Chapter 474: Feixue’s Ferocity!
Chapter 474: The Fierce Feixue!
Lü Yang had always harbored a question in his heart.
Just how powerful was True Lord Qingcheng Feixue—the undisputed pillar of the Saint Sect after Ang Xiao, the notorious madwoman?
'This time, I'll get to see for myself!'
Lü Yang focused his vision, gazing toward the Jiangnan region. There, several Fruit Position stars suddenly ignited simultaneously, purifying the spiritual aura of the world.
"Demon... How audacious!"
"Do you truly believe we fear you?"
In an instant, three furious shouts erupted from the Sword Pavilion, accompanied by the manifestation of three Fruit Positions—ones Lü Yang hadn't even witnessed in his previous life within the Sword Pavilion.
[Earth on the Roof]!
[Fire in the Furnace]!
[Wall Soil]!
'Aside from True Lord Chengtian Zhengde and the late-stage Golden Core True Lord Gangxing Budao, the Sword Pavilion's remaining two True Lords are also here!'
This alone revealed much to Lü Yang.
'No wonder True Lord Chengtian Zhengde doesn't seem highly regarded in the Sword Pavilion—they already have a True Lord who achieved enlightenment through an earth-element Fruit Position!'
'True Lord Gangxing Budao cultivates [Gold in Sand]. If I recall correctly, Ang Xiao once told me that late-stage Golden Core cultivators either master all five elements or synthesize three... So he must have collaborated with the two True Lords of [Earth on the Roof] and [Fire in the Furnace] to reach late-stage Golden Core through three elements.'
In this scenario, [Wall Soil] became redundant.
The result? The Sword Pavilion's three True Lords formed a tight-knit faction, excluding True Lord Chengtian Zhengde and never inviting him to anything.
Yet soon, an even greater confusion arose.
'True Lord Gangxing Budao... is undeniably at late-stage Golden Core. Compared to him, the Saint Sect, having lost Ang Xiao, lacks any late-stage Golden Core presence.'
From this perspective, the Sword Pavilion held the advantage.
Moreover, with the Pure Land and Dao Court in play—even if the Pure Land remained ambiguous—the sheer disparity in visible combat power made it baffling how the Saint Sect managed to hold its ground.
Soon, Lü Yang discovered the answer.
"Hahaha! Perfect timing!"
From the heavens above, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue's laughter resounded across the land, brimming with fearlessness. Though a woman, her valor at this moment rivaled any man's.
Immediately after, instead of retreating, she advanced. The Fruit Position transformed from [Stream Under the Ravine] collided head-on with the three Fruit Positions manifested by the Sword Pavilion. The [World-Cleansing Light] drawn from her Fruit Position illuminated all phenomena, unstoppable as she overpowered all three opponents single-handedly!
"That madwoman is too ferocious!"
"She actually dares to fight..."
"Ridiculous—what wouldn't she dare? Back when that Dao Court official attacked her, she fought back just the same. The key is she could win—that's true skill!"
At this moment, many True Lords were observing the battle.
Simultaneously, Lü Yang retrieved from True Lord Chengtian Zhengde's memories the reason why True Lord Qingcheng Feixue had been unrivaled in combat for five thousand years.
This account had been dismissed by True Lord Chengtian Zhengde as unreliable gossip, buried in the deepest corners of his memory, so Lü Yang had overlooked it before.
Now, revisiting it, he was shocked:
'Good heavens...'
As everyone knew, the most common practice in this damned place was challenging those above one's level. Foundation Establishment cultivators killing Qi Refiners was routine, and Golden Core cultivators battling Foundation Establishment practitioners was trivial.
Yet over time, exceptions emerged.
True Lord Qingcheng Feixue was that exception—she was the first recorded True Lord in history to achieve a genuine cross-realm challenge at the Golden Core level.
A true cross-realm challenge!
'Xue Feihong had just become a True Lord, having secluded herself for less than a century. At the time, the Saint Sect was weak, and the Dao Court sought to exploit this vulnerability. The Grand Preceptor of the court personally pressured the Sky-reaching Sea of Clouds...'
'That Grand Preceptor of the Dao Court was at mid-stage Golden Core!'
'Meanwhile, the Saint Sect's True Lords—whether Qingcheng Feixue, Zengcai Qiluo, or Hanguang Foutian—were all at early-stage Golden Core...'
Undoubtedly, it was the Saint Sect's weakest moment.
