Li Liang stepped forward, his voice steely. "Gu Zheng. Your plan failed; capture them; don't let anyone go."
Gu Zheng's eyes blazed with rage. But the drunken old man gave him a cold glance; if he dared to show resistance, his end would be the same as those two black-clothed men.
"Fine," he spat. "But don't think this is over. You've only borrowed someone else's blade. When it's gone… your Purple Mist Sect will fall all the same."
Gu Zheng scowled. "You may be strong, but even you can't fight a sect behind those men."
"Blah blah," Elder Cang yawned mid-sentence. "You're noisy."
He flicked a finger.
Just a single tap of his spiritual force.
But the sky changed colour.
A violent pressure fell upon the mountain, heavy like an entire storm compressed into a teacup.
The air twisted.
The remaining sword cultivators dropped to their knees, coughing blood.
Only Gu Zheng remained standing—barely.
His robes whipped in the gusts, and a deep aura of sword intent surged from him, trying to push back the pressure.
"Ugh. Haven't moved properly in twenty years. Joints are stiff…" The old man glanced toward the Purple Mist Sect gate.
"Hey, kid," he called out lazily to Li Liang. "You owe me three bottles of Green Bamboo Brew."
Li Liang bowed low again. "Of course, senior."
After that, Li Liang and other elders came forward and arrested all remaining people of the Splitting Sword Sect. They still needed to be interrogated to find the origin of those two black-clothed men.
Inside the Sect.
The barrier flickered—then stabilised.
The talisman anchors pulsed with new energy, no longer under siege.
The disciples gasped and cheered. Some dropped their weapons in relief. Others fell to their knees in prayer.
Li Suxin closed her eyes briefly, then turned to look at Elder Cang from afar. Who was currently on his way to meet Xiao Tian.
....
Ye Fan stood in the shadows.
He had witnessed it all.
The power… the reverence… the helplessness.
And how Suxin and others had looked at Xiao Tian with hope in their eyes. Something inside him cracked. He turned and walked deeper into the mountain paths.
Away from the sect.
From Suxin.
From the future he had once imagined. He didn't want to stay in the Purple Mist Sect any further. But before leaving, he wanted to do something.
...
From a mountain peak above, Xiao Tian watched with a quiet smile. "I told you he is much more reliable."
Beside him, Meng Luan shook her head. "I still don't think so. Why did you let them live?"
"It is no longer my problem; let the purple mist sect handle the men of the splitting sword sect. I am just curious about the identity of those two black-clothed men.
"Boy, how was my performance?" The drunken old man arrived in front of Xiao Tian and laughed.
"Very good." Xiao Tian nodded with a faint smile. "But old man, you killed the two men; at least ask their origin before killing them."
"It's useless. They would rather die than open their mouths. Both of them have a dark aura; they are most likely the members of an evil sect." Elder Chang spoke while sipping the wine.
"Huh, evil sect. As far as I know, there are no demonic sects nearby in our region, so they must have come from other regions. I am confused. How did they know about Li Suxin's physique?" Xiao Tian whispered softly.
The sects, like the Purple Mist Sect and the Splitting Sword Sect, were righteous sects that practised normally. There were some sects who cultivated evil ways; their cultivation technique brought harm to others.
Although evil cultivation was banned in the world, there were still many people who pursued the demonic path to increase their strength quickly.
"Don't worry about them; if they dare to come, they won't be able to leave." The old man said lightly.
"Okay, I am going to wander around for a while to see if I can find some fine quality wine; call me if you need me." The old man said before slipping away like the wind.
"Lets check up on the sect." Xiao Tian said he came down of the peak.
....
The ground was still cracked from the aftershocks of Elder Cang's drunken rampage. Rubble, shattered tiles, and splintered sword sheaths littered the once-serene courtyard of the Purple Mist Sect.
The skies above were finally calm—no longer filled with killing intent, but instead a gentle hush of dusk settling over the mountain.
As Xiao Tian walked through the outer sect courtyard, disciples parted without a word. Their eyes were filled with awe—not the kind born from fear, but a deep-rooted reverence. It was no longer just about his noble bloodline or prestigious title. He had stood when others faltered, acted when others hesitated.
"Greetings, Your Highness," the sect disciples said in unison, bowing deeply as he passed.
Xiao Tian nodded slightly, acknowledging them with calm dignity. Dressed in a clean white robe, his long black hair flowing gently with the mountain breeze, he looked like a celestial being descending to the mortal world.
Meng Luan followed behind him, her expression unusually soft.
"He's becoming like his father." she muttered under her breath.
Not far ahead, the Sect Master, Li Liang, stood atop the main stone steps, flanked by several elders. All of them wore bandages and signs of injury—but their gazes were firm.
As Xiao Tian approached, Li Liang stepped down personally.
"Your Highness," he said, bowing low. "I have no words sufficient for what you've done today."
"You don't need to bow, Sect Master," Xiao Tian replied with a faint smile. "I simply kept a promise."
"No," Elder Ming beside him interjected. "This is beyond promises. Were it not for you—and the senior you called—the Purple Mist Sect may not have survived."
Another elder added, "The way you turned the tide... You carry not just the name of the Sword Emperor but his heart as well."
Their words carried no flattery. It was pure recognition.
Xiao Tian said nothing more, merely accepting their respect in quiet calm.
Li Liang gestured to the stone pavilion overlooking the valley.
"Please, Your Highness. Let us speak."
The stone pavilion was battered but still standing. The wind carried the faint scent of burning incense from the inner hall.
A servant placed freshly brewed tea on the table.
Li Liang sighed deeply before sitting across from Xiao Tian. "The world is no longer what it was," he said. "When Sacred Lands pressures us from one side, and Splitting Sword Sect schemes from the other... without a powerful figure to anchor us, the sect cannot stand tall."
He looked directly at Xiao Tian.
"You, Your Highness… Are you willing to become that anchor?"
Meng Luan, standing beside him, blinked.
Xiao Tian took a slow sip of tea.
"I already told Li Suxin," he said, "As long as I am here, I'll protect the Purple Mist Sect. You don't need to make anything official."
"But the disciples… the elders…" Li Liang's brows furrowed. "They all look to you now. Even the younger generation. In their eyes, you are already the hope of this sect."