My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: The Demon Sect Hierarch Ascends Zhong Mountain

Great Grandmasters do not emerge into the world often, so the Five Qi Grandmasters are the most top-notch experts in existence.

Five Qi Grandmasters can be said to have one foot in the realm of Demi Immortals, possessing karma that is elusive to mortals, and with a mere gesture, they can alter the political landscape.

For just one step further, reaching the realm of the Great Grandmaster, is to be truly a Demi Immortal.

The divide between mortals and Immortals is vast, and the existence of a Demi Immortal is also an unfathomable peak for humans.

Therefore, a Five Qi Grandmaster is like a sharp sword stored within its scabbard—the most fearsome when not drawn, but causing a whirlwind of bloodshed once unsheathed.

Everyone, including the Five Qi Grandmasters themselves, dreaded each other.

Even though Jun Qinglin’s life was nearing its end, he was still feared; they were fearful that this soon-to-perish old man would see through the essence of life and death at the last moment, break through the shackles, and take that crucial step.

Though knowing the chance was slim, Zongzheng Huachun still made his move.

As for the scheme of Blue Sky Island, Ye Ding must have communicated with the Great Yan Emperor, no doubt he was aware of it, and it did not lack the intent for Jun Qinglin and Qi Xuan Dao to perish together in battle.

If that were the case, it would doubtlessly be joyous news for Yan Country.

Firstly, it would eliminate a foreign threat, and secondly, it would stabilize internal affairs, as the presence of such a powerful expert from the Demon Sect in Yan Country would inevitably be unstoppable.

But plans don’t always go as the Great Yan Emperor and Ye Ding wished, Qi Xuan Dao and Jun Qinglin did not fight to the death, and the result was Zongzheng Huachun eliminating the dying breath of Jun Qinglin.

This allowed one to see that among the Five Qi Grandmasters of the current era, Zongzheng Huachun’s strength was undoubtedly one of the most formidable.

He was also one of the Five Qi Grandmasters in the world whom people dreaded the most.

Today, atop Zhong Mountain, another Five Qi Grandmaster made his presence known.

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King, Sword Demon, Tianpeng Ancestor, Mu Xuan Dharma King, and Mu Li Dharma King all furrowed their brows, showing a trace of solemnity.

It wasn’t only the people of Houjin who were astounded, but the martial experts from Yan Country were equally amazed.

Five Qi Grandmasters are definitely not nobodies, who was this person before them?

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King said in a deep voice, “Tianpeng Ancestor, you deal with Xu Qianyue. The rest of us will meet this Five Qi Grandmaster.”

“Alright.”

Tianpeng Ancestor’s figure dashed out without drawing his Red Snow Saber. His right hand’s index and middle fingers came together, pointing a ray of light towards Xu Qianyue’s forehead, this move was precisely the Immortal Pointing the Way.

Shh!

A massive saber shadow extended forth.

“Don’t bother with these petty tricks, use your saber.”

Xu Qianyue drew his longsword, slashing downward, the pale white blade’s light chilling to the bone.

The ear-piercing roar resounded, the earth trembled, and incredibly, the pale white blade’s light cleaved through the finger light, bringing with it a daunting force that barreled toward Tianpeng Ancestor, who quickly raised his Red Snow Saber in defense before his chest.

Clang!

Tianpeng Ancestor was sent flying out.

“Huh!”

Taking a deep breath, Xu Qianyue’s eyes turned even colder.

This coldness was not like the frigidity of a snow mountain.

It was a coldness that led to despair.

He gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles protruding as he unleashed another mighty slash, the pale white light of the blade causing the whole world to seem bleached. Those directly in the path of the sword felt as if they were being assaulted by a force as heavy as a mountain.

Raging Wave Saber Technique! Mountain Wave!

Xu Qianyue’s strength astonished Tianpeng Ancestor, who immediately performed his lethal move. The mountainous blade light fell down, sealing heaven and earth.

“Crack!”

Xu Qianyue’s blade light was unstoppable, shattering the saber shadow of Tianpeng Ancestor.

“How can he be this strong, could it be that Xu Qianyue has already reached the Sixth Realm?” In an instant, a shocking thought surfaced in Tianpeng Ancestor’s mind.

This close guard of the Great Yan Emperor, the confidant among confidants, rarely showed his hand, and because of that, not many were fully aware of his capabilities.

Tianpeng Ancestor quickly banished his wandering thoughts and devoted himself entirely to the battle, unwittingly strengthening the potency of his saber moves.

