I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

One hundred and seventy miles east of Chenjun, there is a small mountain.

This mountain is like spring all year round, with flowers everywhere, and it is always lush and green, regardless of the cold or hot season, spring or autumn.

People in the surrounding counties and towns all know that this mountain is strange and has extraordinary scenery. However, the Xie family of Chen County built a villa here thousands of years ago and surrounded the mountain to make it their hunting ground. Young and old men of the Xie family often come here to hunt, and then return to Chen County with cartloads of their spoils.

Ordinary people think so.

In fact, this is the location of Tianyunpu, an ancient relic controlled by the Xie family.

After entering a cave in the mountain, you will find another world. The space inside is obviously larger than this hill. There are also golden crow auspicious clouds, spiritual mist and clear streams, which nourish the Tianyun Garden and make it extremely fertile. It is most suitable for growing spiritual medicines, precious materials, and even natural treasures and ancient species.

The earth spirit energy is even sufficient to dissipate into the outside world. This is the reason why this hill is like spring all year round.

The area within a radius of ten miles around the hill is the territory of the Xie family. It is loose on the outside but tight on the inside, and the security is strict. Although it is not far from the clan land, there are at least two grandmaster elders stationed here.

However, no one has entered or left the manor on the mountain outside Tianyunpu for a long time.

Anyone who leaves the outer mountain ten miles away, which is the traditional territory of the Xie family, will be "persuaded to return" by the mysterious person, regardless of whether they do it openly or secretly.

Those who listen to advice will be persuaded to return, and those who don’t will be beaten back.

Even the two masters were injured at the hands of the mysterious man.

It was not until Xie Bing came later that he found out that the mysterious man was Yuan Zhen, a priest of the imperial palace.

Yuan Zhen is a powerful cultivator from the royal clan. He has been famous for decades and has already opened the Twin Bridges of Heaven and Earth.

He has rarely fought with others in recent years, so we don't know his exact strength.

After the actual combat, everyone realized that Yuan Zhen's strength was similar to Xie Bing's, and the difference was not obvious.

If this had been the case, Xie Bing would have been able to burst out and drive them away. However, the fatal sneak attack from the owner of Qiufeng Tower turned the situation around in an instant. Xie Bing could only barely repel the two and escape with his life.

Since then, the situation of Tianyunpu Waishan Manor has become even more difficult.

Yuan Zhen revealed his identity and was just hovering ten miles outside the mountain. He did not enter the Xie family's territory, but he also made sure that the people stationed in Tianyun Garden could not come out.

After all, the nature of attacking directly into the territory of the aristocratic family is different. Although this area is actually the sphere of influence of the Xie family, Yuan Zhen only said that the whole world belongs to the king, and this manor should belong to the court.

It was just out of respect for the thousand-year-old Xie family that they didn't interfere with what was happening ten miles outside the mountain. But now something big was happening and they had to close off the area outside the mountain, so they "politely" locked up the Xie family members in Tianyunpu.

However, if this drags on for too long, no one knows whether these people will go directly to Tianyunpu.

The Xie clan members stationed in Tianyunpu became increasingly worried when they saw that their family had not come to their aid for a long time. The letters for help they sent through secret means went from one every two days to one every day to one every half a day, but they all fell on deaf ears.

If they knew that the clan was still actively electing a head of the family at this critical moment, they would probably curse loudly.

It's like no one cares about them.

Until this day.

The two masters on duty looked through the window of the study at Yuan Zhen rising up into the sky again. He circled leisurely around the periphery of Tianyun Garden as if inspecting the territory, and then smiled and nodded at them before descending again.

The two looked solemn. Their strength was not weak, but they were still far behind this top master. Although Tianyun Garden was important, it was so close to the Xie clan. The two masters already attached great importance to it. It was not enough to have a top master stationed there permanently. There had never been any mistakes in the past thousand years. Who knew...

Although they could resist for a long time if the enemy really wanted to attack them, relying on the protective formation and the ruins restrictions, but seeing that the family reinforcements had not arrived yet, if the enemy really came, it would probably be only a matter of time before this place fell.

Seeing a shadow also flew into the air and quickly turned around, as if in protest, a powerful aura and cold murderous intent came directly towards the manor through the air, making the Xie family members who had been trapped for a long time pale and their morale fell to the bottom. A master felt that they could not wait any longer.

"Let's just rush out! Go back to the tribe to see what's going on. Maybe they haven't received the news at all? If we boil the frog in warm water like this, we will die sooner or later!"

A sturdy man with a ruddy face shouted, he was Xie Lin, one of the masters stationed in Tianyun Garden.

