Chapter 199: The Imminent Clash with the Alliance

Chapter 199: The Imminent Clash with the Alliance

The Alliance has formed, bringing together Grand Masters from all over the Inner Domain, their target fixed on Canglan Island and the legendary Martial Arts Master.

All the major powers in the Inner Domain's martial arts world are now focused on Canglan Island's response.

However, Canglan Island remains silent, as if dismissing the Alliance's threat.

"Good, very good. As expected of the Martial Arts Master, let's see how he remains so aloof!"

Within the Alliance, a group of Grand Masters seethe with fury, feeling humiliated.

"Let's go, let's raze Canglan Island to the ground!"

Led by powerful Half-step Heaven's Pride warriors like Motong, the Empress Dowager of the Great Yue Kingdom, and the Man with the Blue Face, the strong members of the Alliance rush towards Canglan Island.

The entire Inner Domain, from the Grand Masters down to the ninth-rank warriors, is shaken by this development, all eyes turning to the battle at Canglan Island.

At this moment, the name of Canglan Island, shrouded in the legend of the Martial Arts Master, has reached even the ears of ninth-rank warriors in remote regions.

The hottest topic across the Inner Domain is the Gate of the Spirit Domain, the legend of the Martial Arts Master, and the Alliance's audacious plan to challenge the Martial Arts Master on Canglan Island.

This is hailed as the greatest event in the Inner Domain's martial arts history in the past ten thousand years.

Amidst the turmoil in the Inner Domain, Xu Yan and Meng Chong remain oblivious.

In the land of Cangbei, the cold wind howls, carrying snowflakes that dance in the sky like goose feathers, piling up on the ground. A tall figure strides through this wintry landscape.

"Can you please stop clinging to me?" Meng Chong says, his face filled with annoyance.

Zi Yun is curled up against him, resembling a small kitten.

"But I'm cold!" she mumbles.

Meng Chong really wants to pull her off and teach her a lesson, but thinking of the storage bag, he endures it for now.

"Are we almost there?" Meng Chong continues on his way.

The cold wind blows against him, but Meng Chong doesn't feel the chill. Instead, he has a sense of insight, as if one of his Golden Body acupoints is activating, drawing in the coldness of the world.

The foundation of his Great Sun Golden Body is about to reach its limit.

Once it does, it will be time for him to break through to the Tongxuan realm.

"It's just up ahead, between those two tall mountains. It's a huge canyon, and that's our destination," Zi Yun says, pointing forward.

Meng Chong looks up, seeing the towering peaks that seem to touch the boundaries of the sky. There are rumors in the Inner Domain that the mountains of Cangbei mark its borders.

Finally, they arrive at Zi Yun's destination—a canyon formed between two towering peaks. As Meng Chong steps into the canyon, his expression turns solemn.

"What is this?"

The scene before him resembles a battlefield, bearing the traces of a fierce battle between powerful warriors. Even the thick snow cannot hide these remnants.

From these traces, Meng Chong is shocked to discover that the combatants were incredibly strong, far beyond his current capabilities.

Even his senior brother, Xu Yan, who has broken through to the Tongxuan realm, would not be a match for these warriors.

"This is the place. The deeper we go, the more bone-chilling it becomes, and there are some dangers as well, so be careful," Zi Yun says, her expression excited yet solemn.

Meng Chong takes a deep breath and steps into the canyon, feeling the icy chill intensify. As they venture further, the cold seems to seep into their bodies, freezing their very blood.

Up ahead, they spot a large pit with a spirit herb growing in it.

A fifth-rank spirit herb!

Zi Yun climbs down from Meng Chong, her body glowing with a faint purple light. She carefully digs out the herb and stores it in her bag.

They continue on their way, with Zi Yun clinging tightly to Meng Chong, her face tense.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blows towards them.

The snow is swept up, forming a giant hand that slams down on them.

"Watch out!" Zi Yun exclaims in alarm.

Meng Chong frowns. This attacking palm is not an enemy, but a remnant of a powerful warrior's technique, left behind in an unknown way.

Boom! Meng Chong punches out, his attack filled with raging wind and thunder, obliterating the giant hand.

As the hand collapses, Meng Chong's expression changes. He senses a faint, familiar fluctuation—a vestige of a soul or a grudge.

He recalls his battle with Elder Wu, where he faced a life-or-death crisis. In the end, he killed Elder Wu, and on that insect, he felt a similar faint fluctuation.

Although the fluctuation from this palm is much weaker than what he sensed from the insect, and it carries a hint of resentment, Meng Chong recognizes it as the remnant of a Heaven's Pride warrior's grudge or lingering soul!

"What kind of place is this?" Meng Chong asks, his expression grave, as he looks at Zi Yun.

He is no longer the ignorant novice in martial arts. After encountering a Half-step Heaven's Pride warrior, he understands that Elder Wu was possessed by the lingering soul of a Heaven's Pride warrior.