Many spectators widened their eyes, watching the clash between these two mighty swordsmen.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sky was filled with saber light and shadows, their battle raging like a stormy sea.

At the same time, Mu Xuan Dharma King and Mu Li Dharma King charged against the martial experts and Xuanyi Guards from Yan Country’s Jianghu around them.

For a moment, the once tranquil Zhong Mountain became extraordinarily chaotic.

Skirmish!

Blood!

In the crowd, the gaze of Old Su suddenly turned icy cold, that oppressive feeling piercing through the masses and landing on two of the top Houjin experts.

Neither Mu Yuan Great Dharma King nor Sword Demon spoke, but simultaneously, as if by tacit agreement, they leaped up and charged towards Old Su.

Both were not merely Fourth Grade Qi Grandmasters like the Snow Mountain clan chief; they were at the peak of the Fourth Qi Grandmaster level, especially the Sword Demon, who was a Sixth Realm swordsman.

As the second highest expert of Houjin, the strength of Mu Yuan Great Dharma King naturally could not be underestimated either.

Most importantly, knowing they were facing a Five Qi Grandmaster, neither of them dared to hold back and went all out as soon as they made their move.

The first to charge over was the enchanting one with a blood-stained sword.

The sword light was a chilly glint, flickering with a dangerous luster.

To any expert under Five Qi in the world, this was an exceedingly perilous sword.

But, the very tip of the Blood Tears Sword was pointing directly at a Five Qi Grandmaster.

Old Su operated his mighty True Qi, and his fingers seemed to radiate a white brilliancy, then flicked towards the blade of the sword.

“Ding!”

A seemingly casual flick, but it exploded with a frightening force, traveling from the blade straight to the hilt, causing the Sword Demon’s arm to tingle with extreme numbness.

In the next moment, the giant saber of Mu Yuan Great Dharma King fell, its Sword Qi cascading down like a waterfall.

Old Su neither dodged nor retreated, his gaze unchanging, as the Qi Mechanism around him surged tumultuously, forming an incomparable Light Shield, directly withstanding the falling giant saber of Mu Yuan Great Dharma King.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

When the giant saber struck the barrier, the sound of impact was earth-shattering.

Since Mu Yuan Great Dharma King had never thought of testing the waters, his first move was a killer technique.

Old Su remained stationary, his robes fluttering with the roaring wind, his True Qi Light Shield firmly catching a blow of Sword Qi.

Powerful!

Unrivaled strength!

In this moment, the power displayed by the Five Qi Grandmaster left everyone present deeply shaken and bewildered.

An Jing watched Old Su’s figure and secretly thought, “This elder’s breath is continuous and his True Qi is powerful, but it still feels somewhat strange.”

The expert beside the Crown Prince indeed showed the strength and cultivation of a Five Qi Grandmaster, with breath that was enduring and even more robust than Jun Qinglin and Qi Xuan Dao.

However, when it came to strength, Jun Qinglin and Qi Xuan Dao were actually above this elder.

Both men had profound insights into the Dao and could maximize their strengths, while the elder before them seemed to fall short.

Old Su single-handedly combated two top Fourth Qi Grandmasters, appearing to do so with ease, boosting the confidence of the Yan people present.

In the midst of the chaotic fight, numerous Grandmasters wove through, causing many Jianghu experts to suffer the consequences, ultimately dying miserably on the waves of True Qi.

Some Jianghu experts who valued their lives began to retreat towards the back, no longer daring to step forward for fear of becoming collateral damage and senselessly losing their lives.

Mu Xuan Dharma King and Mu Li Dharma King also joined the fray against Old Su, but their participation did not change the course of the battle.

The Five Qi Grandmaster against four, still looking dispassionate and calm.

After receiving another two moves from Sword Demon and Mu Yuan Great Dharma King, Old Su suddenly waved his sleeve.

“Gentlemen, now it’s my turn to make a move,” he said.

Old Su gave a faint smile, extended his palm, and a tremendous surge of True Qi suddenly erupted, clearly having reached the summit of the Master Realm.

Infinite!

That continuous True Qi was like an ocean.

Without any fancy techniques or moves, with just a slap of Old Su’s palm,

the True Qi surged forward massively, unstoppable and tumultuous.

And this time, An Jing truly felt the sharpness and the absolute advantage of the Dao.

