Chapter 468

Dragon-Tiger Sword Sect.

Shanmen Headquarters · Sword Chant Hall.

Inside the hall, candlelight burned bright, casting flickering reflections on the green stone floor.

Swords worn by past sect leaders hung on all four walls, tassels hanging still, yet a solemn, deadly aura filled the chamber.

Elder Qin Su, head of the Inspection Hall, stood below, holding a sealed letter with both hands.

He wore a jet-black sword robe, a steel plaque inscribed "Enforcer" hanging at his waist; his face was gaunt as iron, yet his eyes held a sharp, contained brilliance.

At the head of the hall, the sect leader, Yue Canglan, sat upon a green jade sword seat.

He was about fifty, his temples faintly streaked with gray, his face gentle as a scholar's, yet his eyes were clear as a frozen pool—gazing into them stirred unease.

At this moment, he lowered his gaze to the sealed letter Qin Su had presented.

The paper was ordinary hemp, the ink common pine-soot ink, the script hurried and scrawled—clearly written in haste.

Yet its contents made the sect leader, who had led the orthodox forces of Hanbei for decades, frown slightly.

"Fubanglong… Hu Nianjing…"

He whispered the two names aloud; their sound echoed through the empty hall, carrying a cold rhythm.

"Yingchun Gorge, the fifteenth of this month."

Yue Canglan lifted his eyes to Qin Su. "How did you obtain this letter?"

"My lord."

Qin Su bowed deeper. "This morning, at the third watch, our outpost in Daocheng was struck by an arrow-borne letter. The arrow was a plain black-feathered shaft, unmarked; the shooter moved with extraordinary speed—our disciples chased him three li before losing his trail. The letter was nailed directly onto the plaque of 'Zhengxin Hall.'"

The hall fell silent.

Nailed to the plaque—that was defiance, and a display of power.

To infiltrate a Dragon-Tiger Sword Sect outpost as if it were empty land—only someone with Earth Altar realm skill could manage it.

"What do you think?" Yue Canglan asked.

Qin Su paused, then spoke slowly: "The information is suspicious. Fubanglong is the Hanbei commander of the Sun-Moon Mo Sect; Hu Nianjing is the Grand Elder of Xuan Yin Valley. Though both belong to the demonic path, the Sun-Moon Mo Sect and Xuan Yin Valley have never been close—indeed, they've long harbored hidden friction. A secret meeting now is illogical."

"Precisely because it is illogical, it is more dangerous."

From the side of the hall, a white-bearded elder suddenly spoke.

He was Elder He Lingfeng, Transmission Master, late-stage Celestial Palace realm, second only to the sect leader in seniority.

"The orthodox-demonic war has dragged on for years. Though the Five Mo Sects appear united, each harbors secret ambitions. The Sun-Moon Mo Sect seeks to absorb smaller factions; Xuan Yin Valley seeks only to defend its mountain gate. If they secretly collude to pursue greater gains, it is not impossible."

Yue Canglan's fingertip tapped lightly against the arm of the sword seat.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Each sound was clear—like a countdown.

"Regardless of truth."

He finally spoke, his voice calm. "If Hu Nianjing truly appears at Yingchun Gorge, it is a gift from heaven."

He turned to the four elders below.

"Qin Su, He Lingfeng, Zhao Yuanchen, Shen Qingmei."

All four bowed in unison: "Present."

"You four shall take the 'Dragon-Tiger Slaying Heaven Sword Array' diagram to Yingchun Gorge and set an ambush." Yue Canglan's eyes flashed with cold light. "If Hu Nianjing appears, regardless of whether Fubanglong comes, kill her on the spot."

"And if Fubanglong arrives too?"

"Then take them both!"

Yue Canglan rose; his ink-green sword robe stirred without wind. "Remember, this battle is not about verification—it is about eliminating threats. Xuan Yin Valley losing a Grand Elder will shatter demonic morale. As for the source of this information… we will investigate after the battle."

"We obey!"

The four bowed in unison and withdrew from Sword Chant Hall.

Outside, the morning sun rose, bathing the sect's peaks in Jin Guang; on the thousand-zhang cliffs, the four ancient seal-script characters "Dragon-Tiger Sword Sect" radiated sharp sword intent.

And within the mountain wind, a hidden killing intent already stirred.

…

Yingchun Gorge lay in the southeast of Hanbei Dao, two mountains flanking a valley, within which flowed a stream named "Yingchun," winding like a ribbon.

Each spring, peach blossoms bloomed along its banks, petals floating upon the water—hence its name.

But now it was deep autumn.

The valley held no flowers, only crimson leaves scattered like blood across the hills. The stream ran cold, murmuring over pale gray stone shoals, its sound lonely.

Hu Nianjing wore a moon-white long dress, over which draped a pale green gauze cloak; her hair was loosely pinned, a jade hairpin of emerald green slanted through it.

It was a birthday gift from Gu Yanchao, fifteen years ago.

