Chapter 254: Slaying Zhan Yue Peak

After all, the two squadron leaders had worked their way up to their current positions within the Alliance—it was unthinkable they would stand idly by while the Great Li court eventually destroyed the Alliance.

They even considered exaggerating the actions of the Great Li’s Tianjinwei tonight, to instill a strong sense of crisis among the Alliance’s upper echelons.

As for that Great Li expert, no words were needed—single-handedly slaying the Master of Luoshen Peak and four Venerables? Any competent leader in the Alliance would know what that meant.

At this moment, the Left Squadron Leader of the Alliance seemed to recall something and spoke again:

“Elders, we still do not know who this Great Li expert in Bailian City truly is. Will the Great Li court reveal his identity?”

“We happen to have informants within the Tianjinwei—if they release any news about this expert, we will gladly share it with you.”

Hearing this, the Three Elders of Xuan Yin sneered. The elder who had spoken earlier sneered dismissively:

“Do you think the Taiyin Yuan Sect has no informants within the Tianjinwei? This matter does not concern you. Just remember my instructions.”

With that, the Three Elders of Xuan Yin turned and glanced at the Silver Moon Sword Lord.

“The matter of Luoshen Peak is settled. There is no need for us to linger here. We take our leave.”

In the next instant, their figures shifted abruptly, transforming into three shadows of dark wind that vanished into the black night, racing down the mountain.

The two squadron leaders of the Alliance narrowed their eyes. The Three Elders of Xuan Yin were capricious and unpredictable—if not for this chance encounter, they would never again wish to deal with them.

The white-robed elder watched the retreating figures of the Three Elders, lost in thought.

Only when the two squadron leaders came to take their leave did he snap out of it, turning to them and saying:

“If you uncover the identity of that expert, please inform me.”

“Elder, rest assured—if we learn anything, we will send word to you immediately.”

The two squadron leaders agreed, and both parties departed from the mountaintop.

…

Meanwhile, on the Eighth Peak of Luoshen Peak—Zhan Yue Peak.

In the night, the crimson mountain rocks were jagged and sharp; the peak’s summit was free of clouds or mist, yet faint, invisible blades of energy lingered, radiating a chilling aura of slaughter.

At this moment, several Luoshen Peak disciples attempting to flee passed the Zhan Yue Peak’s mountain gate, only to find the gate guards utterly drunk and snoring loudly in sleep.

The passing disciples stared in bewilderment. While disciples from every other peak of Luoshen Peak were frantically fleeing, Zhan Yue Peak was sleeping as if nothing were wrong—as if it were insane.

One disciple, unusually moved by compassion, slapped the gate guard awake as he ran past, shouting:

“The Great Li Tianjinwei are almost here! The sect is about to be destroyed! Why aren’t you running?”

Without waiting for a reply or wasting time on explanations, they continued fleeing beyond Luoshen Peak’s territory.

The gate guard, half-asleep and suddenly struck, fumbled for his sword and blade, ready to retaliate.

But when he finally came to his senses, he realized the attacker had already vanished.

“Which peak’s disciples are playing tricks on us? This must be reported to the overseer! Don’t think our Peak Master and elders are in seclusion and we’re easy to bully!”

One slightly older disciple erupted in anger—he had clearly seen the attacker wearing Luoshen Peak robes and then fled.

“The elder is right!”

Another disciple rubbed his stinging cheek, his drunkenness fading slightly as he frowned:

“But… didn’t I hear them say something when they hit us?”

“Something like… ‘the sect is falling’ and ‘run while you still can’?”

He glanced around Zhan Yue Peak—the night was silent, unchanged from before he woke, as if nothing had happened.

“Nonsense! Luoshen Peak is one of the top sects in the martial world! Can the Great Li court really crush us with just the Tianjinwei? Don’t go spreading such nonsense—you’ll make everyone laugh!”

The older disciple quickly warned him, then pulled the other back to drink:

“Have two more cups. When the next shift arrives, I’ll report this to the overseer—they’ll regret it!”

