As Shen Yuqing's soft words fell, before she could say more, several figures suddenly leaped out from the mountain gate. Several of them wore garishly varied attire, and their hands held an assortment of bizarre weaponry.

Yet, these figures were all desperately parrying the long sword of the person opposite them. The person facing them, relying solely on their own strength, wielded a long sword that seemed to conjure an infinite array of phantom blades, forcing the group into a constant retreat. They had advanced unknowingly right up to the threshold of the Shu Mountain Sect’s main gate. It was only when one of them glanced back, startled by the sounds of clashing metal behind him, that the person opposite seized the opportunity. With a flash of sword light, that one life was immediately extinguished.

Shen Yuqing, observing the scene from afar, saw the sight and her expression instantly changed. This was because the person killed was one of their Sacred Cult members, and she recognized the attacker—wasn't that the great scholar Xu Xian, who had just placed first in the Imperial Examinations from the Shu Mountain Sect?

"Junior Brother Xu?"

Ye Wen was also overjoyed. He had been wondering why Xu Xian had been missing for so long, fearing some demon cult master had lured him away to be assassinated. Seeing him now, he knew that even if someone had lured Xu Xian away, that person had surely been killed by his junior brother by now.

That was not the end of it. Xu Xian, having just ended one life with a single sword stroke, followed up by unleashing thirteen consecutive sword strikes against the remaining three, who could no longer hold their defense. Each received four strikes, but Xu Xian's final blow instantly took the lives of all three, executing a move from the Hui Feng Luo Yan Sword Technique—specifically, the strike known as 'One Sword Fells Nine Geese.'

Xu Xian had already mastered this sword art to its absolute peak; killing three people with one sword was trivial. If nine people truly stood there, he could still slay them all with a single stroke. The preceding twelve strikes had systematically targeted vital pressure points on the three individuals, utilizing maneuvers from the Thirteen Swords of Shenmen.

When the thirteen strikes concluded, not only had the three dropped their weapons, but a fine, thin crimson line traced across each of their necks. Their breath had long since departed.

Having slain these men, Xu Xian channeled his Qinggong, twisting sharply in mid-air, and sped toward the main hall. As he moved, he casually swept out three more sword strikes, employing the style of the Tai Yue Three Green Peaks, aiming directly at Xiang Yutian, who was covered in bloodstains.

He did not know who this man was, but seeing him heavily wounded and drenched in blood, he was certainly incapable of raising a hand to defend himself. Furthermore, since he stood beside Shen Yuqing, he was unequivocally an enemy. If he was an enemy, killing him was best; letting him escape now would only create further trouble later.

Xu Xian’s plan was sound. Compounding the situation, Xiang Yutian had his acupoints sealed by Shen Yuqing, which, although stopping the bleeding, left him utterly immobile. Fortunately, Xiang Yutian held a high position within the Demon Cult, meaning Shen Yuqing could not simply watch him be killed. Thus, while Xu Xian’s attack was one Xiang Yutian could not counter, Shen Yuqing stepped in to block it.

Shen Yuqing had achieved mastery of the Xuan Yin True Art; her internal Yin energy was incredibly pure, and her power had not only fully recovered but advanced further. As she parried Xu Xian’s long sword, she did not even use a weapon. With just a casual slap from her slender, pale hand onto the blade, a wave of Yin energy shot forth, causing the long sword to instantly shatter into myriad pieces.

Xu Xian was greatly alarmed, stunned that Shen Yuqing’s power had reached such a terrifying level. Fortunately, his reaction speed was lightning-fast. He withdrew his hand, abandoning the shattered sword, preventing the Yin energy from reaching him. Simultaneously, he erupted with power, his palms striking out in rapid succession, firing the fragmented shards of the blade directly toward Shen Yuqing and Xiang Yutian.

He used the force of that blow to pivot again in mid-air, soaring past Shen Yuqing and Xiang Yutian to land beside Ye Wen. He then turned to observe the effect of his attack.

To his surprise, the moment he turned, he saw Shen Yuqing staring back with a cold smile. All the scattered sword fragments from moments before had vanished completely.

"Eh? Senior Brother, how did this Shen Yuqing negate my 'Sky Full of Flowery Rain' move?" Ye Wen glanced at his junior brother, thinking to himself, This junior brother is something else; that move he tossed out casually actually got a name spoken aloud! Out loud, Ye Wen said, "That wicked woman merely waved her hand, using her immense True Qi to break your move, Junior Brother!"

The truth was, when Shen Yuqing saw the sky filled with razor-sharp fragments, although she could easily evade them with her superior Qinggong, Xiang Yutian was immobilized. Therefore, she mobilized all her cultivation, waving her jade-like hand, unleashing a torrent of pure Yin True Energy. The moment these fragments were swept by the surge of energy, they instantly disintegrated into fine dust, vanishing into the air, never to be seen again.

