Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: Ace
Chapter:
Chapter Title: Standoff at Guillotine Dragon Pass
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Atop Guillotine Dragon Pass, Perfected Being Yin Shan had already unleashed his full magical power.
Though Lu Yang's performance was far too eye-catching, with few paying attention to his own strength, this by no means implied that Perfected Being Yin Shan's power was weak.
At least, Lu Yang would never think so.
After all, before him, Perfected Being Yin Shan had been Perfected Being Heavy Light's most trusted subordinate—and with Heavy Light's discerning eye, he would never value a mediocrity.
“Boom!”
Another thunderous roar echoed as the black mountain peak smashed down. This time, it had shrunk to the size of a washbasin, yet its weight showed no change whatsoever.
As the seal descended, Zhong Xin was forced to summon his own [Official Position] to counter it.
Yet Perfected Being Yin Shan's style of combat was sweeping and grandiose—a single black mountain seal hammering relentlessly. He wielded the technique of size at will to its utmost, at times crushing down like Mount Tai itself, at others piercing with pinpoint strikes to shatter surfaces. It left his foes utterly hard-pressed to respond.
Meanwhile, two rays of brilliant light rose anew from within Guillotine Dragon Pass.
When the glow faded, revealing their true forms, they were none other than Five Elements Perfected Being and Many Treasures Child—though their faces now bore utter solemnity.
“. . . Has he come? Could he be lying in ambush for us?”
In that instant, neither dared rush to Zhong Xin's aid. Instead, they hid within the pass's grand formation, scrutinizing every corner of the space beyond with utmost caution.
No helping it—they were truly terrified.
With Dragon-Fishing Old Man's fate as a fresh warning, how could they trust their divine senses any longer? They feared some void might suddenly birth a Lu Yang to slay them.
At the sight, Perfected Being Yin Shan shook his head in wry amusement, while Zhong Xin's face filled with helplessness. He hurriedly sent a transmission.
“Two seniors, come aid me at once!”
With Zhong Xin pleading thus, Five Elements Perfected Being and Many Treasures Child could only grit their teeth, produce every protective treasure they carried, and charge out.
Moments later, two rays of brilliant light materialized from thin air, intercepting them mid-flight. They were none other than Hanxiang and the heroic woman Yu Chan, who had come alongside Perfected Being Yin Shan for this battle.
“It looks like he truly isn't here!”
Though both foes were mid-Foundation Establishment—daunting rivals for Five Elements Perfected Being and Many Treasures Child—the pair suddenly relaxed visibly.
“That ferocious demon seems absent!”
To them, the trauma of Lu Yang's single sword felling Dragon-Fishing Old Man lingered too deeply. Even in secluded meditation, they couldn't help reliving that day's horror.
Now, sans Lu Yang, the two immediately perked up once more.
Soon enough, the six mid-Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings were locked in paired duels above Guillotine Dragon Pass. Yet the fight held at impasse—no true victor emerging.
Beyond that, early Foundation Establishment Perfected Beings from both sides appeared in force.
Thus passed over half a shichen. Just as Five Elements Perfected Being and Many Treasures Child began to falter, a sword gleam ignited abruptly in the distance.
“Zheng zheng!”
The sword cry shattered the heavens, sword intent exploding in its wake—bone-chilling cold sweeping all it touched. The blade arced unerringly toward the loftiest figure: Perfected Being Yin Shan!
“A Daoist from Upper Profound Sword Sect has arrived!”
Five Elements Perfected Being lit up with joy.
“A mid-Foundation Establishment sword cultivator bearing sword intent—it must be Profound Iron Sword Master. He alone can shatter this deadlock!”
Six mid-stage Perfected Beings clashing in pairs—with one extra on their side, dominance would follow.
Zhong Xin, too, betrayed a faint smile.
On the opposing side, Perfected Being Yin Shan furrowed his brow ever so slightly. Yet he wasted no time, waving a hand grandly. Before the sword light even neared, he commanded withdrawal from Guillotine Dragon Pass.
This retreat sparked instant bewilderment among the ranks.