Sword Demon’s Blood Tears Sword shone brightly, releasing several beams of Sword Qi, attempting to stop the raging True Qi waves, but as soon as the Sword Qi touched the True Qi surge, it was instantly crushed.

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King, Mu Xuan Dharma King, and Mu Li Dharma King also went all out, not daring to slacken in the slightest.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Overwhelming True Qi surged forward, scattering everything in front of it, including the Qi Forces from the four experts.

Thud, thud, thud, thud….

All four Grandmasters retreated repeatedly towards the back, their eyes filled with deep trepidation.

Imposing!

Overbearing!

Was this the strength of a Five Qi Grandmaster!?

An Jing touched the Dulu Sword in his hand, his heart somewhat surging, and he couldn’t help but think silently, he wondered whether his current strength was enough to confront a Five Qi Grandmaster.

However, even after repelling the four men, Su Lao’s face did not reveal any relief. His profound gaze pierced through the crowd and the snowflakes in the sky, looking ahead.

Between heaven and earth, there was a momentary stillness, as if blood was flowing, spreading beneath everyone’s feet.

No matter when, blood is always colder than snow and ice.

Su Lao seemed indifferent to everything in front of him, and the only thing that could capture his attention lay in the distance. Soon after, a hoarse voice squeezed out from his throat, “Come out.”

…..

At the foot of Zhong Mountain.

Tens of thousands of soldiers had firmly besieged the entire Zhong Mountain, densely packed without any gaps, as if a flying bird could hardly pass through.

Lord Pingding sat on horseback, looking towards the sounds emanating from Zhong Mountain.

Wei Bangfu was careful and cautious at this moment, with his palms already full of cold sweat. He could distinctly feel death approaching closer and closer, but resistance meant death, and non-resistance also meant death; such an outcome was truly the most painful.

Lord Pingding looked at Wei Bangfu and asked, “With the weather so cold, why are you sweating?”

Wei Bangfu’s hand subconsciously moved towards his waist, hoping the object in his hand could provide him a semblance of safety, “My heart is somewhat nervous.”

As if Lord Pingding hadn’t noticed Wei Bangfu’s subtle action, he continued to ask, “Nervous about what?”

Wei Bangfu explained, “Seeing the Qi Mechanisms crisscross inside the towering Zhong Mountain, thinking about the certain peril within, I can’t help but feel nervous.”

Wei Bangfu’s explanation was full of holes, but Lord Pingding did not continue to question him, as there was a stir in the distance.

Scores of experts flew towards them lightly as swallows, skimming over the surface like dragonflies, a testament to their profound cultivation, and these were all experts from Yan Country’s Jianghu.

Lord Pingding called out, “Who are you?”

One of the sword-bearing men coldly said, “Those who are ascending the mountain.”

“Ascending the mountain!?”

Upon hearing this, a cold smirk appeared on Lord Pingding’s lips, “Zhong Mountain is already under lockdown, did you know that?”

Could they be the experts from the Five Gangs Alliance!?

Wei Bangfu’s heart thumped wildly. This was the time he should be allowing them through, but at the moment he stood frozen on the spot, not even daring to breathe heavily.

In the Jianghu these days, the most powerful force that was active was precisely this Five Gangs Alliance. In comparison to the towering factions like the Demon Sect and Buddhist sects, it was very difficult for ordinary Jianghu experts to encounter them, and ever since the battle at Blue Sky Island, the Zhenyi Sect had also begun a major cleansing, causing many temples and convents to become much more subdued.

The most frequent and active walkers in this vast Jianghu were unequivocally the people from the Five Gangs Alliance.

The sword-bearing man’s tone was still icy cold, “I need to ascend the mountain.”

A glint of icy intent flashed in Lord Pingding’s eyes, “There is only one way up the mountain, and that is to become a corpse.”

“I choose another path,” the swordsman said, coldly caressing the sword in his hand.

Seeing the swordsman, Lord Pingding felt a chill in his heart. With tens of thousands of troops by his side, this swordsman actually dared to make a move?

Lord Pingding did not take action himself, but the two guards by his side drew their longswords from their waists.

At such a close distance, a Grandmaster could easily take the head of an enemy general, but whether one could get out alive was another matter.

The swordsman sneered and then took out a token from his waist. The token seemed to be engraved with a red sun, appearing as if, in the light, one would launch a thousand arrows.

The moment Lord Pingding saw the token, his breath hitched.

As soon as the swordsman took out the token, he put it away again.