Xu Xian, still airborne, naturally did not witness this spectacle, but Ye Wen and Hua Yi and the others saw it clearly.

"The power of that old hag has reached this depth... It seems she has perfected that Xuan Yin True Art..." He then glanced at Hua Yi, calculating that Shen Yuqing must have completely absorbed the pure Yin essence from Hua Yi, which was why she had become so powerful.

Shen Yuqing noticed Ye Wen looking at Hua Yi and smiled: "Your guess is correct, this mistress has refined all the Yin energy obtained from that girl, Hua. Not only has my cultivation advanced further, but the intensity of this energy is countless times stronger than before!" She surveyed the Shu Mountain disciples: "Do you all think you can leave this place alive in my hands today?"

As she spoke, she casually looped her sleeve, revealing her slender, pale fingers. She first pointed at Ye Wen, then at Xu Xian: "None of you will escape today!" Finally, she pointed at Hua Yi: "As for you, girl? Bringing you back as entertainment for our brothers in the Cult wouldn't be a waste of my years of painstaking cultivation!"

As she was speaking, she suddenly felt a palm strike coming from behind her head. Shen Yuqing instantly retaliated with a palm strike, fully expecting to make the sneak attacker suffer. However, when she turned, there was not a single shadow. Then, the palm wind assaulted her lower back again. This palm force subtly carried a scorching heat, making Shen Yuqing uncomfortable just from the pressure alone.

"Hmph, playing with movement skills in front of this mistress, truly overestimating yourself?"

Before the words were even finished, she vanished, and not only Shen Yuqing was gone, but even Xiang Yutian, who had been kneeling motionlessly on the ground, had disappeared as well.

Ye Wen turned and saw Shen Yuqing standing at least two zhang away from her original position. Simultaneously, a figure clad in pink suddenly twisted in mid-air and lunged back toward Shen Yuqing.

The moment Shen Yuqing stabilized, seeing this pink figure rushing toward her again, her heart tightened. She secretly mused, What kind of technique is this? Its swiftness in movement is faintly not inferior to my own?

With a sweep of her hand, a sharp pa sound echoed, followed by a muffled groan as the pink figure was sent flying backward, retreating a full three zhang before managing to stand firm. Shen Yuqing, however, remained unmoved, still stationed in place. Although she sensed the scorching heat in the opponent's palm strike, the underlying power was far less profound than her own. During the clash, only a slight tremor beneath her navel occurred, but a quick circulation of True Qi stabilized everything, so she paid it no mind.

Once separated and standing still, the onlookers finally saw clearly that the pink silhouette was a young woman dressed in a pink skirt. Her beauty rivaled even Hua Yi, who possessed the innate charm associated with cultivating the Xuan Yin True Art.

Seeing this person’s appearance, Shen Yuqing frowned. She did not recognize this woman nor had she heard of anyone like her in the Shu Mountain Sect. "Could it be an expert from another sect who rushed here upon hearing news? If so, how many are there? Are there others?"

"Ah? Ay, ay?" Ye Wen gasped when he recognized the face. He started to say, "Miss Dongfang..." He intended to call her Brother Dong Ze, but upon seeing the skirt, he immediately changed course, "...Dongfang Miss..."

The Shu Mountain disciples, who had been wondering about the identity of this woman, were startled when Ye Wen spoke. Ning Ruxue and Hua Yi first recoiled, then realized who she was. Ning Ruxue quietly inquired nearby, "Is that Dongfang Sheng?" Only Xu Xian had never met Dongfang Sheng. He turned to Ye Wen: "Oh? So this is an acquaintance of yours, Senior Brother?" He then took in the woman's overall appearance—a stunning beauty in pink with an undeniable aura—before turning to Ye Wen and offering a respectful greeting: "Sect Leader Ye!" He immediately followed up with: "Senior Brother truly has... boundless charm..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wen nearly spat blood. He cursed Xu Xian inwardly: Damn it, I never intended to have anything... going on with a erzi (a derogatory term implying a second fiddle or homosexual connotation)! He glared at his junior brother and chastised him: "Junior Brother, do not speak nonsense. This Miss Dongfang... ah... is the daughter of Dongfang Yi, the Master of the Azure Dragon Society!" Just then, Dongfang Sheng walked over. She first observed Ye Wen, then sized up Xu Xian from head to toe. From afar, she had assumed he was a valiant-looking woman, but upon closer inspection, she realized he was a genuine man.

