Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao-Chapter 130 - 029: Invitation

Seeing everyone so wary, Zhou Yan’s face took on a somewhat mocking smile as he said, "What I’ve said is the truth, and I’m sure you all know that as an Artifact Sword Cultivator, there are unique ways I handle foreign objects, just like the flames under my control that are without a second.

However, while others’ flames are merely for Artifact Refining, my flames not only refine artifacts but also refine souls."

The flames in the palm of Zhou Yan’s hand wavered, casting his already somewhat sinister face in a new light, making him at that moment highly feared by almost all Cultivators.

Even those who had previously regarded him as ant-like were now regarding Zhou Yan with extreme seriousness.

"It turns out that Zhou Lingzhe is also a powerful Artifact Sword Cultivator. In that case, I, Chen Tianjian, have shown you discourtesy. Since Zhou Lingzhe wields a unique fire technique, we’ll consider this matter mishandled on our part, and hope that Zhou Lingzhe will not take offense."

Chen Tianjian’s scholarly white Spirit Armor made his aura especially distinguished.

Upon sensing the powerful life energy hidden within Zhou Yan’s body, he finally understood that here was indeed a True Spirit Level genius, and after a moment’s hesitation, he apologized for his actions.

He was quite a gentleman, and his manner of apologizing seemingly puzzled many Cultivators nearby.

Especially the arrogant young man who had previously provoked Zhou Yan was somewhat unable to understand—how could an ant whose Realm was merely at the Sword Heart Third Layer Heaven, not even having reached the Sword Spirit Realm, let alone the Sword Soul, cause Chen Tianjian to act foolishly?

He looked questioningly at a middle-aged man beside him, who seemed to grasp the youth’s meaning immediately and transmitted his voice, "Does the young master think Chen Tianjian has become a fool?"

"Of course not. I’m just wondering why he would be so polite to such a person."

The arrogant young man immediately conveyed his doubts to the middle-aged man.

"Ignorance. With Chen Tianjian’s capabilities, he would have already seen through the problem. You should also be aware of Zhou Yan’s identity. Besides, Feng Ling Bamboo has always been at odds with Zhou Yan’s group, but now she is protecting him, clearly indicating that Zhou Yan is not simple!

Moreover, when I arrived, his reputation was on the rise, prominent, a true Emperor Qi Sword Body from the new generation, and considering he reached the Sword Heart Realm, it goes without saying, he is no ordinary person."

The middle-aged man continued to transfer his insights, and at this moment, the arrogant youth’s demeanor became a bit more serious, and he dared not be as bold as before.

...

"Since Heavenly Sword Spirit has spoken this way, if I were to continue to mind, it would come across as rather petty.

There are so many Sword Intent Spirit Crystals here, but apart from a small part of this place, the rest, as I have seen, are unattainable because they are filled with tremendous danger. Thus, even if I were to disclose the method, everyone could use such flames to refine the ancient Sword Intent invasion, but they still wouldn’t be able to collect them,"

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and then affirmed confidently.

"Whether it is so or not is not for Zhou Lingzhe alone to say, right? After all, we won’t be able to gather that kind of powerful flames."

A delicate female voice came from within the crowd as a woman dressed in white, pure as snow, walked out. But the feel she gave off was ethereal.

She walked forward, standing there, and yet she seemed non-existent, embodying an ultimate sense of ethereal meaning.

As she spoke, a subtle yet powerful halo flowed around her body.

Ordinary Cultivators, even genius Cultivators like Chen Tianjian, could not sense the special energy flowing around her, but Zhou Yan spotted it immediately.

Not only did he notice, but the way he noticed also seemed to surprise the woman as if she suddenly realized he had spotted her, and the process was somewhat mystical.

But still, she had said such things.

Zhou Yan’s gaze locked upon this woman, as if trying to see through her, until her pretty face showed a hint of concealed irritation, then he withdrew his intrusive gaze.

"I know that you and all the Cultivators here are aware of the danger within these Sword Intent Crystal Stones. Seeing me obtain a Crystal Stone, and considering in your eyes I am but an ant, you feel indignant, don’t you?"

Zhou Yan looked at her, smiling slightly, his words brimming with confidence.

Standing silently beside Zhou Yan this whole time, Feng Ling Bamboo suddenly felt that even among top-genius cultivators like Chen Tianjian and Ji TaiXu, Zhou Yan did not falter at all.

Moreover, with Chen Tianjian’s capabilities, actually addressing Zhou Yan politely as ’Zhou Lingzhe,’ Zhou Yan showed no sign of being overly flattered; he seemed even more composed than them.

With that, the relative strengths were clear at a glance.

At that moment, seeing even the Snow Domain Saintess Feng Yunyan from the Heavenly Mountain Prefecture taking the initiative to speak with Zhou Yan, yet he remained unyielding in his ways, Feng Ling Bamboo couldn’t help but worry for Zhou Yan constantly.

She was concerned that Zhou Yan’s unfettered speech and conduct might offend these powerful individuals.

"How do you know what I’m thinking? Could it be that you actually wish to secretly consume all the Crystal Stones here and are thus deliberately spouting such ambiguous words?"

