The Great Martial Saint!

The Black Nether Mountains, high in the sky.

An elderly man with white eyebrows, seemingly kind and gentle, blocked Chen Ping'an's path with a sharp sword.

Chen Ping'an was dressed as a scholar. His gaze swept over the long sword in the other person's hand. His expression was gentle and his demeanor was refined.

"Fellow Daoist, what is the meaning of this?"

"They're not tough opponents!" Elder Cangjian felt instantly relieved.

His presence here was not without reason. During the previous gathering at Yunshan, he noticed something unusual about the behavior of True Person Hongfeng of Hengshan Sect and couldn't help but pay closer attention.

Before the meeting was even over, the other party hurriedly left. A thought began to stir within him.

Whether today or back then, the relationship between the Heart Sword Pavilion and the Hengshan Sect has always been strained. In the past, they could still maintain at least some semblance of civility, but now, since the Lin Yuan Heavenly Ceremony, this semblance of civility between them has been gradually breaking down.

He and Lin Yuan came to Beishan Pass, whether to hold the Yunshan Small Meeting or to take a series of subsequent steps, all to enhance the prestige of the Wenxin Sword Pavilion.

Given the current situation, with the Hengshan Sect in decline, we must squeeze its profit margins to the greatest extent possible.

That is the purpose of their visit.

With the current unusual activity of True Person Hongfeng of the Hengshan Sect, he naturally couldn't ignore it.

Although the Yokoyama Sect has been cultivating its influence for many years and its power has recently shown signs of decline, it is not a fish on a chopping board to be slaughtered at will.

Faced with their overwhelming force, there must be a way to deal with them.

Although they had contingency plans for all their actions, they were still unclear about the Yokoyama Sect's response and countermeasures, and dared not be careless in many aspects.

After all, Hengshan Sect had been able to rival them for so many years, and neither side could really defeat the other. Although Lin Yuan had now broken through to the next realm and was gaining momentum, theoretically speaking, they did not hold an absolute advantage.

If we are careless, there is still a possibility of failure.

Under such circumstances, he naturally couldn't ignore the affairs of the Yokoyama Clan.

He was concerned about how Hengshan Sect would respond, and perhaps Master Hongfeng's place would be a good breakthrough.

No sooner had Master Hongfeng left than he found an excuse to leave first.

Although Master Hongfeng's cultivation was not as high as his, he was still a veteran Celestial Being with many years of experience, and his realm had already touched the threshold of the second realm. Fearing being discovered, he did not follow closely along the way.

On the contrary, they deliberately kept some distance.

The other party also seemed extremely vigilant, changing direction and circling around from time to time. Because he was worried about making a mistake, he deliberately stayed in one place for quite some time.

This situation gave him a temporary respite.

When he arrived, he saw a strange beam of light rising from the misty valley.

In an instant, he thought of many things.

Could this be a powerful reinforcement from the Yokoyama Sect?!

Why did they bring in outside help when their own internal struggles were unsuccessful?
This person looks unfamiliar; what is their background?
Elder Cangjian was filled with suspicion and his thoughts were in turmoil. But in that instant, he made a decision.

No matter who it is, stop them first!
Although this place is some distance from Yunshan, he has the token of the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, so he can ask for help at any time if there is any problem.

Furthermore, his arrival at Lin Yuan was through the exchange of qi.

If he does not return for a long time, the other party will inevitably react.

There are quite a few like-minded people on the mountain. I reckon the other side can't cause any trouble.

It seems his judgment was correct.

"Fellow Daoist, your hasty departure is quite intriguing. I am Cangjian and would like to ask you to explain."

"An explanation?" Chen Pingan laughed. "How do you explain it?"

"If you have some free time, fellow Daoist, you may have a chat with me. I have a few questions I would like to ask you."

Elder Cangjian had long, snow-white eyebrows and a piercing gaze, awaiting the other party's reply.

The other person smiled politely, looking relaxed and at ease.

What if Mr. Xu is unwilling?

"Then it's not up to you, fellow Daoist," Elder Cangjian said with a smile, stroking his beard, his eyes sharp and domineering.

"Fellow Daoist's actions are suspicious; you may be a treacherous member of the demonic path. As a member of the Heart-Questioning Sword Pavilion, it is my duty to investigate!"

interesting.

Chen Ping'an laughed, a gentle and refined laugh, as graceful as jade.

These powerful sects and factions are all hypocritical; before you've even exchanged a few words, they've already thrown a bucket of dirty water at you.

Seizing the initiative, occupying the high ground, launching an attack, and using the guise of righteousness to pursue personal gain—that's truly...
Hypocritical and shameless.

"If you insist on your own way and refuse to cooperate, then I will have no choice but to regard you as a treacherous villain." Elder Cangjian said with a relaxed expression, his brows filled with powerful confidence.

"Those who follow the evil path deserve to be killed by everyone!"

"Fellow Daoist, are you threatening me?" Chen Ping'an's smile gradually faded.

"That depends on how you interpret it, fellow Daoist." Cangjian said confidently and calmly.

His confidence was built on his own formidable strength. The sword in his hand gave him the belief that his opponent would make the right choice.

