Chapter 1101: Out of the Sheath

The purple glow on the horizon waxed and waned, like a flood dragon coiled within the clouds. Rain lashed down, leaving the courtyard desolate and cold.

The candlelight in the courtyard flickered as the old man leaned back in his wooden chair, lost in a deep daze.

With frequent divine power displays and battles on Moon-Gazing Lake, he had always been reluctant to let Li Xuanxuan venture out. The old man could only extinguish the lights, hunching in the darkness, quietly waiting for news.

These days had become routine. Li Xuanxuan had long considered himself of little use. His only option was to wait anxiously, time and again, until his lips turned pale. When the rain stopped and the sky cleared, someone would naturally come to tell him who had died this time.

Of course, perhaps one day, the person who came up the mountain would no longer be a Li. Such occurrences were rare for the younger generation, but Li Xuanxuan had witnessed them many times. He had seen such events even when he was the young family head, and they had continued without interruption ever since.

“Tap, tap…”

Li Xuanxuan stood up, his cold hand pushing the door, to find someone waiting outside.

The person wore a feathered robe, with a sword at their waist. Their bright, clear eyes shone like the purest moonlight. Standing in the cold, desolate rain, they bowed and said:

“Elder Master!”

Li Xuanxuan’s expression changed. He said, “Why are you out here?!”

“The West Gate has repeatedly requested aid. This junior intended to go, but I dared not make the decision on my own. So I came to seek your permission, Elder!”

Li Jiangchun had not seen the elder for a long time. He saw the door ajar, revealing a surprising darkness inside, the light falling upon the elder’s pale, withered face. His face was uneven, with extremely high cheekbones, no longer pleasant to behold.

Li Jiangchun’s heart ached. *The elder cultivates the Lushu art. The True Immortal gave him elixirs and spiritual treasures for longevity... Most of these focused on nurturing water-attribute energy, resulting in a very strong coldness.*

Li Xuanxuan, however, became alarmed. He hastily pulled the door shut, saying:

“You are not to go!”

He then heard the junior outside the door sigh, and say, “For a sword cultivator, one cannot achieve the Dao without bloodshed. This junior has been stuck at this sword essence level for long enough... I carry Purple Mansion talismans and secret pills, treasures on my person... Who could possibly trouble me...?”

“Elder Master!”

Li Xuanxuan’s expression was as cold and pale as his hands, showing no hint of wavering. He hastily pulled out a jade token from his sleeve, on which the character ‘Xuan’ shone brightly.

“Currently, two True Immortals are fighting fiercely, and Purple Mansion cultivators cannot intervene freely. For a junior like me, such a battle is truly rare... It is an excellent time to seek the Dao!”

Li Xuanxuan ignored him. He simply clutched the jade pendant tightly, hurried to the door, pressed his hand against it, and urgently activated it, intending to summon someone to escort him down. But then he suddenly realized:

*All these late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators are fighting in the west. With his current abilities, who could stop him?*

For a moment, he was in a daze. Seeing no reaction from Li Xuanxuan, Li Jiangchun could only speak his true feelings, urging:

“My Lord, you might not be aware, but anomalies have repeatedly appeared in the west, and within the main hall, jade tablets are constantly shattering. With my cultivation level, how can I sit idly by in the mountains... It would surely ruin my sword heart!”

“For the sake of our Li clan, I must go!”

His previous words had evoked no response, but these nine characters were like a divine spell, crashing into Li Xuanxuan’s ears, leaving him dazed and his face flushed!

‘For the sake of our Li clan, I must go!’

These words seemed not to echo in the rain-swept great hall, but in a pitch-black cave dwelling, above the surging waters of the Xiong River, or within a raging, pitch-black alchemical furnace!

Li Xuanxuan hastily pushed the door open, saying:

“You... wait...”

