Chapter 542: Meeting Old Friends, The Sword Saint's Surprise

"Big Brother Ye, you actually came over too?"

That day, the moment they saw familiar faces, both Xiao Wu and Xian'er were filled with pleasant surprise; the former even stepped forward to wrap an arm around Ye Shenghan's shoulder, saying excitedly.

That's right, the people who had arrived were none other than the husband and wife, Ye Shenghan and Yin Xin, whom Xiao Wu and Xian'er had not seen for many years. Like the duo, the couple had also left Langya Heavenly Palace to gain experience in the Da Qian World after ascending and completing their Spirit Power conversion, and they had been summoned back this time as well.

"Xiao Wu, long time no see!" Seeing an old friend, Ye Shenghan's eternally icy face also revealed a hint of a smile. He patted Xiao Wu's shoulder, sensed the latter's aura for a moment, and praised:

"As expected, you've made significant progress over these years; you've even caught up to me."

One must know that his cultivation time had started several years earlier than Xiao Wu's, yet now, Xiao Wu's aura was not the least bit weaker than his own.

"Hahaha..." Xiao Wu laughed a few times, saying quite proudly:

"Big Brother Ye, if you don't break through soon, you might not be my match in the future."

"Break through??" Ye Shenghan shook his head and chuckled softly: "Is that barrier really so easy to break through??"

The Heavenly Venerable Tribulation, ah~

In the past, he had indeed believed his talent to be peerless, thinking that even a Heavenly Sovereign was something he could reach with a flick of his hand.

Until...

During his travels in the Da Qian World, he had the fortune to witness the scene of a Great Perfection Earth Sovereign powerhouse breaking through to Heavenly Sovereign. That Heavenly Venerable Tribulation, with its heaven-shaking might, left an indelible impression on his heart. With his current strength, the success rate of surviving the Heavenly Venerable Tribulation was definitely less than one or two in ten; how was that any different from courting death?

"Let's not talk about this for now." Xiao Wu suddenly remembered and asked:

"Have you seen Little Yue'er since you returned?"

Hearing this, a gentle smile appeared at the corners of Ye Shenghan's mouth:

"Mm. Yue'er is currently training under Hall Master Mo; it is indeed a good choice."

"Hey, the old man is currently supervising Little Yue'er's musical training all the time, terrified that one day that girl will switch schools and leave Sound Valley without a successor!"

Xiao Wu's tone carried a hint of teasing and helplessness as he sighed: "No one expected that the one who perfectly inherited Senior Sister's musical talent would actually be interested in medicine."

Little Yue'er was none other than Ye Shenghan's daughter, Yin Qiyue. She had perfectly inherited her mother Yin Xin's talent in the way of music, and had even surpassed her. In her early teens, she entered the Sound Saint ruins for the first time and triggered a resonance, causing the Sound Saint's remnant image to appear, letting everyone in Sound Valley know for the first time that their Ancestor had actually left behind a trump card.

Such talent immediately led Tianyin Laoren to view the little girl as the future of Sound Cultivators, holding her in his palm like a treasure.

Who would have thought that after she arrived at Langya Heavenly Palace, she would run into Mo Wenxin, the Hall Master of Apricot Grove Hall, at some point? She became interested in the Hall Master's medical skills, which could be called a miracle, and it became an obsession. By the time the old man discovered it, it was already too late. Seeing his future about to abandon the light for the darkness, if not for his deep cultivation, Tianyin Laoren would have nearly had his lifespan cut short.

"Yue'er has a simple nature and dislikes killing; she is indeed suited for Hall Master Mo's medical arts."

"That's true." Xiao Wu nodded in deep agreement, "Otherwise, Hall Master Mo wouldn't have almost gotten into a fight with the old man over teaching the *Medical Saint Classic*."

