As the one primarily in the path of the sword light, he clearly realized how terrifying this sword stroke was.
The opponent's stroke seemed to originate from the same source as his own blade, even more aggressive and resolute than his own.
Facing such a dominating stroke, Lawlessness was unable to block it. Even if he exhausted all his strength, he couldn't stop the stroke in the end.
So, seeing clearly the way forward, there is no longer any chance for him.
"You are a good opponent." Pei Xuanjing sheathed his sword, a glimmer of appreciation appeared in his eyes.
Putting the rest aside, just the advancement in the opponent's Saber Intent made Pei Xuanjing surprised.
The power of that sword greatly exceeded his expectations, to say it was twice as strong as his fist method would be an understatement.
If it were anyone else, they would have to step back in the face of such an aggressive and resolute sword technique.
But Pei Xuanjing was different, the two of them unluckily embarked on the same path, and unfortunately, Pei Xuanjing was a little stronger.
This slight edge caused Pei Xuanjing's sword intent to completely suppress his Saber Intent.
Countless sword lights penetrated his body, if not for his tenacious will and the strong vitality of a first-grade martial artist, he would have died on the spot.
But now, he is dying and won't live much longer.
"Kill me!" Lawlessness forced a smile and said to Pei Xuanjing. As soon as these words came out, the faces of the people who had followed him changed drastically, but they heard Lawlessness continue with a bitter smile, "To die at your hands, I won't be ashamed!"
"As you wish!"
Pei Xuanjing nodded.
"May I take him away?"
A gentle voice sounded in Pei Xuanjing's ear, who was about to finish Lawlessness.
Pei Xuanjing smiled faintly, then said to the newcomer, "Huh, I didn't expect sir, even though you have been banished by the Great Ming imperial court, you still care about Great Ming."
The visitor was surprisingly Wang Boan, who hadn't been seen in a long time.
Pei Xuanjing didn't expect that Wang Boan, who had retired and was teaching in the countryside, would come here.
"Lawlessness is after all the Chief Capturer of the Six Gates, dying at your hands…" Wang Boan lamented.
Originally, Wang Boan, who had retired and was home, no longer bothered with worldly affairs and was devoted to reading books.
But when Qingxu the Taoist found out that people from the Six Gates were going to the Justice Hall, he still chose to inform Wang Boan, as a way to pay back the favor of asking him to hold back before.
Although they only met once, Wang Boan was deeply impressed with Pei Xuanjing, and even he was reluctant to go against Pei Xuanjing because of his strength.
So, in his view, the longtime famous Lawlessness and Pei Xuanjing's duel was definitely an epic battle, and no matter who won or lost, there would probably not be any good outcome.
He rushed here to stop the two from fighting, but unfortunately, he was still a step late. When he arrived, the outcome of the match had already been decided.
Seeing that Pei Xuanjing was about to kill Lawlessness, he still decided to stop him.
Even if Lawlessness seemed heavily injured and close to death, he couldn't let Lawlessness die here, which would only do harm without benefit to the Great Ming imperial court.
"So what?" Pei Xuanjing replied indifferently.
Being in big debt doesn't worry, he didn't care about the threat from the Great Ming imperial court at all.
With his current grudge against them, if there came a day when he fell into the hands of the Great Ming imperial court, he would not escape death.
Even if he killed Lawlessness today, could the Great Ming imperial court kill him twice if that day really came?
"Why must you be like this?" Wang Boan shook his head slightly, he knew that the other party wasn't a bloodthirsty person.
But the situation today was not the time for lengthy discussions, he simply asked again, "Can I take him away?"
All eyes were on Pei Xuanjing, if Pei Xuanjing refused , a great battle might break out here again.
If one sentence was used to describe Wang Boan's life , it could be briefly summarized as: Half a lifetime in office unnoticed, overnight pacification became world-renowned."
Wang Boan, who was devoted to serving as an official in the first half of his life, although diligent, had always had a bumpy career, and apart from a few people who had interacted with him, he was not famous at all.
However, after the rebellion of Ning King, when he killed several first-grade martial artists of the underworld with a flip of his hand, he showed extraordinary martial arts. At the same time, with a hundred thousand troops, he defeated the million-strong army of Ning King, showcasing his extraordinary military talent.
