Strong Enemy Presses the Mountain Gate, One Sword Settles the Universe

Three days had passed since Azure Cloud Sect sealed its mountain gates.

The mist among the peaks seemed heavier than usual, pressing down on the air.

In the bamboo courtyard, an ancient pine stood still, dewdrops clinging to its leaves as if even they sensed the tension thickening the atmosphere.

The sect's Mountain Protecting Array shimmered with a faint azure light, enveloping the Seventy-two Peaks. Yet this barrier, once a source of unshakable reassurance, now struggled to steady the disciples' panic beneath an invisible pressure.

"They're here!"

A lookout disciple suddenly cried out in alarm.

On the horizon beyond the Azure Cloud Mountain Range, three colossal pillars of Spiritual Energy shot into the sky. Then, a dark tide of cultivators surged forward like floodwaters, banners snapping in the wind—the insignias of the Skywind Dynasty, the Blood Spirit Sect, and the Cloud Snow Celestial Palace were unmistakable!

These were the three great powers that had long held grudges against Azure Cloud Sect.

At their head, three cultivators hovered in midair, their bodies radiating the oppressive might unique to the Nascent Soul Realm. Like three insurmountable mountains, they bore down on Azure Cloud Sect, crushing the disciples' breath into ragged gasps.

The cultivator in the center wore a Moon White Brocade Robe, his face dark and sinister—Yun Moqing of Cloud Snow Celestial Palace, a Nascent Soul cultivator.

On his left stood a Middle-aged Man clad in Dragon Pattern Armor, Zhao Lie, a Nascent Soul powerhouse of the Skywind Dynasty.

On his right was an elder robed in blood-red, Xue Shazi, a Nascent Soul elder of the Blood Spirit Sect.

"You rats of Azure Cloud Sect, open the Mountain Gate at once!"

Yun Moqing's voice thundered like a clap of thunder, echoing across the entire Azure Cloud Mountain Range.

"This Old Ancestor has received intelligence that you are secretly harboring Abyssal Demons, plotting to overturn the order of the Wild Domain. If you do not hand over the demons today, Azure Cloud Sect will be erased from existence!"

This twisted accusation instantly ignited the fury of Azure Cloud Sect's disciples.

"Bullshit! Our sect lost twenty-one Core Formation disciples and two Nascent Soul Old Ancestors fighting demons—how could we possibly be hiding them?!"

A young disciple clenched his longsword, eyes bloodshot as he roared.

"That old dog Yun Moqing was once crippled by our sect's Old Ancestor. Now that he sees us weakened, he stoops to such filthy excuses!"

The Second Elder trembled with rage, his finger jabbing toward Yun Moqing beyond the Mountain Gate, yet pinned in place by the Nascent Soul's oppressive aura, he couldn't take a single step.

Zhao Lie and Xue Shazi also spoke, their voices icy: "If Azure Cloud Sect knows what's good for it, surrender now. Perhaps we'll spare your disciples' lives."

"Don't bother with futile resistance. Today, your defeat is certain!"

Inside the Council Hall of Azure Cloud Sect, the Grand Elder stared at the unresponsive light on the Communication Jade Talisman and let out a heavy sigh. "Still no word from Wasteland Heaven Divine Sect?"

"No."

The disciple in charge of communications lowered his head, despair creeping into his voice. "They've likely already forgotten what we sacrificed at the Demon Extermination Holy City. Now that we've lost our Nascent Soul Old Ancestors, they've abandoned us."

Outside the Mountain Gate, seeing Azure Cloud Sect refuse to open, Yun Moqing's eyes blazed with killing intent:

"Since you spurn the toast and choose the penalty, don't blame This Old Ancestor for shattering your Mountain Protecting Array!"

He swept his hand, and dozens of Profound Comprehension Realm cultivators behind him instantly channeled their Spiritual Energy!

Some summoned spirit weapons, others unleashed Martial Skills—a rainbow storm of Arts and Techniques hammered the Mountain Protecting Array like a torrential downpour!

Fireballs fell like meteors, ice cones shot forth like ten thousand arrows, earth spikes erupted from the ground, and Wind Blades howled through the air!

Boom—!

The Techniques slammed into the Mountain Protecting Array with a deafening roar.

