Yaoyue, the Siscon! Yan Nantian!

Mingyu Gong was pushed to its limit, yet the immense pulling force wrapped around her remained unchanged. Yaoyue could only watch helplessly as she drew closer and closer to Chu Yang.

When the two were just a foot apart, a new burst of palm force suddenly appeared and struck at Chu Yang.

Chu Yang waved a hand to block it. As he shattered the palm force, Banshō Ten’in was interrupted as well.

Having regained control of her body, Yaoyue took several steps through the air and immediately put distance between herself and Chu Yang, staring at him with lingering fear.

A beautiful figure had also appeared at her side.

The newcomer was tall and slender, with a cold and aloof bearing much like Yaoyue’s. Yet her eyes were gentle, carrying the pitiable innocence of a fawn. Her body leaned slightly to the left, as though she had some disability.

After saving Yaoyue, her gaze remained fixed on Jiang Feng.

"Lianxing, didn’t I tell you to stay properly in Yihua Palace? Why did you come out? You’re so disobedient!"

Though several heads shorter than Lianxing, Yaoyue lectured her. The sight was somewhat comical; standing together, Yaoyue looked more like the younger sister.

"Elder Sister, I felt uneasy, so I came out to look for you."

Lianxing withdrew her gaze from Jiang Feng and said despondently to Yaoyue, "Let’s go back. I don’t want to keep entangling myself in this."

Yaoyue gritted her teeth. "No! We can’t let that heartless bastard who hurt you off so easily! No matter what, he must pay the price today!"

Lianxing gave a bitter smile. "It was only my unrequited love. How can I call him heartless?"

Yaoyue said indignantly, "That man was injured by his enemies and on the verge of death. You cared for him day and night without even changing your clothes. Otherwise, how could he be standing here alive and well?"

"While recovering, he flirted with you. He obviously had feelings for you, yet he still dared to run away with that lowly maid!"

"An ungrateful bastard like him deserves to die!"

Lianxing wanted to speak but stopped herself. She looked up at Jiang Feng. How could she truly be willing to accept this?

Jiang Feng knew that if he did not make things clear today, this matter would not end peacefully. He clasped his fists and said, "First Palace Master, Jiang once did have feelings for the Second Palace Master, but only for a brief time. The one I truly love is Yuenv, and from this day onward, she will be the only one I love."

Yaoyue was furious upon hearing this and raised her hand to strike him. Lianxing immediately grabbed her hard. Left with no choice, Yaoyue snorted coldly and flung her hand away.

"You liked me?" Lianxing’s voice was full of surprise as she carefully asked, "Then why did you stop?"

Jiang Feng hesitated before saying, "Second Palace Master, your status is noble. Jiang Feng did not dare aspire to you…"

"I want to hear the truth!" Lianxing said firmly.

Jiang Feng let out a long sigh. "You and Palace Master Yaoyue are like immortal maidens above the heavens, untouched by mortal life. You lack even the slightest trace of worldly warmth. Your temperaments are like icy statues, without any visible desire or passion…"

"I like living people—people who can cry and laugh, people of flesh and blood. Yuenv is that kind of woman."

Lianxing’s body trembled. Sincere words were sharper than lies, and hurt even more deeply. Her nature had been inborn; no one had ever taught her how to live like an ordinary person.

She desperately wanted to tell Jiang Feng that she would change, but when she saw the child in Hua Yuenv’s arms, her whole mind seemed to freeze, and she could not say another word.

Yaoyue saw every change in Lianxing’s expression. Her anger toward Jiang Feng rose to an even greater level, and she could not help roaring, "How can you, you heartless bastard, bear to break her heart again and again?!"

Siscon Yaoyue was truly terrifying!

Chu Yang silently complained to himself, then shook his head. "Palace Master Yaoyue, since Brother Jiang has already made himself so clear, why must you keep pressing him? Even if you force feelings upon someone, will both parties necessarily be happy?"

