Phew!

Su Xuan suddenly exhaled a sharp breath, his body slumping to the side.

He was completely out of strength. He had reserved some energy when he conjured the Upside-Down Buddha, but he'd used that last bit to form the Buddha's hand and strike Feng Zhengyuan!

At this point, he was virtually at the mercy of anyone.

All he could hope for was that the chaos would end here, with no more unexpected troubles.

"Kill! Kill him!"

But, contrary to his wishes, a dozen or so disciples from the Ten Cauldrons Sect suddenly burst through the flames. They rushed toward him with gleaming swords and sabers, intent on slaying him. They clearly intended to kill him while he was down.

"Hey," Su Xuan said, glancing weakly at the Third Elder. "Thanks, brother. You and... sister-in-law should run if you can. Don't worry about me."

"How could I!" The Third Elder's face was etched with panic, but he still rushed to Su Xuan's side, preparing to carry him on his back.

He couldn't possibly abandon his good younger brother! Nor could he choose a woman over his friend at a time like this!

"Everyone, stop right there!"

Just as the disciples were about to reach Su Xuan, the frail and delicate A-lian let out a fierce shout.

Although her cultivation was not high, she had put all her might into that shout. It was like a needle, piercing every person's heart amidst the chaos.

The disciples actually stopped in their tracks, their gazes converging on A-lian.

"Fu Yong is dead, and his killer has already been slain by Young Master Su. Do you wish to repay kindness with ingratitude?" A-lian enunciated each word clearly. "Now, all of you, get moving! Tend to the wounded and fight the fires! Stop getting in the way!"

The disciples seemed unmoved and began to step forward once more, but their pace was slow.

"From today on, I am in charge of the Ten Cauldrons Sect!" she declared. "Anything Fu Yong could give you, I can give you as well!

"But if you persist in this foolishness, I guarantee you will gain nothing!"

A-lian's palms were clenched tight as she spoke again. However, despair surfaced in her eyes once more. She didn't believe that she, a mere woman, could intimidate these disciples.

"How about we listen to her?" one disciple muttered.

"Yeah, let's go help with the rescue and the fires!"

"If we delay any longer, the Ten Cauldrons Sect will be as good as destroyed!"

But then, just as suddenly, the disciples began to back away, before turning and fleeing for their lives!

A-lian blinked in surprise, her gaze snapping toward Su Xuan. She saw a longsword gleaming with spiritual light, hovering in front of him and emanating an incredibly fearsome aura.

It's clear he still has the strength to fight! Killing those disciples would be no problem for him! That's why they ran... they're afraid of him!

But only Su Xuan knew the truth. He really didn't have a shred of strength left. The Ruyi Sword was protecting its master on its own!

"You all carry on," Su Xuan said. "I'm going to take a nap."

He then settled comfortably onto the ground, his weary eyes closing.

Just before he drifted off, his last sight was of the Third Elder hoisting him up and rushing him toward his room...

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

Su Xuan slowly awoke.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a ray of sunlight streaming through the latticed window and onto the floor. The Third Elder and A-lian were keeping vigil by his bedside.

"Brother Su, you're awake! Are you all right?" Seeing Su Xuan stir, the Third Elder's face lit up with excitement as he asked with concern.

A-lian also quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Su Xuan was undoubtedly her benefactor, her great savior. If anything had happened to him, she would have felt unbearably guilty.

"I'm fine." Su Xuan rubbed his forehead and pushed himself up, leaning against the edge of the bed. He then asked A-lian, "Is the sect all right?"

"It's fine." A-lian nodded. She was about to say more when the Third Elder interjected, "That sword of yours is truly remarkable! While you were asleep last night, it constantly patrolled the area, not letting a single person approach. It clearly has a spirit within it! The Ten Cauldrons Sect has also stabilized. Those fools are cleaning up the mess now."

He wasn't exaggerating. That Ruyi Sword acted like a sentient guardian. While Su Xuan was unconscious, it had ceaselessly circled his residence. It seemed ready to decisively strike down anyone who approached with ill intent.

"Return!" Su Xuan lifted his right hand, palm facing up.

WHOOSH!

A streak of light shot in from outside, landing in Su Xuan's palm. It was, of course, the Ruyi Sword.

"You've worked hard." Su Xuan then stored the Ruyi Sword in his sachet space.

He recalled his envy when he first saw Su Pei's White-Headed Sword, which could hunt down enemies on its own. He never expected his Ruyi Sword to have the same ability. Was this a power gifted from the White-Headed Sword, or was the Ruyi Sword inherently sentient? He leaned toward the latter.

"Young Master Su…" A-lian suddenly stood up. Then, just as abruptly, she bent her knees and knelt before Su Xuan. "I thought I was doomed to live a life that was neither human nor ghost, but your appearance has allowed me to…"

At this point, A-lian turned to look at the Third Elder.

The Third Elder nodded approvingly and placed a hand on A-lian's shoulder. Lifting the hem of his great red robe, he too prepared to kneel and thank Su Xuan.

"Hey!" Su Xuan waved his hand dismissively. "You're both my elders, aren't you trying to embarrass me? I can't accept this! Besides, I only stepped in because I wanted to borrow the Huo Yun Furnace to refine some pills."

With that, Su Xuan hurriedly got out of bed, helped A-lian up, and shot a glare at the Third Elder.

The Third Elder pouted and muttered, "I'm not just being polite! You've essentially given me a second life! I was also living like I was neither human nor ghost before…"

"Tell me," Su Xuan then said to A-lian, "how did Feng Zhengyuan from Shunfeng Immortal Mountain end up coming after you?"

This was something he was desperate to know. What exactly had A-lian and Fu Yong done to make Feng Zhengyuan try to kill them?

"Umm…" A-lian opened her mouth, then hesitated. Her gaze shifted to the Third Elder, as if she were hiding some unspeakable secret. An expression of fear flashed across her face.

She knew this wasn't over. Shunfeng Immortal Mountain was like a sword hanging over her head, ready to fall at any moment. And regarding the Nirvana Phoenix, she truly did have a secret that was difficult to voice.

"Go on," the Third Elder said, patting A-lian's hand reassuringly. "Whatever it is, I'm here... and my brother Su will back you up."

"This is what happened."

After a moment of contemplation, A-lian finally began to speak, telling a rather unbelievable story.

Shunfeng Immortal Mountain is home to a spirit bird called the Nirvana Phoenix. Every year, as winter approaches, the bird leaves the mountain and flies south to warmer lands to seek a mate before returning. Its migration path takes it past the Ten Cauldrons Sect.

In the past, whenever the Nirvana Phoenix was due to pass by, the Ten Cauldrons Sect would close its gates for a day and forbid any disciple from going outside, so as not to disturb the bird and risk offending Shunfeng Immortal Mountain.

The Nirvana Phoenix would always just pass by, never stopping at the Ten Cauldrons Sect.

But for some reason, something was different this time.

As the Nirvana Phoenix was passing over, it unexpectedly landed on the roof ridge of one of the great halls within the Ten Cauldrons Sect, and it refused to leave.

Its lingering presence... ultimately brewed disaster.

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