Chapter 473 - 240: The Great Battle Concludes
WHOOSH...
The biting cold wind howled, stirring fine ripples across the water’s surface.
Chen Sheng hovered in mid-air, his calm gaze falling upon the black-canopied boat bobbing gently on the waves below, and upon the horrified, pale faces on board. The corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
"You all seem to be in quite a hurry. Where might you be headed?"
Elder Wang’s heart trembled violently, sinking completely into the abyss.
Chen Sheng’s strength was enough to crush a peak Profound Mastery expert.
On their side, besides himself—an early-stage Profound Mastery cultivator—the strongest was Zhang Daoming at the late-stage Innate realm. More than half of the rest were merely Foundation Establishment Martial Masters.
Before a man like him, what was this meager strength of theirs but that of ants?
Without a doubt, they didn’t stand a sliver of a chance.
For a moment, the waters for hundreds of feet around them seemed to freeze solid.
Only the sounds of wind and water remained, along with the utterly suppressed breathing of everyone on the boat.
Zhang Daoming took a deep breath, forcibly quelling the turbulent waves in his heart. He managed to squeeze out a stiff smile, cupped his fists, and said:
"Chen, it’s been a while."
"Indeed."
Chen Sheng gave a slight nod, his gaze lingering on Zhang Daoming’s face for a moment.
"We haven’t seen each other since we parted ways on Wushan Mountain."
"Chen..."
Zhang Daoming collected himself and looked straight up at Chen Sheng.
"I wonder... how did you manage to find us?"
He was utterly astonished and suspicious.
This secret waterway, which detoured through Nanzhao Prefecture on its winding path to Dragon Tiger Mountain, had been his own proposal.
They had traveled light, changed their attire, and believed their journey to be flawless.
For Chen Sheng to have tracked them with such precision was simply inconceivable.
"Is that... important?"
Chen Sheng chuckled in return.
Of course, he would never reveal a shred of the truth; it was tied to his greatest reliance and secret.
"Qingfeng Temple..."
The silent Elder Wang finally spoke, his voice dry and hoarse.
"Is it... already... gone?"
In truth, Elder Wang already knew the answer in his heart, but he clung to a faint, desperate sliver of hope.
’Perhaps the Mountain Protection Array held out a little longer?’
’Perhaps a miracle occurred?’
"Too many questions."
Chen Sheng shook his head, that faint smile on his face now looking exceptionally cold.
"I have limited time and no desire to answer them one by one. But seeing as Heaven values all life..."
He paused, watching as a faint flicker of hope was subconsciously kindled in the eyes of those on the boat. Then, his tone shifted abruptly, becoming icy and cruel.
"This official will grant you a dignified end. Kill yourselves."
"Chen Sheng, don’t you dare look down on us!"
"Even if we are to die and our Dao be extinguished, we will never kill ourselves!"
"That’s right! Let’s fight him to the death!"
After a brief, deathly silence, the desperate situation instead ignited the fighting spirit in the bones of these young True Disciples.
Though their faces were still pale and the fear in their eyes had not faded, they all drew their weapons, their trembling but firm blades pointing toward the suffocating figure in the sky.
"Chen!"
Zhang Daoming took a sudden step forward, shielding his junior brothers and sisters, his burning gaze fixed on Chen Sheng.
"I am willing to offer all the treasures, Secret Treasures, and inheritances that Qingfeng Temple brought on this journey. I only ask that you, Chen... be merciful and let my junior brothers and sisters live.
As for Junior Master Wang and myself... we are willing to offer our necks to the blade, without a single complaint!"
"If I kill you, the items will be mine anyway."
Chen Sheng sneered.
"Why would I go to the extra trouble and give you a chance? Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are... far too naive."
"If you won’t agree, Chen."
Zhang Daoming’s eyes hardened. He abruptly raised his right hand, revealing an ancient black ring on his index finger. A faint glimmer of light flowed at his fingertip.
"I will immediately destroy this Storage Magical Artifact. Everything inside will be annihilated."
"Oh?"
Chen Sheng’s eyebrow twitched with a hint of interest, but he immediately shook his head, his tone laced with amusement.
"Is that so? Then... by all means, try."
’Destroy a Storage Magical Artifact? Easier said than done!’
’Both opening and destroying one requires Divine Sense to activate.’
’Never mind Zhang Daoming; even he himself couldn’t do it right now.’
"Chen..."
Zhang Daoming’s face paled, and he started to say more.
"Enough."
Chen Sheng cut him off impatiently. His gaze swept over everyone on the boat before returning to Zhang Daoming, his voice turning cold.
"This official has no interest in listening to more nonsense. Are you coming one by one, or all at once?"
"Go, now! Split up and flee! I’ll hold him off!"
Elder Wang roared, the True Essence in his body erupting without reservation.
CLANG—!
The Ancient Sword strapped to his back let out a clear, long cry as it unsheathed itself.
The Sword Light flowed like water, instantly connecting with the vast lake below.
Countless droplets of water were drawn upward by an unseen force, each one transforming into a sharp blade of light as it was infused with Sword Qi.
In the blink of an eye, hundreds of misty sword-lights swirled around Elder Wang. He formed a sword with his fingers and thrust them forward.
"Go!"
The hundreds of sword-lights converged into a torrential river of Sword Qi. It let out a piercing scream, kicking up a sky full of mist as it crashed decisively toward Chen Sheng in the air.
At the same time, all the other True Disciples on the black-canopied boat, aside from Zhang Daoming, suppressed the fear in their hearts. The moment Elder Wang attacked, they leaped into action.
Pushing their Light Body Techniques to the absolute limit, they skimmed across the water’s surface, scattering in every direction.
BOOM—!!!
In the instant before the river of Sword Qi struck, a blood-red and golden light flashed around Chen Sheng’s body.
A massive, phantom Golden Bell, so solid it seemed real and etched with ancient patterns, suddenly appeared and enveloped him securely within.
The next moment, the rampaging river of Sword Qi slammed violently against the phantom Golden Bell.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—!!
The blood-red and golden brilliance on the Golden Bell’s surface flowed rapidly, sending out intense, layered ripples. Countless shattered fragments of Sword Qi and water were blasted apart, carving the lake surface below into pieces.