In the evening breeze, a figure arrived gracefully.
It was a middle-aged胖子 (pàng zi - fat man) with a pear blossom spear on his back. His eyes stared intently at Xue Zhi, Liu Li Ying, Yu Wan Ning, Chu Yu, and other women from the Mountain Peak Villa, finding each of them exceptionally beautiful.
"Senior Brother Lu Qi."
Lin Zhao, who considered the Xu brothers as his own, held Lu Qi in high regard. "Something has happened in the South. I am about to lead everyone south. Time is of the essence, so I ask Senior Brother Lu Qi to protect the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool."
"Mm."
Lu Qi nodded. "I have ascended before and fought against the Undefeated Heart Demon. You must all be extremely cautious of that heart demon flame."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao turned to face everyone. "Xue Zhi, Tang Guang Jun, Gu Ling Yu, Chen Ben, Yu Wan Ning, the five of you will accompany me. The rest will remain to defend the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Xue Zhi, Tang Guang Jun, raise your swords and head to Chang Ming Mountain, quickly!"
"Yes!"
Chen Ben and Yu Wan Ning clasped their fists together.
Chu Yu, Mu Gua, Liu Li Ying, Dong Cang, and the others frowned but said nothing more. They understood that this great battle was no ordinary affair, and Lin Zhao's decision not to bring them along had its own considerations.
The next moment, two streams of sword light ascended from the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, enveloping Lin Zhao, Gu Ling Yu, Chen Ben, and Yu Wan Ning. They shot straight south at an incredibly high speed, vanishing into the horizon in an instant.
"..."
Lu Qi turned to look at the receding figures of everyone, his brow furrowed. In truth, he was the most suitable person to head south and confront the Undefeated Heart Demon, as he was a Sage of the Mohist school who had slain hundreds of Undefeated Heart Demons in the Upper Realm.
Unfortunately, Lu Qi had another important duty and had to remain at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
With Lu Qi at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, the peak-level great demons from Mount Pan Yun might hesitate to act rashly. If Lu Qi were absent, the outcome might be different; these demon cultivators could very well make a desperate gamble and sweep away the thorn in their side, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
Sword Mountain.
In the dead of night, Xu Shuo, a Mohist cultivator in a grey long robe, rose. He turned to look at the departing figures of Lin Zhao, Xue Zhi, Gu Ling Yu, and the others, a sense of melancholy filling his heart.
If his twelfth realm cultivation were still intact, perhaps he could have joined them in the south and contributed to the human world. Alas, he was now merely a humble cultivator of the mid-fifth realm, and he even had to keep Senior Brother Lu Qi here.
Washing Sword River.
In the dead of night, the river surface suddenly shimmered with golden ripples. In the water stood a tall River Godess, clad in golden armor, her golden cloak trailing behind her like the flow of the river. She gazed up at the two streaks of sword light flashing across the sky.
Xiao Zhao had gone south to confront the Undefeated Heart Demon.
Lin Xing Chu frowned, a mix of apprehension and relief washing over her. She was apprehensive that Xiao Zhao might have to face such a transcendent and terrifying entity, yet relieved that Lin Zhao had never hesitated, leading the charge south without any qualms.
Now, all Lin Xing Chu could do was pray for him by the Washing Sword River, hoping that the fine young man of the Lin family would have a peaceful life, free from further hardships.
Fusu Great Wall.
Lin Wan Hua, clad in snow-white robes, stood atop the city wall, her brow furrowed as she watched the two blazing sword lights trailing across the high heavens. She knew it was Xue Zhi and Tang Guang Jun raising their swords, and Lin Zhao heading south immediately.
Lin Wan Hua looked back, watching them depart.
Her heart ached, wishing she could also raise her sword and accompany them.
Xie Yi Ying, such a remarkable Sword Immortal of the human world. Kind to everyone, and her disciples were all paragons of the righteous path among the younger generation of humanity. Yet, she had met her end defending the world in the Southern Wilderness.
Self-detonating her sword heart, the most tragic demise for a Sword Immortal. And she had chosen it.
Before her death, Xie Yi Ying must have harbored countless regrets, hadn't she?