Then they ignored the matter entirely and resumed drinking.

Soon after, several more fleeing disciples passed the Zhan Yue Peak gate and saw the guards still leisurely drinking.

Each was stunned. One shouted from across the gate’s steps:

“Are you Zhan Yue Peak disciples planning to surrender to the Great Li court? Still drinking at a time like this?”

Hearing this, the Zhan Yue Peak gate guards froze, then stood and sneered:

“Surrender? Everything’s fine! Why are you running around so frantically at night with your bags? Are you fleeing a famine?”

But as they noticed the clearly disheveled state of the fleeing disciples, they began to sense something was wrong.

The disciple who had shouted earlier stared at Zhan Yue Peak with strange eyes, then cautiously asked:

“You don’t know, do you? The Master and the four Venerables are dead. The Great Li Tianjinwei are now sweeping through Luoshen Peak to annihilate us entirely.”

At these words, the gate guards were struck as if by lightning—the wine cups slipped from their hands, shattering on the ground.

“Is this true? Or are you mocking us?”

One gate guard cried out in shock. The fleeing disciples merely shook their heads in disbelief:

“You didn’t know? Then run while you still can!”

With that, the fleeing disciples wasted no more time and hurried away.

Only the Zhan Yue Peak gate guards remained frozen in place for a long while before finally snapping out of it.

“Quick! Quick! Report to the overseer—something terrible has happened!”

The older disciple’s face turned grim as he shouted, then turned and sprinted into the mountain gate. The others, visibly terrified, immediately followed.

Not long after, outside a lavish courtyard halfway up Zhan Yue Peak.

A middle-aged overseer rushed in, bursting into the courtyard and shouting:

“Lady! Lady! Disaster! The sect is about to be destroyed!”

Inside the room, a beautiful woman with disheveled hair and flushed skin lay sprawled on a soft couch, fast asleep—she jolted awake at the noise.

Beside her, a naked, muscular man was far more alert—he rolled off the couch instantly, scrambling to hide beneath it.

But the middle-aged overseer had already pushed through the door and, seeing the two naked figures, froze.

Yet he had no time to care about their lewd affair—he turned urgently to Lady Ni:

“Lady, immediately notify the Peak Master and elders in seclusion! The Master and four Venerables are dead—the Great Li Tianjinwei are coming!”

Lady Ni, clutching her chest, had been about to curse—but upon hearing this, her face turned ashen, and she cried out:

“Didn’t you just say something happened on Bai Lian Peak? How in a moment could Luoshen Peak be collapsing?”

“And the Master and Venerables are dead? How is that possible?”

The overseer’s face was grim and frantic. He threw clothes at her while urging:

“Lady, don’t ask! Disciples from other peaks are fleeing! If you don’t move now, the Tianjinwei will be at the mountain’s base!”

With that, the overseer glanced once at the adulterous pair, clenched his teeth, and abruptly turned to leave.

The message had been delivered—he had done his duty to Zhan Yue Peak. Now he must save himself.

Zhan Yue Peak had received the news too late. He prayed he could still escape.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

Behind him, Lady Ni cried out—but the overseer ignored her, his figure vanishing from the courtyard in moments.

Inside the room, the muscular man turned deathly pale. Having been caught red-handed, he trembled with terror—his only thought was that the Peak Master would crush him into bloody pulp.

He hadn’t even heard what the overseer had said.

Now, seeing the overseer gone, Lady Ni’s expression shifted violently—then her eyes darkened.

She slapped the muscular man hard, then, while dressing, cursed:

“Useless fool. When real danger comes, your bed skills mean nothing.”

As she cursed, she began gathering belongings. Seeing the man still motionless, she snapped:

“Hurry up and dress! Zhan Yue Peak is falling—do you plan to stay here and die?”

At last, the man reacted. He dressed quickly while helping her pack.

Soon, both carried gold and valuables, slipped out of the courtyard under cover of night, racing down the mountain.

As for notifying the Peak Master and elders still in seclusion—they didn’t care what happened to those old fools. Saving themselves came first.

