Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 470 The Battle of Qian Yuan
The battle of Qian Yuan in the heavens above lasted longer than the battles below, and was very protracted.

Gu Zhanting, who was always overshadowed by Ye Tinglan and Long Qinghuang, was a person of his own caliber and was not truly weaker than them.

The conflict with Long Qinghuang resulted in a mutually destructive outcome, forcing Long Qinghuang to deal with various rebellions while still injured. However, Gu Zhanting's injuries were more difficult to treat, leading to a series of subsequent changes.

The same applies to Ye Tinglan.

Ye Tinglan may be slightly better than Gu Zhanting in understanding the Dao realm, as can be seen from the ease with which they broke through, but this does not necessarily represent their strength in actual combat. In actual combat, the true outcome depends on the performance of both sides, and any external interference can cause changes.

Even after each person broke through the Qian Yuan realm, the result remained the same.

In terms of cultivation, Gu Zhanting practices both Taoism and martial arts, as does Ye Tinglan.

Both the Huangji Jingshi Jing and Tianyao Xuanyue belong to the category of cultivation techniques that combine Daoist and martial arts, as does Xiaobaimao's Shuangtian Dongyue.

However, the Huangji Jingshi Jing leans more towards martial arts, while the Tianyao Xuanyue leans more towards Taoism; neither achieves a perfect fusion of the two extremes. In actual combat, one is too domineering and lacks flexibility, while the other appears well-rounded but is slightly weaker in offensive capabilities.

None of them are good cultivation methods.

Judging from their magical treasures, the Great Qian Emperor and the Heavenly Yao Saint Lord possessed more treasures than all the people in the battle below combined.

In the past, battles would have been much more elaborate, but this battle was a bit special, as neither of them used any magical artifacts.

Since everyone's magical treasures are at the Huiyang level, and there's only one Qianyuan treasure, which is generally their natal treasure that breaks through to the next level as their cultivation progresses. Other magical treasures are now less useful, at most serving as a restraint.

"Whoosh!" Gu Zhanting pointed his divine sword, and the landscape changed color for miles around.

The purple aura seemed to solidify into a giant, physical sword, stretching across thousands of miles and slashing straight down at Ye Tinglan.

His Imperial Sword, the proof of the Great Qian Emperor, now accompanied him as he broke through to the Qian Yuan realm. The power boost it provided, combined with its compatibility with the Imperial World-Shaking Scripture, was like adding wings to a tiger. This strike was definitely far beyond the level of an ordinary cultivator who had just broken through to the Qian Yuan realm.

Jiang Duxu was right. Even ordinary Qian Yuan cultivators might not be able to withstand this sword strike. Hui Yang cultivators would be doomed to instant death in the face of this divine sword that stretched for thousands of miles, and would be of little use in helping.

But as Ye Tinglan looked at the sword, she thought that Lu Xingzhou was still at a disadvantage in the end because he was bare-handed... Even if the power of bare hands was no different from that of using a weapon after the cultivation level was high, the power amplification and the stimulation and adaptation of the technique were something that bare hands could not provide.

We should persuade Xingzhou to get a weapon, even a brass knuckle duster would do, or a ring with a similar function.

A thought flashes through my mind, but my hands move faster than my thoughts.

The same divine sword pointed diagonally into the sky, its tip resting against the giant sword "blade" formed from a thousand miles of purple aura.

Suddenly, the surrounding space seemed to freeze, the purple mist floating all around was frozen in place, and then a strong wind arose in the sky, and thunder shook the heavens.

Gu Zhanting's Qian Yuan was a sword strike based on the energy of mountains and rivers, combining his own strength with the power of the mountains and rivers.

Ye Tinglan's Qian Yuan, though not much in itself, was merely a fuse that drew upon the power of heaven and earth, using the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder to shatter the demonic aura.

Their battle is now a completely different story from the battle below, which is what people imagine as a battle between immortals.

