A family reunion had ended in discord, and the cultivators of the Jian family were forced to withdraw from the Heavenly Sword Sect. For now, they lingered in Tianshu City, seemingly unwilling to give up.
Jian Dan read the message Jian Sheng had sent back. She simply instructed him to keep a close eye on the Jian family's movements, and warned him that there was a Mahayana cultivator among them. He should act with extra caution.
Jian Sheng, feeling the headache grow, could only leave to rearrange his personnel.
Tianshu City – Immortal Guest Inn
The nine cultivators who had come with the Jian family this time entered the most spiritually dense guest room available. Once the room's barrier was lifted, the person at the rear, the Jian family's Zhēnzūn, was invited to the main seat of honor.
"Ancestor, Jian Lu's words today carried hidden meaning. What she said was practically an indirect admission that she's one of us, and she's clearly cultivating the complete technique. Otherwise, she would not have advanced so quickly."
Jian Shangxi was the first to speak after the Ancestor had taken his seat.
"Hmm. I suspect her cultivation is higher than Unity."
The Jian family Ancestor's brow furrowed as he spoke his conclusion.
"When Jian Lu entered the main hall, I probed her with my divine sense, and she blocked it with ease."
That statement left the entire room in silence.
"Ancestor, her projection of the Chaos Sword Light when she advanced to Unity drew us here. Do you think… she did that deliberately?"
Jian Yue hesitated before voicing her suspicion.
"Sister, if what you say is true, then we came here for nothing. She has no intention of returning to the family. And with the Heavenly Sword Sect backing her, we can't force her even if we wanted to."
Jian Fen spoke bluntly, and her words chilled everyone in the room.
"But we cannot give up the technique. Without the orthodox method, your cultivation speed will slow, and before your lifespan runs out, you will never reach Mahayana—much less ascend."
"So what do we do? Just stay here and waste time?" asked the family's Unity cultivator.
"This Jian Lu is far too ungrateful. If she returned to acknowledge her ancestors, we would be her backing."
"Uncle, with her current cultivation and position in the Heavenly Sword Sect, she doesn't need us as her backing. Without us, she might rise even higher."
Jian Shangxi's tone was calm and pragmatic, voicing what no one wanted to admit.
"This matter requires careful planning. You juniors stay here. We will return to the clan and discuss it with Elder Brother to see if there is a feasible solution."
The Jian family Zhēnzūn spoke decisively. He had already sensed a Mahayana divine sense sweeping the inn twice since their arrival.
The owner of that divine sense had not even tried to conceal it. This was open, blatant surveillance—a warning that the Heavenly Sword Sect would not be trifled with. The Ancestor had no choice but to propose this temporary retreat.
In the Treasure Pavilion, Zhēnzūn Tian Shou had watched the entire confrontation between Jian Lu and the Jian family through a water mirror. Stroking his beard, he turned to find Tian Yun Zhēnzūn.
"Senior Brother, the Jian family came to poach from our sect. You are just going to let them?"
Tian Yun Zhēnzūn, whose main duty now was guarding the sect, had been practicing sword forms. As Tian Shou arrived, he sheathed his blade.
"What's there to fuss about? They can only take her if she's willing to go."
Once they were both seated on the meditation cushions at the mountaintop, Tian Shou produced a pot of wine, poured two cups, and slid one to Tian Yun before taking a sip himself.
"Why have you left the Treasure Pavilion to come here?"
"Senior Brother, you know your disciples—every one of them is a battle maniac. Few ever come to the Pavilion. The other day, only Jian Lu's raccoon spirit beast came, and it blindly grabbed a top-grade defensive treasure before leaving."
"Hehe. You mean Yue Liang."
"Yes. The little one is polite and clever, much like her master."
"When the evil cultivators in Tianshu City were destroyed, Yue Liang played a role. She assisted Jian Lu in breaking the 'Ten Thousand Soul Banner,' which allowed them to annihilate the enemy. She was badly injured for it, so Jian Lu let her pick a defensive treasure from the Pavilion."
"Jian Lu certainly protects her own."
"I doubt the Jian family will give up so easily. This concerns their cultivation method."
Tian Shou brought the topic back.
"Hmph. The Heavenly Sword Sect is not short of people. The Jian family cannot act as they please. Jian Lu is not someone to be provoked—otherwise, they would have succeeded long ago."
"Then we just watch."
Their cups clinked, ending the subject of Jian Dan.
Huanle City
This time, Jian Wu wore a black robe to hide his identity. Using the Law Enforcement Peak's teleportation array, he made his way to Huanle City.
Though the city had once been a chaotic "no-man's land" after many battles, now the three races—human, beast, and demon—each had hidden agents keeping watch. In practice, it functioned much like any ordinary city.
Jian Wu moved discreetly through the black market, arriving at the local branch of "Tianya Haijiao."
He did not hide his late Divine Transformation cultivation. After stepping into the shop, a middle-aged cultivator came forward immediately.
"Honored guest, what commission do you wish to entrust to us at Tianya Haijiao?"
Only dangerous individuals came here, and anyone who could find this place knew its background. The shopkeeper did not bother with pleasantries.
Jian Wu tossed over a jade slip and spoke lightly. "I want these four people dead."
The middle-aged cultivator scanned the jade slip with his divine sense and frowned. All four targets were high-level cultivators—the weakest at late Divine Transformation, the strongest already at early Void Refinement.
"Is it too difficult?"
"You jest. This is our business. Their lives are not an issue. But with high-level cultivators, the price will naturally be different."
Jian Wu drew half a map from his storage ring.
"This is the deposit. Once all four are confirmed dead, the rest will be delivered."
"This is not our usual rule. Payment is made in full up front, unless the task fails—in which case, we return double."
"Look inside. This is something Tianya Haijiao has been searching for. See for yourself."
The middle-aged cultivator glanced at the scroll, then looked closer. His heart leapt. This was exactly the treasure map their headquarters had ordered them to find.
"Please wait a moment, honored guest. I will send word to the chief steward."
Jian Wu stood with arms crossed, unconcerned.
In less than half a quarter of an hour, the steward's reply came: one word—"Accept."
"Honored guest, we accept your commission. How shall we inform you once the task is complete?"
"When the task is done, I will know."
The middle-aged cultivator tried to probe further, but Jian Wu only smiled faintly.
"If not for my master's reluctance to waste time on these pests, this job would never have gone to you. Many others would gladly take it, but my master avoids owing favors. Whether you succeed or fail, that half of the map is already yours."
Before the shopkeeper could speak again, Jian Wu turned and left.
A signal was given to follow him, but less than a stick of incense later, the pursuers returned empty-handed.
"I understand. You may go."
If they could not identify the client, they would simply finish the job quickly. The client would appear again on his own.
The four direct descendants of the Fu family, who had barely escaped with their lives, never expected the relentless wave of assassins now coming for them. They were forced into a constant flight for survival, with no time to trouble the Heavenly Sword Sect again.