Immortal of the Ages

After delivering her message, Ye Ziyan returned to the side of Ye Tiance, Elder Fan, and the others with a chilling smile. "Father, we shouldn't touch them for now," she said casually.

"Why? Yun Xiao destroyed the foundation of our First Sword Peak and killed many of your fellow disciples!" Ye Tiance's voice was dark.

"The Swordking will personally handle it," Ye Ziyan replied, a hint of reverence in her eyes. She was, of course, referring to Ye Guying.

"Do you think he'll scare them off before he even gets back?" Ye Tiance asked.

"Do you think Zhao Xuanran would run?" Ye Ziyan countered.

"No," Ye Tiance admitted, nodding. "They're all waiting to die with the Sword Pavilion."

"Then what's there to worry about?" Ye Ziyan said, smirking.

"Do you think Yun Xiao would run?" Ye Tiance asked coldly.

"Swordking Ye said once the brat reads the letter, he won't go anywhere," Ye Ziyan said, smirking again.

"Understood," Ye Tiance said, finally reassured. "We'll just wait for his return. Ten days is nothing."

Yao Manxue chimed in, her voice light, "To be honest, with Zhao Jianxing and the existence of that Sword Heart, if we rush them, we might take losses. They're already on borrowed time. It's best left to Swordking Ye."

"Exactly," Ye Ziyan nodded in agreement.

"One more thing," Ye Tiance started.

"What is it?"

"Is Guying really interested in Zhao Xuanran?" Ye Tiance asked, shaking his head. "Given his rise, there must be countless noblewomen vying for his attention."

Ye Ziyan chuckled, "Men, they always remember the beauties they once admired. But once they get bored, they move on."

"Fine, let's let these dogs live a little longer," Ye Tiance said coldly. He leaned in, whispering something to both Yao Manxue and Ye Ziyan.

Elder Fan, who had been standing nearby the entire time, felt awkward as nobody bothered to include him in the conversation.

"Sounds like a plan!" Ye Ziyan exclaimed, a gleam in her eyes.

Ye Tiance took a step forward and beckoned, "Zhang Jian, Wu Yi, come here!"

Zhang Jian, the Seventh Sword Venerable, had been waiting for a while. As for Wu Yi, he was a stocky middle-aged man in a dark-red sword robe, the Chief Law Enforcement Elder of the Third Sword Peak, currently acting as the Third Sword Venerable. Also summoned was Yu Xuanzhou of the Seventh Sword Peak.

"Zhang Jian, would you like to serve Swordking Ye?" Ye Tiance asked, his tone icy.

"It would be an honor for the entire Seventh Sword Peak!" Zhang Jian replied, nearly groveling. Had they been alone, he might have even knelt.

"Good. I'll give you a chance," Ye Tiance whispered to them.

"I assure you, we've got this!" Yu Xuanzhou said, puffing out his chest with confidence.

"I heard you spoke up for Yun Xiao at the Sword Inheritance Platform?" Ye Tiance asked, an odd expression on his face.

"Yes," Yu Xuanzhou replied, sweating bullets.

"We'll see how you do then," Ye Tiance said coldly.

"Don't worry, Sword Venerable!" Yu Xuanzhou assured. Looking up, they noticed the group from the Sword Pavilion was already at the Azure Spirit Cauldron, guarding it closely.

"Let them hold onto the Cauldron for ten days. When Guying returns, it'll be just perfect to fill with their blood," Ye Tiance said with a sinister tone.

The atmosphere atop Conclave Mountain was colder than a winter’s chill, tense enough to strangle.

“Time to distribute the rewards of the Sword Debate, Ye Tiance,” the Second Sword Venerable, Shangguan Yu, cooly said. She'd chosen to support the Sword Pavilion, and even with the news about Ye Guying returning, she wasn't as fickle as those from the Seventh Sword Peak.

“Ah, is it that time already?” Ye Tiance, stroking his long beard, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s, responded.

