Firmament Sword

First, that such a terrifying existence was hidden within the Small World. Second, that his own attack had only managed to injure the giant black eagle, while Xushan... he had suppressed it as easily as catching a chicken!

Everyone else’s expression was incredibly grim. After all, a single Holy Beast was powerful enough to wipe them all out!

Shangguan Qing, the Sect Leader of the Kaiyang Sect, frowned slightly. He glanced at Xushan and said with a wry smile, ”You knew there was a Holy Beast here all along?”

Gu Jianfeng, the Sect Leader of the Shaking Light Sect, and Ling Fengwu, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Cauldron Sect, both looked at Xushan.

Xushan nodded gently and said, ”I didn’t intentionally hide anything from you. To be honest, I was only speculating. Even if there really was a Holy Beast, it was highly unlikely to attack us. Now, it’s finally been confirmed that it won’t.”

”This Small World isn’t so simple. Most of its rules are under the control of that Holy Beast,” Xiang Wentian remarked from the side, his expression grim.

He had also made a move, so he could sense the various rules at play within.

...

Inside the Small World, following that voice, the powerful giant beasts that had been blocking the fissure in the sky all departed.

The giant eagle that had been caught in Xushan’s grasp was also released. It flapped its wings and flew away without so much as a word.

”Oh my god, we actually spent six or seven days in a space with a Holy Beast... I can’t even imagine!” a pretty girl exclaimed.

Xu Qing was also surprised. She hadn’t known there was a Holy Beast in here either.

Only Xu Luo, hearing the voice of the White Flood Dragon Saint Beast once again, felt not the slightest bit of fear. Instead, he found it somewhat familiar and comforting.

At the exit in the sky, tranquility was restored. Light flowed within the fissure, and everything that had just happened felt like a dream, making it hard to believe it was real.

Many sect disciples who had found their own opportunities had fallen at the final step, a truly lamentable outcome.

The path of cultivation is not an easy one. It is fraught with hardships and twists, with danger lurking around every corner. This incident was just a glimpse of that truth.

”If that Holy Beast had attacked us, wouldn’t we all have been goners?” The pretty girl was quite lively and a bit thick-skinned. Once the initial shock wore off, her fear subsided, and she started chattering about it.

”Don’t speak carelessly,” Xu Qing said from the side. ”Experts of that realm, whether human or beast, must be respected. Besides, once they reach that level, they have practically transcended the mortal plane. Why would they care about ordinary matters?”

The pretty girl stuck out her tongue and made a face. ”Let’s hurry up and go, before Lord Holy Beast changes his mind...”

Xu Luo and the others glanced at the girl, feeling both helpless and speechless.

One figure after another began to fly toward the fissure in the sky. The fissure was massive, and with so many people, it was difficult for Xu Luo to find Su Qianqian’s figure among them. He didn’t see Su Qingyi either. He did, however, see Lianyi and her group leaving through the opening.

Xu Luo said, ”Let’s go, too.”

’Goodbye, Small World!’

’Goodbye, Song Banban!’

’Goodbye, Lord White Flood Dragon Saint Beast!’

...

”Xu Luo!” Just as he emerged from the massive fissure, Xu Luo heard an icy voice call out his name.

Looking up, he saw Jiang Tianhai standing there with a frosty expression, his injuries seemingly healed. Surrounded by a group of people, he appeared to be waiting specifically for him.

Xu Qing, standing beside Xu Luo, glanced at Jiang Tianhai and his men. She raised an eyebrow and was about to speak, but Xu Luo spoke first.

”Well, if it isn’t Young Master Jiang? What’s this, all healed up?” Xu Luo said, looking at Jiang Tianhai with a beaming smile. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought the two were great friends.

It would have been better not to mention it. The moment he did, Jiang Tianhai was seemingly transported back to the day Xu Luo had shattered his Dharma Aspect with a single punch.

Xu Luo’s domineering and mighty punch had shattered more than just the Dharma Aspect of Jiang Tianhai, the proud prodigy of the Kaiyang Sect. It had also crushed all of his dignity and pride!

From a young age, Jiang Tianhai had always been the pride of the Kaiyang Sect. He had achieved success early in life, and throughout the entire sect, while he couldn’t claim his word was absolute law, he always got whatever he wanted.

When had he ever suffered such a loss? When had he ever been so humiliated?

And to top it off, it was at the hands of someone he had never even deigned to notice. The proud Jiang Tianhai simply could not accept it!

On this trip to the Small World, many people had found their own opportunities. Even many of his fellow disciples, whom Jiang Tianhai had completely looked down upon, had all gained something.

Only he... had gotten nothing at all!

He could have obtained a great opportunity!

He could have had the chance to obtain that Spirit-Connected Magical Artifact, the Dragon Bell!

But all of these dreams were shattered to pieces by that one punch from Xu Luo.

Although he now appeared to be completely unharmed, in reality, how could the backlash from a shattered Dharma Aspect be so easy to recover from? Even with a behemoth like the Kaiyang Sect backing him and providing him with endless resources, he would still need at least several months to recuperate.

Some of his confidants had advised him to swallow his anger for now, wait until his injuries were healed and his strength had recovered, and then find some experts from the sect to deal with Xu Luo together. At that point, wouldn’t they be able to do whatever they pleased with him?

Xu Luo was strong, so what? The Merak Sect he belonged to was just an insignificant little sect. The strength of their entire sect probably couldn’t even compare to a single Outer Mountain Gate of the Kaiyang Sect!

But Jiang Tianhai didn’t want to leave so quietly. He felt that doing so would make others think he was truly afraid of Xu Luo!

