Suddenly, a yellow firework exploded in the sky.
The man set down his teacup and slowly walked into the courtyard. He said leisurely, "As expected, it couldn't be resolved so smoothly."
Another blue firework burst open.
The man's expression suddenly changed.
Haoyue Jun stepped to the doorway, exclaiming, "The first firework signal meant encountering enemies, but this second one... They've found Zhuo Yuean in the city."
A black shadow flashed by, and Jian Wudi appeared beside the man.
"It seems we've found what we sought without effort," the man chuckled. "Well then, Master Jian Wudi..."
"Be back in a moment." With a light tap of his foot, Jian Wudi leaped away and vanished from the courtyard.
Haoyue Jun approached the man, whose expression shifted slightly. "Follow him."
"As you command." Haoyue Jun immediately departed.
Jian Wudi raced toward the direction of the fireworks. His qinggong was exceptional, and with just a few leaps, he had already left Haoyue Jun far behind. Frustrated, Haoyue Jun was about to shout when he noticed Jian Wudi had suddenly stopped. He hurried to catch up and halted, asking, "What's wrong?"
Jian Wudi turned his head, staring silently at a nearby tavern for a long while.
Haoyue Jun was puzzled. Could it be that Jian Wudi had suddenly decided to stop for a drink? This man was obsessed with swords—why would he hesitate now when facing a real opponent? Was he afraid of Zhuo Yuean?
"Luo Yang Tavern," Jian Wudi slowly recited the name of the establishment.
Haoyue Jun asked, confused, "Master Jian, do you wish to go in for a drink?"
"To the west lies a city called Muliang, where resides the Lone Sword Immortal, said to be the strongest among the Five Great Sword Immortals. His name is Luo Qingyang," Jian Wudi murmured.
"Hmm?" Haoyue Jun didn't understand why Jian Wudi suddenly brought this up.
From inside the tavern, a deep voice suddenly rang out: "Luo Qingyang has long secluded himself within the city walls. In all these years, he has never crossed swords with any other Sword Immortal. How can you claim he is the strongest?"
"There's someone inside?" Haoyue Jun was startled.
"Hmph. Petty tricks, and you dare try to harm me?" The voice inside was full of disdain.
Haoyue Jun sensed anger in the voice but saw no one. He guessed, "If it's just petty tricks, why not come out and fight? Hiding in this tavern—what kind of hero are you pretending to be?"
"Hmph!" An angry shout came from within the tavern.
Jian Wudi shoved Haoyue Jun aside just as an incredibly sharp, invisible Sword Qi grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Had Jian Wudi not pushed him in time, Haoyue Jun would already be a corpse. As the master of the World Pavilion, he naturally had some martial skills to rely on besides his cunning. Yet the person inside the tavern could have killed him with just a single, invisible Sword Qi?
"Such terrifying Sword Qi," Haoyue Jun gasped, sitting on the ground.
"Not just terrifying," Jian Wudi shook his head. "What makes this Sword Qi most unique is its killing intent. The weight, the density, the furious Sword Intent within it—among all the people I've met, it ranks first."
"You've met many people?" The voice inside sneered.
"I've seen a few, barely. Jian Wudi of the Martial Hall, Peerless City," Jian Wudi said solemnly. "Pleasure to meet you."The voice sneered, "Peerless City, so impressive? Your name is quite interesting—Jian Wudi, dare you call yourself invincible in front of me?"
"This person is..." Haoyue Jun realized, breaking into a cold sweat. "Why is he here?"
"Have you guessed his identity?" Jian Wudi asked.
"Among the Five Great Sword Immortals, he holds the title of 'Wrath,'" Haoyue Jun replied. "Wrath Sword Immortal Yan Zhantian, wielding the famed sword 'Pojun.' Among the Sword Immortals, he is the one with the heaviest killing intent."
Jian Wudi nodded. "A worthy opponent. But it seems he's trapped by this Flower Poison?"
"Petty tricks, and you think they can hold me?" Yan Zhantian scoffed. "In two hours, this Flower Poison will have no effect on me. When I draw my sword, none of you will survive."
Jian Wudi glanced at Haoyue Jun. "Do you carry the antidote for Fallen Bloom Powder on you?"
Haoyue Jun froze, then quickly shook his head. "No! Sir, you mustn't risk the greater plan for a minor gain. If we let him out, our entire scheme could be ruined."
Jian Wudi rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, lost in thought for a long moment.
Haoyue Jun took a few steps back, ready to flee at any moment. This Jian Wudi truly had a screw loose—even considering the insane idea of giving Yan Zhantian the antidote just to fight a Sword Immortal.
"Forget it," Jian Wudi sighed softly.
Yan Zhantian unleashed another burst of Sword Qi, cleaving the gate in two. "If you won't fight, then get lost."
Jian Wudi grabbed Haoyue Jun by the collar and leaped away. "No need for regret. Our battle will come another day."
Haoyue Jun shuddered inwardly. "Why is this demon here in Sihuai City?"
"Do you think he's the only one who came?" Jian Wudi pressed forward but kept glancing in all directions.
"Sir, are you saying there's more than one expert here?" Haoyue Jun asked, puzzled.
Jian Wudi shook his head. "No, I mean there's more than one Sword Immortal here."
Heaven Revelation City.
Langya King's residence.
Xiao Ruofeng and Xiao Chuhe sat across from each other under the moonlight, playing a game of Go. Xiao Ruofeng was calm and composed, sipping tea and nibbling on snacks, while Xiao Chuhe fidgeted anxiously, hesitating over every move with his black stones. Finally, he slapped his thigh in frustration. "Ah, wrong move!"
"A wrong move is just a wrong move. Your uncle is a crafty old fox. How old are you, thinking you can beat him at Go?" Ji Ruofeng emerged from the shadows, wearing a mask.
"Master, why do you always appear so mysteriously?" Xiao Chuhe wiped his sweat. "Ah, Master ruined the game! This one doesn't count, this one doesn't count!" With that, he scrambled the board.
Xiao Ruofeng was torn between laughter and exasperation. "And this is your excuse to cheat?"
Ji Ruofeng smiled. "That city has begun to move."
"Tonight?" Xiao Ruofeng asked.
"The news hasn't reached us yet, but based on earlier signs, tonight is when they'll strike," Ji Ruofeng replied.
Xiao Chuhe frowned. "What are you two talking about?"
"Children shouldn't listen to such things," Xiao Ruofeng waved him off.Ji Ruofeng laughed: "But they probably never imagined that today's Sihuai City is no ordinary Sihuai City. With all three top masters of Dark River gathered there, and three of the Five Great Sword Immortals going together - is this still Sihuai City? Combined, they could easily take on those three from Snow Moon City."
"Your calculation is flawed," Xiao Ruofeng chuckled. "Little Han Yi can't very well fight against herself."
Xiao Chuhe suddenly understood: "Master, you're really quite wicked!"
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