Chapter 926: Ten Thousand Swords River Meets Autumn Mountain
These swords exuded a frigid sword intent, sharp to the extreme.
What was even more terrifying was the sword momentum they displayed—extremely steady and resolute, like a mountain, or perhaps a stone mountain gate.
Li Mountain had no mountain gate; the swords were the gate.
Watching these swords suspended in midair, Tang Thirty-Six was not worried but rather found it quite interesting.
He said excitedly to Chen Changsheng, "This is just like that sword technique of yours. Could it be that you were born to come to Li Mountain to learn swordsmanship?"
Zhe Xiu's sensitivity to danger far surpassed others. Sensing that these swords could unleash a thunderous strike at any moment, he stepped forward and pulled Tang Thirty-Six behind him, his right hand gripping his sword hilt.
But he forgot that his sword was the Demon Marshal's Banner Sword, and Li Mountain Sword Sect was a righteous human sword sect—how could they not be acutely sensitive to the aura of the Demon Marshal's Banner Sword?
Swish, swish, swish, swish! The sounds of piercing air came thick and fast as hundreds of swords flew at high speed from between the peaks.
Chen Changsheng did not react, but he felt the might and danger carried by those hundreds of swords. The Divine Staff appeared on its own, radiating extremely bright light in all directions.
A sacred aura enveloped the stone path.
The Sword-Relinquishing Stone was not within that light.
Throughout the entire Li Mountain, countless whistling cries rang out!
Countless swords burst forth from the mountains, broke through the clouds, forming an immensely spectacular river of swords that roamed among the peaks, protecting all of Li Mountain's summits!
This was Li Mountain's famous Ten Thousand Sword Mountain-Protecting Formation!
Though the swords in that river were not as renowned as those Chen Changsheng had taken from the Sword Pool, their sharpness was even greater, possessing an irresistible momentum.
Let alone Chen Changsheng and his companions, even if Zhou Du|fu and the Heavenly Sea Saint Empress were resurrected, they could not face this Ten Thousand Sword Formation head-on.
Fortunately, that sword river spanning the sky merely roamed among the peaks without immediately attacking them.
Chen Changsheng and Zhe Xiu sensed no killing intent and vaguely understood the meaning. The former gripped the Divine Staff, while the latter released his sword hilt, and they retreated several steps behind the stone path.
The sword river hung high in the heavens, its grim sword intent already descending, ready at any moment to shred everything on the stone path into dust—utterly impossible to resist.
Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat angry, thinking that Li Mountain clearly knew who had arrived, yet deliberately acted this way. Were they trying to intimidate them?
As Chen Changsheng and the others retreated behind the Sword-Relinquishing Stone, the hundreds of swords around the stone path grew calmer, and the magnificent sword river between the peaks gradually slowed down.
"This is utterly outrageous."
Tang Thirty-Six said to Chen Changsheng, "You are Senior Su Li's direct disciple. By any reckoning, you're one of Li Mountain Sword Sect's own, even of the same generation as the Sect Master. And these junior disciples dare to use the Ten Thousand Sword Formation to threaten you? Aren't you angry?"
Chen Changsheng knew he must be in a terrible mood right now and said helplessly, "Then what do you think I should do?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "You should join Li Mountain Sword Sect as the Pope, then take over as Sect Master, and infuriate Autumn Mountain Lord and those fellows."
When he said this, his voice was deliberately loud, wanting the people on Li Mountain to hear.
"You bastard, why is your mouth still so vile?"
A voice somewhat familiar to them sounded from above the stone path.
Tang Thirty-Six had traded barbs with this person many times—how could he not recognize it? He sneered and said, "Do you think what I said is completely impossible?"
Guan Feibai walked over from the stone path, wanting to mock him a few times, but then thought that if Chen Changsheng really did join Li Mountain Sword Sect, given his status and seniority, Tang Thirty-Six's seemingly absurd claim might actually become reality. His expression shifted slightly.
Just then, a gentle yet authoritative voice came from deep within the clouds.
"His Holiness the Pope graces us with his presence. The entire Li Mountain is deeply honored."
The speaker was naturally the Sect Master of Li Mountain Sword Sect.
Guan Feibai composed himself, solemnly saluted Chen Changsheng, and led the group toward the peaks hidden in the clouds.
It didn't take long before they arrived at a stone pavilion halfway up the mountain.
Gou Hanshi, Liang Banhu, and a Sword Hall Elder were waiting for them there.
If the Pope himself came visiting any other sect or school, they would likely welcome him from hundreds of li away, and the Sect Master would personally greet him. But today, Chen Changsheng had not brought his imperial carriage, and Li Mountain Sword Sect was no ordinary sect. Under such rushed circumstances, this level of courtesy was already quite proper.
Gou Hanshi and Liang Banhu first paid their respects to Chen Changsheng.
The name Liang Xiaoxiao had long been forgotten by the world, but Chen Changsheng could not forget it. He believed Liang Banhu could not forget it either, so his emotions were slightly unsettled.
But this feeling was soon broken by what happened next, because that Sword Hall Elder actually performed a grand bow to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was very surprised. He knew that the Sword Hall Elders of Li Mountain Sword Sect were all senior members of the sect with profound cultivation and formidable combat power, and they were often stubborn and proud. Even given his status as Pope, logically, the other party should not have bowed so deeply.
Soon, he recalled something Guan Feibai had told him during their journey.
A certain Sword Hall Elder of Li Mountain Sword Sect had been responsible for the rearguard in a battle on the Snow Plain, surrounded by several demon experts, nearly dying, and was only saved by a Vermilion Sand Pill. Now he realized that the exceptionally fierce Sword Hall Elder before him must be that very person.
Thinking of this, Chen Changsheng quickly stepped forward to help the elder up, then solemnly returned the courtesy. In his eyes, someone like this Sword Hall Elder, who fought bloody battles for humanity, was truly worthy of admiration. Compared to that, his own act of using blood to make some Vermilion Sand Pills was nothing.
Without further words, the group proceeded straight to the peak.
By then, several hundred Li Mountain Sword Sect disciples had gathered at the summit. Presumably, the sword lights on the cliffs and terraces of the other peaks had already diminished significantly.
Those Li Mountain Sword Sect disciples watched Chen Changsheng and his party approach with curious and wary eyes.
Former opponents or rivals had now become allies, even companions.
The relationship between Li Mountain Sword Sect and the National Teaching Academy was very complex, so the emotions in those gazes were naturally complicated as well.
Interestingly, only a small portion of the disciples' gazes fell on Chen Changsheng, another small portion on Tang Thirty-Six, while the vast majority were fixed on Zhe Xiu, accompanied by low murmurs that seemed somewhat chaotic.
This was naturally not because of Zhe Xiu's fearsome reputation on the battlefield, but because of his relationship with Qi Jian.
Seeing this scene, Gou Hanshi frowned slightly. The Li Mountain Sword Sect disciples immediately straightened their expressions, and the murmuring quickly subsided.
Passing through the crowd, they could see from afar that cave dwelling covered by green vines—presumably the residence of the Li Mountain Sword Sect Master.
In front of the cave dwelling was a stone terrace, slightly elevated, making the figure standing there easily visible.
Of course, even among a crowd of thousands, that person would still be the first to catch the eye.
Autumn Mountain Lord turned around and looked at Chen Changsheng and the others.
Chen Changsheng looked at him, not knowing what to say.
When he decided to come to Li Mountain yesterday, he had naturally already imagined this scene in advance.
He had thought the other party might find some excuse to avoid meeting him, but only now did he understand—if he avoided the encounter, would he still be Autumn Mountain Lord?