In the early morning, the entire Qingliang Mountain was shrouded in a thin mist. Below the mountain, a young sword cultivator who had been traveling all night galloped up the mountain. He wore a snow-white battle armor, with two swords on his back and his brows furrowed. He arrived in front of the Qingliang Sect's mountain gate. The gate had been previously shattered by Liu Zhi, and though repaired, its outer layer was covered in cracks, making it appear on the verge of collapse.
"Who goes there?"
Several Qingliang Sect disciples shouted.
The young sword cultivator remained silent, merely raising his hand and drawing his sword. With a "chi" sound, a surge of sword energy descended, forming a cage that enveloped the giant rock of the newly repaired mountain gate. In an instant, the fine sword energy severed all the ropes on the outer layer of the gate. With a loud bang, the giant rock of the mountain gate once again crumbled into pieces, causing the Qingliang Sect disciples to turn pale with fear. That had taken a great deal of time to reassemble!
"Xue Yu Tian Chi, Bai Yi."
Lin Zhao announced his name and said softly, "I request an audience with the Ancestor of Qingliang Sect, Zhao Jing Yu!"
"Are you courting death!?"
A group of Qingliang Sect disciples were furious. Two of them charged forward, their bodies surging with fist intent. But in the very next second, Lin Zhao raised his sword and unleashed a Li Jian Shi sword energy that whistled out, striking the two disciples. It was followed by three consecutive hits, and the Qingliang Sect disciples, not being of high level or rank, were already half-dead after taking one Li Jian Shi, spitting blood and retreating with pale faces.
"Senior brother, be careful, this sword cultivator is not weak!"
"Hmph!"
A disciple of the Sixth Realm stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "The Ancestor is in seclusion. Young hero, please return!"
"I will not return!"
Lin Zhao led his warhorse, stepping up the mountain and said, "I want to see Zhao Jing Yu and demand an explanation!"
"..."
The disciple of the Sixth Realm frowned.
Just then, a voice drifted down from the mountain, "Zhao Hanlin, escort the young hero Bai Yi to Chenglu Terrace."
"Yes, master!"
The disciple of the Sixth Realm frowned, "Young hero, please follow me!"
...
On the way up the mountain, countless Qingliang Sect disciples swarmed. They lined both sides of the mountain path, watching the young sword cultivator ascend. Lin Zhao remained unfazed. It didn't matter how many people came. He was prepared to lose a level today. He had come up the mountain for three reasons: first, to demand an explanation; second, to berate Zhao Jing Yu; and third, to use this opportunity to gauge the depth of Qingliang Sect's foundation and prepare for future plans.
Chenglu Terrace was shrouded in swirling clouds.
This was normally the time for Qingliang Sect disciples to chant morning scriptures, practice swordplay, and train their fists. But due to Lin Zhao's arrival, disciples from the outer to the inner sect merely formed a circle around Chenglu Terrace, watching the uninvited guest. In fact, many Qingliang Sect disciples in the crowd sneered, thinking that this sword cultivator of the lower five realms was too presumptuous.
Among them, a graceful female disciple frowned and said, "Coming up the mountain alone to demand an explanation? How is this different from challenging the Qingliang Sect to a duel? Last time, Immortal Jian Xian Liu Zhi was at least at the peak of the Eleventh Realm, truly qualified to challenge us. Who is this fellow? A mere cultivator of the lower five realms dares to challenge the Qingliang Sect? Do they think the Qingliang Sect is made of tofu?"
A male disciple nodded in agreement, "Senior sister is right. Let alone the elders, protectors, and venerated guests of the Sword Seeking Hall, with his strength, perhaps any inner sect disciple could easily defeat him, let alone a personal disciple."
"Bai Yi!"
From the crowd, a young disciple radiating a powerful aura said in a deep voice, "Do you still remember me?"
The speaker was Zhao Yichuan, the chief disciple of Qingliang Mountain, a cultivator of the Tenth Realm, Xinghe Realm.
Lin Zhao merely glanced at him, remaining silent.
"You..."
Zhao Yichuan felt insulted and couldn't help but clench his fists, a murderous intent flickering in his eyes.
"Bai Yi, you insolent wretch!" Da Feng Fiction Network
A female disciple gritted her teeth and said, "Senior brother Zhao Yichuan is speaking to you, why are you feigning deafness and muteness?"
Lin Zhao also looked at her, feeling that the Qingliang Sect was truly beyond hope, from top to bottom, not a single decent person. But he still didn't speak, only looking up at the mountain path leading towards the summit.
