"My Lord, this man is Ling Xueyun, a rogue cultivator from Donglin! He resides nearby, and Xu Zheng-yuan, out of flattery to my lord, invited this Ninth Order cultivator to serve as an offering to our Qiantian Mountain. That is why I have had the fortune to witness today's battle again. Congratulations, My Lord, a great victory over Yuan Wushang! The Cloud Tier Six Ultimate Swordsmanship, with you as its leader now—"

Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, recalling that he had indeed sent a talisman back earlier, instructing the officials of Qiantian Mountain to begin recruiting Ninth Order cultivators to become retainers for Qiantian Mountain.

He had not expected Ren Bo to actually dispatch the high-status Xu Zheng-yuan to handle this recruitment drive.

Musing for a moment, Zong Shou grasped Ren Bo's intention: it was nothing more than to reassure Xu Zheng-yuan. Since Ren Bo was unaware of the complexities surrounding Cloud Saint City, this move was somewhat unnecessary.

However, since this Spirit Martial Venerable had personally witnessed the sword duel between him and Yuan Wushang, he certainly could not be dismissed lightly.

"You are Ling Xueyun, and you reside in this vicinity?"

Seeing the old man make a slight bow, Zong Shou’s eyelids narrowed slightly. "Then are you willing to join my Qiantian Gate?" Ling Xueyun hesitated slightly this time, tilting his head up to look at Zong Shou. Inside, he sighed inwardly. The Lingyun Sect had meticulously planned to use Yuan Wushang's blade to kill someone.

Yet, they probably hadn't expected that the leader of the Six Ultimate Swords would fall to Zong Shou upon his first return to the Cloud Realm.

A total of three hundred and forty-seven swords, a decisive and clean defeat! Almost utterly disgraced. And now, the gaze cast by this Demon King of Qiantian was enough to make one's scalp tingle.

It was not scrutiny, nor curiosity, nor inquiry; it was not even an equal appraisal. It was disdain, it was looking down!

It was a superior, all-controlling gaze from above, where life and death rested in his hands!

He harbored no resentment; with this man's sword might, he truly could look down upon all things!

But unwilling to agree so readily, Ling Xueyun bowed again and posed a counter-question.

"If I refuse, Your Highness, what will you do?" Zong Shou held his sword, let out a light laugh, and then replied concisely: "Execute him!" Ling Xueyun froze entirely, cold sweat slicking his face. He felt that the killing intent radiating from the youth before him even surpassed what Yuan Wushang had possessed, and an icy line of sight locked onto his neck.

This was no jest. If he truly uttered the word "no" today, this newly crowned leader of the Six Ultimate Swords, the Demon King of Qiantian, would likely lop off his head with a single strike.

This person had the qualifications to do so!

A wry smile touched his lips, and Ling Xueyun's voice became strained. "Please allow this subject to serve under Your Lordship's command!"

In truth, he had known for a long time that he had no room to refuse.

xxx

Eight hours later, the setting had shifted to Ling Xueyun's own cave dwelling.

This place was far superior to the small island where the disciples of Yuanfu Ling Sect resided. It was said that Ling Xueyun had spent several years of arduous effort to converge two large dragon veins here.

Since he did not need to share it with anyone, even though his cultivation realm had reached the Ninth Order, his progress continued yearly while living here.

After decades of arrangement, Ling Xueyun had even deployed a medium-sized Spirit Array outside, securing the cave dwelling tightly.

When Zong Shou awoke from his meditation within this dwelling, more than half of his strength had recovered.

His external injuries had also largely healed. However, some parts still contained the residual sword intent from Yuan Wushang, making immediate expulsion impossible; they could only mend slowly.

Furthermore, his internal injuries were severe, though thankfully not yet to the point where his internal organs were pulverized.

In reality, Zong Shou had spent most of this meditation studying the World-Shaking Yin-Yang True Qi within his body.

Since the battle with Yuan Wushang, the internal energy flowing through his two meridians had begun to link with his soul power.

There seemed to be an invisible tether between them, as if they could convert into one another.

However, the flaws of the World-Shaking Spirit Art were becoming increasingly apparent.

Indeed, solitary Yin does not generate, and solitary Yang does not thrive...

Zong Shou sighed inwardly, and when he awoke, his gaze held a strange quality. Looking at the few girls waiting in the room, a trace of green light could be seen deep within his pupils.

Ruoshui, a virgin, her body pure Yin—a great tonic!

Chuxue, a virgin, possessing the Battle Martial physique, pure in heart, with dense Original Yin—also a great tonic!

Ye Feihan, also a virgin, with a heart as pure as Xue'er, and possessing Dragon Blood within her body—also a great tonic!

Ye Feishuang, this one, forget it; impossible.

Looking around, Zong Shou’s mind wandered, increasingly feeling like a beast.

Ye Feishuang suddenly felt a chill run through her body, and being fixed by Zong Shou's stare made her feel utterly creeped out.

Only when she saw the green light retract and shift away did she feel slightly better. Yet, for some reason, she felt inexplicably annoyed. She also subconsciously felt the need to quickly pull her sister away, as far from this fellow as possible. She immediately spoke decisively: "Since you are awake, I assume you are fine now. Ye Feihan and I will take our leave!"

Zong Shou turned his head and glanced at Ye Feishuang again, no longer trying to stop her. "Miss Feishuang, please feel free! I still stand by my original words: if any unforeseen trouble arises, you may seek temporary refuge at Qiantian Mountain!"

Ye Feishuang sneered slightly, but the mocking words caught in her throat, unable to be spoken.

