Within the Clear Wind Sect.
The Grand Elder, Daoist Clear Wind, sat cross-legged in meditation.
He had originally been a man devoted to the Dao, but now his mind was in turmoil, so much so that he had been unable to advance even an inch for many years.
All because there was a junior at the foot of Clear Wind Mountain who bullied others by leveraging his power, and who was, bit by bit, destroying his legacy.
Even the Clear Wind Sect's external mines and herb-growing lands had been seized one by one.
If this continued, he feared that in another hundred years, the Clear Wind Sect would no longer exist, and he himself would be reduced to a rogue cultivator.
Even if he were to truly abandon the entire Clear Wind Sect, his mind would still not be at peace.
This was because the Heavenly Star Sword Saint's potential was even more terrifying than he had imagined; this man was absolutely not someone who would let things go easily.
A person who could stand guard outside the Clear Wind Sect for thirty years, even if he fled to the ends of the world, the Heavenly Star Sword Saint would hunt him down after breaking through to the Divinity Transformation realm.
"When have I ever been humiliated to this degree? When?!"
He was trapped in a dead end. Now, there wasn't a single day he didn't regret injuring Li Yaozu at the Azure Cloud border back then!
What he feared was not just the Heavenly Star Sword Saint at the foot of the mountain; he also feared Li Dalong, who was rumored to have broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm within the Wu Clan's territory, and those other Li family members who were rumored to have escaped!
A small place like the Azure Cloud region, for some unknown reason, actually possessed such great Qi Luck. Even the Heavenly Star Sword Saint had obtained a fortuitous opportunity there and became a disciple of the Sacred Hall Sword Pavilion.
While he was lost in thought.
The Clear Wind Sect Master had already hurried over.
"Grand Elder," he reported, "the crisis of our Clear Wind Sect can finally be considered resolved. The Heavenly Star Sword Saint has agreed. If we gift him our sect's legacy Dharma Treasure, the Spirit-Gathering Cauldron, he will then make a vow to no longer harass our Clear Wind Sect."
Daoist Clear Wind looked at the Clear Wind Sect Master and was speechless for a long, long time.
The Clear Wind Sect Master still thought the Grand Elder was merely reluctant to part with the artifact and said with a sigh, "This Spirit-Gathering Cauldron has no real killing power. It's used for refining talismans and concocting medicines and pills; it is among the poorest class of Dharma Treasures, far inferior even to a supreme-grade spirit artifact. To trade this for the peace and safety of our sect... Grand Elder, surely such a trade is worthwhile, isn't it?"
"This is not a matter of whether it's worthwhile."
Daoist Clear Wind let out a sigh. "When has my Clear Wind Sect ever suffered such humiliation? What we are giving away is my face, the face of our Clear Wind Sect. That man outside is bullying us by leveraging his power. If not for the Sacred Hall Sword Pavilion, I would kill him right now. I only hate... I only hate that back then, I didn't join that group of mysterious people in storming the Li family estate and slaughtering them all."
"I would have," the elder declared, "and I would have done it more cleanly and decisively than they did."
Hearing this, the Clear Wind Sect Master frowned.
Never mind regretting it or not; if the Grand Elder had really gone to the Li family back then, it's not certain he would have returned alive. How could he stand here and talk so tough now?
He suddenly felt that perhaps if the Grand Elder had actually died at the Li family estate, the Clear Wind Sect wouldn't have ended up in its current state.
Soon, he took the Spirit-Gathering Cauldron from the Grand Elder and headed down the mountain.
Even if it was the weakest of Dharma Treasures, the Clear Wind Sect Master couldn't help but feel a pang of reluctance as he handed the storage ring to the Heavenly Star Sword Saint.
The Heavenly Star Sword Saint took the storage ring and, without any ambiguity, laughed loudly and proclaimed, "I hereby swear that in this life, I will never again harass the Clear Wind Sect. From this day forward, I will no longer concern myself with the matters of that year. If I violate this vow, may I die without a burial place!"
The Clear Wind Sect Master was stunned for a moment. He had asked the Heavenly Star Sword Saint to make a vow, but he never expected him to be so accommodating, which also allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
He couldn't help but grit his teeth and say to the Heavenly Star Sword Saint, "Your Excellency, Heavenly Star, I have one more thing to say."
The Heavenly Star Sword Saint, in the midst of his delight, gave a slight nod. "Please, speak."
"The Grand Elder has truly gotten old. He injured Li Yaozu back then, and although Your Excellency, Heavenly Star, has settled the grudge with my Clear Wind Sect today, it does not mean the Li family is willing to let the matter rest."
The Clear Wind Sect Master let out a long sigh. "I beg you, Heavenly Star Sword Saint, to inform the Li family that the Grand Elder's actions have never had anything to do with us."
Hearing this, the Heavenly Star Sword Saint's expression became playful, filled with endless mockery.
"Since it had nothing to do with you, why didn't you say so back then? Why say it only now? If I hadn't become an Elder of the Sacred Hall Sword Pavilion, if I hadn't become the third-ranked master on the Nascent Divinity List, would you be speaking to me with such a deferential attitude? Back when the Wu Clan attacked, I saw it all clearly then, you people from Eternal Sun Prefecture are all utterly laughable."
The Clear Wind Sect Master's expression was awkward. The Heavenly Star Sword Saint's words had stripped away his last shred of dignity.
However, the Heavenly Star Sword Saint did not make things difficult for him. He let out a cold snort.
"You don't need to say those words to me," he said. "Go and say them to the person actually concerned."
Just as he was filled with confusion, the Clear Wind Sect Master's face filled with horror. From atop Clear Wind Mountain came an aura of brilliant, revealed sharpness.
A sword, descending from the heavens!
That sword was simple and unadorned, as if its true edge were concealed, yet it was impossible not to be drawn into its presence.
Though it was so small, high up in the sky, it nevertheless captured one's heart and soul, making it impossible to look away!
"This is..." The Clear Wind Sect Master looked at the smile on the Heavenly Star Sword Saint's face, and he suddenly understood something.
In the Li family of Azure Cloud, there was a sword cultivator of stunning and brilliant talent!
As that sword slowly descended, an ice-cold voice rang out from the sky.
"Clear Wind, you old villain, come out and face your death!"
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