Translator: CinderTL
Taixu Sword Sect.
Huan Ming and Bai Lian, two Nascent Soul True Lords who were in the midst of a discussion, exchanged glances, unable to regain their composure for a long time.
Li Chunjun had actually killed the Four Symbols True Lord? Dead?
A Nascent Soul True Lord!?
Moreover, a mid-stage Nascent Soul True Lord!?
Given the Vertical Light Divine Power possessed by the Four Symbols True Lord, either of them alone could only hope to defeat him at best. Killing him was utterly impossible! Yet, such a formidable existence had fallen at the hands of Li Chunjun!
This was simply...
Unbelievable! After a while, Bai Lian finally managed to stammer out a question, "How... how did you... how did you do it?"
"Talismans! I used talismans!"
Li Chunjun replied, "Three Fifth-Tier Talismans, all used up. Plus, the Four Symbols True Lord underestimated me, which led to his demise under my Scarlet Sky Sword."
He spoke truthfully.
Every word he said was true.
He had merely adjusted the emphasis slightly.
However, this explanation caused Huan Ming and Bai Lian to pause and reflect.
Fifth-Tier Talismans.
These were something that even Nascent Soul True Lords could use as a killing move.
Used effectively, killing a Nascent Soul was not difficult.
Moreover, Li Chunjun had three Fifth-Tier Talismans on him.
After understanding this, the two Nascent Souls breathed a sigh of relief.
Killing the Four Symbols with the help of talismans was still within the realm of their comprehension.
If he had managed to kill someone like the Four Symbols, who was considered outstanding even among Nascent Souls, purely through his own abilities, it would have undoubtedly proven that they, who had cultivated for hundreds of years, had wasted most of their lives.
"Buzz!"
At that moment, another message came through.
Huan Ming glanced at it, and his eyes quickly widened.
He immediately turned to Li Chunjun, "Return to the sect as soon as possible. This time, you've killed enough Core Formation cultivators. To prevent the Zhou Tian Sect from becoming desperate, it's best for you to come back now!"
After speaking, he added a word of comfort, "Don't worry, the Four Symbols True Lord dared to attack you first, which is a blatant provocation of the rules. Our Taixu Sword Sect will definitely seek justice for you. The Zhou Tian Sect must also pay for their actions. Otherwise, they shouldn't blame our Taixu Sword Sect for the sharpness of our Flying Swords!"
"Alright."
Seeing that Huan Ming didn't seem overly concerned about the death of the Four Symbols True Lord, Li Chunjun in the Message Jade Talisman nodded.
After ending the communication, Huan Ming quickly took out another Message Jade Talisman.
As the light and shadow projected, an old man who seemed to be completely hidden in the shadows gradually appeared.
"Shadow Elder, what exactly happened?"
Huan Ming asked.
The old man, who still appeared somewhat indistinct in the communication image, remained silent for a moment before finally letting out a long sigh, "I also want to know what happened."
"Huh?"
Huan Ming was somewhat taken aback.
The Shadow Elder, whose real name was unknown, was also known as the Shadowless True Lord.
He was a generation older than them.
A Great True Lord who had almost mastered the Shadowless Sword Intent.
Not only was his combat prowess second only to Qi Qian Yu in the Taixu Sword Sect, but his skills in concealment and stealth were also unparalleled.
After realizing that Li Chunjun had truly attained the combat strength of a Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, they had requested this elder to secretly protect Li Chunjun.
As a result, this old Senior who had been secretly protecting Li Chunjun actually said he didn't know about the Four Symbols True Lord? "That little guy… Sword Prodigy Li's Divine Sense is extremely sharp. I wasn't following too closely, and by the time I noticed the Four Symbols True Lord making a move, he had already used the Primal Chaos Limitless Talisman to envelop the entire battlefield. I couldn't investigate in detail."
The old man, Shadow Elder, sounded somewhat helpless: "By the time the power of the Primal Chaos Limitless Talisman was broken… the Four Symbols True Lord had already perished."
The Primal Chaos Limitless Talisman was a Fifth-Tier Talisman they had given to Li Chunjun.