Hearing this, the audience's hearts raced. Clearly, the future for Azure Spirit would be a fight to the death. Would anyone still abide by the Eight Laws of Azure Spirit? The rewards for Sword Debate were undeniably lavish.

Under the watchful eyes of many, Ye Tiance stepped forward and proclaimed in a deep voice, “The Sword Debate and Grand Conclave have successfully concluded!” He glanced towards the Azure Spirit Cauldron, saying casually, “The home of the Azure Spirit Cauldron is no mystery. Congratulations to the Sword Pavilion!”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Following that, as the head of the Eight Swords Assembly, Ye Tiance began to distribute rewards to the top ten participants. Apart from those who met their demise today, the rest were ranked by their Sword Points from that day.

One by one, Ye Tiance handed out the rewards. Then, the moment of utmost tension arrived. First place in the Sword Debate! A thousand-year-old demon bone, twenty Dragon Spring Pills! Of course, the most eye-catching prize was the demon bone, which was the skull of a Demon Emperor!

These rewards were prepared in a separate Pouch of Holding, now in Ye Tiance's hands. Holding the pouch, he smiled, glancing from it to Yun Xiao, his expression teasing. “Who, do you reckon, won first place this year in the debate?” He surveyed the crowd.

The crowd remained silent, heads bowed. “Is it not our very own Top Sword of the Sword Pavilion, Yun Xiao? Any objections?” Cai Maomao blurted out. His voice, like thunder on a clear day, startled many.

Seeing this, the crowd could only shake their heads. Challenging without skills was a fool's errand, wasn’t it?

“Oh, well if it isn't the little brother of one of the demon-slaying heroes?” Ye Tiance asked Cai Maomao, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“You!” Recalling an incident from three years ago, the members of Sword Pavilion were naturally livid.

“Any other objections?” Ye Tiance asked, sweeping his gaze around.

“Well… I have something to say. Not sure if it's appropriate, though.” Suddenly, a deep voice rang out. The crowd turned to see Yu Xuanzhou from the Seventh Sword Peak speaking.

“Elder Yu, speak your mind,” Ye Tiance urged.

“Firstly, let me clarify. A few days ago, when Yun Xiao ranked first on the Heavenly Path, I admired him. I even spoke highly of him. A few elders can vouch for that. So, I don’t mind offending anyone. I just want to state a fair point,” Yu Xuanzhou said, pursing his lips.

“Go on,” Ye Tiance urged.

“If I speak out of turn, please forgive me. I am merely stating my perspective on fairness regarding this matter,” Yu Xuanzhou began, taking a moment to scan the crowd.

“Enough with the dilly-dallying!” Ye Tiance snapped.

“Alright then. What I wanted to say is—” Yu Xuanzhou looked at Yun Xiao, sighed, and then declared, “During the Sword Debate, Yun Xiao in fact broke the rules!”

"How did he break the rules?" Ye Tiance asked.

"Well, first he defeated Wu Jianyang, and that's fine. Then he took down Jiang Yue, no problems there. But the issue arose when he killed two people afterward. One of them had barely uttered a word from the sidelines before he was slain by Yun Xiao! By our rules, that's a sneak attack. It's a breach of the fairness that the dueling platform represents! Meaning, from that moment on, Yun Xiao should have been expelled from the Eight Swords Conclave and had his sword points taken away!" Yu Xuanzhou declared, teeth gritted.

Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd.

Yu Xuanzhou quickly added, bowing slightly, "I'm just trying to speak a word of justice for the deceased. If I've unintentionally offended anyone, I hope for your understanding."

Ye Tiance chuckled, rolling his eyes. "So, everyone got that? Some are ruthless and unjust, hiding behind their talent to murder the innocent! Even Elder Yu, who once aided him, can't stand to watch such behavior. The saying goes… those on the righteous path have many allies, while those astray find few. So, I ask all of you: who dares to stand up now and claim with a hand on their heart that Yun Xiao truly deserves to be the champion of the Sword Debate?"

