CHAPTER 366: CHAPTER 325: SWORD IMMORTAL

The Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple was not large, but the Divine Hall was built quite grandly. At its center was enshrined the Supreme Immortal Monarch, and the Four Seasons Everlasting Lamp was placed on the incense table.

The Three-legged Incense Burner, half as tall as a person, was enveloped in swirling smoke.

The polished blue bricks on the floor were smooth and seamless, and a few oil lamps hung from the pillars on both sides.

Even so, the light inside the hall appeared quite dim.

Xiaolian stood at the center of the hall, feeling somewhat at a loss. Having grown up, it was the first time she had entered such a clean and spacious room.

The statue in the hall, shrouded in smoke, appeared a bit intimidating.

Though Xiaolian was usually adventurous, it was only in the familiar environment of her boat, in the familiar waters of the lake. Away from the usual environment, and with her mother gone, she felt even more uneasy.

Gao Xuan swept his sleeve gently, and a cushion slid in front of Xiaolian: "Sit down."

Xiaolian hesitated for a moment but did not sit; she shyly said, "My clothes aren’t clean."

"It’s alright. Sit down."

Gao Xuan said softly, "The cushion is meant for sitting."

Saying this, he sat down on the cushion himself.

Seeing Gao Xuan sit, Xiaolian tentatively sat down across from him. However, she sat directly on the floor.

Gao Xuan did not mind such details; he asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

Xiaolian’s face was filled with confusion: "I, I don’t know."

She had grown up on a fishing boat with her mother from a young age, with no other relatives besides her mother. She only knew how to fish, and besides that, she didn’t know what else she could do.

Gao Xuan also felt a bit troubled; if Xiaolian were a boy, she could naturally stay in the Daoist Temple. But for a girl, it was not appropriate.

They belonged to a legitimate Daoist Sect, and it was impossible to raise a girl in the temple. It would ruin the reputation of the Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple if known.

This behavior would also damage the reputation of the Daoist Sect, and other Daoist Sects would not tolerate it. Even if he wasn’t afraid, it would be very troublesome. It would be even more disadvantageous for Xiaolian.

Gao Xuan thought for a moment and said, "You can stay here for now. We’ll discuss it after the Zhang Family affair is settled."

Xiaolian nodded, and couldn’t help asking, "What about my boat?"

Gao Xuan chuckled: "I’ll find someone to look after it for you. You don’t need to worry for now."

Xiaolian felt a bit uneasy and quietly said, "There’s still a few hundred coins hidden on my boat. Can I go and retrieve them first?"

She had followed Gao Xuan hurriedly and had just experienced the great shock of her mother’s death, feeling absent-minded, even forgetting her own money.

Now, calming down, she immediately thought of the few hundred coins she and her mother had painstakingly saved.

"I’ll retrieve it for you. Stay here and rest, and don’t wander around."

Gao Xuan advised, "The Zhang Family won’t just let it go. This matter will take some time to resolve."

Xiaolian felt helpless; she had witnessed Gao Xuan’s skills and was filled with awe for this junior Daoist, not daring to refute.

"You go rest for now."

Gao Xuan said, "I will find a couple of clean sets of clothes for you, you can wear them for now..."

As Gao Xuan said this, he suddenly had a sense of feeling, and he called towards the door: "Now that you’re here, please come in."

The main door of the hall opened, and Yu Yang Daoist and Lingyang Daoist entered the hall.

Both Daoists were wearing gorgeous Daoist robes, carrying longswords on their backs, and holding dusters in their hands.

Indeed, in terms of appearance, they had the demeanor of high-ranking individuals from the Daoist Sect.

As soon as Yu Yang Daoist entered the hall, he saw Xiaolian, clearly a poor girl in her short clothes. He sneered: "Gao Xuan, so it was indeed you who killed Young Master Zhang."

Standing up from the cushion, Gao Xuan smiled at Yu Yang Daoist: "The two esteemed members of the Taiyi sect are here to speak for Zhang Dongcheng."

He said, "What, thinking that now my master is gone, you can bully others around."

Yu Yang Daoist felt a bit ashamed and annoyed at being called out; if Gao Xuan’s master were alive, they would not dare to barge in and demand justice so blatantly.

Now that only this one disciple remained in the Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple, and he was young, what would it matter to kill him.

Yu Yang Daoist said solemnly: "Gao Xuan, for killing Young Master Zhang, you ought to pay with your life."

