Chapter 21 Master Zi
At this time, An Baoshi was at a loss. Even though he knew the other’s identity and how powerful he was, enough to easily kill him, what took over his mind at the first instant was unusual astonishment. His emotions now were hard to describe.
In the past, Gu Huai entered Spirit Void Sword Sect as a cultivator of Ba Mountain Sword Field and became the sect master. There were six people in Spirit Void Sword Sect back then, in terms of both cultivation and reputation, who had a chance to become the sect master. Except for one of them who died fighting to the death along with Wang Jingmeng, the other five had peerless status in Spirit Void Sword Sect after Gu Huai became sect master. All the Spirit Void Sword Sect disciples called them “Master.”
These were the five masters of Spirit Void Sword Sect. Compared to the sect master, they were just one word less. This meant they possessed status near the sect master while not in charge of the sect’s affairs. For example, this Qi Jinshan. The other Spirit Void Sword Sect disciples would call him Master Qi upon seeing him. An Baoshi only had special status because he was Gu Huai’s teacher. So he called the other sect uncle.
Most of these five masters secluded themselves and did not come out, especially this Master Qi. He had been cultivating overseas before the Changling chaos. After Gu Huai became sect master, he returned to the mountain but secluded himself. Not just An Baoshi, but even the last generation of disciples that had been on Spirit Void Mountain for decades had never seen this “Master Qi” before.
An Baoshi was under the impression it was because of his talent, he had become the leader-to-be of Spirit Void Sword Sect. Also, that he would lead Spirit Void Sword Sect to a high position in the world. Subconsciously, he thought he would be the pride of the five masters. A few breaths ago, he had been very spirited, and felt he was at a peak. Now, this Master Qi, who never appeared, was in front of him and said that he was going to be killed. This extreme disparity brought loss and confusion which surpassed even his terror.
“Why?” He looked at the wounds at Master Qi’s heart, and the still wet blood on his clothes. He realized the other coming here meant that no one else could likely stop the other from killing him. Yet he felt even more confused. “Why is it like this?” he unconsciously said.
“You have not seen me for decades, but I have met you many times.” Qi Jinshan looked quietly at him. “You are too close to her, and too similar. You cannot be the sect master of Spirit Void Sword Sect, and I know she will not give up, and you will not give up.”
“Why should I give up?” An Baoshi suddenly understood and became furious. “This is just a conflict between you and her, why put it on me? Do I not have talent, do I not deserve to be the sect master of Spirit Void Sword Sect?”
He did not finish speaking. His next words would be: “Other than me, who advances faster, and who would have higher cultivation than me in the future? Who deserves to be the sect master of Spirit Void Sword Sect more than me?”
Qi Jinshan interrupted him before he could finish like he had predicted An Baoshi’s next words. “Whether you can become the sect master or not has nothing to do with the future, but the present.”
“You are too confident, you will be proud and stubborn.” Qi Jinshan glanced at the trembling Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple next to An Baoshi. He said coolly, “Whether you can become sect leader or not has to do with virtue and character.”
“What qualifications do you have to judge my character?” An Baoshi’s hands were tightly fisted. He felt humiliated and wanted to shout, but his body quickly grew cold as he realized the other did qualify.
The other was Master Qi, almost of equal status with the sect master. Now that Gu Huai was dead, and he had not yet succeeded the position, the other was one of the highest ranking people in Spirit Void Sword Sect. Even more importantly, the other could appear here officially and state he would be killed. This meant the other’s resolve had won in battle against the others.
“Will I really die like this?” An Baoshi looked up with some confusion at Qi Jinshan’s calm eyes. His gaze suddenly grew unusually fanatic, “I am not willing. That wine shop youth who had won the Min Mountain Sword Trials is dead. I defeated Jing Liuli. I will be the strongest of Changling, the strongest of the Qin Dynasty. Why will I be willing to die like this?”
Qi Jinshan silently waited for him to finish speaking. After An Baoshi said his last word, he looked seriously at An Baoshi. With a glance, a pure and vast presence swept up the primal energies of the universe in the void realm, turning to a sword essence that stabbed towards An Baoshi’s chest. A person like him, even if ordinary people did not understand what he was doing, had no need to explain to other people.
The conversation with An Baoshi was just to make the final decision, and to see if An Baoshi could change. From a certain point of view, this was the last chance he was giving to An Baoshi. Especially now, when he sensed the other’s killing intent, he did not hesitate. Compared to the other’s strength, he was like a true deity, like he could predict what he would do next.
An Baoshi’s killing intent did not fall towards him, but the Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple who had been attending to him with the medicine bowl and did not know what to do. An Baoshi’s hand fell towards the Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple.
A sword essence formed. Before that Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple could react, he felt a domineering vital energy surge into his body. Then in the next moment, he turned into a sword, a sword in An Baoshi’s hand that was “thrust” at Qi Jinshan.
Seeing the Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple fly towards him, Qi Jinshan’s expression did not change. He knew that An Baoshi did not actually hope that this blow would pose a threat towards him. He just wanted to use this disciple’s death to delay for a moment of time. But since he had a feeling already, he could not let An Baoshi succeed. He slowly reached out, and held his hand upright in front of him.
This Spirit Void Sword Sect disciple filled with wild vital energy hit his hand head first. But the disciple did not sense any power impact, and seemed to fall into an empty space as soft as cotton. In the next moment, he realized that he was standing next to Qi Jinshan. The wild vital energy in his body had disappeared without a trace. And Qi Jinshan’s hand seemed to be supporting his head, and not yet withdrawn.
That sword essence, which formed out of thin air and thrust towards An Baoshi, did not hesitate at all, and continued on its path. An Baoshi rapidly moved backwards. His body pushed aside the half-open temple door. He flew into the grand pathways behind him. Sensing the vast sword essence coming at him, his eyes were filled with shock and his face pale.
When the sword essence stabbed into his body, his energy sea seemed to explode. With a speed that he could not reach normally, the lifebond sword was forced out. A pale white jade sword appeared in front of his chest.
Snap!
The beautiful little jade sword was shattered. An Baoshi felt like his chest was hit by multiple boulders. He vomited blood. His eyes were filled with terror. His body accelerated like a marble and he was bounced towards the stone temple below.
Even if he was the most talented cultivator in Changling, there was still an unimaginable disparity between him and Master Qi. The other’s casual attack completely destroyed the lifebond sword he had just formed, destroyed more than half of his vitality, and created unimaginable damage. Even if the other did not take further action, if this kind of wound was not treated, he would likely die.
But he still felt unwilling.
As he was bounced back, he still reached out, savage and stubborn. He managed to grab two powerful spirit medicines, and slammed them at his mouth, shoving them into his stomach. Then, with a beast-like howl, he turned his body and charged towards the Sword Washing Pool.