Minglong

Chapter 361 Silence
The old man Sha Tu couldn't even beat the injured Ye Yun Chi last time. This time, he was injured and facing two opponents, including Xie Jin Huan who had already reached the Dragon Soaring Realm. He had no strength left to fight back. In just one exchange, he was pierced through the chest and abdomen by the three-foot sword.

Xie Jinhuan was afraid that Shang Laomo would seize on this as a pretext to make things worse, and it was not appropriate to sacrifice the common people in public. Therefore, there was no need for him to hold back. He threw out the Heavenly Gang Mace and his figure followed closely behind. It was almost as if he and Senior Sister Naigua were using their swords in combination to stab Sha Tu in the chest, pinning the tall Sha Tu to the rocks. Before the opponent could try to break free, Xie Jinhuan's left hand had already delivered a slamming punch to Sha Tu's face.

Ouch!
The old man from the Sand Slaughter raised his hand to intercept the punch, but his withered palm was smashed by the peak martial artist's punch, breaking his finger bones. The punch hit his face, and his head was driven more than three feet into the rocks. His chin was almost completely smashed. Blood surged through his body in an attempt to heal his injuries, but another sword light was already piercing straight for his brow.

chap——

The frost-white blade pierced the skull, and the sand and dust that filled the sky immediately went out of control and scattered with the wind.

Because the high-level cultivators' attacks were launched in an instant, the two martial artists who had been thrown away had only just landed on the ground.

thump--

Xie Jinhuan, sword in hand, looked at Sha Tu, who was nailed to the rocks. After confirming there was no second stage, he frowned and said:
"With such limited skills, you've been able to run rampant in the Western Regions for decades?"

chah~
Ye Yunchi drew his sword, twirled it, and wiped away the blood:
"This person's strength lies in the 'Three Pure Ones Stepping the Dipper,' which cannot be used here. Since your cultivation level surpasses his and you strike first, it's normal for you to kill him in one move."

After saying this, he looked at the two martial artists again. It was clear that although Xie Jinhuan was decisive in killing, he controlled his strength to perfection. He had only made the two martial artists bleed from their mouths and noses, but they did not die on the spot. They could even cough up blood.

"Cough cough..."

Ye Hongshang then turned his gaze towards Lü Yan and the others:

“You covered for that old man Lü Yan; he’s already escaped.”

"Ok?"

Xie Jinhuan turned his head and saw that there were indeed countless figures running around. They must have lost their target. He couldn't help but admire Lu Yan's ability to seize opportunities. Without delay, he quickly searched inside Sha Tu's dirty cloak.

It turned out that this lone wolf cultivator had no fixed abode and carried almost all his belongings with him. Not only did they find a book wrapped in silk cloth, but also medicine bottles, silver notes, and two precious medicinal herbs. Among them was even a "Qilin Holding a Book Pendant," a gift from the Great Qian Dynasty, whose origin was unknown.

Oh ho?!
Xie Jinhuan's eyes lit up with delight when he saw how fat the old thief was, but with the righteous and awe-inspiring Senior Sister Milk Melon standing beside him, he still said with a pained expression:

"That old scoundrel, who knows how many innocent people he harmed to amass such a fortune, he truly deserved to die..."

She handed the books and medicinal herbs to Senior Sister Milk Melon, and tossed the miscellaneous healing pills to the two martial artists who were barely alive.
"This is not a place for you. If there is a next time, there may not be anyone willing to come to your rescue."

The two warriors hadn't been killed by Sha Tu's energy drain, but they were nearly killed by Xie Jinhuan's shockwave. However, they dared not complain; their hearts were filled with gratitude. Hearing this, they gritted their teeth, got up, and bowed deeply in gratitude.

"I am Sima Chen, and I am deeply grateful to you, Hero Xie, for saving me. I will certainly repay your kindness in the future..."

Xie Jinhuan's main purpose was to rob fellow Daoists; his chivalrous act was merely a side effect. He raised his hand to interrupt Xie's words, then vanished into the mountain valley with Naigua, who was carrying a pile of spoils...
-
On the other side, underground.

