Sword in the Clouds

West of the Spirit Source Great Marsh lay the unbroken Yanran Mountain Range.

They stretched across both Feng'an and Qiyuan.

The Yanran Mountain Range was magnificent and vast, a common territory shared by the nearby sects. Countless spiritual herbs and spirit medicines grew there, along with no small number of Demon Beasts and spirit beasts.

Several independent sects lay nearby. Among those of any renown, besides the Purple Sun Sect to which Ke Huai belonged, there was also the Mystic Wonder Sect. Each had a Golden Core Realm cultivator presiding over it.

Disciples of the various sects usually hunted Demon Beasts or gathered spirit medicines and other spiritual materials in the mountains to complete sect missions and commissions.

But apart from the great Dongyuan Sect, the smaller sects all had their own conflicts and friction. Expecting cultivators to greet each other cordially was rather unlikely.

"The disciples of the Mystic Wonder Sect are especially unusual. They're deeply hostile toward us Dongyuan Sect disciples."

In the Yanran Mountain Range, below Rosy Cloud Peak.

An honest-looking boy walked through the woods with two other Dongyuan Sect disciples, a boy and a girl.

The honest-looking boy earnestly explained the situation in the Yanran Mountain Range to the other two.

"Senior Sister said that when we come out to gather herbs, we must watch out for cultivators from other sects. We need to be especially careful of this Mystic Wonder Sect."

"The founder of the Mystic Wonder Sect was a disciple of a major sect in another country. Later, for certain reasons, he was expelled from his sect. Only then did he travel all the way here and establish the Mystic Wonder Sect."

"Mm." The other male cultivator nodded and picked up the thread. "I've heard about that too."

"The Mystic Wonder Sect claims to be the orthodox heir of the Daoist tradition. They think everything other sects practice is low-class stuff, crooked paths and backdoor arts."

"Every disciple there has eyes set high above their abilities. They inherited neither the traditions nor the integrity of a great sect. Instead, their rotten habit of looking down on others has grown worse with every generation."

"Back then, although the land east of the Spirit Source Great Marsh had no owner, the Mystic Wonder Sect had long had designs on it."

"Just then, our sect master arrived here, intending to establish a sect."

"The elders of several sects joined forces and came knocking. Our sect master fought them all alone and wiped out a Golden Core Realm cultivator with a single stroke. The Mystic Wonder Sect was nearly destroyed over it."

"That grudge has lasted more than three hundred years..."

Unexpectedly, the girl among them chuckled, revealing two little pointed canine teeth.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you!"

She really was not joking. Of the three, only this girl had reached Qi Refining, Third Layer. Both boys were only at the second layer of Qi Refining.

If they actually exchanged blows, the two lads together might not even be a match for this thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl.

Their destination this time was a low-grade medicinal herb called spirit cloud grass. According to the map in the honest-looking boy's hands, plenty grew on Rosy Cloud Peak.

Walking and stopping along the way, they reached the top of Rosy Cloud Peak as they chatted.

"Wow..."

All three were stunned on the spot by the radiant scenery.

The mountains before Rosy Cloud Peak were surrounded by dense forests. The terrain was lower and not far from Spirit Source Marsh, leaving the air heavy with moisture and wreathed in clouds and mist.

The rain had just stopped, and the morning sun was rising.

Clouds billowed and rosy light spread, like an immortal realm. This was precisely how Rosy Cloud Peak had earned its name.

Immersed in the beautiful scenery, the three failed to notice the Cat Yao concealed in the dense woods behind them, which had already marked them as prey.

"Grr..."

A low growl sounded behind them. Only when they turned did they discover that three Demon Beasts-two wolves and a cat-had surrounded them at the cliff's edge.

"Oh no! Mist Shadow Wolf Demons and a Ghost Shadow Cat Demon!"

The honest-looking boy cried out and instinctively shielded the girl behind him.

Mist Shadow Wolf Demons and Ghost Shadow Cat Demons were not particularly formidable Demon Beasts. The three facing them were all at the early stage of the first tier.

But at the same cultivation level, Demon Beasts possessed physical strength far beyond that of human cultivators, naturally giving them the upper hand in a fight.

And what was more...

There were three of them.

"A-Yu! Go!"

Unexpectedly, under the pressure of death, the girl's thoughts were exceptionally clear, and she acted without the slightest hesitation.

Three streams of water formed from the ground at once and wound around the ankles of the three Demon Beasts.

With the least expenditure, she caused her opponents the most trouble.

The honest-looking boy did not stand idle either. A white talisman activated in his hand, flew into the sky, and burst into white radiance.

This was a distress signal. If any kindhearted fellow disciples saw it, they would come here to help.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The powerful impact and momentum snapped the streams of water, but that supple force still brought the Demon Beasts' advance to an abrupt halt.

The girl had not expended much vital Qi.

"Run!"

The three tried to scatter and flee.

But the platform at the summit of Rosy Cloud Peak was simply too small. All three Demon Beasts were agile, and with a few bounds, they surrounded the three again.

So fast!

Their hearts sank, and each began forming a Method Formula with their hands.

The Wolf Demons easily dodged blade after blade of wind. With a swipe of a sharp claw, one forcibly stamped out an incoming Fireball Technique.

"This..."

The two Wolf Demons pounced together, tangling with the three in combat.

The other young male cultivator shouted, "Yuerong, stall for as long as you can! Don't risk your life. A-Yu has already sent the distress signal. Fellow disciples will come to help!"

"..."

Though he said that, all three knew perfectly well that the chances of someone following the distress signal to rescue them were very low.

Despair rose in their hearts.

"Hraa-"

A cold, sinister sound, carrying the rank smell peculiar to demons, came from beside Yang Yuerong's ear.

!?

The chill taste of death spread from her numb hands all the way to the back of her head.

Her survival instinct made her turn her head without thinking.

But...

There was nothing there.

"Hraa..."

The cold, sinister sound still came from behind her.

Yang Yuerong's heart plunged into an abyss.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sharp claw gleaming jet-black easily tear through her protective spiritual power at an almost ghostly speed and strike toward her neck.

"Yuerong!!!"

Hum-

At that very moment, streaks of incomparably sharp Sword Qi suddenly appeared on the scene.

Shhk.

A humming rang out as a streak of Sword Qi easily severed the Ghost Shadow Cat Demon's outstretched claws.

Then the Cat Yao's entire forelimb was severed along with them. The wound was perfectly smooth and even looked as though it should not hurt too much.

Pfft...

Warm, crimson Demon Beast blood gushed out, splashing down before the three stunned disciples.

"Haa-"

The Cat Yao lay on the ground, howling in pain.

Then an inexplicable force slowly lifted all three demons into the air.

More than a dozen streaks of white sword light circled rapidly around them, trailing afterimages.

Shhk.

At one instant, a sword shadow pierced a Wolf Demon's chest.

Then it abruptly dissipated.

A second...

A third...

The three demons were repeatedly pierced by sword shadows in midair.

The remaining white sword shadows spinning in the air revolved faster and faster, until, at a certain moment, they shot into the clouds.

High among the clouds, the sword shadows merged into one and suddenly plunged toward the three still-struggling Demon Beasts.

Boom!!!

Violent Sword Qi erupted atop Rosy Cloud Peak. Waves of air swept up the mist among the clouds and rolled outward in an expanding ring.

The three could not help looking away to avoid the dust.

"..."

A moment later, the dust settled.

All three looked toward the cliff...

They saw streaks of white sword light trailing afterimages as they circled and converged in the air, finally gathering into a Flying Sword that hovered before a young male cultivator.

The Sword in the Clouds descended. It was none other than Song Yan!

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