My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 286: Chapter 286: The Changing Winds and Clouds Atop Zhong Mountain

Atop Zhong Mountain, countless gazes converged as if time itself had come to a standstill at this moment.

An Jing’s palm continued to tremble incessantly, the remaining ripples of the powerful force had not yet dissipated, and his arm was somewhat numb.

How formidable was the Sword Demon’s strength?

The Sixth Realm’s sword skill combined with the Great Snow Mountain Holy Body Technique, as well as the peak Four Qi Grandmaster’s cultivation.

Among the Four Qi Grandmasters in the world today, his strength could definitely rank in the top three. Unless a Five Qi Grandmaster intervened, it would be nearly impossible to kill this top swordsman.

An Jing showed no mercy, nor would he hold back, and neither would the Sword Demon.

The conflicts between swordsmen never involved sparing the opponent; the moment a sword was drawn, it was a matter of exerting full strength and disregarding life and death.

It was precisely because there was no holding back and both sides went all out that this battle was so terrifying and astonishing.

As both men fell silent, this peak duel also reached its conclusion in this very moment.

The Sword Demon lowered his head to look at the enchanting and ferocious Blood Tears Sword in his hand, his mind still replaying the instant when the six sword lights had struck, leaving him blank.

He had lost!

The sword array formed by those six sword lights shredded the giant sword formed by the Blood Tears Sword and even penetrated his Snow Mountain Holy Body Technique. If not for the Snow Mountain Holy Body Technique, he might now be nothing more than a corpse.

The Sword Demon looked up at the sky and slowly closed his eyes.

After all, the title of the world’s first sword was not destined for him.

Even his stubbornness today had not earned him this empty title.

Immediately, discussions erupted like a tidal wave, completely engulfing Zhong Mountain.

“So strong! Is this the swordsmanship of the Ghost Swordsman?”

“The Sword Demon has lost!”

“The Ghost Swordsman won, which is far better than if that Houjin’s Sword Demon had won.”

“The top swordsman of the older generation has been defeated by the newer generation.”

“For the next fifty years in Jianghu, it’s unlikely that anyone will be qualified to challenge the Ghost Swordsman again.”

…..

Everyone spoke with a hint of amazement, their eyes firmly fixed on the young man clad in white, holding a sword.

Zuo Biwen clenched his fists tightly, excitedly saying, “We won, we really won.”

He had initially thought the Ghost Swordsman to be slightly inferior to the Sword Demon, only to witness the Ghost Swordsman turn the tables in an instant with the Evil Suppressing Sword’s sword array.

In a narrower sense, it was a struggle for the title of world’s number one swordsman; in a broader sense, it was even a contest between two countries. The Ghost Swordsman, representing Yan Country, had undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to the Sword Demon representing Houjin today—how could it not be exhilarating?

“Such a terrifying Evil Suppressing Sword, such a terrifying Ghost Swordsman.”

Jia Shiwu murmured inwardly.

Now the Ghost Swordsman was already terrifying, but how much more so would he be if he obtained the Dulu Sword?

The world’s number one sword partnered with the world’s number one swordsman.

Old Master Su also remarked with a sigh, “I’ve underestimated him, this Ghost Swordsman is truly a once-in-a-lifetime genius to be able to use the Evil Suppressing Sword’s feature of releasing six swords from one scabbard to form this sword array.”

The difficulty of the sword array is such that throughout history, it has typically required multiple people to form an array, the notion of a single person doing it is both unimaginable and incredible.

Zhao Chongyin spoke softly, “The more it is so, the more it makes one uneasy.”

Those in power always feel unease towards beings they cannot control, even if the Zhenyi Sect had the power to ascend dragons, it was still suspected by the Human Emperor, who invited the Pure Land Buddhism from the Western Pure Land to balance things out.

And what about the Demon Sect now?

Not only do they have a monstrously terrifying Sect Hierarch, but now also such an astonishing swordsman has emerged. How could those seated in the court feel at ease?

Old Master Su raised his eyebrow and asked, “Does Your Highness intend to?”

