C11 Bai Wujian
In Sunsetwood Grove, there was only one eldest senior brother.
He was the first disciple to follow Qiu Changfeng, and thus, the senior brother to all.
Eldest senior brother Bai Wujian held a place in the hearts of the Sunsetwood Grove disciples that was second only to Qiu Changfeng himself. Yet, his frequent guidance of the other disciples elevated his prestige even higher.
"Lu Xing, how did you come to master the unique technique of our eldest senior brother—the Endless Sword Domain!" Lee Bufan demanded furiously.
"Lu Xing, is it possible that you're responsible for the death of our eldest senior brother? Did you have a hand in his mysterious disappearance three years ago?"
Bai Wujian had vanished without a trace three years prior. At the time, Qiu Changfeng was in seclusion, and despite the disciples' relentless search for over two months, they found no sign of him.
Eventually, the matter remained unresolved.
Though suspicions lingered in everyone's minds, no one could fathom that anyone could defeat Bai Wujian, the master of the Undefeatable Domain and the Endless Sword Domain.
"He is not Lu Xing. That is Lu Xing," a crisp voice interrupted from behind. Liu Xiaoxiao pointed at the Gloomwraith hovering midair and declared coldly.
"This Gloomwraith was discovered in the Sunken Cave, born from the resentment of a dying person, and it claims to be Lu Xing."
"You might doubt my word, but consider for a moment who truly possesses the so-called Endless Sword Domain."
Prompted by Liu Xiaoxiao's words, everyone instinctively questioned themselves about the true wielder of the Endless Sword Domain.
They unanimously arrived at a startling conclusion, but it was inescapable—it was their first instinctive answer: eldest senior brother Bai Wujian!
Only Bai Wujian could wield the Endless Sword Domain with such finesse.
No one else could possibly achieve that.
With this revelation, their view of "Lu Xing" shifted dramatically.
Particularly those Sunsetwood Grove disciples who had been persuaded to confront Lee Bufan, their eyes blazed with the fury of betrayal.
"So, you're Bai Wujian," Chen Yuan's voice timely floated through the air.
"Alternatively, you could refer to me by another name — Thousand Face." At this moment, Lu Xing, better known as Bai Wujian, wasn't the least bit enraged after his cover was blown; instead, he offered a serene smile.
His face was devoid of guilt, anger, or any negative emotion.
His smile was as indifferent as a block of ice.
"Knowing or not is merely a question of time. Once Yu Bai and his forces storm Sunsetwood Grove, the title of the eldest senior brother of Sunsetwood Grove will lose its significance. It won't bother me."
"Yet it does bother you. You felt the need to explain that. There was no need."
"Do people from the Vast Sea Nation only know how to sweet-talk?" Out of the blue, Bai Wujian pointed his sword tip at Chen Yuan, adopting a taunting stance.
Chen Yuan's face turned pale at his words.
Bai Wujian seemed to realize he had touched a nerve and chuckled to himself several times.
"Ah, I seem to have forgotten, if there was more to know, the Vast Sea Nation might not have fallen. Right? Ah?"
Bai Wujian's remarks left Chen Yuan with a grim expression. His identity had been revealed, and all his cautious efforts had come to nothing. Yet, his opponent had also successfully ignited the rage that Chen Yuan had kept hidden deep within.
Since there was no longer any point in concealing it, there was no need to do so!
Bai Wujian believed his words would make Chen Yuan irrational, consumed by anger.
This was similar to what Chen Yuan had intended earlier.
"You're mistaken. Deeply mistaken," Chen Yuan abruptly halted, fixing his gaze on Bai Wujian. "The fall of the Vast Sea Nation cannot be affirmed or refuted by your mere words. Likewise, my anger isn't something you can provoke with just a few taunts."
"Oh?" Bai Wujian's eyes sparkled; he had been waiting for Chen Yuan to pause.
A massive surge of sword energy plummeted from the sky, aiming directly at where Chen Yuan stood, with the force of a thunderbolt!
Chen Yuan didn't even glance at it. Without lifting his head, he leisurely raised his right hand and lightly touched the descending sword tip with his index finger.
Ding!
The sound of the collision rang out crisply.
Another crack resounded as the invisible sword qi shattered.
"I haven't fully mastered the power of my newly reforged and tempered body. Luckily, I have a sparring partner who doesn't strike back, which has accelerated my acclimation to it," Chen Yuan remarked, arching an eyebrow as he withdrew his right hand and gently blew on his index finger.
"You've successfully provoked me. Now, are you prepared to face my wrath?"
Bang!
Chen Yuan's words had barely left his lips when he suddenly propelled himself forward with a powerful push from his feet.
Bang!
With another sound, his previously blurry figure turned into a mist and then vanished completely!
When Bai Wujian finally spotted Chen Yuan again, there were two of him, attacking from both front and back in a pincer move.
"Hmph, mere child's play," Bai Wujian said, his face betraying no concern.
The Endless Sword Domain was hailed as invincible, and this was no idle boast. The longsword in Bai Wujian's hand split in two, parrying Chen Yuan's attacks from both directions.
It happened in a flash; Chen Yuan disappeared, exerted force, and launched his attack all in a single breath.
Boom! Boom!
Two explosive sounds rang out, and Bai Wujian, caught in the middle, nearly went deaf from the blasts.
"This can't be! Both are solid forms?!" Bai Wujian exclaimed in shock and anger, realizing his judgment had been flawed. The sword he had used for defense was now quivering, confirming a stark reality.
Chen Yuan wasn't playing around!
He was still growing stronger; the power he had just unleashed was not even at its peak!
A cold dread crept into Bai Wujian's heart.
"Is this all there is?" Bai Wujian wondered inwardly, though he maintained a facade of ease. The Sunsetwood Grove had become a battleground of chaos, with the surrounding area reduced to rubble from the powerful collisions.
The disciples of Sunsetwood Grove had ceased their infighting.
They gathered around the perimeter of Chen Yuan and Bai Wujian's battlefield, falling into a hushed silence.
They, too, needed time to process the shock of Bai Wujian's true identity.
Chen Yuan reappeared, and as he came to a halt, he was enveloped in a layer of white vapor that lingered around him, reminiscent of the steam rising from a hot spring. His skin, too, had taken on a faint reddish hue.
Liu Xiaoxiao was the first to notice the unusual state of Chen Yuan's skin. She quietly observed him, choosing to remain silent.
Rapid movement can generate immense power, yet there is a limit to the stress a body can withstand. Chen Yuan's recent feat of splitting his figure in two, which seemed effortless, had in fact drained a great deal of his energy.
He was well aware of this.
"Why aren't you running?" Chen Yuan was acutely conscious of his condition, yet he and Bai Wujian had made an identical decision—to bluff and project strength.