She stood on the Moon-Viewing Platform, a natural stone ledge jutting three zhang from the cliffside, overlooking a deep pool below.

The platform was smooth as a mirror, with a stone table and two stone benches in the center; the table bore a faintly carved go board.

It was left from their past games.

The morning light slanted through a gap in the eastern mountain, falling upon her, outlining a cold, elegant profile.

A faint smile touched her lips; her eyes held a warmth long absent, her fingers idly stroking an old jade button hidden in her sleeve.

"Yanchao…"

She whispered softly, her voice lost in the wind, nearly inaudible.

Fifteen years.

Since he became master of the Dual Pole Sect, and she rose to Grand Elder of Xuan Yin Valley, the two had drifted apart on the surface.

The divide between orthodox and demonic was a chasm, stretching between the two who once stood shoulder to shoulder.

Yet some things had never changed.

On the fifteenth of every month, Li Li Yuan enters seclusion.

This was a secret window known only to the two of them.

Three days ago, when she saw that mark beneath the ancient pine in the wasteland valley, and read the words, "Do you still remember the moonlight over Spring Glow Gorge?" her heart trembled, as it had not in years.

So she came.

She put on her favorite moon-white robe, fastened the jade hairpin he had given her, and even secretly applied the "Spring Faith in Snow" incense he had once brewed.

It was made from the stamens of early-snow plum blossoms blended with cold-pool incense, cold and crisp, yet hiding a faint sweetness.

She waited from Chenshi to Xianshi.

Then from Xianshi to Wushi.

The shadows on the stone table slowly shifted; the mist above the pool rose and dispersed.

The gorge was silent, save for the wind, the water, and the occasional cry of a lone bird.

Gu Yanchao did not come.

Hu Nianjing's smile gradually faded from her face.

She rose and walked slowly along the edge of the stone platform, her gaze sweeping again and again toward the narrow path into the gorge.

No one was there.

…

On the western cliff face of Spring Glow Gorge, inside a natural stone cave.

The cave lay midway up the cliff, its entrance concealed by hanging ancient vines, yet spacious within.

At this moment, four figures lurked in the cave's shadows, their qi utterly concealed, like four stone statues.

They were the Four Elders of the Dragon-Tiger Sword Sect.

Qin Su, He Lingfeng, Zhao Yuanchen, Shen Qingmei.

Each occupied a corner; in the center, a three-foot-square ancient array diagram lay spread upon the ground.

Made of beast hide, embroidered with gold thread and silver filaments in the shape of entwined dragon and tiger, every line faintly shimmered with a pale golden glow.

The "Dragon-Tiger Slaying Heaven Array" diagram.

This array required four to hold it jointly; with their essence blood, it could activate the diagram and summon the dragon and tiger energies of the earth's veins, transforming invisible sword qi into an unbreakable prison to trap and kill those within.

Even a peak Tiangong cultivator could not escape once inside.

"She came, as expected."

He Lingfeng transmitted his thoughts, his voice cold as iron within the minds of the other three: "She arrived at the beginning of Chenshi, and has waited two hours."

"The Binding Dragon has not appeared," Zhao Yuanchen replied. "Perhaps he won't come."

"Wait longer."

Qin Su was the leader of this operation. His eyes were half-closed, yet his spiritual sense spread like a spiderweb across the entire Spring Glow Gorge: "Hu Nianjing is growing restless. If she leaves now, we'll never get another chance like this."

Wushi was approaching.

Hu Nianjing walked for the third time from the east side of the stone platform to the west, her steps quickening.

Suddenly she stopped, looked up at the sky, and a frown of suspicion creased her brow.

—Something's wrong.

Gu Yanchao never breaks his word.

Even during the fiercest clashes between orthodox and demonic forces, he would risk sending word to explain why.

Today he invited her here, yet he has not appeared…

A cold dread suddenly sank into Hu Nianjing's heart.

And inside the cave, Qin Su's eyes blazed with sharp light!

"She's about to leave—act now!"

The four shared a single intent; each bit their tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the array diagram!

"Hum—"

The diagram shuddered violently; the gold thread and silver filaments blazed like molten metal.

Dragon and tiger shapes leapt from the diagram, raising their heads and roaring.

Soundless, yet a terrifying sword intent surged skyward, bursting through the cave and engulfing the entire Spring Glow Gorge!

"Dragon-Tiger Slaying Heaven—Array, activate!"

Qin Su roared; the four figures shot from the cave like lightning, landing at the four corners of the Moon-Watching Platform.

…

In the instant the array diagram flared, Hu Nianjing's body hair stood on end!

It was an instinct forged in the crucible of life and death.

She had no time to think—her Xuan Yin true qi exploded violently; her moon-white robe whipped wildly without wind, and a layer of ice crystals instantly formed in a three-foot radius around her.

Then she saw them.

Black sword robes, embroidered with dragon and tiger patterns, sword qi sharp as solid steel.

Dragon-Tiger Sword Sect!