Qin Yun nodded slightly.
There were no fiendish demons in this world so naturally, any wars happened between humans.
The Chu, Yan, and Wei Kingdoms engaged in both open and veiled battles. Cultivation sects naturally fought contentiously. Zhou Mountain Sword Sect, one of the eight big sects in the Chu Kingdom was in a nadir in the recent decades. The only person listed on the Earth roll was the former sect master, Feng Qingcang! As for Frost Sword Meng Yiqiu, who had entered the Connate realm at age thirty, he was thought of highly by the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect. He was designated to be the next sect master and all the Elders pinned their hopes on Meng Yiqiu to revitalize the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect.
But then…
It was fine if Meng Yiqiu only entangled himself with a woman but he ended up poisoned, destroying his future! He even implicated Feng Qingcang and caused his death!
As a result, one of the eight big sects in the Chu Kingdom did not even have a person placed on the Earth roll! This was unprecedented. It also meant that it was at its weakest ever.
Now, calamity had indeed befallen them.
“They are scaling the mountain.” A blue-robed Elder looked down the mountain and said coldly.
“With Junior Brother Feng dead, the Blood Saber Palace believes that our Zhou Mountain Sword Sect is easily bullied.” The eyes of an Elder to the side were burning with anger.
“Meng Yiqiu, Junior Brother Feng lost his life because he was trying to seek revenge for you. If he were still alive, would the Blood Saber Palace dare act so boldly?”
“You cannot absolve yourself from this calamity!”
Two Elders stared angrily at Qin Yun.
They had expected better from him! Now they even loathed him!
“I cannot be absolved of the blame?” Qin Yun could sense the anger the surrounding Elders had for him.
“If our sect entrance is flattened, you will be a sinner of our Zhou Mountain Sword Sect.”
“Meng Yiqiu, you are already fatally poisoned. Now that this is happening, redeem yourself by fighting to the death.”
“Redeem himself? He has only ten or twenty percent of his strength left. What use is he even if he fights to the death?”
The Elders made such hateful remarks.
“Enough!” Zuo Tang frowned and bellowed. “Now that the sect is on the brink of destruction, we should work together against the enemy.”
The ones that were closest to Qin Yun in the sect was the father-like former sect master, Feng Qingcang and his eldest senior brother, Zuo Tang.
“Why would we be afraid of the Blood Saber Palace?”
“Our Zhou Mountain Sword Sect has thousands of disciples. It’s not something the Blood Saber Palace can wipe out so easily.”
“At most, we will assure mutual destruction.”
The eyes of the surrounding Elders and the inherited-teachings disciples turned red.
“They are here,” said Zuo Tang. Everyone fell silent. Many Elders and disciples were feeling anxious. After all, the sect now had a full-blown crisis on their hands. The sect might even be massacred. Upon realizing this, many Elders glared at the thin Meng Yiqiu.
In just a few seconds, many streams of light flew over. The mountain path was like flat land. Most people could not make them out. Instantly, more than a hundred figures appeared on the top of the mountain. The weakest of the group were at the twelfth Qi Refinement Postnatal realm. That was already considered a top expert in the world! The fifteen leaders had surging auras. All of them were Connate experts.
Qin Yun marveled inwardly. The Connate False Cores in this world were at least at the Heavenly Dao’s intent realm. In terms of combat strength, they could slay the great demon White Tiger in three to five strikes. Their strength was at the level of Gongye Bing’s.
‘”Hahaha…”
The leader was a white-haired elder donned in a black robe. His laughter reverberated like thunder. “The old fool Feng is dead. Does the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect still think it can resist us? If you know any better, surrender and submit without a fuss. My Wei Kingdom will naturally treat all of you well. If you remain stubborn, hmph! This day next year will be the day of your death anniversary!”
“Kiddo Zuo Tang, thousands of your disciples are forming a sword formation but it’s nothing but a joke to me! Brother Fang alone can wipe out such a puny sword formation.”
“Oldie Fu, do you still recognize me, Qu Cang?”
The Connate realm experts spoke one after another.
The Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s Zuo Tang, five Elders, and the numerous inherited-teachings disciples had drastic changes in expression.
“What? Fifteen Connate experts?” Even Curmudgeon Qu from the South Sea is here?”
“The Blood Saber Palace has sent its Grand Elder, Fiend Imbibing Saber Fang Chenshu, here. He even invited some Connate itinerant cultivators. They have a total of fifteen Connate realms. Fang Chenshu is an expert on the Earth roll. He can fly into the sky and burrow into the land. He can kill our disciples from a high altitude. Our disciples’ sword formation will not be able to touch him at all.”
“We only have six at the Connate realm. They have fifteen. The gap is too huge.”
“Sect Master, what do we do now?”
Upon realizing the gap, the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect Elders and the inherited-teachings disciples panicked.
Qin Yun felt helpless as he stood to the side. “Zuo Tang and the five Elders, including me, means we have seven at the Connate realm. It looks like they do not even consider Meng Yiqiu after his poisoning.”
“Make up your mind quickly.” The gray-haired elder, Fang Chenshu’s body rose up directly. A terrifying bloodlust aura emanated out, causing the world to tremble slightly. He coldly swept his gaze across the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect crowd. “If you remain stubborn, more than half of the Connate realms here today will probably die. Those that are lucky might escape. Do you think you possess that luck?”
