CHAPTER 533: CHAPTER 318: STRANGE CHARACTERS

Creak—

The door opened.

The woman in a light yellow long dress stood there like a sharp sword, unwavering.

The distance from the door to where she stood was precisely twenty steps, a customary distance to give guests who visited a moment to wait. The conversation within wasn’t deliberately concealed, and with her acute hearing, she could capture every word without any effort.

"Nephew Liu, you’ve changed quite a bit since we last met, your cultivation... has advanced again."

Master Gu walked out of the wooden house with a smile.

Since the reopening of Swordmaster Peak, Liu Xianzi’s wardrobe was no longer limited to black and white. With Su Yi and Lu Luo, who were fashion enthusiasts, naturally, they managed their Peak Master’s image more tastefully.

After all, with Liu Tangxi’s inherent elegance, she attracted countless gazes without any extra embellishments, yet no matter how her attire changed, her sharp aura and presence never altered, simply standing there imparted an invisible pressure.

Even Gu Yuanshan couldn’t hide a trace of surprise in his eyes when he saw his nephew who had returned from the Country Liang.

"Fifty years ago, when this child just succeeded the position of the second junior brother, becoming the Peak Master of Swordmaster Peak, her strength was still on par with the fifth brother and sixth sister, at most a bit superior, with just a minor achievement in the Violet Firmament Sword Technique."

"Forty years ago, though I could still suppress her, it was already quite strenuous. Among the Guest Elders and the Peak Masters of various peaks, perhaps only He Niu, Lu Buwei, and Zhang Sifeng along with the top three elders could barely surpass her."

"Thirty years ago, the Sword Technique was perfected, Tangxi unsheathed, and among the Nine Peaks, none was her match."

"The strongest among the Nine Peaks were Old Lu and Old Zhang, both who were utterly suppressed throughout their sparring sessions with her, seemingly with much strength to spare. Though He Niu had a trick of breaking through magical barriers that could counter the sword technique, that kid was clever, refraining from engaging with this junior disciple."

"But to decline a challenge was essentially akin to conceding."

"Twenty years ago, within the Purple Cloud Palace, second only to one."

"Had it not been for someone attacking the sect, Young Master and Old Ancestor Niu might not have engaged in such intense battles throughout their lives. Even if they did, it was only their years of skills and cultivation that momentarily allowed them to have the upper hand. If the battle was prolonged or they were restrained, they would likely have lacked the stamina to continue."

"About ten years ago, she reached mastery that borders the divine, slaying various evil spirits relentlessly. Previously, she traveled for fifty years without pausing a day, from the Southern Border to the Northern Wilderness, from the East Sea to the Demon Race, and even ventured beyond the Desert of Western Wilderness on her own."

"Even Liu Jian of the past did not dare as boldly as she did. I have been to that desolate land too, but managed to stay just under a year before returning. The place lacked replenishing spiritual energy, depleting quickly with use. Yet her way of tempering the Sword Intent made her quite adaptable."

"Altogether, went beyond the realm for three years, pursuing for three years the evil cultivators who had been at large for a century, slain twenty-three in total, among whom eight were top figures in the major sect forces before falling into the Demonic Path, including within Xuanyin, Taiyi, Hehuan, Yuhua, the six families of the Southern Border, the Northern Snow King, and former top members of the East Sea Three Clans."

"Words like these wouldn’t be believed by many."

"This time, she went to Country Liang and achieved something earth-shattering again, facing the Jiu He brothers, she easily subdued them single-handedly. Had it not been for that Xumi Ruler, at least one of them would certainly have fallen, exchanging life for life."

"Within the Xuanyin Sect, perhaps only the old dog Xuan could spar with my junior niece. Her regular progress is truly enviable, yet also truly worrying..."

He couldn’t help but feel some emotion.

In the past, he did many things that were hard for ordinary people to understand. In hindsight, it was Master Gu, as the sect master, who ultimately benefited, even though his actions were so concealed that ordinary people wouldn’t notice, yet the suspicion surrounding him couldn’t be cleansed.

Especially concerning Liu Tangxi, she could be called a victim. If possible, he hoped his niece would forever maintain a similar level to the other Peak Masters; that alone would be enough.

It’s not jealousy, but protection.

"Sect Master, several uncles are waiting at Dragon Head Peak."

Liu Tangxi merely nodded slightly when seeing the sect master walking towards her, her expression unchanged.

She once held doubts about some actions and deeds of Gu Yuanshan, yet she understood his character well, especially after she personally investigated with her own capabilities, resulting in surprising findings.

The evil cultivators she chased for years were former high-ranking figures of major sects who fell into the Demonic Path, which was why she was so persistent.

At least, in her understanding, Gu Yuanshan was fully qualified to hold the position of sect master; he was a perfect leader, always prioritizing the sect’s interests, a fact that would never change.

"Alright, I’m going now."

The man smiled casually, always maintaining a humble image in front of his brothers and juniors, saying he would go but merely stood still.

With hands crossed behind his back, the warmth in his tone carried a few shades of seriousness and rigor.

"Earlier when I was talking to the Junior Master, we weren’t concealing our words; the Junior Master not only spoke for me to hear but also for you, Nephew. How much of it could you understand?"

"Seventy percent, there’s thirty percent I’m uncertain about."

Her response was unhesitant, her honesty frightening.

As Jiang Feng said, they were all cunning figures of a thousand years; playing mind games in front of such seniors had lost all meaning. Anything on her mind or concerns were something they could see through at a glance.

Liu Tangxi’s way of responding... No, she didn’t need to respond; she could say anything directly, for now she had the confidence and the strength to do so.