Chapter 611 - 517: The Challenge

Yaoguang.

A bustling immortal trade city.

Petals fluttered and danced, showering down upon the immortal city like rain.

The sound of Demonic Chanting arose with the petals. Throughout the immortal city, cultivators from the Golden Core Realm all the way down to Qi Refining lost their senses, their eyes turning vacant and lifeless.

Twigs and vines sprouted from their eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouths, blooming with tiny petals.

"That's enough."

Miss Sanhua floated in the sky, looking down upon the immortal city. She felt the Magical Power within her growing rapidly, and a deep sense of satisfaction washed over her.

As a remnant of the Blood Moon Demon Palace and a wielder of a Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect, she was an old hand at slaughtering living beings to convert them into Magical Power—a thousand times more proficient than Su Ye!

'Now *that* is professionalism!'

'After devouring one more immortal city, I can advance to the Mid-stage Nascent Soul.'

'At this rate of advancement, what can the Jade Void Sword Sect possibly do to me? Even... even *he* won't be able to stop me!'

Miss Sanhua bit her lower lip, unconsciously clenching her fists.

Su Ye's ascension to the Nascent Soul Realm and his annihilation of Tingchao Pavilion had been a tremendous shock to her!

As they both possessed a Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect, his rate of progress instilled a powerful sense of urgency in Miss Sanhua!

Because of this, Miss Sanhua chose a more aggressive strategy: large-scale slaughter across the sea region to accumulate Magical Power and rapidly raise her Cultivation Realm!

If not for the immense pressure Su Ye had put on her, Miss Sanhua would not have wanted to commit such atrocities.

'It draws way too much ire!'

Eight hundred years had passed, and the vicious, bloodthirsty reputation of the Blood Moon Demon Palace had been softened by the mists of time.

The new generation of cultivators didn't have a strong visceral reaction to the Demon Palace's many atrocities. Banking on this, Miss Sanhua had wanted to maintain a good public image to win over and divide some of the sects!

Besides, if the destruction of Tingchao Pavilion and the True Treasure Pavilion's break with the Jade Void Sword Sect hadn't greatly weakened the Sword Sect, the pursuit she'd face for acting so wantonly would be far more intense and perilous!

Miss Sanhua took a deep breath. She knew full well that her actions were sowing the seeds of great disaster.

But...

'Time waits for no one!'

'As long as I have enough sacrifices, I can advance at lightning speed!'

'The Blood Moon Demon Palace will, under my leadership, be restored to its former glory and dominate the seas!'

'No one can stop me! No one!!!'

'Kill! Kill! Kill!'

Her eyes suddenly turned red, a frenzied glint appearing within them!

Is there anyone who cultivates the Demon Dao who doesn't go mad? They're all just faking it!

...

DONG, DONG, DONG.

The deep, resonant tolling of a great bronze bell echoed over Luofu State, spreading continuously.

From among the nine peaks of the Sword Sect, several figures with imposing auras mounted their Escape Lights and flew toward Qianji Hall.

Within the sect grounds.

Many Sword Sect cultivators looked up, their faces filled with surprise.

In front of the Scripture Pavilion, a gaunt old man smoking a long-stemmed pipe had a flicker of worry appear in his deeply sunken eyes as he muttered to himself.

'The Shaking Golden Bell is ringing, summoning the nine Peak Masters to a meeting... *cough, cough*...'

He coughed a few times, his gaze turning grim. 'When was the last time the Shaking Golden Bell rang? Five hundred years ago, when they mobilized the elites of the nine sects to storm that newly discovered demon palace Grotto Heaven?'

'I remember... In that battle, our Sword Sect alone lost three of the nine Peak Masters, and the casualties among Golden Core and Core Formation cultivators were innumerable...'

At this thought, the gaunt old man's heart grew even heavier.

'Could it be... that the sect has finally decided to go to war with the True Treasure Pavilion and Star Casting Hall?'