Yet from just a brief glance, Lord Pingding recognized the token, or rather, in the entire Great Yan Martial World, in all the world, there was no one who wouldn’t recognize this pattern.

The swordsman said, “May I ascend the mountain now?”

Lord Pingding shouted, “Please!”

His attitude changed dramatically all at once.

The words of Governor Pingding fell, and the surrounding soldiers all made way for a path.

The swordsman did not speak, sheathed his longsword, and stood respectfully to one side as a figure emerged from behind him and walked towards the top of Zhong Mountain.

The person was shrouded in black smoke, as if their true face could not be discerned clearly.

When the footsteps stopped in front of Governor Pingding, his heart trembled violently.

At that moment, he felt death was just a step away, and if he dared to utter a ‘no’ just now, he might have died at the foot of Zhong Mountain today.

Pingding wasn’t afraid to die, but he certainly didn’t want to die like this.

After a long while, once Governor Pingding had regained his senses, those dozens of experts had already disappeared into the trail.

Seeing this, Wei Bangfu breathed a sigh of relief, then became curious—did Governor Pingding really let those from the Five Gangs Alliance go up?

“General, are you all right?”

Seeing the swordsman depart, a deputy general quickly approached.

Governor Pingding watched the figures of several people leaving, took a deep breath, and said, “I’m fine.”

The deputy general asked in a low voice, “General, what do we do now?”

Governor Pingding inquired, “Do you know who that swordsman is?”

The deputy general shook his head, “No idea.”

Governor Pingding somberly said, “The White Tiger Sword Immortal, Yi Daoyun.”

How many in the Demon Sect could make Yi Daoyun clear the way?

The identity of that person was almost self-evident.

Wei Bangfu’s complexion changed drastically upon hearing this. Weren’t those people from the Five Gangs Alliance? How did they suddenly become masters of the Demon Sect?

And what about the men from the Five Gangs Alliance!?

At that moment, a bad premonition surged in his heart.

….

Upon the stone steps of Zhong Mountain, the guards from the Imperial Guard stood sentinel.

These guards were experts of the palace, tasked with the safety of the Imperial City; the least amongst them had Fourth Grade cultivation, with quite a few at Third Grade and even some at Second Grade Cultivation.

Faced with the sudden assault from the experts of Houjin, they did not panic. Although there were Grandmaster level masters among them, Yan Country had also dispatched a Five Qi Grandmaster.

All they had to do was defend the key passages around them, preventing the Houjin experts from fleeing. Even if the Houjin masters caused a disturbance with their moves, they remained unflustered and did not act.

Just then, a tremendous force assaulted them from behind.

Boom! Boom!

Several guards had no chance to react; their internal organs shattered by the oppressive force, and anyone touched by this Qi force was pulverized.

Such a terrifying commotion immediately drew everyone’s attention.

“Grandmaster!?”

As members of the Imperial Guard, they naturally knew that such force and strength could only be wielded by someone of Grandmaster level.

At this point atop Zhong Mountain, experts were gathered en masse, with Houjin’s Great Snow Mountain deploying so many masters. One Five Qi Grandmaster from Yan Country was enough to deter the Great Snow Mountain, and victory seemed to be within reach.

But until the moment of actual victory, no one could truly know to whom it belonged.

And now, an unsettling variable had appeared.

Coming up the mountain was a young girl.

And she was the one who had just made the attack.

The girl looked to be only around four or five years old, with two small ponytails on her head and a very cute and charming face.

Even though the Imperial Guards were not Jianghu masters, the sudden appearance of a little girl caused a trace of astonishment to emerge in their hearts.

From the moment they joined the Imperial Guard, they were required to maintain unparalleled loyalty to the Royal Family. Even if it meant charging into mountains of blades and seas of flames, they had to forge ahead. That was their mission, as well as their faith.

The Imperial Guards exchanged glances and rushed towards the young girl.

In their view, even a ferocious tiger could be frightened by a pack of wolves, and even in death, they had to bite off a chunk of flesh.

But they were hardly a pack of wolves, and the girl was much more than just a ferocious tiger.

The girl’s palms were a blur, and with each strike, several guards would die on the spot, reduced to a puddle of blood and muck on the stone paving.

There were no screams, no cries… only unceasing death and blood.

To her, killing seemed as simple as eating and drinking.

The path leading up the mountain was stained red with fresh blood.

