Li Qingshan’s soul sense was like flowing water, entering the Soaring Dragon sword with the demon qi.
Suddenly, a world opened up before him. Countless figures stood with swords, wielding countless Soaring Dragon swords in their hands, which danced about in the air. Countless ingenious sword techniques—flicks, thrusts, chops, and slashes—merged together to form the Soaring Dragon sword’s unique and grand path of the sword.
Renowned swords of the Sword Collection palace were precious not because of their great power, but because they were an inheritance of power for the Sword Collection palace.
The figures were the comprehension and will towards the path of the sword from the past masters of the Soaring Dragon sword. They might have been a little lacklustre compared to the profound sword intent of the Three Absolutes Calligraphy, but they were clearer and easier to comprehend.
In the depths of Li Qingshan’s eyes, strokes of the sword criss-crossed together. He nodded from time to time as if he had gained something. A long time later, he dismissed his thoughts and achieved a thorough understanding of the path of the sword. He felt like he had gained a lot yet again.
But I don’t need so many voices!
Demon qi spread through the world within the sword, and the countless figures vanished, merging into a single person in the end. It was the demonified Li Qingshan himself, more consolidated than any of the figures. He gently swung the Soaring Dragon sword.
Clang! The Chains of Demon Suppression shattered, and the Soaring Dragon sword let out a long cry. It enlarged, and its straight edge became curved, now covered with a thin layer of dragon scales. It seemed much more vicious.
Golden light no longer remained. A gloomy light flowed through it, resembling both a dragon and a sword!
It only required a single glance to be recognised as a demonic artifact. It was impossible to connect it to the Soaring Dragon sword unless it was someone that was extremely familiar with the Soaring Dragon sword.
Li Qingshan stroked the ridge of the sword with the tip of his finger, and the sword thrummed, becoming docile. It slowly glanced around, moving extremely slowly. The sword flashed and swum through his surroundings like a dragon, moving in a fluid and profound manner.
When it came to his compatibility with the sword, even the Soaring Dragon Elder would pale in comparison. They were mentally linked. The sword was like an extension of his limbs.
“From today onwards, you will be called Demon Dragon!”
……
Fragrant Flower market.
Xianghua Man was currently bathing comfortably in the hot spring. Within the misty steam, a figure walked over and called out her name, “Xianghua Man!”
It was a woman’s voice. It was extremely pleasant, but rather cold like the thrumming of metal.
“Who is it?”
Xianghua Man leapt out of the water and swung her hand. The steam parted and revealed a frosty woman in white standing there. She completely ignored the incoming attack.
However, when Xianghua Man saw her attire, she was shocked. She twisted her right hand suddenly, and the attack brushed past the woman. With a boom, it split open a wall.
The woman’s collar that was embroidered with lotus flowers ruffled gently.
“May I ask which hall you are in charge of in the White Lotus cult, ma’am?” Xianghua Man said.
That was the uniform of a hall lord of the White Lotus cult. Normally, she could not even meet altar lords, so why had a hall lord visited her today?
“The Clear Ripple hall!”
“So it’s hall lord Shi. I’ve failed to welcome you from afar, so please forgive me. Please allow me to change into a set of clothes!”
Xianghua Man was astounded. She too had heard of the Clear Ripple hall’s reputation, or infamy in other words, which made her shake with fear. The name that the lord of the Clear Ripple hall, Shi Ji, had made for herself was far too resounding. If she got on her bad side, then even the Fragrant Flower clan might be destroyed.
“There’s no need. This is enough. I’ve come to investigate what happened to the Zi Lotus altar!” Shi Ji said coldly with her arms behind her back.
“What happened to the Zi Lotus altar?” Xianghua Man shivered inside.
……
Three months later, Li Qingshan stepped out of the cave. The speckled sunlight glimmered between the tree leaves like stars. He raised his right hand; a vicious, demon dragon was wrapped around his wrist.
The three months of cultivation were not enough for him to completely unleash the might of the sixth layer of the Demon Suppression Statuary, but he was close. Coupled with the Demon Dragon sword, he had basically recovered most of his strength.
“Congratulations on emerging, sir!” “A’yue!” Xianghua Zi and Xianghua Lu gathered over.
“How’s your story coming along?”
“As long as they don’t investigate too deeply, it definitely won’t give us away!” Xianghua Zi said confidently.
“Then let’s see if that’s really the case!”
Li Qingshan opened up the mental map of the Mist province and found the Lotus Flower peak where the headquarters of the White Lotus cult resided. With a wave of his hand, a cloud rose up, and they took off.
The Lotus Flower peak appeared on the horizon. It looked like a lotus flower about to bloom, giving off rings of white light that illuminated the night sky.
She must be here!
Li Qingshan gazed at the lotus flower in the distance and descended on the cloud, switching to travelling on foot. He used the night to arrive below the mountain.
Everything progressed much more smoothly than he had imagined. He did not even get to use the excuses he had prepared beforehand, and they let him in. It was even easier than passing through the formations of the Zi Lotus altar.
This was due to a certain form of confidence. Even if the leader of the Snake God cult was bold enough to infiltrate the headquarters, they could only enter and not leave!
Xianghua Zi mentioned Xianghua Hong’s name, but the person who came to receive them was an unfamiliar, cold man instead. He asked, “Are you the disciples who managed to escape from the Zi Lotus altar?”
“Yes!”
“Come with me!” The man turned around and made his way up the mountain.
“Brother, may I ask where you’re taking us?”
“You’ll know once we get there.”
They followed the mountain path, and both Xianghua Zi and Xianghua Lu trembled in fear, huddling a little closer to Li Qingshan subconsciously. Very soon, they arrived before a building. At the entrance was a huge rock engraved with “Clear Ripple hall” that was supported by a lotus flower.
“The Clear Ripple hall!” Xianghua Zi exclaimed. A sliver of fear appeared on her face.
Li Qingshan thought, There sure are a lot of people that know about the Clear Ripple hall, but if people who haven’t seen her try to identify her, it’s useless even if they know about her.
“The hall lord wishes to see you and ask you about what happened to the Zi Lotus altar. You better watch your mouth a little later. If you dare to show even the slightest disrespect…” A sliver of killing intent flashed through his eyes.
Xianghua Zi said in a hurry, “We would never!”
They passed through the hall and travelled until they arrived at a quiet courtyard at the back. The man bowed politely. “Hall lord, I’ve brought them!”
“Ru Xin!”
Li Qingshan basically blurted that out. He stared straight at the woman in white. Apart from Ru Xin, who else could she be? However, Ru Xin did not seem to recognise him. Her face was indifferent.
“How dare you!” the man called out. As a result, Li Qingshan copied Xianghua Zi and Xianghua Lu and bowed. “Disciple of the Zi Lotus altar, Goldie A’bao, greets the hall lord!”
“You can go for now!” Ru Xin waved her hand without even looking at Li Qingshan. She arrived before Xianghua Zi and Xianghua Lu and placed her hands on their shoulders. She said gently, “Your mother told me everything. There’s a spy in the Zi Lotus altar. Was it you?”
“We’re not spies!” Xianghua Zi exclaimed. Under the pressure, she was unable to remain calm at all, raising her voice involuntarily. Meanwhile, Xianghua Lu fell completely silent.
“Then it must be you!” Ru Xin glanced at Li Qingshan.
“That’s right, it’s me!” Li Qingshan suddenly assumed his form with scarlet hair and eyes, gazing at Ru Xin brightly.
Ru Xin waved her hand, and Xianghua Zi and Xianghua Lu immediately collapsed. She looked at Li Qingshan and said coldly, “Li Qingshan, you really are still alive!”