"You may disregard Brother Jiang’s feelings, but you should at least respect your sister’s wishes."

Yaoyue’s eyes widened. "What does it have to do with you?!"

Chu Yang smiled. "I only feel like reasoning with people when I’m in a good mood. I advise you to mind your attitude while I’m still willing to reason with you. Otherwise, when I’m in a bad mood, you won’t even get the chance to reason with me."

Yaoyue sneered. "You only know a few unorthodox tricks. Do you think you can scare me? I was careless just now. If you have the guts, let’s fight again!"

At that moment, the Ice Mist Demon at Yaoyue’s feet, which had not yet fully died, revived after absorbing the icy true essence of Mingyu Gong.

Taking advantage of Yaoyue’s distraction, it suddenly attacked her. If it could devour Yaoyue’s flesh, blood, and true essence, not only would its injuries heal completely, its powers would greatly increase as well.

Sensing the killing intent behind her, Yaoyue spun around sharply, but she was still a step too slow!

"Elder Sister!"

Lianxing cried out in alarm, able only to watch as the Ice Mist Demon struck ruthlessly at Yaoyue.

At that desperate moment, the sound of a sword rang through their ears. Time and space around them seemed to halt. Chu Yang slowly walked over as though strolling through a garden.

Under Yaoyue’s stunned gaze, Chu Yang leisurely passed by her, then formed a sword with two fingers and shattered the Ice Mist Demon’s body with a single strike.

Sword Twenty-Three.

Chu Yang had cultivated for a long time, and his realm had long surpassed that of the Sword Saint back then. In his hands, the power of Sword Twenty-Three was utterly different from before.

When the Ice Mist Demon finally died, the frozen scene began moving again. Yaoyue and the others gasped for breath. During that halted instant, the sword aura and killing intent Chu Yang had emitted had nearly suffocated them.

Chu Yang glanced at Yaoyue from the corner of his eye. "Are you sure you want to fight me again?"

"You…" Yaoyue’s face turned livid. She was no fool. Had what just happened not sufficiently demonstrated Chu Yang’s mastery of the sword?

This was a monster!

Seeing this, Lianxing stepped in front of Yaoyue and separated her from Chu Yang. Then she politely said to Chu Yang, "This matter began because of me, and I have no desire to remain entangled with Jiang Feng. Let it end here."

Chu Yang nodded.

But Yaoyue pulled Lianxing back and refused to let the matter rest. "Who said it ends here? Jiang Feng broke your heart. He can’t just leave like this. Today, I’m going to see this adulterous pair through to the end. If you’ve got the guts, beat me to death!"

Yaoyue glared angrily at Chu Yang, craning her neck as though saying, If you have the guts, strike right here.

"Throwing a tantrum, are we…"

Chu Yang clicked his tongue. He was not afraid of a proper fight, but Yaoyue acting so shamelessly gave him quite a headache.

Jiang Feng first whispered a few words to Hua Yuenv, then walked toward Lianxing.

As he drew closer, Lianxing’s breathing became hurried.

"What are you trying to do?"

Yaoyue watched him warily.

"To be fair, Jiang Feng is not innocent in today’s disaster. It is true that there were feelings between the Second Palace Master and me. The First Palace Master calls me heartless, and Jiang Feng cannot refute it."

"Today, I am willing to receive one palm strike from the Second Palace Master. Let all gratitude and resentment be written off. What do you say?"

Jiang Feng spoke those words with the resolve to die.

Lianxing’s Mingyu Gong was only one level below Yaoyue’s. Even in the entire world, she was among the foremost experts. For Jiang Feng, at his current level, taking one palm from her was practically no different from courting death.

"At least you’re a man!"

Yaoyue turned her head aside, her attitude softening somewhat.

If Jiang Feng had simply hidden behind Chu Yang, there was nothing she could do to him.

But Jiang Feng had dared to step out and face Lianxing. That sense of responsibility already surpassed many people. No wonder Lianxing liked him.

