Chapter 277: Elder of the Divine Origin Sect
“Shall we retreat first?”
Yan Daozong stared at the Black-Clad Man in the sky and spoke in a low voice. The oppressive aura emanating from the other party was overwhelming. He had never encountered such an opponent before. Merely facing that aura made him feel certain he was no match at all.
Shen Yue’s gaze turned cold as he replied in a deep voice, “I’m afraid we won’t be able to retreat.”
Hearing this, Yan Daozong narrowed his eyes and prepared for battle.
The Black-Clad Man in the sky wore an expression of infatuation as he breathed freely, reveling in the joy of rebirth.
He suddenly turned his head to look at the three of them, startling them into instinctively taking a step back.
“Thanks to you, this seat was able to revive. This seat will grant you a fortuitous opportunity—become this seat’s servants!”
The Black-Clad Man laughed hideously. Blood streaks appeared across his pale face, veins bulging around his eyes as though he were about to transform into a demon.
Shen Yue looked up at him and asked, “Who are you? If you want to take us as servants, you should at least introduce your background.”
The Black-Clad Man curled his lips upward and laughed arrogantly. “This seat is an elder of the Divine Origin Sect of the Heavenly Nether Sea—Wei Tianxiong!”
Heavenly Nether Sea?
Elder of the Divine Origin Sect?
Shen Yue and the other two were secretly shocked. This man had nothing to do with the Supreme Sword Sect?
They realized the situation was far more troublesome than expected. They had no idea how powerful the Divine Origin Sect truly was.
Bai Ning’er was filled with regret. Had he known this would happen, he should not have picked up that treasure underground. Triggering the mechanism had released Wei Tianxiong.
“If you are an elder of the Divine Origin Sect, why were you inside the relic palace of the Supreme Sword Sect?” Shen Yue continued to ask.
Wei Tianxiong’s expression instantly darkened. He snorted coldly and said, “It was all because of those people. This matter isn’t over. Once this seat recovers from my injuries and restores my cultivation, I will slaughter their entire island!”
Island?
Shen Yue caught that key word.
Wei Tianxiong’s expression returned to normal as he stared at Shen Yue. “Your cultivation is not bad—sufficient. What is your name?”
“Shen Yue. If we were to follow you, what would you do next?” Shen Yue replied.
Yan Daozong and Bai Ning’er remained silent. Their experience in the martial world was far inferior to Shen Yue’s. At this moment, they could only stay still and avoid becoming a burden.
Wei Tianxiong smiled. “Naturally, I will recuperate. The Nine Provinces have declined—perfect for this seat to recover. By the way, which sect do you belong to? Are you from the Heavenly Nether Sea, or are you local Immortal Cultivators?”
Hearing this, Shen Yue knew there was no longer any room for probing indirectly.
He noticed Wei Tianxiong’s smile turn playful. He understood that Wei Tianxiong had already guessed his intention and simply disdained it.
It seemed battle was inevitable.
“When the fight begins, if I can restrain him, you two escape. If I die too quickly, pretend to submit to him and act according to circumstances.”
Shen Yue’s voice transmitted directly into Yan Daozong’s and Bai Ning’er’s ears, causing their expressions to change slightly.
Sound Transmission Technique!
Before they could react, Shen Yue suddenly drew the wooden sword at his waist. Sword Intent erupted from him without restraint, surging into the sky and causing the cliff beneath their feet to tremble.
Seeing him draw his sword, Wei Tianxiong showed no surprise. Instead, his smile became even more mocking.
“Not bad Sword Intent. Judging by your cultivation, you have just entered the Spirit Perception Realm, yet your Sword Intent—among cultivators of the Spirit Perception Realm across the world, few could compare to you. You are qualified to become this seat’s disciple.”
Though his words carried appreciation, his smile seemed like ridicule.
His appearance was youthful. Even with a head of white hair, he looked no older than Shen Yue, yet he could tell Shen Yue was not even a hundred years old.
To him, anyone under a hundred was a junior.
Shen Yue stepped forward, taking a step into the air as he advanced toward Wei Tianxiong.
“What? You truly intend to make a move against this seat? Can you not sense that even in severe injury, this seat’s Vital Energy far surpasses yours?” Wei Tianxiong’s smile turned icy. Killing intent erupted, enveloping the surrounding mountains.
