Chapter 835: West Wind Wilts Snow, Complete Defeat of the Master

"Woo—"

The peculiar wailing sound echoed again.

The cloud beast, which had fled to the edge of the sky, seemed to have hit something. Its cloudy form was shattered, forcing it back and making it flee in another direction.

But it encountered the same obstruction.

"Woo—"

The cloud beast cried out in pain once more.

On Luoyun Peak, the spiritual sword, twisted like a black snake, remained stuck in mid-air. The echoes of the voice from the foot of the mountain still reverberated, and everyone fell silent.

"Xu Gang!"

"It's Xu Gang's people! Oh my heavens, how did they get here so fast?"

"When the Fourth Squad patrolled before, there were no Xu Gang members within five hundred miles of Luoyun Peak!"

"It's over, it's over! What are we going to do now?"

Soon, discussions erupted among the people on the mountain.

The reputation of "Xu Gang" from the east had certainly been established over the past two days. They were truly unstoppable, like gods and demons! Whether it was spiritual beasts or trial participants, Xiantian experts or Master Realm cultivators, anyone who encountered Xu Gang members was either slain or forced to join them.

The team led by Rong Dahao didn't dare to confront them in the slightest; they could only detour. Not just him, but all other small groups in the east who wished to remain free did the same.

But now, Xu Gang, a group that plundered everything and left nothing behind, had arrived at Luoyun Peak! And Young Master Xu's sword, the leader of Xu Gang, was stuck right above everyone's heads!

"Brother Hao..."

Leize's face was filled with bitterness as he hesitated, looking at Rong Dahao, completely at a loss. He was indeed a Master Realm cultivator in the Yin-Yang stage, but rumors said that among Xu Gang's members, there were at least dozens of Master Realm cultivators. And Young Master Xu was even rumored to be a Sword Dao Monarch. Even if he wasn't a true Sword Dao Monarch, even if he was just a Sword Master, he was still not someone a mere Yin-Yang Realm cultivator like him could provoke! To put it another way, Young Master Xu's identity as a Half-Saint Successor alone was enough to deter seventy percent of trial participants from trying to challenge him. Leize simply didn't dare to provoke him.

"Young Master Xu, why would he be here...?" Rong Dahao frowned as he looked at the black sword. Soon, his gaze shifted to the sky. Others couldn't see it, but Rong Dahao immediately sensed that within a ten-mile radius, invisible sword energy had risen, trapping the entire peak's airspace. The cloud beast had originally tried to escape. It was precisely because it hit the sword energy barrier that it cried out in pain and turned back. However, the surrounding area was already completely sealed. Where could the cloud beast escape to? And Rong Dahao, leading over a hundred people, now resembled the cloud beast with nowhere to flee. Young Master Xu, with just a word, had truly sealed off the entire Luoyun Peak!

"Is a Sword Master that strong?"

"He couldn't really be a Sword Dao Monarch, could he?"

Rong Dahao's heart was filled with bitterness. He felt that this power, locking down all directions, didn't seem like a Monarch's Domain, yet it possessed a confining force no less potent than one. At the very least, when facing their group of Xiantian trial participants, it could seal them all off without missing a single one.

"Brother Hao!"

His subordinates grew anxious, urging Rong Dahao to make a decision. To fight or surrender, to live or die, was a choice made in an instant.

"Fight?"

Rong Dahao's feelings were a complex mix. If it were any other Half-Saint Successor in this Cloud Realm world, he might not have dared to fight. But Young Master Xu—he knew him! That day, at the entrance of the Duojin Firm in Eastern Heavenly Royal City, Young Master Xu led two women and one man and directly clashed with Jiang Xian. Outsiders didn't know, but Rong Dahao did. One of the women by Young Master Xu's side was the host body of a sealed ghost beast that had appeared in the White Cave. That fellow was involved with ghost beasts! The Taixu Family knew a lot about the secrets of this world, which made Rong Dahao even more unwilling to have any connection with Young Master Xu. Whether captured after a battle or surrendering on the spot, as long as he became associated with Young Master Xu, if this guy were later exposed by the Red Robes for being involved with ghost beasts, anyone connected to him would be implicated and couldn't escape! The Red Robes' attitude towards ghost beasts was one of collective punishment... Rong Dahao understood perfectly. Young Master Xu was a hot mess, and whoever got involved with him would die.

