Ch. 88 – Call Upon My Divine Name

Yinglong, the God of War?!

This name instantly brought to everyone’s minds the image of that cold and ruthless deity standing high in the clouds one hundred years ago.

He had only appeared once, and very briefly, but the impression he had left in people’s minds was as indelible as if it had been branded into them with a red-hot iron.

The younger disciples were less impacted, as they only knew about that period in history from an outsider’s perspective. But those who were older and were lucky enough to survive witnessing such a disaster began to tremble uncontrollably the instant they heard that name.

Ji Chengyue was among them. Although he’d had a vague suspicion, he still couldn’t suppress the terror in his heart when that name reached his ears.

When had Xue Ren made contact with Yinglong? And he called him ‘master?’

Ji Chengyue hadn’t noticed. Just as he had never noticed the jealousy and resentment hidden beneath Xue Ren’s smiles.

He could hardly believe that after an entire century, that cruel and merciless god would appear once more.

But the facts had already been laid bare. When Xue Ren uttered that name, a black mist similar to that of a century ago erupted from that jet-black, nonreflective sword.

The mist slithered across his body like a venomous snake, coiling around his swordbearing arm.

Xue Ren’s cultivation level remained unchanged. He was still at Golden Core stage.

But standing before Xue Ren at this moment, a chilling fear arose in everyone’s hearts, rapidly intensifying.

Just like one hundred years before, when they gazed up at that supreme god amongst the clouds, so powerful that they were robbed of the will to resist.

But why? Why, a century after Jianmu was destroyed, had this god sought out Lingxiao Sword Sect again?

This question arose in everyone’s minds amidst their shock and fear.

Perhaps it had been wrong for mortals to presume to ascend to the heavens, but they had already paid the price. The former sect leader, the culprit who had planted the tree, was dead, along with so many others. Wasn’t that enough?

“God of War…..Yinglong…..?” Elder Zhou murmured in a trembling voice. Inconceivable things had transpired before him today. The always gentle Xue Ren had suddenly transformed into his ferocious figure, and had even attempted to murder his shidi. Yet that wasn’t near as shocking as Xue Ren’s words just now.

“What do you mean…..” Elder Zhou even felt that in his old age, perhaps his mind wasn’t as sharp as it used to be. He was unable to make sense of how or why any of this was happening. How had Yinglong become involved with Xue Ren, to the point of even lending him his sword? What exactly was Xue Ren planning to do?

Elder Zhou was not the only one who couldn’t make sense of it. Everyone was wondering how a perfectly normal succession ceremony had taken such a turn for the absurd.

Cao Zirui was equally uncomprehending. He still hadn’t recovered from the shock of his shixiong attempting to kill him.

But when he looked at his master standing in front of him, unlike everyone else, Ji Chengyue’s indescribably complex expression held little doubt. Cao Zirui came to the sudden realization that his master knew.

Ji Chengyue knew that Yinglong had appeared one hundred years ago because of Jianmu, and that one hundred years later, he was here for the same reason.

In the wake of Elder Zhou’s question, Xue Ren took a deep breath and felt power surge through his body.

This absolute power to determine life and death was beautiful to the point of being intoxicating.

He looked toward the mist wrapped around his right arm, then began to explain to the crowd: “What does this mean? It couldn’t be more obvious.”

“In accordance with the will of God, I am here to hold you accountable for secretly hoarding away a fragment of Jianmu!” Xue Ren spoke loudly and with righteous indignation.

This declaration did not dispel the confusion in everyone’s minds, but instead intensified it.

“Jianmu?! Wasn’t Jianmu destroyed one hundred years ago?”

“The great fire burned for three days and three nights, and Jianmu was clearly reduced to ashes. Everyone saw it!”

The crowd was abuzz with discussion.

Just as Elder Zhou was about to ask, a thought occurred to him and he turned to look at Ji Chengyue with shock and doubt.

Ji Chengyue was in no state to respond to him. His mind was in complete turmoil.

“Shifu.” Xue Ren smiled and called out to Ji Chengyue again.

Ji Chengyue jolted out of his chaotic thoughts and stared at Xue Ren.

“In principle, a disciple should not challenge his superior. But now that Shifu has made a mistake and angered the gods, this disciple is left with no choice.” Xue Ren adopted an admonishing expression. “If Shifu hands over the Jianmu fragment now, I will guarantee the safety of everyone in Lingxiao Sword Sect.”

In just a few words, he positioned himself on the side of justice and claimed that he was acting on behalf of the gods, while Ji Chengyue was a sinner who secretly hoarded a Jianmu fragment and harbored wicked intentions.

