Chapter 67: Wind and Moon Mountain Peak

Long before the flying sword was launched, the scholar-robed cultivator had already made preparations. His expression was solemn, and the bamboo scroll before him glowed with intense yellow light.

In a flash, an earthen shield wall rose from the ground, blocking his path.

But his gaze narrowed with a sudden sense of alarm, and he dodged to the side at extreme speed.

Boom!

Having only blocked for a single instant, the flying sword pierced through the earthen shield wall.

It flowed back with a sudden turn, returning to Song Yan’s side.

In truth, when Song Yan had been fusing the wind and thunder spiritual essence from the dead wood, he had not only been on guard against the three loose cultivators but also against Rong Xiaofeng and Wu Huaguo.

If they had chosen to avoid the conflict and leave, Song Yan would still have been confident in his escape.

He had not expected that the two of them would actually honor their word, truly standing guard for him. In fact, Rong Xiaofeng had even lost many spiritual insects for this.

And these two loose cultivators had not even given them a chance to speak before attacking the couple, even sending a reckless fool to kill him first.

Then Song Yan had nothing more to say. Let the outcome of the battle speak for itself.

After fusing the wind and thunder spiritual essence, the sword dao seed beneath the Town-Dao Sword Manor had become full and plump.

Song Yan felt clear and open both within and without. He had a faint sense that once his spiritual energy had accumulated sufficiently, breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refining would come naturally.

The scholar-robed cultivator saw that things were turning for the worse. The red-robed female cultivator’s brother had done nothing at all before being bitten down by a small snake.

Now the red-robed female cultivator was seriously injured as well. Relying on his own strength alone, he feared it would be difficult to capture all three of them.

Moreover, this young cultivator, though only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, possessed a sword-controlling technique that was precise and ruthless.

With three of them joining forces, he might even lose everything.

He cursed inwardly as useless and quickly spoke up: “Fellow Daoists…”

Things had already reached this point, and Song Yan had no intention of wasting words with him either.

He formed hand seals with his fingers, his body surging with sword qi, with faint golden lightning arcs flowing throughout.

Within the originally pure white sword qi, several strands of fine lightning arcs had intertwined. Before the flying sword even moved, everyone could already hear the low whistle of wind and the surging roar of thunder at their ears.

“Seal.”

Rong Xiaofeng’s hand seals had been formed without anyone noticing. The fine spiritual insects hidden among the grass and flowers surged forth suddenly, like a layer of ash clinging to the scholar-robed cultivator’s protective spiritual garment.

“Get off!”

The scholar-robed cultivator roared in fury as earth-yellow spiritual light poured out, attempting to drive away and crush the spiritual insects.

Countless mountain rocks and sand hovered and condensed, transforming into dozens of rock spikes that shot toward the three at the cliff edge—as if to prevent them from seizing the opportunity to act.

Whether toward himself or the red-robed female cultivator.

If the red-robed female cultivator perished now, there would be nothing he could do.

But.

Song Yan’s flying sword had already arrived before him at an extremely bizarre speed and posture.

“How can it be this fast!?”

These three loose cultivators had only seen the lightning on the dead wood, not knowing that there was also the supreme wind essence within.

After fusing it into his dao seed, Song Yan found that his speed in controlling the flying sword had increased significantly.

Chi.

Even though he had done his utmost to dodge, having to split his focus to resist the spiritual insects, his protective spiritual garment shattered and dissipated immediately.

The scholar-robed cultivator was truly exasperated now, feeling that none of his techniques could be brought to bear.

This was the terror of insect cultivators.

The red-robed female cultivator saw the scholar-robed cultivator fall into a disadvantage and had already begun thinking of retreat, but she was entangled by Wu Huaguo and could not break free.

“Han Mei!”

Song Yan’s sword finger leveled horizontally, his gaze cold. “No need to worry. The two of you may depart together.”

Wind amplified the thunder’s power. Nine strands of white sword light imbued with wind and thunder spirit intent circled slowly around the scholar-robed cultivator, watching him like a tiger eyeing its prey.

They cut off all of the scholar-robed cultivator’s paths of retreat.

The red-robed female cultivator stared in disbelief as the situation suddenly reversed. She did not even care about her brother’s fate anymore, and in a panic, tried to flee backward through the air.