Inside Qianji Hall.

Including Hu Guang, all nine Peak Masters had arrived. Those who truly couldn't get away had sent projections instead.

The nine Peak Masters of the Jade Void Sword Sect were all at least Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, with more than half of them possessing Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation!

Among them were several who had already been great cultivators at the Late-stage Nascent Soul Realm for hundreds of years!

In addition.

The Master of Tingchao Pavilion, as well as two other great cultivators from the Sword Sect who were not Peak Masters but possessed the combat prowess of the Late-stage Nascent Soul Realm, were also in attendance.

It could be said that at this very moment, all the experts of the Jade Void Sword Sect were gathered here—aside from the Jade Void Sword Master, who was in seclusion comprehending the Divinity Transformation Realm, and a few old monsters with little lifespan left who were eking out a meager existence using self-sealing techniques.

The Magical Power fluctuations emanating from nearly ten Late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivators caused faint ripples to appear in the void, which seemed to creak faintly as if unable to bear the strain.

"Is everyone here..." Hu Guang's eyes were slightly sunken, tinged with exhaustion.

He began to speak:

"It is now certain that the True Treasure Pavilion has sided with Yehai and become an enemy of our sect."

"Within the Cangyuan Dragon Palace, the long-dormant Cangyuan Dragon Monarch has also made a move. His current whereabouts are unknown... but for us, this is clearly not good news."

"Yehai, and the True Treasure Pavilion that has thrown its lot in with him, already pose a grave threat to our sect..."

"Therefore, I have summoned you all here to hold a vote and decide..."

"...whether or not to declare war on the True Treasure Pavilion!"

Hu Guang's tone was grim and resolute.

"I agree!"

"That fiend Su Ye is utterly depraved! If he is not eliminated, the seas will never know peace! The True Treasure Pavilion and Cangyuan Dragon Palace are aiding a tyrant, and they too must pay the price!"

The Master of Tingchao Pavilion's eyes were bloodshot.

Tingchao Pavilion, which he had spent so much effort to build with his own hands, had been slaughtered to the last man by Su Ye and utterly destroyed!

The hatred in his heart was higher than mountains and deeper than seas. He was the most steadfast hawk within the Jade Void Sword Sect!

However.

The other Peak Masters, however, showed hesitant and indecisive expressions.

"The chaos caused by Yehai is indeed a great calamity for our sect."

"However, declaring war on the True Treasure Pavilion would have far-reaching consequences. We must think carefully before we act."

"Once war begins, even our Jade Void Sword Sect will find it difficult to control how the situation develops..."

A blue-robed Daoist with an aged face, appearing in Qianji Hall as a virtual projection, said in a heavy voice.

"Xuanming..."

Hu Guang frowned slightly. This blue-robed Daoist was the Second Peak Master of the nine peaks.

The ranking of the nine peaks was not based entirely on strength, but those at the top were often extremely powerful!

Xuanming was one such case. He was already fourteen hundred years old and had reached the Late-stage Nascent Soul Realm four hundred years ago. Now, with another four centuries passed, his power had grown even more profound!

However, the great cultivator's expression was quite grave as he spoke in a low voice.

"Don't forget, our sect's current enemies are not limited to just Yehai and the True Treasure Pavilion."

"The sea region I am stationed in borders the Star Casting Hall. In recent years, they have become increasingly brazen. Provocations and skirmishes occur once or twice almost every month."

"Within the Star Casting Hall, at least five Starlords are in a standoff with me."

"Too much of our strength has been diverted to hunt down Miss Sanhua and Yehai. The Sword Sect's prestige is already finding it difficult to deter ambitious parties like the Star Casting Hall."

Xuanming sighed softly. "Under these circumstances, to resort to arms again... the outcome would be impossible to predict."

"You must be cautious, Hu Guang!"

At the same time, another Peak Master also spoke up.