The situation seemed to suddenly reverse, and everyone’s attention shifted from Xue Ren to Ji Chengyue.

Could Xue Ren be speaking the truth? Did Sect Leader Ji really have a Jianmu fragment in his hands?

Compared to the reappearance of Jianmu, Xue Ren’s recent attempt on Cao Zirui’s life seemed insignificant. The Jianmu matter involved more than just a single life.

If Jianmu still existed, history might repeat itself. And if Yinglong were to be angered, everyone present would likely face certain doom.

“Sect Leader, is it true?” With their own safety at stake, the crowd could no longer remain silent bystanders. 

The moment the first person spoke, many other voices followed. The crowd erupted, everyone demanding an answer from Ji Chengyue.

Ji Chengyue glanced at the unruly crowd, but remained silent.

He had not been ignorant to the possibility of something like this happening. From the moment he hid the Jianmu fragment, he had worried that he would one day be discovered.

He was fully aware of the consequences, yet he did it anyway.

The sudden passing of his shixiong, who was like a brother to him, had left Ji Chengyue mired deep in grief. He had no choice but to accept the outcome, because there was no other option. He was powerless to stop it.

He could do nothing but wait in the distance for the all-consuming heavenly fire to extinguish itself.

But everything seemed to take a turn for the better when he found that tiny fragment of Jiamu, still radiating faint signs of life in the ashes.

Plants were far more resilient than humans, who could die from losing a single organ.

With enough nutrients, a plant could be born anew from a single branch or broken twig.

And after Ling Yun gave his heart to Jianmu, he developed an inseparable bond with the tree.

If Jianmu wasn’t dead, was it possible for his shixiong to come back to life?

Even if the possibility was small to the point of being negligible, it still fueled that tiny, unrealistic hope deep inside him. Ji Chengyue hid the Jianmu fragment in his sleeve, and didn’t tell a soul.

Over the past century, he had attempted to cultivate this small Jianmu fragment. But no matter what kind of nourishment he provided, the vitality of the fragment weakened until it was no different from a dead piece of wood.

One hundred years was a very long time, yet also very short. Over countless days and nights of waiting, his hope gradually wore away, and Ji Chengyue completely gave up hope that his shixiong could be brought back to life.

For him, Jianmu was nothing more than a lingering delusion in his heart.

If simply handing over the Jianmu fragment would guarantee the safety of Lingxiao Sword Sect, he would do it in a heartbeat.

But Xue Ren…..

“If I really do possess a Jianmu fragment, after handing it over to you, should I resign in recompense?” When Ji Chengyue finally spoke, it wasn’t the answer everyone expected.

Xue Ren was silent for a moment upon hearing this. Then he affirmed: “Naturally. Shifu has committed such a grave mistake. No matter what, a new sect leader is needed.”

Ji Chengyue suddenly laughed. He knew it would turn out this way.

Handing over the Jianmu fragment was acceptable, but passing the sect leader position to Xue Ren was not.

At this point, his decision had nothing to do with Xue Ren’s talent, but with his character. His vicious heart thoroughly disappointed Ji Chengyue.

No matter how Lingxiao Sword Sect might fall into decline, such a person must never be allowed to lead it.

So after laughing, he categorically denied it: “I have not hidden away a Jianmu fragment, nor have I committed any other crime. Likewise, Cao Zirui will remain the next sect leader. My decision has not changed, regardless of the outcome of today’s trial ceremony.”

“Shifu…..” Cao Zirui murmured from his position shielded behind Ji Chengyue.

Xue Ren, however, gritted his teeth and coldly rebuked him: “Stubborn to the end!”

“It is you who stubbornly refuses to see the truth! Xue Ren, you have made one mistake after another, and even now you show no remorse!” Ji Chengyue roared back.

Startled by his angry rebuke, Xue Ren took a reflexive step back – but soon after, he realized that he was no longer a disciple beholden to obeying his master’s every command.

He retorted loudly: “I’m not wrong! Even the gods are on my side. Shifu, do you dare to debate the gods over right and wrong?”

Just as Ji Chengyue was about to respond, Xue Ren shook his head: “Further discussion is pointless. I have received my orders, and I must carry them out no matter what.”

“Shifu, forgive this disciple’s offense!” Xue Ren raised his right hand and swung Fleeting Shadow toward Ji Chengyue.

With Xue Ren’s swing, a small portion of the black mist wrapped around his arm separated from him and Fleeting Shadow, transforming into a black bladepoint that stabbed toward Ji Chengyue.

Ji Chengyue took Mountain Breaker, the Heaven-grade magic weapon reserved for the use of successive sect leaders, from his sleeve. He assumed a defensive stance while shouting toward those who were preparing to aid him: “No one else is allowed to interfere! I’ll handle this myself…..”

