundamental, grievous wound for a cultivator. Thus, upon hearing its name, every soul in the cultivation world was struck with profound dread.

Ye Wen merely sneered. Others might not know, but didn't he know? His own Zixiao Sword was no tangible object; it was a manifestation of his entire cultivation base, impervious to such corrosion. Even if he couldn't entirely repel the dark energy, at worst, a portion of the sword qi would be consumed, which was a negligible loss given that his spiritual connection to the sword allowed him to replenish any depleted qi instantly.

Therefore, he did not heed Elder Bei He's advice to recall the Zixiao Sword. Instead, with a mere flick of his divine sense, the Zixiao Sword erupted with a blazing, scorching rosy aura. The dark miasma, touched by this fierce heat, vanished instantly without a trace. That wasn't all; the Zixiao Sword seemed suddenly far stronger. After a flash and retraction, though its previous overwhelming momentum was lessened, the feeling it now projected was infinitely more dangerous.

The long sword left a streak of violet light in the air and struck again at the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword, which was attempting to flee. This time, the Demonized Blood God Sword could not withstand it. The entire blade spun wildly several times in the air, nearly knocked from the sky by Ye Wen's strike.

This sudden turn of events stunned the onlookers. Why did the demonic sword, which moments ago commanded terrifying awe, suddenly prove so ineffective?

Only the well-traveled Elder Bei He immediately grasped the situation: "Senior, do not let this demonic sword escape! It is not yet fully refined; you must destroy it now!" (First published by Baidu's Number One Sect Leader Bar)

As the words fell, the Heavenly River Divine Sand surrounding Elder Bei He burst forth with a blue light as bright as the stars. It swirled around him once before shooting toward the sky. In the air, the divine sand coalesced, taking the unmistakable form of a long saber. Saber energy crisscrossed the expanse; its sheer momentum suggested it was a peerless blade, yet no one would have guessed it was formed from mere divine sand.

The long saber wheeled in the air, carving several arcs through the void. In the blink of an eye, it swept clean the entire swath of sky nearby. Before the crowd could comprehend Elder Bei He’s actions, a figure suddenly materialized in the air. This person was clad in a black robe—who else but the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood?

When Ye Wen first spotted the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword, he had suspected this fellow was lurking nearby, but he couldn't fathom why the ancestor would intervene to save the True Master of Dian Cang.

"Is he trying to give me another rival so he can fish in troubled waters?"

While thinking this, Ye Wen took a single step forward, his movement as casual as an ordinary walk. Yet, instantly, everyone watched in astonishment as Ye Wen appeared directly behind the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood, casually bringing his palm down toward the ancestor.

Ye Wen’s palm strike was soft and without force, making no sound. The Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood merely sensed someone suddenly materialize behind him, never anticipating Ye Wen had already struck. He immediately urged his Crimson Light Divine Needles, intending to punish this interloper.

However, before his needles even fully manifested, a searing pain erupted on his back, followed by a loud 'thump,' making him realize he had been struck square on.

He plummeted toward the ground like a fighter jet that had suddenly lost control. But having operated in the world for so many years, the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood possessed means of self-preservation. The moment Ye Wen’s palm connected, his protective artifacts activated, absorbing the brunt of Ye Wen’s force.

"Forgot about that!"

Seeing his strike fail to end the man, Ye Wen felt a tinge of regret. As the ancestor fell, Ye Wen intended to pursue and finish him off. But just as he moved, a slender green light shot directly toward his eyes. Ye Wen recognized it instantly as the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood's Crimson Light Divine Needles—insidious and potent, not to be underestimated. He immediately channeled force into both palms, unleashing the Soft Palm and the Sword Qi of Harmony to create a complete shield around himself. (First published by Baidu's Number One Sect Leader Bar)

A series of crackling sounds ensued. The Divine Needles darted in, retreated, returned, and struck again, attacking Ye Wen sixteen or seventeen times in quick succession. If Ye Wen hadn't been quick-eyed and quick-handed, he might not have managed to ward them off entirely. Even so, this display left the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood and the observing cultivators dumbfounded. It was the first time they had ever seen anyone directly confront magical artifacts using only their bare hands! If they were blunt weapons, it might be one thing, but these were long needles; even some defensive artifacts might fail against them. Yet this Senior deflected them purely with his palms?