"Why..." Gu Zhanting said through gritted teeth, "I have reached this point, and I am about to rule the world, yet you also want to reach this point to stop me!!"

"If you were truly a diligent and ambitious emperor, with the heart to attain the Dao of Qian Yuan and the ambition to unify the world, I would only assist you... But are you?" Ye Tinglan said coldly, "What exactly have you done all these years that I need to tell you one by one?"

"Do those things matter!" Gu Zhanting retorted sharply, "The victor is king, the loser is villain; history only needs one outcome! If it weren't for your petty calculations and constant obstruction, I could have accomplished this several years ago. At that time, with the world at peace, who wouldn't praise the Holy Emperor! Do those processes matter?"

Faced with a barrage of questions, Ye Tinglan simply replied, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."

"Whoosh!" Another sword slash came horizontally. Ye Tinglan lightly stepped on the sword energy, and ice and yin fire rose up from all directions.

Gu Zhanting waved his hand to shake them off: "Different paths, what a high-sounding excuse. Back then, you used the excuse of different paths to drive away Ye Fuyao and seize power from Tianyao; now you use the excuse of different paths to commit treason and steal the lifeblood of the Great Qian Kingdom. Ye Tinglan, you are the most hypocritical person."

Ye Tinglan didn't bother arguing with people who were full of conspiracy theories. They only had their own fixed way of thinking, and there was no point in arguing with them.

He simply chuckled and said, "The lifeblood of the Great Qian Kingdom? Haven't you already ruined it all? I, Ye Tinglan, am not a junk collector."

"You!" Gu Zhanting was about to speak when a beam of moonlight shone down on him, and under its clear light, his heart burned.

"Taiyin True Fire... Hah." Gu Zhanting seemed completely unaffected, instead becoming one with his sword, piercing through the icy flames and heading straight for Ye Tinglan's face: "Now that I am a demonic dragon, your tricks no longer work on me!"

Ye Tinglan narrowed her eyes, and suddenly flipped her wrist, revealing a pearl that emitted a soft light.

The pearl exuded boundless vitality, as if scraping off just a tiny bit of powder could grant immortality.

"What is this?" Gu Zhanting asked, somewhat shocked.

This thing must truly be a treasure for longevity. Given the general anxiety within the Great Qian royal family regarding lifespan, it's an absolute divine object. If it fell into the hands of the royal family, it would be enough to make all the reclusive old monsters ecstatic. And… if he had possessed this earlier, perhaps he wouldn't have needed to modify his demonic dragon body. The greatest significance of modifying such a body is actually for the sake of vitality.

"This is a treasure that Xingzhou and I obtained by chance." Ye Tinglan retreated to avoid Gu Zhanting's attack and said indifferently, "I don't really need this kind of treasure that can prolong life... If you weren't so perverse, Xingzhou, as your son-in-law, could most likely have used this as a betrothal gift. What a pity, what a pity."

Gu Zhanting did feel a momentary pang of regret.

If this had existed earlier, many of these procedures could have been avoided, and the situation wouldn't have deteriorated so drastically.

But the regret was fleeting. Since things had come to this, why not just snatch it back? Gu Zhanting didn't understand why Ye Tinglan had taken this out. Was it just to make a sarcastic remark to him?
Just as I was thinking this, a sudden, sharp pain shot through my body.

Ye Tinglan used some kind of magic through the pearl, and the life force poured in, causing the dragon-like parts of his body to swell even more. Not only his scales, but his muscles also began to bulge, his teeth developed fangs, and his clothes on his back torn, revealing dragon fins. "While this thing may be useful to cultivators, it's essentially more beneficial to demonic beasts," Ye Tinglan said calmly. "Since you don't want to be human, then go all the way."

As she spoke, she merged with her sword and shot forward like lightning.

The tip of the sword was still covered in frost, and its sword intent was chilling.

Frosty sky and frozen moon!

As a disciple, Xiaobai Mao's signature move was taught by his master, so of course the master would know it too... However, Ye Tinglan rarely used it, but this was the best opportunity.

