Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 175 Seclusion Leads to the Decline of the Heavenly Sword

This is a man-made hill more than 30 miles from Qingzhou Prefecture, where the headquarters of Tianjian Manor stands.

At this moment, in a secret chamber shrouded by numerous restrictions on the back mountain, a figure sat cross-legged, covered in a thick layer of dust, clearly having remained in this position for a very long time.

It was none other than Jian Jingchuan, the master of Tianjian Manor.

Just then, Jian Jingchuan suddenly opened his eyes, which had been closed for several years, and then let out a slight exclamation of surprise.

Just now, he felt that one of his clones, which he left outside to protect the safety of the manor, was forcibly severed by an extremely domineering force.

This clone was a backup plan he left behind before going into seclusion. It contained a small portion of his divine sense and power, enough to deal with any changes below the Core Formation stage.

But he hadn't used it for so many years that he had almost forgotten about it.

I never expected to be beheaded today.

With a slight thought, Jian Jingchuan felt the last wisp of memory and images transmitted back by his clone before it was shattered flood his mind.

At the Ascension Ceremony, a young man named Chen Ye displayed bizarre and domineering swordsmanship...

Then came his son Jian Wuchen's face, filled with terror and despair, and his body, which was falling apart like shattered porcelain.

Finally, there was Chen Ye's cold gaze, and that seemingly ordinary slash that severed the link between himself and his clone.

My son is dead!

Moreover, he died in such a tragic way, leaving no trace of his body, in front of all the forces in Qingzhou.

But after seeing all of this, Jian Jingchuan remained completely unmoved.

For him now, nothing is more important than breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Compared to this matter, the century-old foundation of Tianjian Manor and his only bloodline son seemed so insignificant.

After all, as long as one can successfully transform into an infant, one's lifespan will be greatly extended, and one will not need to worry about offspring for at least a thousand years.

As for Tianjian Manor, that's even less of a problem. As long as he, the Nascent Soul Ancestor, is still alive, even if Tianjian Manor is wiped out, he can easily support an even stronger one.

Ultimately, nothing in the outside world combined is as important as a single improvement in his own cultivation.

Especially at this critical juncture.

Jian Jingchuan felt that he had faintly touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage and comprehended a wisp of the true meaning of the laws of heaven and earth. It was the most crucial moment.

If I were to force my way out of this predicament now in order to seek revenge, not only would all my previous hard work be wasted, but I would probably never have another chance to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm in this lifetime.

He knows clearly what is important and what is not.

"Chen Ye... Yuan Lan..."

Jian Jingchuan murmured the two names softly.

That kid named Chen Ye's swordsmanship was indeed strange, and even he found it a bit troublesome, but a kid who had just broken through to the Inner Realm was not worth his too much attention.

What truly made him wary was the ancient demon behind Chen Ye, Yuan Lan, who had been entrenched in the mountains of the Southern Wilderness for a thousand years.

If it weren't for that old demon backing him up, where would this kid get the guts to act like this?

But so what?
A cold smile appeared on Jian Jingchuan's lips.

Once he successfully transforms into a Nascent Soul, he can easily destroy this mere beast that hasn't fully transformed into a dragon.

As for that kid named Chen Ye, he's not even worth mentioning.

Having figured all this out, Jian Jingchuan closed his eyes, his mind once again sinking into that profound and mysterious realm, pursuing with all his might that fleeting opportunity for a breakthrough.

The secret room fell silent once more.

At the same time, the news spread like wildfire from Qingzhou City to all corners of the world, and the entire cultivation world was in an uproar because of it.

The back hall of the Qingzhou government office.

The dignified prefect of Qingzhou, dressed in official robes, was holding a secret report that had just arrived, his fingers turning slightly white from the pressure.

"Chen Ye, the Southern Wilderness Mountains, Yuanlan..."

He muttered a few keywords from the secret report, his eyes gleaming.