Above the whole of Zhong Mountain, there seemed to be a plunge into silence, a silence that was eerily unsettling.

Following Elder Su’s gaze, everyone else looked over as well.

The girl appeared in everyone’s field of vision, her face as delicate as carved jade, but her eyes possessed a hint of seductive charm.

Her pace was neither fast nor slow, and even the act of killing did not seem to affect her stride.

The moment they saw the girl, everyone’s complexion turned pale.

For the blood trailing behind her had already become a thin, trickling stream, slowly flowing until, due to the extreme cold, the scalding blood quickly solidified, as if the blood in their own veins had frozen in the chilling weather.

An Jing’s pupils constricted, feeling a sense of oppression deep inside.

It seemed that the waters of the Jianghu were indeed deep, concealing who knows how many cunning old turtles; a slight misstep could drown even a grandmaster, leading to their demise, vanishing without a trace.

Elder Su stared straight at the girl in front of him, and couldn’t help but smile, “I was wondering why only the experts from Houjin showed up. It turns out Black Ice Platform wants to profit from the chaos, reaping the fishermen’s gains.”

Black Ice Platform!?

Hearing Elder Su’s words, the whole of Zhong Mountain gasped in shock.

What kind of power was Black Ice Platform?

In front of the three major factions, it naturally didn’t count as an ancient power, but it was undoubtedly one of the most mysterious.

Originally, the power of Zhao Country in the south could not compare with the ancestral lands, but when Black Ice Platform emerged, the situation began to subtly change, and the reason for all this was Black Ice Platform.

The people of Yan Country also seemed to have rejoiced too soon as their faces turned grave.

At the same time, the cold wind atop Zhong Mountain grew even fiercer, and the sunlight that was still visible was completely obscured by dark clouds.

A silence like death.

Minister of Rites Zhu Yongfang, seeing the endless emergence of masters, also knew that today there lurked a shocking, vast conspiracy. Normally, he would be chastising the foreign barbarians and nomads before him, standing in front of the Crown Prince.

But at this moment, he shrank back, even retreating behind Zhao Chongyin.

Not only the Minister of Rites, but all were motionless, their emotions churning. They were caught in the midst of this conspiracy, struggling powerlessly, with no one knowing whether the small boat that appeared next would capsize in a fiercer storm.

Today’s events on Zhong Mountain were far too complex and delicate, not only featuring a struggle between the world’s foremost swordsmen but also the assassination of the Crown Prince and the appearance of two masters standing at the summit of the mountain.

These were all figures beyond the ordinary person’s sight.

A Five Qi Grandmaster from Black Ice Platform had actually made her appearance.

And the girl who could climb Zhong Mountain was naturally no ordinary child; she was the Qi Xuan Dao’s senior sister from Black Ice Platform, the one whom even the proud Lv Qiujian could not ascertain her true identity, Granny Qin Shan.

Great Yan’s Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin, however, looked at Qin Shan with a complex expression, as if he recognized the girl before him and shared a different kind of relationship with her.

Qin Shan looked at Elder Su, her clear voice echoing in everyone’s ears, “I never thought that someone of your dull nature could become a Five Qi Grandmaster and glimpse the mysteries of being a demi-immortal. It seems nothing is impossible in this world.”

Elder Su stretched out his palm and smiled, “Since acquiring this cultivation, indeed I have not made the slightest progress, but compared to you, I feel that sometimes not advancing in cultivation can be a good thing.”

The word ‘acquired’ sparked wild thoughts in many people’s hearts—could it be that this Five Qi Grandmaster’s cultivation had a special origin?

Qin Shan’s beautiful eyes lifted slightly, “In this world, which Five Qi Grandmaster doesn’t want to break through their shackles, reaching the true realm of a Great Grandmaster? Even Jun Qinglin, on the brink of death, still has a sliver of opportunity, but only you…”

As she spoke, Qin Shan shook her head.

To the Five Qi Grandmaster before her, it seemed she harbored pity, disdain…

Elder Su, indifferent to Qin Shan’s continuous mockery, said coolly, “In this vast world, being able to stand at the peak is already not easy, so why obsess over the unnecessary? Aren’t you yourself confined within the realm of Five Qi?”

“Furthermore, don’t think I don’t know where you come from. In Black Ice Platform, there exists a skill called ‘Innate Skill,’ which absorbs the innate Qi of unborn children, expanding it within one’s Qi Sea, transforming one’s own Qi Sea into an Innate Qi Sea, nurturing an Innate Dantian. Your method, which must have killed countless infants to succeed, is truly malicious and brutal. In my view, everyone always says Outer Heaven is the Demon Sect, but on the contrary, I think Black Ice Platform is more like the heretical path.”

