Chapter 204: Just Cut It Down
"Whatâs going on with the Shaoyang Sect? They took over the Sword Pavilionâs Dao Inquiry Platform. Qingxuan, go tell them to get lost."
Sitting inside a cloud-draped pavilion, the Qingyun Patriarchâs voice carried an undeniable authority. Unlike her usual hoarse, elderly rasp, today she sounded like a mature woman still brimming with charm.
"Motherâuh, I mean, Patriarch... Itâs just a platform. Let them have it. Our sect doesnât even get along with the Sword Pavilion, so why should we step in for them?" Daoist Qingxuan looked bewildered as he cupped his hands. "Besides, the Shaoyang Sectâs leader is already at Nascent Soul Perfection at such a young age. Wouldnât it be better to pull them to our side?"
"Are you going, or not?"
A wave of pressure radiated from within the pavilion.
Daoist Qingxuanâs expression changed drastically.
Just as he was about to carry out the Qingyun Patriarchâs command, a sudden force surged from the distant horizon.
The sky darkened abruptly. The crowd looked up, only to see a colossal war chariot blotting out the sun. It was so massive that it dwarfed even the floating peaks where the Dao Inquiry Platforms stood. Nine adult flood dragons were shackled to its front, their chains rattling in midair with every movement.
"Wh-Which sectâs flying vessel is that?!"
"Look at that flag... Holy sh*t, thatâs the Sword Pavilion?!"
"Wasnât the Sword Pavilion supposed to be poor? Where the hell did they get a flying fortress that bigâlet alone nine flood dragons to pull it? Arenât the demon clans furious?!"
The entire crowd gawked at the imposing Nine Dragons Imperial Carriage.
Slowly, the massive vessel came to a stop between the floating peaks of the Qingyun and Shaoyang Sects.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Nine enormous bronze pillars fell from the chariot, embedding themselves deep into the mountain below. The nine flood dragons coiled around them, locking the floating fortress firmly in place.
As the dust settled, the secret realm entrance fell into a brief but complete silence.
Every cultivator was left dumbfounded.
"Who was it again? The one who said the Sword Pavilion was broke?"
"I-I donât know..."
On the Nine Dragons Imperial Carriageâ
Chen Huaiâan glanced around and asked, "Sect Master Su, didnât you say our Sword Pavilion, as a grand sect, had its own exclusive floating platform? Where is it?"
Su Qinianâs face stiffened. He forced a smile, then hesitantly pointed toward a peak draped in Shaoyang Sect banners. "That one, over there. Thatâs our floating platform..."
"You sure?" Chen Huaiâan narrowed his eyes at the peak.
"Absolutely."
"Then why are there people on it?"
"Patriarch, they took over our platform," Yue Qianchi blurted out, clinging to Li Qingranâs arm as if eager to stir up more trouble. "Theyâre bullying the Sword Pavilion!"
"Interesting." Chen Huaiâan let out a cold chuckle.
"Disciple, hand me the sword."
Li Qingran immediately offered the Blackscale Sword with both hands before obediently stepping back to stand with Yue Qianchi.
Su Qinian hesitated. Seeing Chen Huaiâanâs darkened expression, he stammered, "Patriarch, youâre not going toâ"
"This platform is too small for the Sword Pavilion. Letâs just cut it down."
Chen Huaiâan gave a slight flick of his wrist. The Blackscale Sword unsheathed three inches, its blade humming violently. The sheer intensity of its sword intent caused the surrounding floating peaks to sink slightly.
SCHIINGâ!
A formless sword aura erupted,
Like a celestial brushstroke slashing across the sky.
Clouds rolled aside in terror. The twilight itself was torn into a cascade of fiery embers.
When the sword aura struck the floating peakâ
There was no deafening explosion.
No tremor.
Only a thin beam of light pierced through the mountainâs core.
Then, without warning, the entire peak split cleanly in two.
Its natural formations collapsed instantly. The divided halves drifted apart before plummeting toward the mountain range below.
