''I SWEAR TO THE REALM ITSELF 'I' FANG H...'' SHUT UP!!''

At Cloudsoar...

Yang Jun was sitting inside his cave when he suddenly stood up in confusion, speaking to himself, "Hao? This early?" He had sensed the sword's activation.

Rushing out of the cave, he flew to the end of the mountain, following the sensation of the sword.

However, just as he was about to leave the barrier surrounding Cloudsoar, a female figure appeared in front of him.

"Yang Jun, where do you think you're going?!" Yu Rui blocked his path, her expression stern.

"Fang Hao is in danger. He's facing an enemy stronger than himself," Yang Jun replied urgently, trying to move past her.

Yu Rui's eyes widened in disbelief. "He just joined the sect, impossible," she muttered, denying the situation and suspecting that Yang Jun might be using it as an excuse to leave.

"I won't lie about this matter. Come with me," Yang Jun urged, his tone carrying a sense of urgency. "If my sword is activated, it means there's a strong enemy out there."

"This..." Yu Rui glanced around; her master and the city lord were in closed cultivation, and she was responsible for maintaining the barrier.

Seeing that she didn't respond and was wasting precious time, he grew increasingly agitated, eventually drawing his own sword.

"It's a matter of life and death. Step aside... Arctic Frost Maiden," he spoke slowly as he began infusing the sword with spiritual energy.

Yu Rui's eyes widened as Yang Jun made his intentions clear. Her mind raced as she quickly stepped aside, allowing him to pass. "I can allow you to leave, but you must promise to listen to me," she declared firmly.

"Good," Yang Jun said, relieved that she had agreed to step aside. He took a step forward but then stopped, a puzzled expression crossing his face.

"Yang Jun, what happened?!" Yu Rui asked, growing increasingly worried as she thought about what might have occurred.

"Fang Hao... the sword didn't activate. He is still alive, but he probably placed the sword back in the spatial ring," Yang Jun replied, his voice tinged with concern.

He narrowed his eyes and spoke softly, "The danger has passed. Was it because my sword scared them, or because they had no ill intentions?"

"Should we check?" Yu Rui asked, her concern evident in her voice. Yang Jun fell silent for a moment, contemplating their options.

"No, this is already breaking the rules. The sword is a lifeline, and he can use it again to keep himself alive, we can't shelter him," he finally responded, shaking his head.

With a heavy heart, he turned and walked back toward the cave, leaving Yu Rui with a sigh of worry. She couldn't help but share his concern for her younger brother.

-----

At the fake village...

"???!!?" The masked inspector was suddenly jolted awake by a surge of energy that seemed to target him.

Startled, he swiftly drew his sword and scanned his surroundings, his senses heightened. The source of the threat led him to Fang Hao, who was standing next to a female corpse, holding a consumable sword artifact.

"That sword... it belongs to that person," he muttered with a mix of anger and fear, recognizing the weapon. In a flash, he got up and disappeared into the distance, leaving the area.

Fang Hao received a voice transmission from the inspector, his voice filled with frustration, "ARE YOU CRAZY?! WHY DID YOU ACTIVATE THAT?!" This was supposed to be an easy job!

"YOU DOGS, YOU KILLED HER, IT WAS YOU!" Fang Hao shouted with rage in his eyes as he saw the masked figure flee. He attempted to activate the sword, but it remained in a dormant state, leaving him both confused and even angrier.

"Why is it not releasing the attack?!" Fang Hao waved the sword around, but still, nothing happened.

"CLOSE THE SWORD! Only if it senses a threat will it activate. You're wasting its power. I have no ill intentions!" The masked figure shouted from outside the range, his voice filled with frustration.

"LIES! SHE WOULD BE ALIVE IF NOT FOR YOU!" Fang Hao roared, his hand bleeding profusely as he exerted all his strength to activate the blade, finding it utterly useless.

"It's not a lie. I didn't kill her," the masked inspector stated as he appeared in front of Fang Hao.