This aligned with Li Chunjun's claim that he had used the power of the talisman to kill the Four Symbols True Lord.
But still…
Old Senior, as a Dao Protector, aren't you being a bit negligent? Huan Ming and Bai Lian were momentarily at a loss for words.
"I've been trying to figure out how he managed to do it while also erasing some traces that shouldn't be preserved. I didn't have time to send you a message. I didn't expect Sword Prodigy Li to be so rational and take the initiative to contact you."
Shadow Elder explained.
From his earlier response, it was clear he hadn't figured it out.
In the end, he could only conclude: "Sword Prodigy Li is probably not as simple as we imagined."
No kidding?
Huan Ming and Bai Lian exchanged glances.
Finally, the Sect Master of the Taixu Sword Sect spoke again: "Shadow Elder, we'll trouble you to continue protecting Sword Prodigy Li in secret. We'll send someone to the Zhou Tian Sect to demand an explanation."
"Hmm."
Shadow Elder acknowledged: "I do have footage of the Four Symbols True Lord interfering in the battle between Sword Prodigy Li and Kai Yang, among others, during their Core Formation stage. It can serve as evidence."
At this, he also snorted lightly: "Ever since joining the Immortal Alliance, you've all become so cautious and hesitant. In the past, if these sects dared to bully our Taixu Sword Sect like this, we would've stormed their gates long ago! Why waste so much time talking?"
Huan Ming smiled bitterly: "Shadow Elder, times have changed. Back then, our Taixu Sword Sect could act recklessly because we were the Profound Yellow hegemon, unrivaled in our dominance. But with the rapid development of Star Gate technology in the Immortal Alliance… we've come to realize the vastness of the world, the immensity of the universe…"
"We should've never joined the Immortal Alliance."
Shadow Elder said.
Huan Ming and Bai Lian were helpless. The limits of the universe have yet to be explored, but the innovation of Star Gate technology within the Immortal Alliance has made geographical discoveries common knowledge across the heavens.
The Taixu Sword Sect is one of the local powers that were "discovered."
Because of their strength, they were invited to join the Immortal Alliance.
And if they hadn't joined, with the tide of the times surging forward, the Taixu Sword Sect would eventually be left behind by the era.
"Shadow Elder, we…"
"I don't want to hear your ramblings."
Huan Ming was about to speak but was cut off by Shadowless True Lord: "The rules were established under the witness of the Immortal Alliance. This time, the Zhou Tian Sect violated the rules, and that's a fact. If you still can't make the Zhou Tian Sect pay the price they deserve, I think you should step down as Sect Master. You're too spineless."
With that, he ended the communication.
Huan Ming smiled, not bothering to argue too much with these "old-timers" who couldn't keep up with the times.
Still, Shadowless True Lord's words had a point.
After some deliberation, he directly stated, "Invite Peak Lord Lei Yuan and have him, along with about ten other Peak Lords and Elders, go to the Zhou Tian Sect and announce this matter to the world."
He snorted coldly, "This time, it was the Four Symbols True Lord of the Zhou Tian Sect who violated the rules first. I want to see who dares to stand up and speak for the Zhou Tian Sect."
Bai Lian nodded.
For thirty years, the Taixu Sword Sect had prioritized the greater situation, advocating harmony in its interactions with the other eight sects. However, this concession not only failed to bring about peaceful coexistence but instead emboldened the other eight sects to become even more aggressive.
Perhaps the strength of the Taixu Sword Sect was indeed inferior to the combined might of the eight sects, but...
If it truly came to a life-and-death struggle, the Taixu Sword Sect might be destroyed, but at least half of the eight sects would also be annihilated.
The eight sects represented eight different forces.
He simply didn't believe that these eight great sects could truly unite as one, fearless of death.
...
"Return to the sect."
On the other side, Li Chunjun also did not waste any time.
After Jiang Yuxue and the others finished inventorying the spoils of war, they immediately withdrew from Moon Province without hesitation, even leaving Star Province and retreating to the Northeast Province.
Of course, after he retreated to the Northeast Province, the True Inheritor Disciple stationed in this province led a team into Star Province, quickly repairing and modifying the grand formation of Star Province's capital to ensure substantive control over the province.