Having witnessed the battle between Zong Shou and Yuan Wushang, few within this realm could rival him.

However, even the strongest individual martial power has limits. In a war between massive armies, Qiantian Mountain, without the support of the Donglin sects, was no match for the Thousand City Alliance backed by them.

She still held no optimism!

Saying no more, she forcibly pulled Ye Feihan onto their boat and departed. The latter was pouting, her small, plump mouth sticking out high. Even though she ran back again, she hadn't managed to exchange more than a few words with Zong Shou.

She could only continuously wave her hand at Zong Shou, signaling that she would definitely come to Qiantian Mountain.

Watching the large boat sail out of the cave dwelling, Zong Shou sighed softly, seemingly quite reluctant. In his heart, however, he tallied up: a great tonic for replenishing Yin essence just walked away before his eyes—what a pity, what a pity. At this moment, with Ling Xueyun present, Zong Shou didn't hold back and took out the silver shield left behind by Yuan Wushang.

What had puzzled him the most previously was how Yuan Wushang could wield this Fifth Order magic treasure spirit shield without using mana; it was truly bizarre.

Logically, a magic treasure of this level far exceeded the realm of Transformation, requiring one to at least have stepped through the gate of immortality, reaching the Spirit Realm, before being usable.

Its defensive power was also quite respectable; it could withstand a blow from him that was nearly equivalent to an attack from a Spirit Realm expert! And yet, it remained completely intact afterward.

Examining it closely before him, Zong Shou finally realized. It was indeed not an ordinary magic treasure; behind this silver shield, there were six recessed slots.

This shield could be propelled by soul power. It could also automatically operate by drawing power from Beast Nose Spirit Stones. It was likely that the stronger the grade of Beast Crystal inserted, the stronger the defense of this silver shield would be.

And the one Yuan Wushang had placed inside earlier had been completely shattered.

He couldn't help but smile. When he first emerged, he had intended to find a treasure to defend Xuanyuan Yiren.

He had found nothing in the Dragon Palace. His initial plan was to visit the major cultivator markets to look around, but now, before even starting his search, this item had come into his possession.

After a brief look, Zong Shou didn't overthink it and successively took out several Ninth Order Beast Crystals, corresponding to the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, arranging them sequentially in the five directions.

But when Zong Shou turned his gaze to the recessed slot in the very center, he couldn't help but frown deeply again.

His intuition told him that this central piece was the most crucial, directly determining what percentage of the Fifth Order magic treasure's capability it could unleash.

He did possess a few Ninth Order Spirit Stones on him, but their grade was still slightly insufficient.

After contemplating for a moment, Zong Shou unhesitatingly flipped his hand and took out that Dark Demon Sarira.

Then, he fished out a small purifiying bottle from Luo Ming's small Qiankun Pouch.

He poured a little greenish spirit liquid from within directly onto the Dark Demon Sarira.

Instantly, a miserable howl echoed in Zong Shou's ears. A mass of black mist surged out from the Dark Demon Sarira, resembling a human head, dispersing everywhere, seeming to struggle to break free, or perhaps begging Zong Shou for mercy.

Zong Shou remained expressionless, dripping the spiritual liquid continuously. Every drop of the green liquid caused the black mist to thin slightly. After four drops, the black misty aura completely vanished, as if the purification had been completed.

Zong Shou let out another cold laugh, refusing to relent, and kept dripping. Sure enough, when the ninth drop of spirit liquid landed, the black misty head reappeared, this time completely shattering into dust.

The Dark Demon Sarira, its residual demonic thoughts completely purged, became even darker and purer. When Zong Shou placed this Dark Demon Sarira into the central recessed slot, the silver shield instantly flashed with a wave of dark silver light. Then, its spiritual luster dimmed, and it retracted again.

Zong Shou smiled again. Although the spiritual light of this silver shield was displayed only for an instant, judging by its power,

it was more than ten times stronger than when Yuan Wushang had used it previously.

A sarira at the peak of the Spirit Realm was indeed extraordinary! As long as the attacker was not above the Immortal Realm, it was unlikely anyone in the Cloud Realm could break through it. Even a Spirit Realm expert might only manage to hold out for a short while.

Putting things away, Zong Shou unfolded the Demon-Bane Flying Prism once more. Carrying a few people, plus Ling Xueyun, they soared into the air and sped away.

In just a few hours, they arrived outside the Danquan Spirit Mansion of the Danquan Sect. Looking at the great mountain in the distance, Zong Shou frowned slightly, lost in thought.

Calculating it, it had been a full two years since he had last seen Xuanyuan Yiren. He didn't know how that righteous girl was doing now. Although he had quite a few informants and secret agents within the Danquan Sect, it was ultimately not the same as seeing her in person.

With a soft sigh, Zong Shou tucked the silver light spirit shield and the dozens of Ninth Order Beast Crystals into his Qiankun Pouch, concealing their spiritual glow.

Then, using a talisman as a guide, he sought out Xuanyuan Yiren's aura and transmitted the items into the distant spirit mountain.

After waiting a moment, a joyous talisman response arrived in Zong Shou's hand.

With a warm fragrance, Zong Shou's divine sense swept over it, and he couldn't help but smile.

Although there were only a few characters inside—Received, Inconvenient, Thanks, Miss, Kiss—Xuanyuan Yiren imbued every character with deep emotion and sincerity.

Especially the word "Kiss," Zong Shou subconsciously pictured Xuanyuan Yiren’s blushing, embarrassed appearance.

That righteous girl was truly bold!