Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 461 A Decisive Break! Lu Xingzhou VS Huo Xingyuan

Pei Qingyan and Feng Ziliu's eyes met, and they each subconsciously looked away.

If we're talking about messy relationships, these two are the most messy. Pei Qingyan doesn't know whether this man should be considered her father-in-law, or a fellow traveler... Oh, they seem to be on different paths, so should he be considered her ex-husband?
In the blink of an eye, Xuan Nu was already laughing in fury: "Fine, fine, Pei Chuyun, I raised you for eighteen years for nothing, and this is how you repay me? The Pei bloodline, are they all ingrates?"

Pei Qingyan sneered: "How dare you say that! Chu Yun has already given you many chances. Enough with the idle talk, get on them!"

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" Various kinds of energy blasted towards Xuan Nu, and Pei Qingyan also drew his longsword and took action himself.

Behind Xuan Nu, Feng Ziliu delivered a heavy punch to her back.

With a loud "boom," the attacks from all the powerful members of the Pei family, including Pei Qingyan, failed to harm Xuan Nu in the slightest. Her graceful figure swiftly grabbed at Pei Chuyun.

"Whoosh!" A parasol opened and began to spin leisurely.

At the same time, Feng Ziliu's fist also struck her claw, and a little bit of energy dissipated from Luo San's umbrella without even causing a ripple.

The so-called "qi force" was fake; in reality, it was still the soul penetrating, but the Heavenly Net Umbrella covered it completely, so it couldn't pass through.

"Heavenly Net Umbrella..." Xuan Nu was secretly alarmed. Her attempt to gain victory through a risky maneuver had failed, and she was also hit by Feng Ziliu's punch, causing her blood and qi to surge. Pei Qingyan's sword was piercing her heart from behind, and with the surrounding sword formation in place, she had already lost her chance.

"You really think you can stop me?" Xuan Nu finally sneered, "Then try it."

Feng Ziliu is very strong, and Pei Qingyan is also a top-tier figure in this era, nearing the highest level. Unfortunately, Xuan Nu's hidden strength is even greater. With so many people surrounding her, they can only barely hold their own. It will be very difficult to defeat Xuan Nu directly.

Logically speaking, Pei Qingyan's decision to have so many powerful individuals form an array to attack was a mistake... because most of them were men.

The Mysterious Maiden's Enchanting Union Technique is on a completely different level from that of a novice demon girl. Spending too much time within her aura can easily cause men to become infatuated and controlled. Feng Ziliu and Pei Qingyan might not be affected, nor might powerful first-rank retainers, but second and third-rank retainers are almost certainly not immune.

But as the battle raged on, Xuan Nu realized something was amiss.

There was another faint aura emanating from her, very similar yet different, overlapping and tearing at each other, making her aura effect very weak.

Pei Chuyun.

Her version of "The Joyful Union of Women" incorporates elements of great bliss and happiness, making it quite different from the original. In fact, it even surpasses the original in quality.

Xuan Nu looked at Pei Chuyun, who was hiding behind the formation, in shock.

In her mind, she was just a shell prepared for herself, and any arrangements she made were for the help of her father and grandfather. However, when she actually faced the situation, she realized that she herself was the core of the main force in this battle.

Whether it's second-grade cultivation, ancient realm treasures, or this miraculous technique... Xuan Nu suddenly felt a little fortunate that she had started earlier than originally expected. If she had started a year or two later, it would have been even more difficult for Pei Chuyun to reach the first grade.

"You've really grown up... You've always been like a little white flower in the capital, yet you've grown to this level without anyone noticing. It's rare, truly rare." Xuan Nu chuckled, then suddenly turned to look at the sky.

With her movements, everyone in the arena felt a sense of unease emanating from the air.

The blood moon appeared even more vibrant.

Boundless demonic energy spread throughout the country, seemingly condensing in some peculiar way, and was reflected by the blood moon onto a certain altar.

An extremely terrifying force began to subtly spread from the outskirts of the capital.

The power also contained an extremely clear dragon's might, as if an ancient dragon was awakening.

"Qian Yuan!" Feng Ziliu and Pei Qingyan knew what had happened tonight, and at this moment they couldn't help but feel their hearts tremble.

How long has it been since something like breaking through the Qian Yuan barrier has happened before our eyes?
Feng Ziliu had personally witnessed the previous sect leader's failed tribulation, and the memory still haunted him.

Can this Emperor Qian... overcome the tribulation?
If he undergoes tribulation, will he ascend to heaven, or... be able to remain? If he remains, will he pacify all those who resist him? How will the Tianyao Holy Land then conduct itself?

"Do you really want to interfere?" In the midst of the battle, Xuan Nu chuckled, "You were the ones who trapped me just now, now it seems like it's my turn to drag you down... So none of you are leaving."

Pink mist filled the surroundings, plunging the Pei residence into darkness.

…………

While Xuan Nu was approaching Pei Chuyun, other changes were also taking place in other parts of the capital.

Such strange phenomena in the heavens and earth inevitably caused chaos in the capital. Cultivators were restless, and powerful figures from sects not far from the capital could not hold back and flew towards it, creating utter chaos everywhere.

Against this backdrop, Huo Xingyuan was ordered to lead his troops to suppress various disturbances in the capital.

In fact, Sheng Qingfeng also received this instruction, although he and Huo Xingyuan were in charge of different systems.

Whether Sheng Qingfeng was acting on imperial orders remains unknown, but Huo Xingyuan was diligently fulfilling his duties, leading troops to patrol the city, taking control of key roads, and stabilizing the capital.

After making arrangements in all directions, Huo Xingyuan led more than ten personal guards back to his command post to take charge of the central command.

