novelnext Chapter 416 - 408: The Calamity of the Tianyuan Sect
Chapter 416 - 408: The Calamity of the Tianyuan Sect
Cheng Xiaoxiao looked in the direction pointed out and just opened her mouth to ask, "What?"
The big boss had already vanished without warning, as if afraid she would start nagging again.
Cheng Xiaoxiao pouted, "So stingy."
After packing her things, she proceeded in the direction indicated by the big boss.
She rode with difficulty all the way, switching to skis when encountering deep snow, and after a day and a night, she finally saw signs of human habitation.
Standing atop a mountain peak, she gazed into the distance. Peaks rose and fell, majestic and vast, with perilous terrain. Amidst the mountains stood a tall city wall, and beyond it were rows of houses and pavilions extending for dozens of miles. It was a large town, possibly even a state county.
After another two hours, she bypassed two low peaks and finally reached about two miles outside the city.
Looking from afar, the city walls were equipped with bulwarks, battlements, anti-air arrow towers, ballista towers, and watchtowers.
The outer walls were clad in massive rectangular stones, more than a zhang thick.
Soldiers holding weapons patrolled back and forth atop the city walls.
At this moment, Cheng Xiaoxiao’s vision was excellent. Although the soldiers wore uniform attire, it didn’t resemble the armor of regular soldiers but rather the attire of a sect.
This was based on her years of watching movies and keen observation.
Where... exactly is this place?
She still had to go into the city and inquire.
Understanding the current situation was necessary to determine the next course of action.
Outside the heavy city gate, there was a moat over ten zhang wide, wider than typical moats. On the ground outside the moat, there were various defense spikes, like chevaux de frise, with wooden and iron spikes, extending over ten zhang.
This place was truly peculiar. Could it be a military stronghold between two countries?
Were battles frequently occurring?
At this moment, the city gate was open, with neatly dressed guards stationed on either side.
Suddenly, the thunderous sound of hoofbeats erupted.
Dust rose, and the clattering of hooves sounded from within to outside.
A tall man in a black python robe, wearing a mask, rode a black steed and emerged from the city gate.
The man’s gaze was sharp, like that of a hawk, staring straight ahead. Behind him followed a long procession of men, all clad in dark green garb, with swords hanging from their waists.
Another group followed closely.
Their strength was equally formidable, with the leader wearing a dark blue riding suit, a longbow slung over his back, and an arrow quiver strapped to his horse’s belly, filled with feathered arrows.
The two groups were evenly matched.
As they looked at each other, it was as if electric currents passed between them.
The atmosphere grew instantly tense.
The two groups exchanged killing glances, neither yielding to the other.
Time rewound to two hours earlier.
The streets within the city were bustling and lively, but in the spacious plaza, there was a solemn and serious air, as if some kind of ceremony was taking place.
Around the circular platform, gigantic pillars wider than barrels stood tall. On these towering pillars, fierce flames burned, and in the center stood a huge incense burner, with its walls carved with lifelike ancient paintings, depicting figures with fairy-like aura, sword-flying, and even riding the clouds and mist, making for quite a lively scene.
At the very center stood an elder with gray hair and a long beard, exuding an immortal demeanor, his hands joined together, holding three lit sticks of incense.
"May the Ancestor bless our Tianyuan Sect to overcome this crisis so that the disciples and descendants may continue unceasingly."
The vast plaza was filled with people. Besides the leading elders, the disciples below stood in neat rows, each standing straight and ready.
The cold wind was bleak, yet there was no sign of cowardice amidst them, their eyes shone with determined resolve.
Then, the elder turned towards the disciples.
A handsome disciple in a blue robe stepped forward with a tray.
He pulled away the red cloth on the tray and took the simple and unadorned token resting there, his eyes showing a flicker of moisture, but he quickly suppressed his sorrow, his gaze becoming steady.
Then he raised the token high.
"I, as the 36th Sect Leader of the Tianyuan Sect, hereby declare that today, any disciple of this sect who first finds the Immortal Condensing Grass shall be the next Sect Leader’s successor. If unfortunately, the Immortal Herbs are not found, the top three outstanding disciples in the Fierce Beast hunt, according to past practices, shall be potential candidates for Sect Leader."
"Find Immortal Herbs, hunt Fierce Beasts."
"Find Immortal Herbs, hunt Fierce Beasts."
"Find Immortal Herbs, hunt Fierce Beasts."
The disciples below raised their weapons and shouted loudly.
Their grandeur was overpowering, with a wild ambition for grand plans.
The Sect Leader raised his hand again, solemnly speaking of the dangers outside the border, hoping the disciples would act within their capabilities, prioritizing their safety, and ended with words of encouragement.
He summarized with the final speech.
"Conquer illness, extend Tianyuan’s glory."
The disciples responded in unison, "Conquer illness, extend Tianyuan’s glory."
"Conquer illness, extend Tianyuan’s glory."
The disciples on the plaza were emotionally charged, shouting slogans loudly.
Each was valiant, high-spirited, their voices like a great bell, their momentum like a rainbow.
The Sect Leader was very pleased.
He raised his hand again to signal.
The scene instantly quieted down.
"My fine Tianyuan lads, go and prepare, may you achieve what you wish and return with abundance."
The vast plaza gradually dispersed as the disciples left noisily.
Sect Leader Qiu Yuan silently prayed in his heart.
’May they truly find the Immortal Condensing Grass and resolve the crisis of Tianyuan Sect’s destruction.’
After concluding the celestial ceremony, the distinguished young man arrived in the dim stone cave, where the flames in the recesses of the mountain wall flickered unsteadily.
Today was the final healing session, and the most crucial one; success hinged on this moment.
"Aunt, I’m ready!" Mo Shang’s profound eyes were filled with determination.
Liu Xinyue nodded, sitting cross-legged on the prayer mat.
Her palm pressed tightly against Mo Shang’s back, a seemingly invisible white Primordial Energy passed through the acupoints and meridians on his back, slowly circulating through his organs.
The lingering trace of Dark Evil Power was slowly dissolving under the cleansing of the white Primordial Energy, visible to the naked eye.
This Evil Qi was such that even though Liu Xinyue, having reached the level of Great Grandmaster, found the method to resolve it, she could only dissolve it gradually.
This was the 36th treatment in three months, only possible due to the matching of a Great Grandmaster’s Primordial Energy with unique acupoint clearing.
Simultaneously, the white Primordial Energy was circulating through his organs, bit by bit removing the remnants of Evil Qi, rejuvenating the meridians, albeit slowly, with significant effectiveness.
As Mo Shang sat cross-legged, he felt the blockage in his meridians gradually clear, and his complexion began to turn rosier.
After a long while, Liu Xinyue finished, her eyes showing utmost fatigue.
The treatment had almost exhausted her Primordial Energy, scarcely less exhausting than a great battle. She took a Primordial Energy Pill to gradually alleviate the exhaustion caused by the lack of blood and energy.
After meditating for a while, Mo Shang felt the tormenting Evil Qi that had troubled him for so long was finally gone, and he promptly got up, turned around, knelt straight ahead, and solemnly bowed to Liu Xinyue, "Thank you, Aunt, for saving my life. Mo Shang shall never forget."
"Enough, don’t say such empty words. How confident are you in this hunt?"