As a child raised under the care of a group of elders, Yin Qiyue was even more of a homebody than her mother had been, never having fought with anyone, which happened to align perfectly with the requirements of the *Medical Saint Classic*. At the same time, her own cultivation talent was outstanding, making the usually indifferent Mo Wenxin see a talent she loved, teaching her almost like a personal disciple, which subsequently made her the number one enemy in the eyes of Tianyin Laoren.

"It's also fortunate that the little girl can handle the old man, otherwise I don't know who could stop him."

As the apple of Tianyin Laoren's eye, although she was simple-minded, Yin Qiyue was clever and sensible; she had long since figured out the old man's temperament completely and could always coax him until he was bewildered, and she had not abandoned her practice of the way of music.

Therefore, although Tianyin Laoren was "slightly" dissatisfied because she was also studying medicine, he didn't say much, only occasionally picking fights and causing unpleasantness when he ran into Mo Wenxin, after which the two would go their separate ways under the little girl's pacification.

While Ye Shenghan and Xiao Wu were chatting about daily life, Yin Xin and Xian'er were also having their own private conversation.

"That kid still hasn't figured it out?" Yin Xin blinked her bright eyes, looking at Xiao Wu, who was chatting away with Ye Shenghan in the distance, and said with a sense of frustration that he wasn't living up to expectations. As a sister-in-law, she had always been very optimistic about the pair, Xian'er and Xiao Wu.

To this, Xian'er only shook her head helplessly.

"Pretty much. Now it just depends on how long that guy can stay dense."

"Oh my..."

The private chatter on both sides came to an abrupt halt the moment Yi Huang arrived.

"Teacher (Mistress/Aunt Huang)."

"Mm." Yi Huang nodded simply, then introduced an old man following behind her to the group.

"This is Senior Sword Saint, invited by the sect to assist us this time."

Although the old man's hair and beard were completely white, his posture was upright and his spirit was sharp. He wore no ornaments to reveal his status, and despite being called the Sword Saint, he did not carry a sword like conventional sword cultivators such as Ye Shenghan. Standing there, he was like an old pine tree—plain and unremarkable, yet exuding a steady, immovable presence.

The group had long noticed the old man being personally received by Yi Huang, and having heard rumors, they had vaguely guessed his identity. Now that his identity was verified, they bowed respectfully:

"Greetings, Senior Sword Saint."

"Mm." While Xiao Wu and the others observed this powerhouse who was on the same level as Xiao Han, the Sword Saint's gaze also swept over the four youths, feeling slightly surprised by the thick and solid aura they possessed.

In his view, every one of the people present had the potential to step into his realm. The current Langya Heavenly Palace was already enough to be called a giant; if these young people grew up, it would likely push the sect to a whole new height.

After nodding slightly to the group, the Sword Saint didn't say much. To avoid a situation where everyone just stared at each other, Yi Huang simply instructed Xiao Wu, who was relatively more communicative, to act as a guide and take this great senior around the sect, before leaving in a hurried pace.

With the relocation approaching and the sect's chief steward, Yang Ling, having returned to Ling Tian Continent in advance to arrange matters, almost every aspect of the entire sect rested on her shoulders.

"Then Senior, please follow me." After Yi Huang left, Ye Shenghan and Yin Xin, who had other tasks, did not stay long and took their leave, leaving only Xiao Wu and Xian'er, who had already been arranged, to accompany him.

Xiao Wu did not delay and immediately stepped into his role, leading the way while Xian'er followed silently behind. The Sword Saint followed the host's lead, touring the area according to Xiao Wu's introduction, his understanding of this rising force, Langya Heavenly Palace, becoming increasingly profound.

Even though they were currently in a crisis stage, one could still feel the soaring vitality from every part of the sect, and this impression was further reinforced after the three arrived at a certain building.

"Senior, this is the Array Martial Hall, the place where the sect's Elders and Disciples contemplate and develop new Spirit Arrays, techniques, and Supernatural Powers."