"It seems you've made up your mind and are fully prepared, fellow Daoist." Chen Ping'an's expression was calm, his tone still refined: "What a pity."
Hidden Sword!

Chen Pingan slowly raised his eyes, a strange smile appearing on his face: "But today, you've probably miscalculated!"

You choose the path to heaven but refuse to take it; you choose the path to hell but refuse to walk it!

boom!
In an instant, a fierce aura burst forth, blood and qi roared, and countless shockwaves were stirred up.

Elder Cangjian was calm and confident, waiting for the other party's choice, but unexpectedly the situation suddenly changed and took a sharp turn for the worse.

Before he could react, a pair of blazing iron fists, fierce and domineering, carrying surging blood and qi, roared in.

Zang Jian's expression changed drastically in an instant.

The sword in his hand resonated with a powerful clang, its sharp light flashing out in all directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
Amidst countless roars, Elder Cangjian's figure was instantly sent flying backward.

The powerful shockwave instantly swept in all directions, creating countless ripples.

The thin mist that lingered over the Black Nether Mountains also briefly disappeared.

boom!
Amidst the deafening roar of the air, Elder Cangjian's disheveled figure was revealed.

He staggered, his hair disheveled, and his face unkempt.

"Fourth-tier Body Tempering!"

Zang Jian's voice was filled with shock, and his face was filled with tremor.

The other party turned out to be a seasoned Body Tempering Celestial.

His aura was scorching, and his blood and qi were booming, making him equal to a senior second-stage cultivator.

Just now, thanks to his timely reaction and protection with his sword intent, otherwise, that single attack would have been enough to cause him serious injury.

The opponent's strength far exceeded his assessment. But so...
He could no longer bear to let the other party stay!
Although there is no concrete evidence, if this leads the Yokoyama Sect to bring in strong reinforcements, then the days of the Questioning Heart Sword Pavilion will not be easy.

"Your methods are quite impressive! You actually launched a sneak attack!" Elder Cangjian suppressed the shock in his heart and coldly rebuked, "It seems that my judgment was correct. You are indeed a villain of the demonic path, and everyone has the right to kill you!"

Swish!
In an instant, sword light flashed and sword intent soared into the sky.

Elder Cangjian, as the Supreme Elder of Wenxin Sword Pavilion, is an extremely senior figure among the Second Realm Celestials. He is known for his ability to cleave mountains with a single sword strike, leaving peaks suspended in mid-air.

At this moment, he was giving it his all, and his killing intent was naturally fierce.

"Just now, I was careless. Please allow me to experience your superior skills!"

Swish!Swish!Swish!
Countless sword lights, sharp and fierce, filled with killing intent, hurtled forth with a direct and devastating force.

A sword intent soared through the air, unleashing countless oppressive forces that sent chills down one's spine and made one tremble suddenly.

"A fight has broken out!"

Within the misty valley, Venerable Zhenyue of Hengshan Sect and True Man Hongfeng stood side by side. Sensing the distant fluctuations, a hint of joy flickered in their eyes.

Nothing is more satisfying than suffering a defeat yourself. You thought things were over, but then you suddenly realize that suffering a defeat along with your enemy is even more enjoyable.

If so, it's the enemy who suffered a much greater defeat than they did.

"Ok?"

However, after sensing something quietly, the two quickly realized that something was wrong.

A hint of doubt appeared on their faces. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the same confusion and bewilderment in each other's eyes. A bit weak!

This is a completely different level of pressure compared to what just happened.

"what happened?"

The two men felt a chill run down their spines and couldn't help but want to investigate.

They still vividly remember the oppressive feeling they had just experienced.

With a single blow, he shattered the defenses that Venerable Zhenyue was so proud of, and the next moment, he stepped on Venerable Zhenyue's chest. The oppressive feeling was unmatched, making it impossible for Venerable Zhenyue to even think of resisting.

As longtime rivals of the Heart Sword Pavilion, they were well aware of the Hidden Sword's strength.

Especially the Venerable Zhenyue, the two have always been considered evenly matched. However, his external training is extremely grueling, and even with the Cangjian sword's fierce and swift attacks, it is difficult to pose a real threat to him.

Thus, their confrontations were always evenly matched, with him ultimately gaining a slight advantage.

But now.
The two exchanged blows, and surprisingly, they were evenly matched!

Even if they have the upper hand, the difference in their lead is still too great.

The two were puzzled and somewhat surprised.

Could it be that the Hidden Sword Sect's strength has greatly improved?!
"Let's go take a look." Venerable Zhenyue made a decision with a heavy heart.

Master Hongfeng gritted his teeth and agreed.

Just then, several auras rushed in from afar, driving their escape lights, crossing the misty valley where they were in just a few breaths.

They concealed their presence, revealing nothing, and due to the intense battle in the distance, the streaks of light rushing overhead did not detect their presence.

The beam of light shot forward, heading towards the mountains where the fierce battle was taking place in the distance.

"Master Gu, Lei Xiaotian, Gu Yueqianfang, and Old Man Huang?"

Venerable Zhenyue, in a moment of surprise, recognized the owners of several of the auras.

