The moment the blood splashed out, Xu Zhengyuan felt a wave of relief wash over him. The so-called 'Wither-Bloom' sword intent still raged within the majority of his body, yet it could no longer suppress the circulation of his qi.

And his left arm, though still withered, was no longer completely lifeless; instead, it pulsed with vitality. Blood flow and circulation were restored, smooth and unimpeded.

However, within a hundred zhang radius to his left, every blade of grass instantly withered to dust, only to then surge with new life, quickly turning vibrant green once more.

In the span of just ten breaths, they experienced several cycles of decay and renewal, ultimately resulting in complete desiccation, devoid of any residual vitality.

Xu Zhengyuan felt an explosion of ecstatic joy, as if a massive boulder that had weighed him down for decades had finally been removed from his shoulders. Yet, his body remained utterly immobile. He could control the zhenqi within him, but he had no idea what method Zong Shou had employed to prevent him from even lifting an arm.

He could only stand rooted to the spot, listening to Zong Shou speak.

"The senior who employed the Zi-Wu Yin-Yang Great Method likely held no malicious intent, only planning to administer a minor punishment, a lesson for the City Lord. This wisp of Wither-Bloom Sword Intent was supposed to dissipate naturally after three years, and the residual Zi-Wu Yin-Yang energy could have even helped the City Lord advance to the Earth Vein Seven Wheel Realm. Perhaps there was an accident during the City Lord’s subsequent cultivation, or perhaps being too eager to expel the sword intent caused it to become trapped and accumulate within the body."

Xu Zhengyuan was stunned into silence once more. He couldn't tell if Zong Shou's words were true or false, but a wry smile still touched his lips. He had been tormented by this so-called Wither-Bloom Sword Intent for decades; did it mean this was all self-inflicted suffering?

But the one who was even more shocked at this moment was the half-demon youth before him.

Even a fool could now see that Zong Shou held no malice towards him. He truly intended to expel the sword intent, and he had succeeded!

Recalling his own prior actions, Xu Zhengyuan’s face flushed with shame.

With such capability, it was no wonder the Celestial Being Lei Dong held this young man in such high regard. It was laughable that he had harbored so many suspicions, even thinking the Celestial Being had merely acted on a whim, casually sending this youth to his Cloud Saint City!

The intention was clearly for him to forge a strong connection. With the ease and nonchalance with which this youth manipulated another's sword intent, why would he require the protection of the Cloud Saint City?

Zong Shou paid no mind to his feelings. After casually explaining a few sentences, he pulled out the common-grade golden needle and turned to leave. His tone remained faint: "Most of that Wither-Bloom Sword Intent remains; regrettably, my cultivation is insufficient to help the City Lord expel it entirely. I could only restore function to your left arm. Should the City Lord encounter another Heaven-Rank expert in the future, expulsion should proceed smoothly. For the recent offense, I ask the City Lord not to take it to heart. Farewell!"

In truth, with a little more effort and perhaps a few months' time, this matter would not have been difficult. However, his acquaintance with this man was too shallow; he neither needed to nor was willing to waste time on Xu Zhengyuan.

He did not want those gifts either. He simply ascended into the bird-drawn carriage himself, requiring no urging. Chu Xue grinned, flicked her whip again, and commanded the eighteen Cloud-Treading Steeds to bolt forward at high speed, kicking up a cloud of dust that enveloped everyone behind them.

Only after the dust settled and the Cloud-Riding Carriage had sped over a hundred zhang away did Lian Cheng's body regain some strength, his limbs able to move once more. Blushing deeply, he knelt before Xu Zhengyuan.

"It is my incompetence, my Lord! Blind and foolish, I failed to recognize a true deity. This nearly caused Master to misjudge, and we almost missed out..."

As he spoke, Lian Cheng’s forehead was beaded with fine sweat. If they had merely missed an opportunity to form ties with a future supreme powerhouse, so be it. But recalling that missing this day might mean Xu Zhengyuan would never have hope of his injury recovering for the rest of his life, Lian Cheng felt a sickening lurch in his chest, his heart pounding relentlessly.

It was truly fortunate that, due to the Master's great fortune and spontaneous decision to escort this Young Lord of the Qian Tian Mountain out of the city, the consequences otherwise were unimaginable.

Xu Zhengyuan, with his profound Qi Cultivation techniques, had recovered long before Lian Cheng. He merely stared fixedly at the distant carriage.

Hearing Lian Cheng, he chuckled lightly and waved a hand: "This is not your fault. This Young Lord is truly deep in concealment; even I could not detect the slightest trace. It would truly be strange if you had noticed anything amiss!"

Lian Cheng remained blushing deeply, refusing to rise. Xu Zhengyuan did not press him, continuing to watch the Cloud-Riding Carriage.

"What connection does that Young Lord have with the Ling Yun Sect, I wonder? To be able to manifest the Startling Cloud Divine Annihilation Sword Intent, and even manipulate its variations—what level of mastery must his Sword Dao have reached? I have heard that one who can control the sword intent of others must themselves have reached the pinnacle of sword intent. But for someone his age, how is that possible? It truly defies understanding. This Young Lord is clearly without equal below the Martial Sect realm; why must he keep his abilities so rigorously hidden?"