Another Grandmaster, Xie Chen, shook his head and advised:
"It's been so long since the herbs were returned. Even if the message hasn't arrived, the family must know that something has happened here. I think the family is also facing some difficulties now, but they will definitely not give up Tianyun Garden. Let's wait a little longer!"

"If you wait any longer, Tian Yunpu will no longer be named Xie!"

Xie Ling walked up and down with his hands behind his back.

Xie Chen sighed:

"But what can we do if we leave the manor? Xie Bing has already retreated. How can the two of us be a match for the two guys outside? We can only rely on the formation in the manor to defend ourselves."

"Hey!"

Xie Ling sighed heavily, full of confusion.

Why hasn't the family responded yet?

Was he held back by other things?

But if this is the case... there are so many people in the Tianyunpu tribe, and the entire Tianyunpu. What should we do when the enemy makes up his mind to attack?
"Wait, what is that!"

Suddenly, there was a scream from outside the door.

Xie Chen and Xie Lin looked at each other, both puzzled, and hurried out to check.

But then I saw a streak of light coming quickly from the horizon, like a meteor falling into the sky, with an extremely long and brilliant tail flame, and in the blink of an eye it came from the horizon to the front.

It seemed to be a sword, and on the sword stood a man with fluttering sleeves and a clear face?

The man had a calm face and looked very young, but his eyes were quite deep and sharp, and contained the power to see into people's hearts.

He had an awe-inspiring demeanor, a head of silver hair, and a youthful face. It was obvious at first glance that he had a very high level of cultivation. He looked extraordinary, like a true swordsman who rode on a sword.

But this outfit always makes people wonder why he has gray hair at his age and with such strength?

The person was coming at an extremely fast speed. It seemed that he had just attracted people's attention in the sky, and the next moment he was about to rush to the mountain outside Tianyunpu.

But in an instant, a red figure rose into the sky and stopped the extraordinary man who was coming with a sword.

Yuan Zhen, with a white face and no beard, and a kind and smiling face, showed up. His body was burning with red blood, and he said warmly:
"Who are you? How did you accidentally enter the royal hunting grounds?"

Yuan Zhen always had a smiling face. Even when he injured Xie Chen and Xie Lin, he was smiling gently, but his moves were without any mercy.

However, although he was still smiling at this time, his eyes were extremely solemn and alert.

Judging from the speed and momentum of the person coming, it was obvious that he was an expert.

Yuan Zhen came up to intercept him, and subconsciously activated his martial arts with all his strength. A strange phenomenon like a fire cloud rose around his body, which was the manifestation of his blood and energy being stimulated to the extreme.

Looking at the man who looked equally peaceful, Yuan Zhen felt a tingling sensation all over her body when he came a little closer, and was shocked.

Even if you instinctively activate your skills, you are still overwhelmed by the opponent's aura, as if you are being pierced through?

So young, even though his face was frozen in his youth due to his cultivation, he must be around 40. Who on earth is this strong at this age?
He looked solemnly at the man opposite him, trying to figure out his background.

He has not been out of the palace for a long time, and he prides himself on being a master of the royal family. He looks down on others and does not know the details of many of the current masters.

The white-haired man looked at Yuan Zhen and said calmly:

"Yunshan Sword Sect, Li Xingtuo."

"Li Xingtuo?"

Hearing this name, Yuan Zhen's pupils shrank slightly.

It was him? No wonder!
Yuan Zhen naturally knew about this Sword Sect leader who had become more and more famous in recent years. He heard that he had made rapid progress in realm, breaking through barriers in a few years, and was now at the top level below the Grand Master, similar to him.

Now that I see it, it is indeed well-deserved.

Yuan Zhen looked a little serious, and then smiled:
"It turns out to be Sect Master Li. Nice to meet you! I am Yuan Zhen, a priest in the Imperial Palace."

"Mr. Yuan."

Li Xingtuo cupped his hands, looked at Yuan Zhen who was blocking his way, and said calmly:

"I wonder what Yuan Gongsheng is doing here if he is not in the palace?"

Yuan Zhen laughed:
"The new emperor ascended the throne and wanted to open up a hunting ground, so he sent me here to mark out the sacred land and investigate. I wonder why Sect Master Li came here?"

Li Xingtuo did not answer, but glanced at the beautiful hills below and said:
"Could it be that the hunting ground of Yuan Gongfeng is Tianyunpu?"

Yuan Zhen's expression changed slightly, and her smile faded a little:

"Of course not. It's just that the outer area of ​​Tianyun Garden is also a good place. I have fenced it off first to prevent outsiders from desecrating the royal land.