Innate Skill!?

It was the first time the masters present had heard of this Innate Skill, they couldn’t help being greatly surprised.

Elder Su, with his hands behind his back, continued, “It is exactly this Innate Skill that has caused your body to wither and remain in the form of a child. Am I right?”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Qin Shan applauded, “You are right, but that won’t interfere with the outcome today.”

Elder Su gave a faint smile, “Outcome? Only things that have happened are called outcomes.”

Qin Shan said, “Then let it truly happen now and become an outcome that no one can change.”

The two had no past friendship, so naturally, they didn’t have old times to reminisce about.

All of Houjin’s experts eyed the scene with steely gazes.

In the next moment, an exceptionally powerful Qi Force surged to the skies, just as strong as the Qi Mechanism Elder Su had released earlier, if not stronger by threefold.

The cold wind surged even more violently, as if countless knives were scraping by.

Two powerful Qi forces began to intertwine, each occupying one side of Zhong Mountain, standing off against each other, evenly matched in grandeur.

The howling wind roared, accompanied by the thunderous booming sound that echoed through it, as Qi forces interweaved forming blades that shuttled through the wind, making one shiver uncontrollably and feel a chill down to their bones.

The withered trees began to shake and tremble, and this was only the beginning.

As Qin Shan’s True Qi circulated, the milky white True Qi surged from behind her, connecting her to the sky above, as if at that moment, she was the sky above Zhong Mountain.

The wild wind didn’t stop!

Just like the beating of a human heart!

And opposite her, the elder Su stood rooted to the ground, projecting an unshakeable presence like Mount Tai, unmoving regardless of how the Qi force assailed him.

Suddenly, a hint of astonishment appeared in his eyes, a divine light that shouldn’t belong there.

Then, Qin Shan opposite him moved.

The sky over Zhong Mountain seemed to change as well.

Her palms churned, and the milky white True Qi tumbled down, giving the impression that the Zhong Mountain was collapsing, and the Four Seas were surging down—an utterly pure True Qi, rumored to be the Innate True Qi, the essence of the world at its beginning.

The gale struck, carving deep wrinkles on Elder Su’s weathered cheeks.

Immediately after, Elder Su’s figure disappeared from sight.

And thus, the two Five Qi Grandmasters finally clashed.

With just one strike, it was as though a spark had ignited the entire prairie, setting off a furious wildfire.

Zhong Mountain trembled, the Qi Force surged like tidal waves.

One person’s Qi stretched vast like the heavens, overwhelming, and the other’s as dense and heavy as the earth.

At the moment of heaven and earth’s union, that heart-pounding sensation reappeared.

An Jing had witnessed Five Qi Grandmasters in action, the most memorable being on Blue Sky Island. He hadn’t just watched, but had also been part of it, while at Dongluo Pass he hadn’t seen it.

Although he had experienced the clash of Five Qi Grandmasters before, the sight still made his heart skip a beat.

Especially, the display of milky white Innate True Qi by the Black Ice Platform expert seemed to provide him with a great revelation.

The True Qi refined by the “Nameless Heart Scripture” was indeed incomparably pure, but always felt lacking due to the absence of the “Beidou Seven Stars Technique”, but now seeing this Innate True Qi, he finally understood.

Perhaps the “Nameless Heart Scripture” ultimately also aimed to absorb a breath of Innate True Qi, but due to its incompleteness, there was always a deviation.

“Kill—!”

Sword Demon and Mu Yuan Great Dharma King, free from constraints, charged towards Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin, together with An Jing.

The Sword Demon’s reason for wanting to kill was straightforward, naturally for the Dulu Sword, while Mu Yuan Great Dharma King also had a simple reason, to eliminate this threat for the Houjin Dynasty.

Seeing Mu Yuan Great Dharma King coming at him, An Jing also felt a murderous intent rise within himself.

Even though he knew that fighting consecutively had drained him, he still needed to kill.

For the grudges of Dongluo Pass, for the grievances of Jun Qinglin.

And the quickest way for a swordsman to settle a vendetta was with a sword.

The Dulu Sword flashed out!

A world-shaking sword light surged from the blade, drifting toward the front.