“I will deal with this traitor.”

Everyone, including Elder Zhou, paused in place, unsure whether or not to obey.

Although Sect Leader Ji was a powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivator…..Xue Ren was wielding the divine sword of the God of War. Could a mortal truly contend with divine power?

Although Xue Ren was a representative of Yinglong, since Ji Chengyue had denied the allegations, most of the disciples still chose to believe their sect leader.

Under the anxious gazes of the crowd, Ji Chengyue’s Mountain Breaker clashed with the blade formed from black mist. Humans felt fear, but objects did not.

When faced with a weapon like itself, Mountain Breaker immediately began to hum, as if to challenge and provoke its opponent.

Even though its opponent was far stronger, Mountain Breaker showed no fear. On the contrary, when the blades met, it released more spiritual power than ever before.

Spiritual power connected with the black mist, creating an invisible shockwave.

Dust and fallen leaves on the ground were sent flying by the impact, and Ji Chengyue was knocked back several steps, barely able to stop himself in front of Cao Zirui.

The onlookers were also impacted, and stumbled back from the spiritual blast. In the blink of an eye, the center of the battlefield emptied.

Ji Chengyue’s appearance was no longer as neat and tidy as when he had first appeared that morning, his hair and sleeves somewhat disheveled. Although he had shattered the black bladepoint with Mountain Breaker, he still didn’t lower his guard.

This….was merely a sword glare released by Xue Ren…..

Fleeting Shadow truly lived up to its reputation as a divine weapon capable of severing Jianmu with one strike. Even in the hands of a mere mortal, it was able to unleash such terrifying power.

Ji Chengyue quickly surveyed his surroundings. The blast just now had sent some of the disciples tumbling to the ground, and although none were seriously injured, they did suffer some minor scrapes and bruises.

Thus, before Xue Ren could unleash his next attack, Ji Chengyue switched positions. Leaving solid ground behind, he stepped into the air and led Xue Ren away from the crowd.

Xue Ren saw through Ji Chengyue’s intentions, but his eagerness to defeat his master prevailed. If he could defeat Ji Chengyue, he would be proven right.

The two flashed away from the crowd and engaged in combat mid-air. Xue Ren stopped using sword glares, and instead slashed at Ji Chengyue with the blade of Fleeting Shadow.

The two swords – divine and mortal – clashed.

Despite Fleeting Shadow’s power, Ji Chengyue possessed more spiritual power than Xue Ren and showed no immediate signs of falling behind as master and disciple fought mid-air.

Hao Chen watched the scene above, then suddenly turned to look at Feng Ye beside him.

Feng Ye’s brow was furrowed. He had looked astonished when Xue Ren called out Yinglong’s name.

Hao Chen could only lament inwardly that he had already given Feng Ye a subtle warning, but this fellow simply wouldn’t listen. Today, he must have finally come to the realization that Hao Chen was not exaggerating.

Feng Ye was truly unable to handle an enemy as powerful as Yinglong.

Ji Chengyue was no better. Although he was evenly matched with Xue Ren in this battle, that was only because Xue Ren was unfamiliar with handling the power of the God of War. Once he acclimatized to it, Ji Chengyue’s defeat was only a matter of time.

As a god himself, Hao Chen understood just how great the difference in power between gods and mortals truly was.

Even if Yinglong declined to personally intervene, and instead lent some of his power to Xue Ren, a mortal simply could not stand against it.

Of everyone present, Hao Chen was the only one capable of holding his own against him.

Unfortunately, he was not one to meddle in the business of others, and the destruction of Lingxiao Sword Sect was none of his concern. 

He wouldn’t become enemies with Yinglong for the sake of these people.

But he was afraid that…..

Observing Feng Ye’s expression, Hao Chen cautiously asked: “What does Fellow Daoist Feng Ye plan to do?”

Feng Ye didn’t reply immediately. After a moment, he seemed to snap back to the present and asked: “What did you say?”

It turned out that Feng Ye hadn’t heard him at all, even though he had spoken rather loudly.

Hao Chen interpreted Feng Ye’s state as…..scared out of his wits.

He must have been so terrified upon learning that Yinglong was the enemy he’d been searching for that he couldn’t even focus on what was going on around him.

Driven by the masculine instinct to project an image of strength and security in front of his sweetheart, Hao Chen puffed out his chest and comforted Feng Ye: “Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Feng Ye. With me here, nobody will be allowed to bully you.”

Wait, what?

Feng Ye was briefly taken aback, and regarded Hao Chen with a puzzled expression. Although he didn’t know what this fish was talking about, he still thanked him politely.

