The wind was sharp and the swords were frost-kicking, the rain was bloody and the wind was violent. It was impossible to distinguish the sun and the moon. Or maybe there was no sun and moon in this barrier, only endless slaughter and blood.
The four altars seemed distant yet near, gradually revealing their true form. The blood-colored formations were brimming with demonic energy. Yun Xian stood leaning on his sword, wiping away the blood. He looked up and asked, "Taiping, how long has it been now?"
Taiping Dao: "It's only six hours."
Six hours, just half a day, which would normally be just the time for a nap, but now it seems like a long and baseless nightmare.
The only consolation is that this nightmare at least has an end.
Qiao Lingshan dragged the Sixth Elder down, her expression grim as she wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve. Earlier, in the icy lake, the Sixth Elder, in his quest to save a few more Sword Pavilion disciples, had nearly frozen himself to a block of ice. Once ashore, he faced the prospect of climbing several terrifyingly high mountains, with no chance to rest. He had barely finished saying, "Thinking back to when I was learning swordsmanship, I had to climb several mountains." Before he could even finish the sentence, "I'd wear out a pair of straw sandals every day," he collapsed without warning.
Without a storage ring or herbs, the old man's body grew colder and stiffer. If he remained unconscious for a while longer, he would be beyond help. Feng Ye took off his own clothes to warm him, but it was only a drop in the bucket. The people of Jiange looked back countless times, hoping for the green figure to appear, but now, they could only hope.
In such an extremely harsh environment, even the Sword Sect could not survive on its own, let alone the Miaoshou Sect?
Furthermore, the wounded weren't confined to Jiange. Across the scorched earth, many members of the Sword Forging Sect were also being carried, their bodies severely wounded. Some of them were still breathing, while many perished instantly, their bodies uncollected.
Yun Xian looked up at the altar that seemed to be very close.
From a distance, it didn't seem like much, but the closer they got, the heavier the overwhelming sense of oppression grew. Now, they were separated from it by only a river of black water. No matter how hard they looked up, they couldn't see the top of the altar. It was as if these four altars were literally supporting the entire sky.
Covering the sky and swallowing up hope.
The dotted traces of the formation were like blood-red eyeballs, constantly and secretly turning in all directions.
Taiping looked a little nervous. However, he would never admit to being nervous. Instead, he said, "You've been so quiet lately. I'm not used to it."
"You don't think I'm noisy?" Yun Xian stared at the altar and said, "After all, now is not the time for jokes."
Taiping Dao: "Can we really win?"
Yun Xian shrugged briskly: "Guess."
Taiping: “…” A dog will never change its ways!
"Right." Yun Xian said thoughtfully, "Taiping, you said last time that there are only two possibilities for revealing the Demon Cult's hiding place. One is that it shows up on its own initiative, and the other is that its power weakens. Why is there no third possibility?"
"Do I need to explain the third option?" Taiping said unhappily, "If you can find the place, you can just send a sword energy shot there and it will come out. But if you could find it, you would have found it long ago."
The entire barrier has been walked through, but no trace has been found. Now there is no way to turn back. It is obvious that the place where the people behind have stepped on has been submerged in lava and poisonous miasma. They have been kept here all the way, scarred and frightened, like lambs to be slaughtered.
Smoke billowed everywhere, and Yun Xian, in the silence, said, "But I think I know where it is."
"?" What does that mean? Taiping pressed on, "Where's what? Hey, you know you'll get beaten if you start talking mid-sentence? What are you doing up?!"
Yun Xian went to find the Body Strengthening Sect. Ji Rongxue carried her on her back for a swim in the icy lake. She seemed fine, but every time Yun Xian looked back, she noticed more and more of her body had transformed into a beast. Now, she had transformed into a full-fledged lion, followed by a vast army of beasts, including Tiedan. Yun Xian only now realized that the martial arts Tiedan practiced were based on pangolins... no wonder he was so resilient!
Lion form is Ji Rongxue's strongest form, the most alert and best able to cope with crises, but it also consumes the most energy. When Yun Xian approached, she was licking her injured front leg, the skin and flesh torn and the bone faintly visible.
Yun Xian said, "Miss, you can't lick it. The more you lick it, the worse it gets. We don't have any herbs right now, so I'll use some snow to apply it."
"It's all the same." Of course she knew she couldn't lick it, but it was itchy. Ji Rongxue let her pile snow on her paws and asked, "Didn't you encounter the Miaoshou Sect and the Buddhist Sect?"
"I was also wondering if you've encountered any," Yun Xian said. "The Sword, Forging, and Knife sects are already the fastest, with the Lute Workshop following closely behind. The fact that some people are still rushing here means the road hasn't been officially destroyed. If no one arrives, then the situation is dire."