Then, the crowd heard a distinct, crisp sound, though this one had a strange quality, sounding like a 'snap' rather than the earlier clatter and clang.

Looking up, they saw Ye Wen suspended high in the air, his left hand slightly raised, his index and middle fingers extended, successfully clamping the Crimson Light Divine Needle between them. The crowd watched as the needle thrashed violently, its green light shimmering intensely, yet Ye Wen's two fingers seemed like artifacts stronger than the needle itself, remaining utterly unmoving. No matter how fiercely the divine needle exerted its power, it was held fast, unable to break free.

"He actually used his fingers to trap a magical artifact?"

The onlookers found today’s events utterly unbelievable. Some even suspected they were hallucinating: "Is everything I see fake? Am I trapped in someone's illusion?"

Elder Bei He swallowed hard. Ordinary cultivators might be amazed, but those with extensive knowledge and long years of cultivation, like himself, understood the profound implications of what Ye Wen had just done!

"A Martial Cultivator… truly a Martial Cultivator!"

Ye Wen’s earlier palm techniques had nearly confirmed his prior suspicions, but this feat was far more terrifying. What other kind of practitioner could stand toe-to-toe with a magical artifact using only their physical body? Even Sword Cultivators relied on their flying swords to manifest their combat power. Only Martial Cultivators deliberately tempered their bodies to achieve a strength akin to magical artifacts—not that ordinary cultivators neglected their bodies; many sects today still focused on body refinement, but their purpose differed entirely from Martial Cultivators.

Cultivators refined their bodies to contain more spiritual energy; body refinement was merely a tool for better Qi cultivation! Martial Cultivators practiced body refinement purely for combat!

Looking at the violently trembling Crimson Light Divine Needle in his grasp, Ye Wen chuckled. With this artifact subdued and the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword trapped by his Zixiao Sword, what other moves did the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood have left?

The Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood managed to halt his descent, his eyes radiating a chilling, sickly green light as he stared fixedly at the needle in Ye Wen's hand. He muttered something under his breath and performed a series of hand seals, finally spitting out a mouthful of blue-green blood.

This cyan blood formed a grotesque pattern in the air, and suddenly, the power of the Crimson Light Divine Needle surged, its green glow becoming even more fierce. Even the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword, held captive by the Zixiao Sword, erupted with a burst of red light and black miasma, then shot back to the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood’s side with a whoosh.

Meanwhile, the power of the needle trapped between Ye Wen’s fingers intensified. Ye Wen, displaying a stubborn streak, thought, "You want it back? I won't let it go!"

He exerted force with his fingers, and a rosy aura enveloped his body. This rosy aura seemed to suppress the Crimson Light Divine Needle. As soon as Ye Wen's glow appeared, the trapped needle’s green light dimmed, though its trembling grew more violent. Then, the needle's tip suddenly shot out a beam of green light aimed directly at Ye Wen’s left eye.

Ye Wen’s divine sense flared, and his eyes shone with a purple light that illuminated the incoming beam. The green light vanished as if snow melting in sunlight. The purple light flowed onto the Divine Needle, allowing Ye Wen to clearly discern some of its peculiar properties, and even detect a trace of the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood's divine sense woven within it.

"Get out of there!"

Ye Wen channeled his full divine sense, instantly expelling the ancestor’s intrusive consciousness from the needle. Combined with the rosy, scorching energy swirling around his fingers, this errant wisp of divine sense was incinerated the moment it left the needle by the rosy Qi emanating from Ye Wen’s grip.

"Pfft!"

The Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood violently spat out another mouthful of blood. He instantly realized he had lost all connection to the Crimson Light Divine Needle. Filled with shock and rage, he cursed, "Insolent brat! How dare you seize my artifact! I shall not rest until I have settled this score!"

Hearing this, everyone assumed the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood was preparing a final, devastating technique to fight the senior surnamed Ye to the death. Even Ye Wen adopted a fighting stance, ready for a major confrontation, even recalling the Zixiao Sword, prepared to strike first.

Unexpectedly, before the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood could finish his declaration, he coughed up another spurt of green blood, uttered a final spell formula, and vanished instantly, taking the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword with him!

"This..."

A mountain gust blew, causing Ye Wen’s already lengthened hair to flutter slightly as he stared blankly at the spot where the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood had been.

"Damn, he actually fled?" (First published by Baidu's Number One Sect Leader Bar)

Only Elder Bei He swiftly flew to Ye Wen’s side and explained awkwardly, "Junior was just about to remind Senior—the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood has committed countless wicked deeds throughout his life, yet he has always evaded justice thanks to his 'Thousand-Mile Instantaneous Unseen Escape' technique. This escape leaves no trace, no residual divine light; merely by reciting the formula and expending a mouthful of vital blood, he vanishes instantly, impossible to track!"

"..."

Ye Wen was speechless, thinking, What's the point of fighting then? If I can beat him, I fight; if I can’t, he instantly disappears. He’s practically invincible, able to boast to anyone: 'I have never lost a battle in my life!'

Elder Bei He, perhaps thinking the Senior needed an ego boost, continued, "Years ago, the grand masters of the Emei and Qingcheng sects mobilized all their forces, even coordinating with several major surrounding sects, yet they still could not kill the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood, precisely because this escape technique is so overwhelmingly potent!"

This explanation served to save face for Ye Wen. If so many people couldn't hold the ancestor, it was perfectly normal that Senior Ye, acting alone, couldn't secure him.

Hearing Elder Bei He's words, Ye Wen felt slightly better. He glanced at the Crimson Light Divine Needle resting quietly in his hand, which now looked no different from an ordinary steel needle. He felt the day hadn't been entirely wasted; at least he had seized this artifact, and by eliminating the True Master of Dian Cang, he had somewhat established his reputation in the cultivation world.

Elder Bei He gazed respectfully at the needle in Ye Wen's hand and praised, "This Crimson Light Divine Needle is the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood's defensive artifact. Its seizure today undoubtedly cripples one of his arms, Senior."

Elder Bei He had watched clearly. Ye Wen had restrained the Divine Needle with just two fingers, and then, after illuminating it with purple light from his eyes, the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood had vomited blood, suffering a severe injury to his primordial spirit. It must have been that the divine sense within the needle was annihilated by the Senior, causing damage to the ancestor's own spirit.

Elder Bei He knew he could never replicate such a feat. This Senior's divine sense and martial skills were so profound that they were rarely seen even centuries ago; in the current cultivation world, only those from the few renowned major sects could compare.

In reality, Ye Wen was not quite as formidable as Elder Bei He imagined. While his divine sense was strong, it wasn't enough to simply obliterate a portion of the Old Ancestor's spirit with one glance. Moreover, this artifact had been with the ancestor for years, deeply ingrained with his divine imprint, making it hard to eradicate so easily.

Ye Wen's divine sense had merely tricked the ancestor’s spirit into being forced out of the needle. This alone wouldn't have injured the ancestor’s spirit had it not been for Ye Wen’s Rose-Haze Flowing Qi—this Qi, possessing Yang-heat energy, seemed to be the natural bane of the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood.

"Thinking about it, this fellow deals in corpses or souls. The Qi I cultivate now is indeed their natural restraint."

The White Cloud Smoke was Yang-attributed, and the Rose-Haze Flowing Qi was Fire-attributed; both were enemies of dark and gloomy energies. The Old Ancestor’s power was too saturated with (yin/gloomy essence) and was inherently unclean, which is why the effect was so pronounced.

