Descent

"I cannot give him any opportunities; I must have Old Liang follow me at all times." Si Borong was genuinely worried that this brat named Dongbo Xueying might sabotage him during the mission. I will spare the brat for now and not lower myself to his level. Once the mission is over, hmph, let's see how I deal with him.

A twenty-two-year-old Silver Moon Knight?

A Silver Moon Knight is only one step away from the Title-level... yet that step is like a natural chasm.

To cultivate from an ordinary knight to a Silver Moon Knight, one can rely on innate talent, resources, and powerful Dou Qi methods to break through. Si Borong, for instance, had sufficient talent and, under his family's cultivation, reached the Silver Moon Knight rank in one go, and then... he got stuck at the Silver Moon Rank!

To go from a Silver Moon Knight to the Title-level requires a high level of mental state; one must reach the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man and utilize the power of the heavens and earth to break through to the Title-level.

Unity of Heaven and Man?

Si Borong had been a Silver Moon Knight for many years, as had Tang Xiong and Liang Yong, yet they were completely clueless about how to achieve Unity of Heaven and Man.

Mages are different.

Knights rely on their bodies, while mages place greater importance on wisdom!

Mages must study the heavens and earth, analyze nature, and research many laws to master various spells. Therefore, the stronger a mage is, the more remarkable their wisdom. Generally, those who can become Silver Moon Rank Grand Mages possess extraordinary wisdom, which is why Yu Jingqiu is so stunning. To be so accomplished at such a young age, and to continue researching and analyzing the heavens and earth... in the next hundred-plus years of her life, there is a high probability she will reach the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man.

Mages master Unity of Heaven and Man through research!

But for a knight to master Unity of Heaven and Man is difficult! Many knights are rough-hewn men who have no idea how to achieve it. Thus, even though Dongbo Xueying is considered a twenty-two-year-old Silver Moon Knight, he is clearly not as highly regarded as Yu Jingqiu. Most people assume that Dongbo Xueying simply relied on his superior physical talent, cultivated without obstacles, and reached the Silver Moon Rank in one breath.

Although Dongbo Xueying's spear technique reached the Master Realm long ago, achieving a state of spiritual clarity, he has spent the last six years living and cultivating in the bamboo house on the back mountain, contemplating the nature of the heavens and earth. His spear technique has become increasingly simple and natural, yet he has still not reached Unity of Heaven and Man.

However, his powerful body grants him strength at the peak of the Title-level! Once his Strength Bloodline erupts, his power doubles.

Among those at the Title-level, he is easily ranked near the top.

"A lucky brat dares to challenge me? He truly doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth." Si Borong gritted his teeth in secret and walked back to the cabin.

"Jingqiu." Si Borong walked over to Yu Jingqiu.

"Is something the matter?" Yu Jingqiu, who was sitting there with her eyes closed in meditation, opened them.

"When we go to attack the Lu Clan castle, be careful, especially of that Dongbo Xueying. The kid is too young and impulsive; I'm worried he might cause trouble behind our backs," Si Borong said in a low voice. "Just stick with me and Old Liang when the time comes; we will definitely protect you."

"He would cause trouble? Why would he do that?" Yu Jingqiu asked, puzzled.

"Just be careful," Si Borong said without elaborating, then walked away.

Yu Jingqiu frowned slightly, looking at Si Borong in the distance, then at the black-clad youth Dongbo Xueying, who was sitting cross-legged on the other side. She muttered to herself, "They both went out to the deck earlier; could they have had a conflict? That Dongbo Xueying doesn't seem like a reckless person, though. Hmm, I hope there won't be any accidents on this mission."

She, too, felt a faint sense of worry.

"Hoo..."

Dongbo Xueying sat cross-legged, his heartbeat gradually slowing, his breathing becoming shallower, yet his perception of the surrounding world became increasingly clear. Every breath in the vicinity—Yu Jingqiu's aura, Tang Xiong's, Si Borong's, Liang Yong's, and those of the two people piloting the flying boat—was perfectly distinct. He could even sense the howling winds outside.

His heart was like still water, calm as a mirror, reflecting the nature of the heavens and earth outside.

The sky gradually grew dim.

The silver-white flying boat continued to soar through the clouds and mist.

"We're here." Dongbo Xueying gradually returned to his normal breathing, his blood flow normalizing. He looked outside and sensed that the entire flying boat was clearly decelerating.

"Everyone, prepare to descend. We will arrive at the Lu Clan castle shortly," said the Dragon Mountain Tower personnel piloting the flying boat.

"We're arriving?"

"The battle is about to begin."

Everyone stood up. Facing an impending major battle, their moods were all different.

Si Borong was taking on such a dangerous mission for the first time, which was why he had specifically brought a Silver Moon Knight guard from his family. He felt a mix of nervousness and unease, and he wanted to show off his strength in front of Yu Jingqiu.

Tang Xiong, however, was very calm; as an old man who had lived for over 160 years, he had experienced all sorts of storms.

Liang Yong was somewhat cautious, as he had to ensure Si Borong's safety.

Yu Jingqiu was on her first mission. Although she was a little nervous, a mage's temperament allowed her to face everything with composure.