Thunder rumbled across the ground as countless cultivators searched the mountains and fields, but the underground was extremely quiet, with only the rustling of snakes and insects crawling around.

Lu Yan hid inside the deep cave, holding a blue ball of light surrounded by lightning in his hands. He looked up at the rock wall above and waited for a long time without any movement before he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Last time, he clearly foresaw the opportunity to be born, but failed at Phoenix Mausoleum, which Lu Yan considered a great humiliation. Therefore, he made full preparations in advance for this trip to Dragon Bone Beach.

The Divination School has a history spanning thousands of years. Historically, many people have visited Longgutan, leaving behind numerous biographies and preserving maps and documents documenting the surveying of mountains and rivers.

Before arriving, Lü Yan had reviewed the sect's documents and made contingency plans for common opportunities such as Dragon Ridge, Dragon Emperor Cave, and Sea Sacrifice Platform, essentially guessing the exam questions.

The result was obvious: he had made the right bet. After getting the phone, he ran ahead to get closer to a hidden entrance to the Snake King Cave. When he realized he couldn't shake them off, he drew a circle around himself and waited for an opportunity. Once Xie Jinhuan helped distract him, he immediately disappeared underground.

As for the route to the Snake King Cave, it has been explored by the ancestors of the Divination School in history. If you quietly head southeast, you will reach the exit on the other side of Dragon Ridge. As long as you are free from the suppression of heaven and earth and can use the Ten Thousand Mile Divine Travel Spell, Xie Jinhuan can only stare helplessly at you.

However, there will inevitably be people blocking the road and ambushing you on the way back. Once you've got this opportunity in your hands, there's no way you can escape.

Seeing that no one had discovered his whereabouts, Lü Yan immediately began to peel away the remaining Yang Lightning as he walked, trying to absorb the opportunity into his body and completely conceal his whereabouts.

Unfortunately, he was not the only one familiar with the terrain of Dragon Ridge.

Just as Lü Yan had traveled less than half a mile along the path teeming with snakes and insects, he noticed a strange fragrance wafting through the air. White smoke billowed from the interconnected caves, almost obscuring all paths, and from within the mist came a seductive laugh:
"Master Lü, you have excellent agility. However, I have been collecting snake venom in Dragon Ridge for many years. All the snakes here are my spies. Trying to escape from here is not a good idea."

Lu Yan paused, holding the Fire Edict Token in his right hand, and surveyed the surrounding cave:

"Madam Han is indeed quite capable, but her poison is not enough to stop me. If we fight, it will only attract others, and Madam Han will not come out on top."

"Hehehe~ What does Master Lü suggest we do?" "Madam Han, please don't make a fuss. When I return to Yanbo City, I will give Madam Han three breakthrough medicinal herbs as a token of my gratitude."

"Three medicinal herbs are far too stingy. How about this, Master Lü, you give this opportunity to me, and I will spare your life in return, without making a fuss?"

?

Lu Yan was stunned, and said coldly:

"You're just a lowly, unorthodox cultivator. You think you can spare my life? Do you think you're Shang Lianbi's mistress?"

"Hehe~ The shop owner is too old. This young lady prefers someone younger, like Young Master Xie Jinhuan..."

Lu Yan was too lazy to flirt with this vixen, and the Fire Edict in his hand emitted a golden-red light:

"That brat Xie hasn't gotten much of an advantage over me either. Are you going to give in or not?!"

Huhu~
The cave fell silent, with only the white mist that emerged around us remaining, but it was kept three feet away by the scorching heat.

Lu Yan carefully sensed the surrounding situation, but the power of heaven and earth here was too strong, and he could not detect the subtle fluctuations of energy. After a moment of confrontation, the sound of a sword being drawn suddenly came from the mist more than ten feet away!

Clang~
Lu Yan's gaze sharpened. Although he was puzzled as to why a Hehuan Sect enchantress skilled in charm techniques would draw her sword, a blazing wave of heat still erupted from her body, like a fiery sparrow bursting forth from her body, scattering in all directions. The snakes, insects, and even broken stones and vines on the ground were instantly cleared away, and even the rock walls were instantly shaken and cracked.

