King Yu understood that once the Empress Dowager succeeded, he, as her biological son, might still be able to preserve his life. However, the other royal family members would inevitably invite the Empress Dowager's wrath. Countless members of the royal family would be purged, and an untold number of people would die before it all stopped.
On one side was the love between mother and son, on the other, the bond with his royal kin.
For King Yu at this moment, he did not wish to easily abandon either side.
However, the current situation was difficult to reverse. Both sides were already at each other's throats, it was hard to return to the previous status quo.
The position he was in meant that he had to make a decision rapidly. He could not afford to continue fluctuating.
Wannian County, to the northwest of the Capital, was originally said to have been named after the Wannian Mausoleum built by the First Emperor of Han to bury his father. Later, during the Later Han Dynasty, a Princess Wannian also made this her fief.
Pei Xuanjing traveled to this place alone and ascended a guesthouse. He sat on the second floor, looking out over the rail, his gaze falling on a distant manor.
According to the information provided by Ye Daoyuan, the hideout of the Demonic Cult was in that manor in the distance.
A smile flickered at the corner of Pei Xuanjing's mouth. No wonder people say, "A small concealment hides in the wild, a big concealment hides in the city."
If it hadn't been for Ye Daoyuan's precise information, I'm afraid no one in the world would have guessed that this group from the Demonic Cult would dare to settle within the city so boldly.
"They indeed know how to keep their cool!" Pei Xuanjing murmured to himself.
He was well aware that even if he had intentionally concealed his tracks on the way here, the Demonic Cult would have detected his presence as soon as he entered the guesthouse, even when he entered Wannian County.
Of course, this was also partly Pei Xuanjing's intention to startle the snake in the grass.
It was just unexpected that even after he had been sitting here for a long time, the members of the Demonic Cult had never shown up. This aroused his curiosity somewhat as it appeared the one in charge of this Demonic Cult base had some capability, at least they could hold their breath.
"Heh, maybe I'm overestimating," Pei Xuanjing suddenly remarking self-mockingly.
He had initially respected the other party because of their reaction to the Demonic Cult, but to his surprise, before he could blink an eye, a man walked out of the manor and hurried towards where Pei Xuanjing was.
"Saint Teachings' Pang Yan pays respects to Sword Saint. I wonder what instructions the esteemed Sword Saint has for gracing us with his presence." A thin middle-aged man walked up to the second floor of the guesthouse, driving away irrelevant people on this floor, and addressed Pei Xuanjing.
Pei Xuanjing expression remained neutral, just calmly looking at the other party, after a long moment then he said, "Pang Yan? I know of you, seems your swordsmanship is not bad."
Pang Yan, a Heavenly Rank powerhouse of the Demonic Cult, was proficient in swordsmanship. His technique of sword energy was almost at the stage of transcendence, making him one of the renowned swordsmen in the world.
Pang Yan, who had initially felt a bit uncomfortable under Pei Xuanjing's gaze, now had a shadowy look in his eyes after hearing Pei Xuanjing's words.
One should know that although he was a member of the Demonic Cult, he was extremely proud of his extraordinary swordsmanship among the world's swordsmen.
Yet in Pei Xuanjing's evaluation, he was only deemed "not bad". How could this satisfy him?
He just said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "It is my honor to be praised by Sword Saint."
There is no first in literature, but there is no second in martial arts.
Among the cultivators in this world, especially those who have reached the Heavenly Rank, who isn't a person with outstanding talent? Who would willingly submit to others?
Therefore, even though many strong men in the world respectfully call Pei Xuanjing as Sword Saint, it doesn't mean that none of them challenge him. Pang Yan before him is one such person.
Of course, despite his confidence in his swordsmanship, he also knew that he was by no means a match for his opponent. As a member of the Demonic Cult, he knew best how to avoid harm. Especially at this critical juncture, he did not wish to provoke Pei Xuanjing, so he did not oppose him.
"Ah!" Pei Xuanjing sighed lightly.
He looked at Pang Yan and said, "I originally thought you were a pure swordsman. It seems like you're not."
Pei Xuanjing had met many swordsmen among his opponents, but the one who left the deepest impression on him was the Seven Kills Sword Master.