At that very moment, the sounds of fierce fighting erupted again from the direction of the mountain gate. Ye Wen immediately turned to look and saw a horde of Demon Cult members frantically scrambling up the mountain. He initially thought it was a new wave of reinforcements, but the clamor of battle intensified, and a group wearing the outer sect robes of the Shu Mountain Sect began appearing at the gate.

Leading them was a petite and exquisite figure, twin blades flashing incessantly—it was Huang Rongrong. Relying on her powerful cultivation, slaughtering these low-level minions was akin to chopping vegetables. Moreover, the Ba Huang Liu He Wei Wo Du Zun Gong she cultivated was overwhelmingly potent. If she saw several people bottlenecked ahead, she would simply unleash a palm strike. The resulting force not only killed the person in front beyond any hope of survival but often tore through, severely wounding one or two people behind them as well.

"Rongrong has finally led the forces up!" Xu Xian was ecstatic to see Huang Rongrong, especially since she was leading at least three hundred Shu Mountain disciples. The crisis facing the Shu Mountain Sect was now considered resolved.

Shu Mountain Sect had diligently managed its affairs over the years, recruiting several batches of outer disciples. Once some of these disciples completed their training and left the mountain, even if they didn't take up positions arranged by the sect, they usually settled in the surrounding areas.

In the past few days, numerous martial artists rushing toward Shu Mountain had inevitably noticed the commotion. Thus, some had been gathering their fellow disciples in small groups and gradually making their way toward the mountain.

If the Demon Cult had delayed their attack by another day or two, these disciples might have all gathered on the mountain. With several hundred in formation, the Demon Cult would not have been able to destroy the Shu Mountain Sect so easily.

The Demon Cult knew this as well, which is why they launched a surprise attack, intending to isolate and annihilate the Shu Mountain disciples in small groups. However, they had miscalculated, not anticipating the variables introduced by Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong.

When the fighting began, Xu Xian was indeed lured away by a Demon Cult master. However, this fellow had underestimated Xu Xian’s Qinggong and overestimated himself; he hadn't run far before Xu Xian caught up using his movement technique and pierced him through the heart with a rapid series of sword thrusts.

Xu Xian intended to return to the mountain immediately, but then remembered the numerous disciples the sect had stationed below. He decided he should rush out, rally these disciples, and lead them back up the mountain, thereby resolving the siege.

What he could think of, others could also conceive. Huang Rongrong had been circling outside, gathering many arriving Shu Mountain disciples, and then ran back to Shanshan County to find the Yue Shan Escort Agency people, as quite a few disciples were among their ranks.

After joining forces, they charged up the mountain together, gathering more people along the way. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, they indeed encountered the Demon Cult’s blocking force. The Cult expected a few masters to easily halt this ragtag crowd, never imagining that Huang Rongrong had also failed to return to the mountain. If it had only been Huang Rongrong, it might not have been a major issue, as the Cult had accounted for that possibility. But precisely at this moment, Xu Xian charged down. Without asking questions, he immediately joined forces with Huang Rongrong to dispatch the blocking master, and then proceeded up the mountain with the rest.

With Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong clearing the path, this group naturally moved swiftly. If they hadn't run into another contingent of Demon Cult forces—the one led by Shen Yuqing—halfway up the mountain, they would have already returned to the summit.

However, it wasn't too late. Shen Yuqing had assumed that the arrival of her group would cause the last remnants of the Shu Mountain Sect’s resistance to collapse immediately. Who knew that another surge of reinforcements was attacking from below? Although about sixty disciples on the mountain had already perished, and everyone was injured, the sudden arrival of two to three hundred people instantly put the Demon Cult at a disadvantage.

They had approached stealthily, their numbers not large. Now, several leading masters were dead or wounded; only Shen Yuqing remained unharmed. But no matter how well-off she was, she could not withstand the combined assault of several hundred people. Moreover, she considered that if the Azure Dragon Society masters had arrived, who knew how many more righteous path experts might be heading this way? With this thought, the desire to retreat began to surface.

She turned and glanced at the Shu Mountain group, sneering: "Ye Wen, you are lucky today!" Then, she flicked her sleeve, unleashing a flowing sash, which coiled around Xiang Yutian before she propelled herself toward the mountain gate.

Her movement technique was exceptionally fast. The others were focused on guarding against a sudden ambush, yet this woman, the moment she sensed the tide turning, simply fled without hesitation, catching everyone slightly off guard and unable to react swiftly enough.

However, she was filled with resentment. As she descended, she spotted a Shu Mountain disciple swinging a massive heavy sword, cutting through the Demon Cult ranks and wounding several people. Knowing this was one of Ye Wen's personal disciples, she decided to kill him out of spite. Utilizing the downward momentum, she unleashed a silent palm strike aimed directly at Guo Jing’s back.

