"Now, now the Lord of the City is coming...?" He Yuanchang stammered.
A ripple of agitation spread across the face of Wei Zhimiaohua, who stood beside him.
The training they had accumulated on the sacred mountain of the Daoist sect was shattered, leaving them in shock.
"The Lord of the City is personally...?"
"It has indeed been a long time since the Lord has ventured into the martial world. It has been about fifteen years since he destroyed the Dairi Kingdom," Qingming said slowly.
In the martial world, fifteen years was enough time for a generation of young masters to rise and fall.
It meant that he had not shown his true power for a long time.
Some of the later-stage cultivators, having built deep foundations with elixirs, looked down upon the older generation.
Martial arts were skills that developed with the passage of time.
No disciple of the esteemed orthodox lineage would fear the unparalleled martial arts of centuries past.
However, the Lord of the City was a different being.
"I witnessed with my own eyes the divine power that destroyed the Yunnan Dairi royal family..."
Wei Zhimiaohua murmured as she stroked her sword.
The shock was immense, momentarily overshadowing her concern for Zheng Yanshin.
Qingming glanced at her and waved his hand toward He Yuanchang.
"I cannot imagine how fast his movement techniques will be. It would not be strange if he has already entered Nanzhijie. Inform Jihyun to prepare a reception. We must also summon the branch leader of Huiju. We must greet him with the respect due to a king."
"The branch leader too!" He Yuanchang exclaimed, rushing out of the room.
An existence that could only be described as a divine being was descending.
The branch leader, who oversaw the entire Huiju region, held a rank three levels higher than Jihyun.
He had a status comparable to that of the head of the Nangong family.
Even so, one must show proper respect in front of the Lord of the City.
She was a king recognized by the emperor.
"The Lord will be arriving. Prepare yourselves."
"... What did you say?" He Yuanchang conveyed Qingming's words to Jihyun, and he couldn't help but relish the sight of the panicked expression on his face.
This place, Jihyun, was closely tied to the Nangong family, a prominent clan in Nanzhijie.
The indifference they had shown toward the demands for military conscription had vanished completely.
It was then that they emerged from the government office.
A middle-aged swordsman dressed in blue martial attire stood in the great hall.
His gaze, fixed on He Yuanchang, was anything but ordinary.
He did not seem to be consciously raising his aura, yet the energy permeating the air was exceedingly heavy.
"The Azure Sky Boundless Sword!" He Yuanchang immediately recalled the name of the Nangong family's elite.
The attire was identical to that of those wretched beings.
"You, Lord of the City."
The swordsman, with a thick black beard, spoke.
"You are plotting something outrageous. How dare you gather martial artists while disregarding the main family in Nanzhijie? If you lack respect for the local aristocracy, you are no different from the lawless scum."
"Who are you?"
"I am Nangong Wei, a rogue of the Lord of the City."
He Yuanchang fell silent for a moment.
He knew well who this was.
He was the deputy leader of the renowned Azure Sky Sword Heaven Group.
It was said that he was one of the top swordsmen in Nanzhijie, a master whose skills were difficult for even the most skilled blue cultivators to guarantee a victory against.
"I could lose my head over this."
The Nangong family was known to be a higher-ranking clan than the Huangbo family.
Judging by Jihyun's attitude, the local government and the aristocracy were likely deeply intertwined.
They had the power to cover up a murder in the heart of the government office.
He Yuanchang cautiously opened his mouth.
"You hypocritical scoundrel. Do you feel any respect for the local aristocracy, knowing the baseless behavior of your family? How could you utter such words of inhumanity after reciting the teachings of Confucius and the Four Books? Are you not ashamed to look upon your deceased parents?"
The accumulated resentment burst forth in a calm tone.
There was a quiet dignity radiating from him.
Nangong Wei's reaction was delayed by a breath.
"What did you say?"
"You are the true rogue of the martial world. You turned a blind eye to the death of the late-stage cultivator who sought to stabilize the lives of the people by slaying the scum of the cult. Now, your nature is to gather martial artists to attack that cult, yet you speak of your family's honor while ignoring your own actions..."
As He Yuanchang's words continued, the aura emanating from Nangong Wei grew stronger.
He Yuanchang remained unfazed.
"That sight is truly a spectacle."
He concluded with a refreshing expression.
Nangong Wei shook his head.
"... Did you think I would not draw my sword because I am in the government office?"
Boom.
The sound of his sword began to resonate powerfully.
