Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: A Single Sleeve Clears the Firmament
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Northern Frontier, Skull Mountain Market.
Inside a tall building at the center of the market, Zhao Xuhe pushed open the door of his quiet chamber and stepped out. The pride and recklessness of his youthful days had long since faded away.
Time was indeed the greatest refiner of men.
Not to mention that, after previously taking Lu Yang's place at Skull Mountain, Zhao Xuhe had been baited by Perfected Being Yin Shan and stripped of thirty years of merit and fortune.
For that reason, he had no choice but to seclude himself for thirty years, just like Lu Yang had once done.
After thirty years of painstaking cultivation, Zhao Xuhe had shed his former appearance and even mastered a great divine ability. Now, he too was a cultivator with a true position.
Yet there was not a trace of joy on Zhao Xuhe's face—in fact, it was grim to the extreme. Because the moment he attained his position and used his great divine ability to cleanse his dharma body, he immediately sensed something off about his memories of belonging to "Perfected Being Panlong." They didn't mesh with the rest at all!
"Was that really a past life?"
Zhao Xuhe's expression grew heavy. "Or did some Perfected Being tamper with me back then? How much of my memory is real, and how much is fake?"
The mere thought sent chills racing through him.
His first suspect was naturally the Heaven Mending Peak Master. In his eyes, that innately wicked old ghost had plenty of motive.
"He was always trying to set me up with his daughter before."
"Clearly, what he valued was the Nine Transformations of the Dragon Art, not me personally. I just don't know why he's barely come to see me these past few decades."
At that thought, Zhao Xuhe grew a bit lost, unable to fathom the Heaven Mending Peak Master's shifting attitude—as if some other hand was at work behind the scenes, but his current level was too low to see it clearly. Yet he quickly rallied his spirits, his eyes blazing with ambition.
"No matter what, once I establish my foundation, everything will fall into place!"
"And to build that foundation, I must claim the top spot in this great battle against the Divine Martial Sect. Only then will I earn the favor and support of the garrisoned Perfected Being."
Just then, a streak of escaping light suddenly arrived.
Zhao Xuhe lit up with excitement at the sight and hurried forward. "Senior Brother Yuanchun, has news come from the Divine Martial Sect in the Northern Frontier?"
The escaping light dispersed, revealing a heroic young man—Lu Yuanchun.
"Not news from the Divine Martial Sect."
His expression grave, he lowered his voice. "It's a message from Master at the Primal Saint Sect. A Perfected Being has arrived from the sect to utterly eradicate the Divine Martial Sect!"
Zhao Xuhe was mildly startled. "Which Perfected Being?"
"No idea. Apparently a newly promoted one in recent years, with impressive divine abilities and a major background. Senior Uncle Chongguang pushed hard for his appointment against opposition."
"This eradication of the Divine Martial Sect is being led by that Perfected Being, overseeing the whole operation, with three other Primal Saint Sect Perfected Beings as support. They've already set out. At a Perfected Being's speed, they'll reach Skull Mountain any moment now. We can't let the Divine Martial Sect disciples keep besieging the market outside!"
At that, both men's faces clouded with worry.
The days had been tough lately at Skull Mountain Market.
Some three to five years ago, a core disciple of the Divine Martial Sect had led his followers in surrounding the entire market, forcing them to hunker down behind their array.
But Zhao Xuhe soon brightened with resolve. "Don't worry, Senior Brother. I've refined a great divine ability this time. I can take on that guy again."
Before the words were out, a massive boom erupted outside the market.
Boom!
The whole market shook violently. Zhao Xuhe and Lu Yuanchun rushed out to check, only to see a heroic youth standing outside with spear in hand.
The youth overlooked the market, his gaze sharp, laughing loudly. "So these are the Primal Saint Sect disciples? Nothing impressive about them. Just a bunch of turtles hiding in their shell to fend me off. If you've got the guts, come out. I'll even let you have a hand!"
". . . Ouyang Haoze!"
Zhao Xuhe ground his teeth. This Divine Martial Sect core disciple hadn't been much before, but a few years back, he'd seemingly mastered a great divine ability of the sect.
That had immediately created a huge gap between them. Otherwise, the market wouldn't have been besieged for three or five years. If the Primal Saint Sect Perfected Beings saw this, how could they avoid blame for incompetence?
It'd make it look like the Divine Martial Sect was pushing the Primal Saint Sect back!
With that in mind, Zhao Xuhe stood. "Please hold the fort for me, Senior Brother. I'll go deal with Ouyang Haoze right now and lift this siege on the market."
But before he finished, Zhao Xuhe froze. For some reason, Lu Yuanchun in front of him had suddenly gone pale as a ghost, teeth chattering, eyes locked straight behind him. With the two of them at the center, only three breaths remained in the surroundings.
Hmm? Three?
"Ambitious."
A voice laughed from behind. In an instant, Zhao Xuhe's hairs stood on end. Finally catching on, he stiffly turned, catching sight of the newcomer.
It was a handsome, refined young man.
Clad in a Daoist robe with a point of round light at his brow. At first glance, utterly ordinary—yet when divine sense swept over, there was nothing, as if he didn't exist!
"Disciple pays respects to the Perfected Being!"
Without hesitation, Zhao Xuhe dropped to his knees and kowtowed heavily. Beside him, Lu Yuanchun had already prostrated himself.
"Rise."
Lu Yang smiled faintly, then glanced at the still-ranting Ouyang Haoze outside the market. "It's too noisy here. Allow me to quiet things down outside first."
With that, he raised his palm and pressed down lightly, as if wiping away something.
At the same time, Ouyang Haoze outside was smug as ever, convinced the Primal Saint Sect's reputation was overblown, nothing special.
"The sect's Perfected Beings are too conservative, too timid—always scared of this and that. No idea why. How can we make the Divine Martial Sect great like this? Once I establish my foundation, I'll sweep away the sect's rot and march south to clash properly with the Primal Saint Sect Perfected Beings!"
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew past.
Ouyang Haoze's face still bore a smile as the breeze passed over his body, his soul, and even reduced him to a puff of scattered dust.
Along with every Divine Martial Sect disciple behind him.
No warning, no disturbance—they all turned to powder in the wind, vanishing in a blink, as if they'd never existed.
The world cleared.
Yet the next instant, a roar of utmost fury exploded from the heavens: "Beast! A Foundation Establishment Perfected Being striking at juniors?"
The sound boomed like thunder, rolling endlessly.
At the same time, Lu Yang inside the market laughed brightly: "Friend, you are mistaken."
"This humble one