A week passed in the blink of an eye.
The internet was flooded with all sorts of information, but the buzz surrounding Sword Valley eventually died down.
The lives of the citizens returned to their usual peace, with no more sightings of Demons or Star Beast invasions.
Many citizens even saw the purple glow in the sky that day as an auspicious omen. They were all grateful for the expert's intervention and even took to the streets to search for any trace of this master.
....
Meanwhile, in an unassuming rented apartment.
Qin Yang ate half an apple, watching the people below through the blinds. He had long since taken note of the search parties.
'Sigh, it feels like I'm getting more and more fans.'
Qin Yang couldn't help but shake his head with a sigh.
He had no intention of revealing himself to the people searching for him.
'The whole "idol hero" path isn't for me. Someone else can have it.'
'I just want to be a normal, everyday administrator, slacking off and living a comfortable, simple life.'
'Just "lying flat" is the way to go. It's nice not having to fight and compete for things.'
Qin Yang finished the last bite of his apple and sank back into the Enlightenment Space to continue his comprehension.
It was a rare weekend, the perfect time to advance his mastery of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique from Minor Success to Great Success.
Qin Yang closed his eyes and focused, contemplating the details of this Emperor Level Martial Art.
The Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique was a supreme art.
It was silent and unassuming, its blade's edge completely concealed, perpetually coiled and ready to strike.
But the moment the hidden sword was drawn, it moved like lightning and an Extreme Shadow, silencing the roar of heaven and earth with its annihilating power.
A Sword Dao of such terrifying power was immensely difficult to fully comprehend.
'During my comprehension in the valley that day, I imprinted the form of the White-robed Swordsman into my mind, but actually performing the technique requires much more practice and insight.'
'Even the slightest, hair's breadth of a difference could take some Sword Cultivators decades to grasp!'
'This is the difficulty of the Sword Dao. No wonder there are so few Sword Dao Masters, and why all the major powers treat them as honored guests, fighting to recruit them.'
'So difficult!'
Qin Yang shook his head, filled with emotion.
'But luckily... I have the Enlightenment Space!'
'Alright, Enlightenment Space, deduce and integrate for me!'
With a single thought, Qin Yang focused his mind and recalled the Swordsmanship.
The next moment.
HUM!
The Ziwei Sword hummed in response, and the figure of the White-robed Swordsman materialized once again.
At first, the image in his mind was still somewhat blurry; he couldn't even make out the details of how the sword was held.
But, bolstered by his heaven-defying Comprehension...
...in just a few moments...
...all the blurry details vanished.
Soon, the Swordsman's figure became crystal clear, like a holographic projection where every single detail was perfectly visible!
A vast amount of muscle memory formed. Advancing from Minor Success to Great Success, the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique now felt as natural as moving his own arm.
"Success!"
Qin Yang slowly opened his eyes, overjoyed and eager to test its power.
'But using the Ziwei Sword is definitely out of the question.'
'The moment I drew it, this whole building would probably get sliced in half!'
Qin Yang looked left and right and finally picked up the fruit knife he had used to peel the apple earlier.
He went to the window and opened it.
A gentle breeze wafted in. Above, white clouds drifted lazily across the sky.
"You'll do."
With the knife handle in his right hand and its plastic sheath in his left, Qin Yang aimed at a distant cloud and performed a gentle drawing motion.
SHIING!
The metal blade scraped against the plastic, making a nearly inaudible unsheathing sound.
The next moment.
The magnificent sea of clouds was instantly cleaved in two, revealing a channel of clear, azure sky between the halves. It created a spectacular sight reminiscent of the East African Rift Valley.
The cheerful crowds below looked up at the sky and were utterly dumbfounded....
........
........
「Star Sea Police Bureau.」
The atmosphere inside the conference room was heavy and silent.
A PowerPoint presentation was on display, showing the search data on the Bloodthirsty Demons from the last few days.
Jianghai City's three Innate Realm experts were gathered once again, discussing the results of the current investigation.
"Recently, our bureau's investigations have found that the Bloodthirsty Demons have completely vanished."
The Commander looked at the presentation and said in a grave voice, "No one has been harmed. It's as if they've all gone into hiding... What are your thoughts?"
"In my opinion, there are two likely possibilities for why these Bloodthirsty Demon Insects have gone into hiding."
Elder Li said slowly, stroking his beard.
"Two possibilities?"
Hearing this, the Commander's expression turned solemn. "I'm listening. Please elaborate, Elder Li," he said seriously.
"There's no need to be so formal. It's just my humble opinion."
Elder Li shook his head and spoke in a low voice, "The first reason is quite simple. It has to do with that Sword Dao master we saw before. The Bloodthirsty Demon Insects likely sensed that powerful aura and are too scared to make a move, so they've temporarily gone quiet."
As soon as he finished, both the Hall Master and the Commander nodded in agreement.
Ever since the purple celestial phenomenon appeared that day, it wasn't just the Bloodthirsty Demon Insects.
Even the Star Beasts for a hundred miles around Jianghai City had retreated, giving humans a wide berth, all because of that terrifying Sword Dao aura.
They didn't dare make any rash moves, terrified of provoking the powerful expert and bringing annihilation upon their kind.
"And the second reason, Elder Li?"
The Hall Master asked in a deep voice.
"The second reason... is not good at all."
Elder Li's brow furrowed. "If the Bloodthirsty Demon Insects aren't hiding out of fear," he said slowly, "then the only other possibility is that they've already drunk their fill of blood. The consequences of that would be catastrophic!"
As Elder Li finished speaking, the expressions of everyone in the conference room turned grave.
They quickly realized the gravity of the situation.
A crisis of this magnitude could not be underestimated.
If the Alien Insect were to emerge, the consequences would be unimaginable—utter devastation and loss of life!
"I wonder if that Sword Dao master is still in the city."
Elder Li said hopefully, "If we could secure his help, suppressing these Bloodthirsty Demon Insects would be a simple matter."
"Elder Li is right, but we at the Star Martial Police Bureau can't just sit back and wait,"
the Commander said in a low, grim voice. "I've already prepared for the worst. We've pinpointed the location of the Bloodthirsty Demon Insects' nest."
As he spoke, he changed the PowerPoint slide to the next page.
It showed the satellite position of Li Shui Lake.
Seeing this, the library's Hall Master's face turned pale. "It's there?!"
It was the largest freshwater lake in Jianghai City, visited by scores of residents and tourists every day. If an insect plague were to break out there, the casualties would be immense!
"Correct," the Commander nodded, his voice cold. "But the Li Shui Lake area is simply too large. All I can do right now is dispatch men to seal off the site and prevent anyone from entering.
I've also stationed a large number of Postnatal Realm masters nearby."
"But waiting passively like this is hardly a solution."
Elder Li sighed softly. "We must prepare for the worst."
.......
「Meanwhile.」
At the bottom of Li Shui Lake.
Currents surged endlessly, and a vast stretch of the lakebed was completely devoid of fish.
Inside a grotto of jagged rocks, a Bloodthirsty Leech moved sluggishly. Its bloated, dark body, resembling a mass of rotting flesh, was constantly expanding and growing grotesquely.
It seemed as if it was about to fill the entire grotto.
A bizarre, scarlet radiance covered it, its aura terrifyingly dreadful.