A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 302 The situation is unfavorable

On the eastern mountain path of Bailing Mountain, a white-headed eagle suddenly appeared, and Qian Yi and Li Xu died one after another at its hands. Wang Mengyu, the sect leader of Jingyan Sect, who was watching from the side, was horrified, and her hands, which were tightly gripping the throwing dart, trembled involuntarily.

Gao Liang, the leader of the Black Tiger Sect, watched in shock as Li Xu was blown to death by fire grenades. He quickly recovered and threw out several more fire grenades without stopping. Then, he moved to leave.

"Brother Green Robe, this man is yours; this one is mine."

The bald eagle didn't even glance at the approaching fire thunderbolt, but pointed at the fleeing Gao Liang, and then at Wang Mengyu not far away.

Upon hearing this, the Green-Robed Immortal nodded, and with a flash of cold light from his Soul-Severing Hook, the fire thunderbolt was neatly split in two with two swishes. The pungent powder fell from the sky, and then he used his lightness skill to chase after Gao Liang.

"The Flying Swallow Dart of the Jingyan Sect is considered a unique skill in the martial arts world, but now it has been reduced to a lackey of the Zhongxin Hall. It's really getting worse and worse. If you commit suicide, I might leave you with a whole corpse. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The white-headed eagle had no intention of showing mercy to women, and besides, he knew a thing or two about Wang Mengyu's vicious methods. It would be best to kill such a venomous person.

"White-headed Eagle, killing me would be as easy as turning your hand, but Master Shangguan will never let you go. The destruction of White Ridge Mountain is a foregone conclusion. I am merely taking my leave first."

Knowing she could not escape death, Wang Mengyu's aura surged as soon as she finished speaking. With a fierce shout, countless flying darts rained down on the white-headed eagle, almost engulfing it. The blue light was eerie and chilling, and the flying darts circled and swirled like a military formation, following a fixed pattern.

This move is the secret technique of the Jingyan Sect, "Flying Swallow Pecking Mud". It is based on three hundred flying swallow darts soaked in deadly poison. The sect uses its internal energy to control the flying swallow darts to cut through flesh like an axe or saw. Once trapped by this technique, a person can be scraped to death in a short time, leaving behind only bones without flesh and blood.

"If your master were here, I might be more cautious. But your 'flying swallow pecking at mud' technique is still not quite there yet."

The white-headed eagle watched as the protective light shield around him was repeatedly cleaved by the cold light, but his expression remained unchanged. With a deep shout, the protective light shield suddenly shattered, and the resulting shockwave directly sent the swirling swallow darts flying. Coincidentally, the direction in which the swallow darts were sent flying was precisely where Wang Mengyu was.

Wang Mengyu's true energy was already greatly depleted after using "Flying Swallow Pecking Mud". Seeing the Flying Swallow Darts being broken and reversed, her face turned pale. She barely managed to hold up a light shield, but in an instant, the Flying Swallow Darts tore through her defenses and pierced through her body one after another. Her shrill screams echoed continuously on the mountain path. In less than half a moment, Wang Mengyu fell heavily to the ground like a sack full of leaks, her whole body charred black.

"Humph!"

The white-headed eagle struck the corpse with a Crimson Sand Palm, instantly shattering it into pieces. With a flick of its sleeve, it swept all the remains down the mountain, leaving only a striking crimson stain on the narrow mountain path.

Not long after, the Green-Robed Immortal returned, looking somewhat disheveled, carrying Gao Liang's severed head. He tossed it in front of the White-Headed Eagle and said in a deep voice, "Although these people are dead, the east is temporarily safe, but the situation in the other two places is not good."

Upon hearing this, the white-headed eagle said, "Brother Green Robe, let's go down the mountain immediately."

Upon hearing this, the Green-Robed Immortal was startled, his expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "This..."

"This mountain cannot be defended."

The white-headed eagle looked at the green-robed immortal and continued, "Before Shangguan Yun and the others discover us, let's go to Zhongxin Hall immediately and wipe out his lair."

"We haven't reached the point of desperation yet. If the mountain lord does this, what will happen to the disciples and fellow practitioners on the mountain?"

The Green-Robed Immortal's words were not because he valued the disciples and fellow practitioners on the mountain so much, but mainly because attacking Zhongxin Hall would bring him no benefit whatsoever; on the contrary, it would only invite Shangguan Yun's pursuit.

The destruction of Shaolin Temple was welcomed by Zhongxin Hall and Tianshan Sect. With Ni Qingfeng's guarantee, he could escape to distant lands and live a carefree life as long as he paid some price. However, confronting Zhongxin Hall head-on would be suicidal. White-headed Eagle himself didn't cherish his life, but he hadn't lived enough yet.

