# Chapter 864: The Welcoming Person
Zhang Ruochen stood with his hands behind his back by the riverbank, releasing his powerful spiritual power to cover more than half of the commandery city.
Except for some special areas protected by formations, everything happening around him was presented in his mind.
Suddenly, on the wide river surface, an ancient-style green boat cut through the calm water, slowly sailing toward his direction.
Standing at the bow of the small boat was a slender young girl wearing a Confucian robe. Her lively, intelligent eyes searched around as if looking for someone.
The girl was Li Min.
Zhang Ruochen spotted her first and smiled slightly. "Could it be this coincidental?"
Just then, Li Min also saw Zhang Ruochen standing on the shore. Her eyes widened, and she froze for a moment.
Immediately after, she turned the boat around, quickened her rowing speed, and returned to the five-story pavilion on the west side of the great river.
The green boat docked, and Li Min fled into the pavilion, looking quite flustered. "Ancestor, I didn't see the Sword Saint senior, but instead encountered that perverted madman. Will he follow me? What should we do now?"
The old man saw Li Min's panicked appearance but remained calmly seated on the ground. However, his two white eyebrows slightly raised. The old man sensed something and said, "He has already arrived!"
"Already arrived?"
Li Min was even more surprised. She released her spiritual power but did not detect the perverted madman's presence.
Zhang Ruochen stood atop the five-story pavilion, stepping on golden glazed tiles. Above his head were tens of thousands of spirit lamps.
He carried the Sky-Soaring Sword on his back, standing tall and aloof, exuding an extraordinarily transcendent and sharp aura.
"Shua!"
Zhang Ruochen's figure moved, leaping down from the top of the pavilion and appearing before the old man and Li Min.
"Perverted madman."
Li Min's exclamation slipped out.
The old man glared at her and scolded, "Min'er, do not be rude."
Li Min was so frightened that she immediately pursed her lips, looking like a frightened bird, and lowered her head, not daring to speak again. However, her eyes still secretly glanced at Zhang Ruochen.
The old man stood up and carefully examined Zhang Ruochen. "When the spirit lamps appeared, I should have guessed it was you."
Li Ku was a Half-Saint of spiritual power. The moment he saw Zhang Ruochen, he recognized his appearance.
"So you are the welcomer from the Nether King Sword Grave."
Zhang Ruochen took the Sky-Soaring Sword from his back and placed it horizontally before the old man.
The old man took the Sky-Soaring Sword, confirmed it, then returned it to Zhang Ruochen. He clasped his hands and bowed to Zhang Ruochen. "This old man, Li Ku, pays respects to the Sword Holder."
Seeing this, Li Min's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
The ancestor called him the Sword Holder?
The Sword Holders of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan numbered only six, each holding one of six extremely powerful sacred swords. It was said that every Sword Holder was a Sword Saint, a top-tier figure of the Kunlun Realm.
Although Li Min had always thought of Zhang Ruochen as a perverted uncle, she was neither blind nor stupid. She could see that Zhang Ruochen was actually very young, not much older than her.
"He must be the successor of some Sword Saint," Li Min guessed in her heart.
A few days ago, she had welcomed back a Sword Saint successor returning to the Nether King Sword Grave. Therefore, encountering another Sword Saint successor was not strange.
Thinking of that Sword Saint successor, Li Min's cheeks felt a little hot.
Both were Sword Saint successors, so why was one so gentle and refined, full of heroic spirit and personal charm, while the one before her was a perverted madman?
While Li Min was lost in her thoughts, Zhang Ruochen and Half-Saint Li Ku began to converse.
Half-Saint Li Ku said, "When this old man was young, I once met Xuanji Sword Saint and held great admiration for him. May I ask bluntly, has the Sword Saint truly been resurrected from the dead?"
Since it was not a secret, Zhang Ruochen did not intend to hide it. "My master took the resurrection medicine and has indeed gained new life."
Half-Saint Li Ku's eyes lit up with a hint of joy. "Since Xuanji Sword Saint is still alive, why did he pass the Sky-Soaring Sword to you?"
Half-Saint Li Ku seemed to feel that this question was somewhat inappropriate, so he quickly added, "According to the rules of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan, only when the previous Sword Holder passes away can the sacred sword be passed to the next Sword Holder."
Zhang Ruochen could naturally tell that this welcomer did not seem to welcome him.
Well, it was understandable. The entire Qingli Commandery was plastered with wanted posters of Zhang Ruochen. The Ministry of War had even dispatched a large number of experts to pursue him.
Once the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan accepted Zhang Ruochen, it would mean offending the Ministry of War and even facing sanctions from the imperial court.
However, the Sky-Soaring Sword lineage had produced sixteen generations of Sword Holders since ancient times, silently guarding the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan in the shadows, helping them resolve numerous crises. Some Sword Holders had even given their lives.