As he spoke, he allowed a hint of schadenfreude to surface: "Zong Weiran built his foundation from scratch, rising from the Eastern Lin Cloud Continent. How could such a formidable father produce a worthless son? It is pitiful for those harboring ill intentions regarding the Demon King position of Qian Tian Mountain; in the eyes of this Young Lord, they are likely nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs, unworthy of a second glance!"

Lian Cheng wholeheartedly agreed, still feeling a lingering dread from their brief exchange.

If that Young Lord had wished to kill him, he could have taken his life in the space of a single breath!

Even Xu Zhengyuan, a Martial Sect expert, was restrained before he could react.

With such strength, he could have returned forcefully, leveraging the foundation and resources left by his father. Within days, he could have firmly grasped control of Qian Tian Mountain.

Suddenly, his mind moved, falling into deep thought: "Young Lord Zong Shou is a peerless genius, unparalleled in the world, yet he chooses to remain hidden. However, observing the people of Qian Tian Mountain, none of them appear to be of the Heaven Rank. The fact that the Young Lord is so cautious and patient suggests there must be some other underlying reason!"

"Most likely so!"

Xu Zhengyuan nodded slightly, then let out a bitter laugh: "If that is the case, then I truly owe the Celestial Lady a debt of gratitude. Young Lord Zong Shou has endured in obscurity for over a decade, yet today he breaks protocol to act for me—I am truly ashamed! If my old friends learned of this, they would certainly mock me mercilessly. Lord Lei Dong kindly tried to make an introduction for me, but I foolishly drove him away. To end up like this is utterly humiliating!"

At this, Xu Zhengyuan's brow furrowed again. After a long pause, he sighed deeply: "You, hurry back to the city at once. Prepare another substantial gift; we must catch up, no matter what. Although the Young Lord claims to be repaying my favor of ten days' protection, I, Xu Zhengyuan, cannot easily accept this debt with peace of mind. I feel unworthy!"

Lian Cheng acknowledged the order but did not move, glancing around the vicinity: "Then those people who were nearby just now—"

"Dispose of them all!"

Xu Zhengyuan’s expression was placid, as if discussing the most mundane of matters, a hint of dominance subtly concealed. Now that his left arm was restored, why should he need to defer to anyone’s opinion?

Only a faint trace of regret lingered in his eyes. This time, he had likely missed a great opportunity.

He almost regretted not having gone personally to meet this Young Lord of Qian Tian Mountain in the first place.

Back in the carriage, Zong Shou casually threw out a talisman, wiping away the sweat on his body. He then swallowed a pill to slightly restore his internal zhenqi.

This time it was easier; only the expenditure was slightly higher. Though Xu Zhengyuan was at the peak of the Martial Sect realm, the lingering Wither-Bloom Sword Intent inside him made him like an egg held in a hand—unable to stir up any real trouble.

It was only activating the Startling Cloud Divine Annihilation Sword Intent and then using the golden needles that required some effort.

In the front, Chu Xue was beaming: "Young Master, that was so satisfying! You should have taught that commoner a lesson! Let them dare to look down on the Young Lord!"

Zong Shou chuckled at her words. Not long ago he had been thinking of casually taking out his frustration on someone, but now he put on a stern face and lectured: "Nonsense! How can one conduct oneself so shallowly? If a dog bites you, must you bite it back? If someone upsets you, must you seek revenge before you can rest?"

Chu Xue’s spirited demeanor immediately deflated, though she still muttered: "Still, you shouldn't have expelled that Wither-Bloom Sword Intent for that Cloud Saint City Lord. Looking at them, it would have been better to just ignore him."

Zong Shou had only been feigning anger to tease the girl. This time, however, he frowned and shook his head, his tone becoming serious and solemn: "If someone gives me a peach branch, I repay them with fine jade. In my view, this was just a simple matter of helping out. For him, it might have been a matter of life or death. Why be stingy?"

He stopped lecturing, casually picked up a fruit from beside him, and tossed it out the window. It spiraled and curved, flying toward the front. He laughed and scolded: "Little girl, you’re not old, but you have quite a temper! Drive the carriage properly!"

Chu Xue cried out, "Ouch, Young Master, Xue'er is already slow enough, don't hit my head again!"

A moment later, the sound of crunching fruit and a string of bell-like giggles could be heard.

Zong Shou curved his lips silently, the matter of the Cloud Saint City Lord returning to his mind.

Perhaps this once ambitious figure had truly grown old. However, this might only be true from his perspective. In the eyes of others, Xu Zhengyuan’s pragmatism and prudent self-preservation would likely be praised.

Disturbed by this incident, all the inspiration that had previously surfaced had completely dissipated.

Zong Shou closed his eyes to meditate again, but found no progress for a long time. Feeling restless, he walked to the window to gaze at the distant scenery to calm his state of mind.

Then, in his field of vision, he saw billowing dust approaching from behind. Zong Shou's heart instinctively skipped a beat. Moments later, another Cloud-Riding Carriage appeared before him.

There was no driver; the horses moved on their own. It was the same team of eighteen horses, but these were all Wind-Taming Steeds—he didn't know where these two had acquired them. This carriage moved at an incredible speed, catching up in mere moments.

Standing on the carriage was a figure in red. Looking closely, it was Xuan Yuan Yiren, looking down upon them with a cold gaze. Li Yunniang stood by the carriage shaft, her eyes equally sharp and cold.

Zong Shou couldn't help but feel a massive headache coming on; this girl had truly chased after him.