The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

The stark contrast and shock left everyone stunned.

Jiang Xuan didn't even glance at Huang Jianxiong, who lay on the ground like a dead dog; the cold killing intent in his eyes had not diminished.

He knew that there should be no mercy towards someone who wanted him dead.

He raised his foot, intending to stomp down on Huang Jianxiong's dantian or head, to completely cripple or end this troublesome situation.

"stop!"

"presumptuous!"

"you dare!"

At this moment, the scions of powerful families in the Forbidden City finally reacted, both shocked and furious, and shouted angrily! Although they looked down on Huang Jianxiong's actions, they were, after all, from the Forbidden City circle. How could they stand by and watch a young man from the frontier kill a member of a powerful family in front of them? That would be a disgrace to the entire younger generation of the Forbidden City!

However, Jiang Xuan ignored their reprimands and continued moving without pausing.

Just as his foot was about to land—

"Buzz!"

A streak of azure sword light appeared out of thin air, silently pressing against Jiang Xuan's throat, just an inch away from his skin!
The icy blade emanated a bone-chilling cold, and its incomparably sharp sword intent was almost tangible, locking onto Jiang Xuan. The terrifying killing intent contained within it made Jiang Xuan's blood feel as if it were about to freeze! He had no doubt that if he moved even slightly, this sword light would instantly pierce his throat!

Jiang Xuan's movements froze.

He slowly raised his head and looked at the source of the sword light.

Before anyone knew it, Little Swordsman Xie Yutang had appeared in the hall like a ghost, standing not far in front of him.

The azure longsword pressed against his throat was held in Xie Yutang's hand. Xie Yutang's gaze was calm and indifferent, as if he were doing something trivial.

"Put him down."

Xie Yutang spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable tone of command.

Jiang Xuan looked at Xie Yutang, the man who had once saved his life.

He remained silent for a moment, and the killing intent within him slowly subsided.

Regardless, the other party had saved my life.

"it is good."

Jiang Xuan only said one word, then released his grip on Huang Jianxiong's severed hand, casually tossing the unconscious Huang Jianxiong to the ground like trash.

Seeing this, Xie Yutang flicked his wrist slightly, and the azure longsword retracted like a serpent, silently returning to the scabbard at his waist.

The whole process was smooth and effortless, without a trace of fuss.

He looked calmly at Jiang Xuan and said indifferently.

"I can save you, and I can kill you too. Don't test my limits."

After saying that, he didn't look at Jiang Xuan again, turned around, and calmly walked back to his previous seat, sitting down as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Xuan stood there, watching Xie Yutang's retreating figure, remaining silent.

He slowly raised his hand and touched his throat.

A slightly cool and damp sensation came from my fingertips.

He looked down and saw a tiny, bright red bead of blood on his fingertip.

It was caused by Xie Yutang's sword energy just now. The wound was very shallow, and I couldn't even feel any pain.

But that little bit of scarlet was particularly glaring in Jiang Xuan's eyes.

He silently brought his fingertips to his lips, stuck out his tongue, and gently licked away the drop of blood.

A faint, uniquely his own taste of blood filled his mouth, carrying a hint of rust, and was deeply etched into his heart.

The atmosphere inside the hall was so heavy it seemed like it could drip water.

Jiang Xuan slowly lowered his hand. The tiny wound on his throat had stopped bleeding, leaving only an almost invisible red mark.

His face showed no trace of anger, humiliation, or lingering fear from being threatened with a sword by Xie Yutang; his calmness was unsettling.

He just stood there, his gaze sweeping calmly over the various expressions on their faces, and then he even walked back to his original spot, sat down cross-legged again, as if the dramatic conflict had never happened.

This unusual calmness, far from reassuring Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, Yuan Shu, and other young men from Yanxia City, sent chills down their spines! They knew Jiang Xuan all too well, or rather, they knew all too well the ruthlessness and decisiveness hidden beneath his calm surface.

The bloodshed in front of the Guanchao Pavilion that night, the ruthless methods used to cripple the human traffickers and their accomplices—all these showed that this was not someone who would swallow his pride! The calmer he was now, the more terrifying his subsequent retaliation would likely be! The group exchanged glances, each seeing the unease and fear in the other's eyes.