"There’s no need for this…"

Lianxing shook her head. Though Jiang Feng had broken her heart, how could she bring herself to strike him?

"Please grant me this, Second Palace Master."

Jiang Feng bowed deeply, his attitude utterly resolute.

Lianxing’s eyes reddened with tears, her face filled with sorrow. Then she lightly struck Jiang Feng on the shoulder, sending him flying back to Hua Yuenv’s feet.

"Jiang Lang!"

Hua Yuenv wept like rain on pear blossoms as she bent down to examine Jiang Feng’s injuries.

"I’m fine. The Second Palace Master showed mercy."

Jiang Feng forced a smile, trying to comfort his wife.

"Elder Sister, let’s go."

With red-rimmed eyes, Lianxing turned her back, unwilling to witness this scene.

"I’ll spare you this time. Next time we meet, let’s see whether that brat will still be able to protect you!"

Yaoyue left behind that threat and was about to depart when a burst of force suddenly struck her buttocks. She cried out in pain and glared viciously at Chu Yang.

"If you call him brat again, I’ll beat your ass until it blossoms. Try me if you don’t believe it."

Chu Yang said with a smile, warning Yaoyue without the slightest mercy.

Yaoyue was so angry she nearly went mad and was almost ready to fight Chu Yang to mutual destruction, but Lianxing forcibly dragged her away!

After the two left, Li Gexiao let out a long breath and said with feeling, "What an unreasonable madwoman. If Young Master hadn’t been here, she might really have skinned us alive."

Chu Yang kicked at him. Li Gexiao nimbly dodged, and Chu Yang said irritably, "And you call yourself an old hand of the Jianghu? You provoked her again and again with your words. Were you afraid she wouldn’t dare go on a killing spree?"

Li Gexiao chuckled. "Wasn’t Young Master here? Under normal circumstances, where would I get so much to say? Being able to get a few verbal wins over Palace Master Yaoyue would be quite the glory to brag about."

"Hurry up and recover your cultivation. If you’re still this useless the next time trouble comes, then get lost. Don’t keep following me around for free food and drink."

Chu Yang rolled his eyes.

"Now that’s just distant. We’re brothers, aren’t we? Back then, we were the famous Capital’s Two Useless Men…"

Li Gexiao looked wistful as he reminisced about the past.

"Just keep playing the fool!"

Chu Yang shook his head, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

Li Gexiao’s mental state had changed greatly from before. That meant he was gradually breaking through the inner demons in his heart. When the day came for his martial cultivation to recover, it would certainly advance further.

The demon had been eliminated, and Yaoyue and Lianxing had also left. The temperature in the deserted village gradually returned to normal. Everyone had been through a night of turmoil, and dawn was close at hand, so they could only seize the time to rest.

When a sea of golden clouds appeared on the horizon and the rising sun climbed into the sky, another figure appeared outside the deserted village.

The newcomer stood over eight feet tall. Though his cheeks were hollow, his bones were broad, his shoulders wide, and his arms long. He cut an imposing figure.

He had thick brows, large eyes, prominent cheekbones, and tiger-like eyes that shone with terrifying brilliance. His bearing was awe-inspiring.

He was none other than the greatest swordsman in the world—Yan Nantian.

He had arranged a time and place with Jiang Feng, but after waiting a long time without seeing him, he suspected that something had happened to his sworn brother on the road. Thus, he hurried over without pause.

Passing through the deserted village, Yan Nantian, as a sword cultivator, was drawn by the dense sword aura here. He could not help stopping to carefully investigate his surroundings.

Who would have thought that in this deserted village, he would find his sworn brother Jiang Feng!

The brothers were overjoyed to reunite after so long apart. Yan Nantian first met his younger brother’s wife, Hua Yuenv, and his two children. Only then did he sit down to hear Jiang Feng recount what had happened over the past few days.