“Great things are not concerned with trifles. As for those disciples and fellow practitioners, it’s up to their own fate. The explosives in the mountains have already been lit. Brother Green Robe, if we don’t leave in time, we will be buried with the Zhongxin Hall and the Tianshan Sect.”

After the white-headed eagle finished speaking, he didn't care what the green-robed immortal thought, and led the remaining disciples to rush down the mountain. Upon seeing this, the green-robed immortal's expression changed several times, and finally he gritted his teeth and also headed down the mountain.

On the southern mountain path, Zhong Yue and Living Yama watched the Zhongxin Hall troops advancing upwards, their hearts sinking. In just a short time, the cave masters of the Sixteen Caves had lost more than half of their men, and the remaining few were all wounded. On the other hand, the Zhongxin Hall side suffered almost no casualties.

"Sect Leader Zhong, we can't go on like this. Otherwise, before the people from Zhongxin Hall can even get up the mountain, we'll be dragged down to our deaths."

The Living Yama looked at Zhong Yue with a gloomy expression. Upon hearing this, the latter nodded and said helplessly, "If we can't attack, then we can only defend. But with the Zhongxin Hall possessing the Fire Thunder, we probably can't hold out for long. We can only hope that the Mountain Lord can..."

Before Zhong Yue could finish speaking, a green firework exploded on the mountain road to the east. Zhong Yue and the Living Yama's expressions changed drastically. After exchanging a glance, they pretended to be nonchalant.

"Gentlemen, the Zhongxin Hall is coming on strong, and the brothers really can't hold them off."

Zhao, the cave master of the Three Yin Cave, arrived at the two men looking disheveled and complained.

In the previous battle, the sixteen caves led by the Three Yin Cave were the first to be hit. Shangguan Yun used fire thunder to clear the way, and several of them were blown to pieces before they could dodge. Several others also died at the hands of the Sun and Moon Twin Fiends. If I hadn't been hiding behind them, I would probably be a corpse by now.

"Master Zhao, there's no need to worry. Letting go of the mountain lord is already a signal. The eastern mountain path has achieved a great victory, and they will send reinforcements soon. You guys should temporarily halt your offensive. I and the disciples from the Living Yama Sect will lend you a hand. Let's lure the enemy deep into our territory, and once the mountain lord arrives, we'll catch them like turtles in a jar. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

After Zhong Yue finished speaking, Master Zhao's eyes lit up. He had naturally seen the signal earlier, which was why he rushed over. Hearing Zhong Yue's explanation, most of his doubts disappeared, and he nodded repeatedly.

"I see. That's perfect. Gentlemen, please send someone quickly. In half a quarter of an hour, Shangguan Yun and the others will be at Lanyuntai. The terrain there is open, and we can use rolling stones to delay them for a while."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yue and his companion immediately agreed. They then summoned their disciples and each selected thirty men to be assigned by Master Zhao. Master Zhao bowed to the two of them and then left in a hurry.

After Master Zhao left, Zhong Yue nodded to the Living Yama, and the two of them, along with several disciples, quickly headed east.

"Master, the enemy's attack has clearly slowed down. We can take this opportunity to go up. The Cloud-Blocking Platform is not far ahead. The terrain there is open, which will allow our people to unleash their full potential."

Yue Sha swept away the incoming arrow with a palm strike and said to Shangguan Yun.

"Hmm, a signal just came from the east. I wonder how it is over there. Pass down the order to speed up immediately and try to reach the top of the mountain before nightfall."

After all, Bailing Mountain is not his own territory. Once night falls, his advantage will be greatly reduced.

"Yes."

Yue Sha accepted the order and went down to give instructions. Soon, a large group of people rushed up. Although there were casualties, they were still within the acceptable range. When everyone arrived at the Cloud-Blocking Platform, the sparse flying arrows disappeared. Shangguan Yun was wondering about this when suddenly his mind moved, and he took to the air and looked towards the mountaintop.

On the mountaintop, colorful banners fluttered and figures moved about. Shangguan Yun narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and four huge boulders rolled down the mountain, smashing trees along their path. Shangguan Yun shouted, "Bodies are falling! Be careful, everyone! Sun and Moon, Fire and Thunder!"

Upon hearing this, everyone leaped onto tree branches to observe the direction the rolling stones were heading. They then adjusted their course to avoid the deadly path. When Riyue heard Shangguan Yun's instructions, he immediately flew up to Shangguan Yun's side, took out more than a dozen fire grenades from his pocket, and threw them at the rolling stones. There were continuous explosions, billowing air waves, and thick smoke. Three rolling stones were hit by the fire grenades one after another and shattered into countless fragments. The smallest one, however, did not lose speed and rushed straight towards the Cloud-Blocking Platform.

"Walk."

