Chapter 96: Duan Tianhe Sword Saint!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh~

The sound of tearing wind darted through the mountain path.

One after another figure sprinted down from mid-mountain, arriving at a corner on the right side of the cliff.

They stopped before a cave entrance, pressed tightly against the precipice.

The interior of the cave was invisible; large piles of shattered rocks had fallen before the nearly two-meter-high entrance, with dust swirling among them.

Centered on the cave mouth, within a radius of about thirty feet, countless strands of three-foot-long sword qi flickered back and forth through the air.

These sword qis were strange: at first glance, they resembled clear river water, converging into tiny streams that flowed either with or against the current.

Leaning against the cliff wall at the edge of the flowing sword qi sat an old man with disheveled hair, pale face, a gaping hole in his chest and abdomen pouring blood, barely clinging to life—he breathed heavily, mouth open as if trying to speak, but lacked the strength; his bloodshot eyes burned with intensity, a fire every other person standing around noticed.

"Old Lin, what's going on inside this cave?"

Shi Kuangsheng stared at the flowing sword qi and asked.

Everyone on Mount Ba Jian is dead; only Lin Hun remains.

Judging by his injuries, he won't last much longer.

Right now, he's weakly gasping, his bloodshot eyes fixed unblinkingly on the cave mouth.

Dozens of meters away from Lin Hun, Fang Yuanzuo sat on the ground, equally pale, a bloody hole in his shoulder, a bloodstain across his cheek—he swallowed a great pill to digest it, his eyes wide open, staring at the swirling sword qi around the cave.

"There shouldn't have been a cave here before, if I remember correctly," said Sun Jindong, his eyes gleaming brightly, standing behind Wei Dongliang.

Swish~

At these words, every eye in the group—except Fang Yuanzuo and Lin Hun—immediately turned to Sun Jindong.

Even Chen Mu looked over, eyes filled with surprise.

There wasn't one before?

"You mean this cave only appeared after the formation collapsed just now?" Wei Dongliang asked directly.

Sun Jindong nodded. "Yes! I've been to Mount Ba Jian several times; I know this mountain's terrain intimately, especially the base area. Before today, there was no cave."

"It must have been concealed by the formation," said Huang Keqin calmly. "What I wonder is, what's hidden inside? What needed such a powerful formation to hide it?"

"That sword qi just now? Only someone with late Earth Altar Realm cultivation could have left it behind," said Di Chunlei, glancing at Wei Dongliang.

Wei Dongliang was indeed Earth Altar Realm, but he'd only recently broken through—his power was limited.

We, as late Primordial Realm warriors from major factions, even with our secret techniques, might not beat Wei Dongliang, but we could retreat safely.

Fang Yuanzuo and Fang Yuanzuo were the same.

"Lin the old man must know what's inside the cave, right?" Shi Kuangsheng turned back to Lin Hun and smiled lightly. "Old man, tell us what's in there, and we'll let you live—keep you from being silenced by the Fangs. How about it?"

"…."

Lin Hun gave no reply; he kept his bloodshot eyes locked on the cave mouth.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is 'Duan Tianhe Sword Qi.'"

Zhao Fuzhou, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke.

"Oh?"

Huang Keqin turned to Zhao Fuzhou, astonished. "Lord Zhao knows about this?"

"I know about the 'Duan Tianhe Sword Qi,'" Zhao Fuzhou said calmly. "It was the famed technique of the Duan Tianhe Sword Saint over two hundred years ago."

"Duan Tianhe Sword Saint?"

Shi Kuangsheng's pupils shrank, then widened in shock and wild delight. "I remember now! Yes, this is 'Duan Tianhe Sword Qi!' Ha! I get it—I get it! The cave inside must be the Sword Saint's place of final meditation!"

"Tsk tsk, the Duan Tianhe Sword Saint dominated the world for sixty years over two centuries ago; his place of final meditation has been a mystery ever since."

"Who would've thought it was here!"

"I've heard of the Duan Tianhe Sword Saint's fame," Di Chunlei chimed in, thrilled. "If this cave is his place of final meditation, then inside must be his ultimate art—the true scripture, 'Duan Tianhe Sword Classic'—and his powerful sword, the Upper-grade Mystic Weapon, Tianzong Yun Sword!"

Thump-thump~

As Di Chunlei finished speaking, half the people's hearts quickened.

"Duan Tianhe Sword Classic"?

Upper-grade Mystic Weapon?

Hss—!

More than one person drew a sharp breath.

Wei Dongliang's eyes gleamed; Sun Jindong's eyes gleamed.

Shi Kuangsheng, Huang Keqin, Di Chunlei, Qian Yu, Fang Yuanzuo—and all their followers.

Even Zhao Fuzhou's eyes blazed brightly at this moment.

Chen Mu's heart also quickened, but he quickly suppressed it.

Whether it was the "Duan Tianhe Sword Classic" or the Upper-grade Mystic Weapon, if he seized it, he couldn't carry it away.

Zhao Fuzhou and Di Chunlei might not move against him.

But Wei Dongliang, Shi Kuangsheng, Huang Keqin, and Fang Yuanzuo—absolutely would.

Both the "Duan Tianhe Sword Classic" and the Upper-grade Mystic Weapon were top-tier treasures.

Without absolute power, no one could hold onto them.

The Duan Tianhe Sword Saint, who dominated the world for sixty years—Chen Mu had never heard of him before. Such a powerful cultivator's relics, if word got out, would draw countless competitors.

Mount Ba Jian had guarded this place for over a hundred years—they clearly knew.

For all these years, they'd secretly searched but never found it.

Then, in Lin Hun's desperate counterattack and his battle with Fang Yuanzuo, the formation's mechanism was triggered, accidentally shattering the protective array and exposing it.

Now, strands of "Duan Tianhe Sword Qi" swirled at the cave mouth, blocking entry.

But Chen Mu could sense that these river-like sword qis, deprived of the formation's sustaining power, were rapidly fading.

In at most half an hour, all of it will vanish!

"..."

The scene fell silent.

"Haha." Shi Kuangsheng suddenly laughed. "Brothers, I won't take the Sky-Spanning Cloud Sword — the Duan Tianhe Sword Canon I must have. Later, if—"

"You speak as though the Duan Tianhe Sword Canon were already in your hands." Huang Keqin cut him off coldly. "What — just because you say you want the Duan Tianhe Sword Canon, they have to hand it over?"

"If Brother Huang is willing, we can study it together." Shi Kuangsheng bared his teeth in a grin.

"The Sky-Spanning Cloud Sword — I'll have it." Wei Dongliang suddenly spoke, his voice low and forceful. "Whoever fights me for it dies!"

"Heh~" Zhao Fuzhou glanced at him and said coolly, "Go on, try killing someone."

"Right, right — if Altar Lord Wei wants the Sky-Spanning Cloud Sword, he ought to ask whether Lord Zhao agrees." Shi Kuangsheng fanned the flames.

Hearing this, Chen Mu glanced at him.

This guy...

"Wei Dongliang!"

A furious roar suddenly rang out.

Whoosh~ whoosh~

Gale-force wind streaked through, the whistling sound drawing from far to near.

On the mountain path, Fang Yuanzuo — blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth — surged down the slope wrapped in a terrifying momentum, wild and violent.

"Wei! Die for me!"