Chapter 894: The Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation
Huai Ren looked at Ping Xuan’s profile, his face as heavy as water as he said, “Have you truly thought this through?”
Ping Xuan replied calmly, “Master, the Saintess entrusted Nanxi Zhai to my temporary care, and I have long been troubled over what to do. Now, I realize I was overthinking. For someone as dull-witted as me, there is no need to think too much. I only need to follow the Saintess’s intentions, and that will not lead to error.”
Huai Ren barked, “Do you think the Saintess is someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong?”
Ping Xuan said, “I only know that if the Saintess were present at this moment, she would never allow anyone to threaten His Holiness the Pope’s safety for any reason.”
From the Cold Mountain to the capital, tens of thousands of miles of dust and earth—this was something she and many Nanxi Zhai disciples had witnessed with their own eyes, and it could not be mistaken.
Huai Ren said coldly, “Even if Bie Tianxin was truly killed by him?”
Ping Xuan said, “Master, I have said that no reason is acceptable.”
Huai Ren could not hide his disappointment, saying, “Even if you know this will drag our Saintess Peak into an abyss of ruin?”
Ping Xuan said, “If that is the Saintess’s will.”
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Infinite Green arrived about ten zhang before the platform.
She glared at the young girls of Nanxi Zhai and shouted fiercely, “Do you think you can bully us two poor souls who have lost our son in old age by outnumbering us?”
It was indeed pitiable to see the white-haired send off the black-haired, but she and Bie Yanghong were among the few top experts in the world—who could bully them?
The Nanxi Zhai girls were very nervous; these were the strongest opponents they had ever faced in their lives, yet the momentum of their sword formation remained as steady as a cliff.
Over a thousand cultivators on the peak watched this scene with tense attention.
On one side were true continental experts, steeped in the sacred domain for who knows how many years.
On the other side was the legendary sword formation, which had created countless unimaginable feats in battle.
When the two met, who would prove stronger?
……
……
A sharp howl rang out across the peak.
The fly whisk in Infinite Green’s hand descended from the sky, smashing down toward the platform.
The whisk broke through the air, trailing countless strands, each like a bolt of lightning, tearing through space and giving birth to white turbulence.
Countless overtones of annihilation flickered faintly within those lightning bolts and spatial currents, appearing utterly terrifying.
Ye Xiaolian, standing at the very front, raised her sword to meet the attack, and a beam of sword light blazed before the platform.
Under the terrifying pressure brought by Infinite Green, the peak suddenly turned cold and dim, and this sword light seemed especially fragile and insignificant by comparison.
It was like a small skiff in a surging ocean, liable to capsize at any moment and vanish without a trace.
Then, several more beams of sword light flared up, brightening the dark world a little more.
Those few skiffs in the ocean seemed to form a small boat—still not very large, but somewhat sturdier.
Next, dozens of sword lights lit up simultaneously, and the peak suddenly blazed bright, as if returning to daylight.
Those skiffs and the small boat were swept together by the waves into a great ship, which rode over the steep, towering swells, pierced through the thick rain clouds, and broke free into a patch of sky light.
This was not a simple patchwork.
Even if thousands of wooden planks were piled together into a mountain, once they entered the sea, they would scatter and be unable to withstand any wind or wave.
Only when truly combined could they become a giant vessel that braved the wind and split the waves.
Dozens of sword lights, varying in brightness, illuminated the peak. Dozens of different sword techniques soared into the air, responding to and communicating with each other, merging into a single whole.
This process was extremely swift and seemed to happen naturally, like water finding its course or stones emerging from a receding tide, in harmony with the principles of nature. Most wondrously, just as planks joined to form a boat, the superposition of dozens of sword techniques produced an inexplicable qualitative change. The sword momentum surged abruptly, becoming countless times more powerful than the sword technique of a single Nanxi Zhai disciple!
This was the world-renowned Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation!
An immensely grand sword momentum enveloped the cliff-top platform. The sword light illuminated heaven and earth, tore apart the dark clouds, and met the transcendent fly whisk.
A sharp, chilling sword intent burst forth, slashing into the lightning bolts and spatial cracks, countering those terrifying annihilation auras.
