RPAGF Chapter 202 The Wind Rises in Central China
Chapter 202 The Wind Rises in Central China
Zhongzhou, Youming Mountain Range.
Deep within the mountains shrouded in perpetual black mist, a majestic black palace lies prostrate like a colossal beast.
The atmosphere inside the council hall of the Netherworld Sect was so oppressive it was almost palpable.
Twelve black iron chairs were arranged in a semicircle, but only nine people were seated at the moment.
The three empty chairs were particularly jarring.
Those originally belonged to the three elders in the Northern Territory, two of whom were dead and one crippled.
At the head of the table, the Netherworld Sect Master, Ming Sha, was hidden in a swirling cloud of black mist.
Only two points of scarlet light flickered in the fog.
"Sect Master," a black-robed elder said in a hoarse voice.
"None of the thirty-seven disciples sent to the capital of Dayan survived, and with the addition of the three elders, this debt..."
"How do you calculate it?" Ming Sha's voice came from the black mist, cold and devoid of any emotion.
"You're going to the capital of Dayan to settle accounts with Lin Chen?"
The elder choked.
"Or perhaps," Ming Sha continued, "
"You want me to personally go out of seclusion and fight a prince of a dynasty to the death, only to be ambushed and killed by that guy's endless underhanded tactics?"
Everyone fell silent.
At this time when celestial beings cannot act rashly, there is indeed nothing that can be done about Lin Chen!
Another elder spoke after careful consideration:
"Sect Master, Lin Chen is so arrogant, are we really just going to let this go? If word gets out, what will become of the reputation of our Netherworld Sect?"
"Face?" Ming Sha sneered. "What use is face if you're dead?"
"Can……"
"No buts," Ming Sha interrupted him, saying calmly.
"A great change is imminent, and now is not the time to confront a dynasty that is currently enjoying great fortune head-on."
"Pass down the order: recall all disciples currently outside the area. Activate the mountain-protecting formation to its maximum strength. No one is permitted to enter or leave without my written authorization."
"Sect Master, isn't this a bit too much...?" one elder said, feeling aggrieved.
Ming Sha's scarlet eyes swept over: "Too cowardly? Then tell me, how do you plan to fight?"
Lin Chen has at least two terrestrial immortals under his command, and one of them is at the peak of the terrestrial immortal realm.
In addition, there is a cavalry force of at least one thousand men of the lowest rank, backed by the Dayan Dynasty and supported by the imperial family's fortune.
"At most, how many terrestrial immortals are left in our Netherworld Sect?"
Everyone fell silent.
"Wait," Ming Sha said slowly.
"When the world undergoes a great transformation, when the spiritual energy has fully recovered, and when the ancient heritage of my Netherworld Sect is completely unsealed, then..."
The black mist churned violently, and Ming Sha's voice was filled with chilling killing intent:
"Settle both old and new grudges at once. Now, you'd better endure it all."
Before the words were finished—
"Report—!"
A disciple scrambled into the main hall, his face ashen white.
"Sect Master! Someone is breaking through the formation outside the mountain gate!"
The crimson light in Ming Sha's eyes suddenly intensified: "Who goes there?"
"I...I don't know! I only saw a sword aura, and the first layer of the mountain-protecting formation...is broken!"
"What?!"
The nine elders stood up in unison.
The black mist surrounding Ming Sha exploded, revealing his true form.
A face as pale as a corpse, covered with black lines, now filled with disbelief in its scarlet eyes:
"The first layer of the mountain-protecting formation can withstand a full-force attack from a mid-stage terrestrial immortal! Who is responsible?!"
The disciple was almost in tears:
"Just one person, unarmed, saying... saying he wanted to ask for the sword and seek enlightenment!"
"Seeking the sword and the way?" An elder suddenly remembered something and exclaimed:
"Who dares to use our Netherworld Sect as a stepping stone?"
"He's gone mad!" another elder thought it was absurd.
