The blind girl is called a saint with a sword!

She certainly longed for that kind of world. She also agreed with Mr. Han Jing's reasoning. But reason is reason, and action is action.

"You speak so eloquently, yet you still cannot explain why you wanted to harm Changning. If you had explained your reasoning to Changning, I believe she would have offered the Ascension Elixir, and I didn't think it would have affected your reputation in any way. But you still poisoned Changning. You are lying; you are using these high-sounding words to cover up your true purpose. I think you haven't considered anyone else, nor have you considered the world; you only want to comprehend the Way of Heaven and Earth on your own!"

Mr. Han Jing, who was scolded in the face, was not angry; he simply shook his head.

“Qinghui, you have no idea how difficult that road is. People are bound to be suspicious and selfish. Even if I want to cooperate with others, how can I guarantee that they are sincere and have no ulterior motives? I can't guarantee that. So, I have to walk this road by myself.”

Lu Qinghui sneered: "Nonsense, all nonsense!"

Mr. Han Jing said, "You simply haven't stood in my shoes. If you were here with me and saw the scenery I see, your thoughts would definitely change."

Lu Qinghui drew his sword: "Then I'd rather not see it, because I simply don't..."

I don't want to change!

Mr. Han Jing said, "That's just how you are."

"Today, I'll have a good chance to learn from you!"

Lu Qinghui let out a sharp cry and unleashed a flurry of sword light, aiming straight for Mr. Han Jing's head.

But how could she, a mere expert, compare to Mr. Han Jing?

She didn't even see Mr. Han Jing move.

When a sharp pain shot through her chest, she stopped in her tracks and watched as the man in the cold mirror vanished like a phantom, only to reappear before her, holding a calligraphy brush in his hand, which pierced her chest.

"How could your martial arts be so..." Lu Qinghui's eyes widened.

It's true that a Grandmaster can easily defeat a Top Master, but not to this extent, unless this is not an ordinary Grandmaster at all.

Mr. Han Jing said, "If I didn't have some real skills, how could I dare to speak so presumptuously? You can rest assured, I will not make a move against Changning again."

He closed Lu Qinghui's eyes from a distance. The Ancestral Hall returned to tranquility once more.

He disposed of Lu Qinghui's body, then returned to his seat and continued reading, as if nothing had happened.

In contrast to this tranquility was Xu Zhong's fiery temper, and An Qingwan's even more serene composure.

News of the seven warlords' joint attack had already spread, and Xu Chong had naturally received the news long ago.

Despite being surrounded, Xu Zhong remained completely calm.

Although the enemy outnumbered him, he had reinforcements outside. Besides, he himself was no pushover.

"I have been nurturing this sword, which is full of murderous aura, for seven whole years. In seven years, the world has long forgotten what I really look like."

Seven years of honing one's skills, now comes the moment to astound!

On this day, Xu Chong, carrying his sword case, walked out of his secluded dwelling amidst three loud shouts.

On the same day, An Qingwan led everyone to Nanyang.

"I haven't shown my true strength for several months, to the point that people have almost forgotten what my sword truly represents."

Her sword is the sword of death!

One against three, unparalleled in the world! [5.5k]

Two hundred thousand troops launched an attack on Huainan from three directions.

Faced with an enemy several times their size, the Xu family's army once expanded their territory by nearly a hundred miles using mobile infiltration tactics.

However, with the overwhelming victory of the naval forces of the Thirty-Six Islands on the Yangtze River, successfully breaking through the defenses on the river and capturing the two important military towns of Liuhe and Guangling, the situation of the war changed completely.

The Xu family had no choice but to send a large number of elite soldiers trained in martial arts south to guard the area, in order to prevent the loss of more important towns.

This division of forces gave the western and northern armies an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Ultimately, the Xu family lacked sufficient troops and the talent to command 100,000 soldiers and coordinate the overall situation.

When even the most skilled and invincible warriors in the past were restrained, they could only shrink their battle lines, defend their cities, and send out assassins in an attempt to break the deadlock.

At this point, the situation is actually quite clear.

If the Xu family wants to turn the tide, there is only one possibility left: Xu Zhong must display his divine power and kill the Grandmasters of the allied forces, scaring the allied forces, who were temporarily united by the support of the Heavenly Sect and the Rebirth Pavilion, into scattering and fleeing.

