"What now? Are you looking down on us because you think the Heavenly Sword Sect has no one?"
"Greetings, Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ!"
Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng immediately bowed to their sect's protector, who had come to back them up.
Floating in the air, Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ still wore pristine white robes, his elegance undiminished. He raised his folding fan gently, and a soft wave of spiritual power lifted the two to their feet.
Liao Kong, Liao Chen, Yan Su, Yun Rong, Su Chui, Pan Fenglei, Xi Li, Bai Mo, and the other Jīndān Zhēnrén all respectfully bowed. Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ had not appeared in the cultivation world for a thousand years. To the newly ascended Jīndān cultivators, he was the stuff of legend. Meeting him today was a fortune beyond imagining.
"Your elders are on their way. Return to Yunling City first. They will question you later. The disciples you brought are still waiting."
"Yes, we obey your command, Zhūnzhǔ."
Fan Ji'an, who was still kneeling on the ground and unable to rise, was drenched in cold sweat. He had acted too rashly and kicked an iron wall.
Far off, the Yuányīng Zhēnjūn arriving by escape light sensed the Void Refinement stage pressure and dared not approach. From a distance, they all bowed in respect to the Zhūnzhǔ.
With the order given, the Jindan Zhēnrén mounted their flying swords and returned to Yunling City without delay. Amid the departing figures, Jian Dan spotted Xu Meixia. Though she tried to hide behind a fellow Zhēnrén, Jian Dan recognized her at a glance.
"Still alive? Bold enough to return?"
That confirmed Jian Dan's suspicions. Xu Meixia's death had now been decided.
That brief flash of killing intent went unnoticed by the others, but it did not escape Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ's attention. This little girl really stirred up trouble wherever she went.
At that moment, Jian Dan glanced behind Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ and saw Jian Wu Zhēnjūn supporting Jian Sheng Zhēnjūn, who had finally revealed himself. Jian Sheng Zhēnjūn's face was deathly pale, and one of his arms was missing—clearly the result of heavy blood loss.
"Zhēnjūn!"
Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng quickly stepped forward. Seeing Jian Sheng Zhēnjūn in such a state left them both deeply unsettled.
"I'm still alive. What's there to grieve over?" Jian Sheng Zhēnjūn said.
"Haha! The two of you did well this time. You upheld the honor of our Heavenly Sword Sect!"
Jian Wu Zhēnjūn rarely laughed, but now his voice rang with pride.
"At the critical moment, Jian Sheng burned his blood essence to use the clan's secret technique, Wind Shadow Escape, to get clear of the blast. He still lost an arm, but don't worry. Once he replenishes his blood essence, his limb will regenerate."
His words resolved the questions lingering in their hearts. Seeing that everyone was accounted for, Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ waved his sleeve, using his Pocket Sleeve technique to bring them all back to the Yunling City Lord's Manor.
Back at the cratered battlefield, Fan Ji'an finally realized Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ had departed. He sighed in relief and slunk away toward Yunling City, no longer daring to stir up trouble.
Elsewhere, Hai Yue Zhēnjūn of Cloud Sea Sect chuckled with a glint in her eye. She turned to Shou Feng Zhēnjūn of the Beast Taming Sect and said:
"That old scoundrel finally ran into someone he couldn't push around. Backed by the Yunling City Lord, he's caused no end of trouble over the years. Let's see how he explains himself now."
"Of course. Walk by the river long enough, your feet are bound to get wet. Just seeing that pale face of his makes my spiritual energy flow better."
"Tch. You've all been displeased with him for ages. So why hasn't anyone taken him down yet?" asked Xiao Die Zhēnjūn of the Purple Sky Sect, cutting in.
"Hmph! If we could've dealt with him easily, we'd have done it already. We're both elders now. We can't just act on impulse. But this time, he messed with someone he really shouldn't have. Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ is no ordinary person. He made a name for himself in the cultivation world while that fool was probably still in the womb."
Hai Yue Zhēnjūn was rarely this sharp-tongued. Shou Feng and Xiao Die both nodded in agreement. The three chatted as they returned to Yunling City, fully aware that the city was about to become very lively.
Inside the Yunling City Lord's Manor, Peng Xilai was in quite a bind. He personally welcomed Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ into the Cloud Heaven Pavilion, then sensibly took his leave to give them space to talk.
Peng Xilai hesitated. Perhaps he needed to awaken the former city lord, Peng Wang Zhūnzhǔ. After all, nearly half of the Lingyun Mountain Range had been destroyed. With the Heavenly Sword Sect's Zhūnzhǔ already stepping out, if they didn't send out a Void Refinement Zhēnzūn of their own, it would be hard to maintain balance.
When he returned to the main hall, he looked up and saw someone sipping spiritual tea and gnawing on a spirit rabbit leg.
"Grandfather! You're out of seclusion?"
Peng Wang Zhūnzhǔ raised his brows at the surprise on his grandson's face and continued gnawing on his rabbit leg. Between bites, he mumbled:
"If I didn't come out now, Yunling City would be in ruins. And what kind of city lord would you be then?"
He even reached out with his greasy fingers and poked Peng Xilai on the forehead from across the room. Peng Xilai couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.
"Grandfather, I didn't want to disturb your breakthrough. It all happened too suddenly. I didn't even have time to figure it out, let alone dare to knock on your chamber door."
"I know you mean well. But this matter isn't simple."
Peng Wang Zhūnzhǔ polished off the leg, wiped his mouth, and the childlike expression on his white-haired, youthful face faded into solemnity.
"Jian Jun showed up. He's the most calculating of our generation. Give him a thread, and he'll pull out the mastermind behind the curtain. A noble family was exterminated. Don't you think he smelled something?"
"I don't know," Peng Xǐlái said.
"Then we'd better find out. If we don't take the initiative, we'll end up at the mercy of others. Tell me everything that's happened while I've been in seclusion. Don't leave out a single detail."
"Yes, Grandfather."
While the grandfather and grandson were deep in conversation, Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng were also reporting everything to Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ, Jian Wu Zhēnjūn, and Jian Sheng Zhēnjūn in meticulous detail.
Just as they finished explaining, a flying sword message arrived in front of Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ.
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If you forget "Heavenly Sword Sect" and "Tianjian Sect" is same.