Martial Arts: After ten years of sword-drawing, the Sword God must bow his head when he sees me

Chapter 157 Emerald Cloud Peak, Divine Sword Manor
At Shen Shi (3-5 PM), the clouds in the sky became even darker.

Green River.

The river wasn't very wide, only about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), and could only be crossed by a small boat that could carry more than ten people.

Both sides of the river are towering cliffs that pierce the clouds.

The wall was slippery, as if it had been slashed by a sword, and even monkeys could not climb it.

Even martial artists at the Heavenly Gang Realm would find it extremely difficult to climb this cliff unless they possessed exceptional lightness skills.

As someone who lives in the martial arts world, when I see those two cliffs by the river in the distance, my first thought is almost always whether there are traps or mechanisms on them.

However, the Divine Sword Manor was built on Sword Mountain within Green Water Lake.

To reach Green Lake, you must first cross this river with sheer cliffs on both sides.

Although Shenjian Manor has no restrictions, these two cliffs are enough to deter ordinary villains.

Standing in front of the Green River, Shen Ping'an's gaze swept lightly over the two boats on the shore.

The two boats were of different sizes.

The larger one can accommodate more than a dozen people and is about 1.5 feet wide, just enough to pass through the river.

The smaller ones are small boats, accommodating up to four or five people at most.

"Cousin, this boat is too small, shall we take a bigger boat?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Ping'an said softly, "There's no need for such trouble, a small boat will suffice."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Ping'an took a step forward, and sword energy gathered beneath his feet, supporting him as he stepped into the river.

However, when their feet touched the riverbed, they did not fall directly into the water.

Instead, they began to walk step by step on the water's surface.

Upon seeing this, Zhang San Niang, Yao Yue, and Lian Xing all leaped to Shen Ping An's side and, like Shen Ping An, walked on water.

Lightness skill is not just about pursuing speed; truly masterful lightness skill emphasizes being able to be both fast and slow.

When fast, it's like lightning; when slow, it's like strolling leisurely in a courtyard.

Both of them had cultivated the "Innate Formless Finger Sword" and were able to walk on sword energy and cross rivers, but their cultivation level was only at the first level of the Condensation Realm, and their mastery of the "Innate Formless Finger Sword" was insufficient.

Although they can walk on water, they are only able to go fast, not slow.

It's difficult to walk on water as easily as Shen Ping'an and Zhang San Niang.

Therefore, seeing the actions of the group, Qu Feiyan and Shen Qingshan exchanged a glance. The two could only untie the ropes of the small boat on the riverbank, jump onto the boat, and then use their true energy to gather strength to propel the small boat towards Shen Ping'an and the others.

As if strolling on a spring outing, Shen Ping'an and his companions' eyes swept over the cliffs on both sides.

Looking at the smooth cliff face, Yaoyue said, "The Divine Sword Manor is quite extravagant. Not only did they carve this mountain out of itself, but they also polished the cliff face so smoothly."

With Yaoyue's knowledge, she could naturally tell that these two cliffs were not natural, but man-made.

However, splitting this mountain in half and carefully polishing it is no easy task, and the manpower and resources required are unimaginable.

Shen Ping'an said softly, "After all, it is a top-tier power. It has to do some decorations to show its status as a top-tier power. Otherwise, how can it show its status as a top-tier power?"

Neither Zhang San Niang nor Yao Yue refuted this point.

There are some things you can disregard, but that doesn't mean you can live without them.

Just like the Embroidered Jade Valley where the Flower Palace is located, it is also built around the valley, and a canyon has been created by taking advantage of the terrain. The mountain walls on both sides of the canyon are also equipped with mechanisms to defend against foreign enemies and deter outsiders.

The group appeared to be enjoying a leisurely stroll, but their pace was in no way slower than that of the small boats beside them.

In less than a quarter of an hour, they had already entered the canyon.

The moment they emerged from the canyon, Shen Ping'an and his companions found their view suddenly opened up.

As far as the eye can see, there is a lake as green as a mirror.

Looking into the distance, you can also see the Emerald Cloud Peak standing in the center of the lake.

And the Divine Sword Manor, which stands halfway up the mountain.

Layer upon layer of pavilions climb along the mountainside, their eaves lifting up a thin veil of mist.

The cool sunlight pressed the outline of the hip roof into a hard edge like paper cutting, and at the joint with the blue-green rocks of Cuiyun Peak, the lingering rain vapor from last night floated, like half-dried ink stains on the edge of a giant inkstone.

It must be said that the Divine Sword Manor truly lives up to its reputation as a top-tier power with hundreds of years of history.

The buildings on this mountain alone are something that no ordinary force could have constructed.

Looking at the buildings on Cuiyun Peak in the distance, Shen Ping'an sighed softly.

"It's a pity that after today, the pavilions on Cuiyun Peak will probably no longer exist."

Soon, as Shen Ping'an approached, several members of the Xie family dressed in the robes of Shenjian Villa disciples saw the small boat passing by on the lake at the foot of Cuiyun Peak, as well as Shen Ping'an and his companions wading through the water.