Now that the Ghost Swordsman had defeated the Sword Demon and was at the height of his fame, if one were to strike and kill the Ghost Swordsman at this moment, it would indeed be the best opportunity, but it would undoubtedly have a huge impact on the reputation of the Crown Prince and the Royal Family.

After all, the Demon Sect now is a legitimate and official sect in Yan Country, and they had previously fought against Houjin, with one of their Five Qi Grandmasters dying at Sanfeng Pass.

“Don’t worry.”

Zhao Chongyin said indifferently, “I, Zhao Chongyin, would not do such an absurd thing.”

After he finished speaking, Zhao Chongyin looked ahead with an ever-calm expression.

The wind atop the mountain was bitingly cold, piercing to the bone.

An Jing’s pupils contracted slightly as he said, “So you’ve finally come.”

A staggering elder made his way forward without a sword in hand. His wide sleeves fluttered in the wind, and his gray-white hair flew about as well.

In front of the assembled crowd, he slowly walked towards the center of the battle between the Ghost Swordsman and the Sword Demon.

“Who is he?”

Jia Meixian frowned slightly as she watched the elder.

Yang Chong also shook his head, full of confusion, saying, “I don’t know either.”

“It’s him!”

With the elder’s appearance, a buzzing of whispered discussions began to rise, and many noticed that some of the old-timers in Jianghu had drastically changed their expressions.

Zuo Biwen stared at the elder, losing his composure as he exclaimed, “Liu… Elder Liu is actually not dead!?”

“Sword God!?”

Jia Shiwu’s pupils suddenly contracted, his heart giving a violent throb.

Many who heard the whispered voices were shocked as they turned their eyes toward the white-clothed elder.

“What, this man is the Sword God!?”

“How is that possible? Wasn’t it said that the Sword God had died long ago?”

…..

Liu Moyuan, one of the two most prominent swordsmen in the world, was known as the Sword God, while the other was called the Sword Demon.

Decades ago, the legends of these two swordsmen were known throughout the land. Below them, all other swordsmen were no longer significant because none could compare to these two.

It’s lonely at the top, and the same goes for people.

As time passed, the Sword God and the Sword Demon, both top swordsmen, gradually faded from visibility in Jianghu. It was suspected that the Sword Demon had died in meditation, and the Yu Heng Sword Sect also announced that the Sword God had reached the end of his days.

After all, many masters in Jianghu suffered various injuries young, so when the news of the Sword God’s end was announced by the Yu Heng Sword Sect, many chose to believe it.

Some, however, remained skeptical, but as time went on, many began to accept it as truth.

But now, the Sword God had reappeared before everyone, which was shocking to say the least.

It was only at this moment that many realized something.

It turned out that the Sword God, Liu Moyuan, wasn’t dead after all and had been cultivating in seclusion in the Ancestor Hall of the Yu Heng Sword Sect the entire time.

Clearly, everyone had been deceived by the Yu Heng Sword Sect.

The Sword God and the Sword Demon had never battled each other in the past to determine the victor, which had remained a great regret for swordsmen across the world.

Now that both top swordsmen, the Sword God and the Sword Demon, had appeared as if by their wishes, it seemed they wouldn’t have to fight to claim the title of the World’s First Swordsman.

Elder Su glanced at Zhao Chongyin and suddenly understood; no wonder the Crown Prince had been so composed from beginning to end—he had a backup plan.

A plan that could seal the deal and take down the Ghost Swordsman.

Xu Qianyue couldn’t help but laugh, “This is really interesting. A single Dulu Sword has attracted so many masters.”

Although she was laughing, a chill was rising in her heart.

Whether it was the Sword Demon, the Ghost Swordsman, or the Sword God, each was a top swordsman of an age. Now, with all three gathered in one era, especially with the Ghost Swordsman being so young, his future was immeasurable.

Great masters are always proud, but facing a young and powerful master like the Ghost Swordsman, even Xu Qianyue couldn’t help but fall silent.

The Sword Demon Hao Tian opened his eyes slightly and, looking at this never-before-faced opponent, said, “You truly have kept your sword well hidden.”

