Watching the Mountain

Chapter 235: Chapter 156: Vermilion Bird’s Adoptive Father

He had spent a full sixty years training with Junior Brother Xu Ran, honing his combat skills.

He believed in Senior Brother Ye Shan; if he said Junior Brother Xu Ran had such potential, then it must be true.

Now, seeing Junior Brother Xu Ran execute this style of swordsmanship, he knew that Senior Brother Ye Shan’s words had finally been proven true.

Junior Brother Xu Ran was, without a doubt, a Sword Cultivator of immense potential.

This style of swordsmanship was powerful.

But more than its power, what truly struck him was how this technique revealed the kind of person Junior Brother Xu Ran really was.

Within this swordsmanship, he sensed the Witch’s smile—the smile of Junior Sister Ye Qingxue.

In other words, Junior Brother Xu Ran had created this style of swordsmanship from the insight he gained after Junior Sister Ye Qingxue’s departure.

He recalled Junior Brother Xu Ran mentioning that his only other decent-looking style of swordsmanship, *Silent Sparrow*, had also been born from an epiphany after someone he saw as a younger sister had departed.

Only a person who feels things so deeply could gain such an epiphany when someone important leaves them.

The fact that Junior Brother Xu Ran could create a style of swordsmanship as beautiful as Junior Sister Qingxue’s smile after she left proved that he was just such a person.

It was just like what he was doing right now.

Having spent so long with Junior Brother Xu Ran, practicing swordsmanship with him every day, Chen Chang’an knew exactly how cautious and protective of his own life his junior brother was.

Junior Brother Xu Ran’s actions this time had completely taken Chen Chang’an by surprise. He couldn’t even begin to understand how someone like his junior brother could make such a choice.

Now, after witnessing this style of swordsmanship, he finally understood.

This was simply the inevitable choice for a person who feels things so deeply.

Chen Chang’an gazed at the Sword Qi Star River in the sky, his eyes glinting. The face of Senior Brother Ye Shan surfaced in his mind, and as he recalled his words, Chen Chang’an couldn’t help but clench his fists, a powerful battle intent flaring in his eyes.

’I really hope Junior Brother can catch up in his Cultivation soon. Then we can have a good, proper fight.’

Failing to cross swords with Senior Brother Ye Shan before he left had always been a lingering regret for him.

’This time, I hope I won’t have that kind of regret again.’

’I absolutely must have a serious battle with Junior Brother Xu Ran.’

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Compared to the deeply moved Chen Chang’an, Yue Qingyu’s thoughts were far less complex.

She smiled as she watched the Sword Qi Star River in the sky, her beautiful eyes then coming to rest on her junior brother.

Ever since he had entered the Sect with her token, he had been improving nonstop, constantly surprising her.

At times like this, the image of that clever little boy from back in Xu Family Village would always surface in her mind.

That encounter... it truly was an inexplicable wonder.

Zhao Wuyang and Liu Yunge, on the other hand, were utterly shocked. They had always assumed Fellow Daoist Xu was the weakest among them. Because of this, whenever they chatted, they would deliberately avoid topics related to cultivation, lest he feel inferior.

But now, after seeing Xu Ran’s breathtakingly beautiful sword strike, they finally understood. It turned out that Fellow Daoist Xu was only lacking in Cultivation; in every other respect, he was anything but.

They quickly composed themselves, however, then exchanged a look and swiftly took out their Communication Jade Talismans.

Fellow Daoist Xu had actually killed a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch of the Demon Race. This was a massive incident. The Profound Pure Sect couldn’t handle the fallout; their own Sects would have to intervene.

’Still, the way Fellow Daoist Xu looked when he slew a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch with a single strike... it’s truly something to aspire to.’

’That’s exactly the kind of power we’re chasing. If we could do that, we could finally be together out in the open.’

Zhang Zhentian and Shen Wuchen had witnessed this style of Xu Ran’s swordsmanship long ago. Yet, seeing him execute it now at the Divinity Transformation Stage, and with the Ye Shan Sword no less, they couldn’t help but be stunned by its beautiful display.

’So, a sword could be this beautiful and captivating.’

But Shen Wuchen was also growing incredibly anxious. ’No, I have to defeat Senior Brother Zhang as quickly as possible! Otherwise, the number of senior brothers and sisters above me is just going to keep growing.’

For instance, it was only after hearing about Master Xu’s actions a few days ago that he’d realized he had, without even knowing it, gained another senior sister.

’He felt a surge of resentment, but the moment he thought about what that senior sister had gone through, he couldn’t bring himself to complain about Master Xu.’

’Senior Sister Jiang’s fate was too pitiful. No wonder Master Xu was so furious.’

’That’s why he had followed without a moment’s hesitation. No one under Master Xu’s tutelage would be bullied and humiliated!’

Meanwhile, True Monarch Zi Yun was not only shocked, but a single thought immediately popped into his head: ’Whatever happens, the Sect Leader absolutely cannot find out about this. Otherwise, he’ll start nagging about his precious disciple Qingyu again.’

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At that moment, within the territories of the Demon Race, countless beings stared blankly at the beautiful Sword Qi Star River in the sky. As they marveled at its beauty, a sliver of doubt couldn’t help but surface in their minds.

’What on earth happened over there?’

They had all felt the lament of the Great Dao, a phenomenon that stretched for thousands of miles.

The fall of a Daoist Monarch, a lamentation for thousands of miles.

This was a celestial phenomenon that only occurred when a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch perished.

However, unlike the ordinary members of the Demon Race, when some of their powerful experts saw the river of Sword Qi in the sky and witnessed the phenomenon of the Great Dao’s lament, their expressions suddenly changed, and they cried out in alarm:

”This is bad! That’s the aura of a Human Race Sword Cultivator! Our recent activities must have aroused their suspicion, and they’ve sent a powerful expert to investigate.”