Chapter 372: The First Sword of the Great Tang Dynasty (Part 1)

Chapter 372: The First Sword of the Great Tang Dynasty (Part 1)



A middle-aged Taoist priest, dressed in plain cloth and straw sandals, with his hair loose instead of tied in a topknot, appeared before them.

Fang Jingsheng, the Fang Clan, and Xiao Hang of the Xiao Clan from beyond Longwai, were all stirred by the sight.

"Chen Donglou of the Shushan Sect," they whispered.

This man was still alive.

However, no one knew why he hadn't shown himself during the previous unrest caused by the Shushan Sect in the Yellow Springs, despite being the de facto number one expert of the Shushan Sect in the Great Tang.

Not only had Tang Xiatang and the Vajra Sect Master arrived at the time, but even without other reinforcements, Chen Donglou, given his temperament and character, should not have been afraid.

"Wasn't he in the mortal realm back then?" They wondered. Ever since he left Shushan, this man had become quite mysterious, and his strength was formidable. In the current situation in the Great Tang mortal realm, he was an unpredictable variable... The Fang Clan members exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of this development.

Someone else noticed that after Chen Donglou's appearance, the Grand Preceptor of Tang, who came from the Celestial Master's Mansion, was staring at him intently.

Everyone became aware of the past connection between the Shushan Elder, Chen, and the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion...

"What is it?" Chen Donglou turned calmly and looked at Tang Xiatang.

Tang Xiatang's eyes sparkled as she held his gaze, her face taut, but she didn't say anything.

Zhang Taigan stepped forward and said, "Master Chen, with the Yellow Springs heretics before us, those who regard human lives as insignificant are the greatest enemies of our sect..."

Chen Donglou's expression remained unchanged. "There's no need to worry. The Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion no longer has the Li family of Xinzhou. Even if there were grudges in the past, they would have been settled long ago. However, if the Daoists of Dragon and Tiger Mountain wish to teach me a lesson, I am ready anytime."

Behind Zhang Taigan, Ji Chuan and Xie Yiyi couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Several intermediate Shushan cultivators felt cold sweat break out on their backs.

Their Master Chen, or rather, their grandmaster, truly lived up to his name as the "Shushan Madman."

With his demeanor, nothing could become something, and a minor issue could escalate.

Especially since the Grand Preceptor of Tang, standing opposite him, was known for his short temper as well...

As worry crept into their hearts, their gazes turned to Tang Xiatang.

But instead of losing her temper, Tang Xiatang stared intently at Chen Donglou and nodded. "I believe that day is not far off."

She then turned her attention to the ground below. "For now, let's deal with these scoundrels from the Yellow Springs."

While some of the group heaved a sigh of relief, others secretly regretted the missed opportunity for a confrontation.

"Do you think you can steal our Qingxiaofu and get away with it?" Chen Donglou asked, his voice carrying a hint of displeasure.

He waved his hand, and seven flying swords appeared, shooting toward the ground.

The earth trembled violently, and a rolling mist rose from the ground like a gushing spring.

Tang Xiatang wanted to scoff at the display.

Lei Jun had indeed achieved a natural level of understanding.

At this point in time, he had caught up and even surpassed her.

Tang Xiatang knew exactly who this "Chen Donglou" was.

He appeared to be using the techniques of the Daoist Refiners, but in reality, he was employing the profound methods of the Daoist Talisman Sect.

It wasn't easy for the Shushan Sect in the Yellow Springs to set up the Great Yin and Yang Nine Palaces Immortal Formation. They needed a large amount of array materials, which meant they didn't have a proper way to block their retreat this time.

Even so, it would still take a long time to restore the Gate of the Yellow Springs and break through it again.

However, Lei Jun, with his insight, was like a butcher skillfully dissecting a cow, unraveling the mysteries and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Everything happened at an astonishing speed.

If it weren't for Fang Jingsheng, a ninth-level grand scholar, who forced Lei Jun to conceal his true abilities, he would have opened the Gate of the Yellow Springs even faster.

Seeing this, Tang Xiatang waved her hand.

A treasure seal, distinct from the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Seal, appeared.

As the treasure seal emerged, it seemed to resonate with the mountains and rivers, causing them to tremble.

Although they were currently outside the Great Tang territory, the underlying energy of the land was still affected.