Although this ‘thank you’ was only two words, it still very much satisfied Hao Chen’s vanity. At that moment, he felt that even if Yinglong himself made an appearance, he would dare to fight him head-on for Feng Ye’s sake.

Of course, this determination was very brief. After the impulse passed, he regained his senses and sighed inwardly, beauty can lead people astray.

Although Feng Ye was currently wearing a mediocre face, beauty was in the eye of the beholder, as well as in the eye of the fish.

Feng Ye paid little attention to what was going on with Hao Chen, and fell deep into thought after thanking him.

The backer behind Xue Ren…..was Yinglong?

Feng Ye had never dreamed that this would be the case.

But whether he had considered it or not, the facts had been laid bare before him. Xue Ren, with Yinglong’s aid, was defying his master in order to seize the Jianmu fragment.

Hao Chen knew perfectly well that Ji Chengyue was destined to lose, and so did Feng Ye.

Even though he had not yet rooted out the hiding place of the person behind all of this, he was unable to wait any longer.

He abruptly raised his head in search of Fang Yang.

While everyone was gazing up at the master-disciple duo in the sky, Fang Yang had shakily flown on his sword to Cao Zirui’s side.

Due to Xue Ren’s mention of Yinglong, everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to the combatants, and they completely forgot about the seriously injured Cao Zirui.

Fang Yang was the only one who remembered his friend. He asked Cao Zirui, who was sitting on the ground: “Are you alright?”

“I’m….I’m fine,” Cao Zirui replied between coughs.

His words would be more credible if he wasn’t spitting blood as he spoke.

Upon seeing this, Fang Yang couldn’t help but remember that Cao Zirui seemed to have done the same thing when they were being chased by Lu Chengye in the Floating Island Secret Realm.

Despite the change in location and the people involved, Cao Zirui was always the one getting hurt.

Cao Zirui possessed great talent and was given many good opportunities, but in some aspects, his luck was extremely poor. He clearly hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he had inexplicably become the target of Xue Ren’s attack.

“Can you move?” Fang Yang asked.

Cao Zirui nodded.

Fang Yang then helped him up and half-carried him to a corner far from the battlefield.

Although Sect Leader Ji intended to keep Xue Ren away from the crowd, swords had no eyes, and accidents could happen at any time. This situation was beyond his control, so for safety’s sake, Fang Yang took Cao Zirui a little farther away.

Once Fang Yang felt that the distance was sufficient, he stopped and turned to watch the mid-air battle with Cao Zirui.

Throughout the process, Cao Zirui’s eyes had remained fixed on the two people up above.

One was his master, and the other was his shixiong.

Before today, he had never imagined that his shixiong would attempt to kill him and even fight with their master.

Even when Xue Ren severed the spirit sword in his hand and caused him grievous injuries, Cao Zirui still couldn’t come to terms with Xue Ren wanting him dead. But then, he heard Xue Ren’s words after he lost control of himself, and felt that sword glare that was determined to take his life.

Cao Zirui wasn’t a fool. After accepting the fact that Xue Ren wanted him dead, he suddenly understood. He understood that Lu Chengye hadn’t hunted him down because he was a demonic cultivator, but because he was acting on Xue Ren’s orders.

And the bell he wore on his belt even now had likely not been given to him as an early warning system.

Cao Zirui abruptly ripped the bell from his waist and clenched it tightly in his hand. Alerted by this movement, Fang Yang briefly averted his gaze from the battle.

He saw that Cao Zirui’s lips were tightly pursed. Although Fang Yang was not very good at reading the expressions of others, he knew that Cao Zirui’s feelings at this moment were likely very complicated.

This sort of thing would perplex anyone. Fang Yang didn’t know how to comfort him, either. After thinking for a long time, he could only attempt to distract his friend: “You should take some pills and regulate your breathing. Your internal injuries from last time haven’t fully healed yet, and now you’ve been injured again. Don’t neglect yourself and cause any lingering health problems.”

Cao Zirui gave it some thought, then obediently did as he was told. No matter how his heart was in turmoil, he was too weak to move and could do nothing at this time. It would be better to rest and recover from his injuries. Once he regained his mobility, he might be able to offer some assistance.

After watching Cao Zirui take a few pills and sit cross-legged on the ground, Fang Yang was slightly relieved, and turned his attention back to the sky.

Ji Chengyue and Xue Ren had already fought dozens of rounds, their figures colliding repeatedly in the air.

Spiritual energy clashed against black mist, sending invisible shockwaves through the air.

Although Ji Chengyue did his utmost to maintain a distance from the crowd, a portion of the rippling shockwaves still reached the ground. With a flick of his sleeves, Elder Zhou used his spiritual power to raise a barrier, shielding the disciples behind it.