Since then, the events of Wang Boan's early life have been dug up one by one, earning him the admiration of countless people. It can be said that Wang Boan became famous overnight.
The emperor's later treatment of Wang Boan, made many people upset, believing that the emperor had been too harsh.
Even though he was a public official, Wang Boan's reputation in the martial world was excellent, with countless supporters.
"It seems that there are still people who don't want you to die." Pei Xuanjing shook his head at Lawlessness, then said to Wang Boan, "Since you have spoken, how could I refuse?"
Looking at the slim middle-aged man in scholarly robes, Pei Xuanjing could sense the hidden power in him with his own strength. Although it was unclear how strong he was, he was certainly not to be underestimated.
Moreover, Wang Boan had easily let him go in the past, even though he was not afraid of him, and there was the factor of Taoist Qingxu.
Besides, there was Gu Ji between the two of them. Pei Xuanjing still remembered that he had borrowed a book from Wang Boan.
In the end, it was undeniable that he had received a favor from him.
All things considered,
So, sparing Lawlessness's life didn't mean much to Pei Xuanjing..
Let'S not mention that the enemy is now seriously injured, on the brink of death.
Even if Wang Bo'an could miraculously revive Lawlessness, what then?
To Pei Xuanjing, a defeated opponent has lost the chance to defeat him again.
If it were anyone else, there might be some possibility. However, unless Lawlessness could break the current barriers of the Martial Arts, facing Pei Xuanjing's almost identical Sword Intent, he could only live in his shadow for the rest of his life.
"Thank you!" A smile appeared on Wang Bo'an's face as he bowed in gratitude to Pei Xuanjing.
He nodded inwardly, satisfied his intuition was right, Pei Xuanjing was not bloodthirsty. Although somewhat domineering, he was not devoid of sympathy.
"No need for formalities, sir." Pei Xuanjing shook his head.
"Ahem… No need to turn down my courtesy, sir." Lawlessness managed a bitter smile.
As the Chief Capturer of Six Gates, he was bound to know Wang Bo'an, the Minister of War's favored official. It could even be said that the two had deep acquaintance.
Although he was considerably older than Wang Bo'an , he greatly admired Wang's knowledge and character, and had always addressed him as a gentleman.
"Your injuries are severe. Please conserve your strength." Wang Bo'an channeled a stream of True Qi into Lawlessness, returning some color to his pallid face.
Silence reigned over Long Street.
All eyes were on Wang Bo'an, who was treating Lawlessness, and Pei Xuanjing, who stood by with a smile.
"From today onwards, I fear another supreme leader will rise in the world of martial arts." "Though not yet ranked as a supreme leader, he already stands shoulder to shoulder with them."
"Do you think he will re-establish the Shenxiao Sect?"
"Re-establish the Shenxiao Sect? Hiss, that's highly possible!"
Listening to the heated discussions of the surrounding martial artists, Ma Wuji and the others were not in the least bit interested in joining in.
Right now, all Ma Wuji could do was silently curse the Chief Capturer of the famed Six Gates, Lawlessness, for being useless, as he couldn't even defeat Pei Xuanjing.
His only concern was how to survive this ordeal:
Based on what Pei Xuanjing initially said, coupled with the appearance of Lawlessness and his group, they had no alternative but to fight.
Whether on moral or strength grounds, they were at a severe disadvantage. Just as he was filled with apprehension, Pei Xuanjing called out in Long Street:
"Master Ma, do you have anything else to say?"
The resounding words spread across the surroundings, and all eyes fell on Ma Wuji.
At this moment, Ma Wuji wanted to run away, but he knew very well that he'd been targeted, and any sign of fleeing would incite Pei Xuanjing's wrath.
His face alternated between shades of pallor and flushes. He sighed deeply, resigned to his fate.
"Today, you single-handedly swept through my Justice Hall, causing us to lose face. As Justice Hall is inferior, we have nothing to say."
"Hehe." Pei Xuanjing sneered.
He could hear the stubbornness in his voice, even in the face of unavoidable defeat.
He didn't repudiate his collusion with the Six Gates, instead played the victim, making Pei Xuanjing seem like a bully.
