Chapter 149 - 92: Uprooting the Mountain to Suppress Moyun

Chapter 149: Chapter 92: Uprooting the Mountain to Suppress Moyun

Xuzhuang, having settled on a plan, spoke. "Nephew Zeng, there is something I must trouble you to do."

Zeng Quanfeng, not understanding the reason, said, "Please speak, Junior Martial Uncle. I will certainly do my utmost."

Xuzhuang nodded. "Good. I want you to withdraw all sect members and disciples from Lianyun Mountain."

"What?" Zeng Quanfeng’s voice was strained. "Junior Martial Uncle, do you also think we should cede Lianyun Mountain?"

"When did I ever say that?" Xuzhuang asked.

Zeng Quanfeng couldn’t help but retort, "If that’s not the case, then by withdrawing all our members and disciples, aren’t we just handing over Lianyun Mountain?"

Xuzhuang said coolly, "Nephew, just do as you’re told. Or do you want Nephew Zhang to be the one to go?"

Daoist Zhang sighed. "Junior Brother Zeng, I can go then."

Zeng Quanfeng’s expression shifted several times before he slumped in defeat. "I understand," he replied, then descended from his cloud and flew away.

On the peak of Lianyun Mountain, a crowd of True Form Temple disciples huddled together. Though they maintained an air of shared righteous anger, each felt a deep unease. One disciple couldn’t bear it any longer and asked, "Senior Brother Wen, do you think the message reached the sect? What will they do?"

Senior Brother Wen was the one who had led the confrontation with the Moyun Sect. He heard the question and replied, "Junior Brother, do not worry. The sect would never abandon us."

The junior brother sighed. "You misunderstand, Senior Brother. I know the sect won’t abandon *us*. I’m just afraid... they’re going to abandon Lianyun Mountain."

Senior Brother Wen, who also understood the sect’s situation quite well, fell silent for a long moment. Rather than offering empty comfort, he said with resolve, "Even if we must give up Lianyun Mountain, as long as we cultivate diligently, there will come a day when the sect is strong enough to take it back."

The junior brother forced a smile. "Maybe you’ll be able to form your Golden Core soon, Senior Brother. Then the sect will be that much stronger."

At these words, Senior Brother Wen’s heart sank. ’I have already gathered the Inner Three Medicines,’ he thought. ’With the help of the Stone Pool Spirit Truth, I could have quickly compensated for my lacking progress. Then, with the sect’s support, forming a Golden Core would have been easy. But now... it’s hard to say.’

At this thought, a bitter sorrow welled up in his heart—not for himself, but for the sect. ’If this continues, the development of the sect’s new talent will slow, our power will weaken, and we will face even greater oppression. In the long run...’

Senior Brother Wen’s heart was heavy. It took him a moment to compose himself. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly looked up, joy flashing in his eyes. A streak of light descended from the heavens, revealing the figure of Zeng Quanfeng. Senior Brother Wen immediately moved to bow, calling out, "Greetings, Master!" The spirits of the other disciples lifted, and they all chorused, "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Zeng."

"Enough." Zeng Quanfeng’s face was devoid of expression. With a flick of his wide sleeve, he raised them all to their feet. "Wen Ning," he said coldly, "gather all sect members, disciples, Dao Soldiers, and Warriors. You will withdraw from Lianyun Mountain with me."

The words struck Wen Ning like a physical blow. Though he had been prepared for this, a sense of grief still rose in his heart. His fists clenched tightly, and it was a long moment before he could reply, "Yes, Master."

When he turned around again, Wen Ning’s face was a mask. His eyes swept over the crowd as he mentally tallied their numbers. He then called over the junior brother from before, ordering him to gather the Dao Soldiers and activate the Cloud Boat...

Wen Ning moved with swift efficiency. Since most of the disciples and Dao Soldiers were already gathered, the entire process was completed in less than half an hour. Once everyone was aboard the Cloud Boat, Wen Ning let out a heavy sigh and, cupping his hands, asked, "Master, are we returning to the sect immediately?"

Zeng Quanfeng, who had been standing with his eyes closed and silent, finally spoke. "Well done."

He offered only that brief praise, and without waiting for a reply, said, "Follow me." He then shot upward as a streak of light, heading into the clouds.

Seeing this, Wen Ning hurriedly ordered the Warriors to activate the Cloud Boat. The vessel trembled slightly as its cloud formation lit up, and it followed Zeng Quanfeng. Above the sea of clouds, he was startled to see Sect Leader Zhang standing with a striking Daoist. Oddly, it seemed Sect Leader Zhang was deferring to this imposing Daoist.

Wen Ning’s heart leaped. He watched Zeng Quanfeng fly to the Daoist’s side, bow, and say, "Junior Martial Uncle Xu, all sect members and disciples have been withdrawn..."

Before he could finish, the Daoist waved a hand to cut him off. Without a word, he simply raised two fingers in a Sword Technique sign and swiped them gently downward.

—

Amidst the Moyun Sect’s ranks sat a golden war chariot dozens of yards in diameter. Its interior was quite spacious, yet only two men occupied it.