Shangguan Yun called out to the Sun and Moon Duo, and his figure flashed and darted away. The Sun and Moon Duo followed without hesitation.

The three of them easily arrived a few feet away from the mountaintop. Yue Sha looked at Shangguan Yun with an incredulous expression and asked in confusion, "Hall Master, what's going on?"

Even if the three of them were highly skilled in martial arts, they shouldn't have been able to break through the defenses so easily. Shangguan Yun, however, was confident and said calmly, "This is because there is no one in charge of the overall situation. With just a few small fry, what can they accomplish?"

"We'll get to the top of the mountain soon and finish this quickly!" Shangguan Yun ordered, leaping over ten feet in a flash. With a light touch of his toes, he landed in mid-air, landing with a terrified expression.

"Shangguan Yun!"

Master Zhao's heart sank. He was furious that the three of them had gone up the mountain before he could even react.

"Kill me!"

Zhao Kuzhu's eyes flashed with a fierce light. With a wave of his hand, a series of hidden weapons were launched at Shangguan Yun. However, the latter was dismissive. He flicked his sleeve, and a gust of wind swept through, gathering all the hidden weapons. Then, he released them outwards, and the hidden weapons reflected back at an even faster speed than when they came. With screams of agony, more than ten people on Zhao Kuzhu's side fell down in an instant.

Before Zhao Kuzhu could make a further move, the Sun and Moon Duo attacked from the left and right, blocking Zhao Kuzhu's retreat.

Shangguan Yun didn't even look, and simply stepped over him. Zhao Kuzhu's expression changed several times. His spear flashed with cold light and he thrust it directly at Shangguan Yun. Although this move was unremarkable, it was powerful and forceful, and it was the essence of the Zhongping Spear Technique.

Zhao Kuzhu was completely absorbed in this flat spear technique, and his use of it was quite powerful. However, in Shangguan Yun's eyes, it was like a child's play. With a half-sweep of his right hand, a suction force directly caused the spearhead to deflect slightly. Immediately, Zhao Kuzhu felt a surge of powerful internal force rushing straight up the spear shaft!

With a "whoosh," several jets of blood suddenly shot out from Zhao Kuzhu's body, instantly staining his robes red. Zhao Kuzhu stared blankly at Shangguan Yun opposite him, holding a twisted spear in his hand. He muttered a few words and fell to the ground dead.

"Leave no one behind!"

Shangguan Yun spoke coldly, and the Sun and Moon Duo immediately rushed towards those people. With each palm strike, the dozen or so people were killed in no time, and the once smooth and clean mountain path was now stained with a strong smell of blood.

Just as Shangguan Yun and his group broke through the blockade and reached the mountaintop, Ni Qingfeng and his group also arrived safely. With Duan Cheng's cooperation, all the evil demons and heretics became their victims. When Yin Songyue, the leader of the Liubo Sect, met Ni Qingfeng's gaze, she was shocked.

“Master Ni, the white-headed eagle is not here. Could it have gone to the east or the south? If this person is not eliminated, the outcome will ultimately be incomplete.”

Yin Songyue made up her mind that she would never get involved in the affairs between Zhongxin Hall and Tianshan Sect. Ni Qingfeng seemed gentle and polite, but he was also extremely bloodthirsty. If she didn't know what was good for her, she was sure that she would not be able to leave the mountain alive.

“Master Ni, the gunpowder in the mountain has been cleared away. However, I believe that the white-headed eagle is very likely to have escaped, and it is very likely that it came down the mountain from the east.”

After listening to Duan Cheng's words, Ni Qingfeng agreed quite a bit. However, even if they ran away, it wasn't a big deal. Now, they should go to the top of the mountain and collect the valuables.

"Let Bald Eagle live for now. Duan Cheng, take me to Bald Eagle's treasure trove."

"Please follow me, Daoist Master."

Duan Cheng led the way, and Ni Qingfeng nodded to Shen Henian, who immediately led his disciples to follow. Yin Songyue, on the other hand, felt somewhat embarrassed. She had been a complete slacker on this trip and hadn't helped at all, so what right did she have to share in the spoils?

"Sect Leader Yin, please come along as well."

Upon hearing Ni Qingfeng's words, Yin Songyue was slightly taken aback at first, then her face lit up with joy. She bowed respectfully to Ni Qingfeng and said, "Thank you, Daoist Ni."

As she spoke, Yin Songyue immediately had her disciples follow. With Duan Cheng leading the way, the group arrived smoothly at the carved grottoes. Duan Cheng pointed to the grottoes and said, "This is the treasure room of Bailing Mountain, but it is guarded by someone, Daoist Ni..."