With a fierce gleam in his eyes, Ye Tiance's voice thundered across the gathering, challenging everyone present.

"You all shouldn't be afraid! The Azure Spirit Sword Sect stands for righteousness. We won't let this so-called prodigy intimidate us into saying something against our better judgment," Yao Manxue coldly interjected.

Who would dare speak up after such a statement? Yet, the figure that truly held the awe of the Conclave Mountain was Ye Guying.

"In that case," Ye Tiance declared, cutting off any further debate, "the title of this year's Sword Debate Champion will remain vacant. The prize returns to the sect."

"My thousand-year-old demon bone, just like that, gone?" Yun Xiao exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. He'd even secretly been happy after hearing about Ye Guying's advancement. But then he'd end up getting stonewalled at the last second out during the testing of his Sword Soul! And now the prize he was so close to obtaining slipped right through his fingers! This felt far worse than any assassination attempt by Wu Wu and his family.

Yun Xiao felt like he would explode from irritation right on the spot! So furious he wanted to kill someone. He glanced towards Yu Xuanzhou then towards Ye Tiance. "That slimy back-stabbing, son of a bitch!" Yun Xiao muttered under his breath.

"Did you just cuss?" Zhao Xuanran frowned.

"I'm so pissed off!" Yun Xiao shot her a glare. What he didn't expect, was for something even more infuriating to happen.

Then, Yu Xuanzhou stood up again! He faced the crowd, and earnestly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Azure Spirit is clearly divided at this moment. For the record, I do not side with anyone. I just wish to speak some plain sense!"

"Then cut the crap and spit it out already!" Zhang Jian said.

"That's like this! I heard that the First Sword Venerable's disciples, Ye Ziyan, Hua Luo, Wei Ziyi, and Wang Xun, made great achievements in slaying demons this time in the Northern Wastelands! Despite Azure Spirit's current decline, their performance was truly inspiring! So, I suggest giving them substantial rewards to encourage future generations." Yu Xuanzhou said sincerely.

"So, how should we reward them?" Ye Tiance raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Since the first reward of the Sword Debate is still vacant, why not give it to them?" Yu Xuanzhou suggested with a knowing smile.

"Fine then! If Elder Yu, a paragon of justice, insists, how could I let these loyal heroes be disappointed?" Ye Tiance tossed the Pouch of Holding in his hand to Ye Ziyan.

"Announce the decree! For the merit of slaying demons, Ye Ziyan is rewarded with a thousand-year-old demon bone! Hua Luo, Wei Ziyi, and Wang Xun, receive ten Dragon Spring Pills each!" Ye Tiance's gaze was solemn as he declared loudly. The reward for the Sword Debate only included twenty Dragon Spring Pills. So, it appeared the missing would be taken from the Sect's coffers.

As soon as this was announced, it stirred up an uproar! Many people watched them, furious yet struggling not to voice it.

"The First Sword Venerable is truly fair! Next time your daughter kills a rabbit when she steps out, I reckon you'll have to reward her with a Divine Sea Pill, eh?" Cai Maomao just couldn't hold back, uttering a snide remark with a scornful chuckle.

The moment the words were spoken, a wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Many looked on, seething with anger but too hesitant to speak.

"Truly, the First Sword Venerable is the epitome of fairness! Next time your daughter kills a rabbit outside, I assume you'll gift her a Divine Sea Pill?" Cai Maomao couldn't resist a sarcastic remark.

"How dare you!" From the First, Third, and Sixth Sword Peaks, numerous figures rose in unison, shouting in fury. But from the Sword Pavilion, there were only a handful. The Second Sword Peak, despite having some notable figures like Shangguan Yu still present, found their elders and disciples silenced in the face of Ye Guying's overwhelming presence.