"Young Master Zhang humiliated the fisherman’s wife and ordered his men to throw her into the water to feed the Fish Demon. His crime deserved death."

Gao Xuan also became serious: "I enforce the law on behalf of the heavens; what crime have I committed."

"I say you have a crime, then you have a crime."

Yu Yang Daoist had no intention to reason with Gao Xuan; he drew the longsword from his back and said in a low, harsh voice: "Kneel and accept your death."

Killing Gao Xuan would not only please Zhang Dongcheng but also allow them to seize the Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple. The Shenxiao Thunderbolt Righteous Method passed down in Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple shared origins with their Taiyi Thunder Venerable Curse, and by acquiring it, they could use it to reflect upon each other.

Yu Yang Daoist had decided before coming here to kill Gao Xuan regardless of the truth, killing two birds with one stone.

Lingyang Daoist, who had been following Yu Yang Daoist, had not spoken. He merely fixed his eyes on Gao Xuan with gloomy old eyes.

Gao Xuan, with eyes closed, always gave him a bit of a strange feeling.

Nevertheless, being five or six decades older than Gao Xuan, they believed they could overpower him with their cultivation.

Gao Xuan looked at Yu Yang Daoist with his sword drawn and acted threateningly, smiling: "Just you, worthy?"

"You insolent scoundrel!"

Yu Yang Daoist, forming a Dharma Seal with his hand, brushed his hand across the sword edge, and an additional layer of dazzling electric light appeared on the Pine Patterned Treasure Sword.

This method was exactly the Taiyi Thunder Venerable Curse, using a spell to strengthen the Sword Artifact, unmatched in slaying demons and monsters.

Yu Yang Daoist’s swordsmanship was extremely high, and with one move, the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword had already reached Gao Xuan’s chest.

The sword edge, illuminated by electric light, left a long trail of light in the dim hall.

Under the reflection of the electric light, Yu Yang Daoist appeared with a floating long beard and fluttering robes, displaying a stylish posture of sword control.

Xiaolian, watching from the side, was terrified, her eyes wide open, her small mouth agape, wanting to scream but not daring to.

In her view, Gao Xuan was destined to lose. Since the opponents were two old men, and old men are surely more powerful. This display was even more frightening.

Xiaolian also understood that if something happened to Gao Xuan, she wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving either.

However, at this moment, she rather felt relaxed. Anyway, her mother was dead, and living held no meaning. Dying together with Gao Xuan seemed not bad at all.

Gao Xuan didn’t want to die. The abilities of the two Daoists posed no threat to him. Even without inhabiting the body, with the original host’s skills, he could still handle Yu Yang.

Facing the incoming dazzling sword edge, Gao Xuan casually pointed his index finger at the sword’s edge.

A fierce bolt of electricity glowed at his fingertip, and upon contact with the sword’s edge, it suddenly flared up.

The intense thunder light enveloped Yu Yang Daoist instantly, turning his entire body luminous and transparent in the bright light.

Lingyang Daoist, who was observing, sensed something was wrong. He drew his sword with the intention to help, but it was too late.

The flash of thunder ended the battle in an instant.

Yu Yang Daoist was charred from head to toe, emitting a thick, burnt odor of scorched flesh.

Lingyang Daoist stared blankly at his fellow who was killed in one strike, his eyes wide open.

He had heard of Gao Xuan from Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple, known as a youth of great talent.

Yet, he never expected Gao Xuan to be so formidable.

The five disciples of the Taiyi Daoist Temple of Eternal Spring had similar levels of cultivation. Yu Yang was particularly skilled in Swordsmanship.

With Yu Yang killed in one strike, Lingyang Daoist was terrified. He knew his cultivation was similar to Yu Yang’s, yet he couldn’t possibly defeat Gao Xuan.

Seeing Gao Xuan’s calm demeanor, it was as if he hadn’t exerted any strength.

But at this point, how should the matter be resolved?

Lingyang Daoist was perplexed, feeling Yu Yang’s reckless actions not only resulted in his own demise but also dragged them all into trouble.

At this moment, Lingyang Daoist only thought about how to safely escape, before considering how to deal with Gao Xuan.

Gao Xuan, however, waved to Lingyang Daoist: "Take your people away. I’ll go to your Changchun Daoist Temple to reason with you tomorrow."