"The Grand Preceptor Seal of the Great Tang," murmured the Fang Clan of Jingxiang and Xiao Hang of the Xiao Clan beyond Longwai.

When the seal was first forged and Tang Xiatang was first appointed Grand Preceptor, the amount of national fortune she could tap into was limited.

But now, with the Empress residing in Chang'an and the Grand Preceptor touring the country on the Emperor's behalf, the amount of national fortune, earth veins, and dragon energy she could access had become quite substantial.

Although it was still not as strong as the Emperor and the Crown Prince, who were empowered by the Imperial Technique, the Grand Preceptor of Tang was now a force to be reckoned with.

The Grand Preceptor Seal had also become a valuable treasure.

With this treasure in her possession, Tang Xiatang was able to face off against Ji Yao, the holder of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, and still protect Shushan Elder Ye Dongming.

At this moment, she didn't want "Chen Donglou" to have all the glory, so she, too, struck with the Grand Preceptor Seal, aiming at the rolling mist of death energy gushing from the ground.

"Chen Donglou" seemed nonchalant, as if he didn't care about the situation at all.

With their combined efforts, the sealed void gate reopened.

"With unrest on all four sides of the Great Tang and uncertainty in the Yellow Springs, I shall remain in the mortal realm to prevent any mishaps elsewhere," Fang Jingsheng said calmly. "Please be vigilant, fellow Daoists. If something goes awry, feel free to return to the mortal realm, and we can discuss our next steps."

Xiao Hang glanced at him and, after a moment's thought, spoke up. "What Mister Tianliu says makes sense. I, Xiao Hang, will also stay here. If something goes wrong, I can assist you, fellow Daoists."

Zhang Taigan and the others nodded slightly in response.

Although the Fang Clan of Jingxiang and their cultivators had fought hard during the two confrontations with the heretics from the Yellow Springs, the current situation in the Great Tang was complex and ever-changing, prompting everyone to be more cautious.

Compared to the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, Xiao Hang of the Xiao Clan beyond Longwai was more trustworthy.

With him and the Sword of Righteousness guarding the void gate, everyone felt much more relieved.

"As you wish," said "Chen Donglou," his tone indifferent.

Tang Xiatang, on the other hand, had already charged into the Yellow Springs without hesitation!

"Chen Donglou" recalled the Seven Star Sword and followed suit, walking into the gate with his hands behind his back.

Zhang Taigan immediately called for Ji Chuan and Xie Yiyi to follow him inside.

Ye Dongming, Ji Dongquan, and the other Shushan elders stood guard outside the void gate alongside Xiao Hang.

Fang Jingsheng, Fang Shihan, and the other Fang Clan experts did the same.

......

At this moment, the Underworld was far from peaceful.

The battle had reached the Shushan Sect's mountain gate in the inner realm.

Elder Tian Lingfeng, a Ninth Heaven Peak master of the Inner Shushan Sect, was left in charge. He gathered the remaining disciples, rang the Five Declines Grand Dao Bell, and, together with the sturdy Spirit City, managed to keep the powerful enemies at bay.

"Who dares to disobey the Headmaster's orders and secretly go to the Great Song realm to capture exotic beasts?" Elder Tian asked, his expression grim as he glanced at his disciples.

Everyone denied it.

Elder Tian's heart was heavy.

At this moment, two groups of people were attacking Spirit City like tidal waves.

One group consisted of foreign warriors, mostly martial artists—mounted warriors, body refiners, and weapon users. Their numbers were vast, and their vigorous life force seemed to warm the icy Underworld.

The other group was relatively smaller, but their chanting echoed through the land, and their mystical arts countered the Underworld's death energy.

They were dressed as Western monks.

However, Elder Tian knew that they were not from the Sumeru Kongkong Order, with whom the Inner Shushan Sect had previously clashed in the Great Song realm.

They were disciples of the Sumeru Lotus Order, another branch of the five orders of the Sumeru Kongkong Realm.

And they had come from the Great Song realm.

Perhaps it could no longer be called the Great Song realm.

The Great Song Empire had practically fallen.

The Golden Horde had successfully invaded the southern lands, waging war on Song territory.

The Sumeru Lotus Order was their ally.

The Inner Shushan Sect had previously instructed its members not to conflict with the Golden Horde.

