C620 He Was Extremely Aggrieved

A gleaming silver vessel, its surface laid with sword blades, hovered in the void, its curves strikingly elegant. The intense sword's will emanated from each blade on the ship, piercing the eyes and souls of onlookers with discomfort.

More than a dozen cultivators from the Sword Sect stood upon the ship, their presence as sharp as their weapons. Among them were those at the Lunar Spirit and Spirit Walk stages, each aura razor-edged.

A formidable man, hands resting on a glaive, stood with a face etched in fury. He bellowed, "Who is this upstart that dares to address the Grand Sword Immortal by name?"

Streams of sword's will burst forth from his knuckles, threatening to strike down Yu Yuan should his response falter. The Grand Sword Immortal's name was not to be uttered lightly.

Even from a distance, Yu Yuan could acutely sense the man's animosity. In this era, the name "Ji Ningshuang" was not to be casually invoked. Only those of equal realm and stature could address her without the requisite honorifics, a sign of deference.

Yet, how many could claim parity with her in both realm and power? As Yu Yuan called out Ji Ningshuang's name, he abruptly realized that times had changed...

Today, he was merely a fortunate scion of a minor family in Asvetaesi, not the revered Sect Master of the Order of Healing, nor the cherished friend of Ji Ningshuang. He was not Hong Qi, the man whom Ningshuang had admired, yet he had been too daunted to confront his own feelings.

Now, Ji Ningshuang stood as a late-period Unbound cultivator, the fourth-ranked Grand Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect! The chasm between their stations was vast and seemingly insurmountable.

Indeed, it was improper for him to address her as "Ji Ningshuang" given his current status. With this realization, he let out a wry smile, shaking his head in self-derision. "I nearly forgot," he murmured, "the sands of time have shifted irreversibly."

When he uttered the name "Ji Ningshuang," he was struck by the realization that he was still trapped in the memories of his past life.

This time, his demeanor lacked the arrogant confidence he once held in the great hall of the Yu family when he faced Lin Hanyu.

It was purely a result of his impulsiveness.

Facing a Grand Sword Immortal in the late period of the Unbound Realm, even with the sword in his hand, the sword spirit within him, and the Crucible of Evil—a Divine Artifact—he lacked the standing to confront this figure from his past.

The gulf between their levels of cultivation and combat prowess was too vast, beyond the reach of any artifact to bridge.

Lee Yuchan, bound by the Stardust sword's will, dared not so much as twitch a finger. Her icy gaze fixed on Yu Yuan, she couldn't help but think: 'He's as reckless as ever, completely unaware of whom he's dealing with, to address me so casually by name.'

She found Yu Yuan's behavior utterly incomprehensible.

Who was Ji Ningshuang?

She was the most prominent cultivator of the Sword Sect in the last century!

Where the Stardust Blade went, archdemons avoided its path, Trolls withdrew, and even the mightiest beings from the Star River realms dared not confront its edge!

The number of people in the entire Everlands who could speak to this Grand Sword Immortal in such a way could likely be counted on one hand!

Has Yu Yuan lost his mind?

Lee Yuchan mused silently.

"Master..."

Chen Qingyan, too, was taken aback by Yu Yuan's rashness. Her mind racing, she quickly cast a pleading look, begging for leniency.

Ji Ningshuang appeared shocked, seemingly unable to fathom that someone would dare address her so boldly from such an inferior realm.

After a few seconds, she collected herself and turned to look at the ship behind her, commanding, "Stay away from me."

The imposing man wielding the glaive sighed at her words. The ship beneath him swiftly retreated several dozen kilometers.

In the instant Ji Ningshuang turned her head, Yu Yuan leapt into the air. "Chi La!"

Fine lacerations spread across his skin. In the very second she turned, Yu Yuan, who had brazenly called out her name without any honorifics, was already covered in wounds.

Yu Yuan, whose physique was the epitome of refinement, was left with only his waist and stomach modestly covered by clothing.

The rest of his garments had been reduced to tatters by the relentless sword's will, leaving him largely exposed. His skin, now bare, was etched with a dense network of fine, spiderweb-like bloodstains, as if carved by countless blades.

Ji Ningshuang squinted at Yu Yuan as he ascended, his half-naked form riddled with an ever-growing number of wounds.

"Master!" Chen Qingyan's voice rang out once more, thick with frustration, pleading for her to cease.

