Chapter 469: Edict of Demon Annihilation!

"Li Yuan!!"

Hu Nianjing's eyes burned crimson, her voice a shrill wail like a ghost's cry, "You dare betray me—"

She never doubted Gu Yanchao.

The only ones in this world who knew she would come to Yingchun Gorge today were Gu Yanchao and Li Yuan—the Lord of Xuan Yin Valley, her rival for decades!

Only Li Yuan could use someone else's blade to kill!

Hatred burned like fire, consuming all reason.

Hu Nianjing's long hair whipped wildly as she clapped her palms together; behind her, a pale moon phantom emerged.

The Xuan Yin Valley's ultimate technique, the "Xuan Yue Zhao Ming Gong," was fully activated!

"Boom—"

The sword array was fully unfurled.

The Eastern Azure Dragon sword qi transformed into countless emerald rays, slashing down.

The Western White Tiger sword qi solidified into a tangible tiger claw, tearing through the void.

The Southern Li Fire sword qi poured like a waterfall.

The Northern Xuan Water sword qi froze all things!

The Four Symbols' sword qi wove into a heavenly net, completely sealing off Wangyue Terrace!

Hu Nianjing was trapped within the net, yet she raged like a mad demon.

She formed hand seals; behind her, the moon phantom swelled violently, and where its light fell, the sword qi froze in place.

"Xuan Yue—Zang Tian!"

She shrieked, and the moon exploded violently.

Countless shards of lunar essence shot out like blades, colliding wildly with the four-directional sword qi.

"Ding ding ding ding—"

The clashing of metal rang through the gorge.

The energy waves from the impact were visible to the naked eye, spreading in concentric rings—

Cliff walls cracked, massive boulders tumbled down.

The stream reversed course, the pond's surface erupting in a ten-zhang water column.

The mountain's red leaves were shredded into dust by sword qi and lunar light, as if the sky rained crimson.

Blood trickled from Hu Nianjing's lips, her face ashen, yet she fought with wilder fury.

She made no defense—only attacked!

Lunar essence coalesced into a solid whip, lashing toward Zhao Yuanchen nearby.

Zhao Yuanchen raised his sword to block, but the Xuan Yin cold qi clinging to the whip invaded his meridians, freezing his movement—

"Puch!"

A shard of lunar essence pierced his protective sword aura, entering through his left chest and exiting his back.

"Brother Zhao!"

He Lingfeng's eyes bulged with rage.

But Hu Nianjing had already turned, slamming both palms toward Qin Su, who presided over the Azure Dragon position.

She burned her essence, her palm force tripling—she shattered the Azure Dragon sword qi for an instant.

In that instant—

Her form flickered like a phantom, appearing before Shen Qingmei, fingers curled into a claw, striking straight for her heart!

Shen Qingmei retreated violently; the sword array cracked slightly from the missing corner.

Hu Nianjing had been waiting for this moment!

"Xuan Yue—Ran Hun!!"

She roared, her entire body erupting in blinding white light.

It was not lunar essence—it was destruction incarnate, born from the burning of her soul's origin!

The white light surged like a tide, drowning the sword array.

"Crack—"

The Long Hu Lu Tian Sword Array, broken!

"Puh!"

Qin Su, He Lingfeng, and Shen Qingmei all spat blood and flew backward.

Hu Nianjing fared even worse.

Blood seeped from all seven orifices, her face paper-white, her breath plummeting.

But her eyes blazed with unquenchable hatred; she glared at the three once more, then her form instantly became a streak of light—

Not upward—but downward!

Earth Escape!

The streak sank into the stone surface of Wangyue Terrace, like a drop vanishing into the sea, disappearing instantly.

Only chaos remained, and a slowly collapsing corpse.

Zhao Yuanchen lay on the ground, blood gushing from the hole in his chest, his eyes dimming rapidly.

He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but only spat out a few blood bubbles.

Then, his breath ceased.

……

At the entrance to Yingchun Gorge, atop an unnamed peak several li away.

Chen Mu stood in a green robe, hands clasped behind his back.

The mountain wind howled, whipping his sleeves into flight, yet he remained utterly still, silently gazing toward the gorge.

From the first sword qi surging into the sky, to the final Bai Guang shattering the formation and the light fleeing underground.

He had witnessed every moment.

Chen Mu saw Hu Nianjing's rage explode, saw the sword formation's overwhelming power, saw the Elder of Tiangong Realm, Mid-Stage, pierced through the heart in one strike, and saw Hu Nianjing burn her soul to shatter the formation and escape with final resolve.

