Chapter 421: What Right Do You Have to Be Yutang’s Enemy?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ziyou's army was approaching collapse.
Time and again, they released tens of thousands of arrows, attacking from a wide and open range. Their opponent rolled up his sleeves and charged for the front lines, his face covered. Almost effortlessly, he broke through the dense shower of arrows with his solid mystical Qi; at times, he miraculously avoided arrows that almost skewered him, soaring up high and moving at least three hundred feet in a single leap. Even though there were tens of thousands of arrows in the air, none of them came close to him once he was airborne.
He would then fall from the sky and continue the slaughter of Ziyou soldiers.
Unfortunately for the attacking army, the tens of thousands of arrows that were released did not disappear; they remained fatal, falling back on the comrades who were pursuing Yun Yang. The casualties were staggering, waves of men falling under the onslaught of friendly fire.
The cycle had repeated itself for over a dozen times now. The tactics remained unchanged, while their opponent was equally unharmed. There was an empty path behind Supreme Cloud now.
No one dared to stop and attack him from the rear.
If they had the misfortune to end up behind him, they would be greeted by millions of arrows from their own comrades.
Supreme Cloud's back was the prohibited zone of death; anyone who dared to venture there would only find death waiting.
This realization was embedded deep in everyone's minds and hearts!
"A true warrior!"
In a tower far away, Ziyou's emperor, who was all in royal yellow, stood watching the battle by the window. He exclaimed sincerely with a grim gaze.
"Old Hei, are you confident of our victory?" His Majesty asked the old eunuch beside him.
The old eunuch frowned and said, "If his true power is judged from the duration he stays afloat and his great ease in performing, I am certainly not a worthy opponent. Oddly enough, he looks like he is, at most, a second heaven cultivation base practitioner. Theoretically, he would have reached his limit by staying in the air for a quarter of an hour, but he has been hovering there for almost two whole hours! This is mind-boggling! At the same time, it throws doubt on this servant's estimation of his ability."
The emperor said with a solemn face, "With the casualties we're facing, doubt isn't something we can tolerate now."
Ziyou's emperor was obviously urging Elder Hei to act.
Elder Hei frowned, vexed, and slowly stood up, saying, "Your Majesty, this battle is dangerous. The palace artisans… at least ten of them have to be sent if we are to have any chance of victory!"
His Majesty glanced at him with a chilling gaze.
Elder Hei did not continue to speak. The atmosphere was cold and tense.
His Majesty considered for a moment and spoke faintly, "Fine, send ten artisans. However, pass my dictum to the five noble families' higher authorities – every family has to provide assistance!"
A deep sliver of rage flashed in his eyes.
Even in such a critical moment, those families were still reluctant to help. The emperor was utterly enraged!
Does this empire belong solely to me?
If Supreme Cloud were to flee unscathed, can each of you remain safe and unharmed?
When Supreme Cloud retaliates with his various manifestation powers, can all of you save yourselves and continue to remain alive?
Yun Yang suddenly felt Whitey Two, who was under his legs, showing signs of fatigue. Without slowing down in the least, he gave an order and soared up high. Whitey Two turned into a ray of white light and entered in Yun Yang's robe. Only Yun Yang and Whitey Two were aware of the process while the outsiders could hardly fathom what had actually transpired.
With a pat, a ball of green melted into Whitey Two's tiny body as it rested contentedly. At the same time, Whitey Three appeared to be in high spirits and snuck under Yun Yang's crotch.
Seeing a ball of green blink in the sky, Ziyou's soldiers were hit by another wave of hopelessness and despair.
It had been the same scenario throughout the entire skirmish. The bear and snake were almost injured to the point of death, and they were about to take them down, but as Supreme Cloud rushed downwards and delivered a ball of green – no one had known what it was - the two beasts recovered their combat powers right away. To top it off, their severely damaged bodies were healing at a speed that was almost visible to the human eye. It was akin to resurrection!
Now that this sense of green had appeared again, did it mean that Supreme Cloud's combat powers had returned to his peak once more?
Was this nightmare going to continue or was it developing a darker purpose?
Yun Yang held the upper hand. Everything was within his control; he even had time to cast his deific consciousness to sense the surrounding atmosphere, preparing for the worst. It was also then that he realized a tall and slim figure stood on the roof of a building far away and was looking in his direction; it was an anxious expression.
It was Shangguan Lingxiu!