Although the man hailed from the Demonic Cult, his dedication to the Way of the Sword was pure. He was the most bona fide swordsman Pei Xuanjing had ever met, even surpassing the Old Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Thus, whenever he faced a swordsman, he could not help but compare them with the Seven Kills Sword Master.
Pang Yan, who was also from the Demonic Cult and famous for his swordsmanship, was why he had spoken as he did earlier. His words just now were partly a probe. Had the latter dared to challenge his words and draw his sword, Pei Xuanjing would naturally have a higher regard for him and reconsider his evaluation.
However, now that Pang Yan had not rebutted his judgment and had chosen to acquiesce, Pei Xuanjing only felt that perhaps his assessment of Pang Yan was too high.
As swordsmen, especially those who focus on the cultivation of the Way of the Sword, ought to have an untamed spirit, daring to draw their sword at anyone. Whenever anyone dared to question their Way of the Sword, they should decisively swing their sword, regardless of who the challenger is.
A swordsman should rather seek truth from direct confrontation and not take shortcuts.
Only those who are unyielding and tenacious can be considered true swordsmen.
Compared with the Seven Kills Sword Master that Pei Xuanjing had once met, Pang Yan simply did not measure up.
"You… dare to insult me!"
Pang Yan's expression changed dramatically.
He never envisioned Pei Xuanjing behaving like this. His words undoubtedly struck a nerve, mentioning a taboo subject he dared not bring up himself.
Clang!
Pang Yan abruptly drew his sword, an intense killing intent radiating off him.
At this point, he couldn't care less about his previous considerations. He understood that if he did not dare to make a move today, he would never have the courage to draw his sword against Pei Min.
"That's more like it!" Pei Xuanjing showed a faint smile.
Seeing the struggle on the other's face and the fact that they were still daring to draw their sword under such circumstances meant they didn't completely disappoint him.
Pei Xuanjing thought that if his words had reached this point and yet they still did not draw their sword out of anger, then they were just that, unworthy of a second look.
"Aren't you going to ask me about my reason for being here?" Pei Xuanjing's voice sounded again, speaking placidly, "Someone is displeased with you people from the Demonic Cult. They believe your existence will bring them much trouble, so they wanted me to remove this trouble."
Pei Xuanjing's words sounded serene, but when they reached Pang Yan's ears, they were thunderous.
"Indeed, they've discovered us!" A ruthless look flashed in his eyes.
Although the Demonic Cult's support for the Empress Dowager was done in utmost secrecy, it was really only because the Brahman Gate, which attracted the attention of the Taoist School, that they had been able to continue hiding and conducting their affairs unseen.
As it turned out, they had still been discovered.
However, such astonishment flashed through Pang Yan's eyes for a fleeting moment as he had already anticipated the current situation to some extent.
Now that the two sides are at odds, the Taoist School only needs to settle down and investigate carefully, then they can find out what the Demonic Cult has been doing behind the scenes. They don't expect to keep it a secret forever, they just hope to hide it for as long as they can.
They did not expect the Taoist School to be so powerful that they discovered their actions in such a short time, and what surprised them the most was the Taoist School's decisiveness.
The decisiveness of the Taoist School surprised people like Pang Yan beyond imagination. As soon as they found out that they had a base in Wannian County, they immediately sent Pei Min here, without any hesitation.
"Aren't you afraid that this is a trap?" Pang Yan stared deeply at Pei Xuanjing.
Pei Xuanjing smiled indifferently: "So what if it's a trap?"
Pang Yan remained silent. Given his opponent's strength, perhaps the traps in the world mean little to him.
"Take your move. Given you dare to draw your sword, I will give you a chance to strike," Pei Xuanjing said, looking at him. "After I deal with you, I still have other people to send on their way. So, you don't need to worry about being lonely."
If Pang Yan did not dare to draw his sword just now, Pei Xuanjing would decisively kill him and then deal with the others.
However, since the opponent had the courage to draw his sword in front of him, he didn't mind giving him the chance to swing it.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
The second floor of the inn was silent, save for Pang Yan's quiet breathing.
If he had heard Pei Xuanjing's words before seeing him, he would have thought that he was looking down on him and despising him.
