The First Venerable of All Paths

"Qi Xuanlin, what do you mean?"

Li Chunqiu's attack was thwarted, and he glared angrily at the person who had made the move: "This is a matter for my Dao Dao Sect, do you think your Qingyun Sect can interfere?"

The others were also shocked.

They never expected that Qi Xuanlin would personally take action.

But when they thought of Qi Xuanlin's identity, they all fell silent.

Judging from her expression, she's definitely taken a liking to Fang Xuan.

However, protecting Fang Xuan from Li Chunqiu is no easy task.

"Sect Leader Li is joking."

With a wave of his hand, Qi Xuanlin caused the protective formation set up by the Grandmaster of Formations to shatter like a piece of porcelain.

Qi Xuanlin then stepped forward, appearing in front of Fang Xuan and facing Li Chunqiu directly.

She stood in mid-air, dressed in white, her sword intent vast and ethereal, like a sharp sword hidden between heaven and earth, ready to be drawn from its sheath at any moment.

"But I feel that Sect Leader Li is, after all, a senior. If word gets out that he is bullying the weak, it will cause controversy. We should be lenient when we can."

Qi Xuanlin's words, neither humble nor arrogant, made Li Chunqiu's forehead veins throb.

The claims that the strong bully the weak and cause controversy are just empty words.

Qi Xuanlin's true purpose was nothing more than seeing Fang Xuan's remarkable talent in swordsmanship and wanting to protect his life, or even take him under his wing.

After all, Qi Xuanlin of the Qingyun Sect is a well-known female sword fanatic.

He admires the most talented sword cultivators in the world.

Fang Xuan, who was able to generate two natal flying swords and master sword formations, was worthy of her protection.

Fang Xuan was somewhat surprised that Qi Xuanlin would stand up for him.

But they also saw through the other party's intentions.

He did not expose them, but instead quickly restored his spiritual power.

Li Chunqiu wanted all the treasures he possessed, but Qi Xuanlin also valued his worth.

Neither of them had pure intentions.

Fang Xuan would never allow his life and fortune to be in the hands of others.

"This boy killed my Dao Asking Sect disciples, disrupted my Dao Asking Sect, and injured my sect elders. You can't just fool him with a few words."

Li Chunqiu glanced at Fang Xuan and said coldly, "Qi Xuanlin, if you leave now, I can pretend nothing happened."

Qi Xuanlin remained calm. "What if I'm unwilling?"

"Qi Xuanlin, do you really think I wouldn't dare to attack you?"

Li Chunqiu's gaze turned cold, and his voice grew even more icy: "No matter who comes, Fang Xuan is doomed. Anyone who dares to interfere is an enemy of my Dao Seeking Sect!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Kou and several other elders of the Dao Seeking Sect took to the air and surrounded Qi Xuanlin and Fang Xuan.

"This is your last chance."

Li Chunqiu's body was filled with surging spiritual energy, and the meaning of Spring and Autumn caused strange phenomena with terrifying power.

"This matter has nothing to do with you. Leave immediately, and I will forgive and forget. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind letting you stay as well!"

So what if Qi Xuanlin is a sword cultivator?

This is the territory of the Dao Seeking Sect; it's not the place for the Qingyun Sect to run wild here.

"Who said it has nothing to do with me?"

Qi Xuanlin suddenly laughed and said, "Fang Xuan is a disciple of my Qingyun Sect. Your Dao Dao Sect is abusing its power, so of course I have a reason to do something about it."

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Is Fang Xuan a disciple of the Qingyun Sect?

This flip is just too incredible!

Zhao Kou then launched into a tirade: "Qi Xuanlin, there's a limit to how much you can lie through your teeth! When did that little beast Fang Xuan become a disciple of your Qingyun Sect?"

Li Chunqiu's lips twitched, and he said, word by word, "Qi Xuanlin, do you really intend to cause trouble here?"

Even Fang Xuan was speechless.

This female sword cultivator from the Qingyun Sect looks cold and aloof, but who knew she could lie without batting an eye?

"Alas, Peak Master Zhao and Sect Master Li are unaware of this."

