"Headmaster, save us!"
Behind Daoist Nun Xuan'ai, several thousand disciples cried out in unison, their voices heart-wrenching and moving. Daoist Nun Qingyu couldn't tell if Daoist Nun Xuan'ai had momentarily released her control, or if she was controlling the disciples to shout like this.
"What on earth do you want? The position of Headmaster? It's yours, I can give you anything, just let these disciples go!"
Daoist Nun Qingyu said through gritted teeth. The situation forced her hand, leaving her no choice but to bow to Daoist Nun Xuan'ai. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, forced out by her anger.
Daoist Nun Xuan'ai sent Daoist Nun Qingyu flying with a palm strike and said with disdain, "The position of Headmaster? I once wanted it very much, but now, I only want to stay by the side of the Red Dust Ancestor."
"Human Emperor Jiang may have already noticed something is wrong. I need to control the Sect-Protecting Great Formation to block him and Martial Niece Jin Xin, so obediently hand over the core of the great formation." ...
"Human Emperor Jiang, Martial Niece Jin Xin, you're too late."
Daoist Nun Xuan'ai pinned Daoist Nun Qingyu under her foot, her face full of mockery. The Sect-Protecting Great Formation activated, covering the entire Red Dust Pure Land like a bubble. It looked as if it could be popped with a single breath, but it was in fact incomparably sturdy.
The Red Dust Pure Land had existed for ten thousand years, renowned for its mystery and peerless beauties. Countless people had come prying, and it had faced numerous crises, but all were stopped by the Sect-Protecting Great Formation. No one had ever been able to break through it.
Daoist Nun Xuan'ai wasn't the least bit worried that Jiang Li could break the Sect-Protecting Great Formation. This was a formation the Red Dust Ancestor had brought from the Immortal Realm. Even if an ordinary Immortal were to attack it with their full strength, the formation wouldn't even tremble.
She refused to believe Jiang Li could break it! He, Jiang Li, was merely a Mahayana Stage cultivator with a mortal body, not some Supreme from the Immortal Realm. How could he possibly compare to a great formation from the Immortal Realm!
Although Holy Maiden Jing Xin often overstepped her authority, seeing her master insulted in such a way made her eyes turn red, and she began to bombard the Sect-Protecting Great Formation. A Peerless Green Lotus spun and bloomed in the void. Space rippled as if unable to bear the lotus's weight.
Holy Maiden Jing Xin pointed forward, and the Peerless Green Lotus slammed viciously into the great formation, causing space itself to shatter. Seeing the Sect-Protecting Great Formation completely unharmed, dozens more green lotuses bloomed in the void and smashed into the formation together.
The intense heatwave from the explosions flattened the surrounding area, but the Sect-Protecting Great Formation remained completely unaffected. Jiang Li took a step forward and patted the panting Holy Maiden Jing Xin on the shoulder.
"My turn."
Those two simple words revealed Jiang Li's confidence. Daoist Nun Xuan'ai laughed as if she'd heard the funniest joke, throwing her head back.
"Human Emperor Jiang, I respect your contributions to the Nine Provinces and don't wish to humiliate you. Stand down, or your legend of invincibility will be shattered today!"
Jiang Li ignored her, instead shouting to Daoist Nun Qingyu, who was pinned underfoot, "Headmaster Qingyu, I'll save your life today. In return, don't hold a grudge against me anymore. How about we call it even?"
Before Daoist Nun Qingyu could even reply with an "Alright," Jiang Li swung his fist. The Sect-Protecting Great Formation, which had stood undamaged for ten thousand years, cracked and shattered like a mirror. Daoist Nun Xuan'ai was dumbfounded, and an immense fear rose in her heart.
Seeing Jiang Li and Holy Maiden Jing Xin walking towards her step by step, she hurriedly pointed at the thousand or so disciples and screamed, losing her composure, "Don't move! I've planted Heart-Controlling Gu in all these disciples. With a single thought, they will all kill themselves!
No matter how fast your actions are, can you be faster than my thought!" Jiang Li did indeed stop walking forward. He looked at her quietly and said slowly, "I am indeed not confident that I can be faster than a thought."
Daoist Nun Xuan'ai breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed her life was safe for the time being. Then, she couldn't help but want to sneer.
Whether it was the haughty Daoist Nun Qingyu or the world-defying Human Emperor Jiang, weren't they still listening to her obediently because they were concerned about the lives of a group of Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation disciples? This was laughable in Daoist Nun Xuan'ai's eyes. Daoist Nun Qingyu and Human Emperor Jiang were merely strong in cultivation.