Fang Hao studied the masked inspector's mask and body. He couldn't sense him, as if the person didn't exist. This individual was extraordinarily powerful, so strong that Fang Hao didn't what realm he was in.

Staring at the mask and the lifeless form of Wenxiu, Fang Hao's emotions surged into a raging tempest of hatred, and he released an agonizing scream of anger, "AAAAA," feeling utterly helpless.

Raising his sword and aiming it at the sky, his emotions continued to churn. It was as though the entire world were bearing witness as he began to speak in a loud, furious voice, each word oozing with loathing and a deep thirst for revenge.

"I SWEAR TO THE REALM ITSELF, THAT I, BY THE NAME OF FANG H..."

Before he could continue, a deafening voice thundered through the air, causing his ears to bleed and dizziness to wash over him, forcing him to clamp his mouth shut.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP...." The masked man unleashed his aura and chilling killing intent that made the very air tremble, sending waves of fear radiating through the souls of cultivators even miles away.

The sword in Fang Hao's hand began to tremble, and a brilliant, powerful light appeared, casting sharp beams in all directions and painting the world in silver lines. It was ready to unleash a devastating attack at his command; the sword had awoken.

It served as a clear declaration that the masked man was marked as his enemy and could be used, its murderous aura would strike fear in anyone who felt it.

But the masked-robed man didn't care even though the sword was threatening, this situation transcended both Fang Hao and himself.

"Shut up, Fang Hao," he growled, his voice laced with menace and anger. Did this kid not realize what he almost did?!

"One more word and your fate is sealed, I will have to kill you, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!!'' He released a breath, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the sword.

"That sword of yours and its aura belongs to your senior brother; I know it. If he were here, I wouldn't stand a chance. But a sword without its user? At best, it might inflict a serious wound on me, but that will be after I've turned you into dust."

Seeing Fang Hao regain his senses, he spoke quickly, meaning every word with honesty: "The necklace your father gave you will block one attack, but the next one will send you to the afterlife. Is it worth throwing when you have no chance?"

Fang Hao listened to the man, his grip on the sword tightening as he breathed in and out. Blood dripped from the handle onto the floor.

He had never felt such overwhelming hatred in his life. He was helpless, he didn't want to die, but he wanted revenge.

"What should I do?" Fang Hao muttered brokenly. "What... can I do?!" He bit his lip until it bled, a silent tear dropping from his eye, prompting the masked man to release a sigh. It was time to clarify some things to stabilize the situation.

"I was ordered by the sect master to prevent only Vein or higher realm cultivators from interfering. But you almost did something stupid," he said with frustration and annoyance. "The sect is not your enemy, Fang Hao, I can guarantee that."

"Then why did she die?" Fang Hao pointed at the lifeless corpse, his expression filled with sadness.

"I don't know. It wasn't the medallion, and it wasn't me. Bring out one of the corpses you've stored and examine them; they have no remote activation formation on them, I'm sure of it," the man explained. Seeing Fang Hao calm down, he took a step closer to him.

"First, store that sword; it's losing power as we talk," the man advised.

Fang Hao scrutinized the man from head to toe, the black robe and black mask painting an eerie picture. He realized that this was a pointless standoff, but he started believing the man's words to a certain extent.

Fang Hao placed the sword into his spatial ring, and the masked figure nodded in approval. Placing his hand behind his back, he examined the corpse himself, wearing a puzzled expression that was hidden behind the mask.

"Weird, am I wrong, and Fang Hao is actually right?" the man muttered to himself. "It was indeed the activation of the necklace that killed her. How? Did someone powerful pass by, and I missed them?"

Confusion painted his face under the mask, and his complexion paled as he looked around, not detecting anything.

He knelt next to the corpse, causing Fang Hao to watch him cautiously.

The man then examined the signs closely, but his confusion deepened. He tilted his head toward Fang Hao, trying to read his emotions. "Did he do it?" he wondered silently. "He's not lying; I can detect that. Was it suicide? Impossible. What is going on??!!!"