"Master Li, you have nothing to do with this place. If you are passing by, please come in."

He slightly turned sideways, stretched out his hand, and politely asked Li Xingtuo to go first.

But from another direction.

Li Xingtuo just smiled:
"Mr. Yuan, what a coincidence! I am also here at Tianyunpu today."

When Yuan Zhen heard this and saw Li Xingtuo staring at her intently, her smile gradually faded and her face became expressionless:

"Master Li, you have to think clearly about who I am representing. Do you really want to get involved in this mess?
"The Yunshan Sword Sect is gradually gaining momentum and is expected to be included in the four sects. I heard that Sect Master Li is also a diligent and dedicated leader of the revival of the sect. If we offend someone we shouldn't offend, I'm afraid that Sect Master Li's vision of building a great sect will be shattered."

Li Xingtuo sighed slightly:

"Indeed, I didn't want to come. But after thinking it over again..."

He looked at Yuan Zhen and laughed:
"It doesn't matter if I offend you guys. Compared to you guys, that guy is more worth betting on.

"Besides—

"When has our Yunshan Sword Sect ever tolerated our disciples being bullied? Holding a sword, when have we ever been afraid of being bullied by a strong man?"

Li Xingtuo raised his head and squinted at Yuan Zhen. An extremely powerful aura instantly burst out from his body.

The young man who once caused chaos in Yunshan, now a master of swordsmanship, is not used to being threatened.

Yuan Zhen's expression turned stern, he drew out the golden knife from his waist and said coldly:

"Since you don't want to drink my toast, don't blame me for being merciless!"

Blood was surging around him, and the golden sword was gradually stained with a dazzling red light. Even the surrounding sky was like a sunset, creating a strange scene.

Yuan Zhen looked at Li Xingtuo proudly and was about to take action when he suddenly saw a dark shadow suddenly appear in the air and stand diagonally behind Li Xingtuo.

Yuan Zhen was about to take a step when she stopped and frowned slightly:

"what happened?"

He didn't blame the owner of Qiufeng Tower for showing up directly, but was wondering why he suddenly came to get involved.

The misty voice of Qiufeng Tower Master sounded:
"You are no match for him."

Yuan Zhen frowned for a moment and said coldly:
"How do you know if you haven't fought?"

Qiufeng Tower Master looked at the Grand Master who had been bossing around in the palace for a long time, and after a moment of silence, he said:
"I fought him."

"I know that he is in your hometown with only one sword, as if he is in an empty space."

Yuan Zhen said coldly:
"But I am not you, and certainly not Yao Yuzhi."

He obviously didn't think highly of the two Yao brothers.

The ever-changing and never-clear face of the owner of Qiufeng Tower suddenly became blurry, as if changing rapidly, and then slowly calmed down.

Once upon a time, a mere dog raised by the royal family, a powerful dog at most, dared to be so disrespectful to the Yao family? Dare to call the head of the Yao family by his name?

However, the Yao family and the Qian family were now basically subordinate to the royal family, and in terms of status, they were indeed not much different from Yuan Zhen. In fact, because they surrendered late and their previous status was high, some of the worshippers were particularly sarcastic.

The owner of Qiufeng Tower was silent for a long time before he said:
"You can't beat him."

Yuan Zhen frowned. Although he often smiled, if anyone really thought he was easy to talk to and thought they could disobey him, the consequences would not be good. The more smiling a tiger is, the more stingy he is.

But he suddenly paused and looked to the other side in surprise.

Behind Li Xingtuo's right, another person rose up quietly and stood in the air.

The man was wearing scholar's clothes, with a thin and straight face, and he was gentle and refined, yet dignified and solemn.

"Master Li, I haven't seen you for a long time. How are you?"

The scholar bowed.

Li Xingtuo turned around, looked at the scholar, and said with a smile:

"It turns out that the person here is Elder Junlin. It seems that the Wang family really takes him very seriously."

"Who wouldn't value a place like Tianyunpu?"

Wang Junlin was very frank.

As the Wang family's active foreign affairs elder, his strength is unquestionable, otherwise how could he represent a thousand-year-old family?
Wang was relieved only when he was in charge behind the scenes to oversee the plan to seize Tianyunpu.

However, no matter how hard Wang Shi thought about it, she could not imagine why Li Xingtuo would come.
Wang Junlin's face was very serious:
"Master Li, our Langya Wang Sect and Yunshan Sword Sect have always kept to themselves, and this matter has nothing to do with your sect. I wonder why Master Li has come all the way from Yunzhou to here?"

Li Xingtuo laughed:
"When you see injustice, draw your sword and help."

