Chapter 115: Unsheathing!
Not many Peerless Summit Sect spies had come to the Evil Spirit Sect, only five.
Judging by their attire, they were a general, a farmer, a merchant, an actor, and a storyteller.
The strongest among them was the farmer, whose cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Core Formation, the same level as Shensuanzi.
The weakest, the storyteller, was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment, seemingly unremarkable among the Core Formation cultivators.
But… he was a sword cultivator of the Peerless Summit Sect.
This alone made him a force to be reckoned with.
Even though the Peerless Summit Sect was in decline, and their cultivators were weaker compared to those of other major sects at the same level, they were still one of the top sects in the nine provinces and four domains.
The storyteller glanced at the protective formation and exclaimed,
“This formation is truly ingenious. If not for the cultivator’s weak cultivation, even I would have difficulty breaking it. But… Underworld Water Ravine shouldn’t have any formation inheritance.”
“Storyteller, how long will it take to break the formation?” The actor asked coldly. “Our identities have been exposed. We can’t stay in the Nether Spirit forbidden area for too long.”
“A quarter of an hour.”
The storyteller smiled and immediately sat down cross-legged.
He held a compass in his hand, forming seals and circulating his energy, a mysterious aura surrounding him.
Soon, a reflection of the protective formation appeared on the compass, spiritual power flickering within, drawing another exclamation of admiration from the storyteller.
Of course, despite his admiration, the storyteller didn’t waste any time and immediately began analyzing the formation’s structure, gradually dismantling it.
The other Peerless Summit Sect spies stood around, their seemingly casual positions subtly surrounding the Demon Abyss cultivators.
Four Core Formation cultivators surrounding twenty cultivators of the same level. How… arrogant.
“So what if you’re from the Peerless Summit Sect? You’re only four Core Formation cultivators.” The hulking man snorted coldly, a battle intent appearing on his face. “There are over twenty of us. Five against one, and you think we’re afraid?”
With that, the hulking man charged forward, attacking the seemingly weakest merchant.
“Wait, Tashan!”
Shensuanzi quickly shouted, but it was too late.
Facing the charging hulking man, the merchant, knowing he was being underestimated, sneered, his short sword already unsheathed, a short beam of light flashing.
In an instant, the hulking man’s arm was severed cleanly.
“What!”
The hulking man was shocked. He only felt a slight tingling sensation when his arm was cut off.
Then came the intense pain, making him break out in a cold sweat, fear filling his heart.
Although the hulking man’s large physique made him look like a body cultivator, he was actually… just an ordinary cultivator.
His most prized fist technique was nothing before the sword of a Peerless Summit Sect disciple.
“Such vicious blood energy… How many lives have you taken, to refine your fist into a magical treasure?”
The merchant looked down at the severed arm on the ground, disgust on his face.
A nauseating aura emanated from the wound, the result of refining countless flesh and blood.
“My hand… my hand…”
The hulking man wailed in pain, his cries making the other demonic cultivators shudder.
Even among Core Formation cultivators, there were differences.
This was a Core Formation cultivator from a major sect, a sword cultivator of the Peerless Summit Sect…
Luo Xue and the others had already returned to the protection of the sect’s formation, quickly recovering, unaware of what was happening outside.
“Now… what should we do? Didn’t they say it was just an ordinary Innate Realm disciple from the Peerless Summit Sect?” Shensuanzi’s mind was in turmoil. “Why are there so many Core Formation cultivators? Could there be something else going on?”
Few people knew that Shensuanzi, the leader of the Thousand Machines Sect, actually belonged to the Blood Lord lineage of the Temple of the Nether Spirit.
However, Shensuanzi’s status within the Blood Lord lineage wasn’t high, and he had offended some people he shouldn’t have offended, which was why he was sent to the Northern Zhou Dynasty to secretly lead the smaller sects.
Being a sect leader seemed impressive, but the Northern Zhou Dynasty was resource-poor, and Shensuanzi didn’t receive any resources from his lineage, so this situation… was essentially exile.
But a few days ago, Blood Lord suddenly contacted Shensuanzi and secretly gave him a mission—to capture the infamous trio who had been causing trouble in the Northern Zhou Dynasty recently, making sure not to harm the two younger ones.
Blood Lord also promised that if Shensuanzi completed this mission, he would be allowed to return to his lineage.
Therefore, Shensuanzi had gone to great lengths to unite the leaders of the smaller sects, willing to pay any price to complete this mission.