Meanwhile, news of Luoshen Peak’s collapse spread like wildfire. Almost every disciple on Zhan Yue Peak had heard—and all began fleeing down the mountain.

Only the Peak Master and elders still in seclusion remained silent.

Some disciples, focused only on escape, didn’t even think to report it—after all, if the Master and Venerables were dead, the Peak Master couldn’t protect them either.

Others assumed the Peak Master and elders already knew—and perhaps had fled before them. Why bother reporting?

But the Peak Master’s and elders’ children and family members were now frantic.

They packed their belongings to flee, yet still believed their fathers or lords would never be so cruel as to abandon them without warning.

They sent messengers to the secluded chambers atop the peak—but until now, Lady Ni had managed all such matters, and the secluded chambers were Zhan Yue Peak’s forbidden zone, deeply hidden.

Thus, aside from the elders and Peak Master, no one had ever been there. No one knew where the entrance lay.

Helpless, they struck the great alarm bell of Zhan Yue Peak. Instantly, its thunderous toll echoed across the entire peak.

At that moment, Sikong Xuan, having taken Yulan Peak without a single drop of blood, arrived at the foot of Zhan Yue Peak with Yu Mianjiao, Ouyang Mingqi, some Tianjinwei, and Yulan Peak disciples.

According to all reports, the only peak of Luoshen Peak still standing firm was the Eighth Peak—Zhan Yue Peak.

Not a single one of its Peak Master or elders had fled. None had surrendered. They had resolved to fight to the death—to perish with Luoshen Peak.

“I thought Luoshen Peak was full of cowards. This Zhan Yue Peak Master is admirable. Though an enemy, he is a worthy opponent.”

Sikong Xuan gazed toward the peak’s summit, a hint of respect in his eyes.

Though many disciples were fleeing, his martial cultivation allowed him to sense the faint but still-present powerful martial energy emanating from the summit.

Yu Mianjiao and Ouyang Mingqi exchanged glances but said nothing—even as Sikong Xuan mocked them with sarcasm, they pretended not to hear.

Yu Mianjiao’s face was pale—evidence of the injury she had suffered from Sikong Xuan’s palm before surrendering.

Of course, Sikong Xuan hadn’t killed her—he knew keeping these people alive would be more useful.

Moreover, Fu Qiwén later sent word that any Peak Masters and Elders who surrendered to the Tianjin Guard could temporarily have their lives spared and redeem themselves through meritorious service.

Therefore, Sikong Xuan had no reason to kill them.

At this moment, Ouyang Mingqi paused briefly in thought, then sighed and said:

“Though Master Yùwén had limited natural talent, he was utterly devoted to martial cultivation, possessed extraordinary perseverance, and after years of accumulation, finally broke through in seclusion to claim the position of Peak Master of Zhan Yue Peak.”

“To be honest, I never expected he would be the most resolute among all the Peak Masters.”

As he spoke, he looked up toward the peak’s summit and slowly shook his head:

“Even before his greatest enemy arrived, Master Yùwén was still in seclusion, attempting to break through his martial realm to confront the foe.”

“But alas, Da Li produced an Eighth Imperial Prince—no matter how much he broke through, it would ultimately be futile.”

At this point, Ouyang Mingqi and Yu Mianjiao had also learned from Sikong Xuan and the Tianjin Guard that the one who had acted in Bailian City was Li Muxian.

When they first heard that the terrifying expert who had single-handedly slain the Lord of Luoshen Sect and the Four Venerables was none other than a Da Li imperial prince under twenty years of age,

they had assumed Sikong Xuan was joking, trying to fool them.

But later, upon hearing the same account from every member of the Tianjin Guard—that the order had come directly from the Guard Commander—they finally confirmed that Sikong Xuan had spoken the truth.

Throughout their journey, even though it was hard to accept, they gradually came to terms with this unbelievable truth, yet their curiosity about the Eighth Imperial Prince grew ever stronger.

(End of Chapter)