Guo Jiang crossed the threshold of the main hall without increasing his pace, although the ancient presence he had sensed a moment earlier remained lodged in his awareness like an unanswered question. The aura had vanished so thoroughly that even when he extended his perception through the surrounding chambers and corridors, he could no longer determine whether the hidden expert had withdrawn deliberately or simply possessed a concealment method beyond the ordinary guards outside. The interior of the Eastern Sage Mansion carried a different weight from the extravagant merchant residences Guo Jiang had seen elsewhere in Jinhung City. Polished dark wood, carved pillars, silk screens, bronze lamps, and regional emblems were arranged with restraint, creating the atmosphere of a place built to communicate authority rather than merely advertise wealth. At the far end of the hall stood a raised ceremonial p

Qin Qigang remained near the base of the ceremonial platform while forcing his breathing back into a controlled rhythm. The pain in his chest mattered less than the conclusion forming behind his eyes, because the difference between himself and Guo Jiang could no longer be explained through a lucky technique or an unusual weapon. The Dao hierarchy began with Kaishi before continuing through Banxiang and Yongheng, and cultivators who reached those realms were rare enough that most regional rulers spent their lives knowing only a handful by reputation. Qin had always measured potential threats through age, lineage, known inheritances, and the recognized powers of Logun, yet the young man before him refused to fit any of those expectations. Perhaps Guo Jiang came from an ancient clan whose descendants received resources ordinary cultivators could never imagine. Perhaps some hidden sect had preserved a method capable of concealing cultivation so

Qin Qigang continued moving away from the center of the hall while Kong Jin descended outside the entrance, and every step revealed how completely his confidence now depended on the retired Sage.Only minutes earlier he had spoken from the throne as though regional authority made his position unquestionable, but personal defeat had reduced that authority to the protection offered by another man’s cultivation.“Do not act rashly,” Qin said when Guo Jiang began walking toward him. “Senior Kong has already arrived, and whatever advantage you thought you possessed has ended.”Guo Jiang stopped several paces away. “Does his cultivation change the answer you gave when I warned you about the invasion?”Qin’s expression stiffened. “You are standing in the Eastern Sage Mansion, surrounded by the authority of an entire region, and you still speak as though you alone decide who lives or dies.”“I gave you the chance to choose before he appeared.”“You killed Wei Zhan and believe that makes you u

The metallic resonance above the Eastern Sage Mansion continued to spread as more weapons answered Kong Jin’s Sword Intent. Swords rose from storage racks, pulled themselves free from loosened scabbards, and trembled in the hands of guards who had not expected their own weapons to respond to another cultivator’s will. The phenomenon reached beyond the mansion grounds. From nearby streets and courtyards in Jinhung City, distant blades began producing faint answering vibrations, creating an irregular chorus of metal that drifted through the night toward Yin Hua Hill. Guards below looked upward with a mixture of awe and renewed confidence. Qin Qigang had died before their eyes, but the sight of hundreds of swords gathering behind the former Sage reminded them that Kong Jin possessed a reputation built long before many of them entered martial training. One veteran guard recognized the formati

The first layer of Kong Jin’s Magnificence of the Sword entered the cold field around Guo Jiang and immediately lost some of its earlier speed. Frost crept along several blades while the pale white-blue light from Guo Jiang’s sword spread through the formation, forcing the leading weapons to fight both the surrounding pressure and the qi directing them forward. Guo Jiang swung once. The motion was compact rather than wide, but the sword released a crescent-shaped wave of cold that cut through the first probing line. Several blades cracked under the sudden difference in force, while others veered aside after their trajectories were disturbed. Dark mist followed the sword path. Within it, indistinct shapes resembling skulls appeared and vanished before anyone below could decide whether they had truly seen them. The sight unsettled even experienced guards because the aur