197: As you wish

"Liu Xuan, is it?"

"Senior Brother Zhu wants to see you. Come with us!"

The leader spoke in a flat tone, not arrogant, but rather as if he were accustomed to such things.

Both of them were young, likely in their early twenties. In an ordinary Golden Core Sect, they would be Geniuses capable of entering the Inner Sect.

Coming from a Nascent Soul Sect, even as the lowest-ranking Outer Sect Disciples, they naturally carried a bit of arrogance.

Liu Xuan was puzzled, but he did not say much. He stood up and led the women outside. "Lead the way!"

The two men gave Liu Xuan another puzzled look. Since arriving in Yongning, the gossip and rumors they had heard most were about him.

This was a legendary figure, hailed by many as the number one Genius of the Red Pine Sect!

But at the same time, some secretly called him a lecher, the Bee Daoist, a stud...

The rumors surrounding Liu Xuan were countless, and many defied logic. With their experience, they had never heard of such a person.

Looking at the exceptionally beautiful women by Liu Xuan's side, they were not sure about the other rumors, but the point about him being lecherous was definitely true.

The group slowly arrived at the county government hall. A handsome youth sat in the seat of honor, with the former County Magistrate, Fang Qingyuan, accompanying him on the side.

The handsome youth had a casual posture, a green bamboo sword hung at his waist, and he was holding a cup of Spirit Wine, tasting it carefully.

"Senior Brother Zhu, Liu Xuan has been brought here!" the two Disciples stepped forward to report.

"I am Liu Xuan, greetings, Fellow Daoist!" Liu Xuan bowed slightly, then casually found a seat and sat down.

Zhu Zhiheng put down his wine cup, glanced at the women by Liu Xuan's side—Lu Ping, Zhang Kexin, Zi Lan, and Xia He—and a flash of displeasure crossed his eyes.

"It is rumored that Fellow Daoist Liu is extremely lecherous and cannot live without women. It seems the rumors are true!"

Zhu Zhiheng's tone was full of mockery, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly became strange.

The four women's faces turned ugly at the same time. Regardless of what Liu Xuan was like or whether he was truly lecherous, they would not allow him to be mocked by others in such a setting.

Seeing that the atmosphere was wrong, Fang Qingyuan hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. He poured a cup of Spirit Wine for Zhu Zhiheng and smiled:

"Talisman Master Liu has unparalleled talent and is highly regarded by both Ancestor Qingyun and the Immortal Master. It is perfectly normal for a young man to be romantic."

After speaking, he bowed slightly to Liu Xuan and the others. "Talisman Master Liu, this is Senior Brother Zhu, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect and a Prodigy of the Upper Sect. He has been ordered to station in Yongning. Please cooperate with him!"

Liu Xuan did not really care; he was indeed lecherous, and the other party was not wrong...

Being lecherous was not a derogatory term, and it had no impact on him. He just felt bored and a bit annoyed!

"Fellow Daoist, let us discuss business. I have things to do later."

Zhu Zhiheng also knew that Liu Xuan had some background, so he did not deliberately make things difficult and spoke directly:

"My Revered Master, Old Ancestor Peng, has been ordered to station in Yongning to oversee all affairs. The Yongning Merchant Alliance, combined with most of the families in Yongning, should be managed by the county government!"

"If you cooperate fully, Fellow Daoist, I will report this to my Revered Master, and I will make sure you are credited for it!"

Liu Xuan was stunned!

He had not expected that the other party was really eyeing the Yongning Merchant Alliance, asking him to hand over the Merchant Alliance he had managed for over a decade based on just a light promise of credit.

"Does your Revered Master know about this?" Liu Xuan looked at Zhu Zhiheng and asked curiously.

As far as Liu Xuan knew, although Peng Jiayu was sent by the Heavenly Sword Sect, he was still under the jurisdiction of the Red Pine Sect and True Person Xiao. If he was sensible, he should not be provoking him.