Therefore, the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan owed a great debt to Zhang Ruochen's successive masters. If they shut him out for fear of trouble, it would appear too opportunistic.
For this reason, Half-Saint Li Ku spoke quite tactfully.
Zhang Ruochen was not angered and remained exceptionally calm. "My master has gone to handle an extremely important matter, so he passed the Sky-Soaring Sword to me, asking me to return to the Nether King Sword Grave."
"You need not worry. I will not stay long at the Nether King Sword Grave. After meeting the current clan leader of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan and conveying an important matter, I will leave."
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's words, Half-Saint Li Ku breathed a slight sigh of relief. "The Li family of Qingli Commandery is merely an outer family of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan. The Nether King Sword Grave is not in Qingli Commandery but elsewhere. This old man must first send a message back to notify them in advance. Before the Nether King Sword Grave sends someone to welcome you, I hope the Sword Holder will stay here for now."
"There is another matter. Wan Zhaoyi selected ten top experts from the military camp of Yuan Prefecture to capture you. Five of them are currently in Qingli Commandery City and are even staying at the Li residence. Therefore, this old man dares not bring the Sword Holder back to the Li residence for reception. I hope the Sword Holder can understand."
Zhang Ruochen only smiled faintly and nodded.
But in his heart, he sighed quietly.
In the end, this welcomer was still quite repelled by Zhang Ruochen's current identity.
If Xuanji Sword Saint had come in person, Half-Saint Li Ku would have immediately respectfully led him to the Nether King Sword Grave. How could he have left the Xuanji Sword Saint waiting in Qingli Commandery City?
Clearly, Half-Saint Li Ku wanted to consult the core figures of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan in advance and did not dare to rashly bring Zhang Ruochen back to the Nether King Sword Grave.
Zhang Ruochen did not blame Half-Saint Li Ku. After all, he was not a core figure of the Prison Suppressing Ancient Clan and had no decision-making power, so he naturally had to be cautious.
Zhang Ruochen's arrival had clearly caught Half-Saint Li Ku off guard.
Half-Saint Li Ku instructed Li Min to help receive Zhang Ruochen. Then, he hurriedly left, apparently to send news of Zhang Ruochen's arrival back to the Nether King Sword Grave.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Li Min and smiled helplessly.
After all, he was a Sword Holder. Even if he could not receive the warm hospitality of the entire Li family, it should not be so shabby as to have a little girl receive him.
But it was fine. Zhang Ruochen's current situation was quite dangerous, and he should keep a low profile. Having a junior from the Li family by his side would actually arouse less suspicion.
Li Min had been eavesdropping on the conversation between Zhang Ruochen and Half-Saint Li Ku. Although Half-Saint Li Ku had never mentioned Zhang Ruochen's name from beginning to end, she still guessed it.
So, she cautiously asked, "Are you that legendary Heir of Time and Space, Zhang Ruochen? It is said that you reached the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Heavenly Extreme Realm?"
In the entire cultivation world, most people's understanding of Zhang Ruochen still remained at his achievement of the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, which was the first time Zhang Ruochen's name shook the world.
Afterward, everyone thought that Zhang Ruochen had been killed by Jiuyou Sword Saint, a proud son of heaven falling like a meteor streaking across the sky, a fleeting bloom.
As for his achievements in the Sword Dao and his stunning battle records at the Realm Son Banquet and the Sword Discussion Assembly, those all belonged to "Lin Yue" and had nothing to do with Zhang Ruochen.
Li Min's understanding of Zhang Ruochen was the same. In her view, more than a year ago, Zhang Ruochen was still at the Heavenly Extreme Realm. Now, he was at most at the first or second transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
Therefore, she was not very afraid of Zhang Ruochen, merely regarding him as a rather outstanding peer.
Zhang Ruochen did not answer Li Min but only smiled faintly. "Qingli Commandery City should have a Martial Market, right? Take me there to have a look. I need to buy something."
Qingli Commandery was located in the heart of the Central Domain, with roads connecting various prefectures and states. Even just a commandery city would have abundant cultivation resources. Perhaps he could buy what he needed.
"What do you want to buy?" Li Min asked.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. "You should be very familiar with the commandery city. Do you know where I can buy the blood of a Silver Moon Dragon-Elephant or a Pan Heaven Saint Elephant?"
Zhang Ruochen was very eager to successfully cultivate the ninth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm. Only then could he forge a sufficiently robust physique to impact the tenth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm. Therefore, he had to buy elephant blood as soon as possible.
The growing crisis made him increasingly urgent to break through his shackles and gain even greater power.
...
(The other two chapters will be quite late. It's best for everyone to read them tomorrow morning. Early to bed and early to rise is a good habit.)