Chapter 36: Decisive Battle at Cold Mountain Peak

Time flew by, and before we knew it, two months had passed.

At the summit of Cold Mountain a thousand li away, the Spirit God Hall's headquarters on this continent, which had been cold and dead silent, suddenly bustled with voices. Countless swordsmen in iron armor and mages wielding staffs formed neat ranks, marching up from the front mountain in single file. The Spirit God Hall disciples guarding the mountain watched them warily; though they had been ordered not to attack now, knowing these were enemies, their eyes grew a little more murderous.

Those who came up the mountain could not fail to feel the Spirit God Hall's hostility, yet the majority wore expressions of arrogant abandon. They naturally knew the Spirit God Hall's prestige, but out of boundless admiration and reverence for their leader's ability, they felt almost no fear toward the Spirit God Hall.

After all, Viscount Luofu Gude's fame shook the world; even the four top Hall Masters of the Spirit God Hall, joining forces, ended up defeated and fleeing. With such a formidable leader, what did they have to fear?

On the vast plaza at the peak of Cold Mountain, the Spirit God Hall's main force had long been waiting. Hundreds of high-ranking disciples and even master-level mages, arranged by subsidiary hall into several huge square formations, half-surrounded a central circular platform. On that platform sat the Spirit God Hall's Chief Hall Master, Ming Guang, wearing a blue robe, hands behind his back, his staff slanted to one side, his face indifferent. To his left was Bavaria, skilled in protective magic; since Alden's death, he, bearing great magical power and a tranquil, easygoing nature, had effectively taken the second seat in the Spirit God Hall. He wore a white mage's robe, hood up, arms crossed before his chest, gazing into the distance. Beside him was his close friend Hessen, left-hand staff planted on the ground, face grim. The dark mages Saxon and Mecklen stood to Ming Guang's right, exchanging a somewhat pessimistic glance. Goth and Silesia, having previously suffered severe injuries, were now far inferior in status; they stood at the very end of the Spirit God Hall's Hall Masters, weapons in hand, not daring to blink. Everyone knew today's battle decided the Spirit God Hall's survival; although all seven Hall Masters were gathered here, the opponent was simply too strong— in all previous skirmishes, the Spirit God Hall had always been on the losing side. Today's decisive battle on Cold Mountain Peak gave the Spirit God Hall no certainty of victory. And if they lost, not only would the Hall Masters' lives be forfeit, but the vast Spirit God Hall would inevitably be torn apart and annihilated in one blow by Luofu Gude Manor. Such consequences were too heavy for anyone to bear.

At noon, the people of Luofu Gude Manor finally all ascended Cold Mountain Peak. Viscount Luofu Gude led the procession, white clothes and robe, his long sword trembling at his waist; closely following were his confidant Labike, as well as Slack, Sheffield, Ruge, and other capable hands. Behind them came the renowned mages and swordsmen who had recently defected to Luofu Gude Manor. Because Luofu Gude Manor stood opposed to the infamous Spirit God Hall, its name rang loud across the continent, so many notables had come to join lately; thus, though originally sparsely populated, Luofu Gude Manor now brought over a thousand people to the appointment on Cold Mountain— even more than the number of the local Spirit God Hall's disciples. Yet every Spirit God Hall member was a formidable mage; although Luofu Gude Manor numbered many, only two or three hundred could truly match the Spirit God Hall's top experts.

Seeing Luofu Gude Manor's such show, Mecklen and Saxon couldn't help but exchange a glance, inwardly clear: Viscount Luofu Gude had deliberately brought this many low‑combat‑power people to plainly tell the Spirit God Hall that he was certain of victory in this duel. After all, once fighting began, only a handful of top experts would actually strike; the rest would have no chance to act, nor could they grasp the final outcome. These people's arrival served only one purpose: to cheer for Viscount Luofu Gude, to let them witness the Spirit God Hall's destruction and the true rise of Luofu Gude Manor.

Ming Guang silently watched Luofu Gude Manor's army enter the field, smiling faintly without a word, yet his heart felt uneasy. He had crossed swords with Viscount Luofu Gude several times and knew the opponent's details. Though Viscount Luofu Gude's pure magical strength might not greatly exceed his own, he was a dual cultivator of magic and swordsmanship, able to meet the Spirit God Hall's mostly pure‑magic Hall Masters with various methods. After all, a mage strong in power lags far behind a first‑rate swordsman in agility— in this aspect the Spirit God Hall always loses. Although the Spirit God Hall originally had some dual‑cultivator experts, Goth had been repeatedly wounded, his strength greatly diminished; Alden had mysteriously died at Lu Shan's hand, and the remaining Hall Masters mostly lacked swordsmanship. As long as one of those two remained, the Spirit God Hall's situation could improve much. But now they had no choice; they must fight to the death.

"Ming Guang, long time no see." Viscount Luofu Gude circulated his energy, stepped onto the high platform with a wind‑borne stride, and smiled at Ming Guang. "The agreement that Bavaria made back then, today Old Luofu Gude has come to fulfill it; all grudges between the Spirit God Hall and Luofu Gude Manor will be settled today."

"That's natural." Ming Guang spoke without changing expression. "Today, besides Alden who met with misfortune, the other six Spirit God Hall Hall Masters have all arrived; I just don't know whether Viscount wishes to personally duel me, or whether our sides will each send subordinates to fight in turn, with the final showdown between the commanders deciding victory?"

"It's truly a pity that Alden has passed away; top experts are rare in the world, and now there's hardly anyone to find as an opponent." However, Viscount Luofu Gude merely laughed heartily and changed the subject. "Ming Guang, I don't know who killed Alden; this person must be a renowned expert on the continent."

