Several days had already passed since Qin Zilong left the Southern Cloud Sword Sect. Yet his footsteps showed not the slightest sign of a man racing against time. The mountain path stretched long before him, flanked by green trees that swayed gently in the breeze. Now and then, sunlight pierced through gaps in the foliage and fell in golden patches upon the ground.Zilong walked with both hands hidden within the sleeves of his robe. His steps were light, calm, and unhurried in the least. With the strength he now possessed, he could have accelerated his journey many times over. Had he truly employed the Light Body Art, the distance to the Heavenly Sword Sect could have been shortened drastically.Yet Zilong chose not to do so. Instead, he simply enjoyed the journey at a leisurely pace.The mountain wind brushed softly against his face, carrying the mingled scents of earth, leaves, and morning dew. From time to time the cries of spirit birds drifted from afar. It had been a long while s

Zilong paid no heed to the insult. Instead he tilted his head upward, observing the evening sky that was beginning to turn orange-red. The day was growing late. If he wasted too much time here, tomorrow’s travel schedule would be disrupted. He had not the slightest patience to entertain a group of spoiled children like them.Zilong turned away once more.But Luo Chen moved quickly, blocking his path again. “You seem quite certain that no one in this city can force you, don’t you?”Zilong regarded the youth in silence for several moments. “Indeed.”Luo Chen laughed lightly, his tone mocking. “Even your cultivation realm cannot be clearly read. Are you hiding it?”“Correct.”“Then how are we supposed to know that you are truly as strong as the people outside claim?”Zilong shrugged indifferently. “You have no need to know.”He stepped forward, walking straight past Luo Chen’s side.The pursuer behind them clenched his fists in fury. “Qin Zilong!” he called in a raised voice.Zilong stop

The attackers moved swiftly. Some leaped onto the tree branches, while others slipped in from the left and right sides of the road. In a matter of seconds, the encirclement formation had been perfectly formed. Front, back, left, and right—no gap remained.A hired cultivator drew his long sword. “Do not blame us!”Zilong lowered his gaze for a moment onto the coldly gleaming blade of that sword, then shook his head slowly. “I already warned you.”His hand was slowly drawn out from within the sleeve of his robe. “In that case...” Zilong stepped forward to meet their charge. “...do not regret it.”“Attack!”Dozens of weapons slashed in unison. Sword thrusts, spear strikes, up to waves of palm force smashed through the air from all directions, triggering a dense storm of spiritual pressure.Yet in the blink of an eye, Zilong vanished from sight.“Where is he?!” a cultivator shouted in panic, turning wildly in every direction.Too late. Zilong had already appeared right beside him.Thud!A

Three years.Throughout that period, the name Qing Zilong was almost never mentioned again as a symbol of genius. That identity had faded, eroded by time, and remained only as a vague memory of someone who had once stood majestically at the peak of the Qing Clan’s younger generation.Now, people knew him by other titles.As the young man whose meridians had been destroyed.As someone whose future had already ended.As trash who was not even worthy of standing alongside the talented individuals of the current generation.Yet that morning, in the temporary residence of the Qing Clan located not far from the territory of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Qing Tian stood alone behind a window. His gaze stretched far through the thin mist that blanketed the slopes of the majestic mountains before him. Rocky peaks soared high into the sky, and in the distance, the grandeur of the Heavenly Sword Sect’s main buildings peeked out from behind the clouds.In a few more days, the sect’s gates would offici

The core disciple’s grand robe fitted perfectly on his body, radiating a prestige far different from three years ago. His aura felt dense and sharp.Earth Realm Level 4.That was the sweet fruit of his hard work and the abundant resources he had obtained after officially joining the Heavenly Sword Sect. Several disciples around him offered praises in tones of pure admiration.“Senior Brother Wang is truly a genuine genius.”“Amazing… after only a few years of tempering himself inside the sect, he has already broken through to Level 4.”“Among the entire batch of new disciples this year, I don’t think a single one can match his cultivation.”Wang Li paid no attention to those praises. His gaze was fixed sharply on the newly arrived royal procession—more specifically, on the figure of the young woman in the light-blue dress who had just stepped down from the carriage.A charming smile curved across his lips. He immediately strode through the crowd, approaching the princess with steady s