Seeing this, Xie Wanshan, who was over forty years old, asked from the foot of the mountain, "Did the manor lord mention inviting anyone to my Divine Sword Manor today?"

When Xie Wanshan asked this question, a young member of the Xie family next to him shook his head and said, "I have never heard of it."

Upon hearing this, Xie Wanshan pondered for a moment before frowning and asking, "Why would you suddenly come to my Divine Sword Manor without an invitation?"

Although they had doubts, the Xie family members at the foot of the mountain did not think much of it and simply stood quietly in place, waiting for the other party to approach.

However, as Shen Ping'an and his companions approached, the Xie family members were momentarily stunned when they saw the faces of Shen Ping'an, Yaoyue, Lianxing, and Zhang Sanniang.

They were all stunned by the appearance of the group.

Not to mention the younger members of the Xie family, even Xie Wanshan's gaze kept shifting back and forth between Yaoyue and the other two women, his eyes growing increasingly infatuated.

It wasn't until Shen Ping'an and the others stepped ashore that the group came to their senses.

However, when faced with Shen Ping'an and the others who came ashore, the Xie family members who were guarding them did not take the initiative to step forward or speak.

He simply observed Shen Ping'an and the others quietly.

However, he waited for Shen Ping'an and the others to approach before speaking.

The arrogance that was subtly revealed caused Zhang San Niang, Yao Yue, and Lian Xing to all frown.

Shen Ping'an chuckled inwardly. After Qu Feiyan had secured the small boat, Shen Ping'an and the others walked slowly toward them.

As these members of the Xie family expected, they should have taken the initiative to greet these people and introduce themselves and their purpose when they approached.

However, as Shen Ping'an and his group approached, Shen Ping'an seemed not to see them at all, and simply brushed past these members of the Xie family.

Seeing Shen Ping'an's actions, Zhang San Niang and her two sisters chuckled inwardly, all of them ignoring the Xie family members from Shenjian Villa, just like Shen Ping'an.

Perhaps because they had never been ignored like this before at the foot of Shenjian Manor, the Xie family members were stunned for a moment in the face of Shen Ping'an and his group's actions.

When they realized what was happening, the faces of the Xie family members all darkened.

Xie Wanshan snorted coldly, and with the true energy of the seventh level of the Returning Origin Realm mobilizing within him, his body spun around like a top, instantly appearing in front of Shen Ping'an and blocking his path.

The other members of the Xie family also moved behind Xie Wanshan, their right hands resting on the hilt of their swords, staring intently at Shen Ping'an.

It looked as if Shen Ping'an would draw his sword if he took another step forward. Xie Wanshan stared at Shen Ping'an with a gloomy expression, slowly opening his mouth.

"boom!"

However, before Xie Wanshan could even utter a sound, he and several other members of the Xie family felt as if the surrounding space had trembled.

The next instant, Xie Wanshan felt a terrifying force appear without warning and press down from the sky.

The moment he sensed this energy, Xie Wanshan's martial arts instincts kicked in, and he subconsciously circulated his internal energy to its maximum, condensing a layer of internal energy shield around himself.

However, as this force descended, Xie Wanshan's true energy shield, condensed with his true energy, disintegrated in the blink of an eye.

As the remaining force pressed down, Xie Wanshan felt as if a massive boulder weighing ten thousand pounds had fallen from the sky and crashed onto his back.

His body slammed hard into the ground.

As spiderweb-like cracks spread out from Xie Wanshan, the shock to Xie Wanshan's blood and internal organs caused his true energy to dissipate wildly. The surging blood and energy quickly gathered in his throat and he spat it out.

Even Xie Wanshan, whose cultivation had reached the seventh level of the Returning Origin Realm, was in such a state.

Not to mention the other young members of the Xie family.

Under this force, the remaining members of the Xie family suffered damage to their internal organs, their faces turning ashen.

His expression instantly became listless.

He was clearly seriously injured and unable to move.

Suppressing the discomfort emanating from his internal organs, Xie Wanshan roared, "This is Divine Sword Manor. You dare to directly attack someone from my Xie family. Aren't you worried about our retaliation later?"

Shen Ping'an's gaze remained fixed on the rows of buildings halfway up the mountain.

In response to Xie Wanshan's words, Shen Ping'an said in a gentle tone, "Being able to speak doesn't mean you're strong; it just means I want you to go to the Xie family to deliver a message."

"What message are you sending?" Xie Wanshan asked after swallowing the metallic taste in his throat.

Shen Ping'an said calmly, "Tell Xie Wangsun that Shen Ping'an of the Shen family has come to our door today only to demand an explanation."

As he spoke, Shen Ping'an lifted his foot forward.

As he spoke, Shen Ping'an's gaze never fell on Xie Wanshan, as if Xie Wanshan, who was lying on the ground, was not worthy of his attention.

