Chapter 125 – The Thin Line Between Hope and Despair
The air aboard the flying ship was thick with dread. Every disciple, the Inner and Outer Sect alike, felt their hearts clench as the oppressive demonic host swarmed through the air around them. The distorted sky churned with grey clouds that darkened as the demonic Qi permeated them.
Thousands of demonic beasts let out bone-rattling roars that shook the deck of the flying ship.
The Tranquil Mountain Sect’s Elders stood at the front line, their faces grim but unflinching in the face of the horde arrayed against them. Spiritual light flared around them as they raised their defences, forming warding seals and summoning talismans or artifacts in preparation for the inevitable clash.
“Disciples! Ready your weapons! Defend yourselves and the Sect!” One of the Inner Sect Elders shouted, his voice carrying across the deck like thunder.
The Outer Sect Disciples scrambled to obey, with many of their faces pale but determined as they formed defensive formations. The Inner Sect Disciples moved with sharp precision as their spiritual artifacts and treasures came alive with Qi.
One of the white-bearded Elders in the Core Formation stage stepped close to Mu Yanyu to speak with her. His expression was stoic, but his voice revealed the strain and desperation there.
“Vice Sect Master Mu, we are at a disadvantage. Even if his foundation is fractured, Xun Beiming is in the Nascent Soul Stage. Our resistance will be limited against him, even without the support of his own Elders.”
Mu Yanyu’s robes fluttered around her as her own pale blue Qi surged; the frost-covered sword in her right hand glowed faintly with suppressed power. Her own face was calm, but her eyes burned with steel that made even the older Elder beside her hesitate to speak further.
“We have no other choice. The barrier has been sealed behind us, and no communication talisman can breach it to carry news of our plight to the Sect Master. We are Disciples of the Tranquil Mountain Sect, and we will not die without lifting a hand against our enemies.”
The older man paused a moment before nodding with determination.
“There is no choice, we fight!” He whispered fiercely.
The deck fell silent for a brief instant as all around the ship, Disciples tightened their grips on their weapons, clenched their teeth and drove back the fear they felt with resolve.
From above, Xun Beiming’s laughter rolled down on them like a storm as he made the ship quiver under the weight of his oppressive and overwhelming spiritual pressure. The air itself seemed to hum with the vast difference in power between the two sides, and only the efforts of Mu Yanyu and the other Elders kept the Disciples from feeling its effects.
Xun Beiming’s voice cut through the charged air like a blade, and it was clear he was amused by their efforts and looking forward to the cruelty crushing them.
“Surrender now, and I will spare those among you who do not possess the rare bloodlines or special constitutions we seek. Lay down your arms and you will be spared. Those with nothing we need may live.”
His words hung in the air like poison, tempting them even though those hearing him knew that Demonic Cultivators could never be trusted. For a heartbeat, a new silence spread across the deck as the Disciples considered the choice before them.
They were given a choice of potentially surviving in shame or death.
Mu Yanyu’s reply rang out like struck steel, clear and cutting.
“Liar. Deceiver.”
“You talk of mercy, yet your aura is steeped in blood. You promise survival only so you may harvest what you can’t win through open strength. To listen to your lies would be no different from placing our necks beneath the butcher’s blade.”
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Her robes stirred in the wind, and her eyes were unwavering as she met Xun Beiming’s gaze without flinching.
“You’re vile and fork-tongued. You may appear strong, but your foundation is rotten. A snake who speaks of mercy is still a snake, and venom is the only truth it knows.”
“If you want to take our Blood Essence, then come and seize it for yourself!”
Her final taunt rolled across the deck of the flying ship like thunder, and every Disciple felt her words ignite the fire in their blood. Many began to shout in defiance, adding their voices to hers.
Yet, even as she spoke, Jun De saw a few hesitant faces amongst them. The offer from Xun Beiming had wormed its way through them like poison, and he wasn’t sure how many would break when the battle started.
That moment of wavering was put to an end by a roar of laughter. Zhao Wuxian strode forward, his chest heaving as the little remaining light caught on his skin, highlighting his muscles. The grin on his face was feral and predatory, as though he couldn’t wait for the coming violence to erupt.
“Traitors?” Zhao Wuxian shouted, spreading his arms and gesturing to the Disciples around him.
