Chapter 429: Sword in Hand, Follow Me!
The Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion—these four words carried immense prestige and countless legends throughout Jiangnan, standing as a towering mountain pressing down upon all sects great and small in the region.
Under normal circumstances, its might might not be readily apparent.
Yet at this moment, with the Sword Pavilion's defensive formations activating automatically throughout its grounds, Lü Yang—despite having mentally prepared himself—couldn't help but feel a surge of awe.
The entire Sword Pavilion was situated atop a perilous peak that pierced the heavens. Within its expanse lay countless mountains, standing tall between heaven and earth, interconnected in a seamless flow, exuding an ancient and indomitable grandeur. Every stone, every grain of sand upon these mountains bore the weight of profound historical significance.
In comparison, all things seemed insignificant.
After all, Foundation Establishment cultivators lived for merely five lifetimes, while Golden Core experts could last a thousand years. Yet how long had this divine mountain stood between heaven and earth? The two were simply incomparable!
Before such timeless majesty, anyone would appear insignificant.
"Legend has it that the founding ancestor of the Sword Pavilion searched the world but couldn't find a mountain that suited his liking. So, he simply drew the sword at his waist and cast it upon the ground."
"The sword took root and grew with the wind."
"In the end, it became the mountain gate of the Sword Pavilion today. A Nascent Soul Dao Lord's sword—who knows if it's true? The Saint Sect has nothing like this..."
Lü Yang sighed inwardly. Though the True Lords had gone into seclusion, with the Evil-Banishing True Person severely injured and the True Person Dangmo absent, the Sword Pavilion remained that colossal hegemon dominating Jiangnan. With its mountain-protecting formations activated, it stood like an impregnable fortress, firmly barring Lü Yang's advance at its gates.
Scanning the distance, faint figures could be glimpsed.
Though the core—Ji Tian Cliff—remained hidden from view, Lü Yang's senses could detect the outer peaks, among them the residence of Ye Shaoying, head of the Ye Family.
"Dong—"
A deep, resonant bell tolled from the depths of the Sword Pavilion, signaling the intrusion of an enemy. In an instant, countless sword beams soared into the sky from within.
The next moment, a figure emerged.
Ye Shaoying, head of the Ye Family, stood alongside Ye Cheng, a young True Person of the Ye lineage. Both scrutinized Lü Yang beyond the mountain with wary eyes.
"Esteemed Daoist," Ye Shaoying spoke first, "today, our Sword Pavilion does not wish to receive guests. Without an invitation, your sudden arrival is quite discourteous. Please return."
"An invitation? Certainly, I'll send one right away."
Lü Yang smirked coldly. Behind him, five divine abilities intertwined into a radiant ring. He casually plucked a strand of energy from it, and in moments, a gleaming sword materialized in his palm—its edge sharp, its aura chilling. With a flick of his finger, he sent it slashing toward the Sword Pavilion!
"Clang! Clang!"
The sword plunged straight into the layered formations, startling Ye Shaoying, who hastily activated the defenses to intercept it.
"Boom—!"
A deafening explosion erupted as Lü Yang's sword tore through the formations, severing hundreds of glowing barriers before ultimately being swallowed by their depths.
Like a celestial river descending from the heavens, the vast radiance crushed the sword within three breaths, reducing it to nothingness.
'Whew, close call...'
Relieved, Ye Shaoying chuckled, "Sir, you'd best return whence you came. Do not persist in folly!"
Inwardly, he sneered, 'Just some rogue cultivator from beyond the heavens—what does he know of our orthodox traditions? Thinking he can take advantage while Guang Ji is away and the Evil-Banishing True Person injured? Does he believe the Sword Pavilion defenseless? Ridiculous... Thirty years from now, he'll regret this!'
"The formations are indeed impressive," Lü Yang nodded.
His earlier strike had relied purely on the sword's innate power—something even a late-stage Foundation Establishment Grand True Person would struggle to counter. Yet the Sword Pavilion had blocked it effortlessly, relying solely on its formations. Clearly, like the Dragon Palace, these defenses had been laid by Golden Core True Lords, making breaching them as difficult as ascending to heaven.
