Heavenly Sword Saint
Azure Mist Valley stretched across the horizon like an endless sea of green.
Tall trees covered the mountainsides, while thin mist drifted between the ancient forests. The deeper regions of the valley were home to powerful beasts, rare spirit herbs, and cultivators who came seeking the same treasures.
Jian Chen walked along a narrow mountain path with an ordinary iron sword at his waist.
His pace was unhurried.
He had been traveling for several hours since leaving Moonriver City.
Azure Mist Valley was his first destination after leaving the city. He had not come here solely for cultivation resources. He wanted to explore the surrounding lands and learn more about the world beyond Moonriver City.
Still, the valley had given him another reason to stay.
There were spirit herbs here capable of providing the spiritual energy he needed to open his tenth meridian.
Jian Chen glanced toward the forest.
Something felt wrong.
There was no obvious killing intent and no hostile aura.
Nothing that an ordinary cultivator would consider suspicious.
Yet the forest was too quiet.
He continued forward.
A short distance later, several empty baskets appeared beside the path.
They were the kind commonly used by spirit-herb collectors.
Jian Chen slowed.
The baskets were clean.
There were no freshly cut herbs nearby, no footprints leading into the forest, and no signs that anyone had actually been gathering herbs in the area.
He continued walking.
A little farther ahead, two cultivators emerged from between the trees.
Their clothing was simple, and each carried a small herb basket.
They looked like ordinary herb collectors.
One of them raised his hand.
"Brother, don't go any farther."
Jian Chen stopped.
The man pointed toward the path ahead.
"There are beasts in that direction."
"What kind?"
"Several powerful ones."
The second cultivator quickly added, "You should take the western route. It's safer."
Jian Chen studied them.
Neither man looked particularly nervous.
If they had genuinely encountered several powerful beasts, they would have shown at least some signs of caution.
Instead, they stood directly in the middle of the path.
"Where did you come from?" Jian Chen asked.
The two exchanged a brief glance.
"The eastern side."
Jian Chen looked at their clothes.
They were spotless.
There wasn't even a trace of mud on their boots.
He said nothing.
"Thank you for the warning."
He walked past them.
The two cultivators watched him disappear deeper into the forest.
Only after they could no longer see him did Jian Chen's gaze turn cold.
Someone was manipulating the route ahead.
He didn't know who.
He didn't know why.
But he had no reason to turn back.
If someone wanted to lead him somewhere, he wanted to see where the path ended.
Jian Chen continued deeper into the valley.
Several minutes later, five cultivators appeared ahead.
They looked like independent cultivators traveling together.
One of them stepped forward.
"Friend, stop."
Jian Chen halted.
"There are dangerous beasts ahead," the man said. "You shouldn't continue."
Jian Chen looked at him.
"Again?"
The man's expression froze for an instant.
"Again?"
Jian Chen gave him a calm look.
"Nothing."
He glanced toward the western path.
"So you recommend that route?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It's safer."
Jian Chen nodded.
"Understood."
He turned toward the western path.
Behind him, the five cultivators relaxed.
It was subtle.
A slight release of tension.
A small shift in their stance.
But Jian Chen noticed.
He took several steps before stopping.
Then he looked back.
"Why do you care which direction I take?"
The five men said nothing.
The concern that had been present on their faces disappeared.
So did the pretense.
Jian Chen remained calm.
He slowly released his perception.
The surrounding forest became clear within his senses.
Five powerful auras immediately entered his awareness.
Ninth Stage.
All five.
Their spiritual energy was restrained, but their foundations were solid.
These were not ordinary Ninth-Stage cultivators.
Their breathing was steady.
Their movements were controlled.
Their positions formed a natural encirclement.
They had clearly killed before.
Jian Chen understood.
The strange warnings had never been about beasts.
They had been guiding him toward this place.
The five men moved.
Jian Chen's fingers settled around the hilt of his ordinary iron sword.
The first assassin rushed forward.
Jian Chen drew his sword.
One strike.
The assassin fell before he could reach him.
The second attacked from the side.
Jian Chen turned and struck once.
Another body collapsed.
The remaining three changed formation immediately.
Their movements were precise.
They had fought together many times.
It made no difference.
Jian Chen stepped forward.
One strike.
The third assassin fell.
Another strike.
The fourth followed.
The final assassin hesitated.
Only for an instant.
Jian Chen's sword moved.
The fifth man collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
Jian Chen lowered his sword.
Not a single wound marked his body.
The five assassins had not even forced him to retreat.
He looked at them briefly.
The assassins had been carefully selected.
Their coordination had been excellent.
It still hadn't been enough.
Jian Chen turned away.
Then another aura entered his perception.
This one was familiar.
He stopped.
A young man slowly emerged from between the trees.
Jian Hu.
Jian Hu stopped when he saw the five bodies.
For several moments, he said nothing.
He had personally arranged the ambush.
After learning that Jian Chen had left Moonriver City, he had carefully hired five experienced Ninth-Stage cultivators.
He had chosen them based on what he knew about Jian Chen.
Jian Hu had personally witnessed Jian Chen defeat Jian Ming and Jian Yuan.
He knew Jian Chen was no longer the weak youth he had once bullied.
But he had never imagined this.
Five top Ninth-Stage cultivators had attacked together.
Jian Chen had killed every one of them.
And he hadn't even been injured.
Jian Hu's gaze settled on Jian Chen.
Only then did he sense the spiritual energy within Jian Chen's body.
Eighth Stage.
His expression changed slightly.
He finally understood why five top Ninth-Stage cultivators had been unable to touch Jian Chen.
Jian Chen noticed his realization.
"So you finally understand."
Jian Hu remained silent.
Jian Chen looked at him calmly.
"I wasn't even looking for you yet."
Jian Hu's expression tightened.
Jian Chen continued.
"I left Moonriver City because I wanted to explore Azure Mist Valley."
His gaze moved briefly toward the dead assassins.
"I had other things to deal with."
Then he looked back at Jian Hu.
"But you brought five assassins all the way here just to find me."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You saved me the trouble."
Jian Hu stared at him.
"How did you..."
He stopped.
The question no longer mattered.
The bodies on the ground had already provided the answer.
Jian Chen had become stronger.
Much stronger.
Jian Hu had acted according to the information he possessed.
That information was now worthless.
Jian Chen took a step forward.
"I had no reason to waste my time on you."
Jian Hu's expression hardened.
"You think you can kill me?"
Jian Chen stopped.
"You made one mistake."
Jian Hu stared at him.
"You came looking for me before I even had time to look for you."
Jian Chen's fingers tightened around the hilt of his iron sword.
"So don't blame anyone else for what happens next."
Jian Hu took a step backward.
Jian Chen noticed.
He didn't chase him.
Not yet.
The five assassins had been Jian Hu's answer to Jian Chen.
Now they were dead.
Jian Hu had chosen the location.
He had chosen the people.
He had decided when Jian Chen would die.
But the moment those five men fell, all of his preparations became meaningless.
Jian Chen looked at him calmly.
"You came looking for me."
His fingers rested lightly against the hilt of the iron sword.
"Now it's your turn."