Chapter 1018: Chapter 581: Judging Good and Evil on Dragon and Tiger (Double Chapter, Part 2)

The Old Heavenly Master bowed again to Zhou Yitang, followed by a group of Zhengyi Daoist priests saluting respectfully.

The one-armed woman did not return the salute but asked, "How much longer will it take to reforge?"

The Old Heavenly Master replied slowly, "I have already petitioned the Supreme Elder; once the auspicious time arrives, the furnace will be lit immediately and it will only take three days."

The one-armed woman nodded and said, "The sword is only lent to you for a short time."

A Daoist wanted to argue upon hearing this, but the Old Heavenly Master raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Master Tongxuan, do not worry. We understand the principle of borrowing and returning. The Ruoque Sword is precious as the sword of swords within the Sword Tomb. Even after reforging, it would be near impossible for us Zhengyi Daoists to gain its approval, not to mention it embodies the profound divine intent of ’Great Perfection as if Deficient.’ Even though it aligns with our Dragon Tiger Sword Formation, it doesn’t fit seamlessly. Let’s not be modest... using the sword meant for Heavenly Repair here would be excessive."

Zhou Yitang nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with the Old Heavenly Master’s words.

She glanced once more at the Warlord Furnace, her gaze seemingly piercing through the copper walls to fixate on the fractured Ruoque Sword.

The destiny of the Ruoque Sword was to make the Heavenly Gate crack, which Zhou Yitang always knew. But this does not mean the sword is the root cause of the Heavenly Gate’s fracture. On the contrary, if the Heavenly Dao is likened to one severely ill, then the task of the Ruoque Sword is akin to scraping the bone to treat the poison; the sword opens the Heavenly Gate to cut out the rotten flesh.

But the world is ever-changing, twice it fell into the hands of men.

However, blessings and disasters coexist, yin and yang alternate, fortune follows misfortune. Since the Ruoque Sword originally could make the Heavenly Gate crack, after being reforged, it can also open the Heavenly Gate for Heavenly Repair.

Inside the Jade Emperor Hall, as the altar began to operate gradually, flames rose, long banners swayed, the one-armed woman knew the reforging was about to start, so she turned to leave.

After Master Tongxuan’s figure faded into the distance, someone ascended the winding mountain path, the Old Heavenly Master didn’t need to look to know who it was, and stepped out of the Jade Emperor Hall to greet.

Zhao Tong bowed respectfully, and the Old Heavenly Master supported his shoulders, asking, "Is the task accomplished?"

"The Hidden Crown Prince has already returned the Evil-slaying Hero Sword to the formation," Zhao Tong glanced inside the Jade Emperor Hall, probing, "Master, do we no longer need the Tai Sha Sword?"

Hearing Zhao Tong’s words, the Old Heavenly Master narrowed his eyes slightly without nodding or shaking his head, as the mountain wind brushed by, the rustling leaves colliding, he raised his head and closed his eyes, seeming to listen, his long white beard fluttering in the wind, exuding an immortal aura.

Zhao Tong waited quietly.

After a long time, he heard the Old Heavenly Master’s voice in his ear.

"He is still within the territory of Dragon and Tiger Mountain; the Tai Sha Sword was bestowed by the Supreme Elder, it’s crucial to our sect’s lineage. Since there’s a chance, we must exert all efforts to retrieve it. Otherwise, once Tongxuan leaves, the sword formation will be incomplete again, and even with our two thousand years of heritage, Dragon and Tiger Mountain cannot withstand the catastrophe that would follow the slaying of an immortal from heaven."

The Old Heavenly Master’s voice was exactly the same, but upon careful listening, there was a subtle difference in tone compared to before; if others were present, doubt would be inevitable.

Zhao Tong nodded heavily, responding, "I heard from my third junior brother that the Lifeng Pavilion people have long wanted to kill him, seeing him as a thorn in their side, and those White Lotus Saint Heirs, following the Hidden Crown Prince’s orders, also have intentions to eliminate him. Added with our Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the three forces combined, he won’t step out of Jiangxi."

"Very well then, I’ll leave the arrangements to you."

Zhao Tong did not move immediately, his mouth stirred as if wanting to speak but refraining.

The Old Heavenly Master seemed to discern his thoughts, chuckling, "Diligently cultivate, do not be anxious, soon after, you should be the successor."

The successor is the inheritor of the Heavenly Master, upon hearing this, Zhao Tong’s eyes welled up with tears, bowing deeply.

After a long while, with another gust of wind blowing past, the Old Heavenly Master seemed bewildered, exclaiming, "Zhao Tong, get up quickly."

Zhao Tong hurriedly stood up.

The Old Heavenly Master held him and looked for a while, then puzzledly asked, "What did I just say to you?"

Zhao Tong narrated the previous words, tactfully omitting the part about succession.

The Old Heavenly Master’s expression changed several times, furrowing his brows, he sighed deeply, "Since there are instructions, it can only be done as such. But I fear... if he goes against the grain and forcefully comes to Dragon and Tiger Mountain, it would be difficult to act with Master Tongxuan present."

