Thirty years wasn't a very long or short period of time but it could make a virile man into a grandfather. After thirty years, the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect developed to a point where it was tens of times stronger than it originally was. It had already become a powerful sect that was ranked in the world's top three!
The strongest person in the sect was naturally Frost Sword Meng Yiqiu, first on the God roll. Immediately following that was Iceheart Sword Meng Huan, ranked twelfth on the Heaven roll! Ranked after him were a series of Earth roll experts. The Zhou Mountain Sword Sect had immense amounts of treasured herbs and powerful manuals. As a result, it produced five Earth roll experts like Zuo Tang and Dong Wan. In addition, there were a few Earth roll itinerant cultivators who came under the sect's patronage. In total, they had more than ten Earth roll experts!
"What? Fiendlord Xiahou Zhen has challenged our Elder Meng to a battle outside Sovereign Capital at Mt. Pool Returning on the ninth of March?"
"What right does he have to do that?"
"Xiahou Zhen's lifespan should be ending this year. He's about to die of age. Such a person wants to enter a life-and-death battle with Elder Meng?"
There was a commotion in the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect's main hall.
Zuo Tang sat in the sect master's seat, his eyes burning with fury. "Junior Brother has excellent talent. He is destined to shatter the void and ascend! There's no need to bother with that Xiahou Zhen."
"That's right. If he were to battle Xiahou Zhen," said an Elder anxiously. "He would gain nothing by killing him directly. After all, Xiahou Zhen will soon die of old age anyway! And if Xiahou Zhen were to break through during the life-and-death struggle, he would shatter the void and ascend. We would be letting Xiahou Zhen take huge advantage of us! If he is able to kill Elder Meng because of his powerful body, that would be such a huge loss."
"Yes, there's nothing beneficial about this battle!"
"We cannot fall for his schemes."
All the members of the upper echelon objected to it.
Their Elder Meng was not even eighty years old! He had five hundred years to live. Even if he cultivated slowly and improved at a snail's pace, shattering the void was still easy for him. Why was there a need to risk anything?
Furthermore, even if Elder Meng made a breakthrough during the struggle, resulting in him shattering the void and ascending, that would mean that Elder Meng would ascend and disappear! That would only be detrimental to the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect and the followers of Meng Yiqiu. They still wished to receive Elder Meng's support for a few centuries!
"The Wei Kingdom has released the news. We got wind of the matter quickly but it probably won't take long for the news to spread throughout the world," said Zuo Tang. "If my junior brother rejects the challenge, it will probably make people think that he's afraid. This is also part of the Wei Kingdom's plan. It is deliberately creating such a stir to force my junior brother into accepting the challenge."
"Yes, we cannot fall for it."
"Elder Qu, set off with me tonight. We shall rush to Sovereign Capital overnight. Everyone… while I'm not in the sect, all sect matters shall be handled by Grand Elders Wang and Cheng," ordered Zuo Tang immediately.
That night.
Zuo Tang and Elder Qu left the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect together. They spent the entire night rushing to Sovereign Capital without making a single stop.
Elder Qu was one of the geniuses among the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect elite disciples that Qin Yun had taught over the years. He was now a Grand Elder. As he was a disciple of Qin Yun, Zuo Tang wished to use his ties to persuade Qin Yun.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The next morning.
Qin Yun was still having breakfast when Zuo Tang and Elder Qu arrived. Gong Yan'er, Meng Huan, and company were also standing to the side.
"Senior Brother, Qu Suo." Qin Yun looked at the two of them and could not help but smile. Qu Suo had once stayed in Meng Manor for more than a decade.
"Master Uncle Zuo, you have to persuade my father. My mother and I are unable to talk him out of this," said Meng Huan immediately.
"Yiqiu."
The plump Zuo Tang could not help but say, "Are you really going to accept the challenge? Can't you tell that there's nothing in it for you? Instead, it would give Xiahou Zhen numerous advantages. He is a person that's about to die of age, while you are still young."
"It's hard to find a worthy opponent," said Qin Yun with a smile.
"What's so hard? With your strength, you will definitely be able to shatter the void and ascend. Wouldn't you find opponents after you ascend?" said Zuo Tang immediately. "You have to think about your family too. You now have three grandchildren. Shouldn't you consider them?"
Qin Yun sighed inwardly.
It had been more than three decades since he came to this world!
He had to leave once the fifty years were up!
"Thankfully, Huan'er is more excellent than even I expected." Qin Yun looked at Meng Huan.
Meng Huan had enjoyed watching Qin Yun's sword practice from a young age. Furthermore, he was very introverted in his youth. He placed all his thoughts and efforts on sword techniques day in and day out. Later on, he trained so much that he didn't speak more than ten sentences a day. At eighteen, Qin Yun was so afraid that he forced his son to go out to hone himself! Thankfully, Meng Huan settled down after he got married. Although he still occasionally went out, he spent most of his time on his sword techniques.
Furthermore, he was different from Qin Yun.
Qin Yun had a heart as still as an ice mirror in this lifetime as a result of the Amita figurine.
As for Meng Huan, he had an exceptionally quiet disposition from a young age! Since he liked quietness, his cultivation of the Frost Sword progressed at breakneck speeds.
He grasped sword intent at twenty-one.
He reached the intent domain level at twenty-eight.
He grasped the Iceheart Paramount realm at thirty-two.