Liu Moyuan faced the Sword Demon with his hands behind his back and replied, “I haven’t hidden as deeply as you. Back then, I entered Houjin twice, even going deep into the Royal Court the second time, and still I couldn’t find a trace of you. Leaving the title of the World’s First Swordsman vacant for a century has been a constant regret of mine.”

The Sword Demon narrowed his eyes, not expecting that Liu Moyuan had once ventured deep into the Houjin Royal Court in search of him.

“Now, I no longer need to search,” Liu Moyuan looked at An Jing, his age-old eyes devoid of any emotion.

A chill went down the spine of the masters atop Jianghu.

It seemed the battle for ‘The World’s First Swordsman’ had not yet ended.

Liu Moyuan, returning to Jianghu, was clearly drawn by the Dulu Sword and was vying for the title of ‘The World’s First Swordsman.’

The strife between the Ghost Swordsman and the Sword Demon had come to a close, but the struggle between the Ghost Swordsman and the Sword God had not yet begun.

Upon witnessing this, Yang Chong immediately spoke out with righteous indignation, “The Ghost Swordsman has just fought a grueling battle, now the Sword God stepping in to challenge him, what kind of Sword God is this?”

Though he was not his ‘Brother Han,’ the bonds of the past were undeniably real.

Several elders from the Four Symbols Sect hurriedly pulled aside this prominent disciple.

“Yang Chong, shut your mouth!”

An elder’s face turned pale as he reprimanded on the spot.

What sort of person was the Sword God!?

If the Court overlooked the matter, with his strength, it would be an easy feat to obliterate the entire Four Symbols Sect, not to mention that even without the Sword God’s intervention, the Four Symbols Sect was no match for the Yu Heng Sword Sect; why provoke an enemy for a moment’s rash words?

Jia Meixian blinked and said, “Brother Yang is not wrong.”

Jia Shiwu spoke in a solemn voice, “Listen more, talk less.”

With Jia Shiwu speaking up, Jia Meixian too closed his mouth, though his heart was filled with disdain.

The Sword Demon, however, retreated towards the back without drawing attention, then took out a Snow Lotus Seed from his sleeve and swallowed it.

The Snow Lotus Seed, a healing holy medicine from Great Snow Mountain, was also one of the three greatest healing treasures in the world. The Sword Demon, having practiced the Great Snow Mountain Holy Body Technique, was badly injured; severe, yet not as catastrophic as one might imagine. Using such a miraculous medicine to heal, clearly, he wanted to recover quickly.

Meanwhile, An Jing locked eyes with the Sword God.

If the Sword Demon’s eyes were as sharp as a blade, then the Sword God’s eyes were a sword scabbard containing infinite Sword Intent.

You couldn’t see the sharpness or the edge, but the lethality and sharpness were hidden within.

It seemed to be even more bone-chilling.

Liu Moyuan said, “Someone will always become ‘The World’s First Swordsman.'”

An Jing nodded, “It will happen today.”

Liu Moyuan smiled, “And why couldn’t that person be me?”

Since ancient times, no swordsman has been unaffected by the allure of being the number one in the world.

Knowing that it’s an endless abyss, still, they willingly jump into it.

Such is the temptation of fame and fortune.

An Jing said, “Sometimes, for something elusive, one may pay a terrible price.”

Liu Moyuan said, “All I need is to grasp that fleeting beauty, eternal things are left to eternity, I really don’t need to concern myself with them.”

Hearing this, An Jing’s eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a sliver of a gap.

The Sword God did not exhibit the same edge as the Sword Demon, but he still made An Jing feel an even greater sense of danger, particularly after the battle with the Sword Demon, claiming there’d been no impact was impossible.

It was a danger that could threaten his life.

Liu Moyuan said, “I began practicing swordsmanship at the age of five, training through the harshness of summer and the cold of winter. For over eighty years, I have never stopped for a day, some things have become embedded in my very bones and blood.”

An Jing said, “That’s incredible.”

To do one thing for over eighty years, aside from eating, breathing, sleeping, was indeed admirable.

This Sword God bore a unique devotion to the sword.

Liu Moyuan stretched out his hand and asked, “Do you see a sword in my hand, or not?”

An Jing calmly replied, “It may or may not be there.”