After hearing this, Zhao Tong stood there, a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth, "Master, don’t worry too much, not to mention, below Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the heroes distinguish between good and bad, rank and status, if such an evil fiend is here, who wouldn’t want... to root it out swiftly?"

......

The sun hung high in the sky.

Beneath Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the hustle and bustle were fervent; after the encirclement at Demon Refining Abyss, the Hero Conference had reached its peak. Early this morning, countless figures were speeding toward the square before the mountain, awaiting the Heavenly Official to distinguish good and evil, to select heroes and valiant warriors to journey to Dragon and Tiger. Inside and outside the square, it was packed to the brim.

The town at the foot of the mountain was also teeming with activity; countless new tea stands and wine stalls were set up along the street. Even if they had only a few stools, business was booming to the extreme, and the prices of tea and liquor kept rising, a pot of coarse tea even sold for one thousand coins, with the extortion on full display, yet they still made a fortune. Randomly set-up tea stands made from torn cloth were like this, not to mention the tea houses?

A man and two women arrived at the town’s highest tea house.

The tea house was already packed, even the private rooms had their owners. The attendant early on blocked people from entering at the door, but they still managed to go up, for no other reason than high martial arts skills and offering more money.

However, no matter how much they paid, the shopkeeper couldn’t drive away guests and they still had to squeeze into a private room with others.

In the tea house, every private room was occupied by sword-bearing Jianghu heroes and Martial Arts seniors. Sharing a private room is a matter of prestige and face, sometimes more important than life, so one after another as if dealing with a major threat, anyone trying to enter would inevitably have to engage in a fierce battle.

The winners stay, the losers give up their seats.

Chen Yi didn’t like fighting and killing; it’s better to reason things out.

Glancing around, he discovered a door wide open, unguarded, resembling a dragon’s den or a mountain of swords and a sea of flames, unafraid of intrusions, fearing only a lack of them.

Since someone was waiting graciously, how could he not visit?

This was going to be a spectacle; the Jianghu heroes in their rooms shifted their attention, holding their breath and waiting for the drama to unfold.

Leading the Twin Yin Lords and the spirit-like form of Miss Donggong, Chen Yi pushed open the door and entered, immediately taking a seat and pouring tea for himself.

Outside the tea house, the mass of people flowed by, the noise never ceasing, the yelling of the gamblers on the roadside drowned in the crowd.

Someone inside spoke, "The name of Battalion Commander Chen resonates no matter where it’s mentioned."

Chen Yi continued to pour tea, ignoring the comment.

The gentleman asked again, "Once a West Factory Battalion Commander, wanted across the land for treason and great disrespect, eluding endless pursuits, clearly proving your martial prowess superior. Not only that, but even the Second-Grade Official Su Hongtao met his end at your hands, truly ruthless and vicious.

Although I’ve only recently heard of him, hadn’t you heard earlier?"

"Yes, this Battalion Commander Chen regards no elders, thrives in aggression and greed, merely a boastful and ignorant thief." Chen Yi finally replied.

"Oh? Is that really so?"

The gentleman glanced at the two women beside him, seeking their opinion.

"Indeed,"

The woman responded:

"However, his Daoist companion Yin Weiyin is desireless and faultless, her Taoist Heart clear and bright, a talent rarely seen even if we look back a thousand years."

Chen Yi lowered his gaze, saying nothing, just silently keeping record.

The gentleman, somewhat surprised, remarked, "Then wouldn’t this be... a toad eating swan meat?"

"If not, how could it be a tale worth telling?" Yin Weiyin replied with calmness.

The gentleman heard this, nodded with agreement, then his gaze turned sharp and fierce, accompanied by a mocking smile,

"Since it’s such a tale, it seems that becoming a pair of doomed mandarin ducks would be a fitting end as well."

Chen Yi at this moment turned slightly, finally looking directly at the person before him.

The person seemed familiar; they had met in the He Shen Kingdom.

The Hidden Crown Prince.

Nowadays, the fervent White Lotus Saint Sons only follow his lead due to the scriptures.

Boom! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The roof above suddenly collapsed, and a chilling light pierced straight down from above!

Yet, a dark shadow flashed in the room, and in the next moment, the edge of the Tai Sha Sword wound like a dragon, instantly curving, soon followed by a thundering sound, as the killer Zhong Hou from the Lifeng Pavilion was stomped to the ground by Chen Yi.

Zhong Hou attempted to struggle to rise, but a great force suddenly hit his back, breaking his spine with another step from Chen Yi.

Amidst the shrill scream, Chen Yi raised an eyebrow at the Hidden Crown Prince, beckoning with a finger.

The Hidden Crown Prince clapped his hands and laughed, slowly rising, seemingly in no rush to strike.

Outside,

The clamor suddenly roared up to the sky as tens of thousands of figures adeptly moved across rooftops, a tide of dark silhouettes surging towards Dragon and Tiger Mountain. In front of the Shangqing Palace, a Heavenly Official, radiating golden light, appeared, stepping on the clouds with a scale in hand.

Countless Jianghu heroes, having waited for days, eagerly anticipated,

The time had come,

It’s time for the grand showdown at Dragon and Tiger!