Jiang Yun's Qingping Sword trembled as it sensed his surging battle intent, emitting a sword cry resembling the roar of a dragon.
Xiao Wanshui's face darkened as he looked at the scene before him. He knew that today's Jiang Yun was no longer the same as the one from a month ago. However, only one person could leave this street alive today.
Xiao Wanshui's beloved disciple, Xiao Da, had died at Jiang Yun's hands, and Xiao Wanshui couldn't escape his involvement in the death of Jiang Yun's father. Today, their battle would only have one outcome: death.
Although Jiang Yun had broken through to the Elemental Martial Realm, Xiao Wanshui hadn't been idle during this month either. With the help of the elixirs he obtained in the Qingyang Cave, he had already reached the seventh stage of the Elemental Martial Realm.
Xiao Wanshui's aura surged, and with a slight push of his legs against the ground, cracks immediately appeared on the paved street. His body soared, leaving only a trail of afterimages behind.
With his palms turned into claws, Xiao Wanshui had already initiated his attack while in mid-air. Qi gathered on his hands, creating a phantom image. This full-force strike from Xiao Wanshui was grand in momentum.
"The Xiao family's Heaven-grade martial technique, Shadowless Claw?"
Someone in the crowd recognized Xiao Wanshui's move. The Shadowless Palm, as a Heaven-grade martial technique, not only possessed tremendous power but also incredible speed. It was said that when mastered to its highest level, the Shadowless Palm was so fast that even shadows couldn't be seen.
At this moment, Xiao Wanshui's move still left afterimages, indicating that he hadn't reached the highest level. Nevertheless, even at this stage, the faint phantom image in front of his palm was already formidable. It was doubtful that even an ordinary martial artist at the eighth stage of the Elemental Martial Realm could withstand this strike.
At this moment, the onlookers eagerly anticipated how Jiang Yun would respond to Xiao Wanshui's attack, which carried the momentum of wind and thunder.
Soon, the crowd saw how Jiang Yun would deal with it.
As Jiang Yun heard the wind, Xiao Wanshui's Shadowless Claw had already reached his face. If he were caught, the result would likely be a shattered brain.
However, Jiang Yun didn't retreat but advanced instead. Taking a step forward with his right foot, his left leg followed a mysterious arc, causing Xiao Wanshui's attack to miss.
"What kind of footwork is this?"
Those who hadn't witnessed Jiang Yun's Four Forms Step before couldn't comprehend his uncanny posture. In the blink of an eye, Jiang Yun had already appeared behind Xiao Wanshui.
"Clang!"
A sword radiance, resembling a swift and agile serpent, flashed as the Qingping Sword was unsheathed.
With a month of practice, Jiang Yun's sword-drawing technique was no longer easily shattered by Xiao Wanshui's palm. This time, he once again employed the sword-drawing technique. In the blink of an eye, before Xiao Wanshui could react, Jiang Yun's unstoppable sword pierced through his back and into his chest.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
As the sword intent entered his body, a series of explosive sounds resonated within Xiao Wanshui. His meridians were instantly destroyed by the sword intent.
Jiang Yun exerted force to withdraw the Qingping Sword embedded in Xiao Wanshui's body, causing blood to spurt out like a fountain. With a swift movement, Jiang Yun distanced himself, leaving Xiao Wanshui lying on the ground with wide-eyed terror.
One sword to kill an enemy, untainted by a single drop of blood.
Jiang Yun didn't bother to look at the fallen Xiao Wanshui and continued forward with his sword.
This was just the beginning.
Among the curious onlookers, Jiang Yun's figure suddenly grew taller, gradually resembling the person who had amazed the entire city during the Yanjing Martial Arts Tournament.
"Isn't that sword in his hand familiar?"
Finally, someone noticed the familiarity of the sword in Jiang Yun's hand. Moreover, the sword technique he displayed had deeply shocked them before. At first, few people would associate Jiang Yun, who had been the subject of ridicule for over twenty years, with the sword god who had astonished the entire city during the Yanjing Martial Arts Tournament.
"Isn't that the sword of the Sword God? I was very close to the martial arts arena before, and I saw the patterns on the Sword God's sword. Jiang Yun's sword has the exact same pattern."
"Could it be that Jiang Yun is the Sword God? This is unbelievable."
Having killed Xiao Wanshui with a single strike, Jiang Yun felt no excitement. On the contrary, his battle intent grew stronger. As he had said, this was just the beginning.
Zhujue Street was still a distance away from the Xiao residence. On this journey, more and more people began to follow behind Jiang Yun, spreading the news of his return to Yanjing City.
"What? Jiang Yun is the legendary Sword God who swept the Yanjing Martial Arts Tournament with a single sword?"
A crowd member, who had obviously rushed over from the kitchen to watch the spectacle, was astonished to hear that Jiang Yun was the Sword God Li Tao. Their hand holding the ladle dropped to the ground.
"You didn't see it! Just now, Jiang Yun's style was incredible. He killed more than twenty martial artists in the Qi Martial Realm with a single sword, and even Xiao Wanshui, an Elemental Martial Realm cultivator, died under Jiang Yun's sword."
"Yeah, it only just hit me. Besides the venerable Sword God himself, who else could execute such a sword technique? I must be getting old; my reaction speed can't keep up. Otherwise, I should have recognized him at first glance."
The witnesses of the recent battle began boasting to the newcomers, enthusiastically describing how Jiang Yun had broken through the encirclement with a single sword and slain his enemies.
Behind the crowd, Lin Feier watched Jiang Yun silently walking on the street and murmured to herself, "Brother Yun, I knew you would be fine."
Before Jiang Yun reached the Xiao residence, he was intercepted by a group of heavily armored city guards. They stood in his path, wielding halberds and clad in heavy armor.
"Jiang Yun, you committed murder in public. What crime should you be held accountable for?" The captain of the city guards, who was leading the group, reprimanded him. Although almost everyone knew he was just a lackey of the Xiao family, it was the first time he had brought soldiers to kill a commoner.
"What crime should I be held accountable for? Where were you when Xiao Kuan publicly abducted innocent women? Where were you when Xiao family laborers were forced to commit suicide? Now you come running to me, asking about my crimes, simply because I pose a threat to your bone-eating master. Since that's the case, then come at me directly."
Jiang Yun spoke sharply, especially the last sentence, which made the captain flush with embarrassment.
"Using fallacious arguments. Execute him on the spot."
With the captain's command, the city guards wielding halberds charged towards Jiang Yun. These city guards were not like the group of cannon fodder in the Xiao family. They were battle-hardened warriors who had killed countless enemies. Their movements formed a cohesive formation, demonstrating their complete synergy.
Without waiting for the spears to reach him, Jiang Yun sprang into action, instantly plunging into the ranks of the city guards. The halberds in the guards' hands, as fragile as tofu, broke into pieces upon contact with Jiang Yun's Qingping Sword.
Without weapons, the guards were nothing more than wooden stakes. Jiang Yun swiftly attacked without mercy. After a moment, bodies fell to the ground behind him, and he stood before the captain.