Li Jiangchun was about to step onto the wind when Li Xuanxuan’s words stopped him. He saw Li Xuanxuan turn back, holding a jade box in both hands, approach him, and say tearfully:

“Jun’er once said that the inheritance lies within the sword. So, the ancestors’ item, kept in the hall, was originally meant to be given to you...”

“Now that your decision is made, please take it!”

Li Jiangchun solemnly took the jade box with both hands. He opened it to look inside, and in the center lay a sword, hidden in its scabbard. The scabbard was wrapped in grayish-white cloth strips, and the hilt was adorned with a tassel.

‘Qingchi...’

The torrential rain lashed down.

Rain dripped in the mountain forest, and faint footsteps echoed. Under the shimmering protection of their artifacts, a group of people advanced silently. Though seemingly walking, they floated swiftly just above the ground, shielded by their artifacts.

The leading cultivator’s expression was slightly grim. He responded:

“Are you sure... we can cut through these forests here?”

The cultivator at the back, with a hint of peculiarity, whispered:

“Reporting, My Lord... This humble one once traveled as a merchant between the Great Desert and Moon-Gazing Lake, and thus has a good understanding of both areas... After crossing the edge of this Great Desert, connecting to the western foothills of Mount Dali, there is a hilly area called Nanzhang... It is actually just a corner of Moon-Gazing Lake!”

“Currently, the west bank is in constant battle, and the front lines are stretched thin. In these wild, desolate mountains, there will certainly be no Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding!”

The leading Shu Court General’s expression was subtle. He was silent for a moment before saying:

“I just feel... a certain chill here.”

He cultivated the Precious Earth High Battlements Swallow technique, which granted him a mysterious ability to discern the seasons, avoid harm, and seek advantage. He immediately became wary. The gray-robed cultivator beside him tilted his head slightly and said indifferently:

“Nitán, after all, this was once Duanmu Kui’s domain. It’s not surprising if there are supernatural phenomena.”

Li Nitán felt bitterness in his heart.

He actually didn’t want to come... After all, his family didn't want to get too close to the Wei Li clan, and rather than being a sword for Qing Jifang, his own True Immortal had already set an example. So what more trouble could Li Nitán possibly cause?

‘It's just that... since I'm stationed here for defense, there’s no reason for me not to come...’

The torrential rain poured down, washing various insects and snakes out of the forest. Several locusts with broken wings died in the accumulated water. Li Nitán was silent for a moment, and observing this omen, he began to divine using a mysterious art.

However, the mysterious art, always effective in his hands, became lost and dispersed, dissipating like smoke. The gray-robed cultivator watched him, shaking his head repeatedly, and replied:

“Nitán, my peak also cultivates Precious Earth techniques. Though High Battlements Swallow is the most effective divine art among Precious Earth techniques, your cultivation level is simply too low.”

He glanced at the ground beneath his feet, and said:

“Locusts are an evil omen of the Wood Gathering path. They cannot be eliminated completely, nor killed entirely. They belong to the Wood Gathering divine ability ‘Calamity Spread.’ Seeing such an omen when going to war indicates great advantage for conquest; there’s no need to worry.”

Li Nitán respectfully acknowledged this, and sighed:

“It’s truly a pity that such a profound divine art has been lost.”

The gray-robed cultivator shook his head and said:

“My True Immortal of Changhuai once asked Duanmu Kui about this. He said that the path of ‘Calamity Spread’ could no longer be cultivated. The Lord of Wood Gathering himself perished in a tribulation. How then could ‘Calamity Spread’ be sustained? Only when an extraordinary and brilliant figure takes up the mantle will there be a shadow of ‘Calamity Spread’ again.”

Then a yellow-robed cultivator beside them turned around. He appeared to be from Changhuai Mountain as well, and of no low status. He said indifferently:

“That’s not necessarily true... Wood Gathering is often coveted by Buddhist cultivators. They cannot be eliminated completely, nor killed entirely... Isn’t that exactly what the current collective of Buddhists are? What my Lord means is... this matter isn't so simple.”

