Chapter 777 Rainstorm Assault (Part 1)

After coming to an agreement, Zi Yuexi left the Five Elements Sect to gather intelligence for Shen Haoran. In less than a day, she delivered all the information he needed. The intel from the Purple Luo Palace thoroughly detailed every Fallen Valley stronghold in the Southern Domain, and the most comprehensive file on the Blood Evil Alliance was also placed before Shen Haoran.

Flipping through the thick stack of documents, Shen Haoran nodded in satisfaction. Zi Yuexi’s intelligence was incredibly detailed. It listed the number of people in each of Fallen Valley’s strongholds in the Southern Domain, their individual strengths, and even went so far as to specify how many concubines each person kept on the side. Shen Haoran couldn’t help but be impressed by the Purple Luo Palace’s intelligence network. ‘It’s truly formidable. I definitely made the right choice in an ally.’

Shen Haoran counted them up. Fallen Valley had established over a hundred strongholds in the Southern Domain. To think, this was the Southern Domain! Fallen Valley’s reach was truly astonishing.

These hundred-plus strongholds varied in size, however. Zi Yuexi had thoughtfully categorized them into three levels. The first was the “cannon fodder” level. The Fallen Valley Martial Artists stationed in these strongholds were mostly at the Spirit Marquis Tier. This type of stronghold was also the most numerous; after all, Fallen Valley had no shortage of Spirit Marquis Tier Martial Artists, so they wouldn’t feel the loss even if these bases were wiped out by other factions.

The second was the Elite Level. These strongholds were considerably more important, with each one managed by a Spirit Emperor Powerhouse who served as its leader.

The final type was the Palace Level stronghold. There were only five of these in the Southern Domain, but all five were located in strategically vital regions. They represented Fallen Valley’s core power in the Southern Domain. Each one was guarded by three Spirit Emperor Powerhouses, and among those three, there was always a Tier Six Spirit Emperor Elder!

‘The Fallen Valley’s resources are even more terrifying than I imagined!’ Shen Haoran muttered, staring at the stronghold locations. ‘Just think, if they can send dozens of Spirit Emperor Powerhouses to the Southern Domain, how many more must be stationed back in the Northern Domain?’

‘But no matter how strong you are, I’ll still break you!’ Shen Haoran snorted and slapped the documents onto the table. On top of the stack was, indeed, the file for one of the five Palace Level strongholds. It seemed he had chosen his target. Shen Haoran’s plan was simple: if he was going to make a move, he’d hit them where it hurt the most. He was going to inflict some serious damage.

BOOM!

Outside, dark clouds gathered, and thunder rumbled as a wild wind kicked up. The very air grew heavy and oppressive. A torrential downpour was imminent.

RUSTLE…

The gale swept into Shen Haoran’s room, scattering the papers on his desk. They fluttered down like snowflakes. At some point, Shen Haoran had vanished from the room as if into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

On the far side of the Red Flame Mountain Range lay the border between the Southern and Northern Domains. Here, countless towering peaks formed a stark, clear dividing line. Amidst these mountains, a pitch-black hall was built right into the cliffside, its presence abrupt and ominous, like the gaping, man-eating maw of some great beast.

WHOOSH…

Suddenly, on the cliff face opposite the great hall, space itself seemed to twist. A figure dressed in black slowly materialized on the precipice. It was none other than Shen Haoran, who had vanished from the Five Elements Sect.

Shen Haoran stared at the pitch-black hall, his eyes narrowing as a cold glint flashed within them.

‘So this is a Palace Level stronghold?’ Shen Haoran murmured. A vast wave of Spiritual Thought surged from him, probing the great hall. Soon, three powerful auras registered in his mind. ‘This is the place, no doubt about it.’

CRACK!

A sudden clap of thunder echoed through the mountains. A blinding bolt of lightning streaked across the sky like a meteor, illuminating the somber peaks as if it were broad daylight. An instant later, a torrential downpour began to cascade from the heavens, drenching the ground in seconds.

Shen Haoran held out a hand, letting the heavy raindrops hammer against his palm.

“It’s started to rain,” Shen Haoran murmured, gazing up at the dark, overcast sky.

‘Since the heavens are providing such perfect cover, I might as well indulge in a little slaughter amid the storm. The debt you all owe me… your payments begin today!’ A vicious look crossed Shen Haoran’s face. The jet-black Soul-devouring Sword materialized in a flash, and in the next instant, he was charging toward the dark hall.

…

Meanwhile, inside the dark hall, a Fallen Valley Martial Artist stared out at the pouring rain and cursed under his breath. “Damn it, raining again. I wonder when it’ll ever stop.”

Suddenly, a streak of purple-black light flared in the gloomy sky, tearing through the void as it shot toward the dark hall.

“What’s that?” The Fallen Valley Martial Artist froze, staring blankly at the streak of purple-black light. But in the next instant, he felt an incomparably sharp Sword Intent wash over him, and the hair on his arms stood straight up. He instinctively tried to dodge, but the streak was just too fast. It flashed across his neck, and his head went flying.

In the brief moment before his consciousness faded, the Martial Artist saw his own headless body fall stiffly to the ground. He also saw the purple-black light slowly dissipate to reveal a human silhouette—the figure of a man holding a long, black sword.

THUD… THUD… His head hit the ground and rolled twice before coming to a stop, all life gone from it. A look of utter disbelief was still frozen on its face.

Shen Haoran slowly straightened his body. After a single, indifferent glance at the headless corpse, he proceeded deeper into the hall, his face an expressionless mask.

“Who goes there? Enemy attack!”

Shen Haoran had made no effort to conceal his aura during the initial strike. The Martial Artists within the Fallen Valley stronghold all sensed the powerful surge of Energy and, like startled birds, scrambled to assemble.

“Halt! This is a Fallen Valley stronghold! Who has the gall to come here and run wild?” six Spirit Aspect Powerhouses bellowed as they charged toward Shen Haoran. Powerful blasts of Spiritual Power shot forth, aimed at his vital points.

Shen Haoran’s expression remained unchanged in the face of the six Spirit Aspect Powerhouses’ assault. He swung his Soul-devouring Sword, unleashing six beams of purple-black Sword Light that instantly pierced the void, hurtling toward the six men.

The six men’s faces fell as they saw the six streaks of purple-black Sword Light. They immediately tried to fall back, hoping to evade Shen Haoran’s fierce attack.

Seeing the six men evade the purple-black Sword Light, the corner of Shen Haoran’s mouth curled into a cold smirk. In the next instant, the forward-rushing beams of light came to an abrupt halt before whipping back around with lightning speed. They pierced through the six men before they could react. Purple-black flames erupted, incinerating them in a flash! With a single move, Shen Haoran had slain six Spirit Aspect Powerhouses!