Shangguan Lingxiu's hand was tight on the sword's grip. There were several senior veterans who were known to have gone through hundreds of wars to catch a glimpse of it; they were filled with impatience. Beneath them, two hundred people were fully armored, waiting to fight.
In spite of this, Shangguan Lingxiu did not ignore her orders to help Yun Yang. She knew that the addition of her and her two hundred subordinates would not be of any help or advantage but would only cause a loss of two hundred lives unnecessarily.
They might even be a burden to Supreme Cloud!
Ziyou's commander, Ding Yunlu, was Ziyou's notable general. Shangguan Lingxiu could foresee that her abrupt interruption might force Ding Yunlu to order Ziyou's army to refrain from wiping them all out. Instead, they were meant to lure Supreme Cloud into a trap.
Therefore, she wanted to help, but she dared not make a move.
"We have to do something!" Shangguan Lingxiu's brows were pressed together in a frown.
What did she have to do though? How should she go about it?
She had no idea.
Yun Yang's deific consciousness was spread wide and far; how could he not see Shangguan Lingxiu's restlessness? With a shudder, he suddenly hollered, "Ding Yunlu, do you know who's asking for the moon now? Who's peering at the sky from his frog's well? How can your inexperience let you know the entirety of the vast heaven and earth? I, Yutang's Supreme Cloud, have entered from Zilong City's west gate, I shall exit from the western gate! Even if the Empire of Ziyou has millions of army personnel, what can you do? Have you decided that you will block my way?"
He then chortled long and far, his laughter shaking the sky and earth as well as the millions of Ziyou soldiers present; their morale fell even lower.
Ding Yunlu was growing increasingly despondent. It was not that he did not want to cheer his troops on, but his oath was utterly shattered and had become a complete joke. He honestly did not know what else he could or should say!
Shangguan Lingxiu, on the other side, blinked as she heard the words, suddenly understanding what she should be doing now.
"Let's go!"
Shangguan Lingxiu hopped off the roof.
"To the western gate!"
Shangguan Lingxiu wore an expression of utter resolution. "Let us go to the west gate to receive Lord Supreme Cloud!"
"Yes!" Her men roared their agreement in unison.
Someone spoke hesitantly, "We should go to assist Lord Supreme Cloud, but we are truly out of luck, entering Zilong City at this time… If we leave just like this, Lord Wudi's remains might have to…"
Shangguan Lingxiu's delicate face twitched. It was an inevitable question, as much as it was a difficult choice.
Leaving now would mean that it would be harder than ascending to heaven when they wanted to retrieve their ancestors remains the next time. Perhaps there would not even be a next time!
Besides, all of the other party's manpower had been set up to guard Supreme Cloud this time; it was arranged so that she had the opportunity to do so.
If she had given it up and took the west gate with her men to assist Supreme Cloud, they would definitely become implacable enemies with the Empire of Ziyou; there would simply be no room for discussion.
Afterward, Ziyou's simplest and most direct form of revenge against the Shangguan Family of Generals would be to destroy her ancestor's remains!
This was absolutely foreseeable and certain!
That would be the Shangguan Family of General's greatest regret, one that could never be redeemed.
However, she only hesitated for a moment before deciding, saying in a determined tone, "It's a critical situation now and we have to make a choice. Ancestor Wudi will understand my difficulty. If I don't go and Supreme Cloud perishes from my decision, Yutang might be annihilated!"
"As for Ancestor Wudi, it's the Shangguan Family of Generals' matter!"
"The urgency and priority of things are clear!"
"Let's take care of the living first, and talk about the rest after."
"Let's go!"
Shangguan Lingxiu left quietly along with her men.
Just like her or Yun Yang's prediction, all of Zilong City's forces were currently focused on the battle of the century; taking Supreme Cloud down. No one noticed the lady's departure at all.
Shangguan Lingxiu turned to gaze at General Wudi's tablet one last time before turning around and leaving, without looking back.
The building that Shangguan Lingxiu had left was structured like a sword that pierced through the firmament, gleaming with a blinding golden radiance – the Wudi Ancestral Hall!
This was the ancestral hall that enshrined the Shangguan Family of Generals' ancestor, Shangguan Wudi. The Empire of Ziyou had proclaimed his heroism back in the day and had built this ancestral hall especially for him.
All three sets of remains of the Shangguan Wudi's entire family was enshrined here!
Watching Shangguan Lingxiu leave, Yun Yang could not be sure if she had indeed understood him, but seeing that the Wudi Ancestral Hall was close by, Yun Yang had another idea.
