Chapter 427: Aren’t You Afraid I’ll Kill You? (Fifth Update!)
The Demon-Suppressing True Person descended the mountain clad in blood-red robes.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang controlled his sword Dao avatar to follow closely behind, resembling a sword-bearing attendant, cradling the equally crimson-hued [Sword of No Killing Intent] in both hands.
In that instant, countless cultivators sensed the disturbance.
How many years had it been?
Aside from a few long-lived Foundation Establishment True Persons with deep seniority, many couldn't even recall the last time the Demon-Suppressing True Person had left Jiangnan.
Of course, the Southern Frontier didn't count.
From the Sword Pavilion's previous perspective, the Southern Frontier lacked True Lord oversight and lay directly south of Jiangnan—effectively their own backyard. Other regions like Jiangbei, Jiangxi, Jiangdong, and even overseas all had True Lords stationed there... places the Demon-Suppressing True Person couldn't venture.
Not out of fear for his life.
But fear he might achieve his Dao externally—if the [Sword Dao Fruit Position] manifested outside the Sword Pavilion, under the gaze of True Lords, countless malicious intentions would arise across the land.
Especially from the opposing Saint Sect.
What Sword Pavilion ancestors? What True Lords? The Saint Sect's True Persons wouldn't care—they'd seize first and ask questions later. You have backing? So do I!
Thus, the Demon-Suppressing True Person hadn't left Jiangnan for an exceptionally long time.
Yet now, he strode openly from the Sword Pavilion's mountain gates, appearing intent on departing Jiangnan—how could this be accepted?
'Stop him!'
The Evil-Banishing True Person immediately rose to his feet, teeth clenched: "An ungrateful wretch... The sect raised him, nurtured him, yet when his time came to serve, he resisted at every turn. Now he dares disregard all grace and loyalty, attempting to forcibly leave and burden the sect! Couldn't he just... couldn't he just—"
—Couldn't he just obediently die?
The Evil-Banishing True Person had already prepared scapegoats, planting evidence of Mo Shiyuan's collusion with Jiangbei's demonic path in [Jimo City]'s archives.
Once the Demon-Suppressing True Person died, using his life to manifest the [Sword Dao Fruit Position], he would emerge to rectify the chaos, commemorating the Sword Pavilion's greatest Foundation Establishment True Person while declaring eternal enmity against the demonic path that killed him.
What a perfect script?
The Sword Pavilion benefited. He benefited. Even the Ye Family, having contributed significantly, would be generously rewarded—after all, the Demon-Suppressing True Person had no descendants. Rewarding his family equated to rewarding him. No one lost out...
Yet this flawless script was being ruined by the Demon-Suppressing True Person himself.
He simply refused to die!
Now he even sought to leave Jiangnan for other territories. If this led to the [Sword Dao Fruit Position] falling into another faction's hands...
Ten lives wouldn't suffice to atone!
At this thought, the Evil-Banishing True Person could restrain himself no longer. He rose abruptly, summoning a fleeing light as he shot toward the Sword Pavilion's mountain gates.
Simultaneously—
"Amitabha!"
Amidst a Buddhist chant, a radiant Buddhist light streaked across the path ahead of the Demon-Suppressing True Person and Lü Yang, landing before them.
The Pure Land's Vimalakirti Venerable.
This late-stage Foundation Establishment great Arhat wore a bitter expression, bowing immediately upon appearance: "This humble monk Vimalakirti greets the Demon-Suppressing True Person under the Buddha-Son's orders—"
"Clang! Clang!"
His response was the shriek of a sword.
In the next instant, Vimalakirti Venerable's head separated from his body—so swiftly he hadn't even realized he'd been struck, his mouth still attempting polite words.
Only when the world spun before his eyes did comprehension dawn: "Ah?"
"Boom!"
After the muffled impact, brilliant Buddhist light erupted as the golden body shattered. Unlike past victims of the Demon-Suppressing True Person's decapitation who survived, Vimalakirti Venerable perished instantly. A wisp of soul drifted out, met by a beam of Pure Land Buddhist light meant to guide it to the Underworld for reincarnation...
