Chapter Thirty-Nine: Speculation
Only one grandmaster from Jiaodong Commandery was still unharmed in the air. His lips were pursed, and the primal energies of the universe were pushed through his lips, creating a whistling sound.
This sound was not loud or sharp, but rhythmic and very penetrating. The sound rippled through the air, like countless arrows moving through the air, even creating white vortexes, like white foam on the ocean.
Like an echo, there were many strange shouts in the distant forest. Rows of moisture, and some lights went in and out. Twisted figures of light seemed to dance in the world.
“What is this?” Zhangsun Qianxue frowned deeply, and turned to look in confusion at Ding Ning. In her perception, following those twisted figures, there was almost an ancient and terrifying presence.
“They are the Soaring Snakes.” Ding Ning had not yet had time to speak when Tantai Guanjian said softly.
“Is it…,” Zhangsun Qianxue said two words.
The soaring snakes were not snakes but monsters of legend. They were one of the strongest beasts of the ocean and a kind of serpent dragon. Most of the serpents able to fly relied on wings, flaps, or wide fins to slide just like some other fish of the sea. But such beasts were like giant snakes. Other than the triangle black scales that they were wrapped up in, they did not look any different from other snakes. They could easily fly relying on their control of the primal energies of the universe. Their control of some primal energies could let them gather the wind and rain, and make their enormous bodies grow light. Their hard scale armor had been made by cultivators very early in history into armor. They were impenetrable against most sharp objects, and could even fend against some of the primal energies.
Night demon apes could not be discussed in the same terms as them. Simply speaking, the serpent dragons were a reference that cultivators used to delimit between realm six and seven power. Most realm six cultivators were not able to kill a serpent on their own. Only realm seven grandmasters could go into the storm, into the cold lakes and deep ocean to fight the serpents.
What caused Zhangsun Qianxue to have such complicated emotions was that there was not just one or two terrifying presences coming from the flickering shadows. In the cultivation world of more than a decade in age that she was familiar with, Jiaodong Commandery had the ability to create some powerful ocean beasts but not such a swarm of soaring snakes. What made her furious and displeased was that the woman she hated the most in Changling always had a trick up her sleeve. Whenever she felt the other was out of moves, the other would always have another move, like they were endless.
“Do not!”
At this time, the Jiaodong Commandery cultivator who had been forced by Tantai Guanjian to explode his energies looked up at the other Jiaodong cultivator who was summoning the soaring snakes. Then he shouted, “There is no use here!”
His status seemed to be greater than the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster in the air.
At his shout, the grandmaster furiously whistling in the air suddenly stopped. This was undoubtedly the right choice.
These soaring snakes were powerful, but Tantai Guanjian’s strength had not been worn down. When Tantai Guanjian was still at his peak, his sword essence would be able to kill many soaring serpents. But when he was as weak as Zhangsun Qianxue, such serpents could express their power.
Hearing the conversation and shouts among these people, Fu Su’s mind was shaken. Changling was like a hot bed, and this place of life and death was urging him to grow by the second. People like Zhangsun Qianxue and Tantai Guanjian appeared so strong in his eyes, as though if there was one of such cultivators, they could change the situation by themselves. But when facing the power of all of Jiaodong Commandery, cultivators like them appeared small.
Now, the situation was likely going to be, when these powerful enemies were worn down, there were the serpents, equal to realm six cultivators, still circling and would join the battle then. At that time, the serpent’s scale armor and strength would show their power.
“I really do not want to kill you.” Tantai Guanjian looked at the figures fading quickly into the forest, and then at the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster who was almost at the end. He said, “We are both Qin, and it is hard to cultivate.”
There was no exaggeration or pretense. Because he had held him back when attacking before this. He had just pierced the energy seas of the two cultivators, and did not just kill them.
The Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster knew his meaning, but facing Tantai Guanjian’s gaze, he said directly, “I am prepared to die, and also, you killing us will not change the result. There are still people to command the remaining night demon apes and those soaring snakes. She will avenge us.”
As Tantai Guanjian frowned slightly, this Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster said with determination, “From now, the Min Mountain Sword Sect will be the great gnome of Jiaodong Commandery. Min Mountain Sword Sect will quickly be uprooted from Changling, and no longer exist.”
When his determined and hostile voice sounded, the night demon apes that had been diving down flew in all directions, and left this space.
Light flashed in Tantai Guanjian’s eyes. He attacked.
The last remaining Jiaodong Commandery cultivators in the sky howled and the air behind him shattered like mirrors.
With a soft pop, there were three of Tantai Guanjian’s figures appearing around him. The soft sound cape from his energy sea. A bloody mist bloomed on his energy sea like a flower.
Tantai Guanjian’s figure returned to Ding Ning’s side in the next moment, but there was still a sword essence moving in the darkness.
A soft sound came again from the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster who had used up his energy sea. He was pierced by the sword essence. Tantai Guanjian did not kill a person, but destroyed the cultivation of all these people.
“How many more are there?” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at Tantai Guanjian who was paling, and asked.
Tantai Guanjian answered, “Two.”
“You cannot use the sword more than seven times.” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at him and said, “This is something people back then judged of you. They speculated with your greatest