The Trash Sect's Ascension - chapter 7

The number one person on the Nine Provinces Continent, Sword Sect Leader Lu Mingzhao, is my father.

We met for the first time in a hundred years.

There were no tears of reunion, no warm words.

He pointed at the Sect Stone Tablet beneath my feet, his eyes sharp and cold: “What are you doing? Are you insane?!”

I deliberately pressed my foot down harder, feigning satisfaction. “I heard the Sword Sect recently acquired a new Sword Master and is throwing a grand celebration, full of pride and joy. Yet my Sunset Glow Sect has just produced a Wicked Disciple, who murdered her Master and seized our treasure, sending the entire sect into mourning. Your sect rejoices while mine grieves; the contrast couldn’t be clearer. I am small-minded, and it sits ill with me. By coincidence, my Master was buried a few days ago, and there was still a need for a fine gravestone before his tomb. I see this Mountain Guard Stone of your Sword Sect is sturdy enough-centuries of wind and rain have left it standing. It is barely worthy to guard my Master’s tomb, though it is somewhat large, so I had to take matters into my own hands.”

My father gritted his teeth. “Wretch, do you have a death wish?!”

I raised the broken sword in my hand, aiming it at Jiang Li, who looked shocked behind him, and said with a lazy smile, “Indeed, a death wish. My Junior Brothers and Sisters and I have come a thousand miles to the Sword Sect-what we seek is the death of Jiang Li!”

Though Xian Shuang was broken, its sword energy remained.

Under the cold, piercing pressure of the sword energy, Jiang Li trembled from head to toe, her face as pale as snow, barely able to grip the Returning Snow Sword in her hand.

I sneered: “As the Returning Snow Sword Master, yet you can’t even withstand the might of my Xian Shuang Broken Sword. The Returning Snow Sword in your hand is truly a pearl gathering dust.”

Shamed and angry, Jiang Li gritted her teeth, gripping the Returning Snow Sword with both hands and holding it before her.

But just because the Divine Sword recognized its master did not mean she could communicate with its will.

Without a long period of harmonization, trying to control a Divine Sword would only provoke resistance from the Sword Spirit.

As expected, the Returning Snow Sword was utterly uncooperative in Jiang Li’s hands, forcing her into a flustered defense, nearly injuring herself.

I seized the opportunity and struck with the broken sword, but at the crucial moment, it was blocked by the Flowing Wind Sword.

The blades of Flowing Wind and Xian Shuang Broken Sword collided, producing a sharp, explosive clang.

I clenched my teeth. “Move!”

Xie Changgeng, dressed in purple robes and a jade belt, stood firmly in front of Jiang Li, lips tightly pressed, not daring to meet my gaze. “Senior Sister, let it go. Xian Shuang is already broken. You are no match for me now.”

Once, I was the one who led Xie Changgeng into the sect, teaching him all his swordsmanship.

Even after Flowing Wind recognized him as its master, every time we sparred, I suppressed him completely with Xian Shuang.

Now, as our blades crossed, the broken sword trembled under the relentless pressure of the Flowing Wind Sword, barely able to withstand the force.

A trace of reluctance flashed in Xie Changgeng’s eyes. “Senior Sister, please don’t be stubborn. All the disciples are here-I don’t want to see you humiliated.”

Rage boiled in my heart.

Jiang Li was within arm’s reach, just a step away from death, yet Xie Changgeng stood in my way.

And he wasn’t wrong-with only the broken sword in my hand, I truly couldn’t defeat Xie Changgeng, who was empowered by the Flowing Wind Sword.

But there was always another way.

The soft fear the hard, the hard fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who risk it all.

The shorter the weapon, the greater the danger-it’s all a matter of resolve!

I suddenly withdrew my strength, abandoning resistance to the oncoming Flowing Wind Sword, and hurled my broken sword at Jiang Li’s chest with all my might.

Even at the cost of my arm, today I would slay this Wicked Disciple who betrayed Master and sect!

Xie Changgeng was shocked. His blade twisted, and agony shot through my left arm.

At that moment, a flash of deep blue sword light appeared before me.

It was my father’s Imperial White Sword.

In that split second, the Xian Shuang Broken Sword was struck away by the Imperial White Sword, scraping dangerously past Jiang Li’s face before clattering to the ground.

Even so, the biting sword energy of Xian Shuang left a long, fine wound on her left cheek.

Jiang Li was still stunned by what had just happened, her eyes unfocused.

Bright red blood trickled down her pale face, staining the Sword Sect’s purple robes embroidered with the Returning Snow Sword’s insignia.

Clutching my bleeding left arm, I laughed heartily. “A scratch on my arm in exchange for the Returning Snow Sword Master’s face-worth it!”

Wounds caused by the Xian Shuang Sword were notoriously difficult to heal.

On the surface, they seemed like thin cuts, but in truth, they ran deep. With lingering sword energy, even when they healed, scars were inevitable.

Jiang Li had always prided herself on her cold and peerless beauty. Upon hearing my words, her anger and shame overwhelmed her, and she fainted on the spot.

Lu Mingzhao’s face was like storm clouds bearing down on a city.

He had always valued reputation above all else.

He had hoped to flaunt the Sword Sect’s strength at the Dual Cultivation Ceremony of two Divine Sword Masters-Flowing Wind and Returning Snow-in front of all the sects of the Nine Provinces. He never expected I would turn everything upside down, not even sparing the Mountain Guard Stone at the sect’s entrance.

“Sword Envoy, where are you? Take this Wretch to the Punishment Hall to await judgment!”