Liu Moyuan nodded, “The sword exists in the heart, as well as in the hand. If the sword is not in the heart, it is not in the hand either. As long as one is devout to the sword, the sword is ubiquitous.”

An Jing shook his head, “A swordsman doesn’t need to be devout to the sword, he only needs to be devout to himself.”

Liu Moyuan countered, “No, a swordsman’s radiance and life are often embodied in the sword he holds in his hand. The sword represents truth, life and death, it is everything.”

The two of them spoke back and forth, akin to Buddhists contesting with sharp wit, but the true masters of Jianghu knew that both were merely expounding their respective Sword Dao.

Both their Sword Daos stood at the pinnacle of the world, and perhaps throughout thousands of years of history, very few have surpassed their understanding of the Sword Dao.

Both were at the Sixth Realm of swordsmanship, but their insights differed.

One was devout to the sword, the other, to the person.

But from beginning to end, neither merged their sword with their being to the point of forgetting both sword and self—thus, they remained in the Sixth Realm.

An Jing clenched the Evil Suppressing Sword in his hand, “The grievances of the past should all be resolved today.”

“The grievances of the past, are you referring to Lou Xiangzhen?”

Liu Moyuan scoffed before replying, “I do not wish to take advantage of you. I’ll give you an hour to recuperate.”

An Jing said, “There’s no need, we can begin now.”

From the moment Liu Moyuan appeared, An Jing had been channeling the ‘Nameless Heart Scripture’ to restore the True Qi in his body. In this short period equivalent to an incense stick’s burning time, An Jing’s True Qi had also recovered substantially.

“As you wish.”

Liu Moyuan’s eyebrows knitted slightly, but soon smoothed out.

The end of the road is the horizon; the end of words is the sword. Hence, further talk is unnecessary, putting one’s all into a fight is the greatest respect for a swordsman.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

With a gesture of Liu Moyuan’s palm, the Phoenix Sword, which was once with Qiu Wanxia, landed in his hand.

This, one of the ten famous swords that had once shocked the world, was now in the hands of its original master.

Both men were holding their swords, silent.

Everyone looked at An Jing with complex gazes, even with a touch of admiration—fighting the Sword Demon and then the Sword God, who else in the world possesses such gallantry?

Suddenly, An Jing felt an indescribable Sword Qi, like an invisible mountain pressing down on him.

This pressure was even stronger than the Heavenly Dao Sword of the Sword Demon by three parts.

The Holy Dao Sword!

This is the Holy Dao Sword that very few swordsmen throughout history have managed to practice. To cultivate it to the Fifth Realm meant one was, without doubt, at the top echelon of swordsmen.

The Sword God became famous at a young age precisely because of this Holy Dao Sword. However, as his cultivation deepened with time and fewer challengers approached him, the number of masters who could force him to use the Holy Dao Sword also dwindled.

An Jing propelled his body forward, sliding his feet.

Chii, chii, chii!

Several streaks of Sword Radiance surged forth from the blade of the Evil Suppressing Sword, as swift as thunder.

So fast!

Onlookers were shocked as they saw dozens of Sword Radiance beams emerge with just one thrust from An Jing.

Liu Moyuan gave a faint smile as a pale moonlight-colored sword light appeared in his hand.

The sword light seemed soft and slow, but when An Jing’s Sword Radiance approached, it was completely blocked.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

The sounds of Sword Radiance exploding could be heard as An Jing’s feet slid across the ground, pushing him backward.

Jia Shiwu murmured, “The Sword Dao of the Sword God…”

He had been present when the Sword God defeated Lou Xiangzhen with three strikes at the Sword Pavilion. He had personally witnessed Liu Moyuan defeat the prodigious Lou Xiangzhen with just three strokes.

And he was confident that the Sword God had not used his full strength.

Many years had passed since then, and surely the Sword God must have progressed further.

The two had simply exchanged one simple strike, causing many in the audience to frown intensely.

An Jing glanced at the imprints on the ground, his heart slightly stirred. The ancestor of the Yu Heng Sword Sect truly lived up to the name of Sword God, for his devout dedication to the Sword Dao was not something ordinary people could match.