As long as True Person Xiao was alive, he would always be the sky of the Red Pine Sect! Unless those Late Golden Core Stage and Perfection big shots from the Heavenly Sword Sect stepped in, or a Nascent Soul True Lord appeared, no one else would have any sway.

'I am the target for Possession chosen by True Person Xiao. A mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, who gave him the guts to provoke me?!'

Liu Xuan did not feel much anger; he was more curious.

"Presumptuous!"

Zhu Zhiheng was furious. He slapped the table and pointed at Liu Xuan, "How dare you show disrespect to my Revered Master!!!"

His Qi Refining Perfection Aura exploded instantly, carrying a sharp intent.

The prototype of Sword Intent!

Everyone in the hall felt as if a sharp sword was hanging over their heads. Their Dantian mana began to circulate automatically, subconsciously preparing to defend.

Liu Xuan was confused!

How was that disrespectful to his Revered Master? He was clearly looking for trouble!

"You cannot make the decision on this matter. Let your Revered Master come and talk to me!" Liu Xuan said impatiently.

He remained seated, and the fierce Sword Dao Aura in the hall had no effect on him.

"Good, good, good!"

Zhu Zhiheng laughed in extreme anger. Let his Revered Master come to talk? Since leaving the Sect, he had never seen anyone so arrogant.

"I have heard a rumor about you, Fellow Daoist Liu, claiming that your talent for the Sword Dao is extraordinary and that you have long since grasped Sword Intent. Today, I would like to ask for some pointers."

"Zheng~"

The green bamboo sword at his waist flew out instantly. Sharp Sword Intent filled the air; just the Aura alone made one's skin sting.

Fang Qingyuan's expression changed drastically, but he was powerless to stop it, and a sense of fear arose in his heart.

If Liu Xuan died, and Ancestor Qingyun and True Person Xiao investigated, he would definitely be implicated!

Beside Liu Xuan, Zi Lan, who was at Qi Refining Perfection, was the first to react. A purple flame flew out to meet the green bamboo sword.

"Puchi~"

The purple flame was extinguished and dissipated, and the green sword light headed straight for Liu Xuan's face.

Liu Xuan raised a finger and tapped. The sword light disintegrated inch by inch, revealing the green bamboo sword itself.

"A top-grade Magical Artifact Flying Sword! Good quality."

He picked up the green bamboo sword and flicked it with his finger.

"Ding!!"

The green Flying Sword was stained with a layer of blood-red light. Liu Xuan waved his hand, and the sword light returned along the original path, while Liu Xuan's gentle voice sounded:

"As you wish. Be more careful in your next life."

The blood-red sword light was not dazzling, nor did it have any imposing Aura, and its speed was not even fast.

But in Zhu Zhiheng's eyes, immense fear arose. He felt that all his mana was locked by this sword strike, and death was certain!

Sword Intent!

This was true Sword Intent, and it was a relatively profound Killing Sword Intent, born specifically for slaughter and destruction.

'Complete Sword Intent. This is a Domain that only Foundation Establishment Cultivators can touch. Is Liu Xuan a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?'

Before death, this thought arose in Zhu Zhiheng's mind.

As for a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator grasping complete Sword Intent, such a Genius would be a Core Disciple even in the Heavenly Sword Sect, or even a Saint or Saintess level existence, which was even more impossible.

"Ding!"

Just as the sword light was about to pierce into Zhu Zhiheng's body, a figure suddenly appeared beside him, waving a sleeve to knock the Flying Sword down.

Zhu Zhiheng, with lingering fear in his eyes, looked at the figure beside him. His legs suddenly went weak, and he knelt down, crying out:

"Revered Master! If you had come any later, I would have been dead!"

He had been a Genius since childhood, cultivating on the Green Bamboo Peak of the Heavenly Sword Sect, living in luxury. This was the first time he had been so close to death.

After the fear came immense shame and anger. The fear in his eyes turned into intense humiliation and hatred, and with red eyes, he pointed at Liu Xuan below.

"Revered Master! It was this person who wanted to kill me, and he was disrespectful to you. You must avenge me!!"