Chapter 890: Flying Feather Sword Saint
“Greetings, Clan Leader.”
All around, the clansmen of the Zhenyu Ancient Clan knelt in a vast swath, adopting the rites of worshipping a sacred being, hands flat on the ground, pious and reverent, bowing in obeisance to the two who had arrived.
Even the Half-Saints present immediately clasped their hands in salute and bowed respectfully.
When a Saint travels, all living beings welcome them.
It was not merely the Saintly Might radiating from a Saint that could force cultivators across the realm to kneel; more importantly, the Saint’s knowledge, status, and strength were inherently worthy of learning from, pursuing, and revering.
The sixty-four Saint Qi halos surrounding the Zhenyu Ancient Clan’s clan leader revolved between heaven and earth, making him appear like a true god standing before the crowd.
His majestic eyes fixed on Shi Ren and Wang Xie in turn, and he let out a cold snort.
Then, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan’s clan leader spoke in a deep voice: “The Undying Blood Clan infiltrating the Nether King Sword Grave is a matter of extraordinary importance, enough to overturn the entire Nether King Sword Grave. The two of you do not join forces to uncover the truth but instead fight among yourselves. If those hidden infiltrators see this, won’t they laugh to death?”
“Your son admits fault and begs Father to punish him.”
“Shi Ren admits fault and begs the Clan Leader to punish him.”
Wang Xie and Shi Ren both knelt on one knee, their attitude toward admitting fault quite proactive.
The Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader’s gaze fixed on Wang Xie, his expression growing even sterner as he scolded: “Wang Xie, do you know who the senior you just offended is?”
It was well known that the Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader doted on Wang Xie. After all, among all his offspring, Wang Xie had the highest talent and the greatest hope of breaking through to the Saint realm.
Thus, in normal times, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader usually called him “Xie’er” or “Sixth Son.”
But now he addressed him by his full name, showing that the Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader was truly angered.
Cold sweat had completely soaked Wang Xie’s back. “Your son… does not know…”
Seeing Wang Xie’s weak and timid demeanor, the Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader shook his head slightly and said: “This is the Flying Feather Sword Saint, the sword bearer of the Sky-Burying Sword. Apologize and admit your mistake to the senior immediately, begging her to forgive your recklessness.”
Hearing the clan leader’s words, Wang Xie immediately understood and turned his gaze toward the Flying Feather Sword Saint. “That was an unintentional mistake by this junior, not a deliberate offense. I humbly beg the Flying Feather Sword Saint senior to forgive me.”
Zhang Ruochen stood to the side, watching coldly, thinking to himself: “As expected, he really is the clan leader’s own son.”
Anyone with a bit of insight could see that although the Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader appeared very stern, he was shielding Wang Xie at every turn.
In the cultivation world, offending a Sword Saint, even for a Half-Saint, meant certain death.
Yet the clan leader’s first words pointed out that Wang Xie and Shi Ren’s internal conflict would make the hidden Undying Blood Clan laugh at them.
Then, he preemptively reminded Wang Xie that the Flying Feather Sword Saint was a senior, and that his recklessness had offended her.
Thus, when Wang Xie went to apologize to the Flying Feather Sword Saint, how could she continue to pursue the matter?
If she did pursue it, she would be unreasonable, bullying the weak, and narrow-minded. Even though the Flying Feather Sword Saint hadn’t spoken yet, Zhang Ruochen knew the storm had already been completely defused.
Zhang Ruochen thought he had guessed the subsequent developments, but he had underestimated the Flying Feather Sword Saint.
The Flying Feather Sword Saint did not even look at the kneeling Wang Xie, nor did she say whether she would forgive him. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Zhang Ruochen and Xiang Zhengfeng.
Her two eyes were like two stars in the darkness, emitting a bright sacred light.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen felt as if he had fallen into a quagmire. His entire body could not move, his mouth, nose, and pores could not breathe, and all the meridians in his body were sealed. Even the Saint Qi in his Qi Sea and meridians seemed to have completely solidified.
“Just a single gaze… how can it be this strong?”
Zhang Ruochen clenched his teeth, activating his Five Elements Chaos Body, trying to forcefully break free from the Flying Feather Sword Saint’s suppression.
Having already reached the Half-Saint realm yet being unable to control his own body was an extremely uncomfortable feeling for Zhang Ruochen.
He had to break free from the restraints and regain control of his body.
Xiang Zhengfeng was also suppressed by the Flying Feather Sword Saint’s gaze. His Saint Qi could not circulate, and he fell directly from midair, crashing to the ground with a thud.
The Flying Feather Sword Saint’s tall and slender figure swayed slightly.
From within her body, two slender figures flew out, identical to her own form, as if she had split into three.
“Shua, shua.”
Two black shadows, like ghosts, exuding a chilling coldness, shot toward Zhang Ruochen and Xiang Zhengfeng respectively, stirring up two fierce gales.