“Also, are you really prepared to die for your cause? After you die, your wives and concubines will fall into the hands of others to become playthings. What about your children? All of you have a family clan, right? With your death, your family clans would also be finished.”
Fang Chenshu laughed.
The Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s Zuo Tang, Elders, and inherited-teachings disciples began to hesitate.
Death was terrifying.
“As long as you submit to my Wei Kingdom, there would be all kind of wealth and riches awaiting you. All of you can remain high in standing,” said Fang Chenshu with a smile. “Between the choice of having both you and your clan destroyed and being able to revel in riches and enjoy the company of women, I believe all of you should know how to choose.”
“Fang Chenshu!” bellowed Zuo Tang. “We are disciples of the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect. We live and die as part of the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect! We would rather die than be scum that betrays the sect and masters! And if you want to kill us, be prepared to be killed by us!”
“Haha, Zuo Tang, you might want to die but the rest of the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect disciples might not share your thoughts,” said Fang Chenshu. “Those who wish to surrender, you do not need to make it public. Just sending me a voice transmission would do. I’ll give all of you three more seconds.”
“Three…”
“Two…”
“Haha, three Elders have chosen to submit to my Wei Kingdom already.” Fang Chenshu said with a laugh.
Immediately, the Elders looked at each other. The inherited-teachings disciples, as well as the many disciples behind them, turned flustered.
“He’s deliberately trying to sow discord!” shouted an Elder immediately.
“I’m not sowing discord.” Fang Chenshu smiled. If the other party were to put up a resistance, forcibly wiping them out meant taking heavy losses. By sowing discord, he could reduce the losses to a minimum.
…
Zuo Tang’s eyes suffused redness. He had just been made sect master, so he was naturally unwilling to see the sect destroyed.
He was indignant, truly indignant! But he was out of options!
“In a while, I’ll hold back Fang Chenshu. All Elders are to scatter and flee for their lives. I only wish for all the Elders to rebuild my Zhou Mountain Sword Sect in the future.” Zuo Tang sent a voice transmission to everyone. “Yiqiu, join hands with me. Both of us will hold back Fang Chenshu for as long as we can.”
“Sect Master.”
“Sect Master, no!” The other Elders panicked as well.
“I have made up my mind.” Zuo Tang was plump and he always had a good temper. At that moment, he was ready to die for his cause. He knew that if he wanted the Elders to risk their lives, they might very well end up surrendering. In that case, he decided on helping them flee, so as to ensure that the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect would live on.”
Even Qin Yun was moved.
The two closest people to Meng Yiqiu in the sect were his master, Feng Qingcang, and Zuo Tang. He naturally did not want to see Zuo Tang die.
“Since I became Meng Yiqiu when I entered this world, I shall do some things on his behalf. In some sense, I’m returning a portion of karma to this body. Meng Yiqiu’s master, Feng Qingcang, also wishes that the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect will continue prospering.” Qin Yun immediately took a step forward. In a few steps, he walked to the front of the crowd. Instantly, everyone from the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect looked at Qin Yun in a daze. The Blood Saber Palace crowd was also taken aback as they looked at Qin Yun.
“Yiqiu.” Zuo Tang immediately went forward.
Qin Yun extended his hand to block him. He smiled at Zuo Tang. “Senior Brother, there’s no need for you to take action. I alone can deal with them.”
Zuo Tang was taken aback.
The five Elders were astounded. Meng Yiqiu, who had only ten to twenty percent of his strength left after being poisoned, claimed to be able to deal with the enemy alone? Was he joking? Was he insane?
“Hahaha. Hahaha…” There was laughter coming from the Blood Saber Palace side. It was a Blood Saber Palace Elder, Gongyang Can, a Connate expert. He said disdainfully with a smile, “Meng Yiqiu, what are you bragging about? We can’t even be bothered to deal with you. Even if we don’t kill you, you will die in a few days when the poison finally consumes you. We are all very benevolent. We will permit you to live a little longer.”
“There’s no need to bother with him.” Fang Chenshu’s voice rumbled as he said coldly, “Everyone from the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect, three Elders have submitted to my Wei Kingdom. It appears the rest of you will put up a stubborn resistance? In that case, everyone, kill!”
Immediately, a group of Connate experts took the initiative to charge forward.
However, Qin Yun instantly drew the sword by his waist. It was like an ice crystal for he was using the famous divine sword of the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect—Frost Sword!
Sou!
Qin Yun charged forward alone, clashing with the group of Connate experts. The first person to make contact with Qin Yun was Gongyang Can.
“Since you have a death wish, I’ll fulfill it.” Gongyang Can smiled sinisterly as he slashed with his blade.
Qin Yun charged forward and instantly drew and sheathed his sword.
He easily dodged his opponent’s strike. What seemed like a simple strike from Qin Yun happened to stab into Gongyang Can’s glabella.
The duo passed each other.
Gongyang Can stumbled a few steps as his eyes widened in disbelief. “One… One strike?” A red mark appeared in the middle of his eyebrows as blood began pouring out of it. Following that, he slumped to the ground, sending a plume of dust upwards.
The Connate realm expert Gongyang Can was killed in one strike.
“Be careful!” The surrounding Connate experts looked around. They also noticed that Gongyang Can had died after one strike. They felt like a bucket of cold water had poured over their heads in the deep of winter. All of them became alert.
“Be careful of Meng Yiqiu!” Fang Chenshu, who was originally composed, had a drastic change in expression as he bellowed angrily through a voice transmission.