Lin Wan Hua frowned. Xie Yi Ying, the Sword Immortal, should not have met such an end.
And what about herself? As the strongest Sword Immortal in the human world, a dignified thirteenth realm cultivator, she was confined to the Fusu Great Wall, acting as the foremost sword of the northern region of humanity, guarding against the southward advance of the four northern tribes.
However, if this sword remained sheathed for too long, it would rust.
She looked up at the sky, her beautiful eyes piercing through the clouds, observing the receding figure of Lin Zhao in his white robes. In truth, with just a word from him, Lin Wan Hua could defy the mandates of the Confucian Academy, the ancestral court of the Military School, and the ancestral court of the Taoist School, and follow him alone to confront the Undefeated Heart Demon. What of it?
...
At dawn.
Figures arrived at Chang Ming Mountain, the three thousand martial artists from Wu Zhen Tower and over a thousand disciples from Tie Fu Mountain. They descended from the wind, their surging internal energy connecting into a single flow as they simultaneously challenged the Five Peaks Old Ancestor in the wind.
In an instant, waves of fist energy erupted, and a peak of Chang Ming Mountain was nearly blasted flat.
"Whoosh—"
With a single punch imbued with Long Dong Jun's blazing fist intent against two immortal mountains, his body was sent reeling back repeatedly, feeling as if his fists were on the verge of shattering. A peculiar pain engulfed his heart.
What was more critical was that wisps of purple flames spread from the immortal mountains onto his arms, the insidious erosion of the Undefeated Heart Demon's flames.
Long Dong Jun's brows were tightly knit as he watched the bodies of the Tie Fu Mountain disciples consecutively explode into bloody mist in the wind, his heart filled with anger and helplessness.
The facts proved that the combat power of this Five Peaks Old Ancestor was indeed terrifying.
"Boom!"
With a loud bang, after taking a punch from the Five Peaks Old Ancestor, which contained the power of a flawed divine throne, Lü Feng Xian spat out a mouthful of blood and tumbled into the mountain forest, heart demon flames spreading all over his body.
"Marshal Lü, are you alright?!" Long Dong Jun hurriedly asked.
"I'm fine!"
Lü Feng Xian flipped to his feet. Although his arms were already bloody and torn, with his skin and flesh burned by the Undefeated Heart Demon's flames, he acted as if he were alright. The rebirth realm internal energy within him surged continuously, repairing his injured body.
In reality, few martial artists in the world could withstand the heart demon flames. Only the rebirth realm possessed such resilience.
Flesh burned by the heart demon flames could regenerate in an instant, and life could be sustained by a single breath of internal energy. Only rebirth realm martial artists could achieve this.
However, Lü Feng Xian was old, and his rebirth realm was far less stable than Long Dong Jun's.
Long Dong Jun, as the master of Tie Fu Mountain and the inheritor of the Nine Forms of Nirvana Fist, coupled with his youth, made him more resilient.
In terms of combat power, both Long Dong Jun and Lü Feng Xian were in the rebirth realm, but Lü Feng Xian's combat power was inferior, a fact he himself had to admit.
In the wind, several female Sword Immortals from Chang Ming Mountain were also ground into bloody mist by the immortal mountains, suffering heavy losses.
"People of Chang Ming Mountain, retreat!"
Long Dong Jun soared into the air, activating the ninth form of Nirvana Fist. Instantly, he was bathed in the flames of phoenix nirvana, looking like a god of slaughter. He frowned and said, "You have already suffered too many losses. Leave the rest to us."
In his heart, he felt a sense of guilt. Ultimately, he had arrived late. Chang Ming Mountain had lost an eleventh-realm female Sword Immortal, and many in the Star River realm had also been lost. This was ultimately a betrayal of Lin Zhao's trust.
However, human strength had its limits. He, Long Dong Jun, had truly done his best. If he pushed himself further, he would only perish faster.
At this moment, the internal energy strength of Long Dong Jun and Lü Feng Xian was far less than before. If they continued to fight, even those in the rebirth realm would eventually be depleted of energy and reach a point where rebirth was impossible.
...
Dawn, Bai Di City.