There was another reason they were unaware of: the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood had been intensely refining the Nine Heavens Demonized Blood God Sword these past days, leaving his primordial spirit somewhat weakened, which allowed Ye Wen the perfect opportunity to seize his defensive treasure.

Ye Wen flipped his hand, and the Crimson Light Divine Needle vanished. Elder Bei He knew the Senior had stored it in a spatial artifact, and since it was taken by Ye Wen, he didn't need to interject.

Only after Ye Wen had safely stored it did he quietly advise, "This Crimson Light Divine Needle has claimed the lives of many righteous cultivators in the past. Senior, you must exercise caution if you intend to use it. It would be best to re-forge it slightly before deploying it, perhaps even altering its appearance slightly..."

Information transmission in the cultivation world was exceedingly slow, and many masters remained in long-term seclusion. If Ye Wen were to use the Divine Needle to assault people indiscriminately, he might be mistaken for an accomplice of the Old Ancestor of Crimson Blood by those unaware of the situation and hunted down. While Ye Wen didn't fear this, such trouble was best avoided.

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder!"

Ye Wen cupped his hands toward Elder Bei He. The Elder had offered kindness, and Ye Wen naturally afforded him respect. Elder Bei He smiled and replied, "It is my duty, Senior, no need for such politeness!" He then joined Ye Wen as they descended to the ground. At this moment, Liu Tao, Xuan Ningzi, and the others finally snapped back to awareness, with Liu Tao showing the most enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Senior, for stepping in and resolving the peril facing our sect!"

Ye Wen smiled: "It was merely a timely coincidence. Sect Leader Liu need not be so formal!"

Ye Wen was highly adept at dealing with sect leaders from other factions. Having served as a sect master for nearly a decade in that other world, his bearing and rhetoric were well-cultivated. After only a few words with Liu Tao, the Sect Leader noticed a strange similarity in Ye Wen's mannerisms and speech to his own—could it be...?

"May I ask which sect or lineage Senior hails from?"

Ye Wen had already made up his mind, and noticing that Liu Tao seemed to sense something, he decided to stop concealing the truth. "My name is Ye Wen, and I am the Sect Master of the Shu Mountain Sect. I have come out this time to travel with my wife and perhaps seek out suitable disciples!"

This statement was half-truth, half-fiction, impossible to fault.

It also subtly conveyed several key pieces of information, the most interesting being: these two were masters who had been in deep seclusion, likely for several centuries, which is why no one recognized them—they couldn't conceive of the alternative, like traveling from another world.

Furthermore, Ye Wen was a sovereign of a sect, and his current outing was likely for the consideration of his own lineage, emerging only to seek successors.

Upon hearing that Ye Wen's journey was for this purpose, the crowd let out an unconscious sigh. They were reminded of the harsh circumstances forcing every sect and faction to struggle just to survive. The renowned sects fared slightly better, but ordinary cultivators were facing dire straits.

Liu Tao seemed to recall that although his Dian Cang Sect had survived this immediate threat, their ability to improve their strength was limited; another great calamity might mean instant annihilation for his sect, filling him with bitterness.

Ye Wen observed the reactions of the crowd, guessing what troubles weighed on their minds. However, this was not his concern; he needed to focus on his own sect. He shifted the conversation to discuss major or interesting events that had transpired in the cultivation world over the last one or two centuries, and the current overall situation.

"Senior's Shu Mountain Sect..."

"The Patriarch of our humble sect once stated that our sect faced a grand calamity, requiring a thousand years of isolation to overcome. Thus, our sect has always kept its gates closed to external affairs. Were it not for my desire to find a few new disciples, I would not have ventured out this time!"

Liu Tao nodded in understanding and did not press further. Since the other party explicitly stated isolation, further questioning would be impolite. However, no one doubted the veracity of Ye Wen’s words, except perhaps Ning Ruxue, who muttered inwardly, "Senior Brother is starting his nonsense again!"