The Sword Demon Intervenes

The successive collapse of two sect leaders sent the higher-ups of various major factions into a frenzy. They hastily gathered their subordinates to gather intelligence, plunging the scene into chaos. Even the ongoing assault on the Sword Sect came to a halt.

Wang Yan, the first to vomit blood, watched as Duan Changsheng fainted outright. For some reason, he couldn’t help but feel slightly better—as if seeing someone else suffer worse than him was more comforting than a thousand reassurances from his subordinates.

Especially upon hearing that Duan Changsheng’s daughter had been captured to serve as a dual cultivation furnace, Wang Yan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of relief. At least I only have a son. Who knows what Gu Qingfeng would’ve done otherwise...

Wait. A son?

Didn’t Gu Qingfeng already kill my son?!

The realization hit him like a hammer, and Wang Yan spiraled back into despair.

Soon, the major factions received intelligence on Gu Qingfeng’s movements.

After annihilating the Hell Sect and Peerless Mansion, Gu Qingfeng had immediately set off for Thunderbolt Island—clearly intent on wiping out every last faction’s stronghold.

Panic set in. There was no time left for schadenfreude. If they didn’t withdraw their forces now, even if they conquered the Sword Sect, they’d return to find their homes in ruins, following the same fate as the Hell Sect and Peerless Mansion.

The reports confirmed that Gu Qingfeng had mastered three sacred physiques. Though his cultivation realm was low, his combat power rivaled that of a Heavenly Monarch. With their forces stretched thin, how could their weakened sects possibly withstand the rampage of a Heavenly Monarch?

Discussions of retreat began among the factions.

---

Inside the Sword Sect, Dugu Wei and the others suddenly noticed the enemy’s assault had stopped. The relentless siege that had lasted for days had come to an abrupt halt.

Chaos was evident among the enemy’s leadership.

Those privy to the inside story immediately connected the dots—Gu Qingfeng’s raids on their strongholds must have taken effect.

"This is great! It must be Junior Brother Gu’s doing!"

"With Junior Brother Gu diverting their attention outside, our Sword Sect finally has a chance to catch its breath!"

"The enemy outnumbers us. Our disciples have been taking shifts to power the mountain-protecting formation for days—they’re exhausted. This pause couldn’t have come at a better time."

"Sect Leader, do you think these factions will eventually retreat? No one wants their own sect annihilated. They’ll have to pull back to defend their homes."

Dugu Wei pondered for a moment before a trace of joy flickered in his eyes. "They will retreat. These faction leaders aren’t fools. Junior Brother Gu has already destroyed the strongest among them—the Hell Sect. They know what little defenses they have left won’t stop him."

"From what I can see, this must be Junior Brother Gu’s plan—to force their withdrawal by destroying their strongholds, thereby resolving the Sword Sect’s crisis."

"Junior Brother Gu truly lives up to his title as the Sword Sect’s Imperial Scion. Courageous, resourceful, and devoted to the sect!" Meng Yan praised aloud.

But inwardly, he cursed. Damn it. If Gu Qingfeng really resolves this crisis, how will we force that old fossil, the Grand Elder, to make a move? I must inform the Sword Demon immediately.

"Indeed," the others nodded in agreement.

Little did they know, Gu Qingfeng’s only concern was making a fortune.

This was the story of how a man single-mindedly focused on looting sect treasuries accidentally became a hero by saving the Sword Sect.

---

In a hidden corner of the Sword Sect, Meng Yan used a secret technique to contact the Sword Demon and relayed the situation.

The Sword Demon fell silent.

Meng Yan pressed urgently, "Sword Demon, Gu Qingfeng has the demon seed you planted in him. Why not activate it now and take control of him? If he keeps disrupting the plan, how will we force the Grand Elder to act?"

After a long pause, the Sword Demon replied, "It seems we have no choice. I cannot allow Gu Qingfeng to ruin everything."

With that, the spectral figure of the Sword Demon began weaving hand seals, sending an imperceptible ripple across thousands of miles.

At the same time, Gu Qingfeng—who was in the middle of cultivating with the Peerless Holy Maiden—suddenly sensed the demon seed sealed within him stirring.

As a devout cultivator, nothing infuriated him more than being interrupted during cultivation.

With a mere thought, his Indestructible Demon Soul activated, instantly devouring the demon seed.

Then, he calmly resumed his cultivation.

In the past, Gu Qingfeng had kept the demon seed as a means to manipulate the Sword Demon into helping him obtain the Emperor Demon Sword. But now?

Hah! With his newfound strength, his arrogance knew no bounds. What does a mere Sword Demon matter? If I want something, I’ll take it myself!

Had he known earlier that the Hell Sect possessed treasures like the Ten Billion Soul Banner, he would’ve stormed their gates long ago. Why bother playing nice with that insignificant Sword Demon?

Now, brimming with confidence, he planned to finish looting the remaining sects before returning to the Sword Sect to claim the Emperor Demon Sword. If Dugu Wei dared accuse him of demonic corruption again, he’d show the man what real demonic power looked like.

---

Pfft!

The spectral Sword Demon suddenly spat a mouthful of blood.

Meng Yan’s face paled. "Sword Demon, you—"

"The demon seed inside Gu Qingfeng is dead," the Sword Demon said grimly.

"What?! How is that possible? That was a seed specially crafted by you! How could it fail against him?"

The Sword Demon shook his head. "If my guess is correct, Gu Qingfeng is a man of great providence—like the young Heavenly Emperors of legend. Such individuals are favored by the heavens and cannot be easily manipulated."

"His unnatural feats, mastering three sacred physiques at such a young age—all of it points to this. In this era, it seems destiny has chosen him to ascend as Emperor."

Meng Yan was stunned. "A man of great providence?! Heaven has no eyes—how could a scoundrel like Gu Qingfeng be chosen as a Child of Destiny? Sword Demon, what do we do now?"

"Do not panic. The game is not yet decided. As long as I wield the Emperor Demon Sword, even a Child of Destiny can be slain. But time is against us now. We must take drastic measures."

"We cannot afford to let Gu Qingfeng grow stronger. If he cannot be controlled, we must turn to others. Wang Yan and Duan Changsheng’s minds are in shambles because of Gu Qingfeng—this is the perfect opportunity to plant demon seeds in them."

---

"Everyone, Gu Qingfeng is massacring our sects as we speak, yet the Sword Sect’s mountain-protecting formation remains unbroken. We cannot afford to waste any more time here."

"Exactly. What’s the point of destroying the Sword Sect if we return to find our own sects in ruins? I propose we withdraw immediately."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

The leaders of the various factions were deep in discussion when a cold voice cut through.

"I disagree!"

All eyes turned to see Wang Yan and Duan Changsheng approaching side by side. Their expressions were icy, devoid of their earlier grief and fury—as if they had completely recovered.

One of the leaders sneered. "Fellow Daoists Wang and Duan, your sects are already destroyed. You have nothing left to lose, so of course you’d oppose retreat. But the rest of us still have legacies to protect—we can’t afford to be as carefree as you."

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