A blazing fist intent exploded like thunder from the north, appearing above Bai Di City. Li Chun Yang, clad in armor with tightly knitted brows, returned to the capital in the dead of night and strode into the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Furthermore, a vigorous fist intent surged from the south. The person, also wearing the armor of a Grand Marshal, one of the Three Dukes, was Wen Hao, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who had also rushed over upon hearing the news.
At this moment, the Hall of Diligent Governance was brightly lit.
The young Human Emperor, Zhao Jing Heng, clad in a Confucian robe, not even having time to put on his dragon robe, stood straight before the imperial throne, his eyes filled with anxiety as he looked at the people below the golden steps.
As Li Chun Yang and Wen Hao entered the hall, several golden-armored imperial guards closed the doors, and the hall regained some warmth.
Wen Hao frowned. Most of the important people had arrived.
The Eldest Princess, Zhao Shu Tong, Grand Master of the Western Army, Li Chun Yang, Grand Duke Juyang, Lin Yan, Left Chancellor Xu Dian Chen, Right Chancellor Zhang Bu Ting, as well as Prince Ji Nan, Zhao Qi Yang, Empress Dowager He, and others. Half of the Great Shang Dynasty was present.
"There's no need for ordinary pleasantries,"
Zhao Jing Heng frowned. "Everyone, I have just received a flying fish dispatch from Commander Chen Xi. The Barbarian King Meng Rong of the Southern Wilderness has assembled troops from dozens of tribes, with a total force of nearly four hundred thousand, rapidly approaching Yu Men Pass. A large portion has already passed through Ming Yue Gorge."
His gaze was stern. "If these four hundred thousand barbarian cavalry truly enter Fu Rong Province, the southern realm of my Great Shang Dynasty will be finished."
"Your Majesty."
Zhao Shu Tong's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "The situation is far more dire than that. A major upheaval has also occurred on the mountain. A fourteenth-realm cultivator calling himself the Five Peaks Old Ancestor is leading a mountain army north. Xie Yi Ying, a twelfth-realm Sword Immortal of Ling Yan Sword Sect, has already died defending the world. Su Qing Jiu of Chang Ming Mountain went to confront him and is now missing."
Zhao Jing Heng gritted his teeth. "Yu Men Pass currently has only thirty thousand Cang Nan cavalry. Commander Chen Xi needs time to redeploy troops from the north. Everyone, let's discuss. What should we do?"
Right Chancellor Zhang Bu Ting said gravely, "Your Majesty, the matters on the mountain and the matters outside the mountain, not one can be neglected."
"Minister Zhang, please elaborate."
"Yes."
Zhang Bu Ting said gravely, "On the mountain, let the mountain cultivators handle it. As for the outcome, it is not something our Great Shang Dynasty can control. What we can control is that we absolutely cannot lose this great battle outside the mountain."
He frowned. "Otherwise, even if we win on the mountain, it will be meaningless if we lose outside. A calamity will still befall us."
"Understood."
Zhao Jing Heng looked at Zhao Qi Yang. "Uncle Emperor, what is your opinion?"
Zhao Qi Yang said solemnly, "Your Majesty, it is already too late for Northern Commander Li Chun Yang to redeploy troops from the north. Currently, our Great Shang Dynasty has a thirty thousand-strong army in Fu Rong Province, along with the border troops, making a total of nearly five hundred thousand troops available."
He glanced at Wen Hao. "Why not have Grand Master of Ceremonies Wen Hao immediately take the tiger tally and head south? The sooner, the better. We can lead five hundred thousand troops south by tomorrow morning, and the cavalry can reach Yu Men Pass within half a day."
"Good!"
Zhao Jing Heng rose. "Minister Wen, are you willing to lead the army to reinforce Yu Men Pass? The life and death of Commander Chen Xi now rests on your shoulders."
Wen Hao immediately knelt and clasped his fists. "Your Majesty, I will definitely not fail my mission and will repel the forty thousand barbarian cavalry!"
"Good."
Zhao Jing Heng looked at Li Chun Yang. "Grand Master of the Western Army, you should also lead a crack troop south as a reinforcement, in case of unforeseen circumstances."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Li Chun Yang knelt, his expression filled with complexity.