Chapter 30: The Path of Sword-Nurturing

After leaving the Imperial Mausoleum, Duan Fengyun did not immediately begin his path of sword-nurturing.

He knew that the path he was about to embark upon was a point of no return, and he would offend many factions and people. But he had no regrets; a general's success is built on ten thousand bones, and everything was for the sake of becoming stronger.

Before this, he wanted to go see Duan Lang. He prepared to act quietly this time, not wanting Duan Lang to know, as he wanted to see how Duan Lang had been doing lately.

He quietly arrived outside Duan Lang's school, and seeing the gentle and refined Duan Lang inside, he felt completely at ease.

After leaving the school, his first stop was the Sword Imperial Sect. This Sword Imperial Sect, under the guise of a righteous sect, burned, killed, and looted throughout the Jianghu, committing every evil.

Duan Fengyun chose the Sword Imperial Sect for his first battle because this sect secretly colluded with the World Association and was one of the World Association's vassal gangs.

When he was at the World Association, he had inadvertently seen the list of the ten major vassal gangs of the World Association at Qin Shuang's place, and he had memorized them all in his heart.

Holding the Fire Scale Sword, he walked to the entrance of the Sword Imperial Sect. Before the guards at the door could react, they were pierced through the body by the Fire Scale Sword, and their blood was instantly sucked dry by the sword. Having drunk blood, the Fire Scale Sword slowly emitted a faint glow.

At this moment, Duan Fengyun was like a Demon God descended to the world, continuously reaping the lives of the Sword Imperial Sect disciples. Without exception, everyone pierced by the Fire Scale Sword had their blood drained dry.

He killed his way all the way to the main hall of the Sword Imperial Sect. The Gate Master of the Sword Imperial Sect, Guan Yutian, begged for mercy: "Hall Master Duan, we have no grudges in the past and no enmity in the present; why must you exterminate my entire Sword Imperial Sect?"

Duan Fengyun said coldly: "A lackey of the World Association deserves to die!"

Having said that, he took Guan Yutian's life with one sword strike. Everyone in the Sword Imperial Sect was wiped out, with no one left alive.

Once this matter spread, it stirred up monstrous waves in the Jianghu. All the vassal gangs of the World Association trembled with fear, terrified that they would be the next.

When Xiongba heard that Duan Fengyun was out there eliminating his wings, he was also greatly enraged and hurriedly ordered the Tianchi Twelve Killers to deal with Duan Fengyun.

After resting for a few days, Duan Fengyun set his sights on his next target: the Sea Shark Gang.

This Sea Shark Gang dealt entirely in water-based business, specializing in robbing passing ships. Many merchants offered heavy rewards to hunt the Sea Shark Gang, but because the World Association was behind them, no one dared to take the job.

Duan Fengyun arrived outside the Sea Shark Gang holding the Fire Scale Sword. Upon seeing Duan Fengyun's appearance, the guards all fled in a panic.

After the Sword Imperial Sect was wiped out, they had received the news and had even seen a portrait of Duan Fengyun.

Now that this god of slaughter had arrived at their doorstep, when else would they run if not now?

Duan Fengyun would not give them a chance to escape; this group of people who burned, killed, and looted, committing every evil, had never given others a chance to escape either.

Duan Fengyun did not show any mercy, and the Fire Scale Sword continuously reaped the lives of this group of executioners.

The next day, news spread through the Jianghu that the entire Sea Shark Gang had been wiped out, and the culprit was none other than Duan Fengyun.

Once this news spread, all the gangs under the World Association were filled with panic and sent requests for help to the World Association one after another.

But these eight major gangs were far apart, and no one knew who Duan Fengyun's next target would be. Xiongba was unable to act for the time being and could only pressure the Tianchi Twelve Killers to find Duan Fengyun as soon as possible and stop him from striking again.

After being irrigated by the blood of two entire gangs, the Fire Scale Sword had finished awakening. Duan Fengyun felt that if one more gang were to be used for a Blood Sacrifice to the Fire Scale Sword, it should be able to reach its strongest state.

He was also thinking about who his next target would be. Although the remaining eight major sects relied on the World Association, they had not done anything heinous.

