Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, clad in blood-soaked robes, descended the mountain.

Meanwhile, Lü Yang controlled his Sword Dao Avatar to follow closely behind, like a Sword-Bearer Child, holding the Non-Killing Sword—which had also turned a bloody crimson—in both hands.

In that instant, countless people sensed it.

How many years had it been?

Aside from a few exceptionally senior Foundation-Stage Cultivators who had lived for a very long time, many people couldn't even remember the last time Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had left the South.

The Southern Border didn't count, of course.

After all, in the Sword Pavilion's eyes, the Southern Border had no Perfected Lord overseeing it and was conveniently located south of the South, making it tantamount to their own backyard. But other regions—the North, the West, the East, and even Overseas—all had Perfected Lords in residence. Demon-Vanquishing Perfected could not go to those places.

It wasn't that they feared Demon-Vanquishing Perfected would die.

Rather, they feared he would achieve his Attainment elsewhere. After all, if the Fruit of Sword Dao wasn't formed within the Sword Pavilion, it would attract the attention of Perfected Lords, and there were plenty of people in the world who would harbor malicious intentions.

This was especially true for the rival Saint Sect.

The Perfected Persons of the Saint Sect wouldn't care about Sword Pavilion ancestors or Perfected Lords; they'd snatch it first and ask questions later. 'You have a backer? You think I don't?'

That was why Demon-Vanquishing Perfected hadn't left the South in a very long time.

But this time, he had brazenly walked out of the Sword Pavilion's main gate, making it clear he intended to leave the South. How could anyone accept this?

'Stop him!'

Exorcist Zhenren shot to his feet, his teeth clenched. 'The ungrateful bastard... The Sect raised him, and when it finally needed him, not only did he refuse every which way, but now he's shamelessly trying to force his way out and cause trouble for the Sect! Can't he just... can't he just... obediently go and die?'

Exorcist Zhenren had even found a scapegoat, planting evidence of Mo Shiyuan's collusion with the Jiangbei Demon Dao in the treasury of Jimo City.

As soon as Demon-Vanquishing Perfected died and used his life to manifest the Fruit of Sword Dao...

...he would immediately appear, set things right, mourn the greatest Foundation-Stage Cultivator in the Sword Pavilion's history, and declare an irreconcilable war against the Demon Dao that had murdered him.

'What a perfect script!'

The Sword Pavilion would benefit, he himself would benefit, and even the Ye Family, which had contributed greatly this time, would be handsomely rewarded. After all, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had no heirs, so rewarding his family was as good as rewarding him. No one would lose out... And yet, such a perfect script had been ruined by Demon-Vanquishing Perfected.

He just wouldn't die!

And now he was even trying to leave the South for other regions. If the Fruit of Sword Dao ended up falling into the hands of another power...

Ten of his lives wouldn't be enough to pay the price!

At this thought, Exorcist Zhenren could no longer restrain himself. He shot to his feet, summoned a Flying Light, and streaked toward the gates of the Sword Pavilion.

At the same time, accompanied by the chanting of a Buddha's Name, a beam of Buddha Light streaked through the air and landed before Demon-Vanquishing Perfected and Lü Yang.

"Amitabha!"

It was Venerable Weimotuo of the Pure Land.

The Great Arhat, at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, wore a pained expression. The moment he appeared, he bowed his head and said, "This humble monk, Vimalakirti, has come to see Demon-Vanquishing Perfected on the order of the Buddha's Son..."

ZING!

The only reply he received was the ring of a sword.

The next second, Venerable Weimotuo's head was separated from his body. He hadn't even realized he'd been struck by the sword and was still trying to speak his pleasantries.

It was only when the world began to spin before his eyes that he belatedly realized what had happened. "Ah?"

BOOM!

After the dull thud, a brilliant Buddha Light erupted as his Golden Body disintegrated. Unlike those previously beheaded by Demon-Vanquishing Perfected, Venerable Weimotuo did not survive. He died instantly. A faint Soul drifted out and was met by a guiding ray of Buddha Light from the Pure Land, about to be led back to the Earth of Shixiu to reincarnate and cultivate anew...

But just then...

CRACK!

A crisp cracking sound emanated from Vimalakirti's bewildered Soul. The Buddha Light from the Pure Land descended upon it, but it was like water passing through a leaky basket.

Whatever light fell upon it simply flowed away.