Wang Junlin frowned:
"This is an internal matter of our family..."

"Oh?"

Li Xingtuo looked at Yuan Zhen, and then at the owner of Qiufeng Tower.

Wang Junlin shut his mouth. He knew that Li Xingtuo's reason was definitely not that simple.

Tianyunpu has a huge influence. In the past, the Wang family often asked the Xie family to buy Tianyunpu's specialties, and they have been jealous for a long time.

Now, they have finally waited for the opportunity when the Xie family is weak, and it is an extremely rare opportunity - they can seize Tianyun Garden without escalating the incident, so the Wang family naturally attaches great importance to it.

Wang had another method to contain the Cui family. Originally, they would have broken the formations and restrictions here in a day or two and taken control quietly. When they heard that the Xie family was still busy with internal strife, Wang thought that this time they had accomplished the task.

The fact that the Xie family is still making a fuss at this time is indeed a sign of decline.

The treasure belongs to those who are capable, so it is inconvenient for Tianyunpu and others to get it.

Unexpectedly, at the critical moment, Li Xingtuo suddenly arrived.

Wang Junlin recalled that there seemed to be rumors that Xie Yuan had some connection with the Yunshan Sword Sect, but they thought it was just a relationship where he learned a few moves. How could Li Xingtuo be willing to risk offending the Wang family and the royal family and travel thousands of miles to help?
He frowned and cupped his hands:
"Master Li, this matter has nothing to do with the Yunshan Sword Sect. It would be better if you just leave and don't get involved. Later, I will definitely bring a valuable gift to Yunshan to visit you and will never treat your sect unfairly."

Li Xingtuo heard Wang Junlin say this, glanced at him, and suddenly smiled:
"Why do you people from aristocratic families always only care about interests and not morality?"

Wang Junlin's eyes changed slightly, and he said calmly:
"Master Li, what do you mean?"

"No wonder the top three companies, who were all in the same boat before, are taking advantage of the situation right now."

Li Xingtuo sighed:
“But acting like this is not my kind of person.

"I will protect Tianyunpu for the Xie family. You can go on your own."

Seeing Li Xingtuo waving his hand calmly, as if to send him off, Yuan Zhen's expression changed drastically and she said coldly:

"Li Xingtuo, can you afford the consequences?"

Li Xingtuo glanced at him sideways, as if staring at him coldly.

"careful!"

Wang Junlin and Qiufeng Tower Master shouted at the same time.

Yuan Zhen didn't need them to remind him, he had already felt an extremely sharp sword intent coming towards him.

His eyes narrowed, wondering why Li Xingtuo seemed as if a sword was about to strike him when he clearly did not move.

Yuan Zhen was about to meet the enemy, but was shocked to find that his movements were extremely slow. The sword intent was already approaching his chest, but his hand was less than half raised.

"what happened?"

His thinking seemed to become a little sluggish and he was unable to react.

Wang Junlin and Qiufeng Tower Master saw this and wanted to rescue him, but suddenly their bodies became stiff.

They also felt the extremely sharp sword intent that seemed to be able to penetrate everything approaching from Li Xingtuo almost in an instant.

In their eyes, Li Xingtuo took a step and handed a sword to each of them like flowing water. The movement was so clear and smooth that everything was imprinted in their minds. It was as clear as the demonstration of the sword master in the small martial arts gym, but slower.

With their strength, they can break it easily.

However, when Wang Junlin and Qiufeng Tower Master wanted to raise their hands, they found that their movements were even slower than Li Xingtuo's slow moves.

He saw it clearly, but he didn't lift his hands or move his feet. He watched the sword approaching him, but his movements were a beat slow.

"I'm so slow... No, he's too fast."

They waited until the sword was about to pierce them before they finally figured it out.

Three sharp sword energies pierced through the sky and burst out in no particular order. It was as if three Li Xingtuo appeared in the sky, with fluttering sleeves and different postures, all drawing their swords at the same time.

Yuan Zhen, Wang Junlin and the owner of Qiufeng Tower were all hit by the sword at the same time. At the critical moment, they either activated their secret techniques or shattered their protective treasures. Brilliant light lit up on their bodies, illuminating the sky as if colorful clouds appeared.

Violent waves exploded in the sky, and three beams of red, black, and white light retreated rapidly in three directions.

Li Xingtuo retracted the three paths at the same time, stood in the same place, and returned to being one, just as if he had retracted his clones.

In fact, this is naturally impossible to be the Taoist magical power of transforming into the Three Pure Ones in one breath.

It’s just that Li Xingtuo’s fleeting sword was too fast, so fast that it was extremely fast. For ordinary people, even these top masters, it was just a matter of a split second. The afterimage flashed, as if many clones appeared in the sky, and finally returned to their original places.