If one were to say the battle with the Sword Demon had no effect, it would be impossible, but there were advantages and disadvantages.

The disadvantage was the consumption of one’s True Qi and sharpness. Although True Qi could be replenished through the “Nameless Heart Scripture,” a person’s energy was not endless and would eventually fatigue.

However, the advantage was that having defeated the Sword Demon, An Jing’s Sword Dao became even more unstoppable and frosty sharp.

An Jing’s eyebrows raised slightly, his Evil Suppressing Sword emanating a faint glow as he swung it forward.

In that moment when the light circulated, a violent wind erupted in the sky, and four extreme lights from all around shone, reflecting off each other.

These four lights represented the wind unstoppable, fire field bear, moving like thunder, and electricity like a flash of the Heavenly Intent Four Symbols Sword Technique.

Four sword lights descended from the sky, falling from the heavens.

Heavenly Intent Four Symbols Sword Technique! Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Lightning!

An Jing’s brow was set in a firm line, as if chiseled from stone.

Boom!

In the sky above, the four extreme lights transformed into a tempest of wind, downpour, thunder, and lightning as Liu Moyuan fell with tumultuous force.

With the advancement of his Sword Dao, the Heavenly Intent Four Symbols Sword Technique was cultivated by An Jing to the Transformation Realm, where all four moves of the sword art could be executed with ease.

Seeing this, Liu Moyuan’s brow furrowed, as he could naturally see An Jing’s ability to turn decay into a miraculous unified sword move.

Heavy Tower Sword Technique! Seven Floors!

Liu Moyuan’s longsword moved, that one strike like the brightest light in the darkness.

Swoosh!

With one strike, the mountains and rivers shook!

Above the sky, light suddenly became bizarre and scattered, and the pupils of everyone present reflected the multicolored light.

Liu Moyuan felt countless sword lights surging madly towards him; if struck by these lights, even a Four Qi Grandmaster would be grievously injured, if not killed.

He hastened to gather his entire body’s True Qi and formed a Sword Gang around himself.

Thud!

An Jing’s body jolted, his foot stomping against the ground, deflecting the recoil of the force into the ground beneath, and all onlookers felt Zhong Mountain tremble.

This control of True Qi and force was not a swordsmanship skill, but it still left witnesses astonished and astounded.

This move from An Jing was enough to suppress all masters below the rank of Three Qi Grandmaster present.

Liu Moyuan’s heart chilled slightly, and he gripped the sword handle tightly.

“Go!”

As Liu Moyuan’s True Qi activated, the Phoenix Sword in his hand instantly transformed into a streak of light, rushing towards An Jing.

Quick!

Too quick!

The Phoenix Sword, soaring in mid-air, became like a gigantic fire bird, flapping its wings as it flew forward, the raging wind howling past, cold air overflowing everywhere.

Sword Control Technique!

Liu Moyuan had also mastered the Sword Control Technique from the Unity Sword Technique.

In the time it takes to speak, faster than a blink, An Jing waved his arm, and a light as clear as the wind and as misty as clouds penetrated through, the Evil Suppressing Sword around which points of light emerged, rushing forward at an extremely fast speed.

Sword Control Technique!

Clang!

The tips of the two swords met in the air, and from the point of contact, ripples of True Qi emanated in all directions.

Sword Control Technique against Sword Control Technique!

Sixth Realm against Sixth Realm!

Three Qi Cultivation versus Four Qi Cultivation!

A mysterious, indescribable force vibrated from Liu Moyuan’s Phoenix Sword, shaking An Jing, who hastily circulated the “Nameless Heart Scripture” to neutralize the force.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The spectators only saw countless golden and gray glimmers burst forth from the tips of the two swords, reflecting off of each other beautifully.

Both fighters displayed the sword skill of the Sixth Realm, with streams of sharp Sword Qi emerging all around, appearing even more exquisite and mysterious.

Even a Grandmaster who wandered into their midst would be instantly shredded into a mist of blood, emphasizing the deadly nature of this duel.