Countless sounds erupted almost simultaneously—tearing sounds, explosive sounds, but most encounters were true annihilation, silent yet far more perilous.
A fierce wind howled, and the green trees on the cliff bent westward, as if unable to bear this power.
The disciples of Li Mountain Sword Sect, Huai Yuan, and several southern sects nearby all released their auras and activated their artifacts to protect their own.
As the dust and smoke gradually settled, Infinite Green’s figure reappeared, still in her original position—she had not advanced a single step!
The Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation, composed of dozens of young girls, had actually blocked a strike from a sacred domain expert!
Three disciples, intimidated by Infinite Green’s momentum, had their Dao hearts slightly shaken and were injured, unable to continue fighting.
The sound of wind breaking rang out again, and soon other Nanxi Zhai disciples replaced the three, appearing even more confident.
This was not over yet.
Ping Xuan said calmly, “Form the grand formation.”
Before her words faded, the Nanxi Zhai disciples who had not yet acted rushed forward.
In an instant, the cliff-top platform was filled with endless sword light and the constant hum of swords.
The complete sword formation of over three hundred Nanxi Zhai disciples had now taken shape!
White skirts fluttered like eternal, indestructible waves.
Sword intent was chilling, like a thousand peaks that would never fall.
This was the true Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation, renowned throughout the world!
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……
The cliff-top platform fell into utter silence, with shock still lingering in everyone’s eyes.
Many had heard of the Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation, but few had the chance to witness it with their own eyes.
The Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation was indeed as powerful as legend said—relying only on disciples at the Tongyou realm, it could block a sacred domain expert like Infinite Green!
Infinite Green’s face was filled with violent rage. She knew the power of the Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation. Legend had it that a thousand years ago, when Zhou Dufu, the strongest under the stars, attacked Saintess Peak, it took him considerable time to break the formation. Although she still had many tricks up her sleeve, she could not be stronger than Zhou Dufu. Yet no matter how formidable the Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation was, it could not stop her steps, because she had to avenge her most beloved son. Today, she would kill Chen Changsheng no matter what!
Just as she was about to charge the Nanxi Zhai Sword Formation again, the situation on the field underwent a change.
“This king believes that the most important thing to do now is to have Zhu Sha appear quickly and explain the situation of that day. Whether it is a misunderstanding or not, there will be a proper judgment.”
Prince Xiang rose from his chair, adjusted the bright yellow sash at his waist, took a couple of breaths, and smiled at Chen Changsheng on the platform. “Everyone knows that His Holiness the Pope and the Guardian have a natural connection. Summoning her should not be difficult. And the Frost Giant Dragon can travel a thousand miles in an instant. No matter where she is on the continent, she should be able to return within the day. If His Holiness finds this proposal acceptable, why not have some tea first and wait for her return before proceeding?”
Bie Yanghong was silent for a moment, then said, “Agreed.”
Infinite Green naturally did not want this, her face full of anger, but in the end, she said nothing.
Everyone turned to look at Chen Changsheng. In their view, Prince Xiang’s proposal was perfectly reasonable—indeed, a prudent suggestion.
But would His Holiness the Pope worry about the Black Dragon’s safety and be unwilling to summon her back? Or perhaps… dare not summon her?
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then said, “I will not summon her.”
The entire assembly erupted in uproar.
Prince Xiang’s smile gradually faded, and he said calmly, “Then this king can no longer support Your Holiness.”
Not supporting meant opposing—though not stated outright, the stance was clear.
This was his attitude, and it could also be understood as the attitude of the imperial court.
As Prince Xiang’s voice still echoed across the cliff-top platform, many people slowly rose to their feet.
Those people were imperial court experts, several green-robed Daoists from Luoyang’s Changchun Temple, and experts from various sects and schools that had long since pledged allegiance to the court—numbering several hundred.
The most conspicuous was the divine general who had been sitting beside Prince Xiang all along.
That divine general had not spoken a word from start to finish, his expression indifferent, yet he drew many eyes.
Because his appearance was extremely distinctive—his eyebrows were as if dyed, frost-white like snow, chilling to behold.
It was precisely because of his unusual features that many recognized his identity.
White Tiger Divine General, peak of the Juxing realm, ranked second among the divine generals of the world!