But she was ensnared by several resilient flower vines.

She channeled spiritual energy to form water blades and cut through the vines, but more and more wood spirit entities appeared, growing denser by the moment. The red-robed female cultivator had already lost her composure, and her consumption of spiritual energy grew ever more severe.

As one side weakened and the other grew stronger, Wu Huaguo had full control of the battle.

“Perhaps this is what the clan elder meant by… when paths cross, the brave prevail?”

“Fellow Daoist!”

At that moment, the scholar-robed cultivator pleaded for mercy while channeling spiritual energy to condense rock and resist.

But suddenly, a wave of terror struck his heart. From his shoulder burst a spray of blood as a small sapling sprouted from within.

With his spiritual energy in disarray, the wood spirit entity that Wu Huaguo had planted earlier was like a bomb, detonated at this very moment. Now that the spiritual qi around his body was in chaos, the old energy had already dissipated and the new had not yet formed.

The rock’s spiritual light collapsed abruptly.

Six full sword shadows pierced through the scholar-robed cultivator’s body in succession.

The remaining three sword lights soared upward, merging with the Untethered Vessel within the dark clouds above the cliff.

At that moment, the scholar-robed cultivator was drenched in blood, his robes torn apart. He cried out: “I am a disciple of the Zhao family of Eastern Chu…”

Rong Xiaofeng did not even look at Song Yan. His eyes were filled with cold indifference.

“Then that is even more reason not to let you live.”

Song Yan still had the name of the Eastern Abyss Sect behind him. He and his wife did not have such confidence.

The sky full of wind and thunder sword qi suddenly condensed. Above the cliff, dark clouds rolled with thunder.

The flying sword descended. To everyone’s eyes, it seemed that between heaven and earth, a straight golden thread appeared for a single instant before vanishing.

Boom—

The remaining sword qi transformed into a gale that swept across the mountain peak.

It blew away all the sand and dust that had filled the air.

The Untethered Vessel returned to Song Yan’s side.

Rong Xiaofeng pondered for a moment, then walked forward alone. He looked at the mottled corpse on the ground, still bearing traces of sword qi, with lingering fear.

He channeled spiritual energy to dispel the sharp intent and began searching the corpse.

Song Yan and Wu Huaguo walked together before the red-robed female cultivator.

“Let me go, let me go… I was wrong…”

“I can do anything! I beg you to let me go…”

In truth, the red-robed female cultivator knew full well that she was going to die.

But this was how people were. In the face of true life and death, they would always beg, weep, cry, and regret…

Song Yan suddenly recalled what the sect master had said that day.

“There are no innocent cultivators under heaven, no villains…”

Cultivators spoke only of strength.

It had always been so.

Just like the red-robed female cultivator before him.

She was not wrong. She had simply lost.

Song Yan’s expression held no emotion. He casually reached out and lightly brushed past her forehead.

The red-robed female cultivator’s eyes widened, filled with confusion and terror.

A streak of sword qi pierced through her skull.

Xiao He was at that moment struggling to drag the young man who had tried to kill Song Yan over beside the red-robed female cultivator’s corpse.

On the small snake’s tail, the two Cosmos Bags of both individuals already hung.

Wu Huaguo looked down at the unconscious young man and let out a soft sigh.

“Consider it someone handling your final affairs.”

The flower tree’s roots and petals surged together, burying the red-robed female cultivator and the young cultivator in the earth.

Rong Xiaofeng had by now finished processing the scholar-robed cultivator’s corpse as well. The three of them gathered.

Song Yan cupped his fists. “Many thanks to you both for your full assistance.”

Wu Huaguo shook her head. “It was as it should be.”

“I have already found the supreme spiritual essence, but you two have not yet gained anything.”

Unexpectedly, Rong Xiaofeng and Wu Huaguo smiled, pointing at the Cosmos Bag belonging to the scholar-robed cultivator in their hands.

“This is already enough.”

Xiao He slapped her tail, dropping the two Cosmos Bags onto the clearing before the couple, then burrowed back into Song Yan’s sleeve.

“Fellow Daoist Song need not be so formal. Once we exit this space, we will each take what we need and divide it accordingly.”

“Very well.”