Chapter 54: Heroes of the World, Who Else But Me?

Chapter 54: If Not Me, Who Else Among the Heroes of the World

"Once the patriarch of my Azure Cloud Sect steps forward, the proud talents of the Northern Domain will shatter like dust; none can stand in his way!"

Du Rulong harbored an arrogant and domineering thought deep within his heart.

Externally, however, he remained as steady as an old dog, entirely unfazed by the sneers and taunts of the various sect masters.

Ruan Ting and Lin Zhong were merely two pawns cast out to draw the enemy's fire; the true hidden razor-sharp blade was none other than the patriarch of his Azure Cloud Sect!

"Well, Old Du, left with nothing to say?"

Seeing Du Rulong remain silent, Jiang Luoyue refused to let the matter rest, her gaze piercing like the edge of a blade.

"We shall ride our donkeys and consult the ledgers as we go; let's wait and see!"

Du Rulong let out a muffled snort.

Observing his stubborn refusal to admit defeat, the other sect masters chuckled and refrained from further ridicule.

Down in the plaza.

The disciples of the various sects had also caught the underlying meaning in the sect masters' words, casting disdainful glances toward the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect.

A mere Azure Cloud Sect, featuring only a Ruan Ting and a Lin Zhong, possessed limited strength and was hardly worth fearing.

Glancing up at the sky, Master Leiyin gave a light cough. "Sect Master Du, the time is nearly upon us. Open the Azure Cloud Secret Realm!"

"Very well."

Du Rulong's expression turned stern as he waved his hands, weaving a series of hand seals through the air.

Rumble!

A succession of muffled echoes resonated from the void.

A mass of swirling mist slowly materialized and expanded above the heads of the gathered crowd.

"Ten thousand years have passed; I finally see you once more..."

Amidst the throng, Chen Pingan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a tempest of conflicting emotions surging in his heart.

At that moment, the voice, smile, and every subtle expression of his master seemed to resurface before his eyes.

Arousing a profound and redoubled wave of longing.

"Disciples of all sects, this Azure Cloud Secret Realm is fraught with extreme danger. Do not push yourselves blindly; should you encounter a crisis, activate your tokens immediately to evacuate the realm."

Du Rulong instructed in a deep, solemn voice.

"We understand, Sect Master Du..."

A chorus of excited shouts erupted from the assembly. Seeing the disciples of the various sects rubbing their hands together in eagerness, Du Rulong waved his hand and commanded, "Enter!"

As the words fell, figures shot into the sky one after another, plunging straight into the misty entrance.

When nearly everyone in the plaza had passed through, Chen Pingan finally launched himself upward, his figure vanishing entirely within the fog.

The moment he entered the mist, a wave of teleportation energy enveloped him, instantly transporting him deep into the Azure Cloud Secret Realm.

"A coincidence?"

Standing beneath a mountain ravine, Chen Pingan gazed up at a massive cyan boulder on the cliff face, a look of profound astonishment washing over his features.

Upon his very first entry into the Azure Cloud Secret Realm ten thousand years ago, he had been teleported to this exact spot.

And now, ten thousand years later, upon his second entry, he had once again arrived at the exact same location.

Carved into this cyan stone were eight bold, vigorous characters that seemed to writhe like dragons and serpents: "If Not Me, Who Else Among the Heroes of the World?"

"Back then, I certainly was quite the grandstander..."

Chen Pingan smiled faintly.

He had personally carved those words himself ten thousand years ago.

During that particular excursion into the Azure Cloud Secret Realm, he had also been the sole individual to undergo the tempering of the Sword Pool.

"Haha, which absolute idiot carved these words here?"

"The Azure Cloud Sect has fallen to such a state, yet they still dare to proclaim 'If Not Me, Who Else Among the Heroes of the World?' Isn't that utterly hilarious?"

From a distant grove of trees, two voices rang out in laughter.

Hearing this, Chen Pingan's face turned green. Dammit, who on earth insults someone right to their face?

With a flicker of his body, he vaulted across the tree line.

Standing beside a clear pool of water were two disciples of the Wind and Moon Sect, pointing and mocking the inscriptions on the cyan stone.

Materializing abruptly before the two of them, Chen Pingan wore a dark expression and let out a cold huff. "Has the Azure Cloud Sect wronged you in some way? Such foul words!"

"Haha, a pathetic little disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect actually shows up. Is he here to clean up the mess for them?"

One of them roared with laughter.

The other let out a cold snort. "Why waste breath on him? See an Azure Cloud disciple, beat him!"

Exchanging a glance, the two men lunged directly toward Chen Pingan.

Their cultivation bases were at the seventh layer of the Golden Body Realm, so facing Chen Pingan alone, they felt no fear going two against one.

