Chapter 50:

The conversation ended on a sour note, with Feng Yuemian eventually storming off in a huff. With official matters settled, personal affairs took center stage. The people from the demon realm wasted no time in berating Cen Wuwang. “You can use any title you like—Sect Leader, Junior Sister, Jade Spirit, Fairy Sister. Yet you insist on addressing her by her secular name. Cen Wuwang, are you doing this on purpose? Answer me, Cen Wuwang! Are you deaf? Can’t you even nod?”

“You’re annoying.”

“Daring to give me attitude now? Cen Wuwang, where did your manners go?”

At that moment, Wen An learned many things—like why the love between his sect leader and his martial uncle ultimately fell apart, or why his martial uncle rarely set foot in the Taichu Sect.

But there was a question here. His sect leader was famously part of a trio. Cangwu couldn’t possibly be unaware of the animosity between these two. So why…?

Perhaps sensing Wen An’s gaze, Cangwu, who was also playing the gentle male role, greeted Wen An with a smile that seemed to bloom like a trumpet flower behind him. “The camaraderie between your sect’s senior brother and junior sister makes this old man envious.”

Wen An, “…”

After thoroughly scolding Cen Wuwang, Xiao Fang turned her attention to Xue Ying in the hall and discussed with Cangwu, “Since Yuheng can’t be used, let his disciple take his place.”

She sized up Xue Ying but couldn’t discern her potential across the vast distance, so she turned to Cangwu. “How is she?”

Cangwu propped his chin on his hand, smiling. “Second only to Yuheng. Quite impressive.”

Before they could exchange more words, the silent Cen Wuwang spoke up. “I can do it. There’s no need for her.”

As juniors, Wen An and Xue Ying were left bewildered. Cangwu, however, seemed delighted. As one of the witnesses, he had watched Xue Ying become Cen Wuwang’s disciple years ago. He still remembered Xue Ying’s childish declaration back then. Cen Wuwang had beaten her on the spot but later whispered to Cangwu in private, “She’s adorable.”

On the surface, he claimed he was raising her to be his rival, but when it came down to it, he wouldn’t give her the chance to prove herself. Cangwu remarked meaningfully, “Yuheng, you’re being impulsive.”

Xiao Fang couldn’t possibly understand the two men’s fondness for raising a young girl. She stuck to business. “You can do it? Do what? Use your soul to wield a sword? Do you want to disperse your soul or perish outright? Are you in a hurry to buy one and get one free? Yuheng, don’t force me to issue an order as your sect leader.”

After that, Cen Wuwang fell silent. Cangwu and Xiao Fang continued their discussion. “Handle your sect’s affairs yourselves. I’ll deal with the dragon and phoenix clans.” He beckoned to the female marquis, and the two of them walked out of the hall, their fragmented conversation drifting back occasionally.

“Why is the demon realm still using child labor?”

The array on the table gradually dimmed. Xiao Fang turned to Wen An and the others and declared, “Our Taichu Sect must save the four realms…”

The story was too long to tell in full, but the gist was this: if the demon realm fell, the four realms would follow. For the sake of everyone’s well-being, the Taichu Sect would take the lead in cleaning up the demon realm’s miasma dump, installing a purifier. The purifier’s “head” would be the sect leader herself, while the “tail” would be composed of Taichu disciples. The “battery” would be the Golden Crow brand, and the Sword Immortal would be the unlucky one to flip the switch.

Xue Ying seemed to grasp the idea. “If this concerns the four realms, why not inform the other sects and work together?”

Couldn’t everyone pitch in? Did the Taichu Sect have to shoulder this alone? If the entire sect was wiped out, wouldn’t their Taixuan Sect have a chance to rise?

Xiao Fang frowned. “Who would believe us?”

The mere mention of the Golden Crow had already set the dragon and phoenix clans at each other’s throats. If they claimed the demon realm’s miasma could be purified, who knew what schemes the other sects might hatch? Better to let the demon realm handle it themselves and face the other three realms with confidence later.

On this matter, the Taichu Sect played the role of the big brother to the hilt. Xiao Fang also pulled Wen An aside, instructing him to return and mobilize disciples from both sects. Finally, she requested that Xue Ying come to the demon realm. The barriers between the four realms had already been half-opened, and to avoid leaving it unfinished, they needed someone to take over.

The last unfortunate soul had been Cen Wuwang, who exhausted his spiritual power with one sword strike and ended up at Shen Jin’s mercy.

Xiao Fang’s exact words were, “Be a hired thug.”

As the last trace of spiritual power dissipated, Xiao Fang’s image faded like mist. Wen An thought for a moment and congratulated Xue Ying. “Then I’ll congratulate you in advance, Junior Sister, on becoming the next Sword Immortal.”

“She doesn’t need it.”

Cen Wuwang, despite having no mouth, still managed to interject. Xue Ying ignored the ghost behind her. Sensing the tension, Wen An wisely excused himself and slipped away, leaving only a living person and a dead ghost in the side hall. After a moment of silence, Cen Wuwang spoke from the steps. “The title of Sword Immortal isn’t just an honorific. When the four realms are in peril, the Sword Immortal must be the first to step forward.”