As for reporting him? The Taixu Family absolutely could not withstand the retaliation of a Half-Saint Family! Rong Dahao could report Young Master Xu to the Red Robes for suspected involvement with ghost beasts, but he couldn't produce evidence, and afterward, he would just be waiting for death. His master had said that anything related to ghost beasts should not be touched at all. This "not touching" meant neither agreeing nor opposing, just pretending not to have seen anything. Otherwise, if investigated later, no matter by whom, his mere Taixu Family could not bear the consequences.

"Brother Hao! Make a decision quickly!" Leize couldn't hold back anymore.

The black sword was right above their heads, swaying more merrily and sounding more ominous with each creak. The overflowing sword energy made even him feel a chill, let alone those at the Xiantian level.

"We..." Rong Dahao felt bitter; tears were almost coming to his eyes.

"People on the mountain, are you deaf? Answer me! I'll count down three seconds. If you don't surrender, Luoyun Peak will be stained with blood!" Young Master Xu shouted from the foot of the mountain again.

"Three!"

On Luoyun Peak, over a hundred people trembled nervously. Everyone knew Young Master Xu was arrogant, but now they were seeing it firsthand. They were all courageous men, and even though they knew Young Master Xu was powerful, being provoked like this, some of them couldn't bear it anymore.

"I say, no more enduring!"

"There are over a hundred of us. If we all break through to the Master Realm, I'll be damned if Young Master Xu will let all his subordinates break through as well... This way, we might just carve out a path to survival."

"I can follow Brother Hao, but follow that fop Young Master Xu? In your dreams! I agree to fight our way out!"

"Brother Hao, what exactly should we do?"

His subordinates clamored in unison. Rong Dahao could see their fiery spirits. As long as he gave the order, even if there were only a hundred of them, they would dare to charge into Young Master Xu's hundreds-strong formation.

"What a pity. At any other time, I truly would surrender. Who wouldn't want to befriend a Half-Saint Successor? But today, it's not that I don't want everyone to surrender; it's that we truly cannot..." Rong Dahao sighed inwardly, his gaze hardening. "We cannot collude with Young Master Xu. He has too many subordinates. If we join them, we might not even make it into the top thirty-six on the leaderboard in the end," Rong Dahao declared. "After all, he has veterans among his ranks, and when points are acquired, the veterans will surely get them first."

Everyone nodded in agreement. That made sense; they had all thought so from the beginning. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been foolish enough to want to fight Xu Gang.

"Listen to my command!" Rong Dahao waved his hand.

"First squad, break through to the Master Realm! Charge down first and tear open Xu Gang's formation. Second and third squads, prepare for breakthrough. Everyone else, remain on standby as well. When necessary, break through to the Master Realm and charge out together!"

"This time, we're going for something big!"

The order was given. Everyone became excited. Thirty Master Realm cultivators breaking through simultaneously... No one in the entire Yunlun Mountain Range dared to play such a game! This meant that as long as they could tear open Xu Gang's formation, the team led by Rong Dahao would become unstoppable.

"Two..." Young Master Xu's countdown reappeared. While there was still time, the ten members of the first squad sat down cross-legged. Soon, waves of Dao韵, characteristic of Master Realm breakthroughs, began to spread. They had all suppressed their cultivation for a long time. The people Rong Dahao had recruited were all geniuses among geniuses, so breaking through was simply a matter of course.

"One!"

As the countdown ended, the black sword in mid-air trembled and then vanished into a streak of light.

"Kill!"

On Luoyun Peak, ten Heavenly Phenomenon Master Realm cultivators, following Rong Dahao's command, descended with the force of thunder, like fierce tigers coming down a mountain, charging forward.

"Second and third squads, prepare!"

