Chapter 713: The Rear Force

Destruction was always easier than construction. This was true for the demons, and it was true for Mount Shu as well.

The only exception was Red Cotton Peak.

Before the arrival of the White-Bone Mountain, Red Cotton Peak was in a state of chaos. Hundreds of diabolical cultivators were mixed in with the crowd, wantonly injuring and killing people. The righteous cultivators fought back, but they also turned on each other amidst the confusion.

Fortunately, Red Cotton Peak had a very effective warning system. All shops immediately shut their doors, allowing the righteous cultivators to form groups and move with their backs to the shops.

The diabolical cultivators, who had been using the crowd as their cover, suddenly found themselves surrounded. Had it not been for the sudden appearance of White-Bone Mountain, these diabolical cultivators would likely have met their end in a matter of moments.

Seeing that White-Bone Mountain had arrived and was about to smash down on Red Cotton Peak, the diabolical cultivators on the peak eagerly anticipated a scene of flesh and blood flying everywhere.

Don't you love hiding in your buildings? Don't you enjoy leaning against your shops? Then crumble together with this mountain peak! We want to see rivers of blood!

With such thoughts in mind, the diabolical cultivators leaped into the air in unison so that they wouldn't get injured alongside the righteous cultivators.

On the other hand, the righteous cultivators were caught off guard, and many of them bore the impact of the collision with Red Cotton Peak.

Kaboom!

Following the deafening collision, clouds of dust and smoke rose up.

Surprisingly, Red Cotton Peak did not crumble under that fierce hit, but the more astonishing thing was that it had only lost a few earthen buildings and mountain rocks. Most of the buildings and pavilions on the peak were still standing!

The damaged buildings were all shops of merchants that had opted out of the reconstruction plan for Red Cotton Peak. On the other hand, the shops of the merchants that had trusted Chu Liang's advice and let the Hall of Construction renovate their buildings had emerged from the collision almost entirely unscathed!

In fact, the shops that had been upgraded to Feng-grade buildings were so unaffected that someone sleeping inside might not even have been awakened.

The diabolical cultivators couldn't help but gasp in astonishment. The Feng-grade buildings were terrifyingly sturdy!

The thing that terrified them even more was the Mount Shu Sect's swift response. The Mount Shu Sect's Four Guardian Elders and their disciples charged over on their flying swords, killing their way toward the White-Bone Mountain!

According to the Dark King Sect's plan, Red Cotton Peak should have collapsed by now, and the diabolical cultivators should have retreated amidst the chaos. However, not only was Red Cotton Peak still intact, but it also retained the majority of the righteous cultivators, who now ascended en masse to hunt them down!

Earlier, they could use the crowd as a cover while they injured and killed the righteous cultivators, but now the diabolical cultivators were suspended in midair and utterly conspicuous. Dumbfounded, they scattered in all directions, wailing and fleeing for their lives.

The main force of the Dark King Sect's operation this time was, once again, the White-Bone Hall.

The White-Bone Hall had continued to recruit the largest number of diabolical cultivators among the Dark King Sect's halls, so it was the most convenient for them to handle large-scale operations like this. Nevertheless, the core forces providing the real power came from the Northern Abyss Hall and the Vermillion-Azurite Hall. As for the Scarlet-Robe Hall, they did not participate in the operation against the Mount Shu Sect.

Seeing that the operation had already failed, the masters of the three participating sects stepped up to protect their disciples as they retreated.

The White-Bone Hall Master controlled the enormous White-Bone Mountain, shifting it to the front. The mountain had failed to smash Red Cotton Peak, but its sheer size made it a very challenging obstacle to overcome.

The Northern Abyss Hall Master raised a mirror that had been polished with a black stone. The mirror showed a reflection of the Mount Shu Sect's forces, and identical soul soldiers immediately emerged from it, seeking to fight their original counterparts. It was an eerie and sinister sight.

With a swift stroke of a large brush, the Vermillion-Azurite Hall Master painted a black celestial river that cascaded down out of thin air like a waterfall, blocking the path of the righteous cultivators pursuing them. With another stroke going in the reverse direction, a black slit appeared in the sky and rapidly expanded into a massive black hole.

The Dark King Sect was using the same old tricks again—they were trying to escape!

Although there were many righteous cultivators present, the suddenness of the Dark King Sect's raid left them disorganized and unable to concentrate their forces. The Dark King Sect were fewer in number, but they had clearly learned from the last grand battle at Mount Shu. Once they were done executing their meticulously crafted plan, they began making their retreat.

