Chapter 379. Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance (2)

Liaoning.

Martial Alliance, Shenyang Branch.

“That’s everything.”

The Shenyang Branch Manager looked at Zhou Xuchuan.

He had heard that the Sword God was young, but seeing him in person, he was even younger than expected. However, given the seriousness of the situation, he kept his thoughts to himself.

Zhou Xuchuan, who had traveled south from the North Sea to the Heilong River and Jilin, heard about the situation with the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance as he arrived in Liaoning.

The problem was that by the time he received the news, it was already too late.

Damn it!

The thing he had been worried about had finally happened. The incident occurred because he had stayed in the North Sea longer than planned.

They had left at the beginning of spring, and by the time they had returned, summer was in full swing.

Four months and fifteen days had passed.

Realizing that nearly half a year had already gone by made him feel anxious. Zhou Xuchuan visited the Shenyang branch immediately upon arriving in Liaoning to check on what had happened while he was away from the Central Plains.

Fortunately, thanks to Zhuge Xiang’s predictions and preparations, he was able to gather relatively up-to-date information.

There had been no major changes in the reorganization of the Martial Alliance or the Dark Heavens Association. It had not even been publicly revealed that Zhou Xuchuan had left for the North Sea.

They had been cautious in keeping things secret, not only from their enemies but also from their allies. The Shenyang Branch Manager’s surprised reaction to seeing him was proof of this.

Even if Mount Heng was expected... I never could have thought that Mount Song or Mount Tai would turn against us.

In the case of the Mount Heng Sect, they had betrayed them in his previous life, so it was expected. However, the Mount Song Sect and the Mount Tai Sect were a little different.

Even if spies from the Dark Heavens Association had infiltrated their ranks, that alone was not enough to explain why the Sect Masters themselves had turned against them.

The future has changed so much.

Even after much thought, no clear answer emerged. Since history had already changed, it wouldn't have been strange if something different had happened.

“Shenyang Branch Manager.”

“Yes!”

“Please only tell Headquarters that I'm back. If possible, please keep it a complete secret.”

He was worried that he might provoke the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance if he wasn't careful.

“I'll keep it in mind!”

"Then, I'll be in your care."

Zhou Xuchuan left with only a few provisions and some money.

I hope Master is safe...

He was worried about his master, whom he had not seen for quite some time.

“Don’t worry too much, Senior Brother. He'll be safe.”

Luo Xiaoyue comforted Zhou Xuchuan when she saw his anxious expression.

“Mount Song Sect, Mount Tai Sect, Mount Heng Sect... Their power is extraordinary, so I can’t help but worry.”

Even though this was the Mount Hua Sect, he was worried about how long it would be able to last. He wanted to get there as soon as possible, but it was still quite far away.

“Sorry, but I think we should speed up a bit.”

Zhou Xuchuan grabbed Luo Xiaoyue and Little Ghost and held them at his sides.

“Eeek."

Luo Xiaoyue let out a small gasp of surprise.

“Let’s go.”

There was no time to worry about anything else. The person he treasured more than anyone else, including both his past and present lives, was in danger. That fact clouded his reasoning.

***

Shanxi, Mount Hua Sect.

The first to confirm the betrayal and encirclement by the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance was, naturally, the Mount Hua Sect, who had become their target.

“The Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance betraying us....”

The young man who had not yet lost his boyishness, the youngest Sect Master in the history of the

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, couldn't hide his bewildered expression.

"To think that something like this would happen in my lifetime..."

The Pill Apothecary Ling Zhen gave a hollow laugh as if agreeing with Zheng Huilian’s mutter.

“Is this something to laugh about?”

The Destiny Hand Zhao Wuyang glared at Ling Zhen, dumbfounded.

“That’s right.”

The Iron Blood Plum Sword, Shen Yulian, also gave him a mocking look, her expression strict, serious, and dignified.

"No, but it's so ridiculous that it makes me laugh.”

Zheng Huilian nodded as if agreeing with Ling Zhen’s words.