When he heard that Jiang Feng had successively encountered the Twelve Zodiacs, the most vicious bandits in the Jianghu, and Palace Master Yaoyue of Yihua Palace, Yan Nantian broke out in a cold sweat, deeply frightened in retrospect.

"It’s all this elder brother’s fault for arriving too late. I still don’t know how my worthy brother escaped…"

Yan Nantian was both guilty and curious. This had practically been an inescapable deathtrap. How exactly had Jiang Feng turned danger into safety?

Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenv exchanged smiles.

"Your younger brother encountered an extraordinary benefactor on the road!"

Jiang Feng told him about Chu Yang killing the Twelve Zodiacs and defeating Palace Master Yaoyue. Yan Nantian’s eyes immediately filled with nothing but shock.

He believed that he, too, could eliminate the Twelve Zodiacs alone, but he could not possibly do it as effortlessly as Jiang Feng described, much less defeat Palace Master Yaoyue of Yihua Palace.

Before the Wedding Dress Divine Skill reached great mastery, he could only use his self-created God Sword Style against Yaoyue’s ninth level Mingyu Gong. As for who would win, that was impossible to predict.

"Could I trouble my worthy brother to introduce such a divine man to me?"

Yan Nantian was a hero, but he was also a martial fanatic obsessed with the sword. If he missed such a powerful expert, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Big Brother, come with me."

Jiang Feng rose and led Yan Nantian toward the thatched hut where Chu Yang was staying.

At that moment, Li Gexiao and the large wolfhound were standing guard outside.

Yan Nantian was first startled upon seeing the enormous wolfhound from afar. Then, when he saw Li Gexiao’s appearance, he was startled again and cried out, "Hero Li!"

Li Gexiao, who had been resting with his eyes closed, abruptly opened them. Seeing Yan Nantian, he said in delighted surprise, "Hero Yan, why are you here?"

"Jiang Feng is my sworn brother. I came to meet him!" Yan Nantian strode quickly to Li Gexiao’s side, naturally placing both hands on the other man’s arms. "It has been many years since we parted. I never thought we would meet again!"

Li Gexiao was equally excited. After taking several deep breaths, he laughed loudly. "I never thought I would see you here either. We truly are fated. Our friendship was not in vain."

Seeing how delighted the two were, Jiang Feng could not help asking curiously, "Big Brother, how do you know Hero Li?"

"We knew each other before I became sworn brothers with you."

Yan Nantian laughed heartily. "In my early years, before my martial arts had reached mastery, I entered the world to uphold justice and became trapped in a demon town. I nearly died there. At the time, Hero Li was still a Commander, while Brother Left was still a Centurion. They saved my life when they passed through that demon town. In the end, the three of us joined forces to kill several Great Demons. That battle was truly exhilarating."

Li Gexiao fell into reminiscence, a smile appearing on his face.

Jiang Feng continued, "And who is Brother Left?"

Yan Nantian explained proudly, "Brother Left has a nickname in the Jianghu: Left Commander!"

Jiang Feng exclaimed, "That Left Commander who excels at slaying demons and eliminating evil!"

Li Gexiao nodded with a smile. "That’s him. Before long, he should be promoted to Pacification Commissioner. He won’t be a Commander anymore."

Jiang Feng smiled. "You were already a Commander when you met my big brother. After so many years, you should be close to becoming an Associate Commander by now, shouldn’t you?"

Li Gexiao shook his head, his gaze somewhat complicated. "I once served as an Associate Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but I was dismissed from office many years ago…"

Yan Nantian was shocked upon hearing this. He had always assumed Li Gexiao had long since become a high-ranking official. He never expected that he had been dismissed.

Because Li Gexiao’s matter involved the Emperor, very few people knew about it.

"How could such a good official as Hero Li have been dismissed? There must be some injustice involved. If Hero Li trusts me, you may as well tell Yan the truth."

Yan Nantian’s tiger eyes widened, and a fierce aura emerged from him, as though he intended to immediately seek justice for Li Gexiao.