WHOOSH!

The next moment, a gust of wind blew, and Vimalakirti's Soul scattered with it, leaving only the guiding Buddha Light from the Pure Land hovering in place, shrouded in a dead silence.

Nearby, Lü Yang watched, his heart pounding in terror.

Although he could do the same, he relied on the Divine Effect of the Tribulation Wave to sever karmic links, making the target untraceable to the guiding light of the Pure Land.

In essence, that was a clever trick. Demon-Vanquishing Perfected was different. His method was utterly brutal. The instant Vimalakirti was struck by his sword, both his body and spirit were annihilated; his consciousness simply hadn't caught up yet. That was why the guiding Buddha Light from the Pure Land was completely useless!

'From Non-Killing to Killing... What an extreme transformation!'

'But why? Why, when his Non-Killing Sword Intent was shattered, could it evolve into such a terrifying new Sword Intent? Its power has even reached a higher level,' Lü Yang wondered.

Just then, within that beam of Buddha Light from the Pure Land, a towering Dharma Appearance faintly materialized. It pressed its palms together and let out a soft sigh.

"Amitabha... Benefactor, why must you do this?"

It was Buddha's Son Guang Ming.

"Fellow Daoist, I would ask that you not wander about," Demon-Vanquishing Perfected said, his expression calm. "I intend to visit the Pure Land. Please, listen to the ring of my sword."

"..."

The Buddha Light abruptly vanished.

Yet, before Demon-Vanquishing Perfected could take another step, another Flying Light appeared, streaking toward them. It was Exorcist Zhenren, his face a mask of shock and fury.

"Stop!"

Exorcist Zhenren stood in mid-air, his gaze fixed on Demon-Vanquishing Perfected. His Sword Intent cultivation was higher than Lü Yang's, so he could see more. But the more he saw, the more shocked he became. "A single Sword Intent, yet it shows signs of both an inner and outer transformation... How did you do it!?"

"This is the sword."

Demon-Vanquishing Perfected chuckled. "A sword can either hide its edge in a scabbard or display its blade for all to see. It has always had an inner and outer aspect. Naturally, a Sword Intent should be the same."

As his voice fell, Demon-Vanquishing Perfected's new Sword Intent erupted with full force.

If the sky had life, this sword could slay it!

If the earth had life, this sword could slay it!

If a Daoist Skill had life, this sword could slay it!

Brutal to the extreme and the polar opposite of Non-Killing, this Sword Intent represented only one thing: extinction. It sought to reduce everything to nothingness!

As they observed it with their Divine Senses, both Lü Yang and Exorcist Zhenren instinctively understood its name:

"All Slash..."

Hidden in the scabbard, it is Non-Killing.

Blade drawn, it is All Slash!

"No... that's not right!"

Suddenly, Exorcist Zhenren's expression turned to one of horror. "This isn't a single Sword Intent... The scabbard and the blade are just the means by which you've unified them."

"In essence, these are two separate Sword Intents!"

As he said this, Exorcist Zhenren began to doubt his own judgment.

A Sword Intent was supposed to be the culmination of a single obsession, intertwined with a person's very life. In some ways, it was remarkably similar to one's Gold Attribute.

If that was the case, how could one person possibly possess two Sword Intents?

"Which one is yours?"

Exorcist Zhenren demanded, his eyes blazing, but Demon-Vanquishing Perfected simply shook his head, a look of profound confusion on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Que Xie, why have you come looking for me?"

"...To take you back to the Sect, of course."

Exorcist Zhenren's brow furrowed slightly as he said matter-of-factly, "The Perfected Lord previously gave a verbal command: to prevent any mishaps with the Sword Dao, you are not to leave without permission."

"The Perfected Lord's command?"

Demon-Vanquishing Perfected looked around. "Where is the Perfected Lord?"

At these words, Exorcist Zhenren's face darkened. "Ye Guangji, you've been willful enough this time. Don't press your luck!"

"Pressing my luck?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Demon-Vanquishing Perfected looked at him, his eyes deep. "I'm very curious."

"You were the one who manipulated Shi Yuan, leading to his death, and secretly sabotaged my Sword Intent. And now, Fellow Daoist, you've come to tell me to go back and obediently wait to die?"

"And you even think it's perfectly natural... I've never been able to understand the logic of the Sword Pavilion."

"Aren't you afraid... that I'll kill you?"