Chapter 76: The Sword Pavilion
Qi Qingsong had always been lazy.
Jiang Li managed to survive not because he could not have killed her, but simply because he felt it was not worth the effort.
He did not harbor any personal grudge against Jiang Li and did not pay much heed to whether she lived or died. If not for the foolhardy member of Jiang Li's group provoking him, he would not have even bothered targeting the Red Mountain Sect.
"You don't remember?"
Zhou Qingchen grinned menacingly, brandishing his cold iron long saber and taking out his Heartguard Mirror.
Luo Hongyan watched as Dong Tianze stepped aside and the man named Qi Qingsong stood up. At that moment, she noticed the sword-shaped pavilion embroidered on the chest of Qi Qingsong's blue attire.
The pavilion resembled a downward-pointing sword divided into nine segments, each representing a floor of the pavilion. The sword-shaped pavilion exuded a sharpness that made it seem poised to burst forth.
Luo Hongyan finally understood why Jiang Li refused to let Zhou Qingchen seek vengeance on her behalf. Knitting her brows, she cautioned, "Zhou Qingchen, I think it might be best to forget about it. Your opponent hails from the Sword Pavilion Sect of the Second World."
"The-the Sword Pavilion Sect!" Han Duping's lips trembled uncontrollably. He hastily restrained Zhou Qingchen and urged, "Don't be rash, Young Zhou! There are numerous sects in the Second World, but the Sword Pavilion Sect is the most formidable. We can't afford to provoke them!"
"Sword Pavilion Sect!" Zhou Qingchen seethed as he stared intensely at Qi Qingsong.
He had also noticed the sword-pavilion emblem on Qi Qingsong's chest. Having heard about the Sword Pavilion of the Second World from some of the members of the Red Mountain Sect, he understood what the Sword Pavilion symbolized. Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates
However, his beloved had half her arm severed, and the other party did not even remember her, making it difficult for him to control himself.
Jiang Li held his free hand and shook her head. She was on the verge of tears when she pleaded, "Don't! Please don't risk your life for me! I've only lost half of my arm. I'm still alive.
I'm not worth you putting your life in danger like this. If your feelings for me remain in the future, I'll accompany you for as long as I'm allowed. I know I can't be with you till the end, but I'll cherish every moment we share together."
Jiang Li cried as she tried to appeal to Zhou Qingchen's emotions, hoping to persuade him to calm down.
"If you don't want to fight, just forget it," Qi Qingsong said disinterestedly. He was known for his laid-back demeanor and had been gearing up for a fight. However, seeing the provocateur held back by his companions, he lost interest in the whole affair.
He did not have any grudge against the group, nor had he suffered any losses. Thus, he could not be bothered to make a scene once Zhou Qingchen no longer provoked him.
Hesitation crept into Zhou Qingchen's heart as Jiang Li and Han Duping held him back. He was torn between his desire to seek revenge and the fearsomeness of the Sword Pavilion and decided to seek Pang Jian's opinion.
"Pang Jian, if it were you..." He turned his head to look at Pang Jian, but only saw Han Duping, Luo Hongyan, Su Meng, and Jiang Li beside him. "Where's Pang Jian?"
Pang Jian was nowhere to be found.
Zhou Qingchen, Luo Hongyab, and Han Duping simultaneously cried out in alarm, "Damn it!"
The thought that Pang Jian fled under the pressure of the Sword Pavilion Sect never even crossed the trio's minds. None of them doubted Pang Jian's recklessness!
"Pang Jian!"
Almost everyone's attention was drawn to the commotion, all watching for any unusual movements from Zhou Qingchen and his group.
Only one person had vigilantly kept an eye on Pang Jian from beginning to end.
The person was Dong Tianze!
He curled his lips and bared his teeth as he glanced at Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion. "It's not over yet."
"What do you mean by 'it's not over yet'?" Qi Qingsong asked in surprise.
Whoosh!
Qi Qingsong swung his spirit sword, causing faint sword lights to surge forth, aiming down at Pang Jian's head.
As Pang Jian lifted his head, hundreds of dazzling sword lights surrounded him, covering every inch of the area around him.
Surrounded by sword lights, a looming feeling of resignation toward his impending death filled him.
However, it was just a feeling. While the sword light could shatter the will of some, it did not affect everyone in the same way.
Pang Jian was one of those people.
The sword lights only affected him for a split second before he forcefully brushed off the impending sense of doom. Relying on sheer willpower, he broke free from the influence of the sword lights and took a step back.
Rip!
The strike that should have pierced him from head to toe only managed to leave a shallow wound on the left side of his body. The wound was not caused by the sword lights, but by the sword intent Qi Qingsong imbued in the attack.
Pang Jian winced as a sharp pain shot through his side. He peered up at Qi Qingsong, from the middle of the bustling crowd.
Sword Pavilion!
He grimly realized that there was a vast gap between him and the powerhouse from the upper world.
Pang Jian fell significantly short of Qi Qingsong in terms of spirit artifacts, cultivation methods, and cultivation level.
The only reason he had been able to shatter Qi Qingsong's fingers was because Pang Jian's attack had been unexpected and his opponent had underestimated him.
"Are you seeking revenge for that woman too?" Qi Qingsong asked curiously.
As a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, cultivators in Eight Trigrams City would avoid him as soon as they caught sight of the emblem on his attire.
Qi Qingsong found it difficult to comprehend how a young man at the Meridian Opening Realm from the lower world dared to challenge him.
"No." Pang Jian shook his head but offered no further explanation.
"He's trying to kill you for my sake!" Zhou Qingchen shouted at Qi Qingsong as he crawled to his feet. A trace of blood could be seen at the corner of his mouth.
"Brotherly affection?" Qi Qingsong shook his head in disbelief, voice dripping with disdain. "How utterly laughable."
On another raised platform, a woman had been sitting with her eyes closed when she abruptly opened them and impatiently said, "Enough with the bickering. The Mirror Tunnel is ready. Those who wish to leave should do so now."
Her words seemed to carry a devilish power. The clamor in the courtyard ceased.
Those present seemed more than willing to follow her instructions.
The woman was dressed in a long, bright yellow skirt. At first glance, her appearance appeared ordinary, but her gaze darted about erratically, leaving one uncertain of where exactly she was looking.
Embroidered all over her long skirt were colorful blossoming characters that resembled vibrant flowers.
However, all these characters were actually the same.
Each one formed the character for "Demon", and these characters bloomed like a field of colorful flowers on her long skirt.
"The Demon Sect!"
A sense of apprehension flickered in the eyes of the crowd as they stared at the varied colors and sizes of the character "Demon".