Chapter 136: Bai Changqing

Upon hearing this voice, Rong Pian’s face turned a shade of sickly pale. He cast a surreptitious glance at Yan Qingqing and Long Yun, and only after noticing that neither showed any unusual expression did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Third Brother, what nonsense are you spouting?" Rong Pian said in a loud, clear voice. "These two are my esteemed guests. What business do you have coming here? Show yourself!"

"Whoosh—" A figure darted out from the shadows and landed beside Rong Pian. His gaze swept over Yan Qingqing, and he clicked his tongue, saying, "Such a beauty is truly one of a kind in this world. No wonder you’ve been cooped up at home and refusing to go out."

This flippant remark made Yan Qingqing’s face flush with indignation. Just as she was about to retort with a sharp rebuke, Long Yun grabbed her hand.

"Bai Changqing, hold your tongue!" Rong Pian’s face clouded with anger, his voice turning icy.

Bai Changqing burst into laughter. As the third of the Four Young Masters of West City, he had always been dissatisfied with his rank. Apart from the eldest, who had reached the Fusion Realm, he respected no one. He and Rong Pian were of similar cultivation and strength, and Bai Changqing secretly felt that Rong Pian was no match for him. If not for the fact that the Rong Clan held more power than his own family, he believed the second position would not have gone to Rong Pian. Consequently, their daily interactions were filled with friction and deep-seated resentment.

Sensing Rong Pian’s displeasure, Bai Changqing sneered, "What, has it been a few days, and you've suddenly changed your temperament, Rong Pian? In all these years, this is the first time I've seen you act like this. Could it be that you’ve actually fallen for this girl?"

Long Yun’s expression turned grim. He had maintained a low profile solely to avoid unnecessary complications while on his mission to rescue Xiao Leng, but Bai Changqing’s insults toward Yan Qingqing were something he could not tolerate. Originally, watching him bicker with Rong Pian had been amusing, but now that this man was dragging Yan Qingqing into his crude remarks, Long Yun’s suppressed rage began to boil over.

He let out a cold snort and said, "You must be Bai Changqing, the third of the Four Young Masters of West City."

Rong Pian had previously introduced the Four Young Masters to him, so Long Yun was familiar with their rankings. Bai Changqing’s gaze stalled on Long Yun. Seeing that he was merely at the Congenital Qi-Convergence stage, a look of disdain curled his lips.

"Do you know who I despise most in this world?" Bai Changqing sneered. "I hate those who hide behind women, relying on them to satisfy their own vanity. Unfortunately, in my eyes, that is exactly who you are."

Long Yun’s eyes flickered, and he replied without yielding an inch, "I don't need you to judge what kind of person I am. I don't care about your grievances with others, but you have repeatedly insulted my sister—that is going too far."

Seeing Long Yun’s expression, Rong Pian felt a stir in his heart. Since they had met, Long Yun had always been low-key, seemingly unwilling to hold grudges or create conflict. Yet now, he dared to speak to one of the most prominent figures in West City in such a manner, which surprised Rong Pian. Nevertheless, he did not intervene. In his mind, Long Yun was a major obstacle. Furthermore, he disliked Bai Changqing just as much; it would be ideal if they destroyed each other—no matter who won, he would be the ultimate victor.

Hearing Long Yun’s words, Bai Changqing was taken aback. He couldn't fathom how a mere Congenital Qi-Convergence brat had the capital to challenge him.

Long Yun had initially instructed Yan Qingqing to suppress her aura. In reality, Yan Qingqing was in the Tribulation Crossing stage, with combat power comparable to the eighth level of the Congenital realm—virtually invincible beneath the level of true Transcendence. Of course, this applied to ordinary cultivators; against the disciples of the eight super-sects or the three mysterious factions, she might not be able to challenge beyond her level.

"Not bad, you've got a stiff spine. I wonder if your strength matches it? My Bai Clan has plenty of people at the Congenital Qi-Convergence level. You're young, don't overestimate yourself!" Since Long Yun was a guest of the Rong Clan, Bai Changqing, despite his disdain for Rong Pian, hesitated to target Long Yun directly.