Although the Spirit Beast Mirror's sacrifice and nourishment required a large number of exotic beasts' souls and flesh, the timing was not right.

The Inner Shushan Sect did not intend to provoke both the Great Tang Empire and the Golden Horde.

Either someone had secretly defied the order, or the Inner Shushan Sect's secret absorption of people during the Great Song realm's turmoil had been too large-scale, eventually attracting the Golden Horde's attention.

Now that the Great Song Empire had become a thing of the past, the Golden Horde and the Sumeru Lotus Order had sent experts to investigate.

The monk and the martial saint from the Golden Horde who were currently attacking Spirit City with full force made Elder Tian Lingfeng extremely vigilant.

"This place is truly detestable." Angge Aser, the chieftain of the Golden Horde's Wuda tribe, gazed coldly at Spirit City.

Beside him stood the master of the Sumeru Lotus Order, Master Dan Ta.

Master Dan Ta spoke, "As far as I know, there should be other experts in this Underworld Shushan..."

Angge Aser replied, "We attack first. It would be best if we take it down. If we can't, we'll hold our ground and report back to the Great Khan. Our brave warriors are conquering the world. How can we allow these rebels to cause trouble behind us?"

Master Dan Ta believed that the Taoist cultivators from the Great Tang, who had previously caused turmoil in Sumeru, were a greater threat. He thought it might be better to let the Inner Shushan Sect continue to stir up trouble in the Great Song realm. However, the Golden Horde had other considerations, and he did not object.

So he nodded and said, "Very well."

Then, Master Dan Ta and Angge Aser of the foreign tribe joined forces to attack Spirit City.

With Elder Tian Lingfeng of the Inner Shushan Sect guarding the city and the Five Declines Grand Dao Bell by his side, there was no need to worry for the time being.

However, this meant that a large area outside Spirit City in the Underworld was now within the range of the enemy's rampage.

Considering that there were many crucial gardens among them, if any of them were lost, the Inner Shushan Sect would suffer a significant loss. Elder Tian had no choice but to contact Ji Yao, Li Linxue, Lu Changpeng, and other Shushan experts for reinforcements.

......

Lei Jun, disguised as "Chen Donglou," entered the Underworld and adapted to the environment, which was vastly different from the mortal realm, while keeping a close eye on the terrain.

As he surveyed the desolate landscape of the Underworld, a sense of familiarity began to settle in. This was not due to his enhanced intuition alone, which had reached a natural level, but also because the path he had taken to enhance his intuition involved traveling between the Spirit Realm and the Underworld.

Thus, with the same natural level of intuition, he was able to familiarize himself with the Underworld much faster and more efficiently than Master Sister Yuan Zhen.

At this moment, a grayish-white expanse spread out before him, cold and desolate, devoid of any signs of life or warmth, and even silent.

However, Lei Jun quickly discerned the location of the Abyss of Still Waters and informed his Junior Sister, Tang Xiaotang.

Tang, as the Grand Preceptor, had her own insight into the heavens and earth, allowing her to track down Ji Yao and the others despite her lack of knowledge about the topography of the Underworld.

The direction Lei Jun indicated, however, was different from Tang's.

"Let's split up and pursue them!" Tang suggested. "Ideally, we can ambush them from both fronts and flank them!"

Lei Jun did not object, but he discreetly handed over the Master Teacher's Sword to Tang, making sure that Zhang Taigan and the others remained unaware of his actions.

His incarnation as "Chen Donglou" then made his way towards the Abyss of Still Waters.

Zhang and the other Shushan disciples naturally followed their Master Uncle.

"Chen Donglou" didn't mind their presence and, upon reaching the Abyss of Still Waters, began studying the unique geographical features, quickly formulating a plan in his mind.

Ji Yao, Li Linxue, and the others entered the Underworld and made their way back to the City of the Dead.

They did not take the route through the Abyss of Still Waters.

Currently, there was no one at this location.

However, as the fortune slip had indicated, if things were handled appropriately, there might be some gains to be made.

Such gains could only be achieved by someone special, perhaps someone with exceptional strength who had also refined the Ascending Spirit Tablet and studied the secrets of both the Spirit Realm and the Underworld.

Thus, the Nine Abysses of the Underworld soon underwent a tremendous transformation.

Originally on their way to the City of the Dead via a different path, Ji Yao and the others suddenly felt their entire bodies shake.