One of them was Taishi Zhe, the official leader of this Moyun Sect expedition.

Taishi Zhe sat sprawled on a cushion, legs spread wide. "Half a day has passed and still no sign of anyone from the True Form Temple," he said smugly. "Don’t tell me they’re scared?"

The other man sat formally in a meditative posture, not even lifting his eyelids. "In any case," he replied coolly, "when the time is up, you will command the troops to take Lianyun Mountain. I’m curious to see how the True Form Temple reacts."

Taishi Zhe didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on the distant Lianyun Mountain. He saw a streak of light descend from the sky and land on the mountain. Taishi Zhe narrowed his eyes. "That’s Zeng Quanfeng," he said in a low voice. "Does the True Form Temple really dare to go to war with the Moyun Sect?"

The other man’s eyebrow twitched. He slowly opened his eyes and mused aloud, "It matters not. If a fight does break out, I will deal with Zeng Quanfeng myself."

Taishi Zhe chuckled. "With you here, Senior Brother, Zeng Quanfeng is certainly no threat... Huh?"

He abruptly stood up and peered into the distance. He saw Zeng Quanfeng’s streak of light fly back up into the clouds, followed by the True Form Temple’s Cloud Boat. They had withdrawn everyone—sect members, disciples, Dao Soldiers, and Warriors.

Taishi Zhe burst into laughter. "Hahaha! So much for the True Form Temple’s backbone! They handed over Lianyun Mountain without so much as a fart!"

A faint, disdainful smile flickered across the senior brother’s face before vanishing. "In that case," he instructed, "quickly command the troops to occupy Lianyun Mountain."

"Yes," Taishi Zhe replied. He summoned a disciple and ordered him to wave the banner to signal the advance. The disciple acknowledged the order and raised the war banner, but before he could wave it, Taishi Zhe suddenly barked, "Wait."

The disciple looked over in confusion, only to see both men staring up into the clouds. The disciple followed their gaze, but felt a sharp pain in his eyes. He thought he’d glimpsed a cold light flash across the entire sky. The hair on his body stood on end, and he hurriedly forced his pained eyes open to look again.

On the ground below, a massive sword scar had been carved into the earth. It stretched from the border of Yunlan Province and Canglan Province all the way to Lianyun Mountain, slicing off the base of the mountain that rested within Canglan Province and effectively severing it from the land.

Taishi Zhe’s brow furrowed, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "That Sword Qi..."

The senior brother suddenly sneered, plopped back down on his cushion, and barked, "Proceed! Occupy Lianyun Mountain first. I want to see who’s putting on this mysterious act."

He barked the order a couple of times, but neither Taishi Zhe nor the disciple moved. Frowning, he glared at Taishi Zhe, only to find him staring blankly at the heavens. The senior brother’s heart gave a sudden lurch.

He looked up again. The clouds in the sky were churning violently, stirred into a massive vortex by a terrifying spiritual aura. A continuous, deep rumble, like muffled thunder, echoed from it, as if something immense was brewing within.

The next moment, the clouds were torn asunder. Five colossal fingers, each large enough to prop up the heavens, emerged. They were followed by a pure white hand that blotted out the sky for a hundred miles, its palm lines like mountains and ravines. It descended with terrifying purpose.

RUMBLE! In that instant, an immeasurable force whipped up a howling Gang Wind that sent the war chariot lurching. Taishi Zhe was jolted from his stupor. He stomped his foot to stabilize the chariot and roared, "Fall back! Fall back!"

Seeing the Dao Soldier formations swaying in the Gang Wind, with war chariots and Flying Boats tilting precariously, Taishi Zhe yelled again, "No, that’s wrong! Descend! Everyone get to the ground!"

He unleashed his Magical Power, his voice booming across the entire army. The formations immediately synchronized their movements, descending as one to the ground below to use the earth to anchor themselves. At that very moment, the great hand reached Lianyun Mountain, its five fingers closing around it.

Taishi Zhe’s pupils contracted. The next moment, the earth shook and the mountains swayed. The army’s formation completely collapsed into a chaotic mess. Taishi Zhe no longer had the power to maintain order, watching wide-eyed as the colossal hand squeezed. Cliffs on Lianyun Mountain shattered, sending boulders cascading down. Then, with a tremendous shudder, the entire Lianyun Mountain was torn from its roots!

The roar of wind, thunder, and crumbling mountains echoed in Taishi Zhe’s ears. A single thought reverberated in his mind: ’What Divine Technique is this? What Divine Technique is this?!’

He stared blankly as the colossal hand carried Lianyun Mountain away, leaving nothing but a ravaged landscape behind. The sword scar that now marked the new border between the two provinces seemed to burn into his vision.

"Senior Brother... can a Venerable perform such a Divine Technique?" Taishi Zhe asked, his voice trembling. He received no answer.

Taishi Zhe spun around, grabbed the disciple who had collapsed on the ground, and screamed, "Get up! Wave the flag! Retreat! Now!"