Ren Yuanhao saw the old man unbuckle his wine gourd again and retracted his blade.
"Senior, if you don't intend to stop me, I'm going to rescue them now."
"Rescue them? That won't do. This area is under my jurisdiction. If you rescue those fellows from me, where will my face be?"
Just then, Ren Yuanhao suddenly caught sight of a tall building to his right, piercing the sky like a needle. It was majestic and imposing, but unfortunately, the sky was too dark. He could only make out the nearly straight stairs, completely unable to see the structure at the top.
"Lin Xian Lou?"
The old fellow sneered, "That place is a rare sight in this world, and also a rare prison." At this point, a rare sense of melancholy, even fear, flickered across the old man's face, followed by a casual smile. "Who exactly are you, young man? You clearly know the Tian Chi Blade Technique, yet you've practiced something like a four-unlike-anything. Your true qi is abundant, and among the younger generation, you are likely a rare gem. I'm very curious, who exactly are you?"
"I'm just a nobody," Ren Yuanhao said with a self-deprecating laugh, then held his long saber horizontally again. "Senior, since you're unwilling to let me pass to rescue them, we'll have to settle this with words."
After taking a swig of clear wine, the old fellow immediately adopted a scoundrel's demeanor. "I'm not fighting anymore. The outcome would be the same anyway. I can't kill you, and you can't gain any advantage from me. However, I'm willing to give you a chance now."
Upon hearing that there was a chance, Ren Yuanhao's spirits immediately lifted.
"Please, senior, speak."
"Where did you get this saber? This is an ancient artifact of the Dongfang clan. Could it be that you are Dongfang Jing's man?"
— Damn, the old guy knows quite a lot. It seems I have no choice but to answer truthfully.
"No, senior, you've guessed wrong. This was given to me by Granny Dongfang Ji. Moreover," Ren Yuanhao's long saber vibrated, "I haven't even used my full strength yet! If you really intend to stop me, I'll have to fight my way through with my life!"
As Ren Yuanhao spoke, his blade seemed to flow with scorching true qi, blurring everything around its body!
"Such powerful fire-attribute true qi. But you are not a cultivator; you don't have the Golden Lotus within you." The old fellow still had no intention of drawing his saber, merely taking another sip of wine. "Young man, it's been a long time since I've encountered someone who dares to threaten me like this. You haven't used your full strength, so what makes you think I have?"
The old man's clothes suddenly rippled like smoke, ethereal as dust. His wine breath, fueled by the fire-attribute true qi, brewed ferociously in the air. The true qi of the old and young clashed violently, churning up earth and stone on both sides. At this moment, the old man, with speed barely perceptible to the eye, flashed in front of Ren Yuanhao and, in an instant, sent a palm strike directly towards the hand gripping the saber hilt, causing the blade to fly out of his grasp.
This series of changes happened so quickly, even faster than their previous speed contest, that the old man, holding the Wuji blade with a smiling face, said, "Young man, a warrior only trusts the sword in their hand. But you, you can't even hold onto your sword now. Can I interpret this as you not truly wanting to fight me? Or perhaps, you've underestimated me?"
"Senior's skills are formidable, and your demeanor is unrestrained and carefree. I am full of admiration, how could I possibly underestimate you?"
Ren Yuanhao glanced at the time. Half an hour had passed since his operation began. He was worried about Ji Fu's situation and did not wish to get entangled with this old man any longer.
"Alright, I'll take that as your sincere words. Here's your saber back."
The old man gave a casual flick, and the long saber instantly let out a whistling sound as it cut through the air, emitting a dragon's roar. Ren Yuanhao raised his right hand and easily caught the saber. He felt as if the hilt had been placed over a fire; it was quite hot to the touch!
— This old man's fire-attribute true qi is far stronger than mine. If I get entangled further, I'll have to use that move.
Ren Yuanhao, startled, had already thought of a countermeasure.
"Senior, your true qi is indeed formidable. However, if I can make you suffer a great loss within three moves, will you let me pass to rescue them?"
"Oh? Young man, you have quite the bold tone. I'd like to see how you plan to make me suffer a great loss within three moves," the old man said, taking another sip of wine, his laughter hearty and uninhibited.
But Ren Yuanhao waved his hand, "Senior, you haven't agreed to my terms yet. If I succeed, you must not block me from rescuing them."
The old man hesitated slightly but couldn't suppress his curiosity and compromised, "Alright, but you must tell me who you are trying to rescue."
"Liu Fuqu, Brother Liu Yu, Dongfang Xu, and a group of ability users."
As soon as he said this, the old man's brow furrowed. Then he burst into loud laughter, "So you are the mastermind behind the audacious plan to abduct Ya Sheng!"
"So what?" Ren Yuanhao did not hide anything.
"Young man, you've made one mistake. Dongfang Xu isn't in the Black Water Prison. Shouldn't she be in Sky Fortress? And given her relationship with Leng Wuhuan, why would the Chixiao Sect capture her?"
Ren Yuanhao's brow was tightly knit. "It seems, senior, that you are unaware. Your Chixiao Sect's Grand Master sent Leng Wuhuan down for a marriage alliance, and there is a significant underlying meaning to it."
Ren Yuanhao provided the old man with the most concise summary of the entire situation.
"Are what you're saying all true?" The old man's expression was grave.
"I am willing to swear with my life, if there is half a false word, may I be struck by lightning and my dan tian explode."
The old man took several steps back, his emotions suddenly somewhat out of control. "No, impossible. Senior Brother Sect Master has always been pure and abstinent. How could he do something that goes against righteousness?" He suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with an unusual light, and drew his saber. Scorching true qi erupted from his body!
"It must be you, this fellow, stirring up trouble and distorting the truth. I shall teach you a lesson now!"
The old man's fire-attribute true qi was pushed to its limit, descending like a killing god. Wherever his blade energy passed, leaves withered and grass drooped. The air currents surged, like a great fire igniting on flat ground. Flames flickered and blade light danced, heading straight for Ren Yuanhao's face.
Ren Yuanhao had been waiting for this moment. He suddenly raised his index finger and said in a deep voice, "Senior, this is the first move!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the fire-attribute true qi that had been lingering around Ren Yuanhao's body instantly transformed into water-attribute true qi, centered around the Merman's Tear, and erupted from his body as well!
As the red and white true qi collided, a massive cloud of white steam was generated. In the Five Elements, water and fire were incompatible, and water overcame fire. Even though the old man's true qi was more refined and powerful, it could not withstand the principle of mutual restraint in the Five Elements. After only three to four seconds, he felt his internal true qi become stagnant. Ren Yuanhao's saber strike sent his blade flying, and he staggered back more than ten steps before managing to stabilize himself.