Suddenly, the Evil Suppressing Sword unleashed waves of Sword Light, and with the power of the sword, the might of An Jing’s Immortal Sword surged once again.

Liu Moyuan was forced back step after step, gradually being suppressed.

Whoosh!

The crowd was in an uproar, as no one had anticipated that Liu Moyuan would be driven back after just two exchanges.

The scene was truly spectacular and heart-stopping.

If An Jing were to defeat the Sword God again, his mastery in the way of the sword might well be the first in three hundred years, and even across history, he would be among the rarest of swordsmen.

The other onlookers were also boiling with excitement. An Jing’s displayed strength far exceeded their imagination, not only matching Liu Moyuan until now but also gradually seizing the initiative.

Old Su pondered for a moment and thought, “The Sword God has not yet fully driven the Holy Dao Sword. With his strength, if he drives the Holy Dao Sword, he might be even more formidable than the Sword Demon by a notch or two.”

The ace of the Sword Demon was the Great Snow Mountain Holy Body Technique, a card so strong it was virtually unbeatable against adversaries of the same realm. Yet, in the ultimate clash of swordsmanship, it could only ensure that the Sword Demon wouldn’t die.

But Liu Moyuan was different. He dedicated himself to the sword, entrusted everything to it, and melded all his emotions into it.

When the Holy Dao Sword was fully wielded, it was the pinnacle of the Sword Dao, an unstoppable force.

Perhaps after the battle, his injuries would be even greater than those of the Sword Demon, but his Sword Dao was also sharper than that of the Sword Demon.

Zhao Chongyin’s eyes narrowed to slits, and he said nothing.

If even Liu Moyuan could not slay this Ghost Swordsman, who else in the world could suppress him in the martial path of the sword?

Heavy Tower Sword Technique! Nine Heavy Towers!

Finally, Liu Moyuan resorted to his killer move, a full-force deadly strike. A pale white Sword Qi condensed into a line, the air flashed.

Every wisp of cloud and mist in front was dissipated and shattered by Liu Moyuan’s sword.

Stabilizing the situation, Liu Moyuan held his breath and concentrated, delivering a slanting sword strike that turned into a beam of polar light cutting through the gap, aiming to shave An Jing. If this sword hit its mark, even a Four Qi Grandmaster would suffer grievous, near-fatal injuries, such was the force and persistent effect of the strike.

The Heavy Tower Sword Technique had eighteen tiers, each increasing in power. By the eighteenth tier, one could even transcend realms to slay a superior foe.

Once, when Liu Moyuan was at the Second Qi Grandmaster level, he used the eighteenth-tier sword technique to slay a Grandmaster who had just stepped into the Three Qi realm. However, this left him with a long-term ailment, which was the reason why he had secluded himself in the Sword Pavilion for many years to heal.

Selfless Dao!

An Jing grasped the Evil Suppressing Sword and slashed fiercely forward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Waves of Sword Qi crashed toward the distance, causing a deafening blast that echoed throughout the heavens and earth, while An Jing’s footsteps swiftly retreated backward.

The onlookers were stunned as they watched the two fighters separate, their faces filled with disbelief.

Their intense battle was every bit as riveting as the earlier fierce clash between the Sword Demon and the Ghost Swordsman, and even more thrilling.

Liu Moyuan, having abandoned all defense, seemed to trust every sword stroke to his Phoenix Sword; each strike was a death blow intended to take the life of his opponent.

Liu Moyuan looked deeply at An Jing and said, “Your swordsmanship is neither the Heavenly Dao Sword nor the Human Dao Sword; indeed, it is unimaginable.”

An Jing, gasping for air, replied, “You’re still holding back, aren’t you?”

Liu Moyuan stated indifferently, “Thus, you are definitely not my match.”

“That remains to be seen,” An Jing retorted, his eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze flickering with razor-sharp luminosity like two beams of silver light. A gust of wind whipped up, causing his black hair to flutter and wave like ink, like clouds.

Liu Moyuan’s body leaned slightly forward, his right hand on the hilt of his sword, the sword skill concentrated but unreleased, quickly gathering strength.

At the next moment, his longsword thrust forward once again.