Yet at that moment—
"Crack!"
A crisp fracturing sound erupted from Vimalakirti's bewildered soul. The Pure Land's Buddhist light descended but flowed through like water through a sieve—whatever entered immediately drained away.
"Whoosh!"
The next second, a gust scattered Vimalakirti's soul to the winds, leaving only the Pure Land's guiding light hovering emptily in eerie silence.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang watched with trepidation.
Though he could achieve similar effects using [Tribulation Wave]'s karma-severing marvels to make the Pure Land's light lose its target, his method relied on trickery. The Demon-Suppressing True Person's approach was brutally direct—Vimalakirti had been annihilated body and soul the instant the sword struck. Only his lingering consciousness delayed the realization, rendering the Pure Land's guidance utterly futile!
'From [No Killing] to [Killing]... what an extreme transformation!'
'But why? Why does the shattered [No Killing Sword Intent] evolve into such terrifying sword intent, growing even more formidable?'
As Lü Yang pondered, the Pure Land's Buddhist light shimmered, revealing a towering dharma form with palms pressed together, sighing softly:
"Amitabha... Benefactor, was this necessary?"
It was the Buddha-Son Guang Ming.
"Fellow Daoist, please refrain from wandering," the Demon-Suppressing True Person replied calmly. "I intend to visit the Pure Land. Kindly heed my sword's proclamation."
"..."
The Buddhist light vanished abruptly.
Before the Demon-Suppressing True Person could advance further, another fleeing light appeared—the furious Evil-Banishing True Person charging toward them.
"Halt!"
The Evil-Banishing True Person hovered mid-air, gaze locked onto the Demon-Suppressing True Person. His [sword intent] cultivation surpassed Lü Yang's, granting him deeper insight—yet the more he saw, the more shocked he became: "A single sword intent with dual manifestations... How did you achieve this!?"
"This is the nature of swords."
The Demon-Suppressing True Person chuckled lightly. "A sword may hide its edge within the scabbard or bare it openly—naturally, [sword intent] should reflect this duality."
With these words, the Demon-Suppressing True Person's new [sword intent] erupted violently.
If the sky possessed life, this sword could sever it!
If the earth possessed life, this sword could sever it!
If the Dao itself possessed life, this sword could sever it!
Utterly merciless—polar opposite of [No Killing]—this [sword intent] embodied pure annihilation, reducing all to nothingness!
Through divine sense observation, both Lü Yang and the Evil-Banishing True Person instinctively grasped its name:
"[All-Severing]."
Hidden within the scabbard—it was [No Killing].
Bared as the blade—it became [All-Severing]!
"No—that's not it!"
Suddenly, the Evil-Banishing True Person's expression twisted with horror. "This isn't one sword intent... The scabbard and blade are merely your means of unification."
"Fundamentally, these are two separate sword intents!"
Even as he spoke, the Evil-Banishing True Person doubted his own judgment.
[Sword intent] represented the pinnacle of fixation, intertwined with one's very life—somewhat akin to Metal Essence in nature. How then could one person harbor two sword intents?
"Which one is truly yours?"
The Evil-Banishing True Person interrogated with blazing eyes. In response, the Demon-Suppressing True Person shook his head, displaying inscrutable bewilderment.
"Evil-Banishing Fellow Daoist, why have you sought me out?"
"...To return you to the sect, naturally."
Frowning slightly, the Evil-Banishing True Person spoke matter-of-factly: "The True Lord previously decreed that to prevent loss of the [Sword Dao], you may not leave without authorization."
"True Lord's decree?"
The Demon-Suppressing True Person glanced around. "Where is this True Lord?"
These words darkened the Evil-Banishing True Person's expression: "Ye Guangji, you've indulged yourself enough. Cease this willful disobedience!"
"Willful disobedience?"
The Demon-Suppressing True Person regarded him with profound eyes. "I'm curious."
"You manipulated Shiyuan, causing his death. You secretly sabotaged my [sword intent]. Now you come demanding I return to await death?"
"And you consider this perfectly reasonable—the Sword Pavilion's logic has always eluded me."
"Aren't you afraid... I'll kill you?"