Just as Yun Yang was about to execute this thought of his, a long howl came from afar as a voice said, "Supreme Cloud! How dare you rampage through Ziyou? Are you punishing Ziyou because you have no one else to torment?"
A black-clothed silhouette sped like a ray of lightning from afar, turning into a dazzling sword light amidst the loud cry.
The sword light was heading directly towards Yun Yang!
The other party's true expert was finally showing himself after the battle had raged for so long.
Yun Yang guffawed. "So this is the state of mind of the Empire of Ziyou's ace cultivator. Up to now, I've killed no less than tens of thousands of people, but it is only at this juncture that your high-level forces willingly show themselves. How can such behavior be displayed by the Empire of Yutang's enemy? Only by playing safe and keeping oneself out of harm's way can one give advice that awakens the world!"
Yun Yang words shook everyone who heard him.
Ding Yunlu, who was conducting the warfare, was especially bothered by the accusation; he had mixed emotions and momentarily at a loss for words. The words that had come from the enemy was an eye-opener, like the ring of dawn's bell.
Was 'playing safe and keeping oneself out of harm's way' another way of saying 'selfish'?
Advice that awakened the world? It was more like advice that mocked the world.
Ding Yunlu murmured to himself, "Right you are. Everyone's almost dead and only here you come. You are obviously borrowing the ordinary army's physical bodies to drain Supreme Cloud's energy and mystical Qi! Some of us here do not agree with such behavior, including all the nobles and Ziyou royalties. What right do we have to become the Empire of Yutang's enemy?"
"The reason for this battle is but the death of the Empire of Yutang's reclusive citizen that caused Supreme Cloud to trek thousands of miles to save him personally, regardless of risk and the price he has to pay; he has flirted with death and fought, bathing himself in blood. A set of Shangguan Family of Generals' remains keep their generations of descendants on their toes for revenge – what kind of solidarity is that? On the other hand, what are we? Do we really deserve to be their enemy?"
The more Ding Yunlu thought about it, the more he felt that he was right, and the more hopeless he became. Under the accumulation of various negative emotions, his expression turned sour. Pale-faced, he spat blood with a loud cry. His tall stature staggered and weaved drunkenly.
In the air, the newcomer's snicker resounded, "How boastful you are, young one. Look at the qualifications that this old man has to become your foe!"
As his voice rang in the air, he arrived with his sword.
With a smirk, Yun Yang avoided the advancing blade and struck out with his saber.
Merciless Saber!
The dazzling saber light met the attacking sword light. In the instant where the saber light and sword energy came into contact, the attacker spun and avoided Merciless Saber's retaliating force gracefully, just in the nick of time. His sword light surged radiantly, like rolling waves as he spoke, "Supreme Cloud, this has to be."
Yun Yang's gaze was cool and calm, he attacked again with Merciless Dao followed by a flip of the wrist.
He did not expect his enemy's sword light to undulate like the waves of a long river, endless and continuous. Although Yun Yang had eliminated three waves of his attack consecutively, Merciless Dao was deflected by this person once more!
Yun Yang was alarmed. His brief contact had revealed that his opponent was a cultivator of third heaven pinnacle; the cultivation base was two levels higher than his!
What was more, he could deflect Destiny Blade's first form's two styles and was not at a disadvantage. This was an immensely rare occurrence.
Since Yun Yang had made his debut and cultivated Saber Truth: Destiny Blade, no one had ever received the saber truth with such calmness. Even Venerable Lord Saber and Ice had been stumped by this saber truth's forms. Now that his execution was futile, it only meant that the attacker was mindful and had been watching him use Destiny Blade, figuring out how to counter his techniques wholeheartedly. Only then could he stay safe from the deadly bite of the saber truth!
If it were an individual duel, Yun Yang would not have been afraid and was even confident that he could kill the man within five techniques. However, his opponent was not singular and he would not be dueling alone with him.
The endless shower of Deicide arrows, Siege Quarrels and millions of soldiers beneath him were stacked against his odds!
Under such circumstances, the chance to finish him off alone was slim.
He had also gone through a full four hours battle. Despite looking at ease, Yun Yang knew that it was one thing to have endless mystical Qi; it was another to maintain a state of mind and physical energy that has been greatly exhausted!
In any other circumstance, his current cultivation base supplemented with the Destiny Blade could still put the opponent in an awkward and forlorn state, even when he had a countering tactic. Right now, he walked an extremely thin tightrope!