His words effectively cut off the conversation among the few. All fell silent.

The group moved extremely fast, weaving through the mountain forest for a while. Sure enough, they saw a plain bathed in blood-red under the torrential rain. The Li clan’s forces had already lost more than half of the west bank...

And the place where they stood was precisely the undefended rear of the Tingzhou army!

The gray-robed cultivator then smiled, and shouted:

“Attack!”

Instantly, they unleashed their artifacts, and revealed themselves in unison!

Lights flared, intertwining, but immediately, a crimson light shot into the sky, igniting rolling true fire, transforming into a crimson sparrow, and sped forth, blocking the three cultivators, materializing into a woman.

The woman wore a red dress, holding a spiritual sword. Behind her, two bright lanterns floated. One was golden with hints of red, the other white with emerging flames. Together, they cast down true fire, an imposing sight!

On the west bank, the wind and rain were hazy. Blood stained her dress as the rain washed over it. Li Minggong, in her red dress, had a solemn expression.

Li Minggong was now considered a pillar of the Li clan. She was guarding and supporting from the rear. Yet, she had unexpectedly encountered these two. Her heart grew cold, her expression turned icy, and she gritted her teeth, saying:

“You three... are cultivators from Changhuai?”

The two did not speak. Li Nitán, however, secretly sighed. He wisely stepped forward immediately and replied:

“I am Li Nitán, leading the Desert Pass garrison. We have merely come here.”

Yet, the smile on the gray-robed cultivator’s face had not yet faded, when the sound that reached his ears contained no surprise at all, but rather the cold chanting of a spell:

“Great Dao Golden Darkness Array, activate!”

Then, a young man was seen standing in the sky. He formed hand seals, issuing profound commands, and immediately, sixteen array flags descended from the heavens, settling in various parts of the mountain forest. Instantly, golden light surged from the earth, and thunderbolts struck simultaneously!

“Rumble!”

The gray-robed cultivator, however, showed no fear. He simply raised an eyebrow, glanced around, and said indifferently:

“Rise!”

Instantly, grayish-yellow light descended, dissolving the lightning, like ominous clouds gathering and coalescing into one entity, neutralizing all the thunderbolts, causing them to dissipate like smoke.

Li Suining cultivated the Divine Spreading Sequence. His celestial path was close to lightning, and his immortal foundation possessed the power to command thunder. However, this Changhuai cultivator was entirely of the Earth element, making him truly difficult to deal with.

Moreover, this cultivator was very experienced. Regardless of advantage or disadvantage, he was absolutely unwilling to remain within Li Suining’s array. He joined two fingers, and a sword-like magical light appeared on his fingertip. With a fierce flourish, it shot out and slashed at the light in the sky!

“Boom!”

The violent roar of thunder and golden qi immediately erupted. The Changhuai Mountain cultivator immediately frowned:

“Oh...”

He showed a surprised expression. The yellow-robed cultivator beside him, full of admiration, replied:

“Who would have thought... that even in this chaotic battlefield, there would be such an array Dao genius! Truly blessed by heaven!”

Instantly, true essence intertwined, and various magical lights descended one after another. The five immediately began to battle!

Of these two Changhuai cultivators, one was at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and the other at the late-stage. But they were, after all, cultivators from a Golden Core lineage. Even though Li Minggong’s cultivation was already complete, she immediately fell into a disadvantageous position, facing perilous situations.

But what made her even more anxious... was the situation in the sky.

In the distance, the crimson light steered by Ding Weizeng flickered in the hazy torrential rain. The flying cultivators above feared him greatly. Holding their magical swords, they cautiously dared not descend, but circled, forming an array amidst the rolling thunder.

Ding Weizeng was a genius from humble origins. He had accumulated strength for many years at the peak of Foundation Establishment. When the Li clan rose to prominence in Tingzhou, he benefited immensely. He was far more formidable than Li Minggong. His entire being glowed with magical light as brilliant as glaze, and wielding twin staffs, he fought with such ferocity that no one dared to confront him!

