Chapter 197: Grand Martial Master

Chapter 197: Grand Martial Master

The headquarters of a sect were always exceptional.

The Heavenly Sun Sword Sect, an immortal sect with a heritage spanning ten thousand years, occupied a strategic position.

Although Gu Yang brought only a few people to attack the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect, they were all top-tier experts. Defending from the mountain, they could hold out against hundreds of thousands of soldiers for a considerable time.

After all, any Grand Master could be said to be a match for thousands.

As long as they didn’t exhaust their strength, it would be incredibly difficult for ordinary people to besiege a Grand Master.

"Without my command, no one is to launch an attack. Each entrance to the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect must be guarded by at least two Grand Masters. If one becomes exhausted, another must take their place.

Remember, our goal is not to defeat the besieging army but to buy time!"

Gu Yang watched the shouts and cries from below, his expression calm.

He had no fewer than ten Grand Masters under his command, along with a group of martial artists who, though not at the Grand Master level, were at least at the Viscera Refinement stage.

This force was sufficient to hold the fort for a considerable period.

Moreover, the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect was well-stocked with food and water, which posed no problem.

The location of any sect was chosen with great care. If there were issues with food and water, the ancestors of the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect would not have chosen this place.

"We obey your command!"

Gu Yun and the others immediately bowed and retreated, beginning to lead the other martial artists to guard the mountain passes.

Soon, the entire hall was left with only Gu Yang.

"This battle will show whether you can besiege me faster or if my reinforcements will arrive faster!"

Gu Yang muttered to himself.

Despite his words, his face was calm and confident.

Before he brought his people to the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect, he had made the necessary preparations. If everything went as planned, the Guangyang Army would arrive soon.

Once the Guangyang Army arrived, all problems would be solved.

"After this battle, the Nanyang Prefecture will have no more resistance. I will control two prefectures, and with Nanyang being the strongest of the four prefectures in Qingyun Province, the remaining two will be no concern!"

Gu Yang's expression remained calm.

...

Boom!

In the Iron Sword Sect, a powerful aura suddenly erupted, sending surges of true qi that shook the heavens. The terrifying natural energy converged, forming a divine sword that pierced the sky.

Everyone in the Iron Sword Sect looked up at the divine sword, their faces filled with awe.

As the sect master, Lu Ying was now overjoyed.

"The Supreme Elder has broken through!"

"This time, the Iron Sword Sect will surely rise, surpassing its former glory!"

When the Sword Daoist left for the Blood Mountain Estate, Lu Ying had thought he would never return.

But unexpectedly, the Sword Daoist returned to the Iron Sword Sect not long after and immediately entered seclusion.

Lu Ying understood the purpose of his seclusion.

The Sword Daoist had previously spent two hundred years in seclusion without truly breaking through to the Grand Master level. The chances of a breakthrough this time were also slim.

But now, the overwhelming aura surpassing that of a Grand Master made Lu Ying realize that the Sword Daoist had finally taken that step.

One step forward, and he became a Grand Martial Master.

Throughout history, those who could truly reach the peak of the Grand Martial Master were exceedingly rare.

Now, the Iron Sword Sect had produced a Grand Martial Master. How could Lu Ying not be excited?

With a Grand Master as the anchor, the Iron Sword Sect could become the top sect in Nanyang Prefecture. More importantly, it could rank among the elite in the entire Nine Provinces.

More crucially, a Grand Master's lifespan was three hundred years longer than that of an ordinary Grand Master.

In other words, for the next three hundred years, the Iron Sword Sect would have a Grand Master.

Even if such a powerful figure passed away, they could leave behind a corresponding legacy.

For all these reasons, the emergence of a Grand Martial Master would ensure the Iron Sword Sect's prosperity for a thousand years.

This was the true reason for Lu Ying's excitement.

At this moment, the celestial phenomenon did not last long and quickly dissipated.

When the Sword Daoist reappeared in the sect hall, the aura of old age that had once clung to him was completely gone, replaced by vibrant vitality.

"Congratulations, Supreme Elder, on attaining the Grand Master level and extending your lifespan by three hundred years!"

Lu Ying immediately clasped his hands in congratulations, his face beaming with joy.

The Sword Daoist smiled slightly, "I spent two hundred years in seclusion without making any progress. If it weren't for the trip to the Blood Mountain Estate, breaking through would not have been so easy."

As he said this, the Sword Daoist also sighed inwardly.

Most people thought he had only broken through to the Grand Master level and extended his lifespan by three hundred years.

But only the Sword Daoist knew that during his breakthrough, he had also successfully cultivated the Blood Refinement Chapter of the Longevity Scripture.

Perfect Skin Refinement!

Perfect Blood Refinement!

With both successes, his lifespan was extended by another three hundred years.

Thus, the Sword Daoist was not just extending his life by three hundred years; he was extending it by six hundred years, effectively living another lifetime.

After all, even a Blood Qi Grandmaster can barely live for five hundred years.

Now, with a sudden breakthrough, extending his lifespan by six hundred years, it’s as if he’s living an entire new life.

