Chapter 30: Annihilate the White Sword Sect!

"Walking on air?" Though Peng Shan had lowered his voice, the shock within it was still palpable.

Only those at the Nascent Soul stage were capable of walking on air. If they were truly facing a Nascent Soul expert, this ambush would surely be a perilous ordeal. Even so, they gritted their teeth, brows furrowed, and silently began to recall the rest of their fellow disciples.

"Sect Master, should you leave first? This place is enough for us to handle," Peng Hai said, looking back at Liang Chuan. Liang Chuan was the backbone of their sect; as long as he remained, the sect endured.

The other disciples nodded in succession.

"Sect Master, don't worry. Even if we die, we will make them pay for underestimating us!"

"If it is a Nascent Soul expert, we can at least drag a few of his lackeys down with us!"

"One for one is a fair trade, two is a profit. It is finally our turn to make a sacrifice for the sect!"

None of the disciples present retreated; they were far more concerned for Liang Chuan than for themselves. Liang Chuan felt a strange warmth stir in his heart as he looked at their resolute expressions. At a moment like this, instead of fleeing, they had gathered to fight to the death.

"Escape is impossible, and besides, the enemy is in the light while we are in the dark. Let us observe first." Liang Chuan rejected their proposal outright. They had not even seen the enemy's faces yet; how could they run? Furthermore, even a Nascent Soul expert was not entirely beyond dealing with. The enemy did not know they were being ambushed, so it was imperative to ascertain their numbers and strength first.

Liang Chuan walked to an open vantage point and looked toward the horizon. When he spotted the black specks in the distance, his suspended heart finally settled. They were clearly spirit boats, and from their appearance, one could roughly gauge their configuration. Spirit boats were a type of spirit artifact; while the threshold for flying artifacts was slightly higher, a spirit boat could be operated by two Core Formation stage cultivators, or one Core Formation cultivator paired with ten Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"You brat, couldn't you have been more careful with your scouting?" A relieved Peng Hai gave the scout disciple a light blow.

The disciple nodded, looking embarrassed; he had only seen something flying in the sky and could not tell whether it was a person or a flight artifact.

"Even so, the opponent still possesses a Core Formation expert..." Peng Shan spoke up suddenly, causing everyone present to fall into silence. Indeed, while the enemy had not sent a Nascent Soul expert, the gap between a Core Formation cultivator and them remained as wide as a chasm.

"What is there to fear! Even if we can't kill him, we can certainly wound him!"

"Exactly! And if there are other Foundation Establishment cultivators, we will still come out on top!"

"At worst, we fight to the death. We all have one life, and I will tear a piece of flesh off them even if I die!" The other disciples wore fierce expressions; they were not about to be intimidated. Moreover, they possessed magical artifacts; even if they could not defeat a Core Formation expert, dealing with other Foundation Establishment ones would be more than enough.

"Everyone, do not panic. I have a brilliant plan!" Liang Chuan stared at the spirit boat in the sky, a smile curling the corners of his mouth. "Besides, a Core Formation is not invincible."

In the sky, inside the spirit boat, a young man with an evil charm, dressed in white, stood at the bow. While using his spiritual power to steer the boat, he gazed toward the city in the distance below. Beside him stood a middle-aged man at the late Foundation Establishment stage. He folded the map in his hand and bowed to the young man with cupped hands: "Reporting to Senior Brother Shi, the city ahead is Nanyang."

"What a godforsaken, desolate place. I never expected the sect to send me to such a backwater to settle a trivial problem." Shi Rongxuan narrowed his eyes, his face filled with disdain and revulsion. Had he not been sidelined in the sect recently, he would never have come to such a place for a mission. It was said that Nanyang City only generated sixty or seventy thousand spirit stones a year at most—a pittance to their sect.

Beside him, Lu Kang wore a flattering expression as he chimed in: "There is no help for it, Senior Brother. With your immense power, if you were not the one to step in, it is uncertain whether this issue could be resolved at all." Despite his fawning demeanor, he was already cursing inwardly. Shi Rongxuan might look like a talented young man, but he was truly devoid of humanity, acting without scruples. He ignored the sect's rules, preyed upon junior sisters, and would go out of his way to frame or even find reasons to kill those who refused him. If not for the fear of his unpredictable temper, Lu Kang would never have acted so servilely.

Shi Rongxuan raised his hand, and Lu Kang quickly stepped forward, bowing to make it easier for Shi Rongxuan to pat his shoulder.

"Forget it. Since we are here, I might as well enjoy the local customs." He had heard that a female disciple in that small sect was as beautiful as a celestial being; just the thought made his mouth curl upward. There was at least some entertainment to be had. As for the so-called White Sword Sect, he did not hold them in any regard at all. Even if their Sect Master were still alive, they would certainly be no match for him.

"Senior Brother Shi, I have gathered some intelligence," Lu Kang said, hesitating.

Shi Rongxuan looked at the scenery ahead, not turning his head as he spat out one word: "Speak!"

Lu Kang took a deep breath, his expression grave: "I believe we should be careful. Based on the information we have, this White Sword Sect seems somewhat strange." Although Shi Rongxuan was powerful, he was far too arrogant. Lu Kang's intuition kept warning him that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.

"Oh? Are you questioning my strength?" Although Shi Rongxuan smiled, the coldness in his eyes made Lu Kang shudder.

Lu Kang waved his hands repeatedly, hurrying to explain: "I only heard that this White Sword Sect destroyed three other sects and has even begun recruiting disciples; they say their scale is even larger than before." Having always been cautious, he had carefully reviewed the White Sword Sect's files. The information was riddled with suspicious points. The Blood Moon Sect had intended to swallow three sects and had even hired foreign aid, yet they had been thwarted by the weakest of them all—the White Sword Sect—which had instead turned around and absorbed the others. Not only that, their actions had become swift and ruthless. Previously, the Sect Master of the White Sword Sect had to be humble and submissive when meeting their people, but now, they had directly taken action and eliminated their agents. This meant they were either insane or possessed some hidden leverage.

"Regardless, it is still a small sect. It can be extinguished with a flick of a finger." Shi Rongxuan waved his hand impatiently. "Do not speak of this again. Once the White Sword Sect is destroyed, Lingyun Peak will surely become the fourth branch of our Yangsheng Sect."

As they arrived over Nanyang City, the spirit boat began its descent. In an instant, the atmosphere throughout Nanyang City turned heavy. The sound of warning bells echoed through the entire city.