Chapter 441: A Great Master Has Arrived

Meanwhile, on the other side of Jingyun Valley, the battlefield was far more intense than Xu Yang's situation. "Explosive" didn't even begin to describe it.

Murong Jian had truly carved a bloody path, felling thousands of Northern Frontier Blood Barbarian warriors. These Blood Barbarian warriors were mostly prisoners of war from the Northern Frontier Xuanmen, indoctrinated and forced into battle as servants. They were either sent to their deaths as cannon fodder or used to brutally slaughter and crush enemy soldiers, earning them the moniker "war meat grinders."

One of Murong Jian's primary objectives on this expedition was to eliminate these Blood Barbarian warriors, thereby reducing the future combat pressure on his own soldiers as much as possible. Thousands of Blood Barbarians lay dead in pools of blood, a fate that could be seen as a release for these puppets without autonomous souls.

Murong Jian's advance was only temporarily halted when an exceptionally refined squad of silver-armored female soldiers appeared before him. From the depths of the crowd, a noble woman soon emerged, clad in silver armor and riding a unicorn. She wore an exquisite silver mask, obscuring her features, but her temperament and proud silhouette alone hinted at her unparalleled beauty and a highly significant identity.

A woman at the center of such a large force could only be a princess or an empress. Given her presence in the outer regions of the Northern Frontier barbarian tribes, she was most likely a member of the Xuanmen.

"Murong Jian," she began, "I've long heard your name. But until now, you always preferred to keep a low profile, and I never had a chance to spar with you. Now, it seems the opportunity has arrived."

Murong Jian sneered, "I haven't really had my fill on this journey. If I can cut you down here, then this trip will have been well worth it for me."

"Heh heh," she chuckled, "you certainly dare to dream. But that's all it will be—a dream."

The unicorn suddenly let out a terrifying roar, its immense pressure echoing in all directions and causing Murong Jian's warhorse to tremble uncontrollably beneath him. Murong Jian always treated everyone equally in the military camp; even his own equipment and mount were no better than those of his soldiers. In his view, all beings should be equal, and anyone who violated this principle by abandoning such righteousness deserved punishment. This haughty, overbearing young mistress before him was, in Murong Jian's eyes, precisely the kind of person who deserved to be punished.

Soon, the young mistress charged forward, her unicorn incredibly fierce. The silver bow in her hand gleamed with an icy blue light, clearly indicating it was a top-tier divine artifact. It had to be said, the quality of her equipment alone could crush Murong Jian. Interestingly, the aura emanating from Murong Jian added a peculiar sparkle to the young mistress's eyes. He was unadorned yet distinct, composed yet exuding a formidable, domineering presence. For some reason, as she drew closer to the man, a special light appeared in the eyes of the silver-helmeted, silver-robed young mistress.

"Look out for the arrow!" Instinctively, she called out a warning, then three arrows shot out consecutively. The young mistress, making her first move, fully displayed her formidable hidden power.

"Yun Shu, maintain a safe distance. Don't be reckless."

From deep within the crowd, a deep voice resonated, seemingly carrying a bone-chilling coldness. It was the voice of Bing Zun, who had yet to appear among the Five Elements of the Xuanmen. And this stunning figure in silver armor was, of course, Yun Shu, the Xuanmen's young mistress. She was also the woman Lei Gong had mentioned, the one who could truly resolve Xu Yang's doubts.

Murong Jian's hand flickered, his sword moving with commanding power. With just one sweep, the three arrows before him simultaneously shattered and flew away. The terrifying aftershock of his sword qi even startled Yun Shu's unicorn. Who would have thought that this man, riding an ordinary warhorse, could suddenly unleash such a terrifying aura?

It was at this moment that Yun Shu found herself inexplicably attracted to the handsome man before her. Such is the way of women: the more powerful and high-ranking they are, the more captivated they become by men stronger than themselves.

Murong Jian, however, gave it no thought and showed no hint of gentleness. He relentlessly launched powerful, sweeping attacks, quickly forcing the young mistress Yun Shu to retreat repeatedly, disrupting her rhythm.

"You're really stubborn, aren't you? Don't you have any pity for women?"

Murong Jian's face turned incredibly cold. "When you slaughtered my comrades and brothers, did you ever consider their fates? I am not one to pity the world, but for those who fought alongside me, I will avenge their hatred!"

Such ferocity! The true spirit of a man was perfectly displayed. Yun Shu found herself somewhat entranced, fighting while retreating. She realized she couldn't fully commit to this confrontation, nor could she treat it as a life-or-death battle.

Bang!!

A furious sword strike erupted, unleashing terrifying power that instantly knocked the precious sword from Yun Shu's hand.

Whoosh!

Murong Jian suddenly flung his hand. In a blur, a startling dragon seemed to fly out—it was his renowned killing move, the Ten-Step Flying Sword! A terrifying aura accompanied a silver dragon as it roared forth, locking onto Yun Shu's aura.

At this critical juncture, an ice wall silently coalesced before Yun Shu, blocking the long dragon of sword qi.

Rumble!

A terrifying ripple erupted. The ice wall was shattered by the immense sword qi, preventing the flying sword's further advance, but it also sealed the sword body, leaving its master, Murong Jian, without a weapon.

Whoosh!!

The icy blue figure of Bing Zun seized the opportunity, darting out with a terrifying movement technique almost invisible to the naked eye, pressing toward Murong Jian.

"A mid-stage Tribulation Transcender!"

Murong Jian was greatly alarmed. He truly hadn't expected such an unparalleled powerhouse to be hidden within the Northern Frontier. He hadn't even retrieved his sword yet; a frontal attack would surely cause him severe injury.

"Stop!" Yun Shu suddenly cried out, but it seemed already too late.

At this very moment, the imposing figure of Elder Xu Yang descended from the sky! A powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire battlefield, and with the presence of a peak expert, it forcefully repelled Bing Zun's advance.

"Who is this person?" Bing Zun wondered. "A peak-level master, and their foundation seems far beyond mine... I've never heard of such a powerful individual in the Northern Dynasty! What's going on?"

Bing Zun's heart was filled with doubt. What he didn't expect, however, was that soon, his familiar comrades began to appear behind the Emperor, lining up on the opposing side.

"Boss Bing, stop quickly, don't fight! A truly powerful figure has arrived!"