'But I'm not the same as before...'
Back then, facing the Dragon Palace alone, he couldn't possibly challenge its formations head-on and had to sneak in. Now, however, he was an honored guest of the Saint Sect.
With this thought, Lü Yang reached for a pouch at his waist.
Woven from dark silk, it resembled a storm cloud in his palm, crackling with thunderous energy as lightning serpents writhed within.
'[Black Thunder Enlightenment Cloud]!'
Since he had come to stir trouble at the Sword Pavilion, the Saint Sect naturally had to lend a hand. This treasure had been entrusted to him by Xiang Ye before his departure from the Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds.
As he channeled his magic power into the pouch, a gruff yet childlike voice echoed in his ears: "More! Harder! Is that all you've got? You can't even pry my mouth open, let alone break through those sword cultivators' mountain gate!"
This was the True Spirit of the [Black Thunder Enlightenment Cloud].
Credit where it was due—Xiang Ye, acting leader of the Saint Sect, had both vision and generosity. The treasure he lent was none other than a True Treasure from the sect's vault!
'Superior even to [Tribulation Wave].'
Like cultivators, spiritual treasures had tiers. Five divine abilities marked the pinnacle of spiritual treasures, while True Treasures stood on par with True Lords!
The more magic power Lü Yang poured into the [Black Thunder Enlightenment Cloud], the more he sensed its boundless might. Even with his current divine abilities and reserves, he could only activate a fraction of its power—proof that only a True Lord could fully wield such an Ultimate Treasure.
"..."
Lü Yang glanced sideways, sensing several gazes fixed upon him—eager eyes belonging to the Saint Sect's True Persons.
'Damn vultures...'
He knew their intentions all too well. If he failed to breach the Sword Pavilion's defenses, they wouldn't lift a finger. But the moment he succeeded?
They'd charge in faster than he could!
'They back the winner.'
Taking a deep breath, Lü Yang hurled the [Black Thunder Enlightenment Cloud]—now brimming with his full power—into the sky. Instantly, it expanded into a vast, pitch-black thundercloud.
"Boom—!"
Where the cloud passed, the sun and moon vanished, plunging the world into darkness. Countless bolts of lightning erupted from its depths, crashing down upon the earth like a celestial deluge!
In that instant, Ye Shaoying and Ye Cheng's faces paled.
Without hesitation, Ye Shaoying vanished, abandoning Ye Cheng, who reacted a heartbeat too slow.
The next moment, lightning struck.
"No—!"
Ye Cheng's mouth gaped, but his cry was drowned by thunder as a bolt split his skull, reducing him to dust.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The relentless black thunder became an unstoppable battering ram, each peal a devastating impact. By the time Lü Yang's magic power waned and the storm dispersed, the outer cliffs of the Sword Pavilion's divine mountain—once dotted with peaks—had been utterly flattened!
As for the impregnable formations?
Their core remained intact, but the outermost layers had been torn open, their spiritual energy dissipating, leaving a gap that wouldn't mend anytime soon.
"Breached!?"
Meanwhile, Ye Shaoying—having narrowly escaped—had no time to mourn Ye Cheng's death. Staring at the devastation behind him, horror filled his eyes.
Yet that horror swiftly turned to terror.
For as the breach widened, figures emerged behind Lü Yang—their faces twisted in sinister grins, eyes gleaming crimson.
"Overthrow the tyrants! Annihilate the Sword Pavilion!"
"The cultivators of the world have long suffered under the Sword Pavilion's oppression!"
"The Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion has preyed upon Jiangnan, enslaving the masses! Today, the Saint Sect shall restore justice—seizing back... returning the people's wealth to the world!"
—The Saint Sect had arrived.
Just as Lü Yang predicted, these vultures had waited for him to breach the defenses. Now, they emerged with righteous fervor, even crafting slogans for the occasion.
But this suited him perfectly.
Alone, storming the Sword Pavilion was impossible. With the Saint Sect's backing, however, the odds shifted—and they could share the blame, too.
With this thought, Lü Yang summoned his sword beam and charged into the Sword Pavilion!
"Sword in hand, follow me!"