When the young nobles of the Forbidden City saw Jiang Xuan sit down in silence after being forced back by Xie Yutang's sword, no longer as arrogant as before, they immediately concluded that his arrogance had been completely suppressed and he had become a loser who dared not utter a word.

Several undisguised sneers and whispers rang out.

"Hmph, I thought he was tough, but he's just a spineless coward."

"In front of Brother Yutang, even dragons must coil up and tigers must lie low!"

"He's smart to be sensible, otherwise he would already be a dead man under the sword."

In this delicate atmosphere, Granny Feng, leaning on her dragon-headed cane, walked steadily into the hall once again.

Her gaze first fell on Huang Jianxiong, who was lying unconscious and in a sorry state on the ground. There was no pity in her cloudy old eyes, only an undisguised disgust.

“Drag this disgraceful thing out and throw it back into the Huang family’s villa here.”

The wind woman's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Pass on my message: from this day forward, no member of the Huang family is allowed to set foot in Cuimingxuan again."

Two servants immediately stepped forward silently and swiftly lifted Huang Jianxiong, who was as limp as mud.

"and many more!"

Among the scions of powerful families, a young man who had a decent relationship with Huang Jianxiong quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and carefully examined Huang Jianxiong's injuries.

Upon this investigation, his expression changed drastically. He abruptly raised his head, his voice filled with shock, anger, and disbelief, and he shrieked.

"His Qi Sea! His Qi Sea... is shattered!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake!
"What?! Your Qi Sea is shattered?!"

"This...this is tantamount to completely ruining his cultivation path!" "What a vicious method!"

The scions of powerful families erupted in an uproar, glaring angrily at Jiang Xuan, who remained seated calmly on the ground.

They initially thought Jiang Xuan had only severely injured Huang Jianxiong, but they never expected him to have directly destroyed Huang's cultivation foundation! This was even more cruel than killing him! For cultivators like them who valued their cultivation and future as their very lives, this was an unforgivable crime!
Upon hearing this, Granny Feng frowned slightly. She turned her gaze to Jiang Xuan, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Kid, you went a bit too far."

"Grandma Wind, you are wise!"

Immediately, a member of a powerful family pointed angrily at Jiang Xuan and rebuked him sternly.

"This scoundrel is vicious and dares to cripple the cultivation of a member of the powerful clans of the Forbidden City! This is a provocation against all of us! If we don't kill him, how can we explain this to the Huang family? What face will we have left?"

"That's right! Kill him! Avenge Jianxiong!"

"We must not let this vicious bastard get away with this!"

The crowd was filled with rage, and murderous intent once again filled the hall.

They were not only seeking revenge for Huang Jianxiong, but also upholding their dignity and inviolable authority as scions of powerful clans! How dare a poor family from the borderlands cripple a member of a powerful clan? If this were to reach the Forbidden City, they would all lose face and might even face reprimands from their families.

Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, and the others were terrified. Although they knew Jiang Xuan was ruthless, they never expected him to dare to cripple the Qi Sea of ​​a powerful clan's scion! This was no longer a simple conflict; it had created an irreconcilable feud! Jiang Xuan had now completely offended the powerful clans of the Forbidden City!
Even Xie Yutang, who had maintained a calm demeanor, frowned slightly, a hint of coldness creeping into his gaze as he looked at Jiang Xuan. Destroying someone's Qi Sea and severing their path to cultivation is a grave taboo in the world of cultivators.

Facing the condemnation of thousands and surrounded by murderous intent, Jiang Xuan finally slowly raised his head, looked calmly at Granny Feng, and asked in return without any ripples in his tone.

"Grandma Wind, do you think I did something wrong?"

Granny Feng looked at him intently, without answering directly. Instead, she turned to the indignant scions of powerful families, her voice suddenly turning cold, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"enough!"

Just two words, yet they seemed to contain an invisible power, instantly suppressing all the noise and killing intent!
A chilling glint flashed in Granny Feng's seemingly cloudy eyes, and a terrifying aura, vast as an abyss and deep as the sea, suddenly enveloped the entire hall like an invisible mountain! Under this aura, everyone felt their breath catch in their throats, their souls tremble, as if they would be crushed into dust in the next instant!
Those powerful scions who had been clamoring to kill Jiang Xuan fell silent instantly, like ducks with their necks being choked. Their faces turned ashen, cold sweat poured down their backs, and they didn't even dare to breathe.