Everyone held their breath as they watched the mid-air battle.

The master and disciple used the same swordsmanship style, and were very familiar with one another’s strengths and weaknesses. Due to this, they fought for a long while with no clear winner.

But that was just taking swordsmanship into consideration. In terms of weaponry…..

After clashing with Xue Ren’s Fleeting Shadow, Ji Chengyue slightly increased the distance between them and glanced at Mountain Breaker in his right hand.

The blade was trembling incessantly. This was not the reaction that arose when two swords met. Rather….this sword was nearing its limit.

Even the most advanced of Heaven-grade magic weapons, representing the pinnacle of human skill, ultimately could not hold out against the power of a god.

But even though he was outmatched, he had no choice but to fight!

Ji Chengyue once again met the thrust of Xue Ren’s sword. He had said that he would deal with this traitor, but in reality, none of the moves he had made thus far were meant to kill. They had all been attempts to subdue Xue Ren.

For this reason, Xue Ren had been able to match him in terms of swordsmanship. But now, Mountain Breaker had reached its limit. If it broke, there was likely no other weapon in the mortal world that was capable of stopping Fleeting Shadow in Xue Ren’s hand.

At last, Ji Chengyue hardened his heart. This time, he accurately seized an opening in Xue Ren’s next strike. His blade grazed past Fleeting Shadow’s defense and thrust straight toward Xue Ren’s chest.

Xue Ren’s pupils contracted. No matter how powerful Fleeting Shadow was, he was still just a mortal. If Ji Chengyue’s strike connected, even if he escaped death, he would still be grievously wounded.

But he had no time to dodge his master’s attack. Just when Xue Ren thought he would be pierced through the chest, the sword came to an abrupt stop with the point pressed against his skin.

A crack appeared in Ji Chengyue’s resolute expression. He couldn’t do it…..

Although Xue Ren had become frighteningly unfamiliar, that face belonged to a person he had watched grow up through childhood. He couldn’t bring himself to kill the disciple he had raised.

Seeing Xue Ren’s stunned expression, Ji Chengyue couldn’t help but try to dissuade him once more: “A-Ren, turn back…..”

But Xue Ren was not moved by his words, and instead became even more furious.

Turn back? He hadn’t done anything wrong!

He deflected Ji Chengyue’s sword with a single stroke, then swung his blade at him while shouting: “If not for Shifu’s favoritism, it wouldn’t have come to this!”

Ji Chengyue was continuously forced to retreat as Xue Ren struck Mountain Breaker over and over again. A crack appeared, and as Xue Ren uttered that last word, the sword split completely down the middle.

Ji Chengyue watched as his precious sword, which had been passed down for over one thousand years, crumbled to pieces in his hand.

The outcome was decided.

Xue Ren was panting heavily. Although Fleeting Shadow didn’t consume spiritual power, the repeated swings had exhausted him. He regulated his breathing and refrained from attacking for the moment.

The crowd watching from below felt their hearts clench. Their sect leader had been defeated!

“Damn it!” Fang Yang cursed, clenching his fists.

Only after he had already spoken did he realize that he might have disturbed Cao Zirui’s meditation. He immediately covered his mouth and glanced at his friend, only to find that Cao Zirui’s eyes were already open.

No matter how hard he tried, Cao Zirui couldn’t calm down. Meditation was not helping his injuries, and might even cause his internal strength to spiral out of control, so he had simply opened his eyes to watch the battle in the sky while Fang Yang was distracted.

Having witnessed his master’s defeat, his heart ached more than anyone else’s.

“Is it truly impossible for a human to fight against a god…..?” Cao Zirui murmured to himself.

Fang Yang wanted to comfort him, but didn’t know where to start, because it seemed that this was indeed the case. Even with his Nascent Soul stage might, Ji Chengyue was unable to defeat Xue Ren, who had borrowed the power of the God of War. There was likely no one in the world who was capable of defeating him now.

Wait a minute. Fang Yang realized that there might be nobody in the mortal realm who could do it, but that was not the case in the heavenly realm.

Humans were unable to fight against gods, but…..another god might be able to!

Fang Yang immediately rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out the God-Summoning Token he kept at the bottom as a lucky charm.

Cao Zirui watched Fang Yang do this, and recognized the token. He had lent Fang Yang the money to buy it, only to find out that it was a scam and that the token was basically worthless.

He couldn’t help but ask: “Why did you take that out?”

Fang Yang gazed at the token and explained: “Although this God-Summonging Token doesn’t have a name on it, that doesn’t mean there’s zero chance of summoning a god. There’s no harm in trying. What if…..what if it works?”

