With a wave of his right hand, everything vanished; the sky-filling sword energy disappeared along with it. Yet, no one present dared to dismiss the spectacle they had just witnessed as an illusion, for the men who had stood before Ye Wen, long knives drawn and ready for a gruesome dismemberment, were now nothing more than a pile of shredded meat scattered before them.

“That move seems a bit too brutal!”

This maneuver by Ye Wen was hardly an innovation; he had employed a similar technique against Sima Xiangzhen in the past. The difference then was his insufficient cultivation. Though he unleashed the sky-filling sword energy, its potency was limited.

Now, with his power increased, he could finally command such a torrent of sword energy with ease. While the strength was only marginally greater than before... this time, his opponents weren't masters like Sima Xiangzhen. Against a mob of grunts, this level of power was more than sufficient.

The moment Ye Wen landed, still marveling at his own work, he noticed the ranks of the demonic cult soldiers seemed to recoil in unison, taking a significant step back. Suddenly, a clear space opened up around him.

“Hmm?”

He glanced left and right, seeing only looks of sheer terror on their faces, and Ye Wen understood: “They’re afraid!”

The pity was that whether these men were terrified or ready to surrender, the heroes of the Righteous Path would leave none of them alive—they weren't fighting a war; they were conducting an extermination. Furthermore, the righteous assembly shouted a clear mantra: "Exterminate demons and eradicate evil!" From that slogan alone, it was obvious: demons and monsters were to be cut down immediately. Why keep them?

“Kill!”

As the cult members stood stunned for a moment, the Righteous Heroes simultaneously unleashed their power. Coupled with the disciples from various sects leaping down from the large ships, who were now steadily reaching the shore, weapons were raised and the assault commenced. Another fierce battle erupted. The demonic cultists were repeatedly crushed by the heavy strikes of the Righteous masters. Their morale plummeted, and many, sensing the tide turning disastrously, spun around to flee. But the instant they turned, a torrential downpour of hidden weapons descended upon them.

If one were to examine the corpses now, perhaps this poor soul had a thrown knife lodged in his left foot, a meteor hammer around his waist, several plum blossom darts sticking out of his shoulder, and a few copper coins nearby (thrown by a Shushan disciple, no doubt...). Most savagely, someone had apparently tossed a common kitchen cleaver that had cleaved open the back of this brother’s skull.

“Good heavens, that’s awful!”

Ye Wen had only struck once upon landing and then stood aside, watching the disciples clash with the enemy. Most high-level masters did the same. Once the disciples rushed ashore, they largely held back, intervening only if a particularly active demonic cultist was spotted, swooping in with Qinggong to strike them down, lest their own apprentices be harmed.

In this melee, the Shushan disciples stood out markedly. While disciples from other sects mostly fought as individuals, rarely forming formations, the Shushan students, from the moment they hit the beach, immediately deployed two True Martial Seven Intercept Formations (), advancing in coordinated progress. Any demonic cultist caught within the confines of the True Martial Seven Intercept Formation would inevitably be surrounded and beaten to death by the Shushan disciples.

“What is the name of this formation your sect employs?”

Ye Wen turned and saw Bei Cheng Yan, accompanied by a sullen-faced Ximen Cui Xue. He smiled and replied casually, “This is our sect’s True Martial Seven Intercept Formation. Our disciples possess lower martial arts skill, so we rely on formations to meet the enemy. Please forgive our display, Gate Master Bei Cheng.”

Bei Cheng Yan didn't take the words to heart; she recognized the inherent false modesty. The exquisite nature of the True Martial Seven Intercept Formation was evident to anyone with even a little insight. Moreover, the fourteen Shushan disciples cut a swathe through the enemy with hardly any apparent effort, leaving a trail of bodies—a power that could not be ignored.

“Sect Master Ye is too humble!”

The sect leaders and guild masters who witnessed the Shushan disciples’ formation suddenly had an epiphany: “No wonder the demonic cult’s attack on Shushan met such a stiff resistance; it turns out Shushan possesses such an ingenious formation to guard its mountain!”

A superior formation is invaluable to any martial arts sect. With one good array, even a sect staffed only by mediocre disciples can hardly be purged from the martial world by external forces.