"Oh?" Hearing this, the Sword Saint, who had not said much from beginning to end and had shown no great emotional fluctuations, had a rare ripple in his tone. "New Spirit Arrays? Divine techniques? Supernatural Powers?"

"You actually specialize in researching these?"

"Of course." Noticing the Sword Saint's surprise, a hint of pride appeared on Xiao Wu's face.

"To be honest with you, Senior, the Array Martial Hall is an original creation of our Langya Heavenly Palace in the Da Qian World. All Disciples and Elders, regardless of Spirit Arrays, Cultivation Methods, or Supernatural Powers, as long as they have an inspiration, are qualified to use their Token to come to the Array Martial Hall and use the assistance of arrays to contemplate and deduce them."

"They can also discuss and verify things with others in the Array Martial Hall. They can also spend contribution points to request that the duty-bound Elders and Disciples answer their questions and resolve their doubts."

"Even, if a disciple's insight is recognized, they can choose to trade it with the sect to obtain corresponding contributions."

"Besides that, the Array Martial Hall has dedicated Spirit Array Masters responsible for researching and improving existing Spirit Arrays. The sect invests a large amount of resources into trial and error, using the most rigorous methods to dismantle, combine, and innovate upon the Spirit Arrays."

"This is also the first of its kind among all sects in the Da Qian World."

Regarding this statement made with absolute certainty by Xiao Wu, the Sword Saint also acknowledged it in his heart.

For the vast majority of sects in the Da Qian World, passing down Cultivation Methods, Supernatural Powers, and Spirit Arrays was normal. They would also purchase methods or arrays deduced by disciples and provide corresponding rewards, and many forces' scripture libraries had Elders to guide disciples in practicing methods and powers.

But never had a sect specifically set up a hall like Langya Heavenly Palace, where the sect invested in Spirit Array innovation. Such things were usually the spontaneous behavior of disciples and Elders, at most being regular exchange meetings formed by some Elders and disciples, basically never forming a scale.

Now he finally understood where those strange and varied Spirit Arrays that Langya Heavenly Palace sold so well across the Da Qian World came from.

With such a large investment, they deserve to earn Supreme Spiritual Liquid.

When the Sword Sovereign arrived before a gate with a plaque inscribed with the three large characters "Apricot Grove Hall," he did not think much of it at first, assuming it was similar to the Pill Hall of an ordinary large sect, but upon hearing the faint sound of a zither drifting from within, he could not help but stop his steps; as an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign, he instantly sensed the anomaly in the zither music and looked at Xiao Wu beside him in surprise,

"This zither music can actually stimulate the vitality within a human body?"

Xiao Wu also explained:

"Oh, the master of this zither music is this junior's niece. She possesses a Sound Cultivator inheritance and also cultivates the medical Dao. She is currently attempting to fuse the medical Dao with musical tones, but her cultivation is still shallow, so it cannot yet be considered a pure Sound Cultivator technique."

Sword Sovereign:???

Following Xiao Wu's words, the confusion in the Sword Sovereign's mind grew more and more; he understood Sound Cultivators, and he understood the medical Dao, but cultivating both? And attempting to fuse them? Was he still in the Da Qian World?

And what exactly did that phrase "cannot be considered a pure Sound Cultivator technique" mean? Was zither music capable of stimulating the vitality within a human body a Sound Cultivator inheritance?

If Xiao Wu knew the mystery in the Sword Sovereign's heart, he would answer—yes, at least the Sound Cultivators of the Dou Qi Continent are.

The Sword Sovereign had no chance to resolve his doubts for the time being, as the shrill warning sound of a Spirit Array announced the arrival of uninvited guests.

At this very moment, a group of figures who had long been prepared flew out from various places within the Langya Heavenly Palace encampment, and the Sword Sovereign appeared above Langya Heavenly Palace the very next moment the warning sounded.