“My lord, I witnessed it with my own eyes. Jian Wuchen, the young master of Tianjian Manor, was annihilated by Chen Ye with a single strike. Elder Jian was also killed in the same way. Even the clone left behind by Jian Jingchuan before his seclusion could not withstand Chen Ye’s sharp edge.” An official from the government office stood below and respectfully reported, his tone still carrying a trace of lingering shock.

"What a Chen Ye! What a great demon from the Southern Wilderness!" The Lord of Qingzhou slammed the secret report on the table and burst into laughter, his laughter filled with unbridled joy.

"Tianjian Manor, relying on its power, has become increasingly arrogant in recent years, no longer taking Qingzhou Prefecture seriously. That brat Jian Wuchen is even more arrogant and domineering, thinking that Qingzhou is his backyard. So... it's good that he died!"

The officials below lowered their heads, not daring to respond, since only the Lord of the Prefecture would dare to say such a thing.

"Sir, shall we now...?"

"Let's wait and see." The Lord of Qingzhou waved his hand and said, "Tianjian Manor is a wounded tiger right now. Although it looks pitiful, anyone who goes up to it first might be attacked by it in its dying moments. So let those sects that have a grudge against Tianjian Manor go and scout ahead first."

He paused and then added, "However, we can send someone to the Southern Wilderness. Keep a low profile and say that Qingzhou Prefecture wants to make friends with the Mountain God. Remember, it's just about making friends. Don't mention anything about Chen Ye or Tianjian Manor."

"Yes, sir!" The official understood immediately and withdrew to make the arrangements.

Meanwhile, in the Tavern of Relief, Xue Shan hummed a tune and drank wine, an irrepressible smile on his face.

He couldn't help but burst out laughing whenever he thought about what happened in the central square.

The arrogant Jian Wuchen was trampled underfoot like a dead dog!
The way Elder Jian knelt down and begged for mercy was even more ridiculous than a clown on a stage!

And the expressions on the faces of those disciples from Tianjian Manor, as if their parents had died, still make me secretly happy when I think about them now.

"I knew you wouldn't die so easily!" Xue Shan took a swig of wine and murmured softly, "Five years apart, and you can even kill a Core Formation Realm clone so easily! That's what a swordsman should be!"

He now admires Chen Ye to the point of complete awe.

Putting aside his strength, his courage alone is unparalleled!
At the same time, Xue Shan secretly decided that after the storm had passed, he would go to the Southern Wilderness Mountains to find Chen Ye, and the two of them would drink until they were completely drunk!

While everyone was still reeling from this incident, Chen Ye had already returned to the depths of the mountains.

When the familiar rammed earth walls and fluttering flags of Kawa Village came into view, a warm feeling welled up in Chen Ye's heart.

Compared to Qingzhou City, a place rife with scheming and murderous intent, this secluded mountain stronghold felt more like a safe haven where he could find peace.

He slowed down and gently landed at the entrance of the village.

"It's Brother Chen!"

"Brother Chen is back!"

The young villagers on guard duty on the stockade wall were taken aback when they saw who it was, and then burst into a joyful cheer.

Soon, the entire village was alarmed.

The wooden door was slowly opened, and a group of familiar faces, including the old clan chief, Ashan, and Aniu, quickly came out to greet them.

"You're finally back!" Ashan rushed over and gave Chen Ye a bear hug, patting him hard on the back. "You were gone for so long without saying a word, we were so worried about you!"

“Yes, Brother Chen, the clan chief said you were going to do something very important. We thought you had run into some trouble,” a young hunter chimed in.

Feeling the undisguised sincerity and concern in their words, Chen Ye smiled from the bottom of his heart.

"It's nothing, I just went out to take care of some personal business and settle a past grudge. It's all resolved now," he said casually.

At this moment, the old clan chief walked over with his cane. His cloudy but wise eyes looked Chen Ye up and down, and then he nodded with satisfaction.

"It's good to be back, it's good to be back! I see that your aura is more profound and weighty than when you left. You must have gained a lot from this trip. How is it? Have you overcome that hurdle in your heart?"

"Yes, Chieftain," Chen Ye replied respectfully. "Thanks to you, my heart is at peace and my mind is clear."