"What an outstanding Grand Elder of Xuan Yin Valley."

Chen Mu murmured softly, his eyes devoid of sorrow or joy, "Trapped in utter despair, yet still able to kill one, wound three, and escape unscathed… No wonder she's been fighting Li Yuan for decades."

His gaze settled on the gorge.

There, red leaves lay shattered, cliffs had collapsed, and the stream had changed course.

The Moon Gazing Platform was half-destroyed, the stone table cracked, the go board's grid markings soaked in blood, now unrecognizable.

The three Elders of Long Hu Sword Sect stood clustered around Zhao Yuanchen's corpse, faces ashen.

He Lingfeng knelt, trembling hands closing his younger brother's wide-open eyes.

Qin Su gripped his sword, tendons bulging; Shen Qingmei stared fixedly at the ground where Hu Nianjing had escaped, her eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Whoosh!

Chen Mu's form flickered, activating "Earth Tunneling" and descending underground.

Then, traveling beneath the earth, he swiftly neared the spot directly below Zhao Yuanchen's corpse, like a burrowing snake passing by, plucking the card from afar.

【Body detected. Retrieve?】

"Yes!"

……

……

Long Hu Sword Sect.

Zhengxin Hall.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was as solemn as iron.

Zhao Yuanchen's corpse lay upon a jade platform in the hall, covered with cold jade, his face pale as paper; though the piercing wound to his chest had been cleaned, it remained horrifyingly visible.

Four Elders had departed; only three returned, all wounded.

This was a loss Long Hu Sword Sect had never suffered in thirty years.

Master Yue Canglan stood before the jade platform, silent for a long while.

Behind him, Qin Su, He Lingfeng, and Shen Qingmei stood with bowed heads, blood seeping through their bandages, faces gray and lifeless.

"Hu Nianjing…"

Yue Canglan spoke slowly, his voice emotionless, "Burned her soul to break the formation and escape?"

"Yes."

Qin Su rasped, "After recognizing our identities, she shouted Li Yuan's name, accusing him of betraying her to Xuan Yin Valley, then went berserk in a fight to the death, willing to burn her soul."

"Li Yuan…"

Yue Canglan lightly tapped the hilt of his sword at his waist, icy light flickering in his eyes, "If Li Yuan truly set this trap to use us as his blade, then his cunning and ruthlessness surpass even our estimates."

He Lingfeng snapped his head up, "Master! Brother Zhao cannot die in vain! Xuan Yin Valley must pay!"

"They will pay, of course."

Yue Canglan turned and walked toward the main seat. Each step upon the blue stone floor echoed heavily.

He sat, raised his gaze, and swept it over every Elder, Officer, and core disciple in the hall, speaking slowly and clearly.

"Issue my order—"

Everyone in the hall bowed simultaneously.

"Effective immediately, Long Hu Sword Sect issues the 'Exterminate Demon Edict': All martial cultivators in Hanbei Dao, upon killing a Xuan Yin Valley disciple, may claim rewards at any branch temple by presenting the head. Kill an outer disciple: reward one thousand taels of silver; kill an inner disciple: reward one hundred taels of gold; kill an Officer or Elder… reward a supreme-level cultivation art and a top-grade spiritual weapon!"

"Additionally: Anyone providing verified intelligence on Xuan Yin Valley's outposts, secret realms, or resource sites shall receive the same reward as killing an inner disciple!"

The hall fell deathly silent, then erupted in uproar.

This was no ordinary conflict—it was a declaration of total, unyielding war!

"Master!"

One Elder could not help speaking, "Such a bounty will plunge Hanbei Dao into total chaos! If other demonic factions exploit this weakness…"

"Let them come."

Yue Canglan's voice was calm, yet laced with iron-blooded fury, "Since the Great Holy-Demon War began, the Wudamo Sects have grown ever bolder. If we retreat one step today, tomorrow they will dare to storm our gates. Zhao Yuanchen's blood cannot flow in vain. I will make the world know: Whoever dares strike Long Hu Sword Sect, no matter how far, shall be exterminated!"

"We obey!"

The hall roared in unison, shaking the rafters.

That day, the "Exterminate Demon Edict" swept like a storm across all prefectures of Hanbei Dao.

Branch temples under Long Hu Sword Sect simultaneously posted notices; carrier pigeons filled the sky, swift horses galloped without rest.

Within three days, no one in Hanbei Dao remained unaware.

Long Hu Sword Sect would wash Xuan Yin Valley in blood.