"It's not just the Star Casting Hall. During this time, the Blood Moon Demon Palace remnant, Miss Sanhua, has begun a frenzied slaughter in the Yaoguang Sea Region. Nearly ten immortal cities have already been wiped out."

"A Nascent Soul cultivator from the Profound Light Cave also died tragically at her hands."

"Currently, the Profound Light Cave has already requested aid from our sect, hoping we can assist in hunting down and killing Miss Sanhua and restoring peace to the seas."

"In the Taisui Cave, an ancient vicious beast that our sect is suppressing has also begun to grow restless. We need to divert Nascent Soul cultivators to set up an Orbit and reinforce the seal..."

The Peak Masters spoke one after another, pointing out these difficulties and implying that Hu Guang should give up the idea of starting a war with the True Treasure Pavilion.

The Jade Void Sword Sect was currently stretched too thin. It was like a house with leaks on all four sides, full of holes, barely held together with patchwork.

If they were to launch a major war, this precarious balance—this house—might collapse in an instant!

If they attacked the True Treasure Pavilion and failed, or suffered too many losses, it could incite all the anti-Sword Sect factions in the sea region to rise up and attack them. The Jade Void Sword Sect's thousand-year legacy would likely be...

This terrifying prospect made all the Peak Masters share a sense of unease.

Upon hearing this, Hu Guang sighed, his expression filled with helplessness.

The Peak Masters' concerns were not without reason.

To wear the crown, one must bear its weight!

The throne of Yaoguang was not so easily held.

Any power with ambitions for it would target the Jade Void Sword Sect, launching an endless stream of challenges!

This was inevitable, even if two figures with Dao Embryo Dharma Aspects like Su Ye and Miss Sanhua had never appeared!

Had they not seen it? The binding Treaty of the End of War, which the Sword Sect had spearheaded and maintained for over eight hundred years, had ended in a bitter disagreement during the renewal negotiations decades ago.

After a long period of peace, they had grown their wings, and their unwillingness to submit to the Sword Sect grew daily.

The appearance of those with the Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect had only accelerated this process; it was not the cause.

In such a situation, how difficult was it to resolve to go to war with the True Treasure Pavilion?

But.

Just then.

The upper echelons of the Sword Sect all raised their brows slightly. With a flick of their sleeves, a jade scroll appeared in each of their hands.

This was an Intelligence Jade Scroll, one issued to every high-ranking member of the Sword Sect for receiving the latest news. At this moment, the jade scrolls of these sect leaders were flashing with a deep red light, like viscous blood.

"Deep red?"

"The highest level of intelligence?"

The several Nascent Soul True Monarchs had varying expressions.

Hu Guang raised his hand and activated the jade scroll. A clear voice emanated from it.

"An hour ago, Yehai, Su Ye, made a public statement at the headquarters of the True Treasure Pavilion."

"He stated:"

"'I have long heard that the Jade Void Sword Sect's way of the Sword Cultivator is unparalleled in Yaoguang—vast and rich, profound and subtle. I have admired it for a long time.'"

"'On the fifteenth of this month, at high noon, I intend to ascend Luofu State and experience the style of your Sword Cultivators for myself.'"

"'I hope that the True Monarchs of the Sword Sect will not disappoint me.'"

CRACK.

"Bastard!"

"Who the hell does he think he is?!"

The Sixth Peak Master, a burly, bearded man, was unable to contain his rage and crushed the jade scroll in his hand!

"Outrageous!"

"Utterly outrageous!"

Even the normally staid and prudent Xuanming found it difficult to suppress his anger!

The Jade Void Sword Sect was thoroughly enraged by Su Ye's insolence!

Meanwhile.

Due to Su Ye's immense fame, the news spread like wildfire. Within just a few days, the announcement of his challenge to the Jade Void Sword Sect had sent shockwaves throughout the world!

Miss Sanhua, the Star Casting Hall, the Brahma Pure Sect... every major power in the Yaoguang Islands turned their attention to this arranged battle!