Numbers of people were meaningless to Li Xingtuo. No matter how many people attacked him, he could deal with them one by one with the Floating Light Sword. As long as one person couldn't defeat him, the victory would be decided in an instant; if all of them couldn't defeat him, he would be defeated in an instant.

Li Xingtuo stood in the air, with a lot of white mist evaporating from his body, like a fairy in the sky. Such swordsmanship naturally consumed a lot of energy. It took others half a move, but he used three moves, and he was against three top masters, which consumed a lot of energy in an instant.

But after a moment, Li Xingtuo's expression returned to normal, without any change.

It was as if he had crossed the thousand-mile distance between Yunzhou and Yuzhou, and then defeated three top masters in an instant. The consumption was just that little for him.

Li Xingtuo looked at the black light that was escaping quickly, and took a step, wanting to catch up.

But after thinking about it, he looked at the owner of Qiufeng Tower, who was even faster than the other two, and he heaved a sigh of relief and shook his head.

I had originally planned to get rid of this murderous killer who had committed numerous crimes today, but he ran too fast.

Although Li Xingtuo was confident that he could catch up with the owner of Qiufeng Tower, he might have to chase him for thousands of miles, which would delay things.

He turned his gaze towards the Tianyunpu manor, looked at Xie Chen and Xie Lin with shocked admiration and gratitude, and nodded:
"The siege here has been lifted, but..."

Li Xingtuo took out a piece of letter paper, looked at it, and said with a sneer:
"That kid asked...oh, your master asked you to hold off on sending the request for help for a day before you can take the things back with you."

The little guy seems to be getting more cunning, which is also due to his training. I am afraid that he is not as easy to tease as before.

Li Xingtuo thought leisurely.

After hearing what Li Xingtuo said, Xie Chen and Xie Lin looked at each other, not knowing what it meant, and why there was a message from the young master?
But since Li Xingtuo had just lifted the siege, they naturally had no objections.

Wait until the next day.

At the gate of the Xie clan.

Xie Yuan and a group of elders waited quietly at the main gate.

When the morning light faded, everyone saw the first horse-drawn carriage carrying medicine appear on the horizon, and they immediately smiled with relief.

Carriages came one after another, and all the accumulated spiritual medicines and precious materials were loaded into the carriages and transported back to the clan. With so many medicinal materials brought back at once, even if Tianyun Garden was besieged again, it could support the Xie family's cultivation for a long time.

However, the elders only glanced at the carriage to confirm that the medicine had been returned to the tribe, and then did not pay too much attention to it. Instead, they turned their eyes to the white-haired man in front of the convoy with a solemn look.

"The leader of Yunshan Sword Sect, Li Xingtuo, is here!"

When Li Xingtuo approached, someone from the doorman saluted.

Xie Yuan took two quick steps and bowed to Li Xingtuo:
"Xie Yuan greets Sect Master Li. Sect Master Li has come from afar, so please come and see me."

His actions and words were both respectful and appropriate, and looked like the courtesy that a young patriarch should show to the powerful master who had just helped his family. There was no other meaning.

But if they had just met by chance, why would Li Xingtuo come all the way to help the Xie family?
And it would also offend the Wang family and the royal family?
Just pretend.

The elders of the Xie family were all shrewd people. They watched Xie Yuan and Li Xingtuo exchange courtesies quietly, secretly speculating on their connection.

However, although some people have heard of Xie Yuan's experience of studying in Yunshan Sword Sect, they do not know the details.

Li Xingtuo looked at Xie Yuan's calm and respectful appearance, his eyes flickered slightly, and a smile flashed from deep within his heart.

"Thank you, Patriarch Xie, you are so polite."

He nodded slightly, followed Xie Yuan into the Xie clan territory, and the elders followed behind.

This scene was considered quite grand. If the leader of such a large sect had come to visit in the past, it would not have necessarily been so grand.

However, Li Xingtuo solved a big dilemma for the Xie family of Chenjun, and he also took the risk of offending a powerful enemy. After Xie Yuan proposed it, the elders did not have many objections.

Having such a strong ally at this time is of great significance to the Xie family.

The sun was rising and it was still early for lunch, so Xie Yuan and the elders invited Li Xingtuo to have tea in a waterside pavilion.

There was pleasant music, singing and dancing, and well-trained dancers and musicians showing off their skills. Xie Yuan and Li Xingtuo sat in two main seats, watching quietly.

"Master Xie really knows how to enjoy himself."

Li Xingtuo watched the singing and dancing for a while and said leisurely.