But the reality is, only when he really confronts the Sword Saint in front of him does he feel how terrifying he is.
Just like right now, the opponent is just standing there, but it seems like he is merging with heaven and earth, which is unfathomable. Even though he didn't reveal a bit of his aura, he still found him terrifying.
Therefore, at this moment, he didn't feel insulted at all. Instead, he thought it was reasonable for someone of his opponent's strength to speak like this.
Pang Yan knew that facing such a formidable opponent, he had no other choice. Perhaps he could only go all out to find a way to survive.
Boom!
A terrifying momentum erupted from him. The majestic Gang Qi rose from his body, causing the roof above his head to be shattered by the powerful force.
Pei Xuanjing sat quietly, without moving, looking calmly at the others. His face was indifferent, and he simply smiled as he watched him act.
The sword in Pang Yan's hand chopped out a crisp sword light, and a surging killing intent roared towards the sky.
Gang Sword Assimilation, this was the swordsmanship Pang Yan practiced, which integrated Gang Qi and swordsmanship to form a terrifying and dominant yet strangely eerie sword Qi.
"The merger of sword light and Gang Qi? A fine technique indeed." Pei Xuanjing looked at the powerful sword Gang and praised, then shook his head, "However, it's a pity that it's just 'fine'!"
Pei Xuanjing raised his slender white hand, clenched it into a fist, and blew out the Innate Thunder Gang Qi. His whole body glowed with a purple and cyan light, making him look like a Fairy God.
He punched out!
The domineering fist force caused numerous thunderous explosions to keep sounding, as if even the space itself was being shattered.
Such a terrifying and dominant power, even space could not withstand it, not to mention this mere sword Gang.
Boom!
When the domineering force of the fist hit the sword Gang, the original fierce and dominant sword Gang shattered instantly and dissipated into nothingness.
Panic appeared on Pang Yan's face. His sword Gang was famous for its dominant force, but the opponent's fist was even more powerful, terrifying and simply irresistible.
Puff…
The fist force shattered the sword Gang, and the remaining fierce force directly hit his body. He was blown away, crashing onto the ground.
"What a terrifying fist! What a horrifying strength." An expression of relief flashed through his eyes.
It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Pei Min had also studied the Way of Essence Refinement that he had shared with the world. Although he hadn't stepped into the Heavenly Rank with the Way of Essence Refinement, it undoubtedly made his body stronger, allowing him to take that punch.
"Hmm?" Pei Xuanjing was also somewhat surprised. He didn't expect that the opponent had cultivated his body, and the results seemed quite good.
"Since that's the case, let me show you what true swordsmanship is like." Pei Xuanjing's voice came.
He slowly stretched out his right hand. The Shenxiao Origin Qi from his body freely flowed out, forming a common Qi Sword in his hand, instantly adorned with six colors: blue, red, yellow, white, black, and purple.
The moment his Qi Sword was formed, Pei Xuanjing's aura changed. A sharp edge that seemed to puncture the sky burst forth from his body. The sharp aura seemed to be piercing the sky and earth.
What terrified Pang Yan the most was that the opponent was actually able to control this terrifying sword intent within three feet around him, without any diffusion beyond this range.
"Such control…" He had a look of horror in his eyes, the opponent could control the sword intent so ingeniously, it was clear how terrifying his Sword Tao Realm was.
Pei Xuanjing held the Qi Sword, slowly lifted it, and then swung it downward.
Ding!
The sound of the sword echoed like a tiger's roar and dragon's chant, shaking the heavens and earth.
He did not use any techniques, just a simple swing down. But in Pang Yan's eyes, it was more potent than countless ingenious sword techniques. He could not dodge it, and it seemed like he was locked by this sword, filling the space between heaven and earth.
"There is such a Sword Tao in this world…" Pang Yan forgot to resist, his eyes were filled with admiration as he watched this sword.
Pu chi…
The Qi Sword swept down, and Pang Yan's head flew up. However, he did not feel any pain. The gaze in his eyes was still fixed on that single sword stroke.
"It's a pity. If you hadn't come to enlightenment at the last moment, perhaps you could have reached a higher realm in the Sword Tao." Pei Xuanjing shook his head and sighed.
