Within the City Lord's mansion of Cloud Saint City, Xu Zheng-yuan was roaring with laughter, taking a deep draught of strong liquor. In a fit of inspiration, he dipped his brush to the desk before him, his movements swift and masterful. In moments, a massive raptor leaped to life on the Xuan paper—like an eagle, yet not quite a Roc. Its wings were made entirely of golden feathers, its frame enormous, captured in the act of spreading its wings for flight.

Lian Cheng watched quietly by his side, only smiling once the painting was complete. "The Golden-Winged Great Peng. To use such a divine beast to describe Zong Shou—it couldn't be more fitting."

Legend held that the Golden-Winged Great Peng, in its fledgling stage, was comparable to, or perhaps even inferior to, common birds, suffering bullying among the spirit beasts.

But once fully grown, it could soar for ten thousand miles across the firmament, reigning supreme over all divine beasts. It could adapt to the harshest environments, possessing an unbreakable will, always emerging victorious from fierce combat.

If judging solely by near-divine combat power, even the Phoenix, king of the birds, might find itself outmatched.

Xu Zheng-yuan chuckled, setting down his brush. "I was not mistaken about him. Now that he has obtained the inheritance of the Nine-Nine Dragon Shadow Sword, the Sovereign Lord's final weakness has been mended. With Elder Longying as his backing, even if the Dao of All Beings does not intervene, no one will dare make rash moves against him. I never anticipated that the Sovereign Lord could utterly defeat Long Ruo, making a stunning debut and gaining the favor of the Martial Saint. Truly, a fish leaping into the dragon's gate. From this moment forward, the heavens are vast, and he is free to roam as he pleases. I just wonder what the situation is like at the Lingyun Sect right now?"

"The news has not spread yet!"

Lian Cheng shook his head slightly. If it weren't for Cloud Saint City consistently keeping an eye on Zong Shou, they would likely not have learned of the events at Julong Mountain until several days later.

"We only know that three hours after the incident, all the disciples of the Lingyun Sect who were outside have rushed back to the sect. The area around Danling Mountain has begun to be heavily guarded. Furthermore, the heroes who emerged from Julong Mountain are speaking of the Lingyun Sect with much ridicule and thinly veiled contempt. They were supposed to be the pillars of the sect's future, yet they expelled him due to the reckless behavior and short-sightedness of their own disciples. And coincidentally, the Sovereign Lord's father holds considerable favor with the Lingyun Sect. Everyone believes the disciples of the Lingyun Sect are too arrogant, and most influential figures are turning their backs. If this continues, the sect is not far from ruin; signs of decline are already evident. I do not know the attitude of those evil or demonic sects, but I presume they will not pass up this opportunity. After all, it is a sacred ground. Even the righteous sects among the Nineteen Spirit Prefectures might grow tempted."

"Heh! I never thought the Lingyun Sect would see a day like this!"

Xu Zheng-yuan sneered, a chill woven into the sound. Then, dismissing the thought, he concluded that although the Lingyun Sect had lost all face this time, their actual strength remained undiminished, sufficient to sustain the sect. They were merely minor forces unfit for high-level engagement; they couldn't truly harm this contemporary great sect.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Zheng-yuan picked up his brush once more. "Send a decree in my name: Zheng-fang can recall his forces."

Lian Cheng was instantly stunned. The Zheng-fang mentioned by Xu Zheng-yuan was Xu Zheng-fang, Xu Zheng-yuan's younger brother, who was currently leading seventeen thousand troops south, reclaiming lost territories. The campaign southward had been met with unbroken success.

In just a few more days, Cloud Saint City could restore its full territorial extent. And at this precise moment when the Qian Tian Mountain faction was flourishing and Zong Shou's name echoed throughout the world, Lian Cheng couldn't fathom why Xu Zheng-yuan would halt now.

"Precisely because the Sovereign Lord's fame has soared that we must stop,"

As if reading Lian Cheng's mind, sharp light flickered in Xu Zheng-yuan's eyes. "Previously, the Lingyun Sect could afford to ignore Qian Tian Mountain and us. But now, they will certainly pay close attention to the overall situation in the East Lin Yun Continent. Cloud Saint City only needs to conceal its brilliance and accumulate strength. We will wait until the conflict erupts between the Sovereign Lord and the Lingyun Sect, and then we will strike a fatal blow from behind!"

Hearing the last sentence, Lian Cheng involuntarily shivered. He felt an intensely cold killing intent wash over him.

Looking closely at Xu Zheng-yuan’s face again, he saw something burning within those eyes.

Lian Cheng recognized it: the endless fire of hatred, growing stronger with each passing day since more than a decade ago! If this resentment could not be vented, sooner or later, it would consume Xu Zheng-yuan himself, driving him to complete madness.

※※※※

Almost at the same moment, more than twenty thousand li west of Julong Mountain, in a region less than three hundred li from the Cloud Palace.

True Master Wuhua trod upon the clouds, standing silently with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed distantly toward the east, a hint of distraction in his eyes.

Standing behind him was True Master Ling Lie. Behind Ling Lie were three other figures. To call them figures was inaccurate; they were three faint wisps of smoke. Two of them possessed vague human shapes: Long Ruo and Han Nishui. Li Yuan Dan was the last, his cultivation the weakest among the three, so his spirit could only coalesce into a gaseous mass before them.

All remained silent, and True Master Ling Lie held his breath in solemn quietude.

"This is about as far as we go."

The breath of all four, including Ling Lie, hitched slightly. True Master Wuhua finally turned around.