Xie Yuan was silent for a moment, then said:
"It's all to entertain Sect Master Li who has come from afar."

"Haha, so that's it. Yunshan is austere, I've never seen anything like this. Tsk, the singing is beautiful, the dancing is outstanding, although it's not Jiangnan, it's better than Jiangnan.

"Many disciples of Yunshan went to Jiangnan and lingered there. That's because they hadn't come here. Otherwise, they would probably be even happier and would not want to leave."

Li Xingtuo clapped his hands and praised.

The people in Jiangnan are reluctant to leave, and the people in Chenjun are reluctant to leave...

Xie Yuan coughed lightly:
"That must be because your disciples were delayed by something. I believe that those who can enter the Sword Sect must have extraordinary talents and a strong desire to seek the truth."

"Thank you for the compliment, Patriarch Xie."

Li Xingtuo bowed and smiled politely.

Xie Yuan always felt that Li Xingtuo's eyes were full of meaning. That look, seemingly peaceful but sharper than any other divine sword in the world, seemed to penetrate Xie Yuan and make his scalp tingle.

Many masters and elders spoke to Li Xingtuo one after another, expressing their sincere gratitude for his help. Li Xingtuo naturally responded politely.

However, the Xie clan elders were still trying to figure out why Li Xingtuo came to help, what was his relationship with Xie Yuan, and whether they had made any deal.
Li Xingtuo smiled and shook his head:

"When I was traveling, I met Patriarch Xie Yi on the road. We discussed swordplay for three days and gained a lot. Patriarch Xie and I became close friends and drank happily. I didn't expect that twenty years would pass by and the world would change.

"The head of the Xie Yi family was seriously injured and could not afford to leave. The young head of the Xie family was ordered to take charge of the situation. As a result, there were people with malicious intentions who tried to take advantage of the young and robbed others of their belongings. Although I am busy with clan affairs, I have not forgotten the original intention of holding the sword, which was to help the weak and punish the evil and promote the good. How could I bear to see my old family suffer this? So I came here and displayed the long sword in my hand, only for justice in my heart, not for the reward of treasures."

After he finished his explanation, the elders naturally praised him and toasted Li Xingtuo with tea instead of wine.

"Sect Master Li is truly a swordsman of ancient times. I offer a toast to you, Master Li!"

"I've heard that the Yunshan Sword Sect is upright and just, and that disciples take it as their responsibility to punish evil and promote good. Today, when I see that Sect Master Li is like this, I know that what he said is true. The Yunshan Sword Sect is a famous and upright sect, and a model for all sects!"

"Master Li is so righteous!"

When the elders praised, they praised one thing after another without repeating themselves.

But they were wondering, was Xie Yi friends with Li Xingtuo? They had never heard of it.

Although it is possible, after all, Xie Yi and Cui Pingjun have been in the underworld for a long time, but if it is true, no one should have heard him mention it once in all these years.

Moreover, Li Xingtuo seemed to be talking about Tianyunpu, but the elders of the Xie family always felt that there was something else behind his words.

These two, one big and one small, are definitely not simple!
Could they be master and disciple?

Everyone speculated, and some tried to test him with words, but Li Xingtuo just smiled faintly. He said what he wanted to say, and he wouldn't say what he didn't want to say.

As the leader of a sect, although he is a passionate swordsman, he is also cunning enough to contain Yunshan.

When the tea party was over, everyone asked Li Xingtuo to attend the dinner, and Xie Yuan invited Li Xingtuo to the study to discuss matters.

Walking to Xie Yuan's own courtyard, and entering the study room which was not as spacious as the Yunshan Sect Master's study room, but much more elegant and luxurious, Li Xingtuo praised:
"Master Xie has good taste."

Xie Yuan scratched his head, asked Li Xingtuo to sit down, then personally heated the cup, made tea for him, and handed it to him.

Li Xingtuo smiled slightly:
"The tea was personally brewed by the head of the Xie family in Chen County. I am a little scared."

Xie Yuan smiled bitterly and said softly:
"Master, please stop insulting me. There were so many people outside just now..."

Li Xingtuo looked at him, put down his teacup, and smiled slightly:
"I'm not insulting you, I'm just curious. Now, should I call you Xie Yuan or Zhang Shan?"

Xie Yuan was silent for a moment, then said:
"You can call me whatever you like, Master. But when I recall the days in Yunshan, they are still the most carefree and relaxing days in my cultivation. If not for this, I would not have dared to invite you to come this time."

Xie Yuan made two preparations for the matter of Tianyunpu. One was to send a letter early to invite Li Xingtuo to help.