"Not necessarily famous, but you and I do know this person." Ming Guang said coldly. "That little angel whom Viscount once protected, refusing to let me take him away— I bet even Viscount never imagined he would advance so swiftly by relying on his bloodthirsty soul, nearly catching up to the Venerated God of old." "Is that the brat called Lu Shan?" Viscount Luofu Gude slapped his thigh laughing, as if it were nothing. "This kid may progress fast, but he still can't match Old Luofu Gude; as for you, Ming Guang, you can rest easy. All you Hall Masters are also notable figures on the continent; to start fighting right away would be unseemly, yet I know my own troops' limits— you Hall Masters can see that sending them to fight the Spirit God Hall's top experts would be beyond my shamelessness." "Viscount, you're being too modest." Bavaria said coldly. "I see those few behind you already possess extraordinary strength; even if I personally attacked, I might not win within a hundred moves."

"Bavaria really likes to joke." Viscount Luofu Gude laughed. "How great could these subordinates be, to dare compare with Bavaria? Labike, Slack, you agree, right?"

"I'm untalented, naturally no match for Bavaria." Slack replied. "But against Silesia, I might still have a chance."

His words shocked the whole hall. Silesia was what kind of person— one of the Spirit God Hall's seven Hall Masters, his magical power among the continent's top few; although Viscount Luofu Gude had cut off one of his arms in earlier combat, leaving him gravely wounded and his power greatly reduced, facing Viscount himself, or Ming Guang, Bavaria, or Lu Shan, defeat was inevitable; yet to speak of defeating someone as unknown as Slack? Slack's boast was simply too much.

Yet Viscount Luofu Gude merely smiled, as if the Spirit God Hall's fright meant nothing to him. "Slack, Slack." He patted the other's shoulder. "Silesia is a renowned expert; with your three‑leg‑cat swordsmanship, you also want to be his enemy? Then tell me, what is your 'some chance'? One‑tenth, or half?"

"I believe my odds against Silesia are at least fifty percent." Slack said.

Upon saying that, the Spirit God Hall disciples burst into jeers. "You, such an ugly‑looking brat, dare challenge Silesia?" "What status does Silesia have, to tolerate your insult?" "Half a chance? I don't even see a tenth." "Exactly, with Silesia's stature, how could you fight him? You've been waiting for this moment to act arrogant. In the Spirit God Hall, just send any disciple out and he'll crush you."

"Just send any disciple?" Slack suddenly raised his voice. "Then let this random disciple come out and see how I'll crush him." He spoke not too loudly, yet everyone present— thousands— heard it clearly; some lower‑cultivation Spirit God Hall disciples were so shocked their ears rang, swaying, unable to stand. Even Ming Guang felt a faint jolt in his heart. He hadn't expected that in Luofu Gude Manor, such an unknown nobody would possess such magical power!

After Slack finished speaking, the hall fell silent; those who had been arguing among the Spirit God Hall disciples now held their breath, fearing that a single word would summon this fellow to be dragged out.

"It seems I cannot avoid fighting now." After a moment of silence, Silesia leaned on his staff, stepped out from among the Hall Masters, and sighed softly. "Since this adult has named me for a match, I naturally cannot hide like a turtle." "Silesia." Bavaria frowned. "Your magic is profound; you're still wounded— let me, Bavaria, take your place."

"Thanks, but since he has named me to fight, if I avoid it, Silesia's lifelong fame would be ruined in an instant." Silesia raised an eyebrow, suddenly revealing a supreme dignity. "If Silesia loses, burying his bones on Cold Mountain Peak would still count as fulfilling his duty to the Spirit God Hall; the rest, please ask your fellow Hall Masters to bear it."

"The Spirit God Hall's life or death concerns each of us; we must give our all." Goth bowed to Silesia. "If you meet misfortune, Goth, though his strength has waned, will surely avenge you." The other Hall Masters also wore solemn expressions, nodding at him. Originally, the Spirit God Hall's top experts had seen that although Slack looked unimpressive, he actually concealed immense magical power, nearly reaching Human Emperor level. Silesia was not skilled in mage‑vs‑mage duels, and now, wounded, facing Slack, defeat was more likely than victory; a clash of such high‑level experts not only decides win‑loss but often decides life and death. Thus, out of loyalty to their comrades, everyone felt heavy‑hearted. Yet if Silesia retreated before such a nobody as Slack, his lifelong brilliance would be destroyed without a fight. For a Spirit God Hall Hall Master, this is more terrifying than death.

"Please, Silesia." Silesia floated down, waved his staff, and assumed a starting posture. Slack smiled slightly and said. "Silesia, please; I am a nameless nobody, how could I bear the title 'adult'?" "Silesia judges people without regard to rank, only by strength." Silesia sighed. "Slack wears a longsword; presumably, like Viscount Luofu Gude, he is a dual cultivator of swordsmanship and magic. In my earlier battle with Viscount Luofu Gude, he cut off my arm, which still hasn't healed. If Slack could muster four‑tenths of Viscount Luofu Gude's power, he would surely be able to slay Silesia here and make his name in one battle."

"Even if I had Viscount Luofu Gude's four‑tenths power, I could never reach it in a lifetime of cultivation." Slack said lightly. "It seems Silesia already has this battle won." "No more talk— let's begin." Silesia shook his head, then suddenly shouted loudly. "You are the junior; I'll let you strike first. Let me see what tricks Luofu Gude Manor's experts have— I, Silesia, will learn them firsthand!"