C11 A Master!

Duan Rou struggled to articulate her emotions at that moment. She had always known the master to be formidable, but she hadn't imagined the extent of his power.

Duan Tonglee, with his level of cultivation, could easily annihilate an entire sect. Yet, he lay dead, slain by a spirit pet kept by the master.

The five-colored bird, having dispatched Duan Tonglee, returned to the jujube tree in the courtyard, nonchalantly plucked a fruit, and began to eat, seemingly unaffected by the recent events.

A crimson short sword materialized where Duan Tonglee had perished.

Duan Rou was taken aback. The five-colored bird's divine fire had reduced Duan Tonglee and his flying sword to ash, yet this short sword remained unscathed. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a bizarre human face etched onto the blade, looking quite ominous.

"No wonder he managed to grasp the Devil Dao in just half a year and reach the Opening Realm. He must have come into possession of the Blood Devil Sword," Duan Tongxuan remarked, arriving beside Duan Rou.

"The Blood Devil Sword? The one rumored to possess a Devil Dao Sword Spirit?" Duan Rou exclaimed in astonishment.

Legend had it that the sword could grant its wielder limitless fortunes, but at a grave cost—either a shortened life or servitude...

Duan Tonglee, driven by vengeance, had not hesitated to forge a pact with the Demonic Sword Spirit.

Duan Rou turned to her father. "What about this sword, then?"

"As Duan Tonglee fell to the master, the Blood Devil Sword is now his trophy. Its fate is for the master to decide," Duan Tongxuan explained.

Duan Rou expressed her concern. "But won't this sword have an effect on the elder?"

Duan Tongxuan chuckled. "What could possibly disturb the peace of such an esteemed figure?"

Convinced, Duan Rou nodded. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she lamented, "Father, it's just unfortunate that the Tao Te Ching the elder gifted me was destroyed."

Duan Tongxuan shared her concern. "I hope the elder... won't be upset."

For someone of Jee Faang's caliber, wiping out the Duan family would be a breeze. If he were truly provoked, then...

"Father, I think that's unlikely. The elder thought the calligraphy was subpar and intended to discard it. He simply handed it to me as a draft."

"A draft..."

Duan Tongxuan paused, then came to a realization.

It's all relative. What he cherished as a treasure was merely a draft to someone else. To a person of that stature, it probably held no more value than scrap paper.

"Let's wait for the master to return. We must express our gratitude properly."

Duan Rou hesitated. "Father, we arrived uninvited and interrupted the elder's peaceful cultivation. He might already be displeased. Perhaps we should return home and prepare some gifts before coming back. We shouldn't be too presumptuous."

Duan Tongxuan agreed with a nod.

In the eyes of the father and daughter, Jee Faang was a deeply mysterious and powerful cultivator. They held him in the highest regard.

The thought of even the slightest disrespect towards Jee Faang was unthinkable.

They had stirred up such trouble today, and to visit empty-handed...

It simply wasn't the right time for a visit.

After reaching an agreement, the father and daughter tidied up the area and left the Blood Devil Sword at the doorstep of the Herbalist Pavilion before departing.

...

Not long after Duan Rou and her father had left, Jee Faang returned, cradling a kitten and walking a dog.

"Hei, stay at the door. No wandering off."

Hei was the name Jee Faang had given to the new dog. Despite being a rural dog, it was remarkably well-behaved. If he weren't concerned about frightening others while out walking, he'd be able to command the little guy with ease.

He wondered why he hadn't discovered his talent for dog training earlier.

"What's this?"

At the entrance of the Herbalist Pavilion lay a bundle wrapped in cloth.

Had someone been here?

Was it left for him?

It certainly wasn't a delivery.

He unwrapped the cloth to reveal a crimson short sword.

Jee Faang scanned the surroundings. Who would leave a sword at his doorstep?

He examined the short sword closely. The blade emitted a red glow, and the patterns on the hilt were distinctly ancient, indicating its considerable age.

"Not bad, this is a fine knife," Jee Faang exclaimed, unable to contain his admiration.

"It's perfect timing; the knife at home has gotten dull. This one is just right!"

Jee Faang's old knife hadn't been sharpened in ages, so this new one would be an ideal replacement.

He gripped the knife's handle firmly and started to head back.

Suddenly, the short knife in his hand emitted a flash of red light, and a surge of demonic energy shot towards Jee Faang's palm.

"Hiss—"

Jee Faang wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt a sudden coolness in his hand.

After checking several times, he was certain that holding the knife brought on waves of coolness, which was quite soothing.

The knife seemed to have a cooling effect.

Impressive!