Chapter 376 - 371: Beyond-Specification Combat Power

Tian Zhe Master acted as if he didn’t know he was the target of universal scorn. He smiled and said, "The Four Principles Sect seems to hold some misunderstanding toward our sect. Please, hear me out..."

"Interrupt him!" Li Fei blurted out.

Then, she blushed.

In his meditation chamber, Du Youqian facepalmed.

The guests attending the ceremony understood. Someone must have been secretly instructing Li Fei to interrupt Tian Zhe Master, and in her haste, she had blurted out the instruction itself.

It wasn’t hard to guess that the one guiding Li Fei was likely the founding ancestor of the Four Principles Sect, Zong Li.

Generally speaking, Golden Core Middle and Late Stage cultivators already had the qualifications to establish a sect and become founders.

But in the eyes of these cultivators, such a sect was like an Ivy League student looking down on a diploma mill.

’Our sects have Void Step Great Powers and Divinity Transformation Ancestors. Even Nascent Soul Elder Monsters can only serve as minor Stewards, bowing their heads and acting with humility.’

’You’re just a Golden Core Cultivator. By what right do you think you can stand on equal footing with us?’

You couldn’t blame these cultivators for being so pragmatic.

When an elder from your own sect could obliterate theirs with a single breath or wipe them from the map with the press of a finger, it was genuinely difficult to feel any respect or see them as equals.

So, although they wouldn’t go so far as to call Du Youqian and the Four Principles Sect a joke, many guests were still dismissive.

But after seeing Li Fei angrily confront Tian Zhe Master, many cultivators developed a much better impression of the Four Principles Sect.

By extension, they also thought more highly of Du Youqian, who had yet to show his face.

Not every Golden Core Cultivator had the courage to confront a sect that had a Void Step Great Power.

Li Fei then continued to relay Du Youqian’s words: "Though our sect is small and weak, we understand the importance of racial boundaries. We do not wish to be enemies with all of the Demon Race, but the Human World belongs to the Human Race, not the Demon Race. This fundamental principle cannot be shaken. We would rather die for the Human Race than live for the Demon Race!"

These words were actually a bit slippery. If one were determined to find fault, they could still find plenty.

But Li Fei’s speech had established a firm stance.

The Human Race faction had no need to find fault, and the Cyan Yang Sect wouldn’t go so far as to hold a grudge against the Four Principles Sect and pursue them relentlessly over a few harmless words.

A flicker of green aura flashed across Tian Zhe Master’s face. The sharp-eyed could have caught that, in that instant, scales appeared beneath his skin.

Most cultivators of the Cyan Yang Sect had undergone bloodline transplantation and modification, so it was normal for him to have the blood of the Demon Race in him.

"Hahaha, my sect was only hoping to make a friend. Since the Four Principles Sect holds such deep prejudice against us, we can only let it be. I hope we’ll have a chance to grow closer in the future." Tian Zhe Master suppressed his anger, bowed to Li Fei and some of the guests from major powers, and then gracefully departed.

Not long after, a tremendous BOOM was heard, and Four Principles Mountain shook violently.

Disciples with low cultivation nearly fell over.

Countless furnishings in the various grotto-heavens and grand halls were overturned.

Du Youqian’s Divine Sense had been following Tian Zhe Master, so he knew that it was Tian Zhe Master who had moved a mountain from nearby and placed it to block the gate of the Four Principles Sect.

The animals on the mountain scattered in panic in a chaotic stampede, and the birds cried mournfully as they circled above.

’That bastard!’

Du Youqian was furious, but he showed no emotion.

He just secretly wrote another name in his little notebook, to settle the score in his next life.

After all, this guy was a Nascent Soul Master, and he had an extremely powerful Treasure, suspected to be Tier Five, that allowed him to move mountains and seas, making the heavy seem light.

’I’m no match for him right now.’

However, the good thing was that after Tian Zhe Master made his move, it signified that this particular grudge was settled. The Cyan Yang Sect would not come looking for trouble with the Four Principles Sect in the future over today’s confrontation.

This was a kind of unspoken, conventional rule.

After Tian Zhe Master left, the mountain still had to be moved.

Otherwise, if their entrance was truly blocked by the mountain, the Four Principles Sect would be nailed to the pillar of shame and mocked for at least a thousand years.

’But after weighing my options... I don’t think I can move this mountain...’

He began to worry.

Meanwhile, in the grand hall, Li Fei was calmly making small talk with the guests as Du Youqian had instructed, trying to downplay the impact of the Four Principles Sect’s gate being blocked, all while waiting for Du Youqian to come up with a solution.

Du Youqian spoke privately with Kang Yinghe for a bit, but Kang Yinghe was also powerless to help. He said he couldn’t do it even if it killed him.

He then discussed it with the people from the Qingxu Commerce Association. They said that if a Divinity Transformation Ancestor were here, they could probably move the mountain easily.

A few of the powerful Nascent Soul Elder Monsters from the association could also do it.

But as for them, they were truly helpless.

Du Youqian was speechless.

’I can’t just let the sect’s gate be blocked by this mountain!’

After thinking it over and over for a long time, Du Youqian sighed.

’Looks like I’ll have to burn some of my lifespan again.’