The last moments of Pang Yan had brought him enlightenment. Facing the threat of death, when he saw Pei Xuanjing's sword, he realized what the true Sword Tao was.
However, it was too late, and he did not have any other opportunities. That's why Pei Xuanjing sighed.
The Qi Sword disappeared from Pei Xuanjing's hand. He looked up at the dozens of figures rushing out of the mansion in all directions, a smile on his lips.
Clearly, the standoff between the two was a deliberate burst of force from Pang Yan. It was meant as a warning to those people, to give them a chance to escape.
However, it was all in vain.
Pei Xuanjing looked at the figures and said casually, "Don't worry, when I said I'd send them on their journey with you, I wasn't kidding."
As soon as he finished speaking, he jumped up and shot out like a Sharp Arrow. His aura was murderous, and he didn't hold back at all.
At this moment, Pei Xuanjing, as the strongest individual in the world, released his power without any reservations, causing countless people in Wannian County to tremble in fear.
Those dozens of powerful individuals from the Demonic Cult, who were scampering away in all directions, became even more anxious, wanting to flee this place quickly and not give Pei Xuanjing a chance to catch up with them.
Pei Xuanjing was in no rush to chase after them. He stood, hands behind his back, high in the sky above the clouds. His Yin Spirit was already zeroing in on the fleeing individuals' locations, and even though some of them had already fled several miles away, he was not anxious.
Boom…
The Shenxiao Origin Qi of Pei Xuanjing surged out at will, tinting the heaven and earth within a radius of hundreds of miles in only an instant. Suddenly, the sky changed color, with flashes of blue, red, yellow, white, and black intertwining and crossing paths.
Pei Xuanjing released his magical domain completely.
Then, he raised both arms, and his palms came together, following which countless amounts of thunder gathered in his palms, exuding a terrifying aura.
Boom!
The sky above Pei Xuanjing's head echoed with the thunderous sound of exploding thunder, with atmospheric changes, gathering thunder, and roiling clouds.
Pei Xuanjing stood imposingly like a mountain range, his gaze sweeping in all directions. The changing winds and clouds around him added a mysterious dignity to his demeanor. His long hair fluttered about him, resembling a Fairy God in the high heavens.
Roar!
In the blink of an eye, he slapped his palms together continuously, and countless thunders flew from his hands. Then those thunders transformed into countless thunder dragons of purple and blue color, roaring and tearing through the sky, causing an earth-shaking dragon roar sound, stirring up the wind and thunder, tremendous in momentum.
These purple-blue thunder dragons rushed towards those fleeing individuals from the Demonic Cult. Under Pei Xuanjing's Yin Spirit's lock-on, the dragons would only attack those specific people. Unless they could break the thunder dragons, they had no way to hide.
The purple-blue thunder dragons roared through the sky, causing exploding thunder continuously. They went from the bottom up, straight to the clouds. Everywhere they passed, waves of energy swept through, carrying an aura that could annihilate everything, seeming to wish to destroy all.
Sword Saint Pei Min appeared in Wannian County.
Sword Saint Pei Min triggered heavenly phenomena, transforming into the Thunder God, summoning countless forces of thunder, killing dozens of Heavenly Rank cultivators from the Demonic Cult in one move, causing massive losses to the cult.
Annihilating dozens of Heavenly Rank cultivators in one move, the ten years of seclusion have greatly increased the cultivation of the Sword Saint.
The awe-inspiring presence of the Sword Saint, it seems like he could strive for being first in the world.
A Demonic Cult stronghold was destroyed by the Sword Saint, and the Master of the Demonic Cult was furious and wanted to kill the Sword Saint.
Within just a few days, news of Pei Xuanjing annihilating numerous high-ranking members of the Demonic Cult with a single move had spread throughout the world, shocking countless people.
Even Ye Daoyuan, who had sent a message asking Pei Xuanjing for help in annihilating the Demonic Cult stronghold, was utterly shocked when he heard the news.
Even though he knew that this matter was a piece of cake for Pei Xuanjing, the latter's strength of annihilating dozens of Heavenly Rank powerhouses in one move was utterly horrifying to hear about.