Lingyang Daoist was momentarily stunned, but ultimately said nothing. He picked up Yu Yang’s charred body and hurried out of the hall, disappearing without a trace in no time.

Xiaolian, however, was greatly astonished. The two formidable opponents were dealt with just like that. She said admiringly, "You’re amazing."

"You should go rest first."

Gao Xuan said, "Leave the remaining matters to me."

After settling Xiaolian, Gao Xuan returned to the main hall. The old temple priest had already tidied up the hall.

Upon seeing Gao Xuan, the old temple priest hesitated to speak, but thought of the charred fragments in the hall and swallowed his words.

With Gao Xuan being so formidable, there was no way he would listen to him. At this point, he could only follow Gao Xuan. There was no other path.

Gao Xuan paid no heed to the old temple priest, seating himself cross-legged on a prayer mat, with a thought, the Invisible Cicada Wing Sword silently darted forth.

At this time, Zhang Dongcheng was at home setting up a mourning hall, busy with his son’s funeral arrangements.

Many city elites, upon hearing the news, rushed over.

A group of influential figures sat in the back hall discussing the day’s events with Zhang Dongcheng.

Upon hearing that it was Zhang Young Master killed by the Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple, everyone was filled with righteous indignation.

"How dare such a small Daoist temple like Cyan Cloud be so rampant."

"Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple has only two or three people, yet they dare to kill!"

"It’s simply outrageous."

Zhang Dongcheng cupped his hands to the Lord Governor at the top seat: "I request your lordship to seek justice for my family."

The Lord Governor stroked his long beard and nodded: "Of course."

Zhang Dongcheng, with a fierce expression, said: "I want Cyan Cloud Daoist Temple to pay blood for blood."

He hadn’t finished his sentence when his head suddenly fell to the ground, rolling to the feet of the Lord Governor.

The rear hall was brightly lit, as bright as day.

The Lord Governor could even clearly see the angry expression on Zhang Dongcheng’s face, but without a body, the head appeared particularly ghastly.

Several experts of the Zhang Family sensed something amiss and drew their swords, shouting, "There is an assassin."

The city’s elites were also shaken, their faces turned pallid, hiding in their chairs, looking around helplessly, seeing nothing.

The few shouting experts from the Zhang Family only managed to shout once. Then, one by one, their heads rolled silently to the ground.

Death came so suddenly, so eerily.

The many elites could no longer endure, someone among them began running outside with a shout.

The Lord Governor ran the fastest, as a group of people scrambled and dashed outside in chaos, in utter disarray.

Some remained in place, unmoving, not because they didn’t want to flee, but because they lost control over themselves in fright, lying there convulsing, unable to run even if they wanted to.

By the next day, news of the Zhang family’s incident had spread throughout An Province City. Countless people applauded in celebration.

In this world, the poor always resent the rich. Moreover, Zhang Dongcheng’s notorious wickedness was well-known in An Province City. Hearing of his death, some even set off fireworks in celebration.

The elites of An Province City were as silent as frightened chickens, not a single one dared to speak up.

The slaughter of the previous night had scared them out of their wits.

In Changchun Daoist Temple, Lingyang Daoist, Huangyang Daoist, Pure Yang Daoist, and Primordial Yang Daoist, the four most powerful experts in the temple, sat in the main hall, each with a pained expression.

They had gone to the Zhang family to see the scene after Zhang Dongcheng was killed last night.

It was undoubtedly a Flying Sword that killed Zhang Dongcheng.

Gao Xuan, at such a young age, had already mastered the Flying Sword. A Flying Sword can kill thousands of miles away and come and go without a trace. Such a person is already at the level of a Land Wanderer Immortal. With them being mere junior Daoists, how could they possibly afford to offend him?

But having already become enemies with Gao Xuan, they were left helpless.

A junior Daoist child ran in hastily, "Masters, a young Daoist naming himself Gao Xuan has barged in."

Before the Daoist child finished speaking, Lingyang Daoist and the others saw Gao Xuan.

Sunlight from the east fell upon Gao Xuan’s side profile. Dressed in a plain white Daoist robe, with a longsword hanging at his waist, he radiated an exceptional elegance and demeanor, truly bearing the presence of a Sword Immortal.

As Gao Xuan entered the main hall, not waiting for him to speak, Lingyang Daoist rushed forward, knelt, and bowed: "True Master, we were wrong. We accept any punishment without complaint..."