"Yichuan, do not be disrespectful!"
A voice echoed from the mountain, followed by several figures soaring down. The Sect Master Zhao Suiguang, the Deputy Sect Master Zhao Guangyi, and a group of elders, protectors, and venerated guests were all present, with only Ancestor Zhao Jing Yu missing.
"Young hero Bai Yi."
Zhao Suiguang cupped his fists and smiled, "I am the Sect Master of the Qingliang Sect, Zhao Suiguang."
"Greetings, Sect Master."
Lin Zhao also cupped his fists and said, "However, the person I wish to see is the Ancestor of the Qingliang Sect, Zhao Jing Yu. I would trouble the Sect Master to inform him. I have some words I wish to say to Zhao Jing Yu."
"Bold!"
A venerated guest of the Xinghe Realm angrily said, "How dare you utter the Ancestor's name so casually? Bai Yi, since you have come to Qingliang Mountain, you should understand our Qingliang Sect's rules!"
"Does the Qingliang Sect have rules?"
Lin Zhao smiled indifferently, then cupped his fists and bowed towards the mountaintop, loudly proclaiming, "Xue Yu Tian Chi, Bai Yi, requests an audience with the Ancestor of the Qingliang Sect, Zhao Jing Yu!"
Zhao Suiguang frowned, completely unaware of what this young sword cultivator was plotting.
From the direction of the summit, rumbling thunder sounds echoed, and the celestial phenomena were stirred. Immediately after, a figure, wreathed in swirling clouds, descended from the sky. He wore a yellow robe and had an immortal bearing, it was Zhao Jing Yu.
"I am here."
Zhao Jing Yu said with a faint smile, "May I know what guidance young hero Bai Yi seeks?"
"..."
Upon seeing the Ancestor of the Qingliang Sect, Lin Zhao stepped back, cupped his fists, and bowed deeply to Zhao Jing Yu, "Junior Bai Yi pays respects to Senior Ancestor of the Qingliang Sect. I thank Senior for granting me this audience!"
A hazy glow enveloped Zhao Jing Yu's face, concealing the bruises and redness on his cheeks. But upon seeing Lin Zhao's demeanor, he couldn't help but stroke his beard, feeling quite satisfied. He had heard that this young sword cultivator was the master of Liu Zhi, and it seemed the master was much more sensible than Liu Zhi, at least knowing to respect the elders of the martial world.
"Senior."
After completing his salute, Lin Zhao straightened his back, his face filled with pride, and said, "Just now, I was acting as a junior. Now, it is time to discuss what I came to say."
"Speak."
Zhao Jing Yu raised his eyebrows and smiled.
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Let us start from a hundred years ago. During the Battle of Xue Yu Tian Chi, Senior was already a Twelfth Realm human cultivator. But the human race was resisting the four northern tribes on Xue Yu Tian Chi, fighting with all their might. Countless cultivators of the upper five realms perished, including Thirteen Realm Lu Xinghe of Fusang Great Wall, Twelve Realm martial artist Chen Wanli of the human realm, Twelve Realm sword cultivator Long Zai Tian of Fusang Great Wall, Tian Yuan Realm martial artist Yue Hao, Twelve Realm sword cultivator Wen Liang, and Twelve Realm Confucian disciple Gu Zixi. Each of them was a peerless prodigy with the potential for the Great Dao. These individuals sacrificed their lives for the survival of the human realm. But what about you, Zhao Jing Yu?"
He knitted his brows and angrily continued, "You, Zhao Jing Yu, consumed the destiny of the human realm, yet you never considered opposing the demon race. Even after the human race retreated, you presided over Qingliang Mountain and plotted with the demon race to make peace. Your entire Qingliang Sect, from you, Zhao Jing Yu, down to the newly recruited disciples of the outer sect, your hearts are rotten to the core, stinking!"
"And him, Zhao Chu Qin!"
Lin Zhao pointed at Elder Zhao Chu Qin not far away and roared, "You disguised yourself as a shepherd and infiltrated Xue Yu Tian Chi, with the intention of kidnapping Tong Yu from Xue Yu Tian Chi. Tong Yu is only nine years old. What were you trying to do, use Tong Yu as a cauldron? Look at your age, and then look at Tong Yu's age. Have you no shame, you shameless old beast!"
"..."
Zhao Jing Yu was trembling with anger, and wisps of powerful aura surged around him. The wrath of a Thirteenth Realm cultivator was no trivial matter.