"It seems that your progress in these ten years has indeed exceeded my expectations!" Ye Daoyuan could not help but look at Pei Xuanjing, with unerasable surprise in his eyes, and curiously asked, "Have you sensed the Realm of Heavenly People yet?"
Celestial Human Realm!
This was a realm that every cultivator in this world longed for, Ye Daoyuan being no exception.
Although he had already condensed his magical domain and was known as a cultivator who had one foot in the Celestial Human Realm, he knew that he was still a bit short of reaching it.
He was so close yet so far. Although it seemed he was only a bit short, it was actually unreachable. He had been stuck here for god knows how many years.
Pei Xuanjing shook his head, saying, "I am still a bit short."
Ye Daoyuan was puzzled, "You once summoned the Door of Celestial in your fight with the Red Sun Martial Venerate. Ten years have passed, and you're still a bit short?"
"It was him who summoned the Door of Celestial, not me." Pei Xuanjing explained.
Ye Daoyuan fell silent for a moment, and then quietly said, "Even so, I'm afraid I'm no match for you now."
Only now did he truly understand how it feels to be overtaken and surpassed by someone who came later. Even though the Empress Dowager had wounded him, she had not made him feel this way.
"Haha." Pei Xuanjing lightly chuckled, not commenting on his words.
Seeing that Pei Xuanjing did not wish to elaborate, Ye Daoyuan did not want to dwell on this topic further.
Moreover, right at this critical moment, the more powerful Pei Xuanjing was, the more advantageous it would be for the task he was planning to undertake.
He slowly opened his mouth and said: "During my battle with the Empress Dowager, I felt that she might have already broken through the Realm of Heavenly People."
"Hm?" Pei Xuanjing's eyes lit up as he thought to himself, just as I thought.
In fact, when he heard that Ye Daoyuan had been wounded by the Empress Dowager, he had already guessed this much. After all, Ye Daoyuan definitely had the strength to back his reputation. It would have been one thing if he had been ganged up on by multiple combatants, but being hurt by a single Empress Dowager was enough to demonstrate her horrifying power.
Ye Daoyuan continued, "My magical domain was unable to trap her; she broke it easily."
"Being able to fight with such an enemy might give me a glimpse into the mysteries of the Heavenly Human Realm." There was a glint of joy in Pei Xuanjing's eyes.
To him, the harvest he had already reaped in this world was already plentiful. Next, his biggest goal would be to battle against the Empress Dowager, who seemed to be on the verge of breaking through to the Celestial Human Realm.
This battle, if he could take the opportunity to break through the mysteries of the Celestial Human Realm and step into the Fourth Level of the Spiritual Realm, it would be the best outcome. He was not disheartened, even if he failed. After all, it would be worthwhile to experience the strength of a Fourth Level Spiritual Realmer in advance.
One could say that Pei Xuanjing didn't feel any burden at this moment. To him, there was no pressure about this upcoming trip to the Capital and battling the Empress Dowager. He was now simply a cultivator striving for progress!
Of course, Ye Daoyuan didn't know what Pei Xuanjing was thinking. He was startled when he heard Pei Xuanjing speak. After seeing his expression, he took a deep breath and said admiringly, "Such open-mindedness is worthy of praise, Brother Pei. It makes me feel rather ashamed!"
In this moment, seeing Pei Xuanjing as he was, Ye Daoyuan wasn't envious that Pei Xuanjing achieved this level at such a young age but rather, he thought it was only natural.
Pei Xuanjing's demeanor was like the true immortals in Taoist scriptures, not paying attention to worldly matters, and focusing solely on pursuing the Great Tao.
They didn't attach importance to all things mundane and worldly. Only the Great Tao existed in their hearts, and they were even ready to forsake their lives for the pursuit of Tao.
Wasn't that precisely how Pei Min was? He had extraordinary talent and was unbound by worldly desires, focusing solely on the pursuit of the Tao. It would indeed be strange if he did not have such achievements.
"Haha, Taoist friend, your praise is unwarranted." Pei Xuanjing knew Ye Daoyuan misunderstood something, but he didn't bother to explain.
He decided to change the subject and asked: "Now that you have recovered from your injuries, do you have a plan on when to conclude this matter?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Daoyuan became solemn and began to speak seriously.