"I am contemplating precisely how I ought to deal with you all—"

Though he addressed them collectively, his gaze settled solely on Long Ruo. "Do you know that I dare not step inside the Cloud Palace, even standing just outside? I feel only shame, boundless shame, for failing our ancestors and masters! I also dare not face the censure from so many fellow disciples and venerable elders?"

Long Ruo had lost his physical body, but his spirit trembled violently.

After a long pause, he bowed slightly. "It is Long Ruo who has disappointed Master. All matters concerning Zong Shou are Long Ruo's fault; it has nothing to do with Master!"

True Master Wuhua remained calm. "You are my direct disciple; all your accomplishments and failures are inextricably linked to me. What is the use of saying that? Oh, Ruo'er, Ruo'er, I recall telling you before. One must never judge a person by a single instance, nor should one be overly complacent. Remember, Martial Uncle Ling Weizi commanded you to bring Zong Shou back to the sect, not to assess his potential. Why did you insist on acting on your own judgment and letting him go? A person who can break the Minor Heavenly Sword Array of the Bright Sword Platform within 160 breaths, and nearly slay eighteen puppets in 343 breaths—even if he couldn't become a core disciple, could he not at least qualify as an outer disciple? Given the favor his father showed by aiding our Lingyun disciples, was he not worthy of repayment from the sect?"

Long Ruo fell silent again, his spirit agitated. Only when Wuhua's gaze grew frigid did he speak once more. "It was the disciple's overconfidence; I thought I had seen that person completely clearly—"

"Confidence? I call it arrogance! Indeed! You have reason to be arrogant. You are not yet twenty-eight and are just one step away from forming a physical body. How many in this world can match you? Therefore, anyone you deem incapable of cultivation must surely be trash, unworthy of the sect wasting its energy on, correct?"

Wuhua let out a dry laugh, his tone finally shifting, yet it was sharp, cold, and merciless as a blade.

While Han Nishui and Li Yuan Dan were shaken, True Master Ling Lie’s expression also paled slightly. Although they were all displeased that Long Ruo had driven Zong Shou away, they had not expected Wuhua to be so severe and harsh with Long Ruo.

"Letting Zong Shou go might be excused as poor judgment. But why, after that incident, did you, Long Ruo, not seek to reconcile and mend the relationship? Instead, you made things difficult for him repeatedly, even plotting assassination twice? Has this person truly become a demon in your heart? Is Long Ruo’s magnanimity truly so small? Can you not even swallow a little pride?"

As he spoke, he cast a cold glance at Han Nishui, causing the latter to feel a wave of awkwardness. Long Ruo, however, sank into complete silence, uttering no further word.

Wuhua snorted, and then a silence fell over him as well. After waiting only a moment this time, a figure approached from the direction of the Cloud Palace.

He appeared to be around sixty, clad in a Daoist robe, possessing an air of ethereal grace. However, his expression was exceedingly grim.

Upon reaching this spot and seeing Wuhua and the others, he showed no surprise, merely offering Wuhua a bow marked by bitter difficulty. "Greetings, Sect Master Senior Brother!"

True Master Wuhua nodded slightly, indicating for Ling Weizi to rise, then asked directly, "What is the current situation within the sect?"

"The elders of the Hall of Penal Law have intervened and changed Liang Miaozi's sentence. This person abused his power, causing our sect to miss a great opportunity for prosperity; he has been sentenced to self-immolation to atone to the sect. I, Ling Weizi, failed to discipline my disciples properly and am sentenced to be suppressed in the Ten Thousand Winds Pagoda for fifty years. As for Lin Feizi, his ten years of life-extension elixir authority have been revoked!"

Long Ruo’s spirit fluctuated violently again, and even Ling Lie was deeply alarmed. Lin Feizi's allotted lifespan had expired; if he could not receive the elixir renewal in ten years, he would surely perish within thirty.

"How can the penalty be so severe?"

True Master Wuhua’s spirit tightened momentarily, then he sighed. "Is the matter concerning Martial Uncle Lin Fei truly irreversible?"

"It seems irreparable. Within the sect now, everyone says Long Ruo was either blind or acted out of spite and jealousy, causing Zong Shou to lose the chance to join the sect and instead become a great enemy of the sect—"

Ling Weizi shook his head. "It is only lamented that this child’s Dao of the Sword is divinely attuned, capable of breaking through mortal barriers by himself. Such peerless talent cannot be utilized by the sect. Several Martial Uncles and Elder Brothers are filled with heartache, saying this is the greatest loss the Lingyun Sect has suffered in ten thousand years. Furthermore, several elders dug out a set of maxims left by the Patriarch. It stated that if anyone could simultaneously break through the formations of Danling Mountain, the Bright Sword Platform, and the Heavenly Talisman Terrace, that person, regardless of cultivation level, should be accepted as the Sect Master's disciple. It seems this was foreseen ten millennia ago. Some are suggesting that this is something you, Sect Master Senior Brother, knew but deliberately withheld—"

Wuhua frowned. He truly did not know about this. The several dozen sets of maxims left by the Patriarch had always been held by a few elders; even he had never had the opportunity to see them.

However, at this moment, it was irrelevant. If confronted, even those with ulterior motives could not harm him.

A wave of shock and resentment washed over him: these elders were truly senile. Why reveal such crucial information only today? Did they not realize it was too late?

Ling Weizi sensed Wuhua's thoughts and then sighed again. "What’s more, news arrived not long ago that the Sword Prodigy Jue Yu has emerged from seclusion and intends to challenge the Nineteen Spirit Prefectures, one by one, starting with the Ten Great Sacred Lands—"