They were two figures condensed from Saint Qi that had flown out of her body.
“Break for me!”
Zhang Ruochen pushed his hands outward, and from the hundred thousand pores all over his body, multicolored light surged forth, shaking the surrounding space slightly, allowing him to break free from the Flying Feather Sword Saint’s gaze suppression.
But before he could retreat, he saw a slender shadow charging at him at lightning speed.
Zhang Ruochen immediately mobilized his Saint Qi, gathering palm strength, and struck out with a Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.
Zhang Ruochen had executed the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm technique countless times, so he was naturally quite skilled, and his striking speed was as fast as flowing light.
However, just as Zhang Ruochen’s palm was gathering power and had not yet been unleashed…
The slender shadow’s two fingers had already locked onto his wrist first.
With a twist of her fingers, a “crack” sounded, and she directly snapped the bones in Zhang Ruochen’s arm.
“So… fast…”
Enduring the pain in his arm, Zhang Ruochen immediately mobilized his Sword Intent, trying to control the Sky-Soaring Sword and launch another attack.
But his Sword Intent had only just been released.
“Bang.”
The figure’s palm had already struck Zhang Ruochen’s chest, sending his body arching upward and flying into the air.
The ribs in his chest were almost all cracked, barely holding together.
With a “pfft,” Zhang Ruochen’s five viscera and six bowels were severely damaged, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. If not for his strong spiritual power, he would have likely passed out.
The slender shadow clearly had no intention of letting Zhang Ruochen go. She continued attacking, her speed becoming even faster. She changed positions thirty-six times in succession and struck thirty-six palms in a row, each landing on the bones of Zhang Ruochen’s entire body.
In midair, besides the flying Zhang Ruochen, there were also thirty-six graceful figures, each in a different palm-striking posture, as if thirty-six experts were simultaneously attacking Zhang Ruochen.
The next moment, those figures vanished like lightning, flying back into the Flying Feather Half-Saint’s body.
With a thud, Zhang Ruochen fell to the ground, continuously spitting blood. All the bones in his body were broken, and he couldn’t muster a single bit of strength.
Xiang Zhengfeng was not much better off than Zhang Ruochen. He also lay limply on the ground, his mouth full of blood, having already passed out.
Everything that had just happened occurred in the blink of an eye.
Except for those at the Half-Saint level, who could barely make out some shadows, the other cultivators had no idea what had even happened.
For instance, Li Min was very curious as to why Zhang Ruochen and Xiang Zhengfeng had suddenly been severely injured and fallen to the ground.
All the Half-Saints present drew in a cold breath, feeling a chill down their backs.
The Sword Saint’s cultivation was truly terrifying. Even just two strands of Saint Qi separated from her body had beaten two sword bearers to the ground.
Such methods were truly unfathomable and mysteriously profound.
The Flying Feather Sword Saint said indifferently: “I have just shattered all their bones and examined them. Neither of them is from the Undying Blood Clan.”
“Then it seems that one of the two must have a cooperative relationship with the Undying Blood Clan.” The Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader’s gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
Without a doubt, Zhang Ruochen was the most suspicious.
Because Zhang Ruochen was a major criminal of the court personally ordered for arrest by the Empress. To survive, he would certainly need to find a backer.
In the current Kunlun Realm, the forces daring to oppose the court were few and far between, and the Undying Blood Clan happened to be one of them.
Zhang Ruochen colluding with the Undying Blood Clan to release the Nether King was entirely reasonable and could be explained.
The Flying Feather Sword Saint’s voice was quite cold yet extremely pleasant to the ear: “Xiang Zhengfeng’s suspicion cannot be ruled out either. Before the truth is uncovered, Zhang Ruochen will be under my watch… Huh?”
Just then, Zhang Ruochen, who had been severely injured with cracks all over his bones, slowly stood up from the ground using his own strength.
It must be noted that after being struck by the Flying Feather Sword Saint, Xiang Zhengfeng, whose cultivation was several levels higher than Zhang Ruochen, had already fainted.
“As expected of the Five Elements Chaos Body, you can still stand.”
The Flying Feather Sword Saint’s figure turned into a cool breeze, carrying a faint elegant fragrance, appearing before Zhang Ruochen. Her fingers turned into afterimages, snatching the Sky-Soaring Sword away.
Then, her sleeve rolled up, forming a vortex of Saint Qi that swept Zhang Ruochen up and carried him away from this place.
Until the Flying Feather Sword Saint left, she never once looked at Wang Xie.
Wang Xie remained kneeling on the ground, truly unsure whether he should stand up or not.
After all, the combat power the Flying Feather Sword Saint had just displayed was truly terrifying. Moreover, she was too ruthless, beating both sword bearers to the ground.
At this moment, Wang Xie deeply regretted provoking her.
The Zhenyu Ancient Clan leader also frowned slightly. He glanced at Wang Xie but did not tell him to stand up. Instead, he carried the unconscious Xiang Zhengfeng and turned to leave.