The Netherworld Demon had already transformed into a streak of black light and rushed out of the main hall:
"Follow me to face the enemy!"
……
Outside the gate of the Netherworld Sect.
Dugu Qiubai, dressed in a green robe, stood before the shattered array of light with one hand behind his back.
He looked up at the mountain gate shrouded in black mist, his eyes calm and undisturbed.
Behind him, more than a dozen Netherworld Sect disciples lay sprawled on the ground, all of them weak and listless, yet none of them were dead.
Dugu Qiubai does not kill nameless nobodies!
"The Netherworld Sect!" Dugu Qiubai spoke, his voice not loud, yet it clearly resonated throughout the entire mountain range.
"In the Eastern Region, Dugu Qiubai, a disciple of the Zhenbei King of the Dayan Dynasty, has come seeking defeat."
Inside the mountain gate, black light gathered, and Ming Sha stood in mid-air with nine elders.
"Dugu Qiubai?" Ming Sha's scarlet eyes were fixed on the figure in green below.
"You, a mere peak Celestial Realm cultivator, dare to trespass upon the gates of my Netherworld Sect? Do you really think Lin Chen can protect your life?"
Dugu Qiubai raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Ming Sha:
"Today's pursuit of defeat has nothing to do with Your Highness."
"Arrogant!" a hot-tempered elder roared.
"Sect Master, allow me to execute this arrogant brat!"
Ming Sha stared at Dugu Qiubai for three breaths, then suddenly laughed:
"Very well, since you have come seeking defeat, my Netherworld Sect will grant you this opportunity. Twelfth Elder, go now."
The Twelfth Elder, an early-stage terrestrial immortal, specializes in the Netherworld Ghost Claw technique, and has killed at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, souls.
He grinned maliciously, transforming into a wisp of black smoke as he lunged at Dugu Qiubai:
"Kid, remember this in your next life: there are some places you can't come to!"
From within the black smoke, a ghostly claw, over ten feet in size, emerged, its five fingers like hooks, accompanied by a mournful ghostly wail, as it reached for Dugu Qiubai's crown!
This claw strike is enough to crush a small mountain into dust!
Dugu Qiubai made a move.
Still with one hand behind his back.
He slowly raised his other hand and gently waved it.
A flash of light...
The black smoke that the twelve elders had transformed into solidified.
He looked down at his chest.
A thin, hair-like sword wound was slowly oozing blood.
"You..." He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
The sword mark suddenly widened.
"laugh--!"
The blood mist exploded, and the black smoke dissipated.
The twelfth elder's body was split in two and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
He was a terrestrial immortal in his early stages, but perished.
The entire room fell silent.
Even the wind stopped.
Dugu Qiubai remained expressionless, raising his eyes to look at the Netherworld Demon in the sky:
"Next."
"You...you..." An elder pointed at Dugu Qiubai, his finger trembling.
"You've been hiding your true strength! You're definitely not just at the peak of the Celestial Realm!"
Dugu Qiubai did not answer, but looked at Ming Sha again and said calmly:
"Sect Master of the Netherworld, please enlighten me."
For the first time, a look of solemnity appeared in Ming Sha's scarlet eyes.
He could sense that Dugu Qiubai's aura was indeed only at the peak of the Celestial Realm.
But that one swing...
"What a brilliant display of sword heart clarity." Ming Sha slowly descended from the sky, standing ten feet away from Dugu Qiubai.
"In my three hundred years of cultivation, I have never seen such pure sword intent. You are worthy to fight me."
As soon as he finished speaking, black mist surged out from around Ming Sha once again.
This time, countless distorted ghost faces emerged from the black mist, emitting silent howls.
The Netherworld Sect's ultimate technique—Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Souls!
Dugu Qiubai's eyes finally showed a slight change.
That's the instinctive excitement a swordsman feels when he sees a worthy opponent.
But his hands, which were behind his back, didn't move.
The next instant, the two moved simultaneously.