C675 The Greenrobed Ancient Sword

Dressed in a blue robe with an ancient sword, his fierce eyebrows and proud eyes made quite an impression. He rarely spoke, but when he did, every word was like a precious gem. He seldom fought, but when he did, his fists were lethal, and his sword could extinguish souls. This was the image of Woo Zhengyang that circulated among the people. While his words and martial skills were hard to imitate, his appearance was easier to mimic. After the battle at the Profound Heaven Sect, blue robes and ancient swords became a common sight.

At first, this was no big deal, but then the Heavenly Martial Sect began distributing Woo Zhengyang's portraits. This led to a new level of imitation, where people not only copied his attire but also tried to mimic his looks. Some businesses saw an opportunity and hired masters of disguise to help these imitators. This is why Murong Hen initially asked where Woo Zhengyang got his face done.

Most of these businesses had never seen Woo Zhengyang in person, so they based their work on portraits and descriptions. The quality varied; some disguises looked nothing like him and were even ugly, while others were somewhat similar but had obvious signs of alteration. Murong Hen remarked that Woo Zhengyang bore an eighty percent resemblance to the portrait, with almost no visible signs of disguise.

Woo Zhengyang was speechless. It was the portrait that was eighty percent similar to him, not the other way around! As for disguise marks, he hadn't used any, so there were none to be seen.

Yet, Woo Zhengyang still couldn't solve one mystery: despite traveling through Bright Sun City, Hibernation Dragon City, and even Heavenly Martial City, he hadn't encountered anyone dressed like him.

Upon asking around, Woo Zhengyang discovered that his style of dress was not allowed outside. Initially, the trend of dressing like Woo Zhengyang spread across the four regions, starting as just a fashion statement. However, after the Heavenly Martial Sect distributed portraits of him, imposters began appearing everywhere, making it hard to distinguish the real from the fake.

But let's not forget, the purpose of distributing Woo Zhengyang's image was to prevent him from slipping away unnoticed. With so many impersonators around, how could this goal be achieved? Consequently, the four regions quickly issued a strict ban on mimicking Woo Zhengyang. Violators would be jailed immediately, and repeat offenders faced severe consequences.

These stringent measures, coupled with a few public examples, finally curbed the trend in most cities under the four regions. However, there was one exception where the situation didn't improve; in fact, it intensified. That place was Profound Heaven Town.

Profound Heaven Town wasn't a typical town; it was managed by the Profound Heaven Sect. After the sect secluded itself, the town was left without oversight. As the town expanded several times over, Dongjue Country considered sending officials to manage it, but who would dare? The town was full of cultivators, with many hidden experts and even Martial King-level masters. Even the Heavenly Martial Sect didn't dare to interfere too much, allowing the town to develop on its own.

To avoid disturbances, the Heavenly Martial Sect issued orders specifically for this area.

Many gathered here are die-hard fans of Woo Zhengyang, including some young nobles from outside the Heavenly Martial Sect. They don't hold the sect in high regard and continue to do as they please. The sect tried to suppress them, but the enforcers ended up dead. Rumor has it that even a Martial King expert warned Liao Qinghua about the sect's heavy-handedness.

Regardless of the truth, the Heavenly Martial Sect eventually backed off, allowing Profound Heaven Town to be filled with people in green robes carrying ancient swords. Woo Zhengyang never expected things to unfold this way, but his real concern was the current state of the Profound Heaven Sect.

As they chatted over drinks, Woo Zhengyang didn't have to work hard to get information. With just one question, Murong Hen began to talk non-stop. The revelation of the King Rank weapon had everyone from Martial Kings to new Martial Disciples eager to get their hands on it.

However, most cultivators are realistic. They know they can't, and shouldn't, try to obtain it, or they'd end up like Woo Zhengyang. But matching Woo Zhengyang is no easy feat. Even if they got lucky and acquired the King Rank weapon, they wouldn't last long before meeting a grim fate.

Most people are just here for the spectacle, hoping to pick up the pieces if the Profound Heaven Sect falls. While many are hesitant, some are bold enough to take action—specifically, the experts at the Martial King level gathered here. Their goal is clear: the King Rank weapon, the No Life Sword.

According to Murong Hen, the Martial King experts hiding in Profound Heaven Town come from various sects and families, some are lone wanderers, and many are reclusive elders. The sheer number is staggering, with over forty recognized experts alone. This is a terrifying amount, and if they joined forces, the Profound Heaven Sect's defenses would have crumbled by now.

However, these experts won't collaborate. With so many people and only one sword, the aftermath of breaking the defenses is unimaginable. Moreover, many are wary of Woo Zhengyang, whose formidable reputation precedes him. If they attack and he remembers, and somehow survives, his vengeful nature could spell endless trouble for their families or sects.

Thus, most Martial King experts remain on the sidelines. But one faction can't afford to wait—the Heavenly Martial Sect. They've already made a move once, and though they failed, the animosity is set.

After the Profound Heaven Sect sealed its mountain, the Heavenly Martial Sect's elder, Liao Qinghua, began seeking allies, trying to persuade the Martial King experts in Profound Heaven Town to join their cause. The mountain-protecting array of the Profound Heaven Sect was unexpectedly powerful. The Heavenly Martial Sect made several attempts to test its strength, escalating from a few Martial Kings to over twenty, yet they couldn't break through.

However, during the last attempt, some noticed an anomaly in the array. Normally, all attacks would be blocked or absorbed by the barrier without causing any disturbance, but this time, the ground around the Profound Heaven Sect trembled. Those knowledgeable in formations understood this as a sign that the array was struggling to fully counter the attacks. A slightly stronger assault could exceed the array's limits and shatter it.

Following this, Liao Qinghua sought more assistance, and rumors spread that the next attack by the Heavenly Martial Sect might spell the end for the Profound Heaven Sect.

The banquet lasted an hour and a half, and Murong Hen was still eager for more, but Woo Zhengyang had to politely excuse himself. Murong Hen was quite the talker, managing to keep the conversation going non-stop for the entire duration. Apologizing, Woo Zhengyang stepped out of the private room, only to find someone waiting at the door...

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