This “what if” caused Cao Zirui’s heart to skip a beat.

The two boys exchanged a glance and a nod, in tacit understanding.

Fang Yang began the invocation with a bow, clasping his hands together with the token between them: “Please, this has to work. Ideally, this will summon a god even more powerful than Yinglong!”

An uninscribed God-Summoning Token already had a very slim chance of actually summoning a god, and the probability of summoning one more powerful than Yinglong was comparable to that of the world blinking out of existence in the next moment.

But the two held onto a sliver of hope that this desperate situation could still turn around.

“Primal cosmic energy, a universal cry to the gods…..” Fang Yang recited the first incantation.

Feng Ye, who had just completed the hand seal to connect to the bamboo slip around Fang Yang’s neck, came to an abrupt stop. Fang Yang was surprisingly quick-witted this time, and had saved him the effort of instructing him to do what he was already doing.

He remained silent, quietly waiting for Fang Yang to finish his incantation.

Unlike the rest, who were looking up at the sky, Feng Ye had kept his head lowered in order to make preparations.

He covertly drew a magic array inside his sleeve. His hand constantly shifted between movements, although he kept the motions subtle so as not to draw the attention of those around him. But Hao Chen, who was closest to him, still noticed.

He didn’t realize what Feng Ye was actually doing, but noticed that he seemed to be trembling slightly.

Although Feng Ye was mainly moving his fingers, the movement still spread up his arm and to his shoulder, which shifted slightly as he worked.

But Hao Chen attributed this movement to something else entirely.

Feng Ye had his head down, so Hao Chen was unable to see his expression. But recalling Feng Ye’s terrified reaction just now, Hao Chen’s heart squeezed.

Was he…..crying?

The word “crying” seemed to have no connection with someone like Feng Ye.

But considering the current situation, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Feng Ye was not the sort of person who would sit idly by as a person’s fate was decided, but Xue Ren was backed by Yinglong, whom Feng Ye was powerless to stop. Thus, hating his own weakness, he let the tears stream down his face.

It made perfect sense!

If he wasn’t crying, why would he be trembling with his head hanging down?

The more Hao Chen considered this, the more confident he was in his assumption. He raised his hand, wanting to pat Feng Ye’s shoulder or open his arms to comfort the man against his broad chest.

But just as his hand was about to touch Feng Ye’s shoulder, he suddenly withdrew it.

What good were words of comfort? No matter how pleasant they were to the ear, they wouldn’t change the current situation.

But….Hao Chen actually did have the ability to change it…..

Hao Chen’s hand suddenly tightened around his fan. He tapped the handle with his fingers, muttering, “Forget it, forget it.” Although he didn’t care about Lingxiao Sword Sect, he did care about the happiness of his love interest.

He experienced a sudden flash of inspiration. Yinglong had not appeared in person, but had instead used Xue Ren to seize Jianmu.

Then he could do such a thing too!

As long as he didn’t take action as himself, but instead used another identity, Yinglong would have no evidence to settle the score with him.

Although he was now just an ordinary disciple of Tiangong Pavilion, he couldn’t use this identity to make his move.

The issue lay in the fact that he had used his original face when crafting this identity. If he took action while looking like this, the evidence would be irrefutable.

He needed to find an excuse to leave momentarily and change his identity…..

Hao Chen’s eyes darted around, and he suddenly slapped himself hard on the back. Just as blood was about to spurt out of his mouth, the presumably crying Feng Ye suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He clutched his chest, feigning weakness and difficulty breathing.

And there wasn’t a single tear on his face.

Hao Chen: “…..”

He silently swallowed the blood in his throat and asked Feng Ye: “Why did Fellow Daoist Feng Ye just vomit blood despite being unharmed?”

Feng Ye was silent for a moment, then gave a couple of weak coughs: “Cough cough….it’s probably a relapse of the internal injuries I suffered before.”

Hao Chen: “……” No way would he believe that. And the excuse this fellow gave was exactly the one Hao Chen had been about to use. What in the heavens?

Despite his inward grumbling, Hao Chen regarded Feng Ye with a blank expression.

Feng Ye silently met his gaze. It came as no surprise that Hao Chen was unmoved by his fabricated excuse, because it truly was ridiculous. But the situation was urgent, and there was no time to care about the credibility of his excuse.

Before Hao Chen could question him further, Feng Ye spat out another mouthful of blood and declared in a firm and uncompromising manner: “I’m going to pass out.”

Having said this, his head tilted to the side and he began to fall.

Hao Chen: “…..”

He instinctively reached out and caught the falling Feng Ye. Even though the man had practically thrown himself at him, Hao Chen was unable to celebrate.

