Ending

Then, the sound of metal being forged began to ring throughout the city.

Lin Ran looked at Liu Hongshan’s corpse and frowned. What war? With whom? Which side was Liu Hongshan on? Why was Xuan Wushang a lunatic?

Countless questions occupied his mind. Lin Ran felt that his head was about to explode!

“Xuan Wushang!”

!!

historical

Lin Ran’s eyes were red as he squeezed out a name from between his teeth. Although he had no clue, he knew that all the answers were on Xuan Wushang!

…

Amidst the sound of metal being forged, a black shadow swept past the empty street like a gust of wind and smashed through the door of the magistrate’s office.

Countless pieces of meat of different sizes were scattered in the originally spacious courtyard. However, even in this hell-like scene, Lin Ran only watched quietly without moving his eyelids.

On the roof of the hall, a slender figure stood quietly. His elegant face made him look like a scholar, but the white robe he was wearing was already dyed red by blood.

Seeing Lin Ran barge into the courtyard, a smile appeared on Xuan Wushang’s face. “You’re finally here.”

“What did you do?”

Lin Ran asked expressionlessly and coldly. He slowly reached out with his right hand, but it was not his usual sword, but a long and narrow saber that was as black as ink.

“It’s nothing. I just killed a few people.”

Xuan Wushang smiled faintly as if it was a small matter. His gaze landed on the Black Shadow Saber in Lin Ran’s hand. “I’m the emperor of the Great Yong Dynasty. Can’t I control the life and death of a few ants?”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Lin Ran looked at the corpses in the courtyard without any fluctuation of emotions in his deep eyes. “What did you do?”

Hearing the killing intent in Lin Ran’s words, the smile on Xuan Wushang’s face slowly disappeared. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked an unrelated question, “Do you want to shatter the void and ascend?”

Lin Ran’s eyes were filled with mockery. Breaking through the void and ascending was the dream of almost all martial artists. Unfortunately, it was not for him.

As soon as Xuan Wushang finished speaking, he opened his arms against the strong wind and shouted with a fanatical expression, “I’ve been lying low for ten years for this unprecedented plan! As long as you and I join forces, we can shatter the void and ascend together.”

At this point, Xuan Wushang suddenly pointed at Lin Ran. “At that time, I can give you everything you want, including wealth, women, power, and reputation!”

“Do I look like an idiot to you?”

Lin Ran looked at Xuan Wushang coldly. “What makes you think you can definitely ascend?”

“Because of this!”

Xuan Wushang raised his hand to show Fluttering Cloud, which was dyed red with blood. “This saber—oh, no, this divine artifact was left behind by an ancient Martial Immortal. As long as there’s a huge amount of evil aura as a catalyst, it can split open the Heavenly Gate to help us reach the Immortal World!”

Looking at the fanatic Xuan Wushang, Lin Ran suddenly figured out many questions.

For example, why did Xuan Wushang hand Fluttering Cloud over to Chen Tianqi back then? Why did he stay in the dark dungeon for more than ten years? Why did Xuan Wushang always work with different people despite having a clear goal? Why did he ignore the grudges between the people he worked with?

This was because what he was plotting had nothing to do with a certain party or even a dynasty. He just wanted to use these people to cause as much chaos as possible.

The more chaos there was, the more evil aura there would be, and he would be one step closer to his goal!

“Is that why you want to join forces with me?”

Lin Ran’s heart skipped a beat. He said in an emotionless tone, “Initiate a war to breed evil aura and let me, a martial artist at the seventh level of the Half-Saint Realm, take action?”

“That’s right!”

Xuan Wushang replied excitedly. “As long as you agree, I’ll immediately use all the hidden chess pieces I’ve set up in the past ten years. At that time, the seven countries in the world will be pulled into the flames of war!”

“The evil aura it produces is enough to lure out the Heavenly Gate, and all you have to do is wave your hand and we can reach the Immortal World!”

“It sounds… not bad.”

Lin Ran nodded thoughtfully, as if he was really tempted by Xuan Wushang’s idea.

Xuan Wushang was overjoyed when he heard this, but before he could continue, the smile on Lin Ran’s face suddenly disappeared. Instead, he said in a disdainful tone, “Unfortunately, you couldn’t succeed.”

“What did you say?”

Xuan Wushang’s expression instantly darkened. “Could it be that even you don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I can’t believe you.”

Lin Ran sneered and instantly activated the Mystic Gate Sword Technique. In a flash, he landed on the roof and looked at Xuan Wushang.

“This Fluttering Cloud isn’t a divine artifact at all. It can’t summon the Heavenly Gate.”

Lin Ran sneered and said, “And your so-called ‘ancient Martial Immortal’ is just an evil cultivator who failed to ascend.”

“Liar!”

Xuan Wushang roared angrily. The scarlet Fluttering Cloud surged like a sea of blood that wanted to devour Lin Ran!

Lin Ran’s heart skipped a beat, but he still said slowly in a calm tone, “Gathering fog as bones, weaving clouds as clothes; eyes and ears are profound and true.”

Xuan Wushang’s expression changed drastically. “How do you know the Cloud Breaking Technique?”

“To be precise, this is called Cloud Breaking Slash.”

Lin Ran corrected him with a faint smile. As he spoke, a small piece of gauze cloth that was like a white petal rolled between his fingers.

“This is—”

Xuan Wushang’s eyes widened, but it was too late for him to realize that something was wrong.

As Lin Ran waved his left hand down, Fluttering Cloud, which was originally elegant and agile, suddenly tightened its grip. Xuan Wushang’s expression changed as he hurriedly circulated his internal energy to resist, but Fluttering Cloud, which had once been at his beck and call, did not listen to his command at all!

“The Heavenly Dao is revealed. It’s retribution.”

Lin Ran said coldly, “You brought this upon yourself.”

With that said, Fluttering Cloud, which was like a scarlet sea of blood, suddenly surged violently. Then, with a bang, it exploded into a blood mist that filled the sky!

...

With Xuan Wushang’s death, this calamity was finally resolved. However, someone still had to clean up the mess he left behind.

Lin Ran sighed helplessly and let the corner of Fluttering Cloud fall. His figure turned into a shadow and disappeared.

For the next ten years, Lin Ran disappeared without a trace as if he had never appeared. However, the legend of the “Nameless Sword God” circulated in the martial world…