Sects that have endured in the Jianghu for ages generally possess a protective mountain formation. For example, the Arhat Formation () of the Chan Sect and the Heavenly Stars Great Array () of the Heavenly Dao Sect are among the most famous. However, both these formations require specific disciples trained in their deployment, and these disciples rarely leave their mountain gates; thus, neither sect brought them on this expedition.

Watching the Shushan disciples achieve near-total rout over more cult members, and as others gradually pushed back the demonic cultists on this stretch of coast, the assembled group reconvened to discuss their next move.

Before anyone could speak, Li Xuan’s voice rang out: “As previously agreed, we will encircle them from all sides. I will lead the Heavenly Mountain Sect to the west side of the island and then advance toward the center.”

Upon hearing Li Xuan’s suggestion, the assembly gave immediate approval, with only Ye Wen sighing softly, though he said nothing more.

Jianghu heroes are not soldiers. Although this punitive expedition was close to a real battle, ingrained habits from the Jianghu persisted once fighting began. Now that everyone had finally landed, the sensible course was to stick together and strike directly toward the demonic cult’s headquarters, eliminate their top masters first, and then return to systematically clear out the riff-raff.

But these people insisted on carving inward layer by layer—dividing their forces into four routes...

Ye Wen kept his silence but instructed his own people to stick close to him and advance slowly. At the same time, he called out to the young leader of the Jade Cave Sect (), telling him, “Your Jade Cave Sect will march with us, Shushan, later!”

The young man leading the Jade Cave Sect understood his sect’s relative weakness; having protection was naturally the best outcome. His sect master had specifically instructed him before departure: stick close to the major sects—Chan or Heavenly Dao Sect would be best, but Shushan would be the minimum acceptable escort. In truth, Yu Qingzi had always believed Shushan could look after his descendants, and the Nine Swords Immortal had deliberately offered Shushan several favors hoping for exactly this arrangement.

After the leaders of the various sects conferred for a while, they finalized the points from which each would attack the demonic cult.

The Chan Sect would attack from the South; the Azure Dragon Society () from the Southwest; the Heavenly Mountain Sect claimed the West (the West faced the Merchant Dynasty continent, presumably the most heavily fortified approach); the Northern Sword Gate () would strike from the Southeast; the Heavenly Dao Sect would attack from the North; the Ximen and Nangong families would take the Northwest and Northeast, respectively.

“My Shushan Sect and the Jade Cave Sect will attack the East together!”

This was actually not an optimal choice. While the East might seem like the rear flank of the demonic cult organization, on an island, any side could potentially be an attack vector.

The Righteous Heroes, after all, arrived from the West but landed on the island from the Southeast. Ye Wen choosing the East was because he recalled that Xiang Yutian, one of the Four Dharma Protectors, was known as the Eastern Protector, presumably guarding this eastern section of the island! Attacking from the East might mean encountering this man.

Although Xiang Yutian’s cultivation was profound and caused Ye Wen considerable apprehension, Ye Wen at least knew Xiang Yutian’s background. Dealing with a familiar enemy was always better than blindly engaging someone whose capabilities were almost entirely unknown.

With the assignments settled, the sects ceased their chatter. After a quick tending to their wounded disciples, everyone led their forces along the shoreline toward their designated positions.

The eastern direction Ye Wen and his group were heading was not far, and they even traveled alongside members of the Nangong family and the Heavenly Dao Sect for a while before reaching the eastern shore of the island. Curiously, they encountered no resistance from the demonic cultists along the way—they passed through unimpeded. It was unclear if the cultists had received intelligence and were preparing an ambush, or if they had simply been scared witless by the initial bloodshed.

“I hope they were scared stiff!”

After bidding farewell to Nangong Wentian and Tian Yi Zhenren, and watching the Nangong clan and the Heavenly Dao Sect members continue along the coast, Ye Wen turned back to check the sky. Night had fallen, and the Shushan disciples relied on a few torches to make out their surroundings.

“Master, you should rest now and build up your strength for the attack at dawn!”

The various sects had agreed to reach their positions under the cover of darkness and launch a coordinated assault at first light. The rationale was that attacking under the cover of night made them vulnerable to ambushes, so the decisive battle was set for daytime.

Ye Wen did not object to this timing, but he worried: if the enemy found the heroes resting under the cloak of night and unleashed a volley of crossbow bolts and stones, could they defend themselves? He specifically raised this point, and everyone nodded in acknowledgment. Ye Wen wasn't sure if they truly grasped it, but he certainly made preparations of his own.