"WHO DARES?!"
Amid the crumbling ruins, Shaoyang Sect disciples scrambled for safety. A furious roar echoed from the chaos.
A middle-aged cultivator shot forward, flames of spiritual energy bursting from his body. His headpiece had been sliced clean off, leaving his hair disheveled and unkemptâa truly pathetic sight.
"I did."
Chen Huaiâan gazed indifferently at the Shaoyang Sect Master, his thumb resting against the swordâs hilt.
"This floating peak belongs to the Sword Pavilion. If I wish to cut down my own platform, what of it? My last strike spared your disciples, but if I draw my sword again, I canât make any promises."
"Youâ!" Shaoyang Sect Master Zhang Tinghai knew he was in the wrong, but his pride burned. However, seeing that Chen Huaiâan was also at Nascent Soul Perfection, he found some confidence. "Your sect didnât show up for half a day, so we occupied the platform for the time being. Whatâs the big deal? If you wanted it back, you couldâve just asked. Why go straight for destruction?!"
"Stealing our platform and then justifying it?! Shameless! Patriarch, cut him down!"
Yue Qianchi fanned the flames from behind.
"You insolent bratâsilence!"
Zhang Tinghai unleashed a mighty technique, summoning a massive crimson palm that burned with radiant fire, aiming directly for Yue Qianchi.
He wasnât trying to kill herâjust to injure her enough to even the scales. That way, they could both back down.
After all, in recent years, the Sword Pavilion had remained low-key, avoiding disputes with other sects. Their only major show of force had been during the Ascension Tournament, and even then, the true events were only known to Lingxi Valley. Some sects blamed Qingyun Sect for it instead, keeping their grievances buried.
During the recent demon purge, he had been in seclusion, unaware of the full situation.
As far as Zhang Tinghai was concerned, the Sword Pavilion had fallen from power.
And now, with his newfound strength at Nascent Soul Perfection, he was feeling untouchable.
But he had made two critical miscalculations:
One, the Sword Pavilion was fiercely protective of its own.
Two, he had grossly underestimated Chen Huaiâan.
The moment he struck, Su Qinian and the elders of the Sword Pavilion instinctively reached for their sword hilts.
But Chen Huaiâan was faster.
A flash of cold light cleaved through the twilight.
Where he had stood, only an afterimage remained.
Seven consecutive echoes rippled through the airâeach a ghostly sword strike.
Slash, thrust, cleave, cutâeach blade left behind a shimmering afterimage of mist.
When Chen Huaiâan reappeared, the residual sword aura had already formed into drifting strands of silk-like energy.
The fiery palm was annihilated instantly. The sword aura continued, cutting into Zhang Tinghaiâs right shoulder, severing his âTianzongâ and âJianjingâ meridian points. His energy defenses shattered in an instant.
Ssshtâ!
A mist of blood sprayed into the air.
Before his severed arm could even hit the ground, it was shredded into minced flesh. Zhang Tinghai was left frozen, still in the motion of his attack.
"AHH!"
Staggering backward, he clutched his empty shoulder, his face twisting in agony.
He stared at Chen Huaiâan in disbelief.
"You... you never even unsheathed your swordâ"
His words died in his throat.
Chen Huaiâan merely ran his fingers along the frost-edged blade, still resting in its scabbard.
The slash that had severed Zhang Tinghaiâs arm...
Was nothing more than sword aura leaking from the attack.
As the twilight bathed the battlefield,
Only then did the onlookers noticeâ
A massive sword scar ran for a hundred meters across the valley below.
Its edges were as smooth as a mirror.
"If anyone from my Sword Pavilion speaks out of turn, itâs for us to discipline them."
Chen Huaiâanâs icy gaze locked onto Zhang Tinghai.
"That last strike was called
Long Wind Breaking the Waves
."
"If you donât want to find out what happens when Blackscale leaves its sheath..."
"I suggest you disappearâ
now
."