"Don't you want to explain your connection with Six Gates?"
"There's nothing to explain. Justice Hall has nothing to do with the Six Gates. We did not even know they were coming."
At this point, Ma Wuji could only grit his teeth and deny everything.
Furthermore, he was confident that the people from the Six Gates wouldn't betray him.
With Wang Bo'an's protection, Pei Xuanjing would not attack them.
If the Six Gates choose to betray him, given this precedent, who in the martial arts world would dare cooperate with them in the future?
His assumptions assured, Ma Wuji firmly believes that if he denies everything, today will be seen as a mere challenge from an outsider and acknowledge his defeat.
The shrewd Ma Wuji counted on one thing: if he had lost earlier, it might have been humiliating.
But now, everyone knew Pei Xuanjing was a supreme leader in the martial arts world. Losing to such a strong opponent, Justice Hall wouldn't lose face.
Even as he grew stronger in the future, they would share his glory.
Just as he expected, the people from Six Gates did not expose him.
They were already at odds with Pei Xuanjing, why would they cooperate with him to expose Justice Hall?
Some even thought they could use this opportunity to draw Justice Hall under their control.
"It seems Master Ma is determined not to admit it," Pei Xuanjing said calmly.
He expected the response of the Six Gates.
"This is a case of making something out of nothing, how can I admit it!" Ma Wuji took an uncompromising stance.
Though it is shameful to lie, it was helpful.
He even took a step forward, appearing like a man of justice, he announced, "If you insist on slandering me, Justice Hall might be weak, but we aren't pushovers."
"That's right! Justice Hall will not be bullied!" Zhang Xiaoyao echoed in support.
The disciples of Justice Hall also joined in, their voices booming. Obviously, at this point, they would not admit to anything either.
"This is too shameless!"
"Clearly, the other party is colluding with Six Gates, and have the audacity to shift the blame."
"To think such duplicity lies beneath the ever so righteous Ma Wuji."
Before Pei Xuanjing had a chance to speak, whispers broke out amongst the spectating martial artists.
They were not fools, they could see that the collusion was evident. They never thought Ma Wuji, of all people, would stoop so low to outright deny it.
"Hmph!" Ma Wuji sniffed at the murmurings martial artists.
"If anyone has proof, feel free to step forward!"
Even if the crowd believes he is guilty, without any evidence, they could do nothing to him.
The connection between them and Six Gates is a verbal agreement. There is no tangible evidence. Unless a person from Six Gates admits it, it cannot be proven.
This was the foundation of Ma Wuji's confidence.
The current situation was quite clear. Denying the accusations might lose him the reputation he built over many years, washing all his hard work away.
But he couldn't admit it because admission meant death.
He knew well how to weigh the two options.
As long as he's alive, there will always be a chance. But in death, there remains nothing.
The people of Justice Hall behind him also voiced their support for Ma Wuji.
"Hahaha…" Pei Xuanjing's hearty laugh suddenly echoed through Long Street.
Everyone's gaze shifted to Pei Xuanjing. They are eager to see how Pei Xuanjing would handle Ma Wuji's staunch denial.
"Justice Hall is not an entity to be bullied?" He repeated what was said earlier, then stepped forward with an imposing aura. His voice, like a thunderclap, boomed: "So how about, if I, Pei Xuanjing, bully you?"
At Pei Xuanjing's words, the faces of Ma Wuji and his men paled.
Pei Xuanjing was utterly unphased. His True Qi danced around him, containing his indomitable will: "I, Pei Xuanjing, don't need evidence. My word is the evidence."
My word is the evidence!
Such domineering proclamation shocked everyone present.
Feeling the frightening aura, the ordinary members of Justice Hall trembled, even Ma Wuji and his men were startled.
"You…" Ma Wuji's face was ashen. For a moment, he was speechless. He never expected Pei Xuanjing to act in this manner.
To see Pei Xuanjing, who was always so peaceful, exhibit such a domineering posture, thwarting Ma Wuji's every plan.
Gasps…
Every person present expressed surprise.
No one had anticipated that Pei Xuanjing would adopt such an attitude, drastically changing everyone's perception of him.
