Chapter 84: The Mad True Person

“How can he be like this!”

Long Xiuyun said with some displeasure: “I was just asking about his master—nothing to do with looking down on Jianghu people who rose from the ranks.”

The old shopkeeper had just barely seen off his esteemed guest, and upon hearing these words, his heart sank.

The president of the association has abandoned the previously mild and harmless style of the Four Seas Merchant Association; in recent years, he has become eager to befriend heroes from both orthodox and unorthodox sects, and even placed his daughter on the Dragon Phoenix List, openly challenging Princess Qinghe.

The daughter has always associated with major sects and the sons of nobles—never mingling with commoners—and all sides treat her with courtesy when there’s no serious conflict of interest.

After spending so much time among them, she inevitably picked up some of the arrogance common among noble heirs and major sect disciples.

This would be perfectly normal for others, but for a family built on commerce, it’s a forgetfulness of their own roots and honor.

Though his mind churned with thoughts, the old shopkeeper said nothing.

He had no right to reprimand the president’s children—he would simply report the situation later.

“Haha, Sister Xiuyun, don’t be upset,” Song Qing smiled faintly. “Brother Jiang named himself the Sword Demon—he’s naturally suspicious. Probing his origins so bluntly naturally invites wariness; you’ll need to be more careful next time.”

“Got it!”

……

After turning over a dozen street corners, a destitute middle-aged swordsman appeared out of nowhere, walking slowly down the main road.

As Song Qing had said, Jiang Ding had developed a strong sense of distrust toward Long Xiuyun.

First, bluntly probing his origins; second, introducing him without permission to a disciple of a powerful faction; third, subtly hinting that he should join her faction using a hundred-year ginseng as leverage.

Together, these three things made him feel he hadn’t entered a shop primarily selling goods—but rather… yes, a major martial sect.

“It’d be better if everyone were like Long San…”

Jiang Ding sighed.

Long San was a true merchant—he never asked where Jiang Ding came from, where he was going, or what he bought things for. He simply introduced the goods, took payment, and left it at that—no nonsense.

He didn’t know what strategic shift the Four Seas Merchant Association had undergone, nor did he care—he removed it from his top list of trading partners.

As for the hundred-year spirit ginseng, if it was available safely, fine; if not, his cultivation wouldn’t stall—he’d just need more time to accumulate foundation.

Inside the courtyard.

Jiang Ding swallowed a Ginseng Essence Qi Transformation Pill, closed his eyes, and gently nurtured and tempered the twelve regular meridians and their fine branches; the radiant talisman sword floated above the pond, gathering spiritual energy and solar essence to refine its blade, growing ever more brilliant.

Besides these repetitive tasks, he could spare a fraction of his mind for his Chinese and math homework, occasionally pondering sword techniques.

So far,

He had tempered and nurtured 8,512 meridians; after finishing the last two Ginseng Essence Qi Transformation Pills, he only needed another twenty days of quiet cultivation to complete the first half of the Great Circulation.

CLANG!

After over two hours of cultivation, Jiang Ding suddenly felt a spark of insight—he drew his sword and danced. Bright, rule-defined arcs sliced through the air; sword shadows lingered, multiplied, and spread until they filled the entire courtyard.

“Cut!”

Jiang Ding muttered, swung his sword—and seven white sword qi erupted, flying forward ten meters before fading.

Upon closer inspection, only two of the seven were real; the other five were transparent illusions, mere shells.

“Still room for improvement…”

Jiang Ding paused, thinking.

This was clearly the application of the Great Brightness Sword Art on a physical sword. Though he hadn’t spent much time on it, as he absorbed more martial and immortal knowledge and accumulated practical experience, understanding came naturally.

SHHH!

The talisman sword suddenly soared into the air, gathering vast sunlight, dazzlingly brilliant, trembling repeatedly, then splitting into nine sword qi—each golden and radiant, radiating overwhelming pressure.

It itself merged into one of the sword qi, indistinguishable from the others.