They couldn't abandon others, their minds were not strong enough, so they couldn't be considered true experts. Only someone like herself—ruthless, self-centered, and highly cultivated—could be considered a true expert! She believed that one day, she would surpass Jiang Li and reign supreme over the world!
"My demands are not excessive. Let me leave with the Red Dust Ancestor, and you all must swear an oath to the heavens..."
"... But why would I need to be faster than a thought?"
Jiang Li took out a sword from his storage ring. Seeing things were not looking good, Daoist Nun Xuan'ai hurriedly ordered some disciples to commit suicide to intimidate Jiang Li. Jiang Li swung his sword.
Not even a sliver of sword qi was unleashed, yet the Gu worms inside the bodies of the thousand or so disciples were all sliced in two, dying instantly! The disciples who were just about to kill themselves instantly broke free from the control and halted their actions!
"My swordsmanship is clumsy, I only know this one move."
Jiang Li continued walking towards Daoist Nun Xuan'ai, who was so frightened she collapsed to the ground, losing all strength to stand. She kicked her legs frantically, trying to shuffle backward.
"This move is called the Heart Sword. It rises from a thought and lands in the sea of consciousness. In that instant of rising and falling, sword qi forms within the body."
"This move was originally used to sever a person's meridians and flay their flesh from their bones. It seems now that it's also perfectly suited for slaying Gu worms and saving people."
"Wait, I still have..."
Seeing Jiang Li raise his long sword, its cold glint shining in the moonlight, Daoist Nun Xuan'ai was scared out of her wits, her soul nearly leaving her body. She hastily tried to explain her value to Jiang Li. However, Jiang Li didn't even bother to listen.
With a swing of his sword, her head flew high into the air. Xuan'ai died with her eyes wide open.
"To kill you, I don't need any special sword techniques."
With that unremarkable swing of the sword, one that could hardly be called a technique, the dust settled on everything. Jiang Li had originally intended to let Holy Maiden Jing Xin resolve this matter herself, but alas, it had exceeded the scope of what she could handle alone, so he had to step in.
"Thank you, Human Emperor Jiang, for helping the Red Dust Pure Land overcome this calamity. This humble woman, Jing Xin, has no way to repay you, so I can only offer myself to you." ...
Seeing that Holy Maiden Jing Xin could still make a joke, Jiang Li figured her Dao Heart was unharmed. He didn't take her up on it and instead walked over to Daoist Nun Qingyu.
"Your entire sect was schemed against to the point where it almost became another Joyful Union Sect. You people of the Red Dust Pure Land need to be more careful. I will keep this matter a secret for you; word will not get out."
Daoist Nun Qingyu knelt on the ground with sincere gratitude and performed a grand salute to Jiang Li. Just as he had said before saving her, all their past grievances were now wiped clean.
She no longer saw Human Emperor Jiang as the enemy who killed her former lover, but as the benefactor who had saved the Red Dust Pure Land. Without Jiang Li, their Red Dust Pure Land would have become a laughingstock, and she, Qingyu, would have been nailed to the pillar of shame in the sect's history.
"The Red Dust Pure Land will forever remember Human Emperor Jiang's actions tonight." ...
"... Big Brother Jiang, am I dying?"
In Lower River Town, the light was fading from Du Xin'er's eyes. She could no longer see her visitors clearly, only sensing by feeling that it was Jiang Li who had come. In reality, it was not just Jiang Li who had arrived; Holy Maiden Jing Xin was there too.
But she had deliberately concealed her presence, not daring to face this simple-minded junior sister of hers. With the death of their master, Daoist Nun Xuan'ai, the Gu worms all perished. At this moment, corpses littered the grounds of both Upper River Town and Lower River Town, the air thick with the aura of death.
Du Xin'er had been a Golden Core cultivator in life, so she could hang on for a little while longer, but not for much. In a somber voice, Jiang Li told Du Xin'er everything that had happened. Holy Maiden Jing Xin hid to the side, silently wiping away her tears.
"Is that so... So I was dead all along. No wonder I could never cultivate..."
Du Xin'er smiled, but even she didn't understand why she was smiling.
"Senior Sister Jin Xin isn't here? I'd really like to see her one last time..."
Hearing this, Holy Maiden Jing Xin no longer concealed her presence and immediately rushed forward, grasping Du Xin'er's small, cold hand.
"Junior Sister Xin'er, Senior Sister is here, Senior Sister is here!"
But Du Xin'er gave no response, her head limply falling to one side. She was dead.
(End of Chapter)