Only by returning to his lineage could his cultivation have any hope of advancing further.
Shensuanzi’s lifespan was nearing its end. If he couldn’t break through to the late stage of Core Formation, he would die within a hundred years.
He had thought that with the situation having developed to this point, capturing the trio was just a matter of time, an easy task.
But unexpectedly, several Core Formation spies from the Peerless Summit Sect appeared midway, and after killing one and crippling another, the surrounding Core Formation cultivators were already hesitant.
Jiao Nu, the most cunning among them, was already showing signs of wanting to escape. If these Peerless Summit Sect spies took a few more steps forward, she would probably flee immediately.
Shensuanzi hesitated, still unsure what to do.
The general wanted to draw his sword and kill all these demonic cultivators, but due to the farmer’s instructions, he could only endure and protect the storyteller as he worked on breaking the formation.
They couldn’t waste too much time here, lest they delay the main mission.
The deployment of these Core Formation spies wasn’t just to kill the traitor on their mission list.
In fact, this was just a secondary objective.
The other spies responsible for reconnaissance had discovered Luo Xue’s whereabouts within the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and their gathering point was also in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, so they took on this mission as well.
After completing the mission to eliminate the traitor, the spies had more important things to do, matters concerning the future of the Peerless Summit Sect.
The two sides were in a stalemate. The Demon Abyss Core Formation cultivators within the encirclement didn’t dare to move, and the Peerless Summit Sect spies, not wanting to cause more trouble, also chose to wait.
Just then, Nangong Mengxiang charged out with Luo Xue and Li Guijiao, reaching the actor.
The actor was a young woman wearing a Peking opera mask, and unlike the other spies, her weapon was a spear.
The spear carried sword intent, adding to her imposing aura.
“Eh, new reinforcements?”
Luo Xue was stunned. There hadn’t been anyone like this among the Core Formation cultivators surrounding them earlier…
But soon, she noticed something was wrong.
Only this actor-dressed girl was blocking their path. The other Core Formation cultivators didn’t surround them but were watching from afar.
“Let’s do it.” The farmer said faintly from afar. “Be careful not to harm our people.”
“Our people” referred to Li Guijiao. Almost all the Peerless Summit Sect spies were from Underworld Water Ravine, and the unconcealed Underworld Water Ravine aura on Li Guijiao was very obvious to her fellow disciples.
The actor didn’t say a word, her spear moving, thrusting directly at Luo Xue.
“We can’t fail now!” Shensuanzi gritted his teeth, his heart filled with ruthlessness. “Even if they’re sword fanatics of the Peerless Summit Sect, so what? No one… can stop me!”
He didn’t know that the Peerless Summit Sect spies were here to kill Luo Xue, thinking they were here to protect the trio.
After all… they had mentioned “our people.”
“Are you all just going to sit here and wait for death?” Shensuanzi shouted. “Since these Immortal Domain thieves want to fight, we must resist! These sword fanatics won’t show us any mercy!”
“I’ll double the reward for everyone! Stop these Immortal Domain thieves!”
In less than two breaths, as the actor attacked Luo Xue, the other Peerless Summit Sect spies also moved, closing in on Luo Xue.
At this critical moment, the Demon Abyss cultivators finally realized that these were the infamous sword fanatics of the Peerless Summit Sect, who were ruthless in slaying demons and eliminating evil.
The reason they hadn’t attacked earlier was probably because they were waiting for Luo Xue and the others to create an opening, so they could strike and defeat them all at once.
“Damn it… let’s attack too!”
The Demon Abyss cultivators’ hearts filled with ruthlessness, and before the Peerless Summit Sect spies could reach Luo Xue, they unleashed their techniques and abilities.
Countless attacks bombarded the spies, forcing them back.
Although the swords of Underworld Water Ravine were sharp, they focused on offense and were easily broken.
They had an advantage in one-on-one combat, but in this kind of chaotic battle, they were at a disadvantage.
On the other side, Nangong Mengxiang narrowly dodged the actor’s spear thrust and punched the spear’s shaft, making the actor’s hand numb.
“A troublesome body cultivator…”
The actor’s eyes beneath the mask were cold.
Her attack failed, and countless techniques and abilities were coming from all directions. Nangong Mengxiang could withstand them directly, but the actor couldn’t, so she was forced to retreat.
“People from the Peerless Summit Sect…”
Luo Xue’s eyes narrowed, and she turned slightly to look at Li Guijiao beside her.