To this end, they even initiated a True Inheritor Battle, cutting off the Zhou Tian Sect's retreat.
The three True Inheritors of the Zhou Tian Sect had already been killed single-handedly by Li Chunjun. If it came to a True Inheritor Battle, the Taixu Sword Sect had nothing to fear.
Moreover, with Li Chunjun, the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, on their side, anyone who dared to challenge them in a True Inheritor Battle would be killed one by one, two by two.
...
After leaving Jun Zhou and Jiang Yuxue in the Northeast Province to handle matters in Star Province, Li Chunjun returned to the Taixu Sword Sect with Zhou Yuechen, Qin Zhou, and Zhang Weiqian.
In the short span of a single day after his return to the Taixu Sword Sect, the news of his invasion of Star Province, his conquest of Moon Province, and his annihilation of the three True Inheritors of the Zhou Tian Sect had spread like a storm across the already "small" Blue Star Minor Realm.
For a time, the entire world was in an uproar.
Previously, Li Chunjun's breaking of the Great Shang at the Chiyang Sword Sect and his slaying of dozens of Core Formation Great Cultivators, including the True Inheritor Zhou Wu Gou, could still be considered a series of staged killings.
He himself had never faced the siege of more than thirty Core Formation cultivators at once.
But this time, his invasion of Star Province...
He successively and decisively broke through the Dipper Calamity Dragon Formation presided over by the Zhou Tian Sect's True Inheritors Dongfang Wu and Hai Fenglie.
Then, he forcefully crushed the Eight Desolations Dragon Locking Formation, led by True Inheritor Kai Yang and set up with a fourth-tier formation flag! Especially since his dismantling of the Eight Desolations Dragon Locking Formation and his defeat of True Inheritor Hai Fenglie's Dipper Calamity Dragon Formation occurred almost simultaneously.
What did this mean!?
He alone had confronted over eighty Core Formation Great Cultivators and defeated them all! Fighting one against a hundred was nothing less than this!
This was no longer just "Philosopher"-level combat power; it had reached Nascent Soul-level combat power!
This was a peerless genius with the qualifications to compete for the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List! When the news spread, the other major sects repeatedly sought verification.
When they finally confirmed that the news was true...
And with the Four Symbols True Lord's endorsement, making it even more credible and convincing than the rumors they had heard, these sects were completely stunned.
Not just comparable to Nascent Soul!
But a true Nascent Soul-level combat power peerless genius! Such a genius...
Could such a monster be cultivated by a mere branch sect of the Blue Star Minor Realm? And now, the Taixu Sword Sect had such a monstrosity...
This was completely unfair!
How could they even fight this!?
They surrendered!
The Sky Sword Sect and the Thunderclap Sect, two major forces that had originally intended to establish friendly relations with the Taixu Sword Sect, immediately dispatched Nascent Soul True Lords to pay a visit, once again reaffirming their united and amicable stance toward the Taixu Sword Sect.
Other sects, due to the short time frame, had yet to react, but they all hurriedly convened internal meetings.
The Zhou Tian Sect was no exception.
The loss of a Nascent Soul True Lord would have, under normal circumstances, provoked their furious wrath.
However, before they could even begin to express their anger, Lei Yuan, the Peak Lord of the Taixu Sword Sect responsible for external conquests, had already arrived outside the Zhou Tian Sect with ten Nascent Soul True Lords in tow.
A total of eleven Nascent Soul True Lords—though fewer in number compared to the Zhou Tian Sect's seventeen... now sixteen Nascent Soul True Lords—the sheer lethality of the Taixu Sword Sect's Flying Swords, which specialized in slaughter, made this a force capable of annihilating an entire sect.
Thus...
The Zhou Tian Sect could no longer afford to be angry.
Before the Zhou Tian Sect could even coordinate a response with the other sects, having already lost over a hundred Core Formation cultivators, a Nascent Soul True Lord, and an entire region of their territory, they ultimately had no choice but to grit their teeth and accept the Taixu Sword Sect's series of extortions.
(End of the Chapter)
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