“Set up a bonfire camp a hundred meters ahead, then we will retreat into that dense wood to rest. Make no noise or light. We just need to hold out for one night!”

“Yes, Master!” Yue Ning nodded, then took Xu Ping and Guo Jing to handle the setup. Soon, the ‘camp’ Ye Wen requested was established, and everyone quietly slipped into the woods to rest.

In the middle of the night, fire suddenly bloomed, and the heavy thud-thud of large stones hitting the ground kept them awake. Ye Wen got up to look. His fake camp was already a scene of devastation: flames shot high into the air, and rocks continued to rain down intermittently, with arrows falling like rain. The sight left the dozen outer disciples and the Jade Cave members pale-faced—had they remained there, they would surely be dead by now.

Ye Wen pursed his lips and muttered inwardly, “Knew it would be like this!”

Stepping out of the woods, he looked toward the other two positions. Though he couldn't see clearly, he faintly discerned bursts of fire blazing in the southeast and northeast corners as well. He surmised the scenes were identical to his own, wondering how the Northern Sword Gate and the Nangong family were faring.

The barrage of crossbow bolts and flaming arrows lasted for about half an hour before settling into calm. Ye Wen expected the demonic cult to send scouts down to investigate or launch an assault, but after waiting a long time, not a single shadow appeared.

Even Xu Xian looked perplexed. “After a barrage like that, shouldn't they seize the momentum and press the attack?”

Ye Wen pondered for a moment before grasping the crux of the matter: “The demonic cult isn't foolish. They must have guessed that while this barrage might kill many, the true masters certainly wouldn't lose their lives. Sending ordinary cult members down now would just be sending them to their deaths. So, they settled for harassment!”

“Hmph, it seems the demonic cult has considerable confidence in its own strength, otherwise they wouldn't remain so steady, waiting for us to come to them!”

After watching for a while longer, the group fell silent, sitting at the edge of the forest and taking turns meditating to circulate their qi. When dawn broke, Ye Wen immediately roused everyone. He then led his disciples and the eighteen members of the Jade Cave Sect onward into the island interior.

All the way forward, Ye Wen proceeded with extreme caution, moving inch by painstaking inch, much slower than ordinary walking. Employing Qinggong to rush forward was absolutely forbidden, lest one of them accidentally fall into an enemy encirclement from which they couldn't be rescued.

After half a day of cautious travel, Ye Wen and his party hadn't seen a single enemy ghost. They finally reached the foot of the mountain in the island’s center, still without encountering any demonic cult members.

“What is going on? It’s been completely clear sailing. Where have all the demonic cultists gone?” Huang Rongrong, expecting a fierce battle from the start, was thoroughly dissatisfied with the cult’s strange behavior, swinging her twin blades restlessly.

However, upon observing Ye Wen’s expression, she noticed her Sect Master’s face growing increasingly grim. After a brief complaint, she fell silent.

Ning Ruxue noticed this and asked, “Senior Brother, what worries you?”

“When forces are divided for a combined attack, the greatest fear is being divided and conquered. If we, the Shushan Sect, haven't met anyone, it means either the demonic cultists have set up an array ahead awaiting us, or they have concentrated their forces to deal with the other factions. Either scenario is not good…”

Before he could finish speaking, a burst of hearty laughter suddenly echoed from ahead, accompanied by a familiar voice booming loudly: “Sect Master Ye guessed correctly. This Protector has been waiting here for quite some time. Sect Master Ye, you truly are slow to arrive!”

The group’s expressions changed drastically upon hearing this. Those with lower cultivation levels were slightly dazed by the sheer internal energy carried by the shout, causing their footing to falter.

Advancing a few more steps, the surrounding environment suddenly opened up into a wide clearing. Before Ye Wen’s eyes was a broad open space. Furthermore, carved into a steep cliff face was a large gate; beyond it, a winding cave tunnel vanished into an unknown depth.

Xiang Yutian stood before the gate, arms crossed. Upon seeing Ye Wen, he immediately burst into laughter. “Sect Master Ye, months have passed, yet your elegance remains undiminished!”

“It seems to be Protector Xiang. Seeing Protector Xiang looking well, I presume your injuries have fully healed!”

