Chapter 602 - 611: The Sword Sect’s Internal Strife

At the same time, as the black airflow churned frantically, Wen Qingye’s cultivation began to loosen, showing faint signs of an impending breakthrough.

With a wave of his hand, Wen Qingye released a flood of Primordial Stones from his Sumeru Mustard Seed. Instantly, the Primordial Qi from the countless Top-grade Primordial Stones surged like a tempestuous sea, flooding into his Qi Sea.

’That’s where the Ancient Corpse appeared.’

Xiao Zuilan stared into the pitch-blackness ahead, where billowing Evil Qi seemed ready to rush right at her. Her heart pounded with excitement. But just then, she suddenly sensed that the Primordial Qi around her had become abnormally dense. She immediately glanced over at Wen Qingye.

’He’s about to break through? This kid really knows how to pick his moments.’ Xiao Zuilan grit her teeth, scanned her surroundings, and then rushed toward a nearby sand ridge she had spotted.

BOOM!

But just as Xiao Zuilan landed on the sand ridge, the sound of exploding Primordial Qi suddenly erupted from not far away. The noise vibrated right next to her ears, threatening to shatter her eardrums.

Naturally, Wen Qingye, who was at a critical moment in his breakthrough, was also affected.

Wen Qingye immediately felt his Qi Sea roil, and a sweet taste rose in his throat before he spat out a mouthful of blood.

’Experts are fighting!’

Xiao Zuilan quickly unleashed her Primordial Qi, forming a transparent barrier to block the frenzied sand that followed.

With his eyes tightly shut, Wen Qingye immersed his Heart Spirit once more.

Xiao Zuilan, however, held her breath and focused. She slowly raised her head, peering into the distance through the rampaging sandstorm.

A woman in goose-yellow robes stood there. She had a high, elegant nose and her hair was tied up in a bun. A trickle of blood stained the corner of her mouth, and her beautiful face was as pale as paper. Her eyes blazed with fury as she pointed her trembling sword at the white-haired old man before her.

"Jian Nantian! No, you’re not Jian Nantian anymore. You’ve changed. You’ve changed so much I don’t even recognize you."

Xiao Zuilan, her face veiled in black gauze that revealed only her gem-like eyes, murmured to herself, ’Jian Nantian? That name sounds familiar.’

Jian Nantian sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Mingzhu, I haven’t changed. I am simply adapting to the tide of this era. Neither of us can change the grand tide of events, so we must adapt to it. My devotion to the Sword Sect has never wavered, not even for a moment."

Then, Jian Nantian looked at the woman and said, "You, on the other hand, have always been obstinate. You oppose me at every turn, obstructing my efforts to strengthen the Sword Sect. This allowed the Celestial Profound Sect to seize the opportunity and rise, becoming the second-greatest sect in the world and tarnishing the Sword Sect’s name. Do you not realize you are in the wrong?"

The woman threw her head back and laughed. "Hahaha! Jian Nantian, spare me your grand principles. I admit I can’t win an argument against you, but tell me, in all these years, have you ever once thought of seeking revenge on Huangfu Yiye? No! Not only have you made no attempt to get revenge, but you’ve also been colluding with Nan Xiang of the Thousand Nether Valley. And just because I found out, you’re willing to ignore our decades of friendship as fellow disciples and hunt me down to silence me? You tell me, have you changed or not?"

As she finished speaking, the woman’s tone grew exceedingly sharp.

Hearing her words, Jian Nantian’s expression darkened. But after sensing no movement in the surroundings, he relaxed slightly and said, "We have been fellow disciples for over sixty years. How could I possibly try to kill you? I merely want you to cool down a little."

"Cool down? Placing me under house arrest is worse than death! You know my temperament. I, Yue Mingzhu, will never yield to anyone in my entire life!"

After speaking, the woman—no, Yue Mingzhu—pushed off with her foot and thrust her sword at Jian Nantian.

Watching the scene unfold, Xiao Zuilan seemed to recall their identities and couldn’t help but smile. ’Yue Mingzhu and Jian Nantian... Isn’t one an Elder of the Sword Sect and the other its Sect Master? How interesting.’

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The sound of clashing metal rang out wildly in the sky as the two erupted into a battle that could shake the very heavens and make gods weep.

Meanwhile, Wen Qingye’s breakthrough had reached its most critical stage.

Nearby, Xiao Zuilan was silently cursing her luck. The commotion from Wen Qingye’s breakthrough was already considerable, and the aftershocks from the distant battle were downright terrifying. Caught in the middle, if not for her profound foundation and her Purple Rhyme Brocade, she would have been unable to withstand the dual impact.

The surrounding Primordial Qi surged like a tidal wave, rushing madly toward Wen Qingye and washing over every inch of his body. At that very moment, his Sea of Life and Death began to crack.

CRACK!

The fissure grew larger and larger, threatening to tear his Qi Sea asunder, but ultimately, it did not.

The Life and Death Fissure manifested. Life and Death Realm Second Layer!

Wen Qingye slowly opened his eyes. He clenched his fist, and the immense power seemed to crush the very air in his palm, producing a series of crackles.

Not only had his cultivation advanced, but his Five Elements Body Refining Technique had also broken through, reaching the Sixth Layer.

His strength had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. If he were to face Zhang Chun now, even if he couldn’t win, he certainly wouldn’t end up in such a pathetic state as before.

Xiao Zuilan studied Wen Qingye, clucking her tongue in amazement. "The Qi Burst stage... It seems your Body Refining Martial Arts is quite powerful, little brother."

Wen Qingye knew that the Witch Race had their own classification system for Body Refining. He was vaguely familiar with it: the three realms of Qi Burst, Light Splitting, and Void Shattering. As for the realms that came after, he was unclear. Perhaps only the Witch Race themselves knew.

CLANG!

The world shook once more, and Wen Qingye and Xiao Zuilan felt as if their eardrums would burst. Ferocious whirlwinds kicked up one after another.

A fiery light flickered in Jian Nantian’s eyes as he roared, "Mingzhu, for the sake of our decades of camaraderie, I will ask you one last time: will you come with me or not?"

Yue Mingzhu stared at Jian Nantian and snorted coldly. "I, Yue Mingzhu, have lived my life openly and without fear. I have never bowed my head to anyone. You want to place me under house arrest? You might as well just kill me."

A cold glint flashed through Jian Nantian’s eyes. "Very well, then. I will grant you a swift end. I have put up with you for far too long."

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Jian Nantian repeatedly slashed his sword forward. One tearing Sword Aura after another cascaded down like a waterfall from the heavens, densely forming a net of blades.

Seeing the sky fill with Sword Auras, Yue Mingzhu grit her teeth. A look of unyielding resolve flashed in her eyes as she raised her own sword to meet the attack head-on.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Immense Primordial Qi swept outward, stirring up wind and sand, blotting out the sky and sun. It was as if the very sky had turned yellow.

THUD!

A body shot down like an arrow loosed from a bow, plummeting straight to the ground.

High in the sky, Jian Nantian slowly withdrew his sword. He looked down at the center of the billowing dust below and sneered, "In this Desolate North Evil Land, the only true treasure is that Immortal Coffin. But that coffin is for the dead. Would I, Jian Nantian, ever covet something meant for a corpse?"