It was indeed a renowned swordsman, and the aura of his sword was extraordinary.
Just as He Yuanchang was about to call for Qingming and Wei Zhimiaohua, a sudden sound cut through the air.
There was no sound of slicing.
In an instant, with a gentle breeze, Nangong Wei's head was severed.
The head fell to the ground with a sense of emptiness.
It was as natural as a leaf falling from a tree.
The body of the esteemed swordsman collapsed to the ground, opposite the head that rolled away.
It was a demise so surreal that it felt unreal.
When did it begin? An unending breeze swirled around them like a mirage.
It was an exceedingly strange moment.
The colorless gusts felt as if a faint green hue was rippling from all directions.
Time seemed to freeze in the government office.
A gentle transcendence began to sprout in the silence-drenched hall.
"The crime of Nangong..."
A melodious voice echoed from the rooftop.
"Shall be buried alongside the sins of the cult."
The hem of the garment, colored like tender green leaves, fluttered gracefully.
He Yuanchang had already tilted his head upward.
His eyes widened in astonishment.
Soon, he knelt with a composed posture, trembling with excitement coursing through his body.
"Are you awake?" A mischievous whisper tickled his ears.
It was a thick breath of inner power.
He was now accustomed to it.
The breath of the Seventh Cultivator.
Zheng Yanshin opened his eyes immediately.
His senses did not awaken right away.
Although he could sharpen his awareness throughout his body with a mere thought, the activation of his inner energy was slow for a moment.
He soon realized.
He had been suppressed.
"I have been subjected to the Blood Vein once again."
The face of the Seventh Cultivator filled half of his vision.
It bore a deep affection.
He could feel desire as well.
Zheng Yanshin quietly gazed into her red eyes and spoke.
"What have you done?"
"I wish to keep your dazzling body safe. I have drawn a picture. The child that I see before me shall remain in the main sect forever."
She smiled sweetly and straightened her back.
Zheng Yanshin then recognized the pungent smell of ink and paint.
Could she be skilled in painting? On the large paper held by the Seventh Cultivator was a depiction of his entire body.
It was not a mere portrait.
It represented the internal structure of his body.
The three meridians and blood vessels, including the eight extraordinary meridians, and the three dantians were all depicted.
There was one particularly striking detail.
The top of his head was depicted with an open blood vessel.
It was drawn with astonishing precision.
A human anatomy illustration.
The Seventh Cultivator had infused inner energy into his body to observe it.
She was indeed a master of the art of cultivation.
She raised her lips.
"Could it be? Is there a child in the main sect who could match your talent?"
"... I have heard that strange divine beings emerge from the Blood Flame Cult. They use the power of regeneration in their medical practices. The physicians who walk the righteous path must be falling behind."
"This will become a treasure."
"You are using the cultists as sacrifices. How very typical of the rogue sect."
Their conversation did not align.
It was a relationship bound by the law of the jungle in the martial world.
The cheerful Seventh Cultivator and the calm Zheng Yanshin were fundamentally at odds.
He closed his eyes again and focused his thoughts on the lower dantian.
The Moon Phase Harmonization Technique passed down by the Lord of the City was said to be an unparalleled martial art in the world.
He had spent a considerable amount of time training to create a new inner energy that was extremely fast.
By carefully examining the techniques, he had gained insights.
Indeed, Zheng Yanshin was already familiar with the Rising Earth Method.
"So this is how it returns after I spoke of the inner energy to the Lord."
The techniques he had learned from the Blood Flame Cult unfolded in his mind as he recalled the Rising Blood Technique.
He had classified the effects of the inner energy on the brain.
He could distinguish the techniques that affected the brain.
He immediately extracted it.
"What are you doing...?" The Seventh Cultivator cautiously spoke.
It seemed she had kept in mind the anger she had felt alone the day before and had repeatedly apologized.
Zheng Yanshin paid no mind and practiced the Rising Blood Technique.
He followed the Seventh Cultivator's intent.
He took the nature of her inner energy and infused it into his own body.
"That's it."
After breaking down the technique, the next steps were completed in an instant.
A new path for his inner energy was etched in his mind.
He could now remove the inner energy of the Seventh Cultivator that had gripped his life force within his blood vessels.
Moreover, he realized one thing.
"The regenerative power of the blood technique stems from the extraction of inner energy."
The words of the cult leader echoed in his mind.
He had been warned not to touch the fundamentals.
The martial arts of the Blood Flame Cult were intertwined as one.