In the past, he had killed a crippled Heaven's Pride warrior without even knowing it!

"The Demon-Hunting Battlefield!" Zi Yun exclaims in relief after seeing Meng Chong destroy the palm strike.

She had stopped at this point before, getting slapped away and suffering non-trivial injuries.

"It is said that the Demon Master of ancient times emerged from the Gate of the Spirit Domain, and other powerful warriors came here to hunt him down..." Zi Yun leans against Meng Chong, recounting the legends of the Demon-Hunting Battlefield.

...

In the midst of the encircling mountains stands a small hill, towards which Xu Yan and Du Yu'ying are walking.

"That's the entrance to the Heaven's Pride Tomb," Du Yu'ying says excitedly, pointing at the hill.

Xu Yan feels as if he is enveloped by a gentle breeze, swirling around him and Du Yu'ying. Curiosity crosses his face as he wonders just how strong a true Martial Arts Master is.

As they approach the hill, Xu Yan raises his hand, causing layers of soil to peel away from it. When a third of the hill has shrunk, a stone house is finally revealed.

The stone house's door is tightly shut, adorned with intricate cloud and mountain patterns.

"This is it!" Du Yu'ying exclaims, her eyes sparkling as she beholds the patterns on the stone door.

Her emotions surge, causing her to cough, and she takes the opportunity to lean against Xu Yan...

...

Outside Canglan Island, the crowd is in an uproar, their collective aura like a storm. The sky clears, leaving only a heavy pressure hanging in the air, as if a giant mountain is pressing down on them.

"This is so scary!" Shi Er says, his hands tightening around his serrated knife.

"Useless!" Zhou Ying glares at Shi Er, her teeth clenched as she grips her long knife.

Shi Er: ...

The red cat, who had been sleeping in the spirit fruit forest, is startled awake. Its tail curls up, and its claws frantically dig a hole in the ground, burying itself until only its eyes are visible.

Su Lingxiu fiddles with her clothes, her face pale as she gazes at the throng outside Canglan Island—an endless sea of peak Grand Masters.

And behind them are more Grand Masters.

While not every Grand Master and above from the Inner Domain has shown up, at least seven or eight out of ten have.

Such a terrifying lineup would likely overwhelm even a true Martial Arts Master, leaving them either dead or forced to flee in a sorry state, possibly even suffering severe injuries.

Fortunately, her master far surpasses a mere Martial Arts Master. To him, this challenge is insignificant.

Outwardly, he replied nonchalantly, "I never use my cultivation to bully others. Besides, I no longer have any opponents, and I can no longer experience the thrill of battle. So, I'll take this opportunity to stretch my limbs and reminisce about my invincible past."

Su Lingxiu pursed her lips, realizing that her master had been invincible for so long that he had no rivals left, and his loneliness had driven him to suppress his cultivation just to find some amusement.

"Just how high is Master's cultivation level? Big Brother Xu said that Master is almost like an existence of the Dao itself," Su Lingxiu wondered.

Li Xuan enjoyed the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, feeling incredibly pleased with himself. He stood up, twisting his waist and swinging his arms as if warming up for a fight.

Su Lingxiu was thrilled at the prospect of witnessing her master's invincible might.

Shi Er and the others were also excited, no longer worried about the safety of Canglan Island.

Led by Motong and others, the peak Grand Masters at the forefront connected their auras, merging their formidable presences as if blending into the heavens and the earth. At this moment, they were filled with unparalleled confidence.

Even against a Martial Arts Master, they would dare to fight!

Just then, over twenty figures flew toward them. Each of them had an arrogant demeanor, with a sword hanging at their waist. The one in the lead had a tall and sturdy build, a resolute face, and sharp eyes that exuded a formidable aura. He stood there like a sharp sword ready to strike!

When the Alliance members saw this group, their expressions turned solemn. It was none other than the Sword Sovereign Cliff's Sword Master, Xie Tianheng!

"Sword Master Xie is here as well. Now we can join forces to challenge the Martial Arts Master!" said a deputy palace master from the Seven Stars Academy with a smile.

Xie Tianheng glanced at them, his lips curling up in disdain. "Useless fools! Who wants to join forces with the likes of you? Cowards who only gain courage by ganging up together!

"I, Xie Tianheng, am ashamed to be associated with you!"

The deputy palace master's face turned stiff, and then he flushed with anger. Who was Xie Tianheng calling a useless fool?

The other powerful warriors from the Alliance were also puzzled. Did Sword Master Xie have some grudge against this deputy palace master?

"Xie Tianheng, what do you mean by that?" the deputy palace master asked, his aura surging with anger.

"At this moment, we are here to challenge the Martial Arts Master. Don't create disharmony within our ranks," Motong said in a deep voice.

As a powerful aura surged from the deputy palace master, his expression changed, and he restrained his anger. However, he glared at Xie Tianheng, his teeth clenched.