“Fellow Daoist Yin Shan . . .”
Outside Guillotine Dragon Pass, Hanxiang approached first, her voice soft and measured.
“This battle cost us dearly in lives. Why did fellow Daoist withdraw on your own initiative?”
“Your blood defilement art is exquisite indeed, yet it serves only briefly. We paid such steep losses to finally erode the pass's formation might. Grant them time to catch breath and mend it, and those sacrifices lose all meaning.”
As her words concluded, Perfected Being Yin Shan paused in stunned silence.
“Today was mere testing of the foe's mettle—a light probe, no full clash. Not one Foundation Establishment Perfected Being fell. How are losses 'dearly'?”
Here, chill indifference gleamed in Perfected Being Yin Shan's eyes.
“Or do some Perfected Beings shrink from battle, unwilling to serve the Saint Sect further? Recall: amid this grand war, the True Lord watches from overhead!”
Flee the field, and taste the Saint Sect's iron fist?
“This concubine meant the Qi Refining disciples.”
Hanxiang blinked in daze before hastening to clarify.
“No Perfected Beings perished, true—but many Qi Refining disciples fell. Thus I inquired.”
“What? Qi Refining count as people?”
“. . .”
Her words drew instant cold sweat from Hanxiang. Yet Perfected Being Yin Shan gazed back equally baffled, leaving her inwardly aghast, resigned.
‘Damn it all—they say the Saint Sect treats lives as raw fodder, heedless of Qi Refining disciples' will, casually forging artifacts and pills from them, honing techniques on their backs. I figured the tales, even if rooted in truth, were surely embellished. Now? They're downright sanitized! Small wonder they're dubbed Jiangbei's Demon Sect!’
With that thought, she bowed hastily.
“. . . This concubine misspoke.”
Just then, the hitherto silent heroic woman Yu Chan strode forward, voice grave.
“Where is Yuantu? Where has he gone?”
Perfected Being Yin Shan glanced at Yu Chan, tone flat.
“Fellow Daoist Yu Chan—this touches the Saint Sect's grand design, no margin for lapse. The True Lord now overlooks the full field of battle. Man acts, heaven beholds. Spare us your Zoyu descendants' dusty ledger with the Dao Court.”
Yu Chan: the Saint Sect's Perfected Being of Zoyu descent.
Prior to this war, the Saint Sect had stationed her to surveil [Qing Kingdom]—fitting, given her blood feud with the Dao Court as Zoyu kin.
Circumstances had shifted now, however.
With Perfected Being Heavy Light's bid for the throne and quest for gold at stake, Perfected Being Yin Shan would brook no petty ploys from some faded Zoyu scion.
“This, I grasp full well.”
Yu Chan's expression held steady as she pressed on.
“But in that moment just now, had Yuantu struck—we held at least seventy percent odds of breaching Guillotine Dragon Pass.”
“Guillotine Dragon Pass matters little.”
Perfected Being Yin Shan shook his head.
“The Saint Sect has ever ruled through the masses, with lives as its root tenet. The pass is but a barren deathtrap.”
“Truly vital are its keepers.”
“You yourself said: with Yuantu present, seventy percent breach chance. Put inversely—the current crop cannot hold it.”
“The true wardens have yet to arrive.”
Yu Chan betrayed open surprise.
“Fellow Daoist means . . . Upper Profound Sword Sect?”
Among [Qing Kingdom]'s five powers, Upper Profound Sword Sect reigned preeminent—bolstered by江南 patronage, heirs to genuine sword cultivation legacy.
Its sect master, this generation's Upper Profound Perfected Being, stood at mid-Foundation Establishment pinnacle. Word held he'd recently entered seclusion, backed by Sword Pavilion, to assail late-stage. Success meant a great Perfected Being in command: Guillotine Dragon Pass would turn impregnable fortress overnight.
“Precisely. Our charge is pressure, containment alone.”
Perfected Being Yin Shan nodded, a sly arc finally touching his lips.
“Yuantu went to dispatch those truly capable of holding Guillotine Dragon Pass.”