In the past, things hadn’t been so complicated. Previous Sword Immortals had mostly patrolled the three realms and sparred with other sword cultivators. But by Cen Wuwang’s time, the Golden Crow’s descent had thrown the four realms into chaos, even requiring Cen Wuwang to sacrifice his cultivation. He didn’t mind the trouble, but he didn’t want Xue Ying to follow in his footsteps.

“Leave the demon realm to me, Cangwu, and the others. You and Wen An return to the Dao Realm and focus on setting up the array.”

Xue Ying met Cen Wuwang’s gaze. “Senior Brother Du said that the Taichu and Taixuan Sects support the Sword Immortal, the Taisu Valley grants the Sword Immortal’s every request, and the major sects roll out the red carpet. When I became your disciple, I vowed to defeat you and become the Sword Immortal. I admit, I envied your glory, your prestige. I wanted to replace you, to stand where you stood, revered by my peers and noticed by the four realms.”

Cen Wuwang said, “Once the demon realm is settled, you’ll be the next Sword Immortal.”

“I don’t need it!”

Xue Ying’s anger flared. “I don’t see where I fall short. What you can do, I can do too. Or do you think I’m a coward who only wants the title without the responsibility?”

Cen Wuwang frowned. “You’re my disciple.”

Wasn’t it natural for him to protect his disciple?

Xue Ying refused his kindness. “Don’t play the elder card with me. Aside from the first three years, how much have you actually taught me? My teachers could be the sect leader, Martial Aunt Qixia, Senior Brother Wen, Senior Brother Du, even my juniors—but you have no right to say that.”

Cen Wuwang thought Xue Ying was being unreasonable. “The demon realm is no trivial matter. Going there is a matter of life and death.”

Xue Ying found him incomprehensible. The sect leader had explained everything clearly. What more was there to misunderstand? Cen Wuwang was blocking her because he looked down on her. “You think I’m not up to the task, that I’m unworthy of being the Sword Immortal.”

Outside the hall, Cangwu tapped the doorframe lightly with his pipe. “Pardon the interruption.”

Beside him stood a young girl, about the same age as Xue Ying when she first joined the sect. She seemed shy upon seeing Xue Ying and whispered, “Um, can I come in to get something?”

Xue Ying nodded. The girl hurried in, picked up a seven-stringed zither from the table, and struggled to carry it out due to her small stature. Xue Ying offered, “Let me help.”

The girl shook her head, her smile bright. “I can do it.”

Just like when Xue Ying first learned the sword and refused Cen Wuwang’s offer to rest.

If you can do it, so can I.

As the girl carried the zither away, Cangwu turned back to the two in the hall. “Finished talking?”

There was nothing left to say. Xue Ying ignored Cen Wuwang and took out the five-colored divine feather she had confiscated earlier, explaining its origins to Cangwu. Cangwu listened, then spread his hands apologetically.

“Sorry, but I don’t understand its nature either.”

Xue Ying didn’t respond, but the killing intent around her was unmistakable. If not for Cangwu’s presence, she might have obliterated Cen Wuwang on the spot.

The scene was as if Yuheng had killed his disciple’s wife. Cangwu examined the five-colored divine feather. Honestly, he couldn’t comprehend these sword cultivators. The founding ancestor had also been particularly fond of his sword.

“Out with the old, in with the new. I recall the Taichu Sect’s Twenty-Four Divine Swords are gathering dust. Why not help out, as Yuheng’s disciple?”

Xue Ying declined. She bowed to Cangwu and strode out. The autumn sunlight outside was brilliant. Cangwu squinted for a moment before asking Cen Wuwang beside him, “Had a fight?”

Cen Wuwang’s gaze followed Xue Ying, his heart troubled by one lingering question. “I don’t understand.”

Cangwu was happy to listen. “Go on.”

“The demon realm has nothing to do with the sword path. If something goes wrong, it could hinder her cultivation. If she wants to defeat me, staying in the sect to focus on training would be best. Isn’t this obvious? Why doesn’t she get it?”

Cangwu took a slow drag from his pipe. “Whether she gets it or not, I don’t know. But I do know one thing, Yuheng: the capable take the lead, and those who can’t step aside.”

Sword cultivators were simple creatures—the strongest ruled. Xue Ying had once admired him wholeheartedly, but now that Cen Wuwang was crippled, she turned her back on him without hesitation.

Who knew if she’d even give him a pension?

“My advice? Train hard. Maybe one day you can compete with her again. If you can’t be the Sword Immortal, being the Sword Immortal’s man isn’t bad either. Right, Yuheng?” As he spoke, Cangwu pulled out a book from his sleeve titled *30-Day Crash Course for Medical Cultivators*.

He flipped through it while examining Cen Wuwang, his methods as clumsy as a novice’s first attempt.

“First time?”

“Getting old. Memory’s not what it used to be.”

After all, he used to examine living people. Cases like Cen Wuwang—dead with only a soul left—were rare for him.

The explanation satisfied Cen Wuwang, who let Cangwu do as he pleased. Before being sealed into the jade pendant, Cen Wuwang pointed out, “You really are getting old.”

“Your words are all over the place, repeating the same things.”

He was already the Sword Immortal’s man. Cangwu didn’t need to remind him.