Then, they witnessed the dark energy of the Underworld stir violently, as if the world were turning upside down.

Aside from Ji Yao and Li Linxue, who managed to stabilize their positions, even someone as skilled as Lu Changpeng was tossed about by the upheaval of the Nine Abysses.

The waters of the River of Forgetfulness surged wildly on their own, sweeping across the land in all directions.

Ji Yao relied on the Divine Boat of White Bone to protect everyone.

However, when the River of Forgetfulness flooded, it caused a brief spatial disorientation in the surrounding area.

Not too far away, golden lightning flashed amidst the chaos.

Their old arch-nemesis, Tang Xiaotang, let out a loud laugh as she seized the opportunity and charged towards them without hesitation.

A similarly massive golden divine boat sailed alongside the River of Forgetfulness.

As Ji Yao and Tang stabilized their respective vessels, the Divine Boat of White Bone and the Pure Yang Divine Boat, they discovered that the landscape before them had transformed.

While Tang was a stranger to this place, Ji Yao, Li Linxue, and the others were shocked to find themselves at the Abyss of Still Waters.

It was still within the Underworld, but how had they been transported here?

Lu Changpeng and the others were filled with confusion as they wondered about the extent of their opponent's powers.

However, with the enhancement of their red dust energy, Ji Yao and Li Linxue quickly calmed their minds and spirits.

They soon realized that it wasn't solely due to the prowess of their opponent.

Rather, their opponent had, to some extent, influenced the Nine Abysses of the Underworld.

The Li Clan of Rishu Mountain had been cultivating in the Underworld for many years, gaining a profound understanding of this realm.

Ji Yao quickly took action to stabilize the Underworld, ensuring that they wouldn't suffer the same setback twice.

However, he also realized one thing...

"The person who previously caused turmoil in the Underworld has entered."

Ji Yao's gaze swept across Tang Xiaotang, "Chen Donglou," and the Shushan disciples who had appeared from the Abyss of Still Waters.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to dwell on this matter further.

The City of the Dead was still under siege.

It was truly exasperating.

Standing atop the Divine Boat of White Bone, Ji Yao still maintained a firm grasp on the trajectory of the Seven Star Sword, infusing it with his divine energy.

However, the outcome was not as effective as he had hoped.

With his vast knowledge and experience, Ji Yao was still taken aback by what happened next.

The rapidly flying sword accurately struck the Divine Boat of White Bone.

The massive boat trembled slightly.

But with Ji Yao's presence, the boat remained intact despite the impact.

However, the boat suddenly came to a halt in mid-air, followed by more violent tremors.

Finally, the boat glowed, emitting a pale radiance that gradually transformed into a majestic clear light.

Then, a seemingly equally massive figure emerged from within the boat, detaching itself from the Divine Boat of White Bone.

The other Shushan disciples were elated at the sight, exclaiming, "Qingxiaofu!"

The enormous shadow, bathed in a boundless glow, resembling a mountain, was none other than the treasured Qingxiaofu of the Great Tang Shushan Sect, which had been lost previously.

This treasure had been retrieved by Ji Yao with the help of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, and it had temporarily fused with the Divine Boat of White Bone. On the one hand, Ji Yao could personally refine and suppress it slowly, and on the other hand, it also made the Divine Boat of White Bone temporarily more sturdy.

Who would have thought that in their first encounter, it would be knocked off by someone?

Ji Yao looked up sharply at the distant "Chen Donglou."

What kind of eyesight did this person possess? But before he could react further, his vision was obscured by a mix of golden, purple, and green lights.

Tang Xiaotang, shrouded in yin fire, drove the Pure Yang Divine Boat forward once more, colliding with the White Bone Divine Boat head-on.

Her cultivation had been steadily improving, and the Pure Yang Divine Boat, despite being enveloped in yin fire, retained its pure yang essence. Instead of forming the Yin-Yang Tai Chi diagram, the interplay of yin and yang created a harmonious balance.

Ji Yao's gaze turned cold as he quickly stabilized the White Bone Divine Boat, which had almost fallen apart a moment ago, preparing to face Tang Xiaotang's Pure Yang Divine Boat.

The Pure Yang Divine Boat halted abruptly upon impact, while the White Bone Divine Boat remained unwavering.