Suddenly, the air atop Conclave Mountain grew thick with eerie energy. Everyone's gaze turned to find Ye Ziyan unveiling an ancient demonic bone. It was a skull, etched with mystic runes. As the skull was revealed, unsettling illusions and a chilling wind enveloped Conclave Mountain. People recoiled in horror, taking steps back.

"Your name's Yun Xiao, right?" Ye Ziyan licked her red lips, saying flirtatiously, "You're quite the looker."

Yun Xiao fixed a cold stare at the demonic skull in her hand.

HUM!! With a playful laugh, Ye Ziyan summoned a golden Sword Soul, piercing it into the skull. As the skull cracked, marrow flowed towards her Sword Soul.

"Oh, this feels incredible!" she teased, eyebrows raised, a mocking grin aimed at Yun Xiao.

"Feeling good, Senior Sister Ye?" Yun Xiao inquired abruptly.

"Absolutely delightful," she chuckled.

"I'd like to feel that too," Yun Xiao responded.

"Oh, really?" Just as Ye Ziyan finished laughing, the demon bone shattered in her hand. All the marrow had been absorbed into her Sword Soul. Not fully transformed into sword energy, but it was hers now.

"Sorry, I've had my fun," she cooed sweetly.

"That's alright. I'll have mine next time!" Yun Xiao retorted.

"Next time?" Ye Ziyan laughed heartily. "This thousand-year-old bone is gone. What next time are you dreaming of?" She knew Yun Xiao must be fuming inside. But with the tides turned in her favor, what could he possibly do?

"It's done. Disperse," Ye Ziyan commanded, swaying her hips as she left.

"Elder Ye, it's getting late..." Elder Fan began.

"Goodbye," was all Ye Tiance replied, cutting him off.

"Fine." With that, he turned on his heels, teeth gritted, and strode away.

"Let's go," Zhao Xuanran said.

"To where?" Yun Xiao looked back, inquiringly.

"Home."

At the very least, the Azure Spirit Cauldron had returned home.

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At the Sword Pavilion, just outside the Grand Hall.

BOOM! The Azure Spirit Cauldron sat majestically at the entrance. As it settled, a man in a blue robe inside the hall had a flash of light streak across his eyes. A tear slipped down, shimmering in its descent.

"Today, I thank the four of you." Zhao Xuanran stood outside, expressing her gratitude to the group before her.

The four individuals were—

The Chief Steward of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion Hall, Qian Kun.

The Second Sword Venerable, Shangguan Yu.

The Fourth Sword Venerable, Chen Dong.

The Fifth Sword Venerable, Li Chenlong.

All of them were middle-aged Sword Cultivators.

Of them, both Chen Dong and Li Chenlong were men.

"No need," Shangguan Yu inhaled deeply, her gaze settled on the woman in a black gown. "Shall we go?"

"The Sword Pavilion might be in ruins, but we won't flee like criminals," Zhao Xuanran spoke calmly.

"But we can't lead our disciples to their doom..." Chen Dong sighed, lowering his head.

"Which is why I'm grateful. Please, be on your way," Zhao Xuanran replied. In tough times, words often fell short. Facing great peril, it's only human to seek an escape. Having helped, they'd already shown their loyalty.

"Take care." Shangguan Yu, Chen Dong, and Li Chenlong paused for a moment, then turned to leave.

"Farewell." Just as Qian Kun was about to head off, someone tugged at the collar of his robe, yanking him back.

"Ugh!" He choked back a retch and glared at Zhao. "What's the big idea?"

"Hand it over," Zhao Xuanran demanded, extending her hand.

"What are you on about?"

"I did the math. 328,612 Spirit Stones in total. If you're short even by one, don't think of leaving the Sword Pavilion," she glared.

"Come on! You've even counted down to the single digits?!" Qian Kun grimaced.

"Hand. It. Over," Sister Zhao raised her voice.

"All right." Qian Kun grumbled, counting begrudgingly.

"You penny-pincher," Zhao Xuanran teased. "You've made a fortune, yet you put on this sour face?"