A sword radiance that seemed to tear the heavens and earth apart suddenly swept out from her sword blade, just like a moon in the night sky.

Heavy Tower Sword Technique! The Twelfth Floor!

After executing the tenth floor of the Heavy Tower Sword Technique, its power began to undergo a qualitative change, especially from the fourteenth sword onwards, which started burning the essence blood within one’s body.

Its power was terrifying and could be called the pinnacle within the same realm.

An Jing took a deep breath, his Evil Suppressing Sword trembling in his hand as he swung it out.

Supreme Sword Scripture! Invisible Sword!

That sword stroke moved with a flowing light and directly melded into the air; the crowd could only see An Jing waving his arm, but they couldn’t see the sword radiance hidden in the void.

Without shape or shadow!

One’s eyes simply couldn’t catch the sword light.

Clang!

The two sword lights collided fiercely, sending An Jing’s figure flying backward, while Liu Moyuan also staggered back.

The situation seemed to have undergone a drastic change in a moment.

The Ghost Swordsman, who had been at an advantage just a moment ago, was now suppressed by the Sword God.

At the same time, an unstoppable aura of dread began to brew on Liu Moyuan’s body.

Holy Dao Sword!

That was the imposing power of the Holy Dao Sword!

The Heavenly Dao Sword, the Human Dao Sword, the King Sword, and others were all superior sword daos, but these sword daos were slightly inferior to the Holy Dao Sword, which highlighted the power of the Holy Dao Sword.

Both being of the Sixth Realm, Sword God Liu Moyuan was superior to the Sword Demon.

The Sword Demon also understood this truth. He could ensure his own survival in a battle against the Sword God, but he did not have the means to defeat the Sword God, and so, despite his many years of roaming the Jianghu, he never challenged the Sword God at the Yu Heng Sword Sect, which was the biggest reason for his restraint.

Indeed, the Immortal Sword had a slight advantage in a clash against the Holy Dao Sword, but how could one bridge the gap in their dao?

An Jing’s advantage in skill was further compressed, and for masters, a minor advantage could change the outcome of a battle.

Just like how during his fight with the Sword Demon, An Jing only had a slight advantage, and thus he won, and the Sword Demon lost.

Now, that slight advantage had vanished, even placing him at a slight overall disadvantage. Although it was extremely subtle, it was enough for him to hold on for a very long time.

But at the end of it all, his fate would be like that of the Sword Demon.

An Jing took a quiet breath and muttered to himself, “The Sword God truly lives up to his name.”

Today, to overpower the Sword God, seems to be not an easy task; on the contrary, it is extremely difficult, difficult among difficulties.

Zhao Chongyin let out a deep breath and said, “The might of the Holy Dao Sword exceeds even that of the King Sword, on what basis can the Ghost Swordsman block it?”

Atop Zhong Mountain, wild winds raged and the sword qi crisscrossed.

Anyone could see that the Sword God’s Holy Dao Sword was even more fearsome than the Sword Demon’s Heavenly Dao Sword, and the Ghost Swordsman had unwittingly found himself at a disadvantage.

All onlookers were wide-eyed, not even daring to breathe out, as they stared intently at the two figures confronting each other.

…

At the foot of Zhong Mountain.

Compared to the biting, razor-like winds up high, the cold below was intense but lacked the cutting quality of the gale.

On every path, soldiers from Yan Country stood guard; these were elite troops from the among the Great Commander’s army, responsible for maintaining order and defending during the Sky Worshiping Grand Ceremony.

Though Zhong Mountain’s summit was guarded by the Great Commander of the Xuanyi Guard and more than ten members of the Great Heavenly Gang, along with three hundred Forbidden Palace guards, manpower was still needed to keep peace and stand sentry.

Five thousand soldiers might not be considered many, but neither were they few.

At that moment, General Wei Bangfu stood at the base of the mountain, looking towards the overflowing sword qi above. Although he didn’t know what exactly was happening on the summit, his heart was very clear that a ground-shaking battle was taking place.

This battle could possibly decide the title of the top swordsman in the world, a title that had been absent from the Jianghu for decades.