The moment the world’s first swordsman and the world’s first sword appeared together, it was astonishing how profound that experience was, first felt by Mu Yuan Great Dharma King.

That Sword Qi was unstoppable, bone-piercingly sharp, and he lacked the courage to meet that sword light head-on.

He could only leap aside hastily, narrowly avoiding this astonishing sword light.

“Dulu Sword!”

Seeing this, Sword Demon’s eyes glinted with bright light.

Swordsmen cherish treasure swords, and so no swordsman could ever resist desiring the world’s first sword.

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King’s arms shook fiercely as if a dragon danced, veins pulsing, True Qi going wild, the long saber slashing down towards the ground, and then a menacing dragon surged forth, charging directly at Wen Qingye.

Sword Demon, seeing Mu Yuan Great Dharma King unleash his skillful art, also decided not to hold back any longer.

Supreme Sword Scripture! Heavenly Punishment!

Nine dark shadows appeared in the sky, each one resembling the real Sword Demon, and then these nine shadows struck simultaneously with their swords from all directions towards Wen Qingye.

When two Four Qi Grandmasters worked together, their terrifying offensive was enough to make one feel the suffocation.

Wen Qingye stomped forward fiercely, and the air around seemed to explode from the momentum, fleeing in all directions.

The massive wave, several zhang high, surged forth with Wen Qingye’s sword, boundless and overwhelming, pressing in from all directions of the heavens.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the giant wave of True Qi, ocean-like, rolled out and directly met the nine Sword Demons in the sky along with that beam of Sword Light.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

When the True Qi collided, it was akin to an erupting volcano, with countless points of True Qi bursting apart, scattering across the sky.

The sea-like True Qi dispersed instantly, as did the nine Sword Demons; the frenzy of the True Qi tide washed away, and the dragon shape was also blown apart.

Mu Xuan and Mu Li Dharma King saw the Ghost Swordsman’s valor and bravely charged into battle.

Chaos!

The whole of Zhong Mountain was completely thrown into disarray!

With Qin Shan holding off Old Su, the masters from the Houjin Great Snow Mountain finally broke free, each charging into the fray like tigers entering a flock of sheep.

The imperial guards protecting Zhao Chongyin also surged forward.

At that moment, several black-clad assassins from Wind and Rain Tower rushed towards the Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin.

One of them, though her face was veiled, had eyes that revealed she was undoubtedly a stunning beauty.

Her eyes were filled with icy coldness.

All of Zhao Chongyin’s experts had been called away, and the two Xuanyi Guards of Great Heavenly Gang were also engaged with the Wind and Rain Tower assassins, unable to spare attention elsewhere. Now was a perfect opportunity.

Li Yue’s figure leapt, her longsword thrusting straight out, aiming to claim the life of the Crown Prince.

She wasn’t doing this for fame or for the greater good of the world, but for a deep-seated personal grudge.

“Your Highness, be careful!”

Bai Jing saw this and abandoned her own opponent, quickly rushing over.

Li Yue shouted sharply, her sword radiating light as she aimed for Bai Jing’s throat.

A person explodes with potential at the moment they forget about life and death, when both life and death seem trivial, when there are no grand affairs in life, no constraints, no shackles. That moment for Li Yue was now.

So her sword was fast!

Far faster than her current level of cultivation!

Bai Jing, seeing the icy tip of the sword aiming straight for her throat, instinctively tilted her body slightly aside, but this slight tilt exposed Zhao Chongyin to grave danger.

“Not good!”

Bai Jing inwardly cursed, but it was already too late.

Li Yue, merging body and sword as one, continued to charge towards Zhao Chongyin.

It was common knowledge that although Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin was in his forties, his aptitude for martial arts was mediocre at best, and he seldom practiced, resulting in his low level of cultivation.

With Li Yue being at the First Grade Heavenly Flower Realm and a swordsman to boot, once within close quarters, the death of Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin was certain.

Zhao Chongyin stood at the peak of the mountain, his expression detached and calm, even a bit haughty.

At this time, the ministers conducting the ritual stood at a distance, watching this heart-wrenching scene, and couldn’t help but cry out, “Your Highness!”

Everyone thought Zhao Chongyin would surely die, after all, he was no Zhao Mengtai.

If Zhao Chongyin died, would Yan Country’s sky change?

Perhaps for them, it would indeed change!

After all, if the Crown Prince died, who would succeed to the great throne?

Li Yue’s heart also began to tremble; since that year, her mind and heart had been filled with the obsession of revenge. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to fulfill it.