But he was not sure that Li Xingtuo would come to help.

After all, this matter is of great importance. Although he has a deep connection with the Yunshan Sword Sect and has saved his fellow disciples and made contributions, it is hard to say how deep his friendship with Li Xingtuo is, and they have not even communicated that often.

However, he had a hunch that Li Xingtuo would take action once he received his letter.

So he still tried, after all, there were not many other options.

Despite this, Xie Yuan still made a second plan, which was to wait and see.

If Li Xingtuo didn't come, then he would have to test his patience with these elders to see if they still cared about the overall interests of the Xie family.

In hindsight, both preparations were successful, and Xie Yuan felt that these masters and elders were not hopeless and could still be used.

Li Xingtuo nodded slightly after hearing what Xie Yuan said:
"If that's the case, why don't you go back to Yunshan? Can't you let go of this wealth and glory?"

Xie Yuan shook his head:
"If possible, I really want to go back to Yunshan to practice swordplay. But I have a responsibility that I have to shoulder, so I can't leave. But Sect Master, are you really an old friend of my second uncle?"

Li Xingtuo looked at Xie Yuan's mature expression. As the leader of a sect, he naturally understood what he meant and just sighed softly.

Then he said with a slightly strange look on his face:

"No fight, no acquaintance..."

Xie Yuan was stunned. Do you really know him?

He thought Li Xingtuo was just talking nonsense.

Li Xingtuo raised his head slightly, as if recalling:

"Back then, your uncle and I did meet and fight on swords several times. But the ending was not so friendly. I couldn't stand his behavior as a child of aristocratic family, and he couldn't stand my dissoluteness as a person born in the countryside."

"How could Second Uncle look down on your background?"

Xie Yuan was a little surprised. Based on his understanding of Xie Yi, he should not be the kind of person who judges heroes by their background.

Li Xingtuo coughed lightly:
"That's not the case. He just doesn't like my style. We were still young back then. Although I don't like people from aristocratic families, I think your aunt is quite attractive."

Xie Yuan suddenly looked strange.

He inexplicably remembered that Luo Shuang once said that Li Xingtuo wanted to be the first male disciple in the history of Yaoyue Peak...

It seems that the sect leader was also full of vigor and vitality in his past.

But Li Xingtuo has remained single until now, without a partner or children, and everyone in the clan knows about it.

With his talent, strength and identity, to be honest, there are countless people who admire him. It is very easy for him to find a suitable partner. And he has never been the kind of person who is not in the mood for love. I wonder why he is still single?

Looking at Li Xingtuo's hair, which was rumored to be dyed by himself, Xie Yuan was quite curious about what story the older generation had, but unfortunately he had no way of asking.

Li Xingtuo looked at Xie Yuan for a few times and said:
"Your cultivation has improved very quickly, almost beyond my imagination. Could it be that I was wrong at the beginning, and you had a very high cultivation level at that time?"

Xie Yuan didn't know what Li Xingtuo thought at that time.

But the higher his cultivation level is and the higher the level he comes into contact with, the more he realizes how extraordinary Li Xingtuo's cultivation level is.

Thinking about how I had concealed the truth from him before, it was actually quite ridiculous. I was just being treated as a joke...

If we let him go, even if the Floating Light Sword lets him escape a thousand miles, he will still be there the next day, and he cannot escape from my grasp.
As for caring about him, a young man who was in the first realm of transformation, even Xie Yuan himself didn't care about him now, not to mention Li Xingtuo, who was not worried at all that he could cause any damage.

"I don't think so. I have experienced a lot in the past two years."

Xie Yuan told the truth.

Li Xingtuo thought for a moment and said slowly:
"Practicing too fast is not a good thing."

"The disciple's foundation is still solid."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Li Xingtuo said this with deep meaning, but did not say much more.

"Your Xie family's spear skills are great, and your sword skills are also good. But are you still practicing sword skills?"

"I'm practicing."

"Come and have a look."

Xie Yuan nodded, stood in the spacious study, and drew his sword.

The wind blew in the quiet room, white light appeared in patches, clouds and mist covered the room, and black shadows floated.

A faint dragon roar was heard, and Xie Yuan put away his sword.

Even though he only practiced two moves, with Li Xingtuo's keen eyesight he could definitely see his realm clearly.

Li Xingtuo's eyes flickered for a while, and he said slowly:
"You have mastered three of the Nine Styles of Cloud Dragon. You are among the top five in the mastery of this sword in Yunshan."

As soon as Xie Yuan drew his sword, clouds and dragons appeared. The power was tremendous and varied, but not a single piece of paper or brush was damaged in the quiet room. It could be said that he controlled his sword as he wished.