However, he didn’t care about these concerns at the moment. As a military man, he naturally paid more attention to the state of the world, to the moments when he could bask in glory and riches, and to the times when he wouldn’t have to sacrifice his life and blood, to the moments with a warm bed shared with a wife and concubines.

“General, more people are coming.”

At this moment, a soldier beside him pointed toward the distance and spoke.

Wei Bangfu turned to look into the distance where dozens of figures approached, each robust and towering over the average Yan Country woman, and all wore hats that obscured their faces.

A thought flashed through Wei Bangfu’s mind; the people he was waiting for had finally arrived.

These individuals were experts from the Great Snow Mountain and assassins from Wind and Rain Tower, led by none other than the Mu Yuan Great Dharma King from Houjin.

As these individuals approached, the inspecting soldiers were about to ask them to remove their hats and verify their identities when Wei Bangfu stepped forward and stopped the two soldiers.

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King spoke softly, “There are more coming from behind, and they will arrive soon.”

A chill went through Wei Bangfu’s heart; he knew the followers were from the remnants of the Five Gangs Alliance. Although their strength was not great, their numbers were vast, a crucial aspect in the current plan.

“Good,” Wei Bangfu nodded, suppressing the tremors in his heart.

Then, Mu Yuan Great Dharma King led the group upward.

The inspecting soldiers, although puzzled, for the celestial worship ceremony was no minor event and trouble would cost them their heads, said nothing as Wei Bangfu had allowed passage.

Watching Mu Yuan Great Dharma King ascend the mountain with the experts, Wei Bangfu’s heart surged with tension and excitement.

He fully understood what this signified—if the Crown Prince and the various experts of Jianghu were to die here, it would be a tremendous blow to Yan Country.

It also meant that his day of soaring high was approaching, and he no longer had to live day to day on tenterhooks.

Wei Bangfu looked toward the mountaintop, his hand subconsciously touching the longsword at his waist, and a smile broke across his face for the first time since he’d entered the military—it was a laugh that came from deep within his heart.

Strangely enough, sometimes the fate of the world is changed by the most insignificant figures, perhaps just a subtle thought or an overlooked action.

“Clatter clatter clatter…”

“What’s happening!?”

Just then, the ground began to rumble without warning, causing the surrounding soldiers to look around.

In the distance, a host of iron cavalry surged forth, an unbroken line that seemed to have no end.

Amidst the rising dust, the imposing steeds surged forward, all belonging to the elite of the elite. The leading flag bearer held a banner brilliant as blood with the character ‘Xue’ written on it.

In the current Yan Country military, there was only one person who could be synonymous with such a flag and such elite cavalry, carrying the surname ‘Xue’.

That person was the Great General of the Southern District, Governor Ping Ding.

“This…”

Seeing this, Wei Bangfu was dumbstruck.

Being a subordinate general of Governor Ping Ding, he naturally recognized Ping Ding’s personal cavalry guard.

But isn’t Governor Ping Ding supposed to be fortifying Zhao Country? How could he have suddenly appeared at the foot of Zhong Mountain, and without any prior intelligence?

This is bad!

In an instant, Wei Bangfu felt a cold dread in his heart.

He saw the iron cavalry, fierce as wolves, surging around, enveloping Zhong Mountain as if intending to seal it off without leaving a single gap, not even allowing a bird to escape.

This military display was truly terrifying.

Then, a middle-aged man astride a black steed, clad in armor, rode forth.

With a square face, thick eyebrows, and a sharp, icy look in his eyes, he touched the long blade in his right hand; one could see his fingers were covered with calluses, evidently from frequent handling of the blade.

Mere sight of this person stirred a sense of fear and unease.

This man was none other than one of Yan Country’s three Marquises, Governor Ping Ding.

“General… why have you come here in person?”

Wei Bangfu quickly knelt, although his voice trembled.

Governor Ping Ding exuded an aura of blood from his many years on the battlefield. He rode up to Wei Bangfu and said indifferently, “The celestial worship is a matter of state importance, grave and not taken lightly. Today, I will personally oversee this place to prevent the petty from causing trouble.”

…..

PS: Thank you to Toopipig and the chirping sounds for your support, thank you!!