Qi Xuanlin sighed and said, "I didn't know at first either. Who would have thought that this little guy would have my senior brother's swordsmanship inheritance? As his uncle, if I don't protect him, who will?"

"Qi Xuanlin, that's enough!"

Li Chunqiu could no longer contain himself and shouted angrily, "Do you think I'm a three-year-old child who would listen to your nonsense?"

"You, Qi Xuanlin, only have one senior brother, who is the current sect leader of the Qingyun Sect. Do you think I don't know how many disciples he has?"

Zhao Kou and the others also looked furious.

"Sect Leader Li, why would I lie to you about something like this?"

Qi Xuanlin said with a serious expression, "You've all probably heard of my senior brother."

After a pause, Qi Xuanlin said, word by word, "My senior brother is named Qinghe Shangren."

Upon hearing this, the person most shocked was not Li Chunqiu, but Fang Xuan.

He stared at Qi Xuanlin in shock, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

He hadn't expected that Qi Xuanlin would know about Senior Qinghe.

Seeing Qi Xuanlin's confident demeanor, Fang Xuan became even more suspicious.

Could it be that Senior Qinghe is really a member of the Qingyun Sect?

"Master Qinghe, it's actually Master Qinghe!"

Gu Ya exclaimed, "No wonder! No wonder this young man has such mastery of swordsmanship at such a young age. It turns out he is a disciple of Master Qinghe. That explains it all!"

Gu Ya's pupils contracted, and he suddenly looked at Fang Xuan, instantly resolving many of his questions.

Hu Feng scratched his head and asked, "Uncle-Master, is this Master Qinghe very famous?"

"More than just famous, this Master Qinghe was already a renowned sword cultivator in Qingzhou three hundred years ago."

Gu Ya said in a deep voice, "He showed extraordinary swordsmanship talent from a young age, crushing his peers."

Mentioning Qinghe, Gu Ya's face was filled with solemnity and fear.

"He was a figure who suppressed an era, and also a ruthless character who loved swords more than life itself."

Gu Ya said, "The number of renowned experts who have died at his hands is countless."

Hu Feng and the others gasped in shock.

Suppress an era?

Just a few words were enough to conjure up in their minds a tall, imposing figure that seemed impossible to look directly at.

He alone, with his sword, dominated the contemporary era; no one could rival him.

Hu Feng swallowed hard and whispered, "Why haven't we heard of such a top-tier swordsman?"

"It's a long story."

Gu Ya sighed and said, "Three hundred years ago, Master Qinghe was already a half-step Tongxuan realm expert. In order to prove the Tongxuan Dao, he traveled throughout the Nine Provinces and eventually disappeared without a trace."

Gu Ya slowly shook his head and said, "I just didn't expect that Master Qinghe was actually a member of the Qingyun Sect, and even Fang Xuan's master."

Immediately, a question arose in his mind.

If Fang Xuanzhen is indeed a disciple of Master Qinghe, then where does the Xuanmen purple aura on his body come from?

Could it be...

Gu Ya's pupils suddenly contracted, and he quickly cut off the thought, not daring to think about it any further.

"Junior sister, does our Qingyun Sect really have such a senior?"

Yan Daoming looked at Qin Luoli with a puzzled expression.

Confusion also appeared in Qin Luoli's beautiful eyes.

As far as she knew, there was indeed no senior member of the sect with that name.

Even if she disappeared for three hundred years, it's impossible for her not to know.

She looked at her master and Fang Xuan, who was bowing his head and remaining silent, her beautiful eyes sparkling as if she had guessed something.

"Absolutely impossible!"

Zhao Kou was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed shrilly, "Qi Xuanlin, you'll stop at nothing to protect Fang Xuan, spouting lies one after another! Fang Xuan is only eighteen or nineteen years old, and Master Qinghe has been missing for over three hundred years. How could he possibly be Master Qinghe's disciple?"

"Even if you want to protect this person, you should at least come up with a plausible reason, right?"

Li Chunqiu stared at Qi Xuanlin, hoping she would give a reasonable explanation.

"What a joke."

Qi Xuanlin scoffed, "Does my Senior Brother Qinghe need your permission to take anyone as his disciple?"

