This immortal was clearly ordinary, yet he was unusually confident.

Qin Kai pretended to be nonchalant and asked about Wu Dang's injuries, but in fact it was to cover up his embarrassment just now.

He hadn't expected Sang Qiu's methods to be so bizarre; although he won, he ended up in a sorry state.

Although he returned to the Golden Core realm with the help of the "Rejuvenation Pill", he had not yet had time to consolidate his cultivation, which is why Sang Qiu felt that he had only recently broken through.

In addition, he hadn't fought anyone in a long time, so he was inevitably a bit rusty, which is why he was ambushed by Sang Qiu.

Upon hearing Qin Kai's question, Wu Dang hurriedly struggled to bow and said, "I'll be fine after resting for a while. Thank you so much for saving my life, senior!"

Qin Kai nodded and smiled slightly:

"Evil spirits and heretics are to be killed by everyone and are not worth mentioning. You, a mere mortal, have managed to fight him to such an extent; your talent is truly extraordinary. If you were to cultivate immortal arts, your future achievements would be limitless! Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Wu Dang was slightly taken aback. For mortals, the temptation of cultivating immortality was indeed unimaginable. If he could learn the immortal techniques, he could not only achieve immortality, but one day he could even eradicate all these demons.

Seeing that Wu Dang was somewhat tempted, Qin Kai quickly said, "You just heard what this demon said. I am from the Qingtian Sect, the leader of the righteous path. Our sect has countless secret techniques. Although our sword path cannot compare with the Divine Sword Sect, we still have many powerful sword techniques. With your talent, you will definitely become an unparalleled sword immortal in the future."

Wu Dang's eyes lit up when he heard the words "Sword Immortal," but Zheng Zhuang's image suddenly flashed through his mind. He thought to himself that he had only gotten to where he was today because of his master's guidance. Although his master had not accepted him as a disciple, how could he possibly turn to someone else?

So he politely declined, saying, "Thank you for your kind offer, senior. I have been guided by a master before and regard him as my mentor. I can only regret that I cannot accept your kindness."

Upon hearing this, Qin Kai's face flashed with a hint of regret: "I see! I can't force you, but you should think carefully. Not to mention mortals, countless cultivators dream of joining my Qingtian Sect."

"A master?" Qin Kai suddenly had a thought and quickly asked, "The master you're talking about, could it be surnamed 'Zheng'?"

Wu Dang was immediately pleasantly surprised and said, "Senior, you also know Mr. Zheng?"

Qin Kai felt relieved and smiled, "No wonder you were able to fight against Foundation Establishment stage demons with your mortal body. It turns out you received his guidance. What a coincidence. I am here at his request."

"Senior, have you met Master? How is Master? Where is he now? Is Master also from the Qingtian Sect? Is Master as powerful as Senior?" Wu Dang excitedly asked a series of questions.

Although Wu Dang greatly admired Zheng Zhuang, Zheng Zhuang had only used a single, simple sword strike to kill Qin Ming. Even though he knew he could not surpass that strike and could not fathom Zheng Zhuang's true strength, he used Qin Kai as a comparison.

Qin Kai chuckled inwardly. Whenever Mr. Zheng was mentioned, the man seemed to become a completely different person, and his speech became somewhat incoherent.

"Sir, you currently reside in Cangyue Quliang City. I do not know which sect or school you belong to, so how can I compare to you? You are a reclusive master with unfathomable cultivation, which is probably no less than that of my father. Haha, since you know Mr. Zheng, then please do not call me senior. My name is Qin Kai, so please call me Brother Qin."

Realizing his lapse in composure, Wu Dang quickly said, "Brother Qin, please forgive me. I am Wu Dang. Since our last parting, I have never forgotten your kindness in teaching me, and that is why..."

Qin Kai waved his hand and said, "It's alright. I have also benefited greatly from your guidance, sir. You are still injured. Let's find a quiet place to heal first. After you've recovered, we'll drink until we're completely drunk."

About an incense stick's time after Qin Kai and Wu Dang left, the captain waiting outside the Lieyang Gate dared to approach quietly only after seeing no further movement inside. Upon arriving at the scene of the fight, the captain was immediately shocked.

The ground was cracked, the walls were covered with knife marks, and rubble was flying everywhere from the eaves. It was hard to imagine that this was done by human hands.

During the fight, because we were quite far apart, although we heard a lot of noise and guessed that the fight must have been very intense, we did not expect it to cause such great damage.

Inside the Imperial Study, the young Emperor Yang Hao paced anxiously, and even the usually composed Yang Minghan's expression was somewhat uncertain.

"What if... that Sword Saint is no match for Sang Qiu..." Yang Hao whispered.

Yang Minghan gently put down his teacup and sighed: "No need to worry. If the assassination fails, all of this can be blamed on me. It's not time yet. That villain shouldn't be breaking ties with the royal family now."

Yang Hao asked, "What do you mean, teacher? Am I someone who is afraid of death?"

Yang Minghan sighed softly: "Of course I know that Your Majesty, though young, has no shortage of the bearing of a monarch. However, I have wronged Your Majesty by helping the Empress Dowager seize power. This time, I will repay Your Majesty."

Just then, the captain outside Lieyang Gate rushed over to pay his respects.

Yang Hao and Yang Minghan exchanged a glance, and a surge of joy welled up in their hearts. Since this person had returned, it meant that Sang Qiu must have gotten away with something bad.

Given Sang Qiu's temperament, if the assassination attempt failed, although he might not massacre the palace, he would likely kill many people to vent his anger, and the soldiers closest to him would be the most suitable targets.

As soon as the captain entered, he immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, Sang Qiu and the Sword Saint fought fiercely, but when I arrived at the scene, both of them were nowhere to be found. I do not know who won or lost. However, I heard Sang Qiu's screams at the last moment, so I think the Sword Saint must have killed the traitor."

A hint of joy flashed across Yang Hao's face. After a moment of thought, he looked at Yang Minghan and said, "Even so, Sang Qiu is an extremely cunning thief. I'm still a little uneasy about not seeing his body."

Yang Minghan nodded: "Your Majesty's words are reasonable. It is too early to draw conclusions now. However, I have heard that if a person who practices the way of the gods perishes, the statue he is worshipped will also be shattered. Why don't we send someone to the Imperial Preceptor's Hall to find out the truth?"

"What you say is very true, teacher!" Yang Hao nodded slightly, then turned to the captain and instructed, "Take a few men and go investigate immediately. Report back as soon as you have any news!"

On the other side, Wu Dang led Qin Kai to a secluded courtyard in the city. Immediately, someone came out to greet them. Upon seeing him, Wu Dang exclaimed in surprise:

"Sword Saint, how did you get so badly injured?"

Wu Dang cupped his hands in greeting: "I was just engaged in a duel with Sang Qiu and was injured. Fortunately, Brother Qin helped me and I was able to save my life. I will need to rest at your residence for a while. Thank you for your help, Elder Chen."

Then he said to Qin Kai, "This house is where I stayed when I first came to the Kingdom of Rising Sun. I once helped the owner of this place with a small favor, so I will rest here for the time being."

Qin Kai nodded in agreement.

Old Man Chen hurriedly said, "Sword Saint, you flatter me. If it weren't for you, my family would have been killed by villains long ago. I will go and tidy up the house for you two now."