’Damn it, I really don’t have much lifespan left!’

~~~~~~~~~

The guests, whether they were conversing in the grand hall or resting in their grotto-heavens, all suddenly grew serious as they felt a Sword Intent that was skyrocketing.

The Sword Intent was so sharp it seemed as if nothing could withstand it!

’Could it be...’

Someone guessed Du Youqian’s intention and immediately rushed out of the grand hall, staring at the towering mountain blocking the gate of the Four Principles Sect.

"This is insane! He’s a Golden Core Cultivator. Does he really intend to split the mountain with a single sword strike?!"

"From the looks of it, yes. I don’t think he can do it!"

The guests began to communicate using their Divine Sense.

"But if he really accomplishes something that even a typical Nascent Soul Elder Monster can’t do, our evaluation of the Four Principles Sect will have to rise significantly. A Sect Leader this talented and brilliant might just be able to lead the Four Principles Sect to greater heights."

"I wonder what path the Four Principles Sect will take in the future. Although they aren’t qualified to choose a faction yet, they should still prepare for the future, establish their sect rules, and determine their direction."

While the guests were engrossed in their discussion, the terrifying Sword Intent finally reached its peak.

Everyone saw only a flash of white light, like a bolt of lightning, followed by complete silence. The mountain appeared unchanged.

And that Sword Intent remained condensed, not having dissipated.

Only the cultivators with powerful Divine Sense discovered, upon scanning the mountain, that an extremely fine, smooth sword mark had appeared, running from its peak to its base.

’He actually succeeded in splitting the mountain with a single strike!’

But if that was all, it still wouldn’t be enough to move the mountain.

Unless... he could unleash a second, a third, or even more strikes with a Sword Intent so sharp it could potentially injure a Nascent Soul Elder Monster.

Soon, someone saw clearly that a Flying Sword was hovering over the towering mountain, seemingly gathering power for its next move.

Another flash of white light. Besides that, nothing seemed to happen. The mountain’s appearance didn’t change, but people could perceive that another sword mark had been added, forming a perfect cross with the first and dividing the entire mountain into four sections.

Soon, another strike. This one, however, sliced horizontally through the middle of the mountain. After this strike, the mountain was divided into eight sections.

This was followed by two more strikes in quick succession. The Flying Sword seemed to have dimmed considerably before it flew back into the depths of the Four Principles Sect.

Looking back at the great mountain, it had already begun to emit a world-shaking RUMBLE as rocks fractured. The mountain’s body, now divided into sixteen parts, fell apart and slid off in different directions.

Some of the Core Formation Masters Du Youqian had spoken to earlier, such as Kang Yinghe, now sprang into action. Each took responsibility for one piece, moving one-sixteenth of the great mountain away.

One-sixteenth of a mountain was a completely different concept from an entire mountain.

The weight of the entire mountain had long since surpassed the threshold a Core Formation Master could bear. No matter how hard they tried, or even with the help of powerful Treasures, if they couldn’t move it, they couldn’t move it.

But after being cut into sixteen pieces, a single section of the mountain no longer exceeded the threshold a Core Formation Master could bear. With the aid of a powerful Treasure, it could be moved.

But what shocked the guests most was that Du Youqian had actually unleashed five strikes of that incomparably sharp Sword Intent—an intent so chilling to behold that just getting near it made one’s hair stand on end.

To be able to unleash one such strike would already make one a prodigy among Golden Core Cultivators.

To unleash two was likely the limit for a Golden Core Sword Cultivator.

With these five strikes, if a Nascent Soul Middle or Late Stage Elder Monster stood there, didn’t fight back, and only defended desperately with a Tier Four Defensive Treasure, they would likely risk perishing, or at the very least, lose half their life.

Of course, in reality, a Nascent Soul Elder Monster would never just stand there and take it. They certainly wouldn’t allow him that much time to build up his Sword Intent.

Nevertheless, the guests were nearly unanimous in their belief that the strength of this Four Principles Sect founder could no longer be measured by the standards of a normal Golden Core Cultivator.

This person was in a league of his own.

He could probably fight a Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator to a standstill and escape from a Nascent Soul Middle Stage one.

This was actually a great opportunity to show off.

If Du Youqian were to emerge from his meditation chamber at this moment, he could probably befriend many guests from major powers.

But he alone knew his own suffering. The price he paid to unleash those five Nascent Soul-slaying strikes was immense.

At this moment, he used his Great Divine Ability, "Knowing the Celestial Mandate," to perceive himself and discovered he only had just over forty years of life left.

Keep in mind, he was only 530 years old. As a Golden Core Perfection Cultivator in essence, he should have had a Celestial Lifespan of nine hundred years!

Those five strikes just now had cost him a hundred years of his life.

The cost was nothing short of devastating.

Of course, the results were also excellent.

In the time that followed, Li Fei and the other disciples of the Four Principles Sect could clearly feel the goodwill emanating from the guests.

The next day, at noon, the sect establishment ceremony was held as scheduled.

The ever-mysterious Du Youqian finally appeared. Not only was he handsome and martial-looking, but his gaze was also reserved yet full of wisdom, and he possessed a mature and elegant aura. One look was all it took to see that he was a True Cultivator of the Dao.

Seeing his distinguished bearing, many guests immediately felt that their trip had not been in vain.

Moreover, his complexion was ruddy and he was full of vigor, as if unleashing those five sword strikes had been a trivial matter for him.

Under the arrangements of the Qingxu Commerce Association personnel presiding over the ceremony, rare birds danced in the air, Exotic Beasts roamed about, and dense Spiritual Qi was released as if it were free, creating an ethereal, immortal atmosphere.

To the sound of solemn and majestic music, Du Youqian led the disciples of the Four Principles Sect who were at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage or above. His expression grave, he ascended to the main seat.