"The Shen family, Shen Ping'an, Young Master Yu?"

Upon learning Shen Ping'an's identity, Xie Wanshan, who was lying on the ground, changed his expression.

Turning his head to look at Shen Ping'an and the others who were heading towards the mountain road, and then looking at the Xie family members around him who had fainted due to serious injuries, Xie Wanshan gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and forced himself to get up. He then took out a bamboo tube from his pocket.

Once the fuse on the bamboo tube was lit, the sound of fireworks rising into the sky immediately rang out above the Divine Sword Manor.

Then, after a deafening explosion, a red firework bloomed in the sky.

After giving the signal, Xie Wanshan immediately turned to look at Shen Ping'an and the others.

After hesitating for a moment, Xie Wanshan hardened his heart, used his lightness skill to run past Shen Ping'an and the others by a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), and then quickly headed up the mountain.

As Xie Wanshan passed Shen Ping'an and his group, he instinctively turned his head and glanced at them.

Seeing that Shen Ping'an and the others had no intention of acknowledging him, Xie Wanshan felt both resentful at their disregard and relieved.

Just as Xie Wanshan was using his lightness skill to quickly head towards the Divine Sword Manor halfway up the mountain, Shen Ping'an, who was walking, suddenly spoke up: "I thought you would deal with these Xie family members guarding the foot of the mountain first."

The abrupt words immediately drew the attention of Zhang San Niang and the others standing nearby.

However, before Zhang San Niang could ask any questions, a similarly gentle voice entered their ears.

"We agreed to take care of your business first. If I act first, how can I appreciate how Brother Shen conducts himself?"

As soon as he finished speaking, two figures suddenly emerged from the woods to the left of the mountain climbing steps.

Who else could it be but Gongzi Yu and Bai Xiaosheng?
After walking from the woods to the steps, Gongzi Yu turned his head and glanced at the Xie family members who had fainted at the foot of the mountain. Then he clapped his hands and said, "Brother Shen does things without any hesitation."

After glancing at the two of them, Shen Ping'an said slowly, "We came here to cause trouble, not to make friends, so why waste your breath on unnecessary words?"

Gongzi Yu thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That's true. There's really no need to waste words on these minor characters."

Afterwards, the group climbed the platform step by step, heading towards the Divine Sword Manor halfway up the mountain.

While climbing the mountain, both Gongzi Yu and Bai Xiaosheng became more curious about what would happen next.

It wasn't out of curiosity about what would happen next.

It was not so much curiosity about Shen Ping'an.

Even now, neither Gongzi Yu nor Bai Xiaosheng can see through Shen Ping'an.

It's unclear what level Shen Ping'an's strength has reached.
Today's trip to Shenjian Manor might provide Gongzi Yu and Bai Xiaosheng with the answer to this question.

Compared to the leisurely stroll of the group on the mountain steps, the front courtyard of Shenjian Manor was quite noisy at the moment.

As the fireworks exploded in the sky, all the Xie family members in Shenjian Manor gathered in the front courtyard of the manor, swords in hand.

When Shen Ping'an and the others climbed the steps to the mountainside and arrived at the front gate of Shenjian Manor, they saw thousands of Xie family members standing in the front courtyard, holding long swords and ready for battle.

"Interesting, it's a sword formation."

A glance swept across the positions of the Xie family members standing in the front courtyard, clearly arranged according to the Qimen Bagua (a form of divination).

This unique sword formation actually caused the aura around these Xie family members to gradually stir and gather.

After withdrawing his gaze from the Xie family members, Shen Ping'an shifted his gaze to the dozen or so Xie family elders standing in front of them.

In Shen Ping'an's perception, the weakest of these people were all at the first level of the Heavenly Gang Realm.

Immediately, Shen Ping'an looked at the old man standing in front of the many Xie family members.

The old man wore a long black robe, his hair was gray, and his face was covered with obvious wrinkles.

His thick, white eyebrows gave the old man a sharp, rather than benevolent look, unlike the typical kind of old age.

Moreover, the old man's aura was not obvious, and even Shen Ping'an could not sense his cultivation level without him using his true energy.

For this to happen, either the other party is just an ordinary person without any cultivation.

Alternatively, their cultivation level has far surpassed Shen Ping'an's, reaching the Celestial Realm.

At this moment, Shen Ping'an suddenly heard Gongzi Yu's voice transmission.

"This man is Xie Wangsun, the current head of the Divine Sword Manor."

"Thirty years ago, he led a group of experts from the Divine Sword Manor to besiege the Azure Dragon Society. Now, his cultivation level is not at the fifth level of the Celestial Realm, but has reached the sixth level. If Brother Shen needs any help, please don't hesitate to ask."

Upon learning that Xie Wangsun's cultivation level was actually at the sixth level of the Celestial Realm, a look of surprise flashed in Shen Ping'an's eyes.

But this surprise was quickly replaced by excitement.

When he looked at Xie Wangsun across from him, his eyes held a hint of amusement.

(End of this chapter)