Ji Rongxue's front paws were piled up in the snow, but she still felt itchy. She shook her head and said calmly, "I think the Buddhist Sect and the Miaoshou Sect must have met. If they met, the Buddhist Sect would not leave the Miaoshou Sect alone. They would rescue one and the other during the process, so it's normal for them to be late."
She was absolutely right. It was obvious that Buddhists would do this sort of thing.
Senior Nan Ronghong's spiritual ginseng was still being nurtured within the Xuanbao Pavilion in the Northern Realm, guarded by Xiao Yuan. If she survived, then neither would Nan Ronghong. It was unclear if it was because the Xuanbao Pavilion was too dispersed, or if it wasn't truly a sect, but with the Xuanbao Pavilion's support from the outside world, the pressure on everyone was alleviated.
Yun Xian sighed: "If that's the case, that would be great."
Ji Rongxue licked her face comfortingly. The barbs pricked her a bit, leaving a bloody mess all over her face. Yun Xian had been hit on the head before, and there was no time to wipe the blood away. Her tone was still calm, "No matter how bad it gets, it's just like that. There's nothing to sigh about."
Yun Xian felt something was wrong: "Can't you use your human form now?"
"It's not that I can't use it." Ji Rongxue said, "The wound on my leg is too deep, and I can't stand up in human form. But it's okay. Do you know where Jimo Shu is?"
Yun Xian: "I...maybe I know. Or maybe I don't."
Rather than knowing where she is, Yun Xian now wants to know more urgently what she is thinking.
Ji Rongxue said, "There's no need to hide this from me, Yun Xian. If I put my friends above the rest of the world, I'll definitely choose my friends. I'm that kind of person."
Yun Xian: "Miss..."
The beasts behind looked as if they had seen a ghost, with their eyes rolling around.
Most of them were recruited by Ji Rongxue, and the training was also personally undertaken by the Sect Leader. They were both respectful and fearful of her. It was already awkward enough to hear Yun Xian calling them "Miss", but they didn't expect the Sect Leader to speak like this!
It seems fur is truly a soothing medicine. Yun Xian went over and stroked Miss Ji's fur a few times, and her mood calmed down considerably. But before she could calm down for a moment, she heard another argument from the other end, as if in a rage: "Do you still want to keep your dignity?!"
In this brief moment, barely a moment, the remnants of the army had actually started arguing again! However, if it was just a quarrel between disciples, they could suppress it with a few words like "unreasonable" or "inconsiderate," but the ones currently arguing were actually Liu Chang and the Qinfang Sect Master!
Liu Chang's face twitched as he said, "What's wrong with saving my disciples of the Sword Sect? I can't protect my own disciples. It's ultimately my own incompetence. Who can I blame?"
The Qinfang Sect Master sneered, "Go on. Keep talking. During the Ice Lake incident, how many people from the Dao Sect did my Qinfang save? Do you have a clear count? You're still scheming at this point, deliberately bypassing other sects and not saving them. If I hadn't intervened in time, Qin Ya would be gone!"
Along the way, the Qinfang's losses, while not the greatest, were certainly not small. The clan leader's voice was trembling, evidently filled with deep, unbearable pain.
It was truly unseemly to say this out loud. The Qinfang disciples were filled with anger, while the Dao Sect disciples looked at Liu Chang with great embarrassment. Liu Chang's jaw twitched a few times, and he said aggrievedly, "...Maybe I was before. But I didn't deliberately withhold help just now! I consider whoever is nearby, so how can I say I was deliberately targeting anyone?"
Judging from his expression, he really felt wronged. However, everyone was already at the breaking point, ready to explode at any moment. Moreover, there were countless sects, big and small, that had grievances with the Sword Sect!
The Qinfang Sect Master mercilessly began to expose the past: "Isn't it time for your Sword Sect to be so eager to invade the Eastern Realm? Isn't it time for your former Young Sect Master Liu Shi to engage in a four-way war and collude with the Demon Cult?"
Everyone present was shocked.
"What collusion??!"
"Demon Cult?!!"
"..." Liu Xin finally spoke, emphasizing, "This incident was done by Liu Shi alone and has nothing to do with the sect. He has already paid the price for it, his golden core shattered and his future ruined. Why bother to bring it up again?"
Liu Chang said, "You, East Realm, should ask yourself first! Young Sect Master of the Sword Pavilion, is the sword she holds a demonic sword? I think everyone in your sect knows it very well!"
Yun Xian was stunned. "What does this have to do with me? How does Xiaohong look like a demon sword?"