Bang! Bang!

With a casual sweep of his hand, Chen Pingan batted both of them flying.

Splash! Splash!

The two tumbled headlong into the mountain pool, emerging instantly as soaked, bedraggled drowned rats.

Spitting out water as they surfaced, one of them frowned and hissed, "We're no match for him! Quick, go find Senior Sister Zixia for help!"

"Let's go!"

The pair shot straight up into the air, utilizing their movement techniques to flee rapidly along the treetops.

Once one reached the Golden Body Realm, one could only leap and glide using the strength of the ground or treetops; true sustained flight remained out of reach.

Zixia?

Chen Pingan paused for a moment, choosing not to pursue them.

The two minor disciples of the Wind and Moon Sect had merely spoken without malicious intent, and a light lesson was punishment enough; there was no need to take lives.

After all, the eight righteous sects were currently bound by an alliance; only competition existed between them, not mortal hostility.

"Could this Zixia be the reincarnation of Jianger's master?"

He muttered to himself softly.

Back in the plaza, he had indeed heard the Sect Master of the Wind and Moon Sect mention Zixia. At the time, he hadn't given it much thought, but now, with the two Wind and Moon disciples bringing her up again, his mind involuntarily drifted to his former lover, Zixia.

After a short while, Chen Pingan regained his focus.

Orientating himself by surveying the surrounding terrain, he sped away in the direction of the Sword Pool.

Boom! Boom...

Distant rumbling echoes resounded through the air, accompanied by the roars of fierce beasts.

Chen Pingan quietly concealed himself behind the trunk of a towering tree.

In the jungle ahead, a group of Wind and Moon Sect disciples had just joined forces to slaughter a demonic beast.

"Have you seen Zixia?"

Chen Pingan dropped down into the clearing of the battle, looking at the group with a smiling inquiry.

An Azure Cloud Sect disciple?

Upon catching sight of Chen Pingan's attire, their expressions instantly grew complex and hostile.

"Your sect master is certainly arrogant, praising Ruan Ting and Lin Zhong to the heavens right in front of the seven great sect masters in broad daylight!"

One of them sneered.

"What is it exactly that you're trying to say?"

Chen Pingan shrugged, a detached smile playing on his lips. "This entire Azure Cloud Secret Realm belongs to the Azure Cloud Sect, let alone a mere Sword Pool!"

"The Azure Cloud Sect is arrogant from top to bottom!" That disciple drew his sword and charged forward, shouting, "Send him packing back home!"

The others immediately launched their assaults as well.

In an instant, sword light poured down like a torrential rain.

Swoosh!

A beam of sword radiance pierced forth like a dragon breaking out of its abyss, effortlessly shattering the curtain of sword light and sending the group flying backward.

"This fellow is only at the seventh layer of the Golden Body Realm—how can his swordsmanship be so terrifying?!"

Clambering up from the ground, the Wind and Moon Sect disciples were utterly shaken with disbelief.

Chen Pingan advanced, sword in hand.

His original intention was merely to frighten these youngsters and force them to activate their tokens to evacuate, thereby stripping them of their qualifications to continue the trial.

Suddenly, a streak of purple light descended from the heavens, blocking Chen Pingan's path.

"Zixia?"

Upon recognizing the figure clad in purple, Chen Pingan was struck by a mixture of shock and delight.

The stunning woman in the purple robe before him bore an eighty to ninety percent resemblance to the Zixia he once knew.

Her legs were slender, her figure alluring and curvaceous, and her facial features refined to absolute perfection. Her brows curved like crescent moons, her delicate nose was utterly charming, and her lips possessed a ruby-red allure that practically tempted a taste, rendering her intensely captivating.

Her eyes were peach-blossom bright, limpid like a clear spring of water.

"You know me?"

Zixia took a step back, a hint of confusion crossing her porcelain-smooth, breathtaking face as she stared with curiosity at the man before her.

This male disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect possessed utterly ordinary looks; she was certain she had never laid eyes on him before.

"Junior Sister Zixia, who is this person?"

Another figure dropped from the sky, transforming into a young man clad in green robes.

With a face as handsome as jade, sword-like brows, starry eyes, and an ethereal demeanor, he was likewise a textbook handsome man.

The moment Zixia laid eyes on this youth, her face bloomed into a beaming smile as she shook her head and replied, "Senior Brother Qingsong, I don't know him either."

Senior Brother Qingsong?

Gazing at the green robes, a name instantly surfaced in the depths of Chen Pingan's mind.

Luo Qingsong!

A proud, elite disciple of the Hundred Herb Hall, possessing a cultivation base at the peak of the tenth layer of the Golden Body Realm, alongside a fire-attribute Dao seed of the lower Heaven grade!