Chapter 1828: Unsheathed (II)

Wind and rain swept across the western shore. Blood washed along by the rain stained the hem of Li Minggong's red dress. She was now one of the Li Family's main pillars, guarding the rear and providing support. To encounter these three men here chilled her heart.

Her expression turned from grave to icy as she asked through gritted teeth, "Are the three of you... cultivators from Changhuai?"

The other two remained silent. Li Nitan sighed inwardly and, knowing what was expected of him, immediately stepped forward to answer. "I am Li Nitan. I have merely come at the head of the Tongmo garrison."

Before the smile had faded from the gray-robed cultivator's face, a voice reached his ears. It held no trace of surprise, only the icy cadence of an incantation.

"[Great Dao Gold-Transforming Shadow Formation], activate!"

A youth stood high in the sky, forming hand seals and issuing a mystic. Sixteen formation flags immediately descended from above and anchored themselves throughout the mountain forest. Golden light rose from the earth as bolts of lightning rained down together!

Rumble!

Yet the gray-robed cultivator showed no fear. He merely raised his brows, glanced around, and said calmly, "Rise!"

Grayish-yellow light showered down, extinguishing the lightning. Like gathering storm clouds, it coalesced into a single mass, neutralizing every bolt and dispersing them like smoke.

Li Suining trained in [Divine Sequence Arrangement]. The [Heaven-Governing] Dao had an affinity with lightning, and his Immortal Foundation even granted him the power to command it. Yet the Changhuai cultivator's Earth Virtue made him a particularly difficult opponent.

The cultivator was also highly experienced. Whether he held the advantage or not, he refused to remain within Li Suining's formation. He brought two fingers together, and a streak of dharma light resembling a spirit sword appeared at their tips. With a sweep of his hand, it shot forth and slashed at the radiance overhead!

Rumble!

Lightning and Baleful Metal Qi erupted with a deafening roar. The Mount Changhuai cultivator immediately frowned. "Oh..."

Surprise crossed his face, while the yellow-robed cultivator beside him said with admiration, "Who would have thought a place torn by war would harbor such a genius in the Formation Dao! Truly blessed by Heaven!"

The five clashed at once, their true origin intermingling as streaks of dharma light rained down!

Of the two Changhuai cultivators, one was at the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm and the other at the late stage. They were, after all, cultivators of a Golden Core Dao lineage. Although Li Minggong had long reached the peak of her realm, she immediately fell into a disadvantage, facing one peril after another.

Yet what worried her even more... was the situation in the distant sky.

In the distance, the crimson light carrying Ding Weizeng flickered through the haze of heavy rain. The cultivators flying overhead were wary of him. With dharma swords in hand, they circled and formed an array amid the rolling thunder, remaining vigilant and not daring to descend.

Ding Weizeng was a genius of humble origins who had spent many years building his strength at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm. He had benefited greatly from the Li Family's rise in Tingzhou and was far stronger even than Li Minggong. Dharma light shone around him like glazed glass. Wielding two rods, he fought so fiercely that no one dared meet him head-on!

Tingzhou had no shortage of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, but the matter of the Profound Holders had drawn both young masters away, each taking two or three trusted followers with him. Much of Tingzhou's core strength had thus been withdrawn, leaving its forces stretched thin.

While worry filled Li Minggong's heart, Li Suining's expression remained cold and stern. He directed the formation flags and seized control of the lightning, striking with crisp precision. Every attack aimed to kill, giving his fighting style a distinctive ruthlessness!

He had only recently broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Normally, cultivators his age had devoted all their energy to cultivation and had barely studied any arts. Yet he wielded them effortlessly, his attacks displaying seasoned skill as he managed to hold Li Nitan at bay despite the man's higher cultivation!

Compared with the anxious Li Minggong, Li Suining was far calmer. Thunderclouds descended at his command, their power all the more formidable amid the torrential rain, drawing startled glances.

In Li Suining's eyes, although their forces were steadily losing ground, the situation was already far better than what they had faced in his previous life!

Back then, they had lacked both Ding Weizeng's stabilizing presence and his own foreknowledge to guide and assist them. The forces on the western shore had been driven harshly back onto the lake, with none of the orderly, gradual retreat they were managing today.

Even so, he still sighed inwardly, I'm afraid we still won't be able to hold...

Li Nitan... Why has he come here... He should be with the forces attacking from the front... Some minor details have indeed changed.

At that point, Li Minggong could no longer hold back. She shook her sleeve, and a streak of light leaped out.

It was a folding screen. Profound winds flowed across its surface, and green pines swayed, casting a wash of dark green light that struck down the dharma light and flying swords on either side!

[Heavy Abyssal Gale]?

Both men's expressions changed. Then their gazes fell upon the radiant screen, and they stared in stunned silence.

This is...

Neither man was an ordinary cultivator. How could they fail to recognize what was depicted on the screen? Those were the Six Lineages of Chongming!

What?

The gray-robed cultivator froze, utterly mortified. Am I the one from the Changhuai Dao lineage... or are you? What is the meaning of this?!

Seeing the image of his own True Monarch flickering on the screen, his face turned livid, but whether it was from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell. After much deliberation, he could only draw his sword and declare, "How dare you dishonor a ceremonial treasure of our Changhuai?!"

His words left Li Minggong bewildered. She paused before realizing what he meant, then silently poured more power into the [Chongming Profound Insight Screen]. Its shimmering radiance brightened and blazed down with a roar!

Rumble!

The Changhuai cultivator was formidable indeed. Raising the gray gourd in his hand, he sent the [Chongming Profound Insight Screen] tumbling backward. Billowing gray winds surged toward Li Minggong. She struggled to hold them back, then turned her head urgently.

A distant mountain peak collapsed with a crash, and the shimmering light of its shattered formation flared into the sky. As though some crucial mechanism had been triggered, the radiance around successive peaks shattered, and the mountains fell one after another!

"Pfft!"

The sound of Li Suining coughing up blood abruptly brought her back to her senses. Her junior said urgently, "It's time to retreat!"

"Retreat?" The gray-robed cultivator before them was seething. His gaze shifted as he shouted, "You think you can still escape?!"

The gourd swept forward, bearing down on the screen at tremendous speed. Greed had stirred in the cultivator's heart; he intended to seize the treasure and bring it back to Changhuai!

Clang!

Instead, a sharp, clean clash of metal rang out!

The Changhuai cultivator looked up to find a youth in white standing with a sword in hand. Tall and slender, with striking features, he wielded a wavering sword light that flickered between brightness and darkness, radiating an intense sense of danger.

Another sword was strapped to his back, so tightly wrapped that its shape could not be discerned. He said softly, "Leave these three to me."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.