Li Guijiao also recognized the auras of these people’s techniques, her mouth opening wide enough to swallow an egg.
“They… seem to be our Senior Brothers and Sisters…”
“I know.”
Luo Xue said in a low voice.
“Little Junior Sister, I mean, they should be from Underworld Water Ravine…”
Li Guijiao looked at them one by one and listed their names.
“Zhou Ping, Yuan Li, He Buyi, Xu Keke… They are all Underworld Water Ravine disciples who were expelled from the sect hundreds of years ago.”
“Hundreds of years ago?”
Luo Xue’s pupils constricted. This time period seemed a bit sensitive…
“Yes, during that rebellion.” Li Guijiao’s eyes dimmed slightly.
“Let’s not worry about that for now. The important thing is that they’re here to kill me.” Luo Xue exhaled. “Let’s go back into the formation first. It’s just as well that they’re fighting.”
“We can’t go back.”
A familiar, deep voice rang out behind them, making Luo Xue instinctively tense up.
But she quickly relaxed.
She still wasn’t used to it. He looked and sounded exactly like the Sect Master…
Master Zou walked out and said gravely,
“Someone is breaking the formation. The protective formation is about to collapse. Only the core refining formation is still barely holding on.”
“How long until the refining is complete?” Luo Xue asked.
“About a hundred breaths, but it’s too late.” Master Zou pondered. “Unless… we sacrifice this puppet. When I was constructing the formation, the core was connected to this puppet, which can temporarily accelerate the refining process.”
“Accelerate it.” Luo Xue immediately decided. “We have to get that pill, otherwise, we can’t break through this situation.”
Master Zou nodded and returned to the formation.
“Success!”
The storyteller put away his compass and smiled faintly.
He looked at the collapsing protective formation and sighed.
“With the current state of the Peerless Summit Sect, they can still produce such a prodigy. If she could experience the trials of the Immortal-Demon War, even the peerless Sword Saint from thousands of years ago would be amazed.”
The collapsing protective formation completely crushed the Evil Spirit Sect’s residence, and the dissipating spiritual energy disrupted the surrounding area, temporarily creating a space where divine abilities and techniques couldn’t be used.
This was within the storyteller’s calculations. He had triggered the formation’s collapse to restrain everyone and complete the mission in one fell swoop.
Instantly, the barrage of techniques and abilities stopped, only the swords of the Peerless Summit Sect remained sharp.
Sword intent wasn’t affected by the environment.
“Draw your swords!”
The farmer, who had been fighting with his sword sheathed, finally unsheathed it, his aged body seeming to grow taller.
He took a step forward, following his intuition into the ruins of the formation.
At the same time, the other Peerless Summit Sect spies also recovered and, taking advantage of this moment when the Demon Abyss cultivators were silenced, charged forward.
“Draw your swords!”
“Draw your swords!”
Countless sword lights flashed, half of the Core Formation demonic cultivators were severely injured, and two weaker ones even died on the spot, their flesh and blood raining down on the ruins of the Evil Spirit Sect.
“Found you.”
The farmer murmured softly, his eyes closed.
His sword had already guided him.
He slowly opened his eyes, wanting to see clearly who this traitor, ordered to be killed by the Grand Elder, was.
But the next moment, the farmer’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Sect… Master?”
A middle-aged man stood within the refining formation, his figure gradually fading.
Beside him were Luo Xue, Nangong Mengxiang, and Li Guijiao, all staring at the farmer with wide eyes.
“They saw me… Will Master scold me when I get back…”
Li Guijiao whispered.
“We should worry about whether we can even get back first.”
Luo Xue twitched her lips.
While the farmer was stunned, Nangong Mengxiang didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward and punched.
But the farmer quickly recovered, casually raising his sword to block the blow, then sending Nangong Mengxiang flying with a casual swing.
Ordinary techniques and abilities couldn’t harm the current Nangong Mengxiang. Even Wu Hai, who had injured her before, wouldn’t be able to incapacitate her with a full-powered attack.
But the farmer had only used a casual sword strike, and Nangong Mengxiang instantly collapsed.
“Being able to withstand one of my sword strikes, not bad.” The farmer glanced at Nangong Mengxiang indifferently, then looked at the Zou Junxin puppet again. “So it’s just a puppet. A mischievous junior, actually daring to use the appearance of a sect elder…”
Before the farmer could finish, Li Guijiao took out the puppet of the Grand Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall.
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