“There’s no way any of us would turn our blades on our own. I won’t hear of it! Even if the sky falls, we stand together! The Tranquil Mountain Sect doesn’t sell its own. I, Zhao Wuxian, the strongest talent amongst the Inner Sect, will eliminate anyone who thinks of betrayal!”
For once, Zhao Wuxian’s words weren’t just bravado. All around him, the other Inner Sect Disciples straightened as pride and anger snapped them back into line. Even Shen Ruolan’s jaw clenched, and Lin Yue’s hands tightened into fists.
The deck around them thrummed with resolve as everyone chose to fight rather than trust Xun Beiming’s mercy.
Above them, Xun Beiming’s smile only widened as he knew that the trap had been sprung, and the true battle was about to begin, one that the Tranquil Mountain Sect couldn’t hope to win.
Before violence could break out, the sudden boom of a voice rolled over the entire Secret Realm, shaking the air and silencing even the creaking deck of the flying ship.
“I agree with this boy!” The words rang out, carrying power, certainty and the weight of an unshakable will.
From the distant sky, a brilliant light tore through the dull, grey cloud cover. Two figures emerged from the tear in space, stepping across the air as though it were made of stone. Their steps were unhurried and steady, while the spiritual pressure of their cultivations pushed back the demonic Qi around them.
The first was Lu Qingchen, the Sect Master of the Tranquil Mountain Sect. His long black hair fluttered in the wind, while his blue robes trimmed in purple, marked with the sigil of the Tranquil Mountain, glowed faintly with Qi.
The Sect Master’s expression was calm, but every inch of him radiated immense strength. This wasn’t a projection or an avatar, but Lu Qingchen’s true body that had been lying in wait for Xun Beiming’s trap to spring.
At the Sect Master’s side was Han Zengwu, the City Lord of Yunlai City. His body was tall and broad, with eyes like blades, and an aura as firm and sharp as the sword he held in his right hand. The City Lord was wearing red and gold robes, while his own hair was bound in a warrior’s topknot.
The deck around Jun De erupted into gasps and cheers of relief at the Sect Master’s appearance.
Every disciple could feel the difference between their Sect Master’s presence and Xun Beiming’s. Where the demonic cultivator's aura was twisted and unstable, Lu Qingchen and Han Zehngwu were true Nascent Soul cultivators with a solid foundation.
“Two Nascent Souls! The Sect Master has come!” One of the disciples cried out, and their voice nearly broke with awe at the sight.
Xun Beiming’s expression twisted into a mask of fury as his laughter cut short. His eyes narrowed, and his aura flared dangerously, sending cracks of black lightning rippling through the clouds around him.
“Impossible! You shouldn’t be here! Who dared spy against me?!” Xun Beiming hissed through teether clenched in anger.
For a man who had orchestrated an ambush in a carefully created Secret Realm, the arrival of City Lord Han and the Sect Master was a humiliation. It was like a blade driven through the heart of his plans.
The Disciples of the Tranquil Mountain Sect stood taller as their spirits were reignited as the Sect Master and Han Zhengwu appeared on the deck of the flying ship in a flash of light.
Zhao Wuxian was one of the first to react, and his laughter boomed so loudly that it almost rivalled Xun Beiming’s earlier taunts. He flexed his arms as he pointed at the demonic cultivators.
“Did you hear that, you demonic dogs? The Sect Master himself has come to crush you! Hahaha, now we’ll slaughter you all to the last!”
A large number of Disciples cheered in response, and Zhao Wuxian basked in the adulation.
Lin Yue let out a shaky breath and pressed her hand against her heart. The oppressive demonic energy that had been suffocating her only moments ago was less overwhelming now. She turned her head, and her amber-dark eyes looked to Jun De as an expression of relief spread across her face.
Shen Ruolan, standing on Jun De’s other side, nodded fiercely.
“With my grandfather here, everything is going to be fine. Xun Beiming may have held his own against him before, but it’s two on one now.” She whispered.
Jun De himself felt the knot in his chest loosen slightly. He had faced impossible odds before, and he understood that battles could easily swing in different directions. But with the Sect Master and City Lord Han working together, he was sure that they could come out on top of this fight.
