With this said, Shu Han’s interest was piqued, and he asked, “Who holds the most formidable martial arts within the Chaotian Sect today?”
Xiang Zuofeng let out a hearty laugh. “My Chaotian Sword Art can barely be ranked in the top ten of the sect, but when it comes to supreme skill, it is hard to say. In Elder Zhang’s faction, his grandson Zhang Wanxing possesses the strongest grasp, having brought the Chaotian Sword Art to Transcendence. Meanwhile, Elder He’s faction boasts Jiang Feiyu, known as the Mad Lion. His swordsmanship lacks Zhang Wanxing’s refinement, but he excels in open, sweeping power and overwhelming momentum.”
Shu Han asked, “Then the next Headmaster will be chosen from these two?”
“Indeed so. Yet neither of them has truly mastered the complete essence of our sect’s swordsmanship.”
“Oh? Who holds the complete art, and why are they not a candidate?”
Xiang Zuofeng explained, “The Essence of the Chaotian Sword Art is only passed down within the former Headmaster’s lineage. The true master of the art is naturally the old Headmaster’s daughter, Miss Mu Wan’er.”
Hearing this name, Shu Han froze.
“Big-Head Brother? What is wrong?”
Shu Han waved a hand and continued, “Then why does Miss Mu Wan’er not suppress the others with her skill and take the position of Headmaster?”
“You jest, Immortal Master. Our sect has always passed the title to men, not women. Although Mu Wan’er can suppress her peers in skill, the position cannot fall to her because she is the prize of the position itself. The Chaotian Sect has been led by the Mu family since its founding, so whoever wins this contest must marry Mu Wan’er and enter the family as a son-in-law.”
Shu Han narrowed his eyes, his tone chilling. “That is hardly fair to her.”
“Fairness? What does that matter?”
Xiang Zuofeng shrugged. “She is the sole heir of the Mu family and the only one who commands the true essence of the technique. If the sect and the family are to endure, this must be done. Furthermore, the disciples harbor no pity for her. If she had not stubbornly dragged the old lineage down to defend the martial world’s bottom line left by her father, the Chaotian Sect would never have fallen to this state!”
“Since when has defending principles become a crime?”
Taken aback by the sudden question, Xiang Zuofeng choked for a moment.
“Well… Immortal Master speaks in a vacuum. The martial world is an arena without principles. When everyone else casts them aside, what use is blind persistence?”
Shu Han did not answer. He let out a long, quiet sigh. “It seems I must unify these chaotic factions of Northern Yan after all. If endless infighting continues to devastate the mortal realm-worse even than during the Dragon Profound Sect’s reign-would I not be the ultimate cause?”
The first half of his words thrilled Xiang Zuofeng, but the second left him entirely baffled.
“With such noble ambition, the Immortal Master will surely lead the Chaotian Sect to new heights!”
Looking toward the distant sect gates, Shu Han said, “I am quite interested in this Mu Wan’er. Can you take me to see her first?”
“You wish to see her?”
Seeing Xiang Zuofeng’s surprise, Shu Han frowned. “Is there a problem?”
“You may have heard her name, Immortal Master, but that was from five years ago. Though she remains fair, she is no longer a young girl, and given your youthful appearance, I assumed…” Xiang Zuofeng offered a knowing leer. “If it is beauties the Immortal Master desires, the sect can easily provide them.” Read this novel at novelping . com for the best experience.
Shu Han’s face darkened.
How dare this wretch speak so lightly of Sister Wan’er?
Suppressing his fury, he said coldly, “Just tell me whether you can take me to her, and hold your tongue.”
“We can go, but her temper has turned fierce lately. The elders subdued her together and confined her in the rear courtyard.”
Shu Han took a deep breath and turned to Goudan. “Go with him to the sect first. Find our former Dragon Profound Sect brothers and tell them I have arrived. I am going to visit an old friend and will find you shortly.”
Goudan nodded.
With a flick of his energy, Shu Han rose from his horse, soared into the air, and left the riding party behind, streaking toward the inner compounds.
Xiang Zuofeng gasped. “The Immortal Master is…”
Goudan said coldly, “Mind your own business. Lead the way to my fellow disciples.”
Using the Object-Control Technique to pluck a passing disciple from the grounds and question him about the rear courtyard, Shu Han soon hovered above the secluded gardens.
Pavilions, rockeries, and dense bamboo groves filled the courtyard, creating a serene and picturesque landscape.
By the edge of a fish pond, Shu Han spotted a young girl wearing pigtails.
She appeared to be four or five years old, her sleeves rolled up as she tried to scoop up the darting goldfish.
The child was nimble, but the fish were quicker. After failing to catch a single one, she stamped her feet in frustration. Observing her from above, Shu Han noticed her brows bore a striking resemblance to Mu Wan’er from years past. He flicked his hand, casting a subtle technique.
The koi in the pond instantly leaped from the water in unison, circling through the air right before the little girl.
Covering her mouth in astonishment, the child squealed with delight as the fish danced around her.
Shu Han descended quietly to stand before her. “Do you like them?”
Brave despite her youth, the girl looked up at the stranger, her large eyes curving into crescents. She grabbed his sleeve with her chubby hand. “Big brother, are you the immortal my aunt talks about?”
Raising a small fist, she declared, “Immortal brother, can you help me chase away the bad people? They always come to bully my aunt!”
Suddenly, Shu Han’s spiritual perception flared. He tilted his head just as a sharp blade grazed his ear, embedding itself deeply into the rockery behind him.
“A’Ying! Come back! Get behind me!”
Hearing the call, the girl scampered over, clutching the woman’s hand and babbling excitedly, “Aunt, I saw an immortal! That big brother is an immortal!”
Shu Han turned to look at the woman. Her face was unchanged from a decade ago, stirring a torrent of emotions within his chest.
Sister Wan’er, it has been a long time.
Mu Wan’er glared at him, hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sharp and vigilant. “Who are you? You do not belong to the Chaotian Sect! Why have you snuck in here?”
Seeing her stance brought back vivid memories of the days she had spent teaching him the sword.
An irrepressible urge stirred in Shu Han. He reached out, drew the sword from the rockery, and charged without a word.
Her eyes flashing with fierce determination, Mu Wan’er left the child behind. Utilizing her Wandering Cloud Steps, she closed the distance instantly, her blade transforming into a thousand points of cold light as she unleashed the Hundred Phoenixes Face the Sun technique.
Shu Han met her blow with the exact same stance. The sword light he generated was even more dazzling and powerful than hers.
Shock rippled through Mu Wan’er. In all her memory, no one outside her direct lineage had ever mastered the sect’s swordsmanship to such a terrifying degree.
Could the elders have secretly trained another successor?
Moving with fluid grace, she transitioned into her next movement, Returning Wild Goose.
Yet no matter what technique she employed, the stranger countered with the identical move, executing it with a flawlessness that far surpassed even her own mastery as a direct descendant.
It felt less like a duel and more like dancing to a partner’s lead.
With a sharp ring of steel, her longsword was batted from her hand.
She had lost. Defeated utterly and completely in the art of the Chaotian Sword Art.
She had never suffered such a thorough defeat in her life.
Despite the loss, her heart hammered against her ribs. Trembling fingers rose to cover her mouth as she breathed, “You are…”
Shu Han smiled gently. “The student surpasses the master. Sister Wan’er, I concede.”