There were many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Tingzhou. However, the matter of holding the Profound (Xuan) had transferred two young lords away, each of whom had also taken two or three trusted confidants. This immediately drained Tingzhou’s core strength, making their situation difficult.

She was worried in her heart, but Li Suining’s expression was cold and resolute. He wielded array flags, capturing lightning, and his attacks were swift and decisive, each strike aimed at a fatal point, highly distinctive!

He had clearly only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment. Logically, Foundation Establishment cultivators of his age would focus all their energy on cultivation and not practice many spells. Yet, he wielded them with ease, his moves seasoned and skillful, and actually managed to stubbornly hold back the more highly cultivated Li Nitán!

Compared to Li Minggong’s worries, Li Suining was far more at ease. From his hands, streaks of thunderclouds descended, appearing even more formidable amidst the rolling downpour, drawing gasps of awe.

In Li Suining’s view, although the situation on the field was a step-by-step retreat... it was already much better!

In his previous life, there was no Ding Weizeng with his ‘Sea-Stabilizing Divine Treasure’, nor was he there with his foresight to assist. The forces on the west bank were pushed all the way to the lake, not retreating in the orderly, step-by-step fashion of today.

Even so, he still sighed inwardly:

‘I’m afraid we still won’t be able to hold them off...’

*Li Nitán... for some reason, he actually came here... Logically, he should have been with the main attacking army... Indeed, there are some subtle changes.*

But at this moment, Li Minggong finally couldn’t hold back. She shook her sleeve, and a ray of light suddenly leapt out:

This object was none other than a screen. On the screen, profound winds flowed and green pines swayed, casting down a dark green hue, and knocking down the magical lights and flying swords from both sides!

‘Profound Abyss Great Wind?’

The two cultivators’ expressions first changed, then their gazes fell upon the glittering screen. For a moment, they were collectively stunned.

‘This is...’

The two were no simple characters. How could they not recognize what was depicted on the screen? That was the Six Veins of Chongming!

‘Huh?’

The gray-robed cultivator was momentarily stunned, feeling utterly humiliated in his heart:

‘Am I from the Changhuai lineage... or are you from the Changhuai lineage? What does this mean?’

Seeing the faint, flickering image of his own True Lord on the screen, his face turned ashen. He couldn't tell if it was anger or humiliation. After much deliberation, he could only draw his sword and say:

“How dare you insult my Changhuai ritual artifact like this!”

This, however, confused Li Minggong. She paused for a moment before reacting. She remained silent, and simply made the illusory colors of the Chongming Profound Cavern Screen even more brilliant, casting its light down with a roar!

“Boom!”

The Changhuai cultivator was indeed formidable. With a raise of his gray gourd, he actually overturned the Chongming Profound Cavern Screen. Rolling gray winds surged forth. Li Minggong struggled to block them, but turned her head quite anxiously.

In the distance, mountain peaks collapsed with a roar. The shattered illusory lights of the array shot straight into the sky, as if triggering some important mechanism. The illusory lights of one mountain peak after another shattered in turn, — then fell!

“Pfft!” Li Suining’s sound of spitting blood suddenly startled her awake. The junior urgently said:

“We should go!”

“Go?”

The gray-robed cultivator before them, however, was quite annoyed. His gaze swept around, and he shouted:

“Still trying to leave?!”

The gourd swept forth, pressing down on the screen at an incredibly high speed. The cultivator had clearly developed a greedy desire, intending to take this item back to Changhuai!

“Clang!”

But what rang out was the clear, sharp sound of metal striking metal!

The Changhuai cultivator looked up, and saw a young man in white standing with a sword. His figure was slender, and his appearance outstanding. His sword light flickered unsteadily, alternately bright and dim, carrying a strong sense of danger.

Behind him, he carried another sword, tightly bound and obscured from view. He simply said softly:

“I’ll handle these three.”