"What right do you have to be angry?"
Lin Zhao pointed at Zhao Jing Yu's nose and berated him, "As the Sect Master of the Qingliang Sect, not only did you allow the despicable actions of Zhao Chu Qin to go unpunished, but you even abetted them. When Liu Zhi of Xue Yu Tian Chi came to reason with you, did you give Liu Zhi a chance to speak? Yes, your Qingliang Sect has higher cultivation, so you don't need to reason? You, Zhao Jing Yu, are Thirteenth Realm, a Ascended Realm cultivator, but you are certainly not a pillar of the human race. On the contrary, you, such a sycophantic old curmudgeon, are a drain on the human race, merely a despicable and shameless old scoundrel!"
"Zhao Chu Qin committed acts of sneakiness and treachery, and everyone in your sect knew about it, didn't they?"
He gritted his teeth, gesturing to everyone present, "But did anyone stand up and tell Zhao Chu Qin that what he was doing was wrong? No! If any of you had a shred of conscience, you would know some basic decency, but you all remained silent. Therefore, you are all accomplices in evil, and your entire sect are beasts, without exception!"
He then pointed at Zhao Jing Yu's nose, "The Qingliang Sect, the root of all evil, is naturally you, this so-called Ancestor. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked. The entire Qingliang Sect's ethos has been corrupted by you, this old beast. And now you have the audacity to speak of martial world righteousness, of the great cause of the human realm? Are you worthy? You have lived these thousands of years in vain, no better than a stray dog!"
He pointed at Zhao Jing Yu, and spat out eight words from between his teeth, word by word: "Old fool, hoary-headed scoundrel!"
...
Zhao Jing Yu trembled with rage. Every word Lin Zhao uttered was like a sharp knife piercing his heart. There was no help for it; Lin Zhao had hit the nail on the head. Zhao Jing Yu was indeed such a person.
"You little bastard!"
Zhao Jing Yu almost exploded, and said coldly, "Are you looking for death?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao sneered, "I am not capable of killing you now, but I am capable of scolding you. Everything I have said today is to tell you, Zhao Jing Yu, that you can be pleased with yourself and arrogant as much as you like, but one day I will storm the Qingliang Sect, uproot your entire lineage, and completely flatten this Qingliang Mountain!"
"You court death!"
Zhao Chu Qin took a step forward, his Eleventh Realm aura surging.
"Zhao Chu Qin, step back!"
Zhao Jing Yu narrowed his eyes, a chilling glint in his gaze, and said, "Today, I wish to personally grind this little beast into dust and ashes!"
He violently shook his large sleeves, placing his hands behind his back as he walked towards Lin Zhao. Instantly, layers upon layers of golden restrictions surged through space, and Lin Zhao found himself unable to move in a flash.
"You are eloquent, but truly laughable."
Zhao Jing Yu sneered, "Welcome your obliteration!"
At this moment, even though Zhao Jing Yu knew that this person might have some connection with the God of War, he could no longer care. The insults were too severe. If he didn't kill him today, the entire Qingliang Sect's reputation would be utterly ruined. Even if the God of War descended, to kill a human Thirteenth Realm cultivator was a grave matter. He wondered if the sages in the upper realms would permit it.
Zhao Jing Yu hovered in the air, raised his hand, and pointed. A beam of light shot from his fingertip, slowly extending towards Lin Zhao's brow.
"First, I will take your Sword Cultivation Lake and cripple your entire sword cultivation!"
...
Lin Zhao gritted his teeth, gazing motionlessly at Zhao Jing Yu, his heart burning with rage. He could accept the loss of his Sword Cultivation Lake, but Liu Zhi had been insulted, and he would not stand by and watch. He could not tolerate this!
"Ancestor, kill him!"
A group of Qingliang Sect disciples shouted. Zhao Yichuan in the crowd wore the most delighted smile, eagerly anticipating the sight of this white-clothed man's head falling.
However, the moment Zhao Jing Yu's Thirteenth Realm light pierced Lin Zhao's brow, Lin Zhao's Qi Sea vibrated violently. A force seemed to awaken, stimulated by the thunderous rumbling within his inner world. The myriad things in the depths of his spiritual void began to spin, and a huge vortex appeared. This time, it was the second Sword Cultivation Lake!
Furthermore, a sword tip imbued with a profound sacred aura shot out from the Sword Cultivation Lake!
"Buzz!"
The sword tip emerged from his brow, and surprisingly matched Zhao Jing Yu's Thirteenth Realm aura!