In an instant, the azure light on the array's surface flickered violently. Cracks spread like a spiderweb across the once-smooth barrier!

Half an incense stick later, with a crisp shattering sound, the Mountain Protecting Array collapsed completely, dissolving into a sky full of azure light that scattered across the peaks like shooting stars!

"The array is broken!"

Azure Cloud Sect's disciples turned pale, despair flooding their hearts like a rising tide.

Without the array's protection, they stood no chance against the siege of three great powers.

"Activate the sect's foundation!"

At the critical moment, the Grand Elder's voice rang out across the heavens.

He formed hand seals and pressed firmly toward the direction of the sect's Forbidden Zone!

Two beams of golden light shot up from the Forbidden Zone, landing on the plaza as two three-zhang-tall puppets.

The puppets were forged entirely from Mysterious Iron Essence, their bodies covered in runes, eyes glowing red, radiating the pressure of Nascent Soul Early Stage!

"These are the 'Demon Suppressing Puppets' passed down through our sect for a thousand years!"

A glimmer of hope flashed in the Second Elder's eyes. "They can be activated within the sect's grounds and fight at Nascent Soul Early Stage, but... they only last one hour."

The Grand Elder didn't stop. From his storage ring, he produced an ancient jade pendant.

The pendant bore the Azure Cloud Sect emblem—the sect's sole remaining Saint-grade Spirit Weapon, the Azure Cloud Seal.

He furiously poured his own peak Profound Comprehension Realm Spiritual Energy into the jade, and it erupted with dazzling azure light. A Nascent Soul Early Stage combat power surged from his body!

"All elders, hear my command!"

The Grand Elder transmitted his voice to everyone, his tone carrying finality. "I'll hold off their Nascent Soul cultivators with the puppets. You take the disciples and break out—save as many as you can. We must preserve the Azure Cloud Sect's spark!"

Before his words faded, he transformed into a streak of cyan light and charged straight at Yun Moqing!

The two Demon Suppressing Puppets did the same, rushing toward Zhao Lie and Xue Shazi respectively.

The battle of Nascent Soul cultivators erupted in the high sky!

"Come and die, you old dog!"

Yun Moqing summoned a Profound Grade Peak longsword, its blade light striking at the Grand Elder like a venomous serpent!

"Overestimating yourself."

Zhao Lie activated the Dragon Pattern Armor, transforming into a Golden Dragon and clashing head-on with the puppet.

"A Nascent Soul puppet—now that's a fine treasure!"

Greed flickered in Xue Shazi's eyes. He spat out a mouthful of essence blood, which turned into a sea of blood mist that enveloped the puppet, attempting to corrode the runes inscribed on it.

Boom—!

Spiritual Energy surged in the sky, laws collided, and even the clouds were torn apart, revealing the panicked Azure Cloud Sect disciples scrambling below.

"Kill! For the Azure Cloud Sect!"

The Profound Comprehension Realm elders below also went berserk, leading the disciples in a charge toward the Mountain Gate, trying to tear open an escape route.

But just then, two even more powerful Nascent Soul auras suddenly descended from the horizon!

"Not good! More Nascent Soul cultivators are coming!"

Everyone looked up to see two cultivators flying toward them.

On the left was a White-haired Elder, wearing a dragon-patterned robe of the Skywind Dynasty—Li Song, a hidden Nascent Soul Old Ancestor of the Skywind Dynasty.

On the right was a woman in a pink dress, her features delicate but her gaze as piercing as ice—Yun Wu'er, another Nascent Soul powerhouse from the Cloud Snow Celestial Palace!

"Hahaha! Azure Cloud Sect, your time is up!" Yun Wu'er landed beside Yun Moqing, looking down at the panicked disciples below with a cruel smile curling at her lips. "A thousand years—my Cloud Snow Celestial Palace has waited for this day! Today, I will personally uproot every last one of you!"

Before she finished speaking, she raised her hand and struck a palm toward the disciples below!

Buzz—!

Spiritual Energy in the sky converged wildly, forming a Jade Hand that blotted out the sun. The hand shimmered with a faint pink glow but carried a suffocating pressure as it descended upon the disciples in the square!

"No!"