Just a moment ago, they were angry at Ma Wuji's shamelessness, now they felt relieved, entranced by this aggressive display of Pei Xuanjing.
"Pei Xuanjing, are you trying to annihilate Justice Hall?" Ma Wuji's face was
livid, he asked with barely restrained rage.
If you observe closely, beneath that anger, lay a flicker of fear and panic.
Pei Xuanjing shook his head: "I'm not here to destroy Justice Hall, you want to drag the entire Justice Hall down with you!"
At these words, Ma Wuji's pupils constricted, obviously understanding Pei Xuanjing's meaning.
Pei Xuanjing continued lightly: "I, Pei Xuanjing, am not a bloodthirsty person. If it can be proven who the culprit is, as long as the culprit commits suicide to apologize, the remaining people could survive. Unfortunately, we cannot find out who the culprit is now, so we have to make a hard decision…"
"Stop your discordance!" Ma Wuji rudely interrupted Pei Xuanjing. He retorted:
"The disciples of Justice Hall are united. They won't fall for your discord!"
"Oh, is that so?" Pei Xuanjing asked in a strange tone, looking at those Justice Hall disciples with shifting glances. He said coldly: "So you mean to say, you want all of them to die along with you?"
As he spoke, Pei Xuanjing's Blood Qi surged, a terrifying aura pressuring the disciples of Justice Hall.
The masters were just slightly taken aback, while the ordinary Justice Hall disciples found it hard to breathe under Pei Xuanjing's imposing aura.
Ma Wuji wouldn't sit idly and let himself be killed. His True Qi circulated within him, resisting Pei Xuanjing's oppressive aura, he sneered: "Justice Hall has thousands of disciples, you alone cannot…"
Pei Xuanjing smiled suddenly, his aura dissipating, reverting back to calm.
Just when someone thought Pei Xuanjing had given up, they heard him shout: "Where are the Shenxiao Sect Members!"
"Present!"
Nearly a hundred people stepped forward from the crowd of spectators, each exuding an intense aura.
Leading them were Yu Zhenzi, Deng Zhong, and three others.
Among the nearly a hundred people; seven were First-Class Martial Artists, fifteen Second-Class, and thirty were of either genuine or pseudo Third-grade masters. The rest were all Fourth-grade Martial Artists.
"Disciple here!"
The voice of Pang Hong echoed through Long Street. He stepped forward without hesitation.
Although his strength was insignificant compared to others, he didn't hesitate the slightest.
Bang!
They are actually members of the Shenxiao Sect?
Many were shocked, seeing familiar faces standing out, surprised that they were part of this group.
"He's from the Shenxiao Sect?" Some of the younger martial artists looked at Pang Hong's figure, furrowing their brows.
These past two years, Pang Hong had acquainted many young martial artists during his travels.
His extraordinary strength sparked curiosity about his background, they never expected he would be part of the Shenxiao Sect.
Everyone was stunned. Nobody would ever guess that the calm and collected Pei Xuanjing managed to amass such a force in silence.
Though the gathered masters were slightly less powerful than some of the top forces, they were on par with an average first-class power.
Add Pei Xuanjing, a supreme martial artist of the martial world, into the mix, and the force grows even stronger.
The Shenxiao Sect, which disappeared for 200 years, will appear again.
The same thought ran through many people's minds.
Pei Xuanjing nodded to Yu Zhenzi and others, he looked appreciatively at Pang Hong.
Then his voice rang out once more: "So, does Pei Xuaniing now have the abilitv to exterminate Justice Hall?"
The shock on Ma Wuji's face was too great to hide, but it was quickly replaced by resoluteness.
"Taking advantage of the weak, I've roamed the martial world for more than a hundred years. I am not one to fear death…"
Before finishing his bold proclamation, he was interrupted by Pei Xuanjing's snicker. He heard Pei Xuanjing say: "It seems that Lord Ma has become certain of his impending doom and decided to drag everyone with him. But have you ever asked your disciples of Justice Hall if they are willing to die with you?"
At Pei Xuanjing's words, Ma Wuji couldn't help but turn his gaze towards his disciples.
Alas, under his gaze other than a few disciples, most were not resolute or decisive. Their gazes were filled with unease.
"So, kill yourself!"