Chapter 135: A Notorious Reputation Rises (10,000 Words 5/5)

These bastards from the Netherworld Path clearly intend to flee!

He hurriedly urged his demonic power, whipping up a towering blaze of demonic flames. With the elites of the Six Sects gathered here, how could his Corpse Bone Abyss hope to resist if the Netherworld Path cultivators had no intention of fighting back? He immediately led his fellow demons in a retreat toward the Corpse Bone Abyss.

Fu Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Disciples of the Six Sects, hear my command: intercept the demonic cultivators of the Netherworld Path!"

Compared to the perceptive local demonic tribes, the Six Sects were far more eager to annihilate the Netherworld Path cultivators who had suddenly appeared in Changping. In an instant, several Foundation Establishment cultivators launched their attacks simultaneously! Countless magical artifacts and spells rained down upon the Netherworld Path cultivators.

Liu Ciming did not hesitate; with a surge of spiritual power, he shoved three Qi Refining stage disciples from the Netherworld Path out of the protective light barrier.

"Ugh... ah..."

The three Qi Refining disciples wore expressions of sheer terror. Their mouths hung open stiffly, emitting a few raspy, guttural tones from their throats. "Liu... Uncle-Master..."

On their foreheads, cheeks, and necks, irregular tumors and lumps began to bulge. It was as if something was writhing beneath their skin and veins.

BOOM!!!

In the night, a glaring blood-red light erupted, followed by a deafening explosion that resonated across the entire Shigu Terrace. The roar surged like a violent tide, spreading wildly in all directions, dissolving the torrential attacks of the Six Sects' cultivators.

As the roar and dust gradually settled, the figures of the Netherworld Path demonic cultivators were nowhere to be seen. The teleportation talisman they had used was of a very high grade; it seemed they had been prepared for this all along.

"Humph!" Shen Yu flicked his wide sleeve and led the disciples of the Xuanyuan Sect away from Shigu Terrace. Had there not been an external threat present, he would have left long ago. Now that the demons were gone, he had no desire to linger.

Next to depart was the Suspended Sword Mountain. Song Yan had already returned to Xu Ziqing’s side. The elder looked him up and down, nodding with great satisfaction. Anyone bold enough to kill a Xuanyuan Sect disciple in broad daylight was surely a talent worth cultivating!

The masters of the Huadu Temple were already chanting, performing rites to ferry the lost souls. Elder Fu Xiao, as the current person in charge, began to arrange the aftermath. "Yuzhen, go summon the Prefect of Changping. As for the other sects, take stock of your casualties and return to Changping Prefecture to recuperate!"

"Yes, Elder."

***

Ordinarily, with the demonic cultivators gone and the affairs of Changping concluded, this should have been a relaxed time for the Six Sects' disciples to exchange their merits for treasures. However, the Xuanyuan Sect was an exception.

Shen Yu refused to participate in any further work, citing that the "urgent matters of Changping have been resolved." He ordered his disciples to complete all administrative handovers and treasure exchanges within a single day. A day later, the Xuanyuan Sect’s quarters, both the Elder’s Hall and the Yangwu Hall, were completely deserted. They did not even attend the requiem ceremony held by the Huadu Temple. Before leaving, Shen Yu held a secret meeting with several elders from the Suspended Sword Mountain. As for the content of that conversation, only those involved would ever know.

Xu Ziqing, meanwhile, remained unhurried, working with Yu Zhen of the Sheyang Sect to lead the recovery efforts in Changping. The two sects combined forces to clear out remaining demonic traces, pacify the local civilians, and take control of the Shigu Terrace ruins. The Huadu Temple and the Spirit Talisman Sect also contributed to these efforts.

Because the matters in Changping concluded much earlier than expected, war merits were distributed based on the settlement of the current round. For the vast majority of disciples, this was a stroke of luck—they were spared months of garrison duty while still receiving the treasures they desired.

Song Yan was no exception. Beyond the merits reserved for the Breakthrough Pill, he could now exchange for minor items like spirit-refining elixirs or cloud-iron for weapon crafting.

During these few days of lingering in Changping, rumors about him were everywhere. The account of how he shot down Shen Huai and then decapitated him with a single sword strike had been embellished with various tall tales. Among the many Qi Refining cultivators, it was whispered that Song Yan of the Dongyuan Sect was "cruel to his peers and bloodthirsty by nature"—a disgrace to the righteous path, reeking of demonic intent. Some claimed he was so selfish and insane that he not only used brutal methods but also destroyed a chance at God Transformation, ruining a great fortune for the cultivators of the Chu State.

However, those who had been present that day also spoke up to clear his name, spreading word that the Xuanyuan Sect had failed to steal the treasure and lost a disciple in the process, truly suffering a double loss. Now, they were merely trying to smear Song Yan’s name out of pettiness.

The disciples of the Huadu Temple and the Spirit Talisman Sect did not involve themselves much in this war of rumors, though in private, their evaluations of Song Yan were polarized. Some deemed him calm and decisive, while others accused him of "excessive hostility." Regardless of what the Six Sects' disciples concluded, every Qi Refining cultivator shared one common realization: the disciples of the Dongyuan Sect acted without restraint, and this fellow Daoist Song was exceptionally skilled at killing. It was best not to provoke him.

***

None of these external rumors prompted any special reaction from Song Yan. He sat in his room, the *Buxizhou* sword resting across his knees, his eyes tightly closed. Only now did he have the time to sense his natal flying sword in detail.

Beneath the Sword Dao Mansion, a small black-and-white sword hovered above the sprout of the Sword Dao Seed. Its shape was identical to the physical sword. Perhaps it was because he was so accustomed to using the *Buxizhou* that his mind had already adopted it as the form of his natal flying sword. It was quite ironic, really.

As of today, Song Yan had grasped the Intent of the Sword, and his natal flying sword was finally complete. He had truly stepped onto the path of the ancient sword cultivators and could now rightfully call himself a "Sword Cultivator."

The realization of the Sword Intent had catalyzed many things. With the natal flying sword formed, the Sword Dao Seed began to sprout, and the spiritual cultivation within his body had surged forward significantly.

"I only wonder if such good fortune will come again in the future."

The other sword techniques and sword postures recorded in the *Sword Planting Manual* and the *Essentials of Swordsmanship* could now be put on the agenda. His "Cloud Sword" was already masterfully refined; it was time to explore new methods and moves.

First, within the *Sword Planting Manual*, besides the "Hidden Sword and Restrained Spirit" posture, two others were recorded: the "Sword-Wielding Immortal Wandering" posture and the "Leaning on the Sword to Observe Heaven" posture.

The "Sword-Wielding Immortal Wandering" posture contained a movement technique and an escape art: "Cloud-Surpassing Will" and "Wandering the Great Void." Song Yan glanced at them briefly; the latter was a secret sword art of "Human-Sword Unity" for high-speed flight, perfect for pursuing enemies or escaping. However, this secret art required at least the Foundation Establishment realm to cultivate, so he set it aside for now. The "Cloud-Surpassing Will" acted similarly to a Wind Escape Talisman, channeling sword energy to circulate around his body, allowing him to move with greater agility. It was not strictly for travel; in combat, it made one’s movements far more fluid, hence its classification as a "movement technique."

The "Leaning on the Sword to Observe Heaven" posture contained two special techniques. One was the "Sword Dao Avatar," which also required the Foundation Establishment realm, so Song Yan skipped it.

The other was a pupil technique.

"Void-Observing Sword Eyes..."

Beneath the name was only a single line of small text as a summary:

"Piercing the void and breaking delusions, observing the wind to find the gaps..."

"One sword to slay the enemy."