A look of contempt appeared on Long Yun’s face. "Whether I'm overestimating myself is for me to know. Strip away the halo of your elders, and you aren't exactly a top-tier figure yourself, are you?"

"Whoosh—" Rong Pian’s expression shifted. He had not expected Long Yun to say such a thing; Bai Changqing would certainly not let this slide now. Yet, he remained still. If Long Yun angered Bai Changqing and was killed, he would be free to pursue the beauty himself. Long Yun was, after all, an obstacle on that path.

Bai Changqing laughed wildly, his killing intent surging. He looked at Rong Pian and said, "Rong Pian, your guest is truly remarkable—he actually looks down on us Four Young Masters of West City. In that case, I shall teach him a lesson myself!"

From start to finish, Long Yun did not look at Rong Pian. He felt utterly disappointed. If Rong Pian truly cared for Yan Qingqing, he should have been the one to step forward, not him. Moreover, he had wasted too much breath on Bai Changqing, and while the conflict deepened, Rong Pian had merely stood by as a spectator. This man was not worth associating with.

"Brat, I will make you regret the words you spoke today!" Bai Changqing snorted, and two waves of killing intent, as tangible as blades, lunged toward Long Yun.

"Qingqing, step back," Long Yun said softly. As he spoke, sword intent enveloped his body, blocking Bai Changqing’s terrifying pressure, which could not advance even an inch.

Yan Qingqing retreated, her gaze toward Long Yun filled with newfound reliance. Although her cultivation was higher than his, in the time they had spent together, he had almost always stood in front of her. He provided a sense of unshakable security. For her sake, he had even been willing to defy the heavens and shield her from the power of the lightning tribulation with his own flesh and blood. That devotion had taken root deep in her heart.

"Clang—" The Qinghe Sword was drawn, its crisp ring filling the air. Sword intent surged, merging with sword qi and radiating outward in all directions, shattering Bai Changqing’s killing intent upon contact.

"Whoosh—" Long Yun’s eyes narrowed as he struck first. He unleashed the Great Chaos Sword Art with all his might. Every strike felt as if it were returning to the primordial era of the universe, the ancient aura condensed entirely within the blade.

During his two months at the Jade Sword Sect, while cultivating, Long Yun had gained a deeper understanding of the five absolute killing sword arts he had learned from the Sword Stone. This spark of insight had come from Xu Xian’s interpretation of the "Stellar Killing Sword Art." With this realization, Long Yun understood much more profound concepts, and his mastery of the five techniques had risen accordingly. Thus, this strike was incomparable to any he had performed before.

Bai Changqing frowned. Seeing the ferocity of Long Yun’s sword qi, he realized the power of this strike had likely reached the level of a Heaven-Reaching expert. No wonder this boy dared to challenge him—he possessed genuine strength. But to Bai Changqing, even the Heaven-Reaching realm was not enough to warrant his full attention.

He flicked his finger, and a beam of light shot out like a bolt of lightning, colliding with Long Yun’s sword qi.

Long Yun sneered. The essence of the Great Chaos Sword Art was ethereal and primal—could it be blocked by such a casual strike? The blade hummed, and the sword qi of the Great Chaos Sword pierced through the void, becoming intangible. The light Bai Changqing had flicked missed the sword qi entirely.

"Bad move!" Bai Changqing’s brow furrowed. He hadn't expected Long Yun’s swordsmanship to be so profound. He quickly shed his dismissive attitude and struck out with his palm, the force transforming into a surging wave that roared outward!

This palm strike directly sealed the path of the Great Chaos Sword Art, forcing a head-on collision!

"Boom—" The sword qi exploded, and the resulting turbulence of chaotic energy raged violently. Amidst the swirling brilliance, Long Yun’s figure flashed and vanished. He employed the Seven Steps of Rising Dragon, closing the distance between them in an instant.

The ethereal essence of the Great Chaos Sword Art dissipated, replaced by a terrifying, all-encompassing killing intent.

The Myriad Obliteration Sword! Among the five absolute killing arts, this was the one with the most intense killing intent. Everything in heaven and earth was to be destroyed. In the moment the Myriad Obliteration Sword was unleashed, the ethereal aura of the Great Chaos Sword transformed into a direct, lethal blow.