The Grand Elder's eyes nearly split with fury. He wanted to turn back and rescue them, but Yun Moqing had him locked in combat, leaving not even a sliver of room.

The disciples below were pinned by the Nascent Soul pressure, unable to move a muscle. They could only watch the Jade Hand fall, despair written in their eyes.

Just as the moment of crisis peaked—

"Sigh."

A soft sigh suddenly rang in everyone's ears.

The sound was plain and unremarkable, yet it carried a strange power that instantly dispelled the despair in the air.

Everyone followed the sound and saw a figure in cyan-gray slowly emerge from the mist of the Azure Cloud Mountain Range.

It was Bai Ye, who had just emerged from seclusion!

Bai Ye stood in the air, faint mist swirling around him, his face unclear, yet he gave off an unfathomable presence.

He raised his right hand lightly and pointed faintly at the Jade Hand.

There was no earth-shattering roar, no dazzling Art.

The next moment, that sky-obscuring Jade Hand melted away like snow meeting fire, vanishing into thin air without leaving even a trace of Spiritual Energy fluctuation!

"What?!"

The five Nascent Soul cultivators—Yun Moqing, Yun Wu'er, and the others—all narrowed their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.

To dissolve a Nascent Soul-level attack so effortlessly—just how high was this cyan-gray figure's cultivation?

Bai Ye gave them no time to react.

He took the Purple Firmament Sword from his storage ring and flicked his wrist.

A dazzling golden sword light burst forth!

This strike had no unnecessary flourishes, but it contained the Profound Meaning of heaven and earth's laws. The sword light spread out, instantly covering the entire sky above the Azure Cloud Mountain Range!

The world seemed to hold only this one sword light, even the sun's radiance was eclipsed!

One sword, like ten thousand swords!

Heaven and earth were nothing but sword light!

"No—!"

Yun Wu'er let out a piercing scream. She tried to mobilize her Spiritual Energy to defend herself, but found her body locked by the sword light, unable to move even a finger.

The golden sword light swept past. Five Nascent Soul cultivators and dozens of Profound Comprehension Realm cultivators were instantly devoured by the light, turning into ash that scattered through the sky, not even their souls left behind!

The sword light faded. The sky returned to calm.

As if the earth-shattering battle moments ago had never happened.

Below, all the elders and disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect stood frozen.

Their faces were filled with disbelief.

Bai Ye's figure flickered, and he appeared beside the Grand Elder.

By now, the Grand Elder's Spiritual Energy was completely spent, his Dao Body on the verge of collapse, blood constantly seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Bai Ye took a gleaming white Ninth-Rank Pill from his storage ring and handed it over. "Take this. It will restore your Dao Body."

The Grand Elder accepted the pill, feeling the vast medicinal power within it, his eyes filled with shock.

A Ninth-Rank Pill—even in the Wasteland Heaven Divine Sect, it was a treasure hard to come by!

He was about to thank him when Bai Ye took out a Jade Bottle and handed it over. "Inside are five Heavenly Infant Pills. They can help a Tongxuan peak expert break through to the Nascent Soul Realm."

"Heavenly Infant Pills?!" The Grand Elder opened the Jade Bottle, and a surge of pure spiritual energy rushed out. His hands trembled with excitement. "Senior, this... this is far too precious!"

"The Azure Cloud Sect cannot be without a Nascent Soul Realm expert," Bai Ye said calmly. "Continue sealing the mountain. Let the promising elders break through. Only when there are enough Nascent Soul Realm experts should you reopen the Mountain Gate."

With that, his figure flickered and vanished into the mist, leaving behind only a casual remark: "If trouble arises in the future, you may crush this talisman, and I will know."

A pale-gold talisman fell into the Grand Elder's hand.

The Grand Elder, along with the other elders and disciples, gazed in the direction where Bai Ye had disappeared. They all bowed in unison, their voices respectful and resonant: "Thank you, Senior! Farewell, Senior!"

Sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling across the Azure Cloud Mountain Range.

Despair faded, and hope rekindled in the disciples' eyes.

They did not know who that mysterious senior was.

But they knew—the Azure Cloud Sect had been saved!

If you find this book enjoyable, to avoid losing track of it next time, please remember to add it to your bookshelf.