"I'm putting my words here today."

Qi Xuanlin looked around, and the extremely cold sword energy swept outwards like a cold wind.

"Anyone who dares to harm my senior brother's disciple is tantamount to challenging the Qingyun Sect to a duel!"

The entire room was stunned upon hearing this.

Asking about the sword?

Everyone knows that the sword cultivators of Qingyun Sect are actually a bunch of lunatics.

To challenge them to a duel is, in fact, a battle for life and death.

If Li Chunqiu and Zhao Kou dare to respond, it will mean that the two major sects have completely declared war.

"Qi Xuanlin, do you really intend to do this?"

Zhao Kou's face was gloomy, and he said in an unfriendly tone, "Regardless of whether Fang Xuan is a disciple of your Qingyun Sect, his killing of the Holy Son of my Dao Path Sect is a fact that everyone has witnessed, and this matter cannot be taken lightly."

"Zhao Kou, I think you're getting senile."

Qi Xuanlin retorted sarcastically without any politeness: "My nephew Fang Xuan and your Dao Asking Sect's Holy Son had a fair duel. Not to mention, your Dao Asking Sect even sent others to interfere."

"I haven't even asked you for an explanation yet, and you shamelessly jump out like this. Do you think my sword is dull or something?!"

Zhao Kou trembled and instinctively took several steps back.

Li Chunqiu waved his sleeve, shattering the incoming sword energy, and his aura circulated around him.

"Qi Xuanlin, I don't want to hear your nonsense."

Li Chunqiu said in a somber tone, "Today, Fang Xuan has no choice but to stay, whether he likes it or not!"

"In that case, I shall experience the wisdom of Sect Leader Li today and see what level he has reached in his cultivation."

Sword shadows flashed in Qi Xuanlin's eyes, and a short sword the size of a palm flew out from his sleeve, spinning rapidly in his palm like a fish.

The blade of this sword appears to be engraved with mysterious scales, like fish scales.

While it is magnificent, it also exudes a chilling and sharp sword intent.

"Fish Scale Sword!"

Li Chunqiu frowned and said in a deep voice, "Qi Xuanlin, are you sure you want to start a war with my Dao Seeking Sect?"

"Didn't you start the war first?"

Qi Xuanlin said, "What? Are you scared now?"

"you......"

Li Chunqiu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Qi Xuanlin, what exactly are you trying to do?"

It wasn't that he was afraid of Qi Xuanlin.

Li Chunqiu was surprised that Qi Xuanlin would directly use his natal flying sword.

When this woman gets angry, she really will stop at nothing.

Li Chunqiu dared not take the risk, but he was too unwilling to let Fang Xuan go.

"If you think you can just take them away like that, there's absolutely no way!"

Li Chunqiu added, "Otherwise, even if it means going to war with your Qingyun Sect, I will still kill him!"

"So what do you want?"

Qi Xuanlin raised an eyebrow.

"In the next trial of the three major sects, your Qingyun Sect will have to give up three spots."

As if he had been prepared, Li Chunqiu quickly said, "Besides that, as long as Fang Xuan is not within your Qingyun Sect's territory, my Dao Asking Sect will not give up the pursuit."

"One at most!"

Qi Xuanlin held up one finger: "Furthermore, regardless of whether your Dao Asking Sect sends a disciple or an elder, their cultivation level must not exceed the half-step Profound Realm. Otherwise, I will personally ascend Dao Asking Mountain and challenge you to a sword duel!"

"Two spots, plus what you mentioned."

Li Chunqiu said firmly, "But your Qingyun Sect cannot pursue the matter afterward."

It's a deal.

Qi Xuanlin nodded in agreement and said, "Since the matter has been settled, we will take our leave now."

"Sect Leader Li, Peak Leader Zhao, farewell."

Having said that, Qi Xuanlin swept his sleeves and led Fang Xuan and the Crimson Scale Demon Emperor onto the Azure Cloud Flying Boat.

Qi Xuanlin urged in a low voice, "Quickly, leave now!"

The Azure Cloud Flying Boat radiated spiritual light and vanished into the vast sky like an arrow, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.

Is that all?

Something feels off.