On a snowy night, the long street was deserted, and the blood moon shone in the sky. Even though Huo Xingyuan was on the emperor's side, he couldn't help but shiver and felt uneasy.

"Who is it!" The left and right lieutenants drew their swords with a clang and shouted angrily. Huo Xingyuan looked intently and saw a figure standing quietly at the street corner ahead, blocking their army's path.

The blood moonlight illuminated the face, making it possible to vaguely make out the other person's features. With a face as handsome as jade and eyes as bright as stars, who else could it be but Lu Xingzhou?
But the bloodstains on his face made his once handsome and refined appearance look somewhat ferocious. He stood silently on the street like a wandering ghost.

"Lu Xingzhou." Huo Xingyuan took a deep breath: "What are you doing?"

Lu Xingzhou said loudly, "Lord Huo has been found to be possessing a divine artifact, which has brought divine punishment upon him. Therefore, a blood moon has descended from the sky as a warning. I, Lu, have come here on imperial orders to arrest Lord Huo. Those who are not involved, please step aside."

The sound could be heard for miles, not just on this street, but probably several streets away.

Countless people who had been hiding in their homes with their doors and windows closed due to the strange events of the night opened their windows, eager to see what was going on.

Huo Xingyuan was so angry he almost laughed: "Lu Xingzhou, you're even forging an imperial edict! Do you know what crime that is? Arrest him!"

"You don't believe me?" Lu Xingzhou grinned. "Let me prove it to you."

As the words were spoken, a sword flashed in the sky and pierced into the backyard of the Huo family mansion.

Huo Xingyuan was shocked: "Jiang Duxu!"

“Yes.” Lu Xingzhou smiled and lowered his voice: “The situation tonight is so special. Both the Grand Tutor and the Grand Elder should be at the altar. The Marquis has also led his men out... Even if there are many high-ranking officials guarding there, they probably can’t withstand Mr. Jiang’s sword. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this opportunity?”

"Clang!" As if to confirm his statement, as the sword light fell, a loud explosion was heard from the direction of Huo Mansion, and a celestial aura soared into the sky. Many people seemed to see a mirage of fairies scattering flowers, and the whole city was filled with a refreshing fragrance, which seemed to dilute the evil aura of the blood moon.

But soon, the celestial radiance on the other side reached a perfect harmony with the blood moon. Anyone could see that the birth of this blood moon was inextricably linked to the celestial energy, and there must be a cause and effect.

Huo Xingyuan was dumbfounded, his mind going blank for a moment.

The alchemy furnace that the Huo family had kept hidden for ten years was now revealed to the world.

It is related to the Blood Moon, of course. Gu Zhanting consumed a lot of medicine refined by this alchemy furnace in his later years. The demon blood and monster blood in it were strongly related to his breakthrough in the Qian Yuan realm, so the two naturally had a causal relationship.

But how did Lu Xingzhou know that?
Putting aside Gu Zhanting's breakthrough, how did he even know this alchemy furnace existed? Back when Huo Shang died, the Huo family didn't even have an alchemy furnace!
Huo Xingyuan's first reaction was to rush home and retrieve the alchemy furnace, but he was blocked by Lu Xingzhou as soon as he took a step.

"Huo Xingyuan, how did you collude with the demons, causing a celestial warning and unrest in the capital? Surrender now!" Lu Xingzhou shouted and took a step forward. Huo Xingyuan's guards dared not get involved in such a matter and all took a step back, turning the scene into Huo Xingyuan and Lu Xingzhou standing one-on-one facing each other.

Huo Xingyuan took a deep breath and said, word by word, "You are not Huo Shang!"

Lu Xingzhou said calmly, "I never said that I was. The reason I killed your sons step by step was simply to make you feel that heart-wrenching pain step by step, and you couldn't do anything about it. This wine is mellow and has a long aftertaste. Please, my lord, taste it. After you finish it, you can probably set off on your journey."

Huo Xingyuan roared in fury: "Die!"

"Clang!" Huo Xingyuan drew his sword and, like a madman, launched a flying stab at Lu Xingzhou.

He started with the Huo family's ultimate technique, Nian Dong... no, the Heaven-Breaking Sword.

Lu Xingzhou's eyes were calm, showing neither sorrow nor joy.

He suddenly unleashed a punch just as the sword light was about to strike him.

The fist energy, formed by the convergence of Yin and Yang energies, exploded in front, directly confronting the sword light.

With a deafening roar, the bluestone of the long street turned to dust, and the force of the impact spread to the houses on both sides, causing the walls to begin to crack.

But Lu Xingzhou, who had staggered back after taking a hit from Huo Xingyuan at the Huo family right at the winter solstice, only took a half step back this time before regaining his footing.

"Second-tier, mid-stage..." Many onlookers whispered among themselves, "What an terrifying rate of improvement."

Even Huo Xingyuan's personal guards were discussing in the rear: "He was only at the initial stage of the second rank a few days ago, right? How did his cultivation level increase so much? We can't understand it."

"He's a pill connoisseur? He's a pill master."

"What nonsense are you spouting? What cultivator who uses pill-taking techniques can be so stable?" Someone immediately retorted, "The Marquis is only at the mid-stage of the first rank, and there's a whole rank difference between 'father and son,' yet he only made Lu Xingzhou retreat half a step. If you're talking about pill-taking techniques, Marquis Huo is more like it, isn't he?"

"No, not father and son... he just said..."

"Who is he?"

Huo Xingyuan roared, "Who are you?! Why would the Huo family ancestral hall recognize your bloodline?"

What Huo Xingyuan couldn't understand the most was this. If it weren't for the ancestral hall's approval, he wouldn't have been deceived like this.

"Want to know?" Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly, but his eyes held no mirth. "Then go down to the underworld and ask our ancestors."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: It's past midnight, please vote with your monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)