Chapter 342: Chapter 338: Gathering of Old Friends
In just a few short days, all of Cyan Cloud Country was in an uproar.
Countless Martial Artists rushed to the Six Great Sects to verify if the news was true. What they saw left them completely stunned.
Ning Jiang had cleanly wiped out all the Spirit Realm and higher experts of the Thousand Crane Sect, the Golden Light Sect, and the Yang Flame Sect.
The scene that greeted them was one of bleak desolation. The remaining disciples had long since fled Cyan Cloud Country under the cover of night.
And these three sects were the lucky ones.
The most wretched were the Blood Sword Sect, the Absolute Poison Sect, and the Tyrant Fist Sect. Not a single soul was left alive in these three sects.
The Tyrant Fist Sect, in particular, had the most lamentable end. As the strongest of the Six Sects of Cyan Cloud, their entire sect had been razed to the ground.
In its place stood a single, heart-shaking tombstone.
Tomb of Liu Yuanlong!
"He annihilated a sect just to erect a tombstone for a dear friend. Young Master Wushuang is truly a man of great loyalty and honor. If Liu Yuanlong knew what Young Master Wushuang did for him, he could rest in peace."
"Liu Yuanlong was also a man of unyielding integrity. It’s such a pity... back then, he faced the Tyrant Fist Sect’s pressure and refused to bow down, even in death."
"For the past two years, the Six Great Sects have ruled Cyan Cloud Country with an iron fist. Many local factions sided with them and, to varying degrees, suppressed the Alchemy Alliance and Kunlun. This purge is far from over!"
"But purging these factions won’t be that easy, will it? Worst case, they can just leave Cyan Cloud."
The people discussed amongst themselves.
And just as they predicted, a great purge officially began in Cyan Cloud Country after the Six Great Sects were annihilated.
And it was during this purge that the people witnessed the terrifying power Ning Jiang commanded!
They had originally thought it would be difficult for Ning Jiang to conduct a thorough purge all by himself.
But to their astonishment, they discovered that a great number of Spirit Realm and Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm experts had suddenly appeared in Cyan Cloud Country.
Gradually, Ning Jiang’s identity in Qing Province was finally revealed!
Master of the Myriad Swords Sect!
When this news spread throughout Cyan Cloud, everyone was rendered utterly speechless.
The Myriad Swords Sect, the current ruler of Qing Province—they had heard bits and pieces of this news.
But no one could have ever imagined that the master behind this suddenly ascendant Myriad Swords Sect was actually Ning Jiang!
"No wonder Ning Jiang annihilated the Six Great Sects the moment he returned. He had the confidence and the strength to back it up. What are the Six Great Sects in the face of the Myriad Swords Sect?"
"Those factions that colluded with the Six Great Sects must be regretting it to their very cores now, huh?"
...
For three days, the experts of the Myriad Swords Sect swept across Cyan Cloud Country, and heads rolled in their wake.
"Over the past three days, the heads of several dozen families have been killed. In addition, more than thirty Spirit Realm experts have been eliminated."
At this moment, within the Demon Mist Mountain Range, Yue Wenfu was reporting the situation to Ning Jiang.
Ning Jiang had only given the order for this great purge; he had not personally taken action.
In the past two years, Cyan Cloud Country had experienced an explosion of Spiritual Qi, and the power landscape had changed dramatically. Over a hundred Spirit Realm experts had emerged.
At the same time, many families had grown much stronger. It was no longer like before, when there were fewer than ten so-called Noble Families in all of Cyan Cloud Country.
And these newly powerful families, along with some of the Spirit Realm experts, had colluded with the Six Great Sects to suppress the Alchemy Alliance and Kunlun.
Given Ning Jiang’s personality, how could he possibly let these fence-sitters off lightly?
While he wouldn’t go so far as to annihilate their entire families, he would not spare a single one of their key members.
"Alright, there’s no need to report these matters to me. You are dismissed. I need to catch up with some old friends," Ning Jiang said with a wave of his hand.
"Yes, Sect Leader."
Yue Wenfu withdrew.
Only Ning Jiang’s old friends remained.
Looking around, there were Sword King Chu Bai, Vajra King Meng Bubai, Sword King Duan Wuya, as well as Du Wanqing, Tan Jinglin, Wei Yanran, Li Shiyu, Liu Shiyi, and Yan Shuangying...
But among so many people, the only one who could stand by Ning Jiang’s side, shoulder to shoulder with him, was Ning Yu’an.
"I know you all have many questions. Go ahead and ask. There’s no need to be so formal."
Seeing that no one was speaking, Ning Jiang smiled gently. His smile was like a spring breeze and a soft rain, warm and approachable.
The atmosphere immediately relaxed.
Everyone had learned of Ning Jiang’s identity as the Master of the Myriad Swords Sect, and faced with such a title, they couldn’t help but feel some pressure. That’s why none of them knew how to begin.
But looking at Ning Jiang, he didn’t seem high and mighty at all.
Though his strength had increased and his status had risen, he was still the same as before, with no intention of looking down on them.
"Haha, I’ll ask then! What happened to you these past two years? And what’s the deal with the Myriad Swords Sect?"
Sword King Chu Bai laughed heartily, getting straight to the point, just like his sword strikes.
"I knew you’d ask about that."
Ning Jiang smiled faintly. He had nothing to hide, so he recounted everything that had happened since he left Cyan Cloud Country two years ago.
However, with Ning Yu’an listening beside him, he naturally omitted the extremely dangerous parts to keep her from worrying.
Of course, with Ning Yu’an’s intelligence, she understood perfectly well. Ning Jiang’s past two years had likely been fraught with peril; otherwise, how could he have grown so powerful?
「An hour later.」
Ning Jiang finished speaking, and everyone fell silent.
After a long while, Sword King Chu Bai was the first to break the silence. "Cyan Cloud Country is truly too small. The stage here is limited. Staying here, one is destined never to fly high."
"That’s right, I feel the same."
Sword King Duan Wuya nodded in agreement.
They had heard from Ning Jiang about the vast and magnificent world outside—about places like the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall and powers like Top Grade Sects. These things were incredibly distant to them, things they could hardly imagine.
"I had an idea when I came back this time," Ning Jiang proposed. "You should all join the Myriad Swords Sect. That way, you can leave Cyan Cloud Country and experience the wider world."
"Alright, I agree."
"Me too."
"We couldn’t ask for more!"
Hearing Ning Jiang’s words, everyone grew excited. The Myriad Swords Sect was a grand stage that could offer them so much more.
On the path of Cultivation, who wouldn’t want to go further and see the view from greater heights?
Spending their entire lives in Cyan Cloud Country was definitely not what they wanted.
Especially after seeing Ning Jiang soar to new heights in the world outside, leaving them far behind. Spurred on by this, how could they possibly remain calm?
"Excellent."
Ning Jiang smiled slightly. ’These people all have considerable potential. After all, they are the ones who reached the pinnacle in Cyan Cloud Country. Relatively speaking, all they lack is a better environment.’
’Take Sword King Chu Bai, for instance. He has comprehended Half-Step Sword Intent. People like him are few and far between even in Qing Province. Give him a bigger stage, and he will undoubtedly achieve even greater things.’
The reunion with his old friends continued late into the evening before everyone finally dispersed.