Boom——

At that moment, a sword light pierced through the white clouds and struck the fire ring.

Lu Yan's 'Flame Sparrow Counterattack' is considered a top-tier defensive spell. Relying on the extraordinary impact of fire magic, it indiscriminately repels all objects around him. Although it cannot defend against soul spells and lightning magic, martial arts moves can hardly get close to him.

But to Lü Yan's surprise, the fire ring disappeared into thin air when it touched the sword light, and even the impact energy dissipated at the same time, as if it had touched a death line that no amount of magic could cross.

Without any obstruction, the sword light did not stagnate at all, and suddenly pierced more than ten feet away, revealing the three-foot-long sword blade and the figure of a gorgeously dressed woman behind it.

In a fleeting glance, Lü Yan could see that Madam Han held a jade pipe in her left hand and a jet-black longsword in her right. The sword was almost undecorated and lacked a guard or hilt, looking like a black iron bar. However, two words were engraved on the blade: "Mingji" (冥寂).
The Realm of Silence is the seventh realm of martial arts. The last person to reach this realm was the Martial Ancestor, and it carries two layers of meaning:
Firstly, martial arts have come to an end, and the former glory has faded into silence.

Secondly, all things are silent.

A martial artist at the Dragon Soaring Realm possesses an aura that can scatter all evil and frighten away the timid. A martial artist who establishes a sect and becomes its patriarch has taken the balance to its limit, accumulating strength and unleashing a qualitative change. His aura surpasses the might of heaven, and he has no weaknesses in Yin and Yang or the Five Elements, which allows him to suppress heaven and earth in reverse.

Legend has it that when the Martial Ancestor broke through to the next realm, even the rivers stopped flowing, the wind and clouds in the sky froze, as if the whole world had fallen into silence. Other cultivators, no matter what school they followed, had their strengths and weaknesses. Faced with this suppressive force that simultaneously stripped them of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, they had no chance to fight back.

This sword can only cut through a thin line in front of you, far less terrifying than the Martial Ancestor's Silent Heaven and Earth, but it is clearly more than enough to deal with Lu Yan, a fire mage.

Lu Yan was astonished to discover how powerful the sword was. He immediately gritted his teeth, held the Fire Edict Token, and stood in front of the sword's edge.

Ding--

The black longsword pierced the Fire Order, but it didn't penetrate it. However, the brute force of the sword still sent Lü Yan staggering backward, crashing directly into the rock wall behind him.

Wow~
Bang!
Madam Han stood rooted to the spot, sword in hand. Since Lü Yan was no ordinary man, she didn't launch another attack, but instead gave him a subtle warning with a raised eyebrow:

"Master Lü can only protect one of the Fire-Imperial Decree and the opportunity. If I continue to resist in vain, I may not be able to obtain the opportunity. But Master Lü cannot protect either of these two things."

Lu Yan was not afraid of Madam Han, but he was completely awestruck by this sword he had never heard of before.
"What is the origin of this sword?"

Sa——

Madam Han did not explain, and pressed herself forward again.

Upon seeing this, Lü Yan immediately activated the Eight Gates Burning Formation, but this sword was definitely extraordinary. Its single-point magic-breaking ability could not be blocked by spells and almost completely countered the Five Elements spells. Lü Yan was not good at melee combat, so he could only use the Fire-Controlling Token as a shield to block.

Ding ding~
After these two sword strikes, Lü Yan was unharmed, but fearing damage to his magical artifact, he could only grit his teeth and throw out the lightning ball:
"roll!"

Call ~
Despite the furious and enraged outburst, Madam Han remained unperturbed. She used her jade pipe to deflect the lightning ball, and her figure vanished into the mist. Then, from the depths of the cave came the following:

Rumble…

The collapse of rocks blocked the cave, cut off the road, and completely destroyed any trace of Madam Han...
-
Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival with your families!
(End of this chapter)