Chapter Forty: A Power Not to Be Underestimated-Eu só aceitei discípulos por acaso, como eles se tornaram Grandes Imperadores?(Espalhadas como estrelas sobre o rio inteiro.)

Ximen Feixue was the first to shake his head, saying, "Master, we only desire to cultivate with focus here on Tongtian Peak. While the worldly honors and riches are fine, they are, to me, far less precious than listening to your teachings and cultivating alongside my fellow brothers."

What a well-spoken sentiment!

Zhao Changsheng also cupped his hands in a slight salute and added, "Master, my junior brother speaks the truth. Ever since we arrived at Tongtian Peak, it is only through your meticulous guidance that we have attained our current level of cultivation."

"I, too, have no desire to leave Tongtian Peak."

Ye Xinghe felt that he had truly taken in two good disciples.

Not bad, not bad at all.

No sooner had the three of them stepped onto Tongtian Peak and barely had a moment to rest than the Master of Divine Sword Peak arrived, leading a host of disciples in a menacing manner.

The Master of Divine Sword Peak’s face was as dark as a thunderstorm, his complexion an ashen blue, clearly indicating he was furious to the extreme.

He marched directly up to Ye Xinghe, ignoring any basic social graces, and bellowed, "Ye Xinghe, you have a lot of nerve! To dare poison the food at my Divine Sword Peak—such sinister and cunning behavior is truly unworthy of your status as a peak master!"

"Today you must give me an explanation, otherwise, I will certainly not let this rest!"

Ye Xinghe frowned slightly, looking at the Master of Divine Sword Peak with indifference, and calmly replied, "My friend, from where does this baseless accusation arise?"

"I, Ye Xinghe, act with integrity and openness; how could I ever commit such a low-handed act? You come here to stir up trouble without distinguishing right from wrong—do you have any concrete evidence?"

The Master of Divine Sword Peak exploded with rage, shouting, "Evidence? Many of my disciples at Divine Sword Peak have suffered from abdominal pain, weakness, and some have even fallen unconscious after eating that poisoned meal. And the ingredients for that laxative are only found here on your Tongtian Peak!"

"If it wasn't you, then who was it? Do not try to quibble!"

Ye Xinghe’s lips curled into a slight, unbridled smile, and he admitted it with frankness, "That’s right, what if I did it? I, Ye Xinghe, have always acted as I please. I admit it quite generously—what can you and your Divine Sword Peak possibly do to me?"

Upon hearing this, the Master of Divine Sword Peak trembled with rage, his eyes wide.

What a scoundrel, this Ye Xinghe!

Gritting his teeth, he snarled, "Ye Xinghe, you shameless wretch! To be so arrogant today!"

Ye Xinghe, however, was unhurried and composed. He watched the furious Master of Divine Sword Peak and said slowly, "Don't be so quick to lose your temper. Don't you want to ask me why I did it?"

"I, Ye Xinghe, may be uninhibited, but I do not pick fights without reason. Are you not even a little curious about the cause?"

The Master of Divine Sword Peak was choked by Ye Xinghe’s words.

Suppressing his fury, he let out a cold snort and said, "Fine! I shall hear what sophistry you have to offer! If you cannot give me a satisfactory answer, today shall be your end!"

Ye Xinghe smiled faintly, a flash of profound meaning in his eyes, and said, "Do you still remember your actions at the Dragon Treasury Pavilion? Sending men to pose as disciples of my Tongtian Peak to snatch the Chaos Spirit Pearl, attempting to sow discord between my peak and the rest of the world—did you truly think you could deceive everyone with such a sinister scheme?"

"I merely returned the favor in kind. This was just a small warning. If there is a next time, it will not be so simple."

The Master of Divine Sword Peak’s face changed, and he felt a sense of dread.

He had thought the matter at the Dragon Treasury Pavilion was handled in secrecy; he had not expected Ye Xinghe to uncover the truth so quickly.

Yet, unwilling to show weakness before Ye Xinghe, he bit the bullet and said, "Do not go around making false accusations! How could my Divine Sword Peak do such a thing? This is slander, an excuse to justify your own evil deeds!"

Seeing the Master of Divine Sword Peak still putting on a show of feigned innocence, Ye Xinghe’s impatience grew. He furrowed his brows, a cold sharpness flashing in his eyes, and he shouted without ceremony, "Stop your posturing! I have laid the truth out clearly. If you still do not know when to leave, do not blame me for being heartless—get off Tongtian Peak, now!"

Hearing this blunt and forceful eviction, the Master of Divine Sword Peak felt his dignity shattered, as if he had been slapped hard across the face by Ye Xinghe.

"Ye Xinghe, how dare you humiliate me like this!"

The Master of Divine Sword Peak roared, his voice echoing across the entire peak.

He stared daggers at Ye Xinghe, his gaze as if he wanted to devour him alive.

"Who do you think you are, to speak to me like that! This debt today—I am not finished with you!"

With that, he swung his sleeve violently, turned to his disciples, and shouted, "Disciples, today this Tongtian Peak bullies us too far! How can we retreat? Attack! Let them know that Divine Sword Peak is not to be trifled with!"

"Who dares to bully my Master!"

Suddenly, the water vapor in the surroundings gathered rapidly, manifesting in the air as countless crystalline swords.

At the hilts of these swords, a water-blue light shimmered. Zhao Changsheng quickly formed hand seals and shouted, "Ten Thousand Swords into One!"

In an instant, the sky full of water swords seemed drawn by a powerful force, beginning to move and merge slowly.

Their blades interlaced and overlapped, their light fusing together to form a massive, colossal sword of water.

The giant sword was as wide as a door and spanned several yards in length.

Zhao Changsheng gripped the hilt with both hands and swung it fiercely toward the oncoming disciples of Divine Sword Peak.

As the giant sword sliced through the air, a massive water-blue blade arc erupted from it, sweeping toward the enemy like a surging tide.

Wherever the blade passed, the ground was plowed into a deep trench, dust flew into the air, and the surrounding trees and flowers were instantly flattened by the powerful surge of spiritual energy.

The disciples of Divine Sword Peak felt the overwhelming force rushing toward them, and their faces turned pale.

Seeing Zhao Changsheng unleash such a fierce "Ten Thousand Swords into One," the Master of Divine Sword Peak was greatly alarmed.

The power of this strike could not be underestimated. Not daring to delay, he immediately shifted his hand seals and shouted aloud:

"Divine Sword Spirit-Guard Formation, arise!"

As he shouted, the disciples of Divine Sword Peak stood in specific positions, their spiritual energies connecting to form a massive sword formation radiating golden light.

Within the formation, countless sword shadows swirled.

The massive water-blue blade slammed into the Divine Sword Spirit-Guard Formation with the force of a landslide.

In an instant, the golden and blue lights collided violently, emitting a deafening roar as powerful energy ripples spread wildly from the point of impact.

Zhao Changsheng and Ximen Feixue watched the battle closely, observing that after a moment of stalemate, the water-blue blade grew even more powerful.

Water elements began to swirl wildly around the blade, forming small vortices. These vortices acted like sharp blades, constantly slicing into the golden light of the formation.