When she initiated this move, Ye Wen and the others cried out in alarm. However, they were too far away, and the chaotic environment made it impossible for their cries to reach Guo Jing. Guo Jing was fully immersed in combat and naturally did not perceive the situation behind him. Fortunately, Nangong Zixin, standing not far in front of him, suddenly shouted: "Senior Brother, watch your back!"

With just that single shout, Guo Jing assumed a Demon Cult disciple was sneaking an attack. He instantly swung his sword around to meet the threat!

His Black Iron Heavy Sword was originally the weapon of the Nine Swords Immortal. After the Nine Swords Immortal gifted it to Ye Wen, Ye Wen immediately passed it to his fifth disciple. This iron sword was incredibly heavy; ordinary people couldn't even lift it. Now, swinging it with all his might, it was equivalent to striking with a massive boulder. Even before the blow landed, the terrifying momentum was enough to chill an opponent’s heart.

Shen Yuqing had not anticipated that this colossal weapon would possess such terrifying power. Caught off guard, she could only shift her body to dodge the sword's trajectory, while simultaneously using her Cold Yin Finger to tap the giant sword. A wave of frigid Yin energy shot through the weapon, targeting Guo Jing’s meridians. The Cold Yin Finger relied entirely on internal energy to inflict harm; Shen Yuqing’s soft, pervasive Yin energy was overwhelmingly potent. A single touch was enough to sever the meridians of most experts, leading to instant death.

But she failed to account for the Black Iron Sword not being ordinary metal, possessing many unique properties. As she tapped it, the majority of the chilling Yin power was absorbed by the sword itself. The actual amount of cold energy Guo Jing endured was less than one-tenth of the total. His inner flow merely paused momentarily before returning to normal without further issue.

Seeing that the woman’s touch was not as devastating as expected, Guo Jing directly swung his left fist, slamming it into Shen Yuqing’s lower abdomen.

Shen Yuqing had been certain her single touch would kill this boy. She never expected him to be unharmed and, worse, to retaliate with a punch. In her surprise, she was caught squarely by Guo Jing. Moreover, this punch possessed a strange kinetic quality; her protective True Qi could not block it. A constantly spinning force penetrated her body before erupting outward. The energy was scorching and violent, causing a sensation of her very entrails tearing apart.

"Ye Wen's disciple is this formidable?"

After her initial strike failed and she was hit by Guo Jing’s punch causing agonizing cramps in her stomach, Shen Yuqing concluded that this young man wielding the giant sword was a martial arts prodigy, on the verge of becoming a peak master at such a young age; otherwise, it was impossible for him to injure her.

Fear gripped her heart, and she immediately pushed her Qinggong to its limit, fleeing until she vanished. The earlier thought of killing a few Shu Mountain disciples just to spite Ye Wen before leaving was completely abandoned.

Guo Jing, having forced Shen Yuqing into a humiliated retreat with one punch, was himself bewildered. Nangong Zixin rushed up to him, eyes wide with stars, asking: "Senior Brother Guo, what technique was that punch? It was incredibly fierce!"

He looked at his junior sister and replied with a confused expression: "It's the 'Lushan Rising Dragon Might' that Master taught me! Didn't you learn it, Junior Sister?"

"Lushan Rising Dragon Might? Aren't we from the Shu Mountain Sect?"

"Master said he comprehended this move while watching a waterfall at a place called Lushan, so he named it that!"

"Oh..."

By now, the battle situation was largely settled. There were no Demon Cult disciples bothering them while they talked. As they spoke, Ye Wen and the others jumped down and rushed over to Guo Jing, examining him up and down, which left him feeling strangely uneasy.

Ye Wen scrutinized him for a moment before exclaiming: "Jing'er... did you perhaps have some fortuitous encounter?"

Guo Jing shook his head: "No, I didn't!"

"Then what is going on?" They had watched clearly from above as Guo Jing’s two moves had forced Shen Yuqing to flee. They had all assumed Guo Jing was doomed, never anticipating such a turn of events.

For the dignified Saintess of the Demon Cult, whose Xuan Yin True Art was cultivated to its highest realm, to be beaten off by Guo Jing, who had only barely touched the threshold of the Xiantian realm, was something no one in the martial world would believe if they heard it.

While they were trying to figure it out, Dongfang Sheng suddenly spoke: "Where exactly did you strike that Shen Yuqing?" From the rooftop, they had only vaguely seen Guo Jing hit her, but could not discern the precise location.

Guo Jing pointed below his navel: "Here..."

Dongfang Sheng saw this and smiled brilliantly: "So that’s how it is! I thought that strike hadn't harmed her, but I never imagined it would use your hand to inflict injury!" Hearing this, everyone became even more perplexed.