High Martial World: I Gain Passive Skills Daily-Chapter 84 - 83: Demon Sword Host

Fan Chuan, overwhelmed with anger and pain from having his tongue cut, fainted on the spot in a pool of blood.

The ground was littered with bodies, and the remaining students were paralyzed with fear, clinging to the pavilion pillars, exchanging terrified glances, not daring to move.

When immortals wage war, mortals suffer.

Meanwhile, the two guards escorting Gu Zitao had already released him and hurried back to administer first aid to their Young Master before taking him away.

Their initially aggressive demeanor had turned into a frantic retreat, which appeared somewhat comical.

But unfortunately, no one else present found it amusing.

Liang Zhi, still retaining some sense, swallowed hard and looked at Chen Ning:

"What, what do we do now? The Cao Bang is powerful, and if they investigate, we won’t escape too..."

Chen Ning was also tense, her fingers trembled slightly, crumpling the scroll in her hand. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and steadied herself to reply in a low voice:

"You and the others, quickly go home to inform your families. I’ll have my brother and father arrange for you and your families to be brought to the South Pier."

"With the Chen Family here, we can at least protect you for a while..."

After all, it was she who implicated these people.

Chen Ning had deduced from Fan Chuan’s words that he was trying to test the Chen Family. No matter what event was held today—be it a poetry gathering or anything else—Fan Chuan would have found an excuse to cause trouble.

Today it was her, Chen Ning; another day it would be Chen An!

Some of the students were overjoyed, quickly stepping over to express their gratitude to Chen Ning with a bow, then hurriedly leaving the pavilion.

But when Chen Ning noticed one person’s evasive expression, she stepped aside to block his path.

With a hint of anger in her eyes, she said, "As for you, Tang Shan, the Chen Mansion does not welcome those who are two-faced. Since you want the glory and wealth the Cao Bang can offer and are willing to betray your classmates for it, then go seek the protection of the Cao Bang."

Tang Shan’s expression shifted, and he retorted, "I just spoke the truth, didn’t I? Wasn’t that poem written by Gu Zitao?!"

"He sought temporary satisfaction at the cost of implicating us. Can’t I speak the truth?"

He shouted, "Better to let him bear the blame alone than have us all suffer! I’m doing this for everyone’s sake!"

Chen Ning looked at him, deeply disappointed: "He sought temporary satisfaction, but it was ultimately for Liang Kingdom. What about you?"

"Are you willing to willingly transform from a Liang Kingdom person into a Zhou Kingdom one?"

"Fan Chuan today seems to speak for the Cao Bang, but in reality, he’s silencing the Great Zhou Civilization Official. Today it’s a poem, a name, tomorrow it will be a word, a glance!"

"You opened your mouth today, tomorrow no one will speak for you!"

Tang Shan, defiantly, said, "So what do you want? I tell you, I’m not afraid of you Chen Family!"

Chen Ning shook her head: "Go, then. This is the path you chose."

Tang Shan sighed in relief, eagerly trying to slip away, but after just a few steps, he was met by Gu Zitao, who punched him directly from outside the garden wall.

He was stunned, but Gu Zitao didn’t intend to let him off and followed up with a violent assault.

Chen Ning looked towards the small building beside them and said, "Thank you, senior, for saving us... May I know the senior’s name? I, Chen Ning, shall repay this life-saving grace another day."

"This young girl isn’t very old, yet she speaks quite sensibly."

Qi Sibai looked at the scholarly young girl below, seemingly quite appreciative.

Shen Meinan, feeling indignant, said, "I’m about the same age, yet not equally reasonable?"

Qi Sibai shook his head: "That’s to say, when in doubt you scream and draw your sword to slash at people?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Meinan angrily drew her sword, let out a loud cry, preparing to fight Qi Sibai to the death.

Chen Kuang embraced her waist, stopping her, pressing her back into her seat.

Qi Sibai, amused, said, "When I said she was sensible in her speech, I meant she sees things clearly, knows what to say, and isn’t afraid of matters, which is quite remarkable for someone who isn’t a cultivator."

He then looked at Chen Kuang: "However, Brother Chen doesn’t plan to kill Fan Chuan? This man is narrow-minded and might retaliate against the Chen Family."

Chen Kuang shook his head: "No killing."

He curled his lips: "I’m just afraid that after he learns of Brother Qi’s identity, he won’t dare retaliate."

Qi Sibai was taken aback, then laughed heartily: "Then I must be more courteous to them."

Chen Kuang cupped his hands: "Apologies, Brother Qi."

Qi Sibai laughed and said, "No problem, no problem, as long as Brother Chen can let me know the whereabouts of the ’Demon Sword’, I’ll even revolve around you."

He had said similar words earlier on the tower ship to Lin Er You.

Chen Kuang’s intention was clear; he wanted the Cao Bang to act against the Chen Family, thereby justifying the Chen Family’s ascension.

As for what Qi Sibai did just now, it was all part of Chen Kuang’s conditions for speaking.

Chen Kuang looked down, and seeing Chen Ning receiving no response, she assumed it was a refusal to answer. After hesitating, she left a hairpin as a token and departed Xianyu Nunnery.

Shortly thereafter, a servant came to clean, delivering the hairpin to the room.

Chen Kuang took the hairpin and said solemnly:

"I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble Brother Qi this time."

"You probably already know that I am entrusted by Huo Hengxuan to escort that mother and daughter out of Liang Kingdom."

Qi Sibai, hearing this, had a vague premonition, and said in a deep voice:

"Is the Demon Sword related to the mother and daughter?"

Chen Kuang nodded, recounting the information he had previously learned from Chu Wen Ruo and Qing Cuo, combined with the information provided by Shen Meinan.

"Void Illusion Realm, Eternal Purgatory, sun and moon sharing the sky, exchange for this world..."

Qi Sibai murmured, looking at Chen Kuang, and said gravely: "This is the first time I’ve seen someone witness the scene of the Demon Sword changing hosts."

"Host?"

"Yes, that Demon Sword actually has no physical form, which is why the Sword Lodge could not find it in the Sword Casting Furnace."

Qi Sibai said: "Because as soon as the first person approached the Sword Casting Furnace, the Demon Sword had already taken them as its host."

"And that person was Jie Kun’s master, Tie Baiyuan."

"At the time, people at the Sword Lodge merely thought he fainted due to witnessing a traitor’s evil act he couldn’t accept, but unexpectedly, he went mad after being unconscious for seven days and disappeared without a trace."

"Strangely, after his disappearance, all 170 people caring for him at home also went mad and eventually committed suicide."

"After that, the Demon Sword reappeared a second time seven years ago, a third time three years ago, and the fourth time is now."

"But regrettably, each time I arrived, I was one step too late. Each time the result was the same... the Demon Sword and its host vanished, and everyone around the host went mad."

"I initially didn’t understand the reason, but now hearing these words, I have somewhat understood, this must be the so-called ’Void Illusion Realm’."

"And only this time, I finally managed to catch up..."

Qi Sibai’s expression was heavy as he said: "The Demon Sword has already changed hosts three times. The first time, 170 people went mad, the second time, 1,100, the third time, 15,600."

Hearing this, Chen Kuang took a sharp breath, a bit shocked, as such an increase in numbers was indeed outrageous.

"Each time, more and more people go mad. If we can’t stop it this time, the Demon Sword might cause even more people to go insane..."

Qi Sibai said gravely: "I can’t even begin to imagine!"

Chen Kuang straightened his back and said: "Brother Qi, please elaborate."