Zhao Wuyang and Shen Yulian looked displeased, but considering the Sect Master had come out with such a response, they couldn’t say anything more.

Impressive. He's completely won them over.

The Sage Sword, Xue Song, was quietly impressed.

Zheng Huilian, the closed door disciple of the previous Sect Master, the Exalted Sword Immortal You Riwen, had become a Sect Master at the age of fifteen.

After that point, he had grown into a great Sect Master that no one could deny.

Although he looked easygoing on the outside, he was more thoughtful than anyone else on the inside. Whether it was martial arts or academics, he was passionate and sincere in his learning, and he was neither arrogant nor conceited.

He maintained a balanced relationship with the Five High Elders of Mount Hua, humbly absorbing their wisdom, yet without appearing too deferential. Over the past two years, his diligent efforts had even shocked the elders. With his natural talent, his growth was astonishing.

I wondered if he was overdoing things because of his master's death, but it seems to have been a needless worry. He truly is a great man.

Zhou Xuchuan had not asked if he too had gone through a regression without reason.

Zheng Huilian was a prodigy far beyond his years.

That did not mean You Riwen’s death had no impact on him.

Zheng Huilian was deeply saddened by the death of the master he respected more than anyone else. However, he knew he could not mourn forever.

Since I swore to succeed the Sect Master, I will lead the Mount Hua Sect well so that my late master can rest assured.

He was taught the Violet Haze Divine Art by the hero he admired, the Sword God. He learned experience and wisdom from the Five High Elders of Mount Hua and developed his knowledge.

He worked so diligently that he even reduced his meals and sleep.

The Five High Elders of Mount Hua realized through Zheng Huilian how terrifying a hardworking genius could be.

Before long, their worries of him being too young faded away, replaced by trust.

Although he still had much to learn, Zheng Huilian became a Sect Master who was respected by both the elders and the Mount Hua Sect disciples.

“Elder Wei Zhijie. Excluding the young disciples, how much fighting power do we have?”

The Sect Master and the Five High Elders of Mount Hua generally used honorifics with each other to show mutual respect, but they do not use the highest tier of honorifics. However, in Zheng Huilian’s case, as he was a third generation disciple and was very young, he referred to the Five High Elders of Mount Hua with the highest level of formality.

Although the Five High Elders told him there was no need for this, as he was still their Sect Master, Zheng Huilian insisted it was more proper. They had no choice but to accept it.

“About six hundred.”

The Plum Blossom Sword Captain, Wei Zhijie, answered.

"And the enemy?"

“We’ve been fighting so hard that...”

Ling Zhen groaned.

The current era was called the Era of War and Chaos.

Starting with the Seven Swords War, the Great War of Good and Blood, the Great War of Good and Demonic, and the Four Gates Rebellion, they had continuously experienced many wars, even leading to the emergence of the Dark Heavens Association.

They had been forced to recruit new disciples to recover their strength, but since circumstances were harsh, the new generation was not as strong as the previous one.

“Still, it is too early to despair.”

Zheng Huilian stood up and picked up his sword.

***

Henan, Martial Alliance.

"I mean, even the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance betrayed us?!”

Bang!

Peng Junping slammed his fist on the table, as if ready to smash it.

The table trembled, but he did not infuse his hand with qi.

The upper ranks of the Martial Alliance were more shaken than anyone else by the betrayal of the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, which had not just been any sects but members of the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance.

The Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance was a prestigious part of the Righteous Faction, a swordsmanship alliance second only to the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Ancient Families in terms of influence.

“We were too complacent," Wu Bai groaned.

"I had thought that only small and medium-sized sects might betray us, or if any major sects did, it would only be a few..."

Huang Gou harrumphed.

Currently, most of those who betrayed the Central Plains

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by talking about reform or revolution were just low-level warriors.

It meant that they were all weak forces, like the small sects.

In the case of those of the Righteous Faction's famed sects, it was only individuals, like the Poison Dragon, Tang Mingren, not the entire sect itself that betrayed them.