He stared at Feng Ye, who had collapsed into his arms with his eyes closed, and three symbols flooded his mind: ? ? ?

The commotion between them didn’t attract much attention, as most people were still focused on the mid-air battle.

Xue Ren was finally able to regulate his breathing. He raised his chin, adopting a victorious air as he advised Ji Chengyue: “Shifu, stop being so stubborn. Do you really think you can keep something a god wants?”

Ji Chengyue glanced at the shattered Mountain Breaker in his hand and remained silent.

Xue Ren waited, growing slightly impatient. His gaze swept downward, and he soon located Cao Zirui where he had moved to a corner.

At once, he pointed his sword in that direction and threatened Ji Chengyue: “Shifu, hand over the Jianmu fragment…or you will never see your beloved little disciple again.”

Xue Ren spoke with a smile, but his last few words were particularly mocking.

Ji Chengyue followed the direction his sword was pointing and saw Cao Zirui, along with his little friend.

He closed his eyes slightly. The situation was hopeless. He was powerless to stop Xue Ren.

He was willing to die, but he didn’t want others to suffer because of his mistakes.

It was his failure to raise him right that led Xue Ren to becoming what he was today.

Ji Chengyue sighed deeply, and with this sigh, he seemed to age considerably.

He took out the spirit tablet he had been carrying with him ever since hearing a strange noise in his bedroom three days ago, and before the eyes of everyone present, broke it in two.

“What does that spirit tablet say….?!” someone with good eyesight exclaimed from below.

Elder Zhou’s pupils contracted, and he murmured: “So it’s true…..”

As expected, Ji Chengyue had never forgotten his shixiong.

The man gave a low whistle and said to Ling Yun: “Your shidi is quite clever. He hid the Jianmu fragment in the most obvious place, but we didn’t discover anything unusual about the tablet when we went to investigate the first time.”

Ling Yun looked at the memorial tablet with his name on it, and said nothing.

Among the many gazes looking upward, there were a few exceptions.

Fang Yang also wanted to see what was going on when he heard the exclamations around him, but just as he raised his head, his long-absent Mysterious Big Brother suddenly said: “Keep chanting.”

Fang Yang was overjoyed to hear his voice. In fact, he hadn’t had much hope that the God-Summoning Token would actually work, and was very anxious. But the moment he heard that voice, his heart settled.

Diverting his attention from the outside world, he focused intently on the obscure incantation on the token and proceeded to recite it slowly and with difficulty: “Absolute authority, divine communication…..”

“Hey!” On the other side, Hao Chen shook Feng Ye, attempting to wake this person whose soul had wandered off to who knew where.

Of course, nothing worked.

Ji Chengyue caressed the spirit tablet inscribed with Ling Yun’s name, then crushed it between his hands.

The strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator was far beyond that of an ordinary person, and the nanmu wood in his hands became as fragile as a sheet of paper.

Among the pieces of wood that had been reduced to rubble, one piece remained intact despite Ji Chengyue’s overwhelming power.

This was no ordinary piece of wood. It could only be…..

“Jianmu!” The man stared at the piece of wood in Ji Chengyue’s hand with a joyful expression.

After one hundred years, that towering tree once again saw the light of day.

“Take it.” Ji Chengyue had made his decision, and no longer hesitated as he tossed the piece of wood to Xue Ren.

Xue Ren reached out and caught it. After so many twists and turns, the Jianmu fragment was finally in his hands. He should have been able to breathe a sigh of relief, but after obtaining Jianmu, the first emotion that rose in his heart was not elation, but ridicule.

He said to Ji Chengyue mockingly: “Shifu truly dotes on my shidi. No matter how I tried to persuade you to hand over the Jianmu fragment, you wouldn’t listen, but the second I threatened my shidi, you were so quick to hand it over.”

Ji Chengyue gave Xue Ren a look of regret, then shook his head and said: “You believe I am biased toward your shidi, but if you were to switch places today and Zirui used you to threaten me, I would still take out the Jianmu fragment.”

Xue Ren was momentarily stunned, but he quickly recovered. He asked in a fierce tone despite his quailing heart: “What are you saying? You’ve given him every good thing, so how can you claim to care about me?”

Ji Chengyue offered no further explanation. Xue Ren was trapped by his narrow-minded jealousy, and refused to see anything aside from what he wanted to see.

But when Ji Chengyue didn’t refute him again, Xue Ren did not calm down. A small corner of what he thoroughly believed had unknowingly crumbled.

Like an avalanche, the panic and self-doubt in his heart continued to intensify. Could it be that….what he had seen as favoritism was not what it appeared to be?

No! Xue Ren decisively refused to believe it.