Upon hearing this, the old clan chief's smile widened even more: "Good, good! The Mountain God was right about you. Come on, let's have a feast to welcome you today!"

Soon, the entire Kawa Village became lively again because of Chen Ye's return.

The women brought out their treasured fruit wines, while the hunters carried out the plump wild animals they had just captured. A bonfire roared in the open space in the center of the village.

The mountain people surrounded Chen Ye, bombarding him with questions about his experiences outside. Chen Ye patiently answered them, telling them some interesting stories about Qingzhou City, which drew gasps of surprise from the crowd.

Of course, he didn't mention a word about the Ascension Ceremony or the killing of Jian Wuchen.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.

Looking at the simple and warm smiling faces in front of him and listening to their hearty laughter, Chen Ye felt the ferocity he had felt from the killing subtly fade away.

This feeling is very comfortable.

After the commotion subsided, Chen Ye went to the old clan chief's wooden house alone.

"Clan leader."

"Sit down, child," the old clan chief said, gesturing to the wooden stool beside him.

After sitting down, Chen Ye got straight to the point: "Clan leader, besides reporting that I'm safe and sound, I also plan to visit Lord Yuanlan in the back mountain this time."

"Of course." The old clan chief nodded. "The Mountain God has been waiting for you. This time you went out, resolved your inner conflict, and made great progress in your cultivation. You have not disappointed the Mountain God's expectations."

He paused, then asked with some concern, "Have things outside been dealt with? Will any trouble come knocking on our door?"

Chen Ye knew what he was worried about, so he comforted him, "Don't worry, everything has been taken care of, and no one will find this place anytime soon. And even if they do find it, with Lord Yuanlan here, they won't dare to set foot in the Southern Wilderness easily."

Hearing this, the old clan chief was finally relieved.

"That's good, that's good." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Go on, don't keep the mountain god waiting."

Chen Ye nodded, chatted with the old clan chief for a few more minutes, and then got up to take his leave.

He didn't linger in the village, but headed straight towards the back of the mountain, and soon arrived at the entrance to the valley shrouded in a strange mist.

His feelings were completely different this time compared to his last visit.

After advancing to the Inner Realm, his divine sense and perception abilities underwent a qualitative leap.

Now, facing this fog that could block divine senses, he was no longer completely in the dark as before. Instead, he could clearly perceive that within this seemingly natural fog, there were actually countless profound array patterns.

These formations are interconnected, forming a huge and complex natural illusion array that envelops the entire back mountain.

The power of the formation is perfectly integrated with the mountains and rivers, endlessly regenerating and cycling.

"What impressive skills," Chen Ye thought to himself, then, following his memory from last time, he stepped into the mist.

With his cultivation at the Inner Realm, the surrounding illusions could no longer affect him. Chen Ye walked steadily and quickly passed through the mist, arriving at the valley that resembled a fairyland.

The spiritual energy is still so rich that it cannot be dissolved, and all kinds of rare and exotic flowers and plants that are rarely seen in the outside world can be seen everywhere here.

Chen Ye didn't linger and headed straight for the fairy cave deep in the valley.

Before he could get close, a voice came from the cave.

"Come in, we've been waiting for you for a long time."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Ye felt a blur before his eyes and then found himself in a cave.

Despite being in the Inner Realm, Chen Ye still couldn't detect anything unusual throughout the entire process, which surprised him.

I thought I would close the gap after advancing to the Inner Realm, but now it seems that was just wishful thinking on my part.

This Core Formation Realm is truly terrifying!
At the same time, Yuanlan sat in the main seat, calmly pointing to the stone bench opposite him.

"sit!"

Chen Ye sat down immediately.

"Tell me about it."

Chen Ye didn't hide anything and recounted the entire process from entering Qingzhou City, taking the alias Du Dao to participate in the Ascension Ceremony, to how he devised a plan to lure Jian Wuchen into a trap, and finally killing him in public and shattering Jian Jingchuan's clone.