A long sword, black as ink, was in his hand, and he instantly transformed from an unremarkable old man on the roadside into a god of death returned from hell; and opposite him were the last two remaining Mysterious Demon Emperors, the old rivals of Langya Heavenly Palace.

"Extreme Dao Sword Sovereign? You old immortal, you actually came to meddle in the feud between our clan and Langya Heavenly Palace?"

Seeing this old man who had a fearsome reputation among the Outer Realm Evil Clan, the two Mysterious Demon Emperors were also shocked in their hearts, and the temporary leader, Yan Mo, spoke up,

"What, have the wounds from the last Great Hunt healed completely?"

This clearly pointed to the unbearable past during the Great Assembly Battle, when the Extreme Dao Sword Sovereign and three other veteran Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereigns joined forces but were severely injured by the Blood Heavenly Demon Emperor alone.

Regarding Yan Mo's sarcasm, the Sword Sovereign was not annoyed and retorted,

"I am a bit old, but my body is in good shape. Last time I came to Langya Heavenly Palace, I just happened to hack two Blade Demon Clan Demon Emperors to death; now, adding you two, it is just enough for some extra conversation material."

"Old immortal, you are at death's door and still talking big!" Yan Mo's tone became completely impatient, and Demonic Qi surged behind the two Mysterious Demon Emperors as two ten-thousand-foot-tall demonic statues emerged from the void.

"Let us see who the deer falls to by our own hands!" The Sword Sovereign lightly waved the black sword in his hand, and a Supreme Dharma Body in the image of a Warrior appeared before the demonic statues to confront them.

The Sword God Dharma Body, as the signature technique realized by the Extreme Dao Sword Sovereign, although not among the ninety-nine Supreme Dharma Bodies of the Da Qian World, was not inferior to the top ten Dharma Bodies in the slightest, and now, even fighting one against two, it showed no signs of decline.

Summoning their Dharma Bodies, both sides clearly had no intention of continuing to communicate, and they greeted each other with their strongest techniques; a heaven-shaking battle immediately erupted in the void.

And on the lower-level battlefield, they were already fighting inextricably: "Sword Shatters the Star River!", "Absolute Shadow Killing Array!", "Boundless Sword Domain!", "Blood Demon Undying!", "Demonic Flames Nine Layers, Burning Heaven and Earth!", "..."

On the battlefield below the Heavenly Sovereign level, the situation for the Langya Heavenly Palace side was not optimistic,

"Yo! The Outer Realm Evil Clan takes us quite seriously; I guess they moved out all their strength this time, right?"

Although Xiao Wu's tone was teasing as he held his sword, his expression was extremely grave; no one could remain indifferent upon seeing three times their own number of experts of the same level on the opposite side, especially in this kind of large-scale battle where numbers could greatly diminish the advantage of individual combat power.

"Why think so much? When have we ever had a numerical advantage?"

Since Langya Heavenly Palace established its sect on the borders of the Da Qian World, it had always fought uphill battles.

One against two is normal, one against three is not daunting, one against four is a win, and one against five—the advantage is with me!

The advantage of a Spirit Array Master in positional warfare is just that great!

A light remark from Xian'er beside him made Xiao Wu completely unable to hold it together,

"But we are not Spirit Array Masters either!"

"Is the Spirit Array Master your opponent?"

"That is true, haha."

"Have you two little brats said enough?"

The conversation between Xian'er and Xiao Wu, as if no one else were around, made the opposing Evil Clan Commander lose his patience; he spoke up directly to interrupt, and not wanting to tangle with the two youngsters, he immediately issued a wanted order to the team behind him,

"Remember, these two little beasts are the disciples of that Langya Palace Master and his wife. Lord Yan Mo has ordered: kill them without mercy!"

"Teacher is somewhat hated; these Evil Clan members did not even offer a chance to surrender."

Xiao Wu's tone was relaxed; he held his sword in one hand and waved the other,

"It just so happens I am not planning to offer a chance to surrender either! Kill!"