"Sword Master Xie, your personal grudges can wait. Our priority now is to challenge the Martial Arts Master," Motong said to Xie Tianheng.

"You old fool, you have no right to speak to me. Who wants to associate with the likes of you anyway?" Xie Tianheng replied coldly, looking down on them.

Motong was taken aback. Old fool?

"Sword Master Xie, who are you calling an old fool?" Motong's face darkened. Back when his name shook the Inner Domain, Xie Tianheng wasn't even worth a drop of his sweat, yet this man dared to look down on him?

Xie Tianheng gave a contemptuous smile, pointing his finger at Motong and then at the others. "I'm calling you an old fool. Not just you, but all of you are fools!"

Silence!

The powerful warriors of the Alliance glared at Xie Tianheng, their anger rising. The rage they had intended to unleash on Canglan Island was now almost redirected toward the Sword Sovereign Cliff.

The faces of the Sword Sovereign Cliff elders turned green. Their Sword Master was going crazy! Even if he could defeat them all one-on-one, the Alliance had so many powerful warriors!

Sensing the surging auras of the Alliance members, several Sword Sovereign Cliff elders quickly transmitted their voices to Motong and the others, "Don't be impulsive! Our Sword Master just came out of seclusion, and he might be a little unstable. Calm down! Calm down!"

"Everyone, let's focus on the bigger picture. Don't lose your rationality because of our Sword Master's reckless words!" the Sword Sovereign Cliff elders pleaded.

They were anxious and worried that instead of challenging the Martial Arts Master, the Alliance would turn against the Sword Sovereign Cliff, which would be a disaster.

Motong and the other powerful warriors took a deep breath, choosing to ignore Xie Tianheng for the time being as challenging the Martial Arts Master took precedence.

On Canglan Island, Li Xuan had a strange expression on his face as he looked at the recently arrived Xie Lingfeng. "Has your father always been this arrogant?"

He couldn't help but admire Xie Tianheng a little.

To call a group of powerful warriors "useless fools" to their faces was akin to saying, "You are all garbage," in a different context.

The difference was that Xie Tianheng didn't seem to have the overwhelming strength to back up his words!

Xie Lingfeng's face turned awkward. "Please forgive my father. He's been acting strangely ever since he came out of seclusion."

Before he could say more, someone from the Alliance stepped forward and said coldly, "Hand over the Martial Arts Master, or we will challenge him today!"

"Scram!"

Li Xuan waved his hand, and the warrior exploded into a cloud of dust.

With one hand behind his back, Li Xuan rose into the air, his eyes indifferent as he looked at the Alliance members.

"Even if you are a Martial Arts Master, do you think you can stand against the might of our entire Inner Domain?" asked a purple-robed man with a blue face, his voice cold.

"Martial Arts Master? He's nothing but an ant in the face of the might of our Inner Domain!" Li Xuan scoffed, his expression indifferent. "Alliance? I also don't use my cultivation to bully others. Today, I shall crush all of you petty people with the same cultivation level—the Tongxuan realm!"

"Arrogant!"

Motong let out a cold laugh.

He, too, had heard of the Great Wilderness Martial Arts. Theoretically, the Tongxuan realm corresponded to the Grand Master realm, and now, this man was claiming that he could crush the Alliance members at the same cultivation level?

"We can challenge a Martial Arts Master as well. There's no need for you to lower your cultivation level and fight us at the same level. Don't spout such deceitful words. Today, you will die!" Motong's voice rumbled, and his hair and beard seemed to stand on end. A blood-red light emerged from his body, and a chilling aura stirred, causing the heaven and earth's spiritual energy to churn. A mighty pressure surged like a tidal wave.

The purple-robed man with a blue face and the red-robed man with a blue face, who stood beside Motong, had their eyes widen with surprise. The other Half-step Heaven's Pride warriors also looked grave.

Motong was a notorious figure and had once been the Demon Master's right-hand man!

Among those present, he was the strongest.

"Challenging the Martial Arts Master, a feat that will be remembered in the history of martial arts!"

"The Gate of the Spirit Domain cannot be monopolized!"

The purple-robed man with a blue face shouted.

At that moment, the Half-step Heaven's Pride warriors unleashed their auras, and the peak Grand Masters prepared to join the battle. The auras of these powerful warriors intertwined, creating a formidable might that was visible to the naked eye. Waves of energy rippled out like tidal waves, causing the flow of the Cangjiang River to stop.

The water couldn't flow downstream, and a massive wall of water formed upstream. The wall of water grew higher and thicker, as if it would turn into a towering tsunami at any moment.

Even someone as reckless as Xie Tianheng had a solemn expression on his face. He led the Sword Sovereign Cliff warriors and retreated to a safer distance.

On Canglan Island, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the river. The terrifying pressure and the lone figure standing there captivated their attention.

Su Lingxiu nervously clutched her clothes, her face full of tension. Even though she knew that her master was incredibly powerful and wouldn't face any danger, she still couldn't help but feel anxious.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end