Chapter 439: Sword and Flower (Third Update)

In Wanhua Valley, those with cultivation above Spirit Transformation are all qualified to be called Venerable.

Named after a flower, bestowed the title of Venerable.

Like the late Venerable Rose, like this Venerable Peony before her.

And this Venerable Peony, Gu Manhua, has a cultivation that has even reached the Heaven Realm, having stepped into the Formless stage for many years!

They all knew the valley would arrange for a Venerable with Heaven Realm cultivation to come, but they did not expect her to be hidden among their own people, thinking instead that they had split up to act.

What was even more unexpected was that the person who came would be her.

But when faced with Gu Manhua's obstruction, Li Qiushui's expression remained unchanged, her face cold and stern.

"Are you trying to stop me?"

"Indeed."

Gu Manhua smiled slightly, her whole body exuding a graceful, mature charm that made many of the men present swallow their saliva involuntarily.

Gulp.

Damn it.

So white and so big!

"Little girl, our sect's disciples have already lost; we admit defeat in this matter, and I will have the other disciples withdraw from here."

Gu Manhua looked at Li Qiushui with a smile, persuading her with a sincere expression:

"Besides, you two are siblings; even if you are children of the Imperial family, there is no need to kill them all, is there?"

"Don't you think?"

In just a few words, Gu Manhua appeared to be persuading, but in reality, she had already characterized Li Qiushui's actions through her words.

She was going to find Li Fengyao and then wipe him out!

And because of their identities, Li Qiushui indeed had very sufficient reasons to potentially do so.

This was an extremely malicious speculation, but it was also a logical analysis.

Gu Manhua was nakedly slinging mud, wanting to pin this pot of filth onto Li Qiushui's head!

Although Li Qiushui was not good at schemes and tricks, as a candidate for the future Emperor, she possessed enough basic intuitive skills to see where the problem lay at a glance.

Gu Manhua's purpose in doing this was very simple; she did not even bother to hide it, clearly threatening her so she would not go looking for Li Fengyao.

So, the question arises...

What is she afraid of?

What secret is she hiding?

What is it that cannot be let known to me?

"..."

"What? Looking at you, it seems you have something to say?"

Gu Manhua looked at Li Qiushui with ease, not hiding her intentions at all.

She hoped Li Qiushui would argue with her, for then she would surely win.

However, somewhat beyond Gu Manhua's expectations, this Ninth Princess, who was not good with words, did not fall into the trap of self-justification.

"..."

Li Qiushui raised her eyes to look at Gu Manhua, and after confirming that she was not prepared to give way, she nodded and silently took out a Long Sword.

That Long Sword looked the same as the iron sword she had used before, with no Array or enhancements carved into it, looking plain and unremarkable.

And the moment that sword appeared, Gu Manhua's expression changed; she clicked her tongue and said in a sour, sarcastic tone:

"Tsk, the Sword Casting Pavilion is really willing to spend a fortune; have you agreed to join them? To actually dare to hand the Sanlu Sword over for you to use."

Since the Sword Casting Pavilion had invited Li Qiushui this time, they naturally would not have prepared nothing for her.

The Sanlu Sword.

A work completed by the joint efforts of the three founders of the Sword Casting Pavilion, known as the quasi-Supreme Treasure that ranks first in killing power below a Supreme Treasure.

This could be said to be the work where the three old men showed off their skills at the end of their lives.

It had no added inscriptions or any Arrays, and the materials could not be considered top-tier; it was crafted purely through god-like techniques.

Yet, it was this simple approach that created an incomparably sharp, peerless divine weapon.

An Elder of the Sword Casting Pavilion once felt deep regret, thinking that if better materials had been used, perhaps the Sword Casting Pavilion could have produced another Supreme Treasure.

But after he finished speaking, he was hung up and beaten by the three old men, who angrily cursed him as an idiot who did not understand casting.

That year, that Elder was three hundred years old and had been in the Sword Casting Pavilion for over two hundred and ninety years...

It is unknown how that Elder finally got down, but two sentences were passed down from him, which are regarded as truth by many disciples of the Sword Casting Pavilion.

First: "Not relying on external objects—this is the true essence of the Sword Casting Pavilion!"

Second: "Do not sing the opposite when your elders are happy; you will get beaten, and if they beat you, you cannot even fight back."

As for which one has more educational significance, that is hard to say.

As for the importance of the Sanlu Sword to the Sword Casting Pavilion, it is only below the sect-protecting Supreme Treasure; it can be said that even the current Sect Leader must go through a complex process to request it from the altar.

But now, that Sanlu Sword had fallen into the hands of an outsider.

Li Qiushui did not think there was anything to it; she raised the sword and, facing the changing expression of Gu Manhua, spoke coldly once again.

"Are you trying to stop me?"

With the sharpness of the Sanlu Sword and the Sword Spirit Body's own affinity for swords, at this moment, Li Qiushui's danger level was definitely no less than that of a top-tier Void-Refining sword cultivator.

The atmosphere in the arena turned cold; the smile on Gu Manhua's face gradually faded, and she stared with icy eyes at the little girl opposite who did not know the immensity of Heaven and Earth, while Li Qiushui looked back without yielding an inch.

Not yielding a single step.

Gu Manhua squinted at Li Qiushui, her voice chilling and eerie as she said:

"Do you think that just by relying on a broken sword, you are qualified to talk to me like that?"

Li Qiushui: "Heh."

She didn't say anything, but it was as if she had said everything.

Upon hearing this sneer, Gu Manhua felt her skin twitch uncontrollably.

"It seems I have been away from the jianghu for too long, that even a girl like you, whose feathers haven't even grown in yet, dares to act wild in front of me."

"Fan Zhuying, take the others and go find Li Fengyao," she commanded without looking back, "I am going to teach this Highness what it means to respect one's teacher and the Dao."

"... Yes, as you command, Venerable." Fan Zhuying cast a fearful glance at Venerable Peony, then turned and quickly left with the others.

Li Qiushui did not stop them; at this moment, she simply did not have the spare capacity to do so.

Although the Gu Manhua before her had her cultivation suppressed to the Void Refining Peak, the feeling she gave her right now was not inferior to the Heaven Realm at all!

"I want you to understand that the gap between the Heaven Realm and the Earth Realm cannot be smoothed over by a broken sword."

Gu Manhua raised her hand and gave a light wave.

"Flower Blooming."

In an instant, ten thousand flowers bloomed!

The entire area in front of Heaven Gate was shrouded in bright red peonies, even covering the heads of the others!

The Flower Rain that Li Fengyao had displayed by exhausting all his strength was not even one-tenth of what Gu Manhua had produced with a casual wave.

She domineeringly encompassed everyone within it.

"Now, even if you regret it, it is already too late."

Li Qiushui remained silent.

Beg for mercy?

That was simply an impossible thing.

At worst, there is only death.

However, just as Li Qiushui was preparing to strike with her life on the line, she suddenly raised her head and looked at the sky behind Gu Manhua.

There was a special feeling in her heart.

"What is this?"

The next instant, a black shadow rushed from the horizon, charging toward Heaven Gate, which was shrouded in the peony Flower Rain.

Boom!

Following that, a violent Sword Intent instantly tore the sky-filling peonies to shreds.

"Hm?"

The black shadow paused for a moment and let out a puzzled sound of surprise.

"Flowers?"

On the other side, Li Fengyao, who had fled far away using the Flower Falling Seal, coincidentally landed in front of a group of people.

"Who goes there!!?"

"Why do you trespass on the grounds of our Divine Path Sect?"

Three chapters is so tiring.

Still have to write tomorrow's update...

Seeking Monthly Ticket.