Following that, Qin Yun wrote a manual for his own Sword Dao. It was named 'Sword of Heaven Earth.' This Sword Dao manual amalgamated his knowledge of sword techniques from the three worlds he had experienced, forming a final product. It could be considered the most brilliant sword technique in the world. The formation of a world with his Sword Qi could trap one as strong as Li Ruji to death.
Even Xiahou Zhen would be trapped and ground to death by the Sword of Heaven Earth if he had not improved. There was no need for close combat. Just the Sword of Heaven Earth was capable of taking him down.
It proved how powerful and terrifying the sword art was.
As the sword art was extremely brilliant and complicated, to truly be accomplished in it, one had to grasp the Iceheart Paramount realm. Only by doing so would one be considered as having grasped its basics.
At present, Meng Huan had grasped the basics of the Sword of Heaven Earth. In terms of strength, he was approaching first on the Heaven roll!
"Huan'er has had a quiet disposition from a young age. My Sword Dao, the Sword of Heaven Earth, is suitable for him to cultivate. Even if he fails to perfectly grasp it, he should be able to step into the Dao simply by understanding some of its essences," thought Qin Yun. "If he were to step into the Dao, I can leave this world with peace of mind."
Despite Zuo Tang and Elder Qu Suo rushing overnight to persuade Qin Yun, they failed.
None of them could change Qin Yun's decision.
Days passed one by one.
Word of Xiahou Zhen's challenge to Meng Yiqiu for a battle on the ninth of March at Mt. Pool Returning outside Sovereign Capital gradually spread throughout the world. It also caused people to boil over in excitement. Qin Yun even made it known that he had agreed to the battle!
Instantly, countless experts rushed to Mt. Pool Returning outside Sovereign Capital. None of them wished to miss such a rare event.
In a blink of an eye, it was the ninth of March.
It was a gloomy day with a howling wind.
Qin Yun, Gong Yan'er, Meng Huan, Zuo Tang, Qu Suo, Dong Wan, Liu Qingsha, and company rode on horses. They left from Sovereign Capital's east gate and headed straight for Mt. Pool Returning.
"There are so many people," said Qin Yun with a smile. From afar, he could see a swarm of people when they approached Mt. Pool Returning. It was extremely lively.
"Yiqiu, it's your final battle with Fiendlord Xiahou Zhen. How many cultivators would want to miss it?" said Zuo Tang. "Besides, everyone can guess that Xiahou Zhen is coming with the intent to perish in battle."
Qin Yun did not say a word.
It had been thirty years.
His sword techniques also needed an opponent worthy of testing their full capabilities.
"Quick, look! It's the people from the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect. That's Lockheaven Sword Dong Wan. That's the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect's sect master, Zuo Tang."
"And that person in the middle is likely Frost Sword Meng Yiqiu."
"Beside him is his son Meng Huan. It's rumored that Meng Huan also cultivates in the Frost Sword Chart. He is presently ranked on the Heaven roll."
"Like father like son."
"If I had such a powerful father, I would also be ranked on the Heaven roll."
People from all over the world had arrived as they broke out into a discussion.
In fact, Meng Huan was presently cultivating the Sword of Heaven Earth. And this manual had also become the most secretive cornerstone manual of the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect!
As they traveled, Qin Yun noticed something.
"The three royal families, dozens of the world's largest sects, and some ancient family clans have sent people here today." Qin Yun had already probed his surroundings with his Dao domain, easily identifying the relatively famous figures. It could be said that more than half the top experts in the world had rushed there! They did not wish to miss this battle.
Qin Yun also saw in the distance a figure standing atop Mt. Pool Returning's summit. Fiendlord Xiahou Zhen had clearly arrived early.
When he came to the side of a lake, Qin Yun saw the Chu Kingdom's Li family not far away. God of War Li Ruji was also there.
"Elder Meng." Li Ruji cupped his fists from afar.
Qin Yun nodded with a smile.
"Elder Meng, you have to be careful. Xiahou Zhen isn't someone to be underestimated," advised Li Ruji. Both of them had Dao domains. They could hear each other without even using a voice transmission.
"Thanks." Qin Yun turned to exhort the people beside him. "Huan'er, all of you are to wait here. Don't come any closer than this."
"Yes."
Meng Huan, Gong Yan'er, and a huge group of people dismounted their horses. There was even a horse-drawn carriage behind then that had Zhong Lin and her three children. They were also there to watch the battle. Gong Yan'er had prohibited them from coming, afraid that they would be implicated. It was Qin Yun who gave them the permission to come.
Qin Yun was obviously confident. His Dao domain could envelop fifteen kilometers around him! He could easily protect his family if need be.
"Father, be careful." Meng Huan could not help but comment while standing by Qin Yun's side.
"Yiqiu." Gong Yan'er looked at Qin Yun.
"There's no need to worry," said Qin Yun with a smile. "Huan'er, watch carefully. Watch and see the true power of the Sword of Heaven Earth that I have created."
"Yes." Meng Huan nodded.
Following that, Qin Yun transformed into a stream of light and flew directly to Mt. Pool Returning.
There was only one person standing atop Mt. Pool Returning—Fiendlord Xiahou Zhen. His Dao domain covered the area, preventing anyone from entering Mt. Pool Returning.
"He's here." Xiahou Zhen looked up towards the western sky. The stream of light that flew over was a plainly-dressed man with a sword hanging by his waist.
Xiahou Zhen beamed.