"In the past century, not a soul who has dared to address me so has lived to tell the tale," Ji Ningshuang declared, unfazed. With masterful precision, she painted Yu Yuan's body with her strokes, observing the blood spatter with an icy detachment, watching as Yu Yuan's brow contorted with the effort to endure the agony without crying out for mercy.

"So, you think that by inheriting that individual's swordsmanship, you're guaranteed a place in the Sword Sect?" She spoke with scorn in her eyes. "Do you really believe that after Van Heqing drew his sword to save you in the Sundering Isles, the Sword Sect will regard you more highly? That they will be clamoring to recruit you because you've mastered the Golden Sanctum and reached the eighth level?"

"And do you suppose that by some stroke of luck, having crafted an altar from the Sunsorrow of a giant beast and caught the eye of Zhongli Dapan, the Sword Sect will hold you in high esteem?"

Ji Ningshuang continued, shaking her head in disbelief.

Yu Yuan's exposed skin was drenched in blood.

Feeling the sting on his skin and the Stardust sword's will weaving through his organs and bones, Yu Yuan remained silent, not uttering a single word.

With a serene look in his eyes, he met Ji Ningshuang's gaze.

His heart was brimming with words he yearned to express, yet the moment was inopportune.

He longed to address her casually as "Shuangshuang," with a hint of jest, yearning to reveal his true identity to the Grand Sword Immortal.

Regrettably, he could not...

At least, not here, not now.

His frustration was palpable.

The one who tormented him with the sword's will was the very person who had once been infatuated with him in a past life, whom he had failed.

He was acutely aware that even if he one day possessed power and status equal to or surpassing Ji Ningshuang, he would never be able to reclaim his dignity.

Nor could he take out his frustrations on Ji Ningshuang's disciples or her close associates.

The frustration lay in the fact that no matter how Ji Ningshuang treated him, he had to swallow the bitter pill and was unable to retaliate.

That was the most maddening and helpless part of it all.

"Ms. Ji, please show some leniency for the sake of the Shadow's Keep," boomed the voice of the Golden Elephant God from a distance.

"There's no need for concern; it's merely a minor reprimand," replied Ji Ningshuang, her voice as serene as a still pond. "He once saved my disciple's life deep in the marsh. I won't kill him, but he will learn his lesson through pain."

"That's a relief," responded the Golden Elephant God.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

At that moment, Kong Banbi, also of the Sword Sect, emerged from the Godsblight Marsh with several fellow trial-takers.

"Ah!"

As Kong Banbi burst forth, he caught sight of Yu Yuan suspended in the air before Ji Ningshuang, his bare skin marred by fresh wounds, and he couldn't help but cry out in shock.

He had witnessed from a distance Yu Yuan seated upon the Crucible of Evil, wielding the sword sheath and decimating all around him in the depths of the marsh.

He could never have anticipated that upon leaving the marsh, Yu Yuan would find himself in such dire straits.

Wasn't Yu Yuan supposed to be under the protection of their sect?

After a moment's hesitation, Kong Banbi mustered his courage and implored, "Ms. Ji, when we were in the Embers Sea, Yu Yuan came to my aid. I beg of you..."

"Remember this—stay away from my disciple in the future," Ji Ningshuang's eyes narrowed as she gently willed the white silk ribbon to wrap around the bloodied Yu Yuan and carry him toward the Shadow's Keep. "If I learn that you've been troubling Qingyan again, it won't just be a flesh wound next time."

Whoosh!

As the white silk ribbon made its way, a resplendent Divine Visage hundreds of feet tall reached out and pressed down.

"Please forgive the offense."

The Divine Visage exchanged pleasantries with Ji Ningshuang and enveloped Yu Yuan in a void. It then drew a white silk ribbon outward and addressed the Gold Mountain within the Shadow's Keep, "This young man has been possessed by an evil soul from a Divine Statue. I believe it's necessary to thoroughly examine his mud pellet acupoints to determine if any residual traces remain."

"Tang Zheng, your grandson Tang Cen's death is unrelated to him," Ji Ningshuang stated with displeasure.

"It's merely a precaution to avoid future complications," the man replied.

No sooner had he spoken than a remnant soul surged toward Yu Yuan's Mindscape, with an unstoppable force.

Yu Yuan's face turned pale with shock.

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