https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-116-The-Terror-of-the-Ten-Thousand-Spirit-Banner/13505089/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-118-The-Holy-Sect-Truly-Produces-Talent/13505979/
Chapter 117: Captive
Chapter 117: Captive
Guangming had some experience when it came to saving his own life.
The moment Guanghui and Lv Yang confronted each other, he sensed something was off. Lv Yang hadn’t dodged or evaded but charged head-on—a suspicious move.
Unfortunately, the Soulbinding Talisman could only be used once in a short span. Worse, Guanghui, his fellow disciple who knew him inside out, wouldn’t give him a chance to deploy the talisman and flee.
So when Guanghui summoned all Buddhist cultivators to manifest the Vajra Mahagaurava, Guangming didn’t join. Instead, under the cover of holy light, he dove into the ground and fled, using Guanghui and the others as a shield—once again. The tactic worked well. He nearly escaped death’s grip…
But this time, his escape was intercepted by someone who’d been watching the battle, eager to prove himself.
Qin Tianhe!
As the Holy Sect’s True Transmission, Qin Tianhe had mastered a Supreme Divine Ability and wielded the Void-Piercing Skyfaring Shuttle. His strength was no joke. Earlier, even surrounded by over ten Buddhist cultivators, he’d carved a path to survival. He only seemed weak compared to Lv Yang. Fully aware of this, Qin Tianhe seized the chance to demonstrate his worth.
Before Guangming could flee far, Qin Tianhe caught him.
Cornered, Guangming sighed and pleaded, “Don’t kill me! I can still serve the Holy Sect!”
“Surrender?” Lv Yang arched a brow, surprised. “With the True Monarchs overseeing the battle, you dare defect?”
This Dao Contention War was personally supervised by three True Monarchs. Though they wouldn’t interfere directly, nothing escaped their notice. Who would dare surrender under such circumstances?
In the Holy Sect, surrender meant posthumous punishment—your body burned as a warning, your soul trapped in a lamp. Reincarnation? Unthinkable.
“Senior cultivator,” Guangming whispered, “the Pure Land has its own rules. It’s not the same.”
“For us, surrender isn’t a death sentence. As long as we survive, we won’t be punished.”
“Oh?” Lv Yang smirked. “What if I sent you back as a spy, to undermine the remaining Pure Land Buddhists? Would you still comply?”
“Uh… Well…” Guangming hesitated, then murmured, “The Pure Land’s orders are… complicated. What if I targeted the Dao Court instead?”
Lv Yang burst out laughing. “Fine by me!”
Relieved, Guangming quickly added, “Truthfully, I’ve despised the Dao Court for ages. I’ll gladly serve, senior!”
Meanwhile, beyond the battlefield at Jie Tian, the three True Monarchs exchanged glances. Qingcheng Feixue, the silent True Monarch of the Holy Sect, finally spoke—a melodic laugh like silver bells.
“The Pure Land’s Shizong tradition lives up to its reputation!”
“Don’t sow discord, demon!” The Dao Court True Monarch glared, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s.
The Pure Land True Monarch stiffened, his voice low. “He’s just stalling. That Guangming is a pawn. The real strategist is Guanghai—Venerable Fulong’s disciple. He’ll act sensibly.”
“Hmph. Doubtful.”
The Dao Court True Monarch remained skeptical. The Pure Land’s origins were murky. Its founder, the so-called World-Honored One, had clawed his way to power through deceit, his sect once openly called the Pure Land Evil Sect. Though he later rebranded as the Path of Profound Joy in Quiescence, his legacy lingered.
Now, the Dao Court True Monarch eyed Lv Yang with fresh curiosity. Who was this man? He’d wanted to divine Lv Yang’s origins, but Qingcheng Feixue’s presence would block any attempt.
In the end, Lv Yang spared Guangming. From him and the Buddhist cultivators captured by the Ten-Thousand Spirit Banner, Lv Yang learned a grim truth: they were surrounded.
The Pure Land’s Eightfold Bodhisattva Disciples and the Dao Court’s Guardian Army—over a thousand Refining Qi cultivators—had formed an encirclement, tightening their grip. The Holy Sect’s disciples were trapped inside, their survival space shrinking.
As a Seventh-Rank Formation Art Master, Lv Yang understood the threat of arrays. He wasn’t afraid of numbers, but multiple formations were another matter. Worse, both sects likely had high-ranking cultivators. Not stronger than him, but as the saying went—ants could kill an elephant.
Plus, they might have hidden aces.
So Lv Yang accepted Guangming’s surrender, implanting a monitoring seal in his spirit sea before releasing him.
He’d considered turning Guangming into a banner spirit with the Ten-Thousand Spirit Banner, but unless the target’s physical form still existed—like Chen Xin’an or Su Nu—it was hard to replicate their karmic resonance. Ordinary banner spirits had distinct auras that experts could detect.
“Better to be cautious.” Lv Yang had cooled his ambitions. Even in this “beginner’s village,” he needed flawless execution to avoid disaster.
“In the Skull Mountain, with the land’s blessing, I’d crush them all. But outside it, relying only on Su Nu is tough. Even with the Yanluo Patriarch’s help, victory would cost lives.”
And that was the problem. Lv Yang wanted to slaughter enemies without losing his own men—especially after discovering how invaluable the Yanluo Patriarch was as a strategist. Every death pained him.
He turned to Qin Tianhe, his smile unreadable.
War demanded sacrifice, but if he could shift the burden…
“Tianhe,” Lv Yang asked, “how many Holy Sect disciples came here?”
Qin Tianhe shivered under that smile. Something was off. But under Lv Yang’s gaze, he shrugged. As long as it wasn’t him on the chopping block…
“Seven True Transmissions, including me. Eleven Refining Qi Perfection disciples without Supreme Divine Abilities, and over a hundred Refining Qi Late Stage cultivators with one or two potent Divine Abilities. Not sure how many survived.”
Lv Yang nodded, his smile widening.
A hundred Refining Qi Late Stage, eleven Refining Qi Perfection, seven True Transmissions—the numbers rivaled the Dao Court and Pure Land, even surpassed them. Though smaller in numbers, the Holy Sect’s disciples were elite.
Following Qin Tianhe’s lead, they soared on the Void-Piercing Skyfaring Shuttle. Soon, an array formation appeared below.
As Qin Tianhe claimed, the Holy Sect disciples weren’t weak. Even ambushed by the Dao Court and Pure Land, they’d regrouped.
(End of Chapter)
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