Chapter 29: You concealed your cultivation level? So did I.
“Boss, our inside man has successfully poisoned them; the Great General of Ji Country and a bunch of Loose Cultivators are poisoned, gasping for air and resting in Mysterious Valley. Now is the perfect time for us to launch a surprise attack!”
“Once we annihilate Ji Country’s two hundred thousand troops, how about leading our brothers to storm Ji Country’s imperial city, seize the emperor’s throne, and become the emperor ourselves, boss? With your sixth layer cultivation in the Golden Core Realm, playing emperor wouldn’t be too bad.” “Hahaha, I don’t want to be any damn emperor. I would rather be a bandit, it’s far more thrilling!”
Sima Kuang led eight hundred bandits on a rapid march, heading for an assault on Mysterious Valley.
The eight hundred bandits didn’t detect any murderous intent along the way and entered Mysterious Valley without incident.
Inside Mysterious Valley, the encampment of two hundred thousand Ji Country soldiers was eerily silent.
“Boss, something seems off here.”
“Damn it, we’ve been tricked!”
Having roamed the jianghu for many years, Sima Kuang was vicious and cunning and immediately realized they had fallen into a trap.
” Sima Kuang, you and your eight hundred bandits have done countless evil deeds, it’s timeyou were brought to justice!”
From both sides of the valley, within the forest, hundreds of Loose Cultivators and two hundred thousand mortal soldiers burst out from magic formations, swarming forward in a dark mass and encircling the eight hundred bandits.
Five Mount Shu disciples, mingled with the hundreds of Loose Cultivators, sealed off all directions to prevent Sima Kuang’s escape.
“Damn it, you used a magic formation to maskyour presence!”
Sima Kuang’s expression grew darker by the moment.
“Indeed, the eight hundred of you bandits have sacked and pillaged, with no fewer than a hundred thousand lives on your hands. Your sins are as high as the heavens—you must be executed!”
Chen Yao gestured with her right hand, and the Skywave Sword at her back shone with a brilliant azure light.
The disciples of Mount Shu, righteous and chivalrous, were filled with righteous indignation upon encountering a ruthless villain like Sima Kuang.
“I’ve traversed the jianghu for eighty years, starting as an ordinary mountain bandit, struggling and surviving numerous brushes with death, to achieve my current level of cultivation. And you think you can kill me just like that?”
Sima Kuang drew a Demon Blade, his eyes fierce. Surrounded by countless troops and many Loose Cultivators, he remained arrogant.
Each of the eight hundred bandits had blood on their hands and dared not surrender, so they fought desperately.
These eight hundred bandits were Loose Cultivators and warriors with cultivation, which was why Ji Country had to mobilize two hundred thousand soldiers to exterminate them.
” Sima Kuang, good and evil will always be repaid in the end. This Mysterious Valley shall be your grave!”
Ji Country’s Great General Chu Yu brandished a long spear, joining forces with the Mount Shu disciples and other Loose Cultivators, to besiege Sima Kuang and the Golden Core Realm bandits and warriors among the eight hundred bandits.
Two hundred thousand mortal soldiers simultaneously unleashed volleys of arrows, blades flashing and swords clashing, tasked with suppressing the bandits of the Foundation Establishment Realm and Qi Transformation Realm.
The leading Golden Core Realm ninth-layer disciple transmitted a message to the five Mount Shu disciples including Lin Qingzhi: “During this sect mission, I will only intervene in critical situations. You should try to complete the tasks on your own.”
“Understood!”
Lin Qingzhi and Lian, two Golden Core Realm Mount Shu disciples, teamed up with Chu Yu, a fifth-layer Golden Core Realm cultivator, to besiege the sixth-layer Golden Core Realm Sima Kuang, theoretically gaining the upper hand.
The leading experienced Mount Shu disciple’s mission was to protect the trainee disciples in dangerous situations and to record everyone’s performance during the assessment. Unless absolutely necessary, issues had to be resolved by the newly initiated disciples themselves.
“Aaah!!”
A first-layer Golden Core Realm Loose Cultivator was bisected at the waist by Sima Kuang’s Blood Demon Blade in the midst of battle, his blood spraying across the sky, emitting a piercing scream.
The faces of the Mount Shu disciples on the training mission turned pale.
Unlike friendly sparring that stops at a light touch, during jianghu training against a cold-blooded Loose Cultivator like Sima Kuang, one could easily meet an untimely death.
“Slash!”
With a flick of her two fingers, Chen Yao’s Skywave Sword, radiating a dazzling azure glow, slashed towards Sima Kuang!
“Blood Demon Blade Skills!”