Ni Qingfeng glanced inside and sensed a dozen faint auras, but there were no experts worth watching. He nodded to Shen Henian, who understood and immediately led Tianjiao and the others inside. Yin Songyue followed with several disciples. They heard bursts of fighting coming from inside, but it soon fell silent.

"Let's go."

Ni Qingfeng led the rest inside. The grotto was quite large, filled with dozens of tall stone cabinets, each containing a neatly arranged wooden box. The corners were piled high with gold and silver treasures, dazzling the eyes. Yin Songyue gasped, her heart filled with unease.

Shen Henian was directing his disciples to gather and organize the valuables when Ni Qingfeng suddenly felt a stirring in his heart as he heard footsteps coming from outside the cave.

"Senior brothers, you can continue. I'll go outside and take a look."

Shen Henian had obviously heard the commotion outside, and his expression changed slightly. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Ni Qingfeng's words and nodded to him. After Ni Qingfeng left, Shen Henian immediately ordered his men to speed up.

Outside the grotto, just as Shangguan Yun was about to lead his men inside, he saw Ni Qingfeng emerge from within, and his expression immediately turned serious.

"So it's Master Ni."

Shangguan Yun gave the Sun and Moon Duo a wink, then stepped forward and bowed to Ni Qingfeng. Ni Qingfeng returned the bow, saying, "Hall Master Shangguan."

“Master Ni, this grotto contains martial arts manuals from Shaolin Temple. As the leader of the martial arts alliance, I absolutely cannot allow these manuals to remain here. Please do me a favor, Master Ni.”

If it weren't for Ni Qingfeng on the other side, Shangguan Yun would have ordered his men to rush in without saying a word.

"Please wait a moment, Master Shangguan. My senior brother is currently clearing out the remaining rebels inside. It's quite chaotic there. You can go in once things have calmed down. Our Tianshan Sect has no intention of getting our hands on Shaolin Temple's martial arts manuals. You can rest assured, Master Shangguan."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun's face immediately darkened. He stared at Ni Qingfeng and said in a deep voice, "Master Ni, let's not beat around the bush. You should step aside. This grotto is not something your Tianshan Sect can take on by yourself. As the leader of the martial arts alliance, I have to consider the interests of the sects behind me. If Master Ni insists on not giving way, don't blame me for not taking into account the relationship between our two sects."

Upon hearing this, Ni Qingfeng smiled faintly and said, "I have already said that once my senior brother has finished dealing with this, he will definitely send the Shaolin manual up intact. Hall Master Shangguan, please do not use your position as the leader of the alliance to pressure me. I cannot bear it."

"It seems that the Taoist priest is determined not to give in. In that case, Shangguan Yun will have to learn from the Taoist priest's skills here."

After speaking, Shangguan Yungong gathered his right palm, and a crimson-gold palm energy rushed towards Ni Qingfeng. Before it even reached him, Ni Qingfeng could already feel the true energy of gold and fire contained within the palm energy. He then drew his right palm, forming a Tai Chi symbol, and a gust of azure wind easily supported the crimson-gold palm energy.

The gentle force and the fierce energy collided with each other. With a soft sound, the gale and the palm energy disappeared at the same time. The recoil made the two figures unsteady, but those standing behind Shangguan Yun were made very disheveled by the surging air waves. Those with shallow skills were directly paralyzed on the ground. Only a few people raised their energy shields and barely resisted, but they were also forced to stay more than ten feet away.

"Good means."

Although Shangguan Yun knew that Ni Qingfeng was quite skilled, he had underestimated Ni's strength because Ni could easily withstand his move, the Dividing Gold Palm.

"Master Ni, I originally did not wish to take action, but now I have no choice but to. I apologize for the offense."

With a clang, Shangguan Yun flicked his wrist, and a fine steel soft sword appeared in his hand. He leaped up, and the soft sword in his hand became taut under the enhancement of his internal force. Five bright sword lights slashed towards Ni Qingfeng from five angles.

"The Five Righteous Heavenly Mirrors"

Ni Qingfeng's expression turned serious. This move was a fusion of the Five Elements Sword Technique. He had heard his senior brother, the sect leader, mention it before. The key to this move was to seal off the opponent's space and then lay the groundwork for a follow-up move. To break this move, besides using superb lightness skills to dodge in time, one could also use even faster speed to block all five sword moves at the same time and interrupt the opponent.

Normally, Ni Qingfeng might have dodged, but now, he couldn't retreat. With that thought, the Xuan Tie sword in his hand rang out with a clang, like a dragon's roar in the sky or a spring gurgling in a deep valley. The onlookers saw a dazzling sword light soar into the sky, and then heard several clangs as the sword light shattered at the same time.

Shangguan Yun looked at the soft sword in his hand, which had several small chips in it, and his face was terribly gloomy.

(End of this chapter)