Shen Yue showed no fear and pressed forward step by step.
Though he was unafraid, Yan Daozong and Bai Ning’er were frozen in place by Wei Tianxiong’s killing aura, unable to move.
“This guy…”
Yan Daozong’s eyes widened as cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He did not believe Wei Tianxiong was simply too strong. Wei Tianxiong must have heard Shen Yue’s Sound Transmission Technique and was preventing them from escaping.
At this moment, a suffocating sense of frustration filled his heart.
Back at Tianxuan Mountain, he had believed himself invincible in the world. But after losing to Shen Yue and joining the Clear Sky Sect, he realized how mediocre he had become.
He did not think it was the fault of martial arts—rather, his own comprehension was insufficient.
If he could grow stronger as quickly as Shen Yue, he would not be so helpless now.
An unprecedented wave of regret surged through Yan Daozong’s heart, blurring the world before his eyes.
Bai Ning’er did not collapse like Yan Daozong. He felt only anxiety and worry. He was not afraid of dying himself—he feared Shen Yue’s sacrifice.
How important Shen Yue was to the Clear Sky Sect, how many merits he had established for it—if he were to die here, how could Bai Ning’er face the Sect Master?
For some reason, Zhang Ping’s words echoed in his ears:
“That’s right, you’re lucky. But that doesn’t mean those who follow you will be lucky. No one can be lucky forever. If one day you drag others down, you’ll regret it.”
At the time, he had thought Zhang Ping was speaking in anger to provoke him. He had never expected the words to come true.
Just as regret consumed him, Shen Yue struck.
With a flash of sword light illuminating the mountains, Shen Yue stepped before Wei Tianxiong in an instant.
Boom—
Vast Sword Energy intertwined with lightning, yet it could not touch Wei Tianxiong.
Wei Tianxiong stood before Shen Yue without even lifting a hand. The Vital Energy erupting from his body alone isolated Shen Yue’s Sword Energy.
“You truly do not fear death?”
Wei Tianxiong stared at Shen Yue and asked with narrowed eyes.
Shen Yue curled his lips slightly. “Perhaps you may not be able to kill me.”
Anger flashed through Wei Tianxiong’s eyes. He raised his hand and struck with a palm. Violent Vital Energy mixed with thunder sent Shen Yue flying.
Shen Yue flipped in midair. The Thousand-Year Sword Soul condensed along his right arm. Before he could stabilize himself, the Sword Soul slashed out, blocking Wei Tianxiong who was pursuing to kill him.
Wei Tianxiong did not care about the Sword Soul at all. With a flick of his sleeve, he dispersed it as though brushing something aside, then chased Shen Yue as they plunged into the forest below.
Yan Daozong and Bai Ning’er remained standing on the cliff, still unable to move.
“What’s going on? He’s already left—why does the pressure still lock onto us?”
Yan Daozong calmed himself and began to ponder Wei Tianxiong’s method.
Before he could figure it out, the distant forest suddenly exploded. Trees were blasted into the sky as Shen Yue’s figure rapidly maneuvered among them.
Shen Yue abruptly halted, turned, and slashed with his sword. Crescent-like Sword Energy severed tree after tree as it charged forward with unstoppable force.
Bang—
Wei Tianxiong waved his sleeve and shattered the Sword Energy, rapidly closing in. Wearing a mocking smile, he said, “Is this your confidence? Such shallow sword moves truly disappoint this seat.”
At that moment, Shen Yue, still maintaining his sword-swinging posture, suddenly withdrew his blade. The Sword Energy that Wei Tianxiong had dispersed unexpectedly condensed into sword shadows, swiftly turning and striking back at him at a speed even faster than before.
Boom—
Dozens of sword shadows struck Wei Tianxiong’s body, blasting out a cloud of blood mist.
Shen Yue did not rejoice. He immediately leapt upward, raising the wooden sword high as vast Sword Energy erupted, shaking wind and clouds.
Under his gaze, the cloud of blood mist recondensed into Wei Tianxiong’s form.
Wei Tianxiong looked up at Shen Yue, a contemptuous smile still hanging on his face. He raised his right hand, and a cyan great flag appeared out of thin air in his palm.
The moment the flag emerged, heaven and earth suddenly darkened.
The rolling dark clouds above Shen Yue grew even more oppressive, as though a torrential downpour were about to fall at any moment.