At Hengyang City, Huiyan Tower, three figures sat around a table—two men and one woman. One man was Linghu Chong, the top disciple of the Huashan Sect. The other was Tian Boguang, the notorious ‘Flower-Picking Bandit’. The woman was a nun, Yilin, a disciple of the Hengshan Sect.
Linghu Chong, his sword resting at his waist, had a pale complexion, his body covered in wounds, yet his gaze remained unyielding. With a mocking grin, he challenged.
“Standing, I am no match for you. Sitting, you are no match for me.”
Tian Boguang chuckled.
“Brother Linghu, what I admire is your boldness, not your martial arts.”
Linghu Chong smirked, about to reply.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the skies. The three of them flinched, their faces filled with shock. When they looked up, they saw a sight they would never forget.
The ninth heaven above was ablaze with radiant light, as though someone was ascending to immortality in broad daylight. At the same time, dark clouds engulfed the sky, shrouding the world in gloom.
The stark contrast between the golden radiance and the ominous darkness sent chills down their spines. Then, the heavenly glow began to contract, condensing into a massive screen of light that hovered over the entire world.
“Linghu Brother, w-what is that…?”
Yilin trembled, hiding behind him.
Linghu Chong remained silent, staring at the heavens with narrowed eyes. Tian Boguang, his face pale, cursed under his breath.
“Damn it! That scared the hell out of me!”
Instinctively, his fingers clenched the hilt of his short blade before slowly relaxing. As a criminal, he had been on edge, fearing that divine retribution had finally come for him.
_____
After listening to Yue Lingshan and Lao Denuo’s report on their recent trip to Fujian, Yue Buqun quietly contemplated the situation. As expected, the Qingcheng Sect had indeed attacked the Fortune Escort Agency—not just with a skirmish, but a complete massacre.
Even with such ruthless tactics, Yu Canghai still failed to obtain the Bixie Sword Manual. This meant that his own plan to ambush Yu Canghai and steal the manual had fallen apart.
If I want to obtain the Bixie Sword Manual, I may need to start with Lin Pingzhi instead…
Just as this thought crossed his mind—the heavens changed. Yue Buqun snapped his head upward, his pupils constricting.
Gasps of shock erupted from Yue Lingshan and the other disciples as they too witnessed the divine spectacle.
“A heavenly anomaly… is this an omen of fortune or calamity?” Yue Buqun muttered.
An intense sense of urgency gripped his heart.
Then, thoughts of the Mount Song Sect’s aggression, Zuo Lengchan’s ambitions, and the decline of the Huashan Sect rushed through his mind. His lips pressed into a firm line, a cold determination flickering in his eyes.
“No matter what, strength is the foundation of survival.”
The Bixie Sword Manual!
He had to obtain it. He would preserve the legacy of the Huashan Sect. Not only that—he would revive the past glory of ‘Sword Qi Huashan’!
To achieve this, he was willing to pay any price.
“After attending Senior Brother Liu’s Golden Basin Handwashing Ceremony, we shall return to Huashan.”
“Regardless of whether this celestial event is a blessing or a curse, we only need to stay in Huashan and safeguard our sect.”
“The affairs of the outside world… we shall not interfere.”
Hearing the tension in Yue Buqun’s voice, Ning Zhongze looked at him with concern, attempting to soothe his worries. Yue Buqun smiled faintly, but inwardly, he dismissed her words.
Ning Zhongze did not realize the true crisis Huashan faced. She thought his burden was merely revitalizing their sect, when in truth, the sect was on the brink of destruction under Zuo Lengchan’s shadow.
Ning Zhongze underestimated the current crisis. But Yue Buqun kept these concerns hidden, even from his own wife. After all, he was the ‘Gentleman Sword’ Yue Buqun. And as a gentleman… how could he assume the worst about his fellow allies?
Five Mountain Sword Alliance, a bond of solidarity… right?
Moreover, even if he told Ning Zhongze, it would be pointless. She would only try to dissuade him from pursuing the Bixie Sword Manual.
Power. Strength.
These were the only things that mattered now.
_____
At Mount Wudang, Tianzhu Peak, amidst the sea of clouds, an elderly Daoist sat motionless atop a massive boulder. Like an ancient pine tree, he remained unshaken by the elements, unmoved by time itself.
Suddenly—his eyes snapped open. Gazing at the celestial anomaly, he whispered, “Is history about to repeat itself? Just like two hundred years ago?”
______
“Damn that Zhu Wushi! He doesn’t even put me in his eyes!”
“Treacherous villain! Treacherous villain!”
“A rebellious traitor—I will kill him one day!”
Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao slammed his desk, sending official reports scattering across the floor. Yet beneath his fury was an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
The Dragon Guard Villa had become too powerful to control. And its leader, Iron Courage Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi, was not only a peerless martial artist but also held imperial privileges that even Zhu Houzhao himself could not revoke. For now, he could only endure. Then—the heavens erupted.
Zhu Houzhao’s expression turned solemn. He straightened his imperial robe and strode to the entrance.
“Summon Cao Zhengchun immediately!”
______
The Holy Maiden Shi Feixuan stood in divine radiance, ethereal like a celestial being. The Demonic Enchantress Wanwan exuded a mesmerizing, otherworldly allure, like a spirit of the underworld. Both women raised their heads in unison, their eyes filled with shock.
Qin King Ying Zheng stood atop his grand palace, his Tianwen Sword hanging at his waist.
With a single decree, he summoned the Yin-Yang Clan.
_____
The changes in the heavens shook every corner of Wu Realm from Demonic Swords of Life and Death, Peacock Plume, Undesirable Persons, Overturning the Clouds, Storm Riders and Water Moon Cavern to the great empires of Qin, Sui, Wu Zhou, Song, Ming, and Qing.
From legendary figures such as.
Demonic Master Pang Ban
Heavenly Gate Emperor Shitian
Martial Supreme Wu Wudi
Undying Demon Yin Zhong
To emperors, grandmasters, hidden experts, and powerful clans—everyone had been alarmed. Under the gaze of countless souls—the screen of light in the sky began to change once more…