This level of realm was enough to make Li Xingtuo look sideways, especially since he had achieved it in just two or three years without any guidance. The Sword Sect's leader's mood was not as calm as his expression.

I almost lost my composure in front of him.

"Master, you are too kind. I still need to work harder."

Xie Yuan was somewhat excited.

There are ten sword masters on Mount Yunshan. Doesn't that mean that I have mastered it better than some of the masters?

It seems that I have made some achievements in swordsmanship.

Li Xingtuo looked at his smug expression and slowly revealed an unpredictable expression:

"But why don't I remember teaching you the Nine Forms of Cloud Dragon?"

Xie Yuan froze for a moment and hissed. It had been so long that he had forgotten about this and also forgotten that this sect leader had a mind full of twists and turns.

"Jianfeng, this disciple gained enlightenment on Jianfeng."

He had no choice but to leave everything to Jianfeng.

Li Xingtuo smiled slightly, and did not delve into why he did not say anything if he had understood Jianfeng, and how he could practice like this. He had always been aware of Xie Yuan's peculiarity.

"You've never taught anyone else?"

"Never leaked a word."

"That's good."

Li Xingtuo nodded:

"Do you know why I traveled thousands of miles and offended the Wang family and the royal family to come and help you?"

Xie Yuan was silent for a long time, then he bowed solemnly and said:

"Master, I am extremely grateful for your help and don't know how to repay you! What can the Xie Clan of Chen County do for you and the Sword Clan?"

He immediately said:

"The Xie family's arsenal has extremely advanced sword techniques. If the sect master wants to see them, I will discuss it with Elder Zhenwu."

Li Xingtuo looked at him:
"If you were to say it, would it be Xie Yuan from Xie's family, or Zhang Shan from Yunshan?"

Xie Yuan shook his head:
"I saved it for the disciple. But the Sect Master helped the Xie family a lot, how can we not repay him? I will explain it clearly to the Zhenwu Elder, and he will decide how to repay him with the sword manual in the arsenal."

"Even so, others will still think you are abusing your power for personal gain and helping outsiders."

Li Xingtuo shook his head:

"You must avoid the melon field and the plum tree. And...

"Although I am interested in your sword manual, Yunshan swordsmanship is not inferior to others, and it is enough to study for a lifetime. I told them at the beginning that I am not here for rewards, and it is not a courtesy. If it were not for your connection with the sect, if it were not for the contributions you have made, if you have practiced hard in the sect and have not broken the rules, I would not have come to get involved no matter how much reward you offered.

"I am here only to help the sect disciples, do you understand?"

I came here only to help the sect disciples...

Xie Yuan was silent for a long time before he said with some emotion:

"Don't worry, disciple. The Sword Sect has taught me more than just swordsmanship."

"As long as you know."

Li Xingtuo nodded with satisfaction.

He looked at Xie Yuan, who was very touched, with a slight smile in his eyes, looking relaxed and contented.

Having said that, Xie Yuan still doesn't consider himself a disciple of the sect?

If something happened to the Sword Sect, how could Xie Yuan turn a blind eye?
Nothing can compare to the friendship of a future grandmaster. The debt of favor is the hardest to repay, but the old ones are the wisest.

"When will you be able to break through to Grandmaster?"

Li Xingtuo asked.

Xie Yuan pondered for a moment and said:
"Master, normally it will take less than a year. But I have a small problem..."

He told Li Xingtuo about his situation, which again attracted a strange look from him.

Wow, his internal strength has already broken through to the Grandmaster level?
Before you comprehend the heaven and earth, before you build the bridge between heaven and earth, your inner breath breaks the limit, and you have the meaning of the natural heaven and earth?
What kind of strange talent is this? This kid is really a rare flower.

Li Xingtuo was moved for a while, but his expression remained calm, like a master. He thought for a moment and said:
"Well, you practice first. When your blood and energy are perfect and you are about to break through, if you have time, come to Yunshan to break through. I can help you.

"There is also the sword peak enlightenment. I remember saying that if you make achievements during the trip to Jiangnan, I will give it to you once. What you did later deserved the title of a disciple of the Sword Sect, and also deserved many sword peaks. Wait for you to come back and enlighten them together. With your current cultivation level, you will definitely gain a lot. You can even enlighten the Nine Styles of Cloud Dragon. I think you may be able to enlighten a better sword technique next time? Haha.

"If you face too many challenges outside and can no longer make it, or get into too much trouble, you can always return to Yunshan. As long as you enjoy using the sword and have a chivalrous heart, the Sword Sect will always have a place for you." (End of this chapter)