Even the Dao Court wanted to trample them!
'Yet True Lord Qingcheng Feixue, who had only been a True Lord for a century, emerged from seclusion and stunned the world by single-handedly repelling the Dao Court's Grand Preceptor!'
This was a feat only Golden Core True Lords could comprehend—how exaggerated and unbelievable it was. A mid-stage Golden Core cultivator's Cave Heaven never fell, almost permanently occupying a Fruit Position. Even if they died of old age or were killed, as long as their Cave Heaven remained intact, they could instantly reclaim their True Lord status upon reincarnation.
In contrast, early-stage Golden Core?
Their Cave Heavens lasted only a thousand years, collapsing alongside their deaths upon expiration. Starting over carried immense risks—just look at Hongyun.
The disparity was obvious.
In battle, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator had infinite lives against an early-stage opponent's single life. They could afford countless mistakes, while the early-stage cultivator couldn't make a single one.
Not to mention mid-stage Golden Core cultivators inherently possessed greater combat power and deeper cultivation.
Yet despite this gap... True Lord Qingcheng Feixue won.
Before her, a handful of exceptionally talented early-stage Golden Core True Lords had managed to briefly contend with mid-stage opponents.
But over time, the mid-stage Golden Core's inherent advantages surfaced. No early-stage True Lord could withstand it, inevitably leading to defeat,disorderly retreats, or even futile resistance—even with multiple early-stage True Lords joining forces, they could only prolong the struggle slightly.
True Lord Qingcheng Feixue changed all that.
In one grand battle, she made not a single mistake. With one life, she killed the Dao Court's Grand Preceptor over fifty times—growing faster and more practiced with each kill!
Originally, the Grand Preceptor, thoroughly enraged, intended to prolong the fight.
After all, as a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator with an unfalling Cave Heaven and infinite revivals, he refused to believe True Lord Qingcheng Feixue could outlast him. A century-long battle would still end in his victory.
Yet on the fifty-third kill, the situation shifted abruptly.
That time, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue seemed to have pinpointed a flaw in the Grand Preceptor. While killing him, she struck his Cave Heaven!
This was fatal.
Dao Court True Lords differed from others—especially the Three Dukes. Their Cave Heavens weren't forged by themselves but inherited through generations, belonging to the Dao Court as assets!
Now, the Cave Heaven was damaged!
Under these circumstances, no matter how unwilling the Grand Preceptor was, he had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill of defeat and withdraw.
After this battle, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue's fame skyrocketed.
As for that Grand Preceptor? Having committed the grave crime of damaging the Cave Heaven, he was overthrown by Emperor Jia You, who had recently ascended the throne, and forced to reincarnate.
Thus, objectively speaking, True Lord Qingcheng Feixue had challenged across ranks and slain a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator!
How outrageous was that?
Only after learning this history did Lü Yang understand why True Lord Qingcheng Feixue was so fierce—fearless even when outnumbered three to one.
But...
'What about the Sword Pavilion's late-stage Golden Core cultivator?'
True Lord Gangxing Budao—who once intimidated overseas regions, silencing even the mid-stage Golden Core old Dragon Monarch, forcing him to watch as his son, the white dragon, was devoured by various factions.
True Lord Qingcheng Feixue was being this audacious.
Where was this Great True Lord?
Help!
Lü Yang's confusion was shared by many True Lords observing in secret. In truth... True Lord Gangxing Budao hadn't appeared in public for a long time.
Had he died?
Impossible. Even mid-stage Golden Core cultivators could permanently occupy heavenly Fruit Positions. Unless a Dao Lord intervened, how could a late-stage Golden Core Great True Lord die?
"Hahaha!"
Another burst of laughter echoed—still from True Lord Qingcheng Feixue. The madwoman's face now bore a smile of breathtaking beauty.
Lü Yang and many other True Lords had such doubts because their cultivation depth was insufficient.
But she was different.
Her cultivation depth had long reached late-stage Golden Core standards. Only the lack of a compatible Fruit Position kept her at mid-stage Golden Core.
Thus, she could deduce True Lord Gangxing Budao's current state.
"Insufficient cultivation depth, yet forcibly pursuing late-stage—though successful, the limitations are severe. Heh... [Fire in the Furnace] and [Earth on the Roof]? Must be quite unbearable!"
Upon hearing this, the Sword Pavilion's two True Lords paled dramatically!