Upon hearing Zhou Yan’s words, the white-clad woman Feng Yunyan immediately raised new doubts.

And her words naturally led to many whispers among the Cultivators, as her status was no ordinary matter.

Yet at that moment, Zhou Yan seemed as if he hadn’t heard her at all, but simply kept his eyes focused on hers.

"Looks like you’ve acknowledged that point!"

The woman did not avoid Zhou Yan’s gaze; instead, she purposefully cornered him. It was clear that she was very eager to get her hands on the Sword Intent Crystal Stone.

"All of us aren’t fools; it’s obvious that you’re making unreasonable arguments. I took the crystal stone and you couldn’t, which in itself reveals something strange.

Don’t you know that before, when we were outside in the world, even energy was constrained around the perimeter of the Ancient Forbidden Road?

In what was essentially a death zone, there was an enormous surge of life energy. You must have considered where all that vitality came from.

This crystal stone was originally placed here for everyone to compete over, to fight to the death for, and now, it just so happens that I have the ability to take a portion. This probably also counts as one of the variables in this Ancient Land.

If I had the ability to take the crystal stone and didn’t, we would all end up losing our life energy in the melee, becoming an energy source for the ancient array outside.

By taking the crystal stone, I’m indirectly diffusing the battle.

That’s something you should understand. You’re cornering me like this merely because you want to get the Sword Intent Crystal Stone from me."

Zhou Yan’s every word pierced to the heart, causing many of the Cultivators present to look at him with newfound respect.

A flash of brilliance crossed Feng Yunyan’s eyes, and then she took a breath and said softly, "Alright, I admit it, before, we were all trapped by the ancient array of the Sword Intent Crystal Stone. It’s because you took the Sword Intent Crystal Stone that we were able to get out.

You’ve done us all a favor, but I won’t be grateful to you, because your purpose was not to save us, but solely for the Sword Intent Crystal Stone."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan said, "Oh? That’s your reason?"

"Isn’t it? If you had wanted to form good relations with all of us here, you wouldn’t have this current attitude, and you would have broken the array to save others first. That would be consistent with your argument. But in reality, you’ve taken all the resources we fought hard for, naturally we’re not convinced."

Feng Yunyan didn’t conceal anything and laid out the specifics of what had happened.

Hearing this, Zhou Yan shook his head and said, "I think you’ve even corrupted your brains with your cultivation—I ask you, the Sword Intent Crystal Stone of the ancient array originates from the cycle of energy, and the crystal is the foundation. If I had broken the array first, then the array would automatically derive deadly mechanisms, and you would only die faster!

It’s like a feint to the east while attacking in the west. I had to take the foundation of the array first for it to stop attacking you and instead protect its own foundation.

That is the real way to rescue everyone.

As for those Sword Intent Crystal Stones, I don’t want to explain further. That’s my reward for saving you, and I didn’t expect any other recompense from you."

Zhou Yan spoke convincingly, and these words left Feng Yunyan completely stumped.

Her stunned demeanor had an incomparable aura of ethereal spirituality, capable of immersing one’s self into it.

This wasn’t infatuation, but a challenge to people’s aesthetic appreciation taken to the extreme. Such an expression, even Zhou Yan couldn’t help but be fascinated by it.

Because her appearance was like a breathtaking view—after one glance, you can’t help but desire another.

At this time, not just for Feng Yunyan, but also for geniuses like Chen Tianjian, who realized the true reason behind the Sword Intent Crystal Stone here, they finally had a clear view of why they had mysteriously been saved.

Consequently, they felt a measure of respect for Zhou Yan.

Feng Yunyan pondered Zhou Yan’s words and found them more and more reasonable.

"If that’s what you say, then, temporarily, your explanation is acknowledged! We fought tooth and nail, and in the end, all the Sword Intent Crystal Stones fell into your hands..."

Feng Yunyan still seemed somewhat hung up on this issue.

But Zhou Yan understood that it was just her last bit of contemplation. In fact, he said so much because he was certain that this woman actually didn’t have too many frivolous thoughts.

She was like many women, who could be very tough in front of those they disliked, but could no longer muster that strength when faced with someone they had a good impression of.

Zhou Yan kept watching her, finding her more and more like the statue woman from the Forbidden Land. That’s why he felt compelled to say so much.

"What are you looking at?! What’s there to see?!"

After various expressions, Feng Yunyan gradually calmed down but still glared at Zhou Yan with irritation.

"Naturally, I’m looking at you. A beautiful woman like you, when you want to get angry but can’t, when you want to be calm but can’t achieve it, that’s when you’re the most beautiful. At such times, naturally, I must take a few more glances,"

Zhou Yan said, smiling.

"Don’t sweet-talk me. You think I’m one of your maids, that easily moved?

This time, even if your explanation makes sense! Now, I formally invite you to join our temporary group. How about it?

We have powerful Array Sword Cultivators and Artifact Sword Cultivators here, enough to deal with many unnecessary dangers..."

After a moment of hesitation, Feng Yunyan set aside the topic and suddenly extended an invitation to Zhou Yan.