Even Xie Yutang, faced with this aura, lowered his eyes slightly, concealed all his sharpness, and remained silent.

The hall fell silent once again, with only the heavy, suppressed breathing of the crowd.

Granny Feng then turned her gaze back to Jiang Xuan, and the terrifying sense of oppression receded like the tide.

She said calmly.

"This matter ends here. I'm taking the person with me. You'd better watch yourselves."

After saying that, she ignored everyone and turned to walk away.

Two servants quickly supported the unconscious Huang Jianxiong and followed.

Jiang Xuan stood up, patted his robes, and glanced at the group of trembling noble scions with a hint of disdain. A faint mocking smile appeared on his lips, and he followed Granny Feng at a leisurely pace.

Watching his departing figure, the scions of powerful families seemed to regain their ability to breathe. Their faces turned ashen, their fists clenched, and their eyes filled with humiliation and anger, yet none of them dared to utter a word to stop him.

Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, and the others watched Jiang Xuan leave peacefully with Granny Feng, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. They felt a sense of relief, yet also a faint admiration for Jiang Xuan's courage and... recklessness. To dare to leave so calmly with the host after crippling a powerful clan's scion—such composure was truly extraordinary.

"Qi Yunxiao!"

A scion of a powerful family suddenly turned around and stared fiercely at Qi Yunxiao.

"Tell us everything about Jiang Xuan! What is his background?!"

Qi Yunxiao inwardly groaned, knowing that these arrogant scions of powerful families would not let the matter rest, and that this turmoil had probably only just begun.

……

Following behind Granny Feng, walking along the quiet corridor of Cui Ming Xuan, the calmness on Jiang Xuan's face gradually faded, replaced by a deep look.

Today's events made him acutely aware of the cruel laws of this world. His status as a disciple of a master was utterly fragile in the face of absolute power and authority. If Granny Feng hadn't intervened, even if he had been confident of escaping Xie Yutang's sword, he would have faced relentless pursuit from those powerful clans' scions.

"Strength... in the end, it's still not enough."

Jiang Xuan silently recited in his heart.

"Only by possessing sufficient power can one disregard all rules and control one's own destiny."

The old woman in the wind, walking ahead, seemed to see through his thoughts. Without turning her head, she spoke slowly in her aged voice.

"It's a good thing for young people to have pride."

But in all my years, I've seen too many young people like you who think they're tough.

Unfortunately, most of them ultimately succumbed to the harsh reality, suffering devastating losses, some even... never to be found again.

She paused, then added meaningfully.

"If I hadn't invited you here today, you would probably be a cold corpse by now."

Jiang Xuan did not stop walking; his voice was calm but carried an undeniable firmness.

"I appreciate your kindness, Mother-in-law. However, I believe that even without you, I would not be the one dying today. As for whether the others will become corpses, that is another matter."

Granny Feng paused slightly, turned her head, and glanced at him with her cloudy eyes.

"Oh? You're that confident? It seems that Xie's sword strike hasn't brought you to your senses."

Jiang Xuan met her gaze and spoke frankly.

"Some things you have to try to know."

Grandma Wind shook her head, seemingly too lazy to argue with him any further, and turned back to continue on her way, leaving behind only a slightly warning remark.

"Young man, talk less and do more. Otherwise, you will bring trouble upon yourself that you cannot bear sooner or later."

Jiang Xuan remained silent and did not respond.

Passing through several moon gates, the two arrived at a more secluded courtyard. The courtyard was lush with vegetation, dotted with unusual rocks, and a clear stream flowed gently, making a pleasant sound. In the center of the courtyard stood a stone table and several stone benches.

At this moment, a person was already sitting by the stone table.

That was a "young master" dressed in a blue robe and holding a white jade folding fan. He was tall, elegant and handsome. He was the girl disguised as a man whom Jiang Xuan had met once before in front of the Spirit Light Screen in Yanxia City because of the "Ancient Law Spirit Xun".

Jiang Xuan's gaze fell on her. Upon closer inspection, although she was dressed as a man, with her chest bound and her voice deliberately lowered, her delicate eyebrows and eyes, fair and smooth neck, and flat throat without an Adam's apple clearly indicated that she was a woman.

Granny Feng noticed the woman in green and then caught Jiang Xuan's scrutinizing gaze. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a flicker of wariness crossed her eyes. (End of Chapter)