Yun Lang: "Try mentioning my daughter again."
Taiping screamed, "Stop arguing! Stop arguing!"
"...Oh, it seems Elder Liu is quite proficient in this area of demons." Xiao Wu laughed and said, "If the Sword Saint knew his descendants were so foolish, Bai Gu would probably be so angry that he would come back to life. I think you know exactly what you put into the Sword Sect's spiritual spring!"
"Spiritual Spring..." Liu Feiran said in a deep voice, "That was what the Second Elder of the Body Tempering Sect did beforehand. We were just following suit."
Ji Rongxue said, "Stop. The Second Elder died a long time ago. If you want to bring up old scores, go find some paper to burn."
"Is death the end of it? Liu Shi is no different from being dead now, and I haven't seen you stop mentioning it!"
"It doesn't make much difference. Doesn't that mean he's not dead? If he's colluding with the Demon Cult, I'd think the Sword Pavilion Young Master wasn't ruthless enough. If it were me, I'd send him to hell with a single strike!"
"I've been annoyed with you, the Sword Sect, for a long time now! You're always doing anything to harm others and benefit yourself!!!"
“…”
They were already exhausted, and how could they possibly add fuel to the fire? Everyone was brimming with anger and a fear they couldn't reveal. They were already at the end of their ropes, and after just a few words, they were arguing. Who had previously encroached on whose territory, who had previously schemed against whose interests, the grudges were tangled like a tangled thread, impossible to unravel.
In this chaotic scene, the Buddhist sect and the Miaoshou sect finally arrived with their disciples and the monks they had rescued. Master Mingguang and Li Jianye were both stunned. Without even the time to sit down and breathe, they hurried over to stop the fight:
"Amitabha, now that things have come to this, we must all be united. Donor, please do not commit any more evil words..."
"Don't be ridiculous! The first person to be possessed by a demon and bring disaster to the world was Mingren from your Buddhist sect! He's the next abbot. Is Buddhism still a peaceful place?!"
Qi Zhiye angrily said, "You say Mingren again?"
Li Batu said, "Sister, stop trying to persuade them. Just let them argue. When they've argued enough, they can shut up."
Besides, the situation didn't seem so bad from her perspective. They were still just talking, not fighting. The only physical conflict was a couple of shoves and shoves. As long as the skin wasn't broken, there was no need to worry.
Xue Lingxiu said hurriedly: "I'll go over and take a look."
Li Pei had already gone to see the Sixth Elder. Qiao Lingshan was also very surprised by the little girl. She had been trying hard not to cry before the medical practitioner came, but as soon as the medical practitioner arrived, her tears immediately flowed like waves, looking so pitiful and cute.
"Worried about your friend?" Li Batu immediately noticed where he was looking. Yun Xian and Ji Rongxue were lying together helping Li Pei. Qiao Lingshan was dragging her elderly father. Feng Ye was trembling and couldn't help but curl his lips. "Go over there! I haven't seen you show such concern even when I was injured."
However, Xue Lingxiu had only taken a few steps when the briefly peaceful expanse of scorched earth began to tremble violently again! The ground cracked and shook in all directions, as if some giant creature was about to break out of the earth. The indiscriminate curses that had originally broken through the sky suddenly stopped, and then broke out again:
"Don't touch me!! Put your dirty sword away!!"
"Get lost! Who dares to stand with the Sword Sect now?!"
"Who touched my butt?! Who took the opportunity to touch my butt!"
"Are you sick?! It's already this hour, who would want to touch your butt as a male cultivator?! The ones behind you are all bald, okay?!"
"Who are you calling a bald donkey?"
The earth shook and dust filled the ground. Finally, the twenty stone doors slowly rose at the other end of the river.
Extreme movement, followed by a long period of extreme stillness.
Behind the stone gate, the various sects' trial grounds were connected. Besides the Old Seven Sects, there were thirteen unoccupied positions. This meant that of the over a hundred people present, if they fought to the bitter end, at least thirteen would still be alive.
This number is neither so large that it seems within reach, nor so small that it seems hopeless. It is a number that seems to be within reach as long as one jumps and reaches it.
...As long as I pass through this door, from now on, the collapse of the four realms will have nothing to do with me. I will just sit high in the sky, and everyone below me will be as small as an ant.
Someone's breathing quickened.
Ascension is the end point of cultivation, the end point that cultivators dream of.
The stone gate stood still. As long as one crossed the river, one could enter directly—
However, the cold wind blew silently like a sharp blade, and the dark sky continued to roll. No matter how long they waited, no one took that step.
Not one.
