Chapter 311 - 49: Seclusion and the Decline of the Celestial Sword

Chapter 311: Chapter 49: Seclusion and the Decline of the Celestial Sword

This was a man-made hill over thirty li from Qingzhou Prefecture, where the headquarters of the Celestial Sword Manor stood.

At this moment, within a secret chamber on the rear mountain shrouded by dense Restrictions, a figure sat cross-legged. He was covered in a thick layer of dust, a clear sign that he had not moved from this posture in a very, very long time.

It was the Manor Master of the Celestial Sword Manor, Jian Jingchuan.

Just then, Jian Jingchuan’s eyes, which had been shut for several years, suddenly snapped open. He then let out a soft gasp of surprise.

Because just a moment ago, he had felt an avatar he had left in the outside world to protect the manor be forcefully severed by an exceedingly tyrannical power.

This avatar was a contingency he had left behind before entering seclusion. It contained a small portion of his Divine Thought and power, enough to deal with any incident below the Core Formation Realm.

But it had not been used in many years, and he had almost forgotten about its existence.

He never expected that it would be destroyed today.

With a flicker of his thoughts, the last wisp of memory and the final images the avatar sent back before it was shattered flooded his mind.

The Immortal Ascension Ceremony, a young man named Chen Ye, a strange and tyrannical Saber Technique...

Then, there was the face of his son, Jian Wuchen, filled with terror and despair, and his body disintegrating like shattered porcelain.

Finally, there was Chen Ye’s icy gaze, and the seemingly ordinary saber strike that severed the connection between him and his avatar.

’My son is dead!’

And he had died so miserably—with not even a corpse to show for it—in front of all the powers in Qingzhou.

And yet, after witnessing all this, Jian Jingchuan’s heart was surprisingly calm.

Because to the man he was now, nothing was more important than breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Compared to that, the century-old foundation of the Celestial Sword Manor, even his only son and heir, seemed utterly insignificant.

’After all, if I can successfully reach Nascent Soul, my lifespan will be extended immensely. I won’t have to worry about having descendants for at least a thousand years.’

’As for the Celestial Sword Manor, that’s even less of an issue. As long as a Nascent Soul Ancestor like me is around, even if the Celestial Sword Manor is completely wiped out, I could casually support and raise an even stronger one.’

’Ultimately, everything in the outside world combined isn’t as important as a single shred of progress in my own Cultivation.’

Especially at this critical juncture.

Jian Jingchuan could feel that he had already faintly touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul Realm and comprehended a wisp of the true meaning of the Heaven and Earth Laws. This was the most critical moment.

If he were to forcibly break out of seclusion now for revenge, not only would all his past painstaking Cultivation be wasted, but he would probably never have another chance to assail the Nascent Soul Realm in this life.

He could distinguish very clearly what was important and what was not.

"Chen Ye... Yuan Lan..."

Jian Jingchuan softly muttered these two names.

’That brat Chen Ye’s Saber Technique is certainly strange; even I would find it somewhat tricky to deal with. But a kid who just broke through to the Inner Realm isn’t worthy of my serious concern.’

’What I truly fear is the one behind Chen Ye—the thousand-year-old Great Demon entrenched in the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range, Yuan Lan.’

’If it weren’t for that old demon’s backing, where would this brat get the audacity to act so brazenly?’

’But so what?’

A cold sneer touched the corners of Jian Jingchuan’s lips.

’Once I successfully reach the Nascent Soul Realm, a mere vile beast that has yet to fully Transform into a Dragon can be annihilated with a flip of my hand.’

’As for that brat Chen Ye, he’s not even worth mentioning.’

Having figured all this out, Jian Jingchuan closed his eyes. His Heart Spirit sank once more into that profound and mysterious state, chasing with all its might that fleeting opportunity for a breakthrough.

The secret chamber once again fell into a deathly silence.

Meanwhile, the news spread from Qingzhou City in all directions as if it had grown wings. Soon, the entire Cultivation Realm was in an uproar over it.

Qingzhou Prefectural Yamen, the rear hall.

The stern-faced Qingzhou Prefect, dressed in his Official Uniform, was clutching a newly arrived secret report, his knuckles white from the force of his grip.

"Chen Ye, the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range, Yuan Lan..."

He muttered the keywords from the secret report, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.

"My Lord, I saw it with my own eyes. The Young Manor Master of the Celestial Sword Manor, Jian Wuchen, was annihilated—body and soul—by this Chen Ye’s saber. Even Elder Jian was killed by the same method. Not even the avatar Jian Jingchuan left behind before his seclusion could withstand Chen Ye’s might," an official from the Prefectural Yamen reported respectfully from below, his voice still tinged with lingering shock.

"What a Chen Ye! What a Southern Wilderness Great Demon!" The Qingzhou Prefect slammed the secret report on the table and burst out laughing, his voice full of unconcealed delight.

"Relying on their power, the Celestial Sword Manor has grown more and more outrageous over the years, showing no regard for my Qingzhou Prefectural Yamen. That brat Jian Wuchen was particularly arrogant and domineering, acting as if Qingzhou was his own backyard. So... he had it coming!"

The official below lowered his head, not daring to reply. After all, only the Lord Prefect would dare to say such things.

"My Lord, then we should..."

"We’ll wait and see," the Qingzhou Prefect said with a wave of his hand. "The Celestial Sword Manor is a wounded tiger right now. It looks pathetic, but whoever approaches it first risks getting caught in a final, desperate counterattack. So, let those Sects that hold grudges against them go test the waters first."

He paused, then added, "However, you can send someone to the Southern Wilderness. Have them adopt a humble attitude. Just say that my Qingzhou Prefecture wishes to befriend the Lord Mountain God. Remember, just befriend him. Don’t mention anything about Chen Ye or the Celestial Sword Manor."