"You earn the big bucks while I scrape up the crumbs. How can I not be envious?" Qian Kun said with a pitiful look. It took him ages to count out the large number of Spirit Stones. In the end, he handed over a dozen Pouches of Holding to Zhao Xuanran.

"Got any wine?" she inquired.

"Will it reduce my debt?" he replied with hopeful eyes.

"No."

"Robber!" He bemoaned, parting with a significant portion of his prized liquor collection.

Before departing, he took a deep breath. "Why not bring your father and seek refuge in my Spirit Treasure Pavilion?"

Zhao Xuanran shot him a surprised look. "You've grown a backbone," she remarked.

"So?"

"Until fate reunites us." Her voice was soft and faint.

"Take care."

In the end, only Zhao Xuanran and Yun Xiao remained.

She turned around to see the young man, freshly cleaned. Sunlight beamed on his face, making him seem like a flawless jade. Zhao Xuanran tucked away one of the Pouches of Holding in her gown, and the rest she placed into Yun Xiao's hands.

"That one contained 6,969 Spirit Stones. It's the capital I lent you. I'm taking it back; the rest is yours."

"Oh, wow!" Yun Xiao's eyes lit up, collecting the dozen or so Pouches of Holding. Over 320,000! He was on cloud nine.

"Thank you, Senior Sister Zhao!" Yun Xiao exclaimed. He hadn't expected such generosity. She only reclaimed her original amount, leaving the rest to him.

"Hey!" Zhao Xuanran's brow furrowed suddenly.

"What's up?" Yun Xiao asked.

"I was just being polite. Shouldn't you show a bit of humility in return?" she bit her lip in annoyance.

"Humility?" Yun Xiao was perplexed.

"Yes, humility!" she stressed the word.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister Zhao. My bad!" His face flushed with genuine remorse.

"All is forgiven," she replied nonchalantly, extending her delicate hand towards him.

"You can trust me, Senior Sister Zhao! I'm an honorable guy," Yun Xiao declared with a solemn look, opening one of the Pouches of Holding. He counted out five Spirit Stones with a pained expression and handed them over.

"What's this about?" Zhao Xuanran blinked in surprise.

Yun Xiao grinned, "Don't be too touched. it's what's due."

"Touched? What's the meaning of giving me five Spirit Stones?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

Yun Xiao chuckled, "Yesterday, I borrowed 6,969 Spirit Stones from you. By the worldly interest rate of 0.015%, the daily interest on 10,000 is five. By that math, I owed you three, but I'm quite the generous fellow, so I've thrown in an extra two for good measure."

Zhao Xuanran was gobsmacked. She glared at him, her chest heaving in outrage. "Agh! I can't tell if you're a playboy or a blockhead. You insufferable brat, get lost!" In her anger, there was an adorable quality.

"Yes ma'am!" Yun Xiao retreated, scurrying off.

"Don't leave the Sword Pavilion. it's dangerous outside! I also better not catch you with other girls!" she shouted after him.

"Understood!" Yun Xiao's voice faded as he distanced himself.

"Damn it!" Zhao Xuanran clenched her fists, itching to give someone a good thrashing. Turning around, she found Qin Tong standing behind her, staring blankly.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"Senior Sister Zhao, what's this about Yun Xiao being a playboy and being with other girls…?"

"???"

▬ι══🪦✧⚰️✧🪦══ι▬

"Over 320,000 Spirit Stones!" Yun Xiao, amidst the woods, gazed fervently at the Pouches of Holding in front of him. He took out the little black creature from his chest and placed it directly onto the pile of Spirit Stones.

His eyes were bloodshot. He was infuriated! His thousand-year-old demon bone had been refined just like that. The whole ordeal had turned him into a miserly hoarder!

He was even angrier than before he had slain the Third Sword Venerable. "Eat! Once you're done, I'm going on a rampage!"

JL's Thoughts