"Ancestor, we're counting on you now."

The Xu family members stared longingly at Xu Chong, who had just emerged from seclusion.

Xu Chong said in a cold and indifferent tone, "I had already anticipated this situation and was prepared for it. You just need to do your own jobs well and leave the rest to me."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he said that.

For decades, Ancestor Xu Chong has never been defeated, and he certainly won't be defeated this time either!

Actually, they didn't really think Xu Zhong would definitely not lose; it was just that they could only think that way.

What else can they do?

Compared to them, Xu Zhong himself was truly full of confidence. He spent seven years nurturing a peerless demonic blade.

Over the course of more than a decade, he connected with various parties and wove two dark webs.

The first image on the dark web features the Black Heavenly Witch and the fake Garuda King.

The second image on the dark web features the Holy Master Cangming and the leader of the Qixia Sword Sect.

There is no difference in the relative importance of the two nets; he is simply using one net to balance the other.

The Demon Blade and the Dark Web—that's the source of Xu Zhong's confidence.

After dismissing the Xu family members, Xu Chong first went to see the Cangming Saint Master and Wen Qiwu, who had come all the way from the north. Then, he pretended to be nonchalant and went to see the fake Garuda King.

Everything was ready; now it was time to stir up trouble. Xu Zhong didn't want to wait any longer.

While the Xu family was sending assassins, the other side was also busy. In this open and covert struggle, the Xu family consistently suffered greater losses.

The end of the first year.

Spring has arrived, but the north wind is still strong. The Huai River, Shaoyang Island.

This place is a strategic military location on the Huai River. South of the sandbar is Zhongli (near Fengyang), a major military town in Huainan. Once Zhongli falls, the army coming from the north can either attack along the river and join forces with the western army to besiege the Xu family's main base in Shouchun, or continue south to join the elite troops of the Thirty-Six Islands in the south.

It can be said that Shaoyangzhou has now become the place where the life and death of the Xu family are decided.

However, not a single soldier is on duty at this critical moment. In the vast camp, there is now only one person.

"How long has he been here?"

An Qingwan asked the general beside her with a calm expression.

The general replied, "Reporting to Lady An, he has been here for two days."

An Qingwan asked, "Has he made any moves in the past two days? Has anyone else come to Shaoyang Prefecture?"

The general said, "I have sent people to keep watch every day, but I have never seen him leave, nor have I seen anyone else set foot on Shaoyang Island."

An Qingwan nodded: "Leave the rest to me."

The general quickly replied with a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss An. His behavior is causing panic throughout the army. If this continues, it's really not a good thing."

An Qing walked out of the camp that evening and gazed into the distance.

The fog on the Huai River is actually very thick; most people can only see two or three zhang (approximately 6.6-7.3 meters) away.

But An Qingwan was no ordinary person; she easily pinpointed Xu Zhong's location.

Xu Zhong didn't actually intend to hide it.

He stood in the mist, his energy and spirit mobilized to the extreme, like a blazing fire that burned one's eyes.

When An Qingwan turned around and looked over, he seemed to be telepathically looking in the direction where An Qingwan was standing.

This pair of gazes seems to have transcended space and time, reaching a state of detachment from worldly affairs and even a special spiritual state.

Everyone standing close to An Qingwan had a strange illusion at that moment, as if they could also see Xu Zhong through the thick fog, and see the tall, strong middle-aged man who stood like cold steel, carrying a knife case on his back.

This state came and went quickly, inevitably raising suspicions. Was it just an illusion?

Is that really just an illusion?

However, An Qingwan and Xu Zhong are now too preoccupied to care about anyone else.

At that moment, they all entered a mysterious state where "there is nothing but self and others".

Similarly, this state comes quickly and goes quickly.

When this state ended, An Qingwan smiled unconsciously.

"No wonder he was so confident, daring to wait for me here in Shaoyang Prefecture. I thought his trump card was only Master Cangming and others."

Leng Qingyou, the ghostly figure, peeked out from behind: "What did you figure out?"

An Qingwan said, "In the years that Xu Chong has been hiding, his internal strength has not actually increased much. His current level of internal strength is not necessarily much higher than that of Lan Xiaogu, who has absorbed half of Garuda King."