But this time, a betrayal of an entire famed sect had occurred.

It felt like being struck in the back of the head with a hammer.

“Hoho...”

Hui Lu let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded.

“Just how far will the prestige of the Righteous Faction fall...”

Jingren Shitai rolled her prayer beads with a bitter smile.

The current Martial Alliance had some of the most talented people in history. It had produced many heroes, including the Sword God.

Yet despite that, there were still many traitors.

The Righteous Faction had been threatened with collapse numerous times. It was a complete mess.

"To think we trusted the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance and sent them!”

Kong Chau clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Since they needed to identify and eliminate the subversive forces in Shaanxi, they had entrusted everything to the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance. Because of that, there were not many forces left who could move quickly to help.

Even if they mobilized now, it was uncertain whether they would arrive at Mount Hua Sect in time.

“The trust that has lasted for so long has collapsed in this generation..."

A sigh escaped Yun Guang’s mouth.

No one could have predicted the betrayal of the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance.

Before this, if anyone had questioned whether they were trusting the Alliance too much, they would have been called paranoid. It was something beyond doubt.

The Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance was a long-standing part of the Righteous Faction, and alongside the Martial Alliance, their existence had felt almost fated.

But now, they had not joined forces with another internal group of the Righteous Faction, but rather with an enemy faction.

It was simply absurd.

All one could say was, 'This is insane.'

“Strategist, what should we do about this?”

All eyes were on the Heavenly Strategist, Zhuge Xiang.

"It's good news that even in the midst of all the chaos, the Hengshan Sect didn't betray them, and the Zhongnan Sect in the nearby area quickly dispatched disciples.”

“Whew! Then it depends on how long the Mount Hua Sect can hold out.”

“Isn’t the Mount Hua Sect’s Sect Master too young?”

"Even though they still have the elite of the

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, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen..."

Worries and anxiety spread everywhere.

“Perhaps by now, the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, or rather the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, has finished suppressing the Hengshan Sect and has begun to move.”

When they heard the news of the attack on the Mount Hua Sect, they were shocked, but fortunately, the Mount Hua Sect’s gate hadn't been broken.

Far from being broken into, the enemy were still just gathered nearby.

They were the disciples sent in advance for the purpose of suppressing the Mount Hua Sect and the Hengshan Sect, who refused to join them.

Thanks to their siege, there had been time for news to be delivered to the Shenyang branch and Zhou Xuchuan through the Martial Alliance.

It might be called a siege, but since the Mount Hua Sect disciples had already been attacked by the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, the word ‘attack’ was just as fitting.

***

The Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance, two thousand strong, was finally entering Mount Hua. Considering the strength of the

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forces, it was by no means a small number.

Each faction had about six hundred to seven hundred people.

For reference, the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance had chosen a frontal assault.

“We will no longer avoid or submit to the Mount Hua Sect.”

Chaoyi Shitai looked up, her eyes burning.

Although the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance had left the Righteous Faction due to years of accumulated resentment, inferiority, and jealousy, they still cared about maintaining appearances as former members of the Righteous Faction.

Since they were leading their disciples under the pretext of reform, they could not act in an openly cowardly manner without cause.

"Ha, seriously. Don't you have

any

dignity left after betraying the Righteous Faction?”

She Teng taunted the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance.

The disciples of the Three Mountain Sword Sects Alliance flinched, but didn't react. They felt stifled, as if their cause was nothing more than an excuse.

It was then.

Rumble.

“Huh?”

“Wh-what is that?”

As they ascended toward the main gate, the mountain suddenly trembled.

“As expected... they have one," the Mount Tai Sect’s Sword muttered.

“It’s just as Blessed Existence said.”

Chaoyi Shitai’s eyebrows trembled.

“The Mechanism Dragon! It’s the petty tricks of Zhuge Shengji!”

The voice of the One Hundred and Eighty Nine Paths rang out.