However, Sword Daoist didn’t mention these things.

He was fully aware of how significant the Longevity Technique was. If Gu Qingfeng had entrusted him with the Longevity Technique, Sword Daoist would not dare to reveal it without permission. This was not just a matter of trust but also to protect the entire Iron Sword Sect.

If they were to offend that person, the Iron Sword Sect would be turned to ashes in an instant.

Sword Daoist had no doubts about this.

The battle at Blood Mountain Manor had truly shown him the terrifying power of that Martial Saint. Even though he had now broken through to the Great Grandmaster realm, Sword Daoist knew he was no match for Gu Qingfeng.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more one could sense the depths of that person’s power.

Especially that supreme strike that had slain the evil spirit; even now, just thinking about it made Sword Daoist’s heart race.

Clearly, Gu Qingfeng’s strength had reached a realm where even gods and spirits couldn’t fathom it.

So, even after breaking through to the Great Grandmaster realm, Sword Daoist had no intention of opposing Gu Qingfeng.

With this thought in mind, Sword Daoist changed the subject and asked, "I heard that King Guangyang has already led his troops into Nanyang County. What’s the current situation?"

Qiu Ying didn’t hesitate and began to recount everything, "Not long ago, King Guangyang sent troops to exterminate the Pei family and led powerful warriors to besiege the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect. The latest news is that the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect has been destroyed, but the imperial army and various rebel forces from Nanyang County have sent large forces to besiege King Guangyang, hoping to trap him inside the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect."

"Currently, the entire Nanyang County is in turmoil, and all factions are affected. Fortunately, the Grand Elder has now attained the Great Grandmaster realm and can protect the Iron Sword Sect from any danger."

However, as Qiu Ying finished speaking, he noticed that Sword Daoist’s face had turned dark and ugly.

"You said what... King Guangyang is under siege at the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect?"

"That’s correct—"

Qiu Ying instinctively nodded, but before he could finish, Sword Daoist said in a grave voice, "Gather all the Iron Sword Sect disciples immediately and head to the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect to rescue King Guangyang!"

"Grand Elder, what do you mean?"

Qiu Ying’s expression changed, and his eyes betrayed his confusion. He didn’t understand why the Iron Sword Sect would get involved in this mess.

After all, the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect was now the center of the storm in Nanyang County, and any misstep could bring disaster upon them.

Even with the emergence of a Great Grandmaster in the Iron Sword Sect, they shouldn’t get involved.

"The reason I broke through to the Great Grandmaster realm is closely tied to that Martial Saint. I once promised that the Iron Sword Sect would serve King Guangyang. Now that King Guangyang is under siege, how can the Iron Sword Sect stand idly by?"

Sword Daoist’s words made Qiu Ying’s face change repeatedly.

Seeing Qiu Ying’s reaction, Sword Daoist continued, "You haven’t truly witnessed the power of that Martial Saint, so you can’t understand how formidable such an existence is. Even I, now a Great Grandmaster, am like a mere ant before him."

"With such a powerful ally, King Guangyang has a high chance of ascending to the throne. In today’s world, where sorcerers are rampant and martial artists are weak, the emergence of that Martial Saint will surely bring about a renaissance in martial arts."

"For the Iron Sword Sect to form a connection with such a powerful figure is nothing but beneficial."

Sword Daoist’s words left Qiu Ying in silence.

He hadn’t expected the Grand Elder, who had just broken through to the Great Grandmaster realm, to say such things.

While Gu Qingfeng’s battle achievements were indeed astonishing, they were not as impactful as the words of a Great Grandmaster.

"Alright, I will head to the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect first. You follow with the Iron Sword Sect disciples!"

Sword Daoist didn’t waste any time, gave his instructions, and then left swiftly.

He had just broken through to the Great Grandmaster realm and couldn’t sit still upon hearing this news. If King Guangyang were to fall at the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect, the Martial Saint’s fury would likely result in a catastrophic outcome.

The evil spirit from Blood Mountain Manor, if it were to emerge, could turn Nanyang County into a wasteland. Gu Qingfeng’s strength was even more terrifying, and as King Guangyang’s legitimate son, any mishap in Nanyang County could have far-reaching consequences.

Therefore, both morally and logically, Sword Daoist had to take action. He couldn’t afford to hesitate, fearing he might be too late.

As Sword Daoist left, Qiu Ying’s expression remained uncertain, but he eventually gritted his teeth and decided to follow the Grand Elder’s orders.

After all, the Grand Elder was the supreme elder of the Iron Sword Sect and the only Great Grandmaster in the sect. Even as the sect’s leader, Qiu Ying couldn’t disobey him.

Moreover, Sword Daoist’s words made some sense to Qiu Ying.

Immediately, Qiu Ying ordered the gathering of all Iron Sword Sect disciples, except for a few necessary forces to remain and guard the sect. The rest were to rush to the aid of King Guangyang, who was besieged at the Heavenly Sun Sword Sect.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end