He spoke very casually, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

When Yuan Lan heard that Chen Ye had broken through in the face of battle, directly confronted Jian Jingchuan's clone, and shattered it, a strange light flashed in his eyes.

“That’s right. Jian Jingchuan, that old codger, suffered a serious injury before, which damaged his fundamental health and greatly shortened his lifespan. As a result, he had to go into seclusion to break through to a higher level, which is why he didn’t have time to deal with you.”

"After all, for someone like him, no matter what kind of sect's heir is, nothing is more important than his own life."

At this point, Yuan Lan suddenly sneered, "However, breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm is not so easy. If it were that easy, I wouldn't have been trapped in this mountain for so long."

Yuanlan's tone carried an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

Chen Ye felt a chill run down his spine, gaining a clearer understanding of the difficulties of cultivation.

Even a powerful demon like Yuanlan, who has lived for nearly a thousand years, felt this way, which shows how dangerous the path to Nascent Soul is.

“So for the next period of time, you don’t need to pay attention to this matter anymore.” Yuan Lan’s voice pulled Chen Ye back to reality. “Jian Jingchuan is a coward right now and would never dare to make any rash moves. Your task now is to improve your strength as soon as possible.”

"There are less than two years left until the day when the seven stars align. That will be the day I transform into a dragon, and also the day you fulfill your promise. So your blade must be sharpened to be sharp enough."

"I understand." Chen Ye nodded solemnly.

He knew that severing Yuanlan's dragon tail was no easy task.

Because it was not just a physical cut, but a severing of cause and effect, a severing of destiny, so for him it was both a challenge and an opportunity.

"Go ahead, the quiet room in the back mountain is still reserved for you, the spiritual energy inside is enough for you to squander." Yuan Lan waved his hand, indicating that Chen Ye could leave.

Chen Ye didn't say anything more and turned to leave the cave.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

The enormous waves that Chen Ye stirred up in Qingzhou City not only did not subside, but instead fermented and intensified over time.

The name Chen Ye is known to everyone in the entire Qingzhou cultivation world.

Some say he is the reincarnation of a god of slaughter, incredibly audacious, who single-handedly overthrew the Heavenly Sword Manor.

Some say he has a powerful demon from the Southern Wilderness backing him, which is why he acts so recklessly.

Various versions of rumors circulated, making Chen Ye's image increasingly mysterious and powerful.

In stark contrast, Tianjian Manor was deathly silent like never before.

Since losing face at the Ascension Ceremony, Tianjian Manor has completely closed its gates, adopting a posture of refusing to see guests.

What's most bizarre is that, faced with such a humiliating disgrace, Jian Jingchuan, the master of Tianjian Manor, never showed his face from beginning to end, and didn't even utter a single harsh word.

This unusual silence made all the major and minor forces in Qingzhou sense something amiss.

At first, some people speculated that this was the calm before the storm, and that Jian Jingchuan was brewing a shocking revenge.

A month has passed, and Tianjian Manor remains completely silent.

Now even the slowest person can see it.

Tianjian Manor, this fierce tiger that has been entrenched in Qingzhou for hundreds of years, is probably really in trouble.

The back hall of the Qingzhou government office.

The prefect of Qingzhou held a secret report in his hand, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

"My lord, it has been confirmed that the silver mine east of Tianjian Manor has recently been seized by three sects working together. When Tianjian Manor sent disciples to argue with them, they were beaten, had their legs broken, and were thrown out. Yet, they have not taken any further action so far," an official reported respectfully.

"Haha, good! Well done!" The Lord of Qingzhou slammed his hand on the table and said gleefully, "A toothless tiger dares to hoard so much fat meat, serves it right!"

Over the years, Tianjian Manor, relying on its power, has almost monopolized more than 70% of the cultivation resources in Qingzhou. Its domineering behavior has long aroused the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people.

It's perfectly normal for everyone to kick someone when they're down.

"My lord, the men we sent to the Southern Wilderness have returned." The official presented another document.

The lord opened the package and raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? Those mountain people accepted our gifts?"

(End of this chapter)