Even if one knew the techniques, they could not be used openly outside.
Zheng Yanshin was already contemplating his escape.
He slowly parted his lips.
"Your martial arts."
"Huh? Huh?"
"I am currently working on the Rising Blood Technique. Is it truly alright for me to adapt it to you? It is the martial art of all the cultists."
"Ah!" The face of the Seventh Cultivator turned pale with joy.
She nodded repeatedly.
"Others have their pride as high-level masters! They won't even practice it! You only need to look at me! The cult leader will focus on the Blood Technique!"
As she spoke, she brought forth a neatly folded bundle.
It was red.
Judging by its thickness and shape, it was a red robe.
It resembled the clothes she often wore.
"This is the Pure Blood Robe. It was made by intertwining the techniques of our sect and the Heavenly Silk Technique. It cannot be scratched by ordinary swords."
"... It is a precious item."
"Yes. There are only a few in our sect. Only the cultists can receive it."
He had already had his Lord of the City attire confiscated.
Zheng Yanshin looked down at the bundle and spoke.
"Let’s go for a walk."
"Do you still have lingering feelings for the Lord of the City?" The Seventh Cultivator tilted her head slightly and asked, but Zheng Yanshin did not respond.
He had devised a certain plan after observing the formation yesterday.
He needed to wander around and infuse energy into various objects.
How had she accepted the silence? The Seventh Cultivator made various expressions by herself.
Perhaps it was because he mentioned working on the Rising Blood Technique, but he could sense her unexpressed anger and desire.
There seemed to be a hint of regret as well.
"This is not for me. It is due to her own desires."
Zheng Yanshin felt no need to dwell on such emotions.
It was likely the pity felt by the Blood Flame Cultivator.
As he shook his head inwardly, the moment he opened the door wide, the voice that had been irritating his ears since the day began grew louder.
"... And thus, a new Taesa has manifested in our sect! Your hair shall be equal to that of all the cultists! And thus, you shall surely wield the sword of punishment against those wicked rogues and hypocritical scoundrels of Beijing!"
"It is the child of the Third Cultivator. His name is Gao Chongxie."
The Seventh Cultivator spoke in a peculiar tone.
The area was filled with excitement.
It seemed there were at least hundreds of Blood Flame Cultivators present.
A man standing on the central platform of the village was passionately delivering a speech when he suddenly turned his head.
His gaze met Zheng Yanshin's.
In an instant, a smile crept onto his lips.
"There! There he is! He has revealed himself to us!"
At Gao Chongxie's gesture, countless gazes converged.
Even the Seventh Cultivator turned her eyes and smiled gently.
With the following shout from Gao Chongxie, inner energy was infused.
"He is the one who will lead our sect to Beijing! Ah! Take him in! May the Taesa show us miracles and transform our sect!"
The miracles he spoke of seemed to refer to the transformation of the Blood Technique, but it was an unreasonable demand.
It had only been a day since he had spent the night in the main sect.
"The cult leader did not even mention immediate results."
It was said that he was the son of the Third Cultivator who had tested Zheng Yanshin with an inner energy barrier.
It was a moment of realization that there were power struggles even within the cult.
He was already planning to use the reputation he had built to bring great shame.
Was it true that even a gathering of madmen could resemble a place where people lived?
From what the Seventh Cultivator had said in the cult leader's hall, he understood that the Third Cultivator and his son were aiming for the position of the minor sect leader.
The desire for power that had emerged from the madness of the blood technique approached him anew.
Zheng Yanshin shook the bundle he held vigorously.
The bright red and wide sleeves unfurled like a flag.
He began to silently don the robe.
With a few small gestures, the Pure Blood Robe enveloped his body, fluttering in a blood-red hue.
"...".
The crowd fell silent.
Gao Chongxie was no exception.
Zheng Yanshin's appearance was that striking.
Boom.
Perhaps it was because he had begun to channel the Rising Blood Technique that cut through madness.
It was a prayer that had never emerged from the Blood Flame Cult before.
The aura of the blood technique was clear, yet a transparent energy began to evoke the sinister atmosphere unique to the Blood Flame Cult.
Some of the cultists began to murmur.
Various words emerged from all directions.
Cult leader, Taesa, cultist, pure blood...
The energy from his entire body stirred the winds.
From the shoulders of the red robe, dark hair swayed.
In this moment, his appearance was no different from that of the rightful heir of the Blood Flame Cult.
"Show me the miracles of the Taesa?" He asked.