Leng Qingyou said, "So, with my superb lightness skill, I also have a chance to defeat him?"

An Qingwan said, "You absolutely cannot beat him."

Leng Qingyou asked in bewilderment, "Why? You look down on me, don't you? Although I've been defeated by you many times these past few days, you really can't underestimate me. On other battlefields, my skills are far superior!"

An Qingwan said, "Because he has cultivated a 'sword intent'!"

Yu Miaozhen asked in surprise, "Knife intent? Something similar to sword intent? This isn't that powerful, is it?"

An Qingwan said, "It's not the kind of 'intention' you understand. Ordinary sword intent and knife intent are ultimately just a style exclusive to swordsmen and knife users, a kind of aura used to intimidate people. But the 'knife intent' that Xu Zhong comprehended is already a spiritual existence."

That was a state of mind similar to the "Sword Heart Clarity" level in the Cihang Sword Manual.

It's not that comprehending this level necessarily makes one more powerful than someone who hasn't. There's never just one path to the Dao.

Those who cultivate to the point where their mind and body move in unison, and their actions precede their thoughts, are no less skilled than those with "Sword Mind Clarity."

However, the fact that Xu Chong was able to comprehend such a realm on his own, rather than relying on the guidance of a rare manual like the Cihang Sword Manual, demonstrates that his comprehension and intellect are terrifyingly high.

"Indeed, no one should be underestimated." An Qingwan smiled slightly.

Fortunately, she never underestimated anyone.

She had made ample preparations for this battle with Xu Zhong. She not only brought herself to her best condition, but also made worst-case scenario plans at the beginning of the battle and made a series of targeted arrangements.

Now, there's only one thing she needs to do—kill Xu Zhong!

Shaoyangzhou was only seventy zhang away from the north bank of the Huai River, not far at all. Therefore, An Qingwan did not take Leng Qingyou with her, but instead had Leng Qingyou and the others form a defensive formation.

She walked alone forward, stepping on the waves of the Huai River, breaking through layers of mist, towards the river island where many battles had taken place.

Finally, her feet touched the muddy ground again.

Although she was blind, she could still sense the grandeur of the camp on the continent.

The logs were buried deep, and the roots were repeated to fill the gaps.

Outside the wooden palisade was a moat two zhang wide, and inside the palisade were watchtowers every hundred paces and orderly camps.

However, An Qingwan had no time to pay attention to any of that right now. She was only concerned about Xu Zhong, who was standing in the center of the camp.

Even from a distance, she could feel the biting cold; up close, the cold became even more intense.

"Is what you're practicing truly the ruthless sword path?" An Qingwan asked.

Her natural demeanor made it seem as if she and Xu Chong were longtime friends, even though this was actually their first meeting.

"Of course, I have not only practiced the Ruthless Blade Way, but also the Yellow Springs and Azure Sky Blade of the Xu family, the Blade Nourishing Technique of the Heavenly Mystery Elder, and the Heart-Questioning Technique of the Heavenly Mountain Divine Blade. I have mastered all of these, which is why I have finally achieved my current power."

Xu Zhong placed the knife box he had been carrying on his back on the ground, tapped it lightly with his finger bones, and the knife box opened automatically, revealing five knives of different shapes.

"These five swords were forged by my own hands, and each one has drunk the blood of countless masters."

Before he finished speaking, five knives flew out of their sheaths and spun around Xu Zhong, allowing him to choose whichever he wanted. This move was truly exquisite.

But for An Qingwan, who had already mastered the art of sword control, this was nothing.

"You still have a knife, right? That's the knife you actually use. Take it out as soon as possible, or you might not have a chance to use it again."

An Qingwan didn't even go to see Xu Zhong.

Xu Zhong was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "You actually knew I had a knife."

An Qingwan said, "I know you're stalling for time, but there's no need for that. Now that I'm here, I'm full of confidence, so why would I leave? Just call out the person hiding in the shadows. If you don't call them out now, when they come, they'll only be able to collect your corpse."

That's incredibly arrogant.

Xu Zhong's face also darkened.

“You killed the Black Heaven Extreme Witch, so you’re very arrogant now.” An Qingwan said, “This isn’t arrogance, it’s confidence.”