Ascending, slashing, thrusting, spinning…

The nine blazing sword qi moved with fluid grace in the sky—externally, not a single difference could be detected.

“The Hundred-Step Flying Sword has progressed further—the Great Brightness Sword Art was, after all, created for flying swords.”

Jiang Ding nodded in satisfaction.

He flicked his finger—the nine sword qi dissipated, revealing the talisman sword’s true form, which flew into his hand. He coated it with White Essence Liquid; once fully absorbed and vanished, it returned to the pond to gather solar essence and spiritual energy for further blade refinement.

Previously, the talisman sword was relatively fragile, only capable of dealing with inner qi perfected cultivators; though its blade had been tempered for only a short time, its fundamental nature hadn’t changed much.

But now, defeating someone like Chen Chen, who had reached inner qi perfection, was simply a matter of piercing through a vital point.

Even a True Person, if unable to intercept it, would face grave threat from the talisman sword.

He sheathed his sword and resumed cross-legged cultivation.

Several days passed in a flash.

In these days, Jiang Ding finished the last two Ginseng Essence Qi Transformation Pills, and with his daily diligent cultivation, the number of tempered and nurtured meridians had now reached the threshold—he was poised to complete the Great Circulation’s twelve regular meridians before the final exams.

“That True Person has arrived.”

Jiang Ding suddenly opened his eyes, murmuring to himself.

……

In the main hall of the Chi Zhong Prefect’s mansion.

The Prefect, the Chief Secretary, the Chief Clerk, the Commandant, and other civil and military officials of Chi Zhong stood trembling before the woman seated on the main seat.

She appeared to be in her sixties or seventies, her long hair gray-white, wrinkles on her face—but her skin was as rosy and delicate as an infant’s. The juxtaposition of age and youth on her body was deeply terrifying.

“Explain. What happened?”

“Ten Petals Sword Immortal” Wan Qianyu slightly closed her eyes, hiding her inner grief.

One brief retreat into seclusion—and her only son was gone.

Had none of her previous warnings ever been heeded?

When they looked at her then, did they see only a mad dog barking uncontrollably?

Boundless killing intent sprouted within her; the entire main hall plunged into a frozen wasteland. The officials of Chi Zhong, all at least inner qi realm, turned pale and trembled uncontrollably.

“Immortal, it must have been the Green Robe Tower…”

Seeing his subordinates cower like quails, the cold intensifying, Prefect Chen Zheng forced himself to speak: “At the time, the assassin killed Princess’s maid, impersonated the attack, and Young Master You… didn’t notice…”

As he spoke, he desperately signaled with his eyes to the Commandant.

This cultivator’s mental state is unstable!

Only by mobilizing a large army for protection could they possibly deter her.

The Commandant lowered his head even further.

He had been dragged here from home—he dared not move now.

Besides, this Prefect had long been a corrupt plunderer; the Commandant himself had taken his share—didn’t he know exactly what the garrison was like?

The numbers were sufficient—over ten thousand—but in actual combat, they’d collapse after killing a few dozen.

“…Here are the case files… I’ve ordered the collection of Young Master You’s body, and we’ve been burning incense and lighting candles day and night in tribute—the funeral hall is… in…”

Prefect Chen Zheng’s eyes widened—suddenly, a blood hole pierced his forehead, clearly from sword qi—obviously, she had already seen all this, and had lost patience.

“…I am a distant branch of the Chen imperial clan…”

He uttered his final words with resentment, then collapsed.

“Run!”

Several voices shouted simultaneously—sharp minds, none willing to fight. They turned and fled in all directions, pushing their inner qi to its absolute limit.

Nine sword qi, each bearing the faint image of petals, moved with uncanny life, pursuing and killing them all.

“You’er… Chen Xi, that vile woman mocked you—I’ll send her down to join you,” Wan Qianyu’s voice echoed, ethereal and eerie. “And the Green Robe Tower—no matter who’s behind it, every last one will die…”

The entire Prefect’s mansion fell into absolute silence.