It was a shared realization, as they began to fight. The knowledge that he had the upper had boosted the attacker's confidence. He came with his sword again, more ferocious than he had before.
At the same time, Yun Yang was vaguely aware of the dozens of Deicide Bows and Siege Quarrels pointed directly at him. This was something that would never have happened before this.
Now that this person was openly challenging him, his movements were hindered as he could not shake off their projectiles that easily.
To make matters worse, another three silhouettes rose up into the sky while vigorous deific consciousness was unleashed, surging towards him.
They had obviously taken advantage of the situation and did not want the first attacker to claim all the merit; regardless, their arrival put Yun Yang in even more danger!
Even further out on the field, fighters were pouring into the fray in endless waves.
"Now you have all finally come out!" Yun Yang said softly in his heart.
These people who had appeared were the true backbone of the Empire of Ziyou; they were also the characters who kept the nation secure.
They usually would not have appeared at all, as they were the last line of defense in the families of the royalties. Unless things had come to a critical juncture, they would not have shown themselves.
At this point in time, they could no longer keep themselves out of the fray!
No matter how selfish they were or how much they wanted to err on the side of caution, circumstances had called for them to act!
No matter what the three people of the second batch were thinking, it was a fact that their deific consciousness connected well to this person's divine sense in front of him. The scene was set. Yun Yang was quick to discern that this handful of people knew each other well and were the ones sharing extreme tacit knowledge.
If these four were to collaborate, his situation could only turn more precarious.
Yun Yang's priority right now was to annihilate this attacker before the other three men could reach him. His gaze flared with malice as he suddenly bellowed, "Take this saber!"
He charged forward, the Divine Edge in his hand raised high; at that moment, his opponent had lost the chance to evade the attack. He was forcing his enemy to fight head to head with him.
His saber light glimmered as the tip of the blade quivered lightly.
The person laughed, "Take this saber? Even if I take a hundred of it, what can you do? Exhaust your techniques?"
Not only was the person's tone mocking, his actions were similar to his words as he charged forth without a hint of caution.
Yun Yang dared not let the four of them meet, but he also did not dare to let his guard down and allow Yun Yang to charge over as well.
He knew that there was no other force after him that could hinder Yun Yang; once he managed to rush past him, Supreme Cloud could soar three thousand feet and more, based on his current speed!
The result would be one nobody could accept – after all, another three thousand feet forward would leave less than ten miles of distance from the city gate.
The small yard of the Board of Punishment was only thirty miles away from the west gate. There were already twenty miles that they had failed to safe keep; if Supreme Cloud went another three thousand feet, the remaining journey was only eight miles long. It was too short a distance that gave room to too many surprises.
Besides, the attacker was confident about taking down Supreme Cloud. Just like Yun Yang had judged, he was a mindful and astute person; he had been studying Yun Yang's saber truth and was positive that he had seen past the latter's style. No matter how remarkable Yun Yang's saber truth was, the direction and trails were all accounted for after repetitive executions. It was no longer mysterious nor remarkable and could not be a surefire kill anymore. The attacker's cultivation base was higher than the maximum cultivation base Yun Yang could be as well. If he threw caution to the wind and managed to injure or even kill Yun Yang, he would revel in the merit and honor alone!
Due to such reasons, he had to face him head-on.
As the saber light glinted, the Divine Edge and the opponent's sword light collided forcefully!
Just as the attacker had guessed, their abilities were vastly distinct. Yun Yang would have to be the first to take the force of collision from such an extreme clash. Yun Yang felt his wrist going numb and a quiver ran through him; seeing that the collision force was about to land on him, an unusual radiance surrounded Yun Yang and he moved forward instead of going back. Saber Laic and Life and Death in a Thought were executed simultaneously.
Crack.
The attacker's sword had been chopped into two by the Divine Edge!
The opponent obviously did not expect such an outcome. The sword in his hand was ranked among the top ten divine weapons in the whole continent. How could it be broken so easily? As the unexpected scene unfolded, blood spurted from his chest as he was flung back like a broken kite.
This person was indeed a peak cultivator. Even in a grave situation like this, he could still avoid a deadly strike; his reflexes and litheness in his techniques was evident.
Still, any sort of reaction and counter-measure was an exercise in futility.
Behind him, there was a tiny kitten that hovered in midair quietly. It had been there, undetected for quite some time.