Rong Dahao immediately ordered, and another twenty individuals sat down cross-legged. These people were all elites. Rong Dahao had already assigned them earlier. If anyone had the highest chance of getting into the top thirty-six on the leaderboard, it was his first three squads. Therefore, breaking through now wasn't entirely forced; it was just a bit earlier than planned. In the end, everyone would have to break through anyway.

At the foot of the mountain.

"Oh ho?"

Ten Master Realm cultivators tore through the mist and charged forward, with various spiritual energies surging: fire, ice, light, electricity... Xu Xiaoshou watched with great interest.

"Young Master Xu!"

The Five Tiger Generals stepped forward in unison, their expressions grave, ready to take on the battle.

"Step back, all of you."

However, Xu Xiaoshou summoned Cang Ku, and with a flick of the black sword, the howling wind forced the five men behind him.

"Young Master Xu..." The Five Tiger Generals were touched. It had been agreed that the five of Xu Gang would break through to the Master Realm first, to make it easier to fight enemies. Yet, every time Young Master Xu encountered a strong enemy, he would go alone, battling against multitudes, never allowing his subordinates to suffer any harm.

Xu Xiaoshou turned his head and said, "I want to test my own strength!"

Here it comes... Young Master Xu said it again... Always using such grand excuses to protect them under his wing. The Five Tiger Generals exchanged glances, each seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes. Their strength was indeed a bit low. If all five of them had reached the Yin-Yang Realm, there would have been no need for Young Master Xu to step forward against Luoyun Peak's ten Heavenly Phenomenon Master Realm cultivators; the five of them could have handled it. But now, it was Young Master Xu against ten again!

"You had a path to heaven but chose not to walk it. Did you truly believe my words could be dismissed?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes narrowed with anger as he turned to face the ten Master Realm cultivators. Since he had established Xu Gang, he naturally had to enforce discipline. Words spoken were like water poured out. Even if he didn't want to prematurely ruin the opportunities of these trial participants... Yet, a general's success is built upon countless bones. When those before him truly chose to act unwisely and court death, he would no longer show mercy.

He took a step.

His afterimage shattered.

The ten Heavenly Phenomenon Master Realm cultivators had clearly locked onto Young Master Xu's figure, yet as they closed in, they all simultaneously lost sight of him.

"Did he fly away?"

"Where did he go?"

"Don't mind him, just tear through Xu Gang's formation directly! Help Brother Hao break out!"

The ten were startled at first, then their hearts swelled with wild joy, and with savage expressions, they lunged towards Xu Gang's members. The Five Tiger Generals' hearts seized up. How could Young Master Xu disappear right when he was supposed to make a move? That step Young Master Xu took was so fast that even they couldn't see where he went!

"There!"

"Still there!"

The ten Master Realm cultivators, charging forward with their backs turned, couldn't see. But Xu Gang's members, who were observing the battle from all directions, soon saw Young Master Xu's afterimage dissipate and then coalesce back into a physical form right where he had been standing.

"He didn't move?"

The ten Master Realm cultivators probed with their spiritual senses, somewhat frightened. Young Master Xu had taken a step, and his person had clearly disappeared, yet half a breath later, he reappeared in the same spot. Had he taken a meaningless step?

"No..." Just then, someone felt that something was wrong. He wiped his neck and found his hand stained with blood, his face paling in horror. "He already moved!"

The ten were simultaneously horrified, each clutching their neck as intense pain emanated from their wounds.

Only then, Xu Xiaoshou stood suspended in mid-air, and Cang Ku slowly returned to its sheath in his hand, bumping softly against the hilt with a "thud."

"West Wind withering Snow."

He murmured.

A chill from the nine heavens descended, and goose-feather snow began to fall from the sky. Xu Xiaoshou turned, his clothes rustling. He lightly brushed a strand of black hair from his forehead and smiled slightly: "Surprised? To dispatch ten of you, one sword is enough."

"Chh, chh, chh..."

The ten Master Realm cultivators, who had lunged to the front of Xu Gang's formation, simultaneously burst into circles of bloody flowers around their necks, staining the cold sky and snow.