Sima Kuang didn’t dodge; instead, his Demon Blade, engulfed in a massive surge of blood, audaciously met Chen Yao’s attack!
The blood-red light engulfed the sword qi, and surged back towards Chen Yao.
Chen Yao hastily dodged, but within the blood light, there was a nauseating, disgusting aura mixed in, various negative emotions surged to her mind, causing confusion and turmoil within her spirit.
“Senior sister, be careful!”
Seeing Chen Yao momentarily stunned, Lin Qingzhi stepped in front of her and used the Green Abyss Sword to block Sima Kuang’s next slash with his blood blade.
The clash of blade and sword resonated like thunder in the sky, a vast and invisible shockwave emanated from the duo, rapidly expanding in all directions.
Throughout his training, Lin Qingzhi had always kept his realm suppressed at the second layer of the Golden Core Realm. Now outmatched by Sima Kuang, his body involuntarily flew backward.
Suddenly, warmth came from behind him as the revived Chen Yao caught him, stabilizing his form.
Chen Yao, with her special constitution and being a direct disciple of the Supreme Elders of Mount Shu, quickly adjusted despite the influence of the blood blade.
“How are you not affected by my Blood Demon Blade Skills?”
Sima Kuang was astounded.
His Blood Demon Blade Skills could awaken the inner demons deep within a person’s heart, tormenting the opponent with unbearable pain, rendering them incapable of fighting. With this technique, Sima Kuang had roamed the martial world for many years, killing many powerful adversaries.
However, Lin Qingzhi possessed the Heart of the Innocent, free from inner demons.
In other words, the effectiveness of Sima Kuang’s Blood Demon Blade Skills was greatly reduced against Lin Qingzhi.
“Sima Kuang, don’t forget you’re also fighting me! Our realms only differ by one layer, and I am aided by so many fellow cultivators. Your death is certain!”
Chu Yu attacked from behind, his lance trembling, turning into thousands of spear shadows, enveloping Sima Kuang!
Sima Kuang turned to counter with his blade, engaging in a fierce fight with Chu Yu!
Both moved with extreme speed, their forms flickering like phantoms, swiftly colliding.
“You think my true cultivation is only at the sixth layer of the Golden Core Realm? I’ve roamed the martial world for years, not only because of my decisive killing but also my patience! Now, let me show you my true cultivation!”
The aura around Sima Kuang surged as his cultivation level skyrocketed. Astonishingly, he ascended two levels, reaching the eighth layer of the Golden Core Realm!
“What?!”
Chu Yu was shocked and dismayed.
If Sima Kuang was only at the sixth layer of the Golden Core Realm, then Chu Yu, being at the fifth layer, could have still fought.
But now, a gap of three minor realms stood between them!
True to his reputation, Sima Kuang, who had roamed the martial world for years, was indeed ruthless, never easily revealing his true power!
The people who had seen Sima Kuang’s true power were all dead!
Sima Kuang launched another slash, its power greatly magnified; the Great General of Ji Country, unable to withstand Sima Kuang’s strength, had his armor cleaved open, a bloody gash appearing on his chest.
The leading disciple of Mount Shu frowned, as Sima Kuang’s realm far exceeded his predictions and was now beyond the capability of any new disciple who had joined the sect within the last ten years.
Just as he was about to intervene, Lin Qingzhi, with the Green Abyss Sword in hand and a determined expression, employed the Soaring Cloud Sword Technique and attacked Sima Kuang from behind.
“Little runt, don’t you know my cultivation is at the eighth layer of Golden Core Realm now? What makes you, a mere second-layer Golden Core Realm brat, think you can oppose me!”
Sima Kuang mocked, ignoring Lin Qingzhi’s sneak attack, intending first to slay the Great General of Ji Country, whom he perceived as a greater threat.
To kill the Great General would also demoralize the two-hundred-thousand- strong army of Ji Country, providing relief for the eight hundred bandits. “You’re not the only one who has hidden their cultivation!”
“Open Heaven’s Gate!”
Lin Qingzhi furiously channeled the Taxuan Skills, the Spiritual Energy in his Dantian overflowing into the Zodiac Meridians, his aura swelling, he suddenly reached the seventh layer of the Golden Core Realm!
During the Mount Shu disciples’ grand assembly, Lin Qingzhi’s real realm was still at the sixth layer of the Golden Core Realm. Before descending the mountain, Lu Changsheng performed another Power-infusing Initiation on Lin Qingzhi. After three months of refining Spiritual Energy and training, his cultivation had reached the seventh layer of the Golden Core Realm.
“No, impossible!”
Sima Kuang, realizing Lin Qingzhi’s true power was only a minor realm below his own, was too late to defend fully.