Dongbo Xueying? As a combatant of Title-level strength, he felt no fear, only curiosity about the Lu Clan castle.

"Everyone."

Yu Jingqiu and the other four walked onto the deck, looking down at the majestic castle below. At this moment, the flying boat was only about three hundred meters above the ground, but because the magic arrays on the surface of the boat generated mist to conceal it, the people below could not see them at all.

"In a moment, I will cast a spell to shroud everyone, and we will leap down to infiltrate the Lu Clan castle quietly," Yu Jingqiu said. "If we can infiltrate silently and kill Lu Huairu directly, that would be for the best."

"Good, we'll listen to you, Jingqiu," Si Borong said first.

"Having a Silver Moon Rank Grand Mage with us is our good fortune," Tang Xiong added with a chuckle.

"Clang." Dongbo Xueying pulled the two sections of the spear shaft from the weapon case on his back and began connecting his Flying Snow Divine Spear.

Seeing this, Si Borong curled his lip and flipped his hand, revealing a two-handed greatsword.

Everyone was prepared, ready to fight at any moment.

"Hoo~~~" Yu Jingqiu, dressed in green robes, held a staff, and suddenly a whirlwind swept up the people present.

"Let's go down," Yu Jingqiu said.

"Let's go."

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The five of them leaped from the flying ship simultaneously. In truth, any one of them could have jumped from a height of over three hundred meters without issue; the whirlwind was primarily used to adjust their landing spots and provide concealment.

Dongbo Xueying looked down. As they descended, the whirlwind guided them toward the roof of the inner keep of the Lu Clan castle. The entire inner keep resembled a strange octagonal monster crouching there. At the same time, wind began to howl below, sweeping up leaves and weeds, making it difficult for some of the castle soldiers to even open their eyes.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.

Assisted by the whirlwind, the five of them landed silently on the roof.

"Let's go, we're going in." Si Borong gripped his two-handed greatsword, brimming with fighting spirit.

"Hum—"

The massive roof of the inner keep was quite expansive, and at this moment, it lit up with a blinding, fiery red glow. Under the radiance of this light, the five of them had nowhere to hide.

"Assassins!" A cold voice erupted from within the inner keep, echoing through every corner of the castle. "They're on the roof! Kill them!"

"Assassins."

"They're right there, kill them!"

A large number of patrolling soldiers on the outer castle walls, as well as guards stationed throughout the inner keep, immediately spotted them. Over two hundred Star-Breaking Crossbows were instantly aimed at their position! The Lu Clan openly possessed a Meteor-Rank Archmage skilled in alchemy, as well as four Meteor-Rank Knights! With such strength, the castle soldiers were naturally well-equipped.

"We've been discovered," Tang Xiong said.

"Hmph, so what if we've been discovered? At worst, we'll just kill them all," Si Borong sneered.

"Our target is the Lu Clan. If you try to stop us, you're just throwing your lives away," Yu Jingqiu said, holding her staff. Her voice was cold and melodious, ringing out across the entire castle. As she spoke, countless frost and frigid vapors manifested within a radius of several miles, and the temperature of the surrounding air plummeted sharply.

Thick frost condensed on the ground, and patches of dirt were completely frozen over. The entire massive Lu Clan castle transformed into a giant castle of frost, with every soldier covered in rime, shivering uncontrollably.

"Cold, so cold." Some soldiers collapsed to the ground, shivering violently.

"Retreat from the Frost Domain and you might survive. Otherwise, if you stay frozen like this, you will surely die," Yu Jingqiu said. She still held a shred of mercy for these weak soldiers.

"Whoosh."

Dongbo Xueying looked at the frost-covered surroundings, feeling the extreme cold, and couldn't help but marvel. It was no wonder Mage Yu Jingqiu excelled in ice-type magic; the Frost Domain she released with a mere gesture covered the entire castle perfectly, and the extreme cold was not yet at the point of killing people instantly. Such control was truly impressive.

Of course, if they remained frozen for too long, they would still die.

"Run, run!" Some of the stronger soldiers immediately dragged the weaker ones toward the exit, and servants within the castle also began to flee. Two or three thousand soldiers were left completely powerless under the 'Frost Domain,' forced to retreat. In such freezing conditions, they shivered, their fingers numb and devoid of sensation, making it impossible to operate the Star-Breaking Crossbows.

"Let's go." Yu Jingqiu held her staff while Dongbo Xueying and the other three stood around her, all leaping down from the roof.

Since a stealthy infiltration was no longer possible, they would attack head-on.

"Hmph, a bunch of idiots, completely useless." Watching from afar as the soldiers fled, Lu Huairu let out a cold snort as he sprinted down the corridor, rushing toward a secret location within the inner keep. "It seems I must rely on myself and the few protectors. If you hadn't entered, so be it, but since you dared to step into the inner keep I built, you are as good as dead."

Lu Huairu possessed absolute confidence.

His mechanisms, traps, and magic arrays... even three or five Silver Moon Knights would die here! Not to mention that a great Divine Envoy resided here, which gave him more than enough reason to be bold.