"Thud, thud, thud..."

Then, severely wounded and dying bodies crashed to the ground. Each felt a special power manipulating the wounds on their necks, preventing them from even healing.

"How could this be?" The ten were in disarray. How could it be so fast! With Young Master Xu's single step, they couldn't even react before they were fatally struck in the throat by a sword. Crucially, the ten had crossed such a long distance, and their individual heights and positions were also different. How did Young Master Xu, in half a breath, traverse hundreds of zhang vertically and horizontally, and then, before his afterimage completely dissipated, return to his original position and precisely seal the throats of all of them?

It was too fast!

Xu Xiaoshou stood proudly in the air, feeling the surging power within him, and smiled slightly. He hadn't even started warming up, yet the ten Master Realm cultivators had already fallen.

"I've indeed grown stronger..."

With a sigh, Xu Xiaoshou mused that Master Realm cultivators were truly no longer his match. He possessed Monarch-level "Agility" and Monarch-level "Sword Mastery." Even with just these two, using them to fight Master Realm cultivators was like using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken. Not to mention all the other Monarch-level passive skills throughout his body. It was perfectly normal for these ten not to be able to react. If they could have reacted, in the future, they would absolutely have become powerful overlords themselves!

Goose-feather snow drifted down from the sky. Xu Xiaoshou looked into the distance, slightly surprised. This wasn't something he had drawn with his "Painting Mastery"; it was a true sword strike that influenced the power of the Heavenly Phenomenon, creating an actual artistic concept. "West Wind withering Snow" was originally the fastest sword technique he had comprehended at the Tianxuan Gate of the Tiansang Spirit Palace. This sword was so fast that it didn't even give the falling snow time to react. Now that his physical qualities in all aspects had improved, this sword was even more exceptional, so fast that even an afterimage couldn't keep up. It was like entering an uninhabited land, like piercing through the ethereal heavens. Xu Xiaoshou felt a sense of understanding, gaining a deeper insight into the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.

"My single step is a distance you couldn't cross in ten years." He smiled faintly, and while his momentum was still high, he effortlessly harvested thousands of "admiration" points from Xu Gang's members and the "fear" in the eyes of the ten Master Realm cultivators with just a single sentence.

Then, with another wave of his hand, he gathered the ten individuals together.

"Kill me..."

"If you dare, kill us!"

The ten were not dead, but they seemed to have already foreseen their end, their faces filled with humiliation.

"Not impossible, but before that..." Xu Xiaoshou smiled. He drew in some spiritual energy, weaving it into threads, and then hooked off the rings and trial jade pendants from each of the ten. Afterward, he checked them one by one.

"Seven hundred points."

"Four hundred twenty? That little?"

"One thousand three hundred points..."

"Three thousand six hundred points! Good heavens, you're quite someone!"

"Two thousand two hundred, you're not bad either."

"Five Tiger Generals, come here! Time to harvest points. I'm too lazy to bother with these small figures."

The Great Demon Xu was collecting his spoils of war, even beckoning to give the points to the Five Tiger Generals. This scene made Xu Gang's members' blood boil with excitement. With such a Young Master Xu, who could fight ten Master Realm cultivators by himself, what did they have to fear? Follow him, and there would be benefits to reap!

After plundering their points, Xu Xiaoshou smiled at the ten: "The Cloud Realm world has rules, and I won't forcefully take too many of your opportunities. Since this isn't your third time being plundered, then according to the rules... go, return home, and start over!"

This was an unwritten rule among trial participants. Only by plundering three times could one maximize benefits. Generally, unless they were true mortal enemies, defeated opponents would be given a chance to start over. Of course, if one feared retaliation, they could directly crush the trial participant's jade pendant. But clearly, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't afraid of retaliation.

"Go up!"

Finally, leaving one person, Xu Xiaoshou stared at him and pointed to the peak of Luoyun Peak: "Go up and tell your boss that there's no need to painstakingly tell people to break through. Even if you send a hundred Master Realm cultivators, I, your Young Master, will take them on with one sword!"