Before the escape light had gone far, another escape light arrived from afar, heading straight for the fierce battle.

"It's Shen Linyuan from the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, and Ying Congyun too. Let's go over there!"

The two exchanged a glance, and in a flash, they shot into the sky.

Swish!
The sword light was sharp and fierce, traversing heaven and earth.

It possesses a chilling sword intent, sharp and deadly.

For miles around, swords flashed and swords clashed, a scene of battle and slaughter.

Despite the impressive display, Elder Cangjian's expression grew increasingly grim.

"Why are you so difficult to deal with!"

He felt the surging, fiery energy, like a millstone grinding away at his space, constantly encroaching on his ability to move. He felt the pressure on him growing ever greater.

He had dealt with many practitioners of the Hengshan Sect. In particular, he had frequent contact with the Zhenyue Venerable of the Hengshan Sect in his early years. He was wary of the Venerable's formidable martial arts skills, and every time they sparred, he felt an unbearable headache.

But now, he felt that the person in front of him was even more troublesome than the Venerable Zhenyue due to his physical training.

Not long after they started fighting, he already felt his strength waning.

His every move, so fierce and ruthless, felt like striking a relentless surge of blood and qi. The oppressive feeling was like facing a towering mountain, filling one with despair and a profound sense of powerlessness.

During this time, even when using sword intent to attack, it could not shake the opponent's soul in the slightest, like a bottomless abyss that was difficult to see through.

At this moment, even he felt a faint sense of regret.

If I had known this would happen, I would have waited for Lin Yuan to arrive before making any further plans.

at the moment
They're in a bit of a bind now.

Elder Cangjian looked grim as he struggled to maintain his stance, employing his sword techniques.

"Overestimated; it's weaker than expected."

Chen Ping'an appeared calm and composed, handling the situation with ease.

Elder Cangjian was extremely famous. With a single sword strike, he cleaved mountains, leaving broken peaks suspended in mid-air.

Within the realms of Heaven and Man, he is unparalleled in killing.

Looking around at several surrounding areas, they are all powerful and influential.

But after experiencing it in person, it turned out to be nothing special, with no surprises.

Even without using any secret techniques or bloodline supernatural abilities, the power of his body tempering through the Three Refinements and his blood energy alone was enough to suppress his opponent.

This is without him using any of the Seven Forbidden Techniques' external skills to enhance his combat power.

Having previously defeated Yokoyama Sōjin-no-zō, he was preoccupied with important matters and, adhering to the principle that delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances, had not held back much. But now...
He had his plans in mind, and was naturally quite composed.

His previous attack was too brief; he defeated Zhen Yue in one move and didn't have much of a feeling about it.

Now that the opportunity is rare, he naturally wants to verify it.

另外
Chen Ping'an's blood and qi surged, and he unleashed a powerful punch.

boom!
The violent tremors reverberated throughout the universe, creating countless ripples.

The sword flashed with dazzling light, and with the enhancement of sword intent, he barely managed to parry. The violent impact shook his internal organs, turning his face pale and flushed.

His feud with Cangjian was an open secret.

If we simply use fake accounts to suppress the enemy, that would be far too boring!

Since the feud is open, then it should be handled openly.

Only in this way can one truly experience the joy of revenge.

Live up to the aspirations of youth.

However today
Charging some interest wouldn't be a problem!

boom!
Chen Ping'an unleashed another thunderous punch, his immense blood and qi power grinding against Cang Jian's sword intent like a millstone.

"puff!"

The violent and surging force made it impossible for Cangjian to maintain his strength. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with some shattered internal organs.

How could that be?

Zang Jian's face was shaken, his expression filled with disbelief. He stared at the figure before him, his mind reeling.

"How can he be so strong!?"

He has been famous for a long time, and has dominated the Azure Sky for many years. Among the second-realm celestial beings, he is an absolute powerhouse.

But today, I've misjudged him!

The person before me possesses such formidable combat power!

boom!
A deafening roar erupted, and blood surged forth, as if a mountain were pressing down upon them.

Holding a long sword, he had no choice but to take the hit head-on, as there was no way to dodge it.

Rumble~
The mountain shook, and his body was slammed into the mountainside. Countless rocks tumbled down, debris flew everywhere, and dust billowed up.

"puff!"

Elder Cangjian's face turned ashen, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

His clothes were tattered, his long eyebrows were blackened, and he looked extremely disheveled.

"I'm going to die! I'm really going to die!"

His mind trembled violently, and his expression was one of extreme horror.

The other party's strength was beyond his imagination.

At that moment, he felt immense regret for his previous actions.

If he had known this would happen, he would never have made this choice even if he had a thousand times more courage.

When did the Yokoyama Sect manage to acquire such a powerful ally?!
His qi and blood surged and dissipated, and Cang Jian's expression turned ashen. He forced out a sword beam to barely withstand the roar in front of him.

Just as he was filled with despair, he suddenly sensed several familiar auras approaching from afar, and soon they arrived in the arena.

The spirit of Cangjian was invigorated, and boundless hope emerged.

"Brother Gu, save me!" (End of Chapter)