Just as he had no clue about his next target, he heard that the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang had formed an alliance to resist him together. This immediately piqued my interest; now that the two major gangs were coming together, I could let the Fire Scale Sword have a full meal at once.

Seeing the formation of the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang, the Tianchi Twelve Killers guessed that Duan Fengyun would definitely go to these two sects, so they also rushed over immediately.

Duan Fengyun did not yet know that a dragnet was already waiting for him ahead, but even if he did, he would have no fear. Now he wanted to temper his heart of a strong man, moving forward without looking back.

He arrived outside the Qingyi Sect holding the Fire Scale Sword. At this time, inside the Qingyi Sect, the Tianchi Twelve Killers were directing everyone. When a scout reported that Duan Fengyun had arrived, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and waited for the Tianchi Twelve Killers to issue orders.

The Tianchi Twelve Killers told everyone to hide inside the gate, and after Duan Fengyun entered, they would swarm him and hack him to death.

After Duan Fengyun finished off the guards outside the gate, seeing that no one had come out for a long time, he immediately felt that where there is something strange, there must be a demon.

Standing outside the gate, he kicked out with his Wind God Leg, shattering the gate to pieces. He saw the Tianchi Twelve Killers inside at a glance.

Seeing the Tianchi Twelve Killers in the center, he instantly understood this trap. Around the Tianchi Twelve Killers, there must be the members of the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang lying in ambush, waiting to surround and kill him.

He raised the Fire Scale Sword and unleashed the Holy Spirit Sword Technique, which he had learned long ago but never used. The Holy Spirit Sword Technique was a large-scale killing move created by Jiansheng, and this was the best time to use it.

The fierce Sword Qi of the Holy Spirit Sword Technique and the Fire Scale Sword were a perfect match, as if made by heaven. The fierce Sword Qi rushed into the Qingyi Sect, and all the petty villains were taken out in one move by this violent Sword Qi.

Now, only the Tianchi Twelve Killers and a few experts from the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang remained in the Qingyi Sect.

Duan Fengyun put away the Fire Scale Sword and walked in with long strides. The Tianchi Twelve Killers had never seen Duan Fengyun use this move before and were all shocked.

Everyone cupped their hands toward Duan Fengyun and said: "Hall Master Duan, we haven't seen each other for many days, and your cultivation has reached a higher level."

Duan Fengyun laughed loudly: "This was all forced by your Sect Master Xiongba, there's no other way. Alright, back to the point, tell me, how do you want to die?"

When had the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang ever seen such a situation? They hurriedly knelt and begged for mercy: "Hall Master Duan, please show mercy, we were blind and shouldn't have offended you, sir."

"Trash, go to hell."

Seeing the few of them in such a state, Zudao of the Tianchi Twelve Killers kicked out with a Crippled Leg, and they all died one after another.

The leader of the Tianchi Twelve Killers, Tonghuang, replied to Duan Fengyun: "Hall Master Duan, do you know that those who are enemies of the World Association have no good end?"

Duan Fengyun laughed: "That is why I want to be the first, until the World Association is destroyed."

Seeing this, Tonghuang said no more. With a single look, the Tianchi Twelve Killers collectively attacked Duan Fengyun.

Even though Duan Fengyun's martial arts had greatly improved during this period and the Fire Scale Sword was at its strongest state, he was still no match for so many opponents.

The Tianchi Twelve Killers were not top-tier in individual combat, but they rarely had rivals in group combat.

The twelve people's tacit cooperation made it difficult for Duan Fengyun to parry. Taking advantage of his distraction, Tonghuang used a Puppet to strike Duan Fengyun's chest, and fresh blood immediately gushed from Duan Fengyun's mouth.

Just at this critical moment, Nie Feng and Qin Shuang appeared, and the Wind God Leg and Frost Fist came head-on toward the Tianchi Twelve Killers.

Seeing that Nie Feng and Qin Shuang had arrived, and with a lightly injured Duan Fengyun on the side, the Tianchi Twelve Killers no longer had the advantage, so they fled in a panic.