He had done nothing wrong!

And even if he was wrong, it was because of Cao Zirui!

If he had never appeared, Xue Ren wouldn’t be in this situation today!

At this thought, he could no longer suppress the murderous intent within him. Under Ji Chengyue’s shocked gaze, he swung his sword again with more power than any of the previous strikes.

The black mist condensed into a large blade several meters long, which then shot toward Cao Zirui.

Fang Yang once again heard the gasps of the crowd, and he seemed to hear Cao Zirui beside him shout: “Run!”

But none of this was as shocking as the sight before his eyes.

He had just recited the last few lines. Having read the inscription on the God-Summoning Token before, although he didn’t have it memorized, he had a general impression of it.

The token itself was still the same, but out of nowhere, a few words had appeared at the end of the inscription.

Fang Yang stared at those words, unable to read any further.

“Continue,” that pleasant voice echoed in his mind once more.

“But….” Fang Yang wanted to inform him of the changes.

But the man paid him no heed, and his tone left no room for argument: “Read it!”

Startled, Fang Yang subconsciously recited: “Heed this call, respond to the summons…..”

Finally, he reached the last sentence, and opened his mouth to utter two words: “Humbly inviting…..”

Then his voice caught in his throat.

No matter how sternly the man spoke to him, Fang Yang was unable to speak the name. Because this name was…..was…..

As he was hesitating, Fang Yang suddenly froze. He sensed a gust of wind approaching with such ferocity that his heart constricted.

His instincts raised a warning, and this sudden sense of crisis brought him back to his escape in the Floating Island Secret Realm. This was how it felt to be on the verge of death.

Fang Yang raised his head, and his eyes widened slightly, reflecting the image of a black blade. He finally understood what those gasps were about, and why Cao Zirui had told him to run.

He saw the crowd staring at them in dismay, and also saw that Ji Chengyue seemed to be rushing to their aid, but he would be far too late. Death was imminent. Fang Yang’s mind went blank.

But within the blankness, there was a deafening roar.

“Call upon my divine name!” 

Fang Yang abruptly raised the God-Summoning Token, closed his eyes, and shouted the name with all his might.

When he finished speaking, the incantation on the token emitted a faint golden light.

But this glimmer of light was far smaller than the encroaching black mist, and went unnoticed by everyone.

The black blade swept toward him, and the sound of it cutting through the air swallowed Fang Yang’s shout.

Ji Chengyue watched on helplessly as the enormous black blade enveloped his youngest disciple and the boy named Fang Yang.

The instant it collided with them, the black mist expanded.

Like an explosion, it instantly swelled several times in size and completely obscured the figures of the two boys.

But even with the scene obscured, it was not difficult to imagine the way they must have been torn apart.

Even Ji Chengyue might not have been able to withstand the attack, let alone two teenagers who were only at Foundation Establishment stage.

They had absolutely no chance of survival.

Everyone was in agreement.

Watching this scene, Xue Ren finally smiled.

However, that smile froze as soon as it appeared.

Hao Chen abruptly turned his head to look in the direction of that expanding black mist, and a chill ran down his spine.

He hadn’t felt this level of trepidation even when Xue Ren first drew Fleeting Shadow. But at this moment, staring at the black mist Xue Ren had unleashed, he was actually afraid.

No, that wasn’t the black mist Xue Ren unleashed!

Hao Chen’s pupils contracted when he came to this realization.

The others noticed this as well.

Because the black mist was slowly dissipating – or rather, it was condensing.

The black blade hovered mid-air as if caught by something within the black mist.

The two types of mist were very similar, yet clearly distinct from each other.

Gradually, the huge mass began to condense and shrink.

Everyone finally caught sight of what had stopped the blade.

It was a hand.

A hand belonging to a man.

With long, slender fingers and a broad palm, it couldn’t possibly belong to a youth like Fang Yang and Cao Zirui.

“Impossible,” Xue Ren murmured, staring at that hand. Even a Heaven-grade magic weapon like Mountain Breaker had shattered under Fleeting Shadow. How could someone have caught the sword glare released by the blade with his bare hand?

In his terror, he repeatedly called out toward the black mist: “Who are you?! Who are you?!”

“My name is…..” A deep, clear male voice emitted from the black mist as it continued to shrink. Following that hand with long, slender fingers, more of the man’s body became visible to the onlookers.

His arms, his shoulders…..and finally, his face.

A face that was so beautiful that it defied description, yet only inspired fear.

“The God of War…..” As he spoke, the man tightened his grip and the black blade shattered in his hand. Amidst the dark, swirling fragments, he slowly uttered his name: “…..Yinglong!”

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Chapter 87 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 89