Mention of the severe injuries caused Xiang Yutian’s expression to tighten momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled. “The gift Sect Master Ye bestowed upon me that day, I have kept it close in my heart. I await Sect Master Ye here today precisely for that reason!”

He gestured toward the cave behind him: “Sect Master Ye intends to attack our Sacred Cult, so you must first pass my test. This passage behind me leads to the path to our Holy Altar... However, I doubt any of you will manage to proceed further!”

“Whether you proceed or not, Protector Xiang may not be the one to decide!”

Xiang Yutian’s eyes narrowed. “I can. I can absolutely decide, as this is my domain!”

Ye Wen also smiled, but a faint aura began to emanate from him—his qi was flowing fully, ready to strike at any moment. “Then what? I will simply remove you!”

“Hahaha, Sect Master Ye is straightforward and speaks his mind, unlike those hypocrites who brand themselves as righteous gentlemen! I truly admire you. I heard your moniker is ‘Gentleman Sword’; I believe you live up to that title, Sect Master Ye!” Xiang Yutian then added, “A pity that today we must settle this with death, otherwise, I would certainly share a cup of wine with you!”

“Since our stances are opposed and cannot be changed, settling it with a fight to the death is the only way. Playing further games is useless. Watch my move!” With that, Ye Wen swung both hands rapidly, his sword fingers striking out in a flurry. In the blink of an eye, Ye Wen unleashed seven streams of sword energy.

These seven streams targeted five vital points: the eye sockets, throat, heart, waistline, and Dantian. Two additional streams, while not targeting vital points, sealed off Xiang Yutian’s avenues of evasion.

Xiang Yutian’s expression shifted upon seeing the sheer force of Ye Wen’s opening assault. He immediately unleashed the full surge of his prepared Chaoyang Rising Sun Art () energy—having suffered greatly last time due to the slow buildup of this technique, he learned his lesson and had his internal energy tuned to its peak state, ready to strike the moment he saw Ye Wen.

Ye Wen had intended to seize the initiative by exploiting the slow buildup of Xiang Yutian’s technique, but this opponent was no idiot. It was clear he had prepared his internal energy in advance, waiting for Ye Wen. Ye Wen estimated his seven streams of sword energy would have little effect. Considering this, he immediately lunged forward, striking out with both palms to release another seven Purple Lotuses.

Since his innate Purple Qi had achieved Yin-Yang transformation, his Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring () was no longer inferior to the original version; it could truly unleash the lotus ring’s full might. As these seven lotuses manifested, Xiang Yutian could feel the scorching qi emanating from them.

“Sect Master Ye’s skills have improved again. Good, very good!”

Palming rapidly, he first knocked the five streams of sword energy aside. Even Xiang Yutian dared not treat Ye Wen’s sword energy lightly, nor would he allow it to strike him as he had done previously. He had suffered a huge loss by underestimating his opponent last time; to make that mistake again today would make him an absolute fool.

After batting away the sword energy, the seven lotuses flew before him. Xiang Yutian trembled, and his upper garments disintegrated into ash from the scorching qi emanating from his own body before they could even explode, revealing the dense, terrifying scars that covered his torso. Every one of these scars had been inflicted by Ye Wen. As they were revealed, Xiang Yutian recalled the agony of that previous day, and his killing intent intensified further.

“Ye Wen, today you will meet your end here!”

“Heh, shouting is useless. If you want my life, then show me some real skill!” Before finishing his words, Ye Wen ignored the fate of the seven lotuses and pushed out with both hands, unleashing the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms (). Feeling the profound strength of his enemy and sensing a heightened crisis, he poured forth his full effort into this strike, inadvertently adhering perfectly to the essence of the Dragon Subduing Palms.

With his inner qi cycling, the masculine power erupted. This single palm strike possessed astonishing momentum; its mere presence was far mightier than any previous deployment of the Dragon Subduing Palms.

Ye Wen was aware of the true essence of the Dragon Subduing Palms, but his nature always led him to instinctively hold back a fraction of his strength. Now, facing a deadly foe where it was either kill or be killed, the immense pressure of life and death finally allowed Ye Wen to unleash the true power of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

Behold, a magnificent, ferocious purple dragon roared forth between Ye Wen’s palms. In an instant, it caught up with the preceding purple lotuses. The eight streams of powerful qi merged into one, striking Xiang Yutian’s front without distinction.

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