Although her heart was trembling, her sword was extremely swift, accurate, and ruthless.

In the next moment, Li Yue’s sword suddenly paused as if it had stabbed into a mountain, and a look of shocked horror appeared in her eyes.

Her sword was firmly clutched between a pair of fair hands, and those holding the sword were slender, clean fingers.

The owner of those fingers was none other than Zhao Chongyin himself.

How could this be!?

Considering that Li Yue’s cultivation was at the First Grade Heavenly Flower, and yet Zhao Chongyin managed to hold her sword immobile with just two fingers.

“Ding!”

Zhao Congying flicked a finger.

A surge of Hidden Force entered the blade and rushed towards Li Yue’s body, the tiny yet powerful force directly shattered the organs within Li Yue’s body.

“Wow!”

Li Yue’s body staggered backward repeatedly, fresh blood spurting from the corners of her mouth, while the light in her eyes dimmed.

Soon, countless figures overwhelmed her.

….

And this was just a corner of Zhong Mountain; the most intense battle at the moment was where the two Five Qi Grandmasters, Old Su and Qin Shan, crossed swords—no one else dared to approach.

An Jing, holding the Dulu Sword, had just repelled four Masters when he was about to charge forward.

Suddenly a sweeping flurry of stick shadows bombarded him.

The sticks were like mountains, exuding a majestic aura!

The comer was certainly a formidable expert!

An Jing hurriedly retreated, swinging his sword in a sweeping motion.

The master wielding the Sky-reaching Stick, aware of the Dulu Sword’s cold edge, quickly dodged to avoid a direct confrontation.

The comer was none other than Teng Xubing, one of the Eight Heavenly Slaughters of the Black Ice Platform.

“Today, indeed, many experts have come.

An Jing couldn’t help but laugh as he saw this, “But isn’t it a mistake that all of you come after me instead of dealing with Zhao Chongyin?”

Looking around, both Great Snow Mountain and Black Ice Platform had dispatched their Masters; Great Snow Mountain had sent four Masters, while Black Ice Platform had sent two, one of whom was a Five Qi Grandmaster.

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King said coldly, “Zhao Chongyin is going to die, and so are you. On the road to the Yellow Springs, you won’t be lonely.”

“Is that so?”

Suddenly, an indifferent voice rang out. Then a massive burst of sword light descended from the sky, landing in front of them.

“Run!”

Seeing the sudden descent of the sword light, knowing that the comer was an expert, they dared not hold their ground and scattered to avoid it.

“Boom!”

“Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!”

The black sword light heavily struck down, creating a ravine that extended towards the distance.

“Who has come now!?”

All the experts on Zhong Mountain changed their expressions, stopped fighting, and looked towards the far distance.

They saw a woman clad in black standing in the distance.

The woman, with her eyebrows slightly raised and eyes as deep as distant hills, had a gaze that was seductive and captivating, with a delicate nose and skin as white as snow. Her crimson lips stood out starkly, like a proud and bewitching red plum in the snow, as if a fairy had stepped out of an exquisite painting.

But not a single person bothered to appreciate her beauty.

Because in her hands, she held two blades—one long and one short—glinting with a frighteningly cold light.

An Jing, upon seeing the newcomer, couldn’t help but reveal a trace of a smile.

The newcomer was Zhao Qingmei.

Zhao Qingmei gently caressed her Mandarin Duck Twin Blades and said, “Today, no one is allowed to leave Zhong Mountain without my command.”

In an instant, demonic might surged overpoweringly across the entirety of Zhong Mountain.

Her voice was colder than the chilling wind, piercing to the bone.

Everyone’s breath caught.

“So it’s you, the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.”

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King, upon seeing the newcomer, narrowed his eyes slightly and revealed a cold sneer.

Zhao Qingmei said coldly, “Today is the day you die.”

“Hahaha!”

Mu Yuan Great Dharma King laughed uproariously, “A stray dog also dares to spout such madness!? Do you still remember how Dongluo Pass was annihilated, how Jun Qinglin met his end? Dongluo Pass is now the territory of Houjin, while Jun Qinglin’s head hangs in my Royal Court.”

At these words, An Jing’s expression also turned cold, and a boundless killing intent surged within him.

Some people are dead the moment they utter certain words, yet it’s only when they stop breathing that they leave this world.

In An Jing’s heart, Mu Yuan Great Dharma King was such a person.

….