Someone took advantage of the chaos and slapped Liu Chang in the face. His face was extremely ugly. Facing the surprised looks from all directions, he said speechlessly: "Why are you looking at me?!"
It seemed like it would be strange if he didn't rush over with his men immediately!
Yes. Dao Zong can be a little mean, a little foolish, and a little shameless sometimes. But that doesn't mean they have to act that way at a time like this! After all, Liu Xin and he are human beings too!
Zhong Changyao took back half a step without leaving a trace.
It seemed that the situation did not develop as he had imagined. The dark sky was filled with lightning and thunder, and he was furious. It looked like he was going to send down a few bolts of lightning to kill people, but after brewing for a long time, it dispersed.
Every little movement tugged at everyone's nerves. Muscles were so tense they began to ache, yet no one dared to relax.
Finally...it's the final battle!
The scorched earth behind him was still spreading, and there was a flame coming from the distance. At this moment, Yun Xian said, "I really don't know, have you always been this stupid, or has your brain degenerated due to years of not using it?"
Su Chi behind her disappeared at some point.
"I rarely call people stupid, because I know I'm not particularly smart either. It's just that you're truly unbearable to watch." Yun Xian raised his eyes to the lifeless altar and said, "The lessons you learned from the battle with the Miaoshou Sect are simply to avoid the front lines unless necessary and to isolate the ancient relics. Are those the only two points? Didn't you gain any more fundamental and useful experience? It's like someone teaching you that one plus one equals two, and you turn around and say that one plus two also equals two. I don't even want to acknowledge you... that's all."
Even so, my last name is Yun. It’s embarrassing to say it out loud.
"When I first entered the trial grounds of Jiange, you were probably surprised too. You didn't know why the stone gate let me in, because it was clear that the luck of the Eastern Realm wasn't meant for me. Until I discovered something I shouldn't have seen, and you couldn't stop me, you could only pretend to be 'Him' to test me."
The Heavenly Dao and the Sword God, especially the Sword God, shouldn't do such a thing. Let her kill Jimo Shu? If she was to do it, why bother giving Jimo Shu the script in the first place? Wouldn't it be better to just let Jimo Shu remain in a state of confusion and not know anything?
The one most curious to know if she would make this choice was Chi You. Su Chi held onto her, the only sword that could kill him. Su Chi was so paranoid he had to know if Jimo Shu could be used as a chess piece to contain Yun Xian—and the answer satisfied him greatly, for not only could she, but she was also the most effective chess piece capable of securing a checkmate. Yun Xian would never kill her, absolutely.
"Hiding there is indeed hard to imagine. Well, it's not particularly hard to imagine, because there is no place else you can be sure that no one will find you."
A flash of sword light flashed through like lightning, stepped over the black water, and went straight into the tightly closed stone door of the Sword Pavilion, hitting the end of the trial ground. Suddenly, the situation changed dramatically!
At this moment, everyone present held their breath at the same time.
What a hellish scene it was. Demonic energy filled the sky, blackening any remaining light. Chi You's terrifyingly enormous form was barely larger than the four altars. His blood-red pupils replaced the blood moon, hanging cruelly in mid-air!
The ground was covered in blood, which was extremely ominous.
This was the first time anyone had seen the ancient demon in its final form. It feasted on flesh and blood within the barrier, absorbing the spirit bones, like a black sky seeking a life. Many people's hands and legs trembled, their bodies stiffened, and their weapons clanged to the ground.
Too terrifying. This wasn't an opponent you could just silently "fight to the death" against. This kind of monster was so terrifying it left you with no courage to even fight it.
At the head of the crowd, Yun Xian faced the blood-red pupils without any sign of fear.
No one moved until a black light flashed and Zhong Changyao was swept into the black river without any resistance. His pupils bulged immediately and he wanted to survive in disbelief. However, before he could make a sound, a rich purple-gold aura floated out from his crown.
Two-thirds of the purple-gold energy dissipated in the sky and earth in an instant, leaving only that little bit that was swept into the black fog and disappeared without a trace.
At the same time, Li Jianye said, "Start the formation!"
Amidst this hoarse yet firm voice, Yun Xian held the sword and spoke silently in his heart.
...The "lesson" she mentioned was the reason why Chi You could never ascend to heaven.
Humans don't need gods, let alone become gods. Humans are human, with humanity, not divinity. Forcing someone to become a god, no matter who's pushing them, will only lead to extreme pain.
However, divinity can occasionally appear in people - that is when countless vulgar, ordinary, selfish, and sinister people unite together, and the sharp arc of light that erupts from the courage of all people is so dazzling that even the hanging sun cannot resist it.
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