With White-Bone Mountain covering the rear and the Northern Abyss Hall Master blocking their pursuers, it seemed that most of the Dark King Sect's members were about to make an escape.

However, right at that moment, someone shouted, "Coming and going as you please? What kind of place do you think Red Cotton Peak is?!"

The clear and sonorous voice echoed throughout Mount Shu and beyond, exuding an immense feeling of dauntlessness.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two beams of swordlight—one violet and one azure—suddenly shot over from Sword Sheath Peak like they had been summoned.

The two beams raced toward a dashing and elegant young man standing in midair.

This young man had just arrived at Mount Shu and happened to be in the perfect position to block the diabolical cultivators' escape route, looking much like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

He was just one man trying to stop a few hundred people. It seemed he intended to serve as Red Cotton Peak's rear force... and cut off the diabolical cultivators' escape route.

Someone recognized the young man and yelled, "Chu Liang?"

Chu Liang was no longer the nameless nobody he had once been. In the world of immortality cultivation, those who remained unaware of his name were in the minority. Nevertheless, even those who knew him had little understanding of the true extent of his strength.

One such person was the master of the Northern Abyss Hall.

Back at the Mount Shu Summit, Chu Liang, along with Jiang Yuebai, Xu Ziyang, and Ling Ao, had almost perished at the hands of Chen Mingcang, the master of the Northern Abyss Hall, and his disciples.

At the time, Chu Liang had unleashed his full power and wielded the Violet and Azure Twin Swords, but he had still failed to slay Chen Mingcang's eldest disciple.

Now, Chen Mingcang, the master of the Northern Abyss Hall, was once again standing before Chu Liang.

Seeing Chu Liang blocking the Dark King Sect's path, Chen Mingcang felt the weight of fate descending upon him.

It sure is absurdly daring of you to try and block the Dark King Sect's retreat all on your own. It seems I am fated to kill you. You were lucky enough to escape six years ago, but I will now make sure I finish the job!

Chen Mingcang formed hand seals with both hands, summoning an aura that seemed foreign and savage. He was enveloped by the shadow of a colossal figure that resembled an ancient deity.

Despite looking like a lion hunting a rabbit, Chen Mingcang went all out; he did not hold back in the slightest. He showed Chu Liang his utmost respect by using his strongest divine ability—the Dark King Transcendent Form!

However, what Chen Mingcang didn't realize was that Chu Liang was not the same as he had been six years ago. The young disciple who had been trampled on in the past was now a seventh-realm Eminent One...

This news had long spread among the Circle of Immortal Friends, but it had yet to reach the ranks of the Dark King Sect. The informant who had provided them with intelligence on the Mount Shu Sect had only reported that Chu Liang had been captured by the demons. There had been no mention of his cultivation level.

Thus, Chen Mingcang noticed nothing amiss... until the very moment that Chu Liang's sword qi surged skyward.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The violet and azure swordlights converged, and Chu Liang unleashed a terrifyingly powerful sword intent.

Seeing that, Chen Mingcang's pupils dilated in shock.

This is... the aura of the Dao Attainment Realm? How did this kid get to this level...?

Chen Mingcang wasn't the only one in shock.

The voices of the two sword spirits rang out in surprise beside Chu Liang.

"Whoa, kiddo! You're already at the seventh realm?"

"

Oho!

Now we can hack that guy to pieces and send him to see his ancestors!"

What kind of power would a seventh-realm sword intent containing the Great Dao of Severing the Void unleash when paired with the Violet and Azure Twin Swords?

For anyone other than Chen Mingcang, the beam of swordlight looked so bright and dazzling that it was very difficult to describe. On the other hand, all Chen Mingcang saw was a sliver of white light tearing through the void. Despite being in his formidable Dark King Transcendent Form, Chen Mingcang suddenly felt like a skinless fish lying on a chopping board.

Well, I'm screwed.

The violet and azure swordlight cleaved the enormous Dark King Transcendent Form in two, and it faded away in a flash.

That piercing beam of swordlight was world-shakingly astonishing! Both the Vermillion-Azurite Hall Master and the White-Bone Hall Master were stunned.

Even White-Bone Mountain seemed to be intimidated by the sword qi, as it turned toward Chu Liang.

However, it might have been a little better off if it hadn't turned...

In the very next instant, the violet and azure swordlight shot toward the White-Bone Mountain, piercing straight through that gigantic skull![1]

Chu Liang shouted, "What are you looking at?!"

1. In case anyone forgot, the White-Bone Mountain is not a real mountain; it's actually a gigantic skull. ☜