Chapter 1748
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“Brother Zhenzhong, what… what is going on here?”
The head of the Zhao family, Zhao Tianqing, trembled in a voice laced with terror.
That was a cultivator at the early Star-Severing Realm!
Directly torn into powder, dead!
Qi Zhenzhong also wore a stunned expression: “I… I’m not entirely sure. The Spirit Sword Pavilion only told me that a saint had陨落 (fallen) here and asked me to lead you all to seek opportunities, but they didn’t mention… what would happen next!”
The death of an early Star-Severing Realm powerhouse turned the elation in the hearts of the Qi, Zhao, and Yu families into tense worry.
No one knew who would be the next to die莫名其妙 (for no apparent reason).
Over two hundred people halted in their tracks, landing on the ground.
“Investigate what exactly is happening.”
“Yes.”
Shortly after, a Star-Severing Realm cultivator from the Qi family returned and reported: “Clan Head, within a hundred feet of the mountain, there are astral winds. We don’t know how they formed, but when I tested them just now… they can shred anything effortlessly…”
Upon hearing this, Qi Zhenzhong couldn’t help but groan in懊恼: “I let pride cloud my judgment!”
“Such a mystical place—even the Spirit Sword Pavilion paid a heavy price to uncover its existence. Charging in recklessly like this is nothing but a death wish!”
The others nodded in deep agreement.
“Qi Zhentian, Qi Zhenshan, you two immediately lead everyone to find the mountain’s entrance!”
Qi Zhenzhong’s voice boomed with authority.
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
The two brothers immediately dispersed to the left and right.
Meanwhile, Clan Heads Yu Feiyun and Zhao Tianqing didn’t idle either, leading their groups to spread out—though this time, everyone stayed cautiously over a hundred feet away from the mountain.
Half an hour later, Qi Zhenshan arrived before Qi Zhenzhong with more than a dozen people.
“Big brother, we’ve found the issue.”
Qi Zhenshan’s face was grave. “This mountain stretches left and right, with nine climbable paths. All other areas are sealed—impossible to approach.
“We sent several Void-Transcending Realm cultivators to test all nine paths, and the situation is bizarre. How do you want to proceed?”
Qi Zhenzhong pondered for a moment. “In that case, let’s split into nine teams and follow the paths.
“If we encounter irresistible danger, we retreat. With nine paths, one must lead to the summit.”
“Agreed.” Qi Zhenshan nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
Soon, the warriors of the Qi, Zhao, and Yu families divided into nine teams, each of twenty-odd members led by a Star-Severing Realm cultivator. They began ascending the nine paths from the front of the mountain, which spanned over ten miles…
A quarter of an hour after the three families disappeared, Ye Wushuang arrived at the mountain’s foot.
He hadn’t been far away and had seen the Qi, Zhao, and Yu families split into nine teams, roughly grasping the situation.
“Nine teams… the leftmost team has twenty-some people, led by the Yu Clan Head…”
After a moment’s thought, Ye Wushuang resolutely headed for the leftmost path.
The moment he stepped onto the path, Ye Wushuang froze.
He flipped his palm, and a small three-legged cauldron now hovered quietly in his palm.
The cauldron had a faint crimson-iron hue, but now its iron光泽 (luster) grew purer and more crystalline, with a faint scorching warmth flowing through it.
“This is… the three-legged cauldron Zhou Yuan gave me. Could this place be related to that Zhou Yuan?”
Stowing the cauldron, Ye Wushuang began climbing.
With each step up the black stone stairs, Ye Wushuang clearly felt waves of oppressive force from all around.
An invisible repulsion, like thousands of hands, tried to push him down.
He knew that if he were pushed off, he would be reduced to shattered bones.
This feeling was strange, yet undeniably real.
At a hundred feet in height, the repulsion did not weaken—if anything, it intensified.
Ye Wushuang paused, catching his breath.
“If this place is truly linked to Saint Zhou Yuan, this cauldron must serve some purpose.”
He summoned the cauldron again. Its light grew brighter, shrinking to the size of a thumb to hover behind his head, emitting a faint crimson glow.
In an instant, Ye Wushuang felt as if a pair of hands gently supported his back. This force neutralized the repulsion ahead, instantly easing his burden.
With this, Ye Wushuang’s ascent quickened dramatically.
Soon, he reached three hundred feet.
The black steps bore traces of blood and minced flesh, but no bodies were visible.
“What danger did they face?”
Ye Wushuang frowned, on high alert.
Whirring winds howled like banshees. Suddenly, from the side, endless sword qi screeched forth, forming a sea of blades that surged toward his face.
Reacting instinctively, Ye Wushuang drew his Taiyuan Spirit Sword and slashed out.
Nine Heavens Profound Fire Sword Technique.
Nine heavens, nine swords, all merging into one.
Sword qi surged around Ye Wushuang, slashing left and right.
BOOM BOOM BOOM…
Earth-shattering roars echoed through the air.
The sea of swords began to dissipate.
But the attack was far from over.
A second wave struck.
Gripping the Taiyuan Sword, Ye Wushuang continued to slash, each strike unleashing surging sword qi.
Roars resounded one after another, shaking heaven and earth.
All the while, Ye Wushuang climbed the steps.
Without resisting the terrifying repulsion, he would have struggled to fend off the sword qi onslaught.
He surmised that the Yu family group ahead must have faced similar attacks, with some casualties.
Fighting his way up another hundred feet, the terrifying sword sea on both sides finally began to fade.
But before Ye Wushuang could catch his breath, a howling gale and icy air surged down from the path above…