However, Tang Xiaotang immediately struck again with her sword.

Ji Yao summoned a multitude of White Bone Divine Demons from his boat, but these demons suddenly ignited, emitting a pale flame.

The pale flames converged into a pillar of light, solid as a physical entity, and confronted Tang Xiaotang's Heaven Master Sword head-on.

On the other hand, Li Linxue did not insist on fighting Tang Xiaotang.

Instead, she shifted her attention to the Shushan disciples with lower cultivation levels.

Zhang Taigan, Ji Chuan, and the others intended to pursue and disrupt Lu Changpeng and the other Inner Shushan disciples.

With the fall of Qingxiaofu, they made a quick decision to retrieve it first.

But Li Linxue, wielding the Yellow Spring Sword, arrived in an instant.

Ji Chuan, wielding the Qingming Sword, and Xie Yiyi, wielding the Ziwei Sword, unleashed their sword lights together, creating a mutually reinforcing effect and successfully blocking Li Linxue's Yellow Spring Sword strike.

However, the impact caused their immortal souls, which were usually housed within their swords, to be violently shaken out of their blades.

"Since the founding ancestors of our sect joined forces to create the Shushan Sect, we have never bowed down to the Dragon and Tiger Mountain of the Talisman Sect!" Li Linxue declared as she advanced with her sword.

"You are not worthy of wielding the Purple and Green Twin Swords left by our founding ancestors!"

The two swords flew in different directions, but they soon stopped in mid-air and then vanished.

As a chill ran down Li Linxue's spine, she swept her sword horizontally.

Two metallic clangs reverberated in the air as the Purple and Green Twin Swords reappeared, only to be pushed back in opposite directions.

The Yellow Spring Sword was also shaken backward by the impact.

Li Linxue fixed her gaze on the Shushan disciple with loose hair standing opposite her.

His eyes blazed with intensity, and a smile even tugged at the corners of his mouth.

At the same time, the Seven Star Sword reappeared beside "Chen Donglou."

With one hand, Li Linxue summoned the Yellow Spring Sword back to her.

With the other hand, she made a sweeping gesture in front of her.

Instantly, nine streams of light resembling the Forgetful Rivers appeared before her, arranged in a straight line.

They were the Nine Rivers Swords, the lifeblood treasures of Li Linxue, a triple-layer cultivator from the Nine Heavens of the Yellow Springs Shushan Sect.

As Li Linxue summoned the Yellow Spring Sword back to her, the sword lights in front of her seemed to flow like cold and desolate rivers, swiftly forming the winding and twisting Rivers of Forgetfulness, rushing towards "Chen Donglou."

"Chen Donglou's" Seven Star Sword also shot forward.

The opposing swords crisscrossed in mid-air.

Li Linxue, a triple-layer cultivator who had cultivated the Vast Earth Bleak Qi, could traverse the void and virtually ignore distances.

She successfully evaded the Seven Star Sword while recalling the Yellow Spring Sword.

However, "Chen Donglou" remained stationary.

The purple and green sword lights crossed paths, deflecting the winding sword lights of the Nine Rivers Swords.

"Chen Donglou" instructed Zhang Taigan, Ji Chuan, and Xie Yiyi, "Don't lose Qingxiaofu again."

The three disciples replied in unison, "We will heed Master-Uncle's teachings!"

Regarding the Ziwei and Qingming Swords, which were currently suspended on either side of "Chen Donglou," emitting sword light, they had no objections.

In fact, to be precise, they believed that this was the scene that best represented the current Great Tang Shushan Sect.

"Chen Donglou" locked eyes with Li Linxue and said, "I'll send you to meet our founding ancestors."

He smiled and added, "I'll let you go see them."

The Purple and Green Twin Swords hung in mid-air, but they did not fly out immediately.

Li Linxue, the top sword cultivator of the Inner Shushan Sect, sensed something amiss as she did not feel her immortal soul merging with the Ziwei Sword or the Qingming Sword.

Just as she realized that something was wrong, she felt her ability to traverse the void becoming restricted.

She discovered that the Seven Star Sword, which she had avoided earlier, was now hovering behind her, arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper.

The sword lights of the Purple and Green Twin Swords, which were flashing beside "Chen Donglou," seemed to form the eyes of the Yin-Yang Tai Chi diagram.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end