Therefore, before leaving, he had to let Xu Luo know just how terrifying the rage in his heart was. He wanted to make Xu Luo live from this moment on in the shadow of his impending revenge, in constant, unending fear!

”Xu Luo...” A thick killing intent surfaced on Jiang Tianhai’s icy face. ”You’d better remember this: I will never let you go! If you know what’s good for you, kneel here, give me three loud kowtows, and say ’Master Jiang, I was wrong’ three times... Perhaps then, I’ll consider sparing your life!”

As Jiang Tianhai spoke, he casually glanced at the surrounding crowd out of the corner of his eye.

Huangfu Shishi was standing quietly off to the side, her gaze piercing through the crowd toward them.

Hearing Jiang Tianhai’s words, a flash of fury ignited in Huangfu Shishi’s eyes.

’How dare he speak to Brother Xu Luo like that! If our sects weren’t allies, I would kill him for sure!’ A monstrous rage surged within Huangfu Shishi. In this world, aside from her Father Emperor, only Xu Luo could make her this angry.

In fact, to a certain extent, Xu Luo was the only person for whom Huangfu Shishi would give up everything!

”Are you sick?” Xu Luo asked, looking at Jiang Tianhai. Although he hadn’t seen Huangfu Shishi, the area was a sea of people. Members of the various major sects who had been waiting outside, as well as the young disciples emerging from the Small World, were all gathered here.

As they spoke, many people had already turned to look in their direction. Seeing that the two sides of the conflict were Xu Luo and Jiang Tianhai, they all watched with excitement.

Not many people had personally witnessed the battle between Xu Luo, Jiang Tianhai, Ancient Star, and Xiaohai, so when they saw Jiang Tianhai and his men blocking Xu Luo’s path, they couldn’t help but get excited.

News of Xu Luo’s various exploits within the Small World also spread rapidly through the crowd to the sect members waiting outside.

”So that’s Xu Luo? I heard Jiang Tianhai of the Kaiyang Sect suffered a huge loss at his hands inside the Small World!”

”Yeah, a lot of people are saying that Xu Luo was already incredibly strong even before he joined the Merak Sect!”

”If he wasn’t strong, would he have dared to kill Young Master Tianquan right in front of an Elder from the Jade Balance Sect?”

”And now, after his time in the Small World, Xu Luo’s fame has skyrocketed again...”

The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussion, and Jiang Tianhai’s expression grew uglier. His face burned as if it had been slapped, and the gazes from the crowd seemed to be filled with ridicule.

Xu Luo looked at Jiang Tianhai’s ashen face and said lightly, ”If you’re sick, you should get treated. You’re still young, you can’t just give up on treatment like this.”

”HAHAHAHA...” A roar of laughter instantly erupted from the surrounding crowd.

Many people now looked at Xu Luo with admiration. Daring to oppose Jiang Tianhai inside the Small World was one thing; after all, it was just young disciples from the major sects in there. Fights didn’t really matter, and no elders would step in to help.

But now that they were out of the Small World, for Xu Luo to maintain such an aggressive stance against the great prodigy of the Kaiyang Sect... even those who disliked him had to admit, the guy had some serious balls!

The laughter attracted the attention of others who hadn’t been paying attention. They quickly began to ask what was going on, and as a result, Xu Luo’s three remarks spread like wildfire.

”Hahaha, that’s hilarious! That guy Xu Luo isn’t just bold, his words are so vicious! Sister Lianyi, was he always like this?” Ji Bingyu covered her mouth with her fair hand, her eyes curving into crescents as she laughed uncontrollably.

Lianyi watched Xu Luo in the distant crowd with a gentle expression and chuckled. ”Oh, him... he has a mischievous streak. I’ll see if I can find someone to put in a good word with the Kaiyang Sect later. It’s better to resolve feuds than to create them...”

”Sister, what are you talking about? Have you forgotten what that despicable villain did to us?” Ji Bingyu’s smile vanished, and she said coldly, ”I’ve never hated someone so much in my entire life. If I get the chance, I’ll kill that animal with my own hands!”

Lianyi sighed softly. Did she not want to teach Jiang Tianhai a harsh lesson? Of course not. It was just that she had to consider the bigger picture.

As the representative figure of the Kaiyang Sect’s younger generation, Jiang Tianhai’s status was incredibly high. If he were to die, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar.

The wrath of the entire Kaiyang Sect was not something just anyone could withstand.

Even if the Celestial Cauldron Sect, as a major sect, was not afraid of the Kaiyang Sect, this kind of feud would be a fight to the death. No one would want to create such an enemy lightly.

”There will be a chance to teach him a lesson in the future, but not now. And especially... this matter cannot be mentioned to the Sect Leader,” Lianyi said to Ji Bingyu, her expression serious.

Ji Bingyu’s eyes lit with understanding. ”I get it! Don’t worry, we’ll find a chance to take care of it ourselves later. We have to slice that animal into a thousand pieces!”

Faced with Ji Bingyu’s extreme hatred for Jiang Tianhai, Lianyi could only manage a wry smile. ’Still,’ she thought, ’if an opportunity like that ever came up, I wouldn’t mind running that animal through with my sword a few times myself.’

”Xu Luo... Remember what you said. Before long, I will make you understand the meaning of pain!” Jiang Tianhai snarled through gritted teeth, the killing intent in his eyes so thick it was almost tangible.

”You really are seriously ill,” Xu Luo sighed, looking at Jiang Tianhai. He then turned his head and gave a slight smile to Huangfu Shishi in the crowd.