The inner fire of the Taiyin True Fire burned, while the outer ice and lightning restricted it. Taking advantage of the asynchronous absorption of life force by his demonic body and the human body, the treasure was used to intensify the situation, creating the first opening in the battle so far.

At this moment, using the sharpest sword to break through the opening in his body is the best solution... although it is a bit dangerous, it is worth it.

"Snap!" In his pain, Gu Zhanting quickly reached out and clapped his hands together to trap the longsword between his palms.

The biting frost instantly froze his palm, and the chilling frost continued to spread up his arm, but the sword was ultimately caught.

Not only did it clamp down, but it also made a piercing sound and even showed faint cracks.

Ye Tinglan's expression was unusually cold and stern. A ray of sword light pierced through the tip of the sword once again, and blood spilled from Gu Zhanting's chest.

But it failed to penetrate... His dragon body was no ordinary thing.

Gu Zhanting's bloodshot eyes were filled with madness: "Ye Tinglan... with your martial arts cultivation, how dare you fight so closely? Do you really think you're in the game?"

As she spoke, a violent burst of energy erupted from her body, and a faint glow emanated from Ye Tinglan's body, blocking the energy. However, while the energy was blocked, the impact was not completely eliminated, and the disadvantage of her insufficient physical cultivation still became apparent, with blood finally spilling from the corner of her mouth.

But his eyes grew even more determined, and the sword light rose again. Taking advantage of Gu Zhanting's inability to concentrate his qi, he seized the opportunity to penetrate another three-tenths of the way.

Blood also trickled from the corner of Gu Zhanting's mouth.

It's yet another lose-lose situation.

As Gu Zhanting's burst of inner energy subsided, a small mechanical figure suddenly appeared beside the two of them, abruptly growing larger and aiming its two hands at Gu Zhanting's eyes without any apparent reason.

Gu Zhanting: "?"

What the hell?

He instinctively turned his head away, and the mechanical man grabbed his arm.

Gu Zhanting: "!!!"

He was holding the sword between his hands the whole time! How could he play anything with his arms being held like that?

Gu Zhanting exerted force with his elbow, and the mechanical man vanished into thin air.

But with that slight misstep, Ye Tinglan's sword tip finally pierced his body completely, the sword light passing through his chest.

"Bang!" Gu Zhanting roared, and the divine sword in Ye Tinglan's hand was also shattered, and they both fell backward.

Ye Tinglan stumbled only one step, while Gu Zhanting staggered back three steps. Before he could regain his footing, the ghostly spirit roared in and rushed straight to his spiritual platform.

Gu Zhanting: "?"

As Ye Tinglan stumbled backward, a smile appeared on her lips, and a small sword imprint suddenly reappeared on her hand.

The sword imprint roared out, not piercing the body, but only taking the soul.

The Sword of Annihilation!

The mandate of the true dragon and the might of the Qian Emperor are vast and majestic, making it difficult for evil spirits to invade.

All the previous attacks and defenses that injured him only weakened Gu Zhanting's momentum, eroding his domineering imperial aura and the aura of a true dragon.

Once he loses his imperial divine power, his soul is no longer invincible.

For example, her Soul-Destroying Sword, and the Radiant Yin Spirit of someone's Soul Banner, both descended at the same time.

Gu Zhanting recognized the spirit's identity and instinctively roared, "Huo Liancheng, you betrayed me too!"

Actually, I knew something was wrong as soon as I shouted it out. It was just a ghost, which meant that Huo Liancheng was finished.

Whether it was right or wrong, it was meaningless. Huo Liancheng's accusations, word by word, traveled for miles and were heard throughout the capital.

The mountains and rivers trembled, the dragon veins were destroyed, and the nation's fortunes visibly declined.

Gu Zhanting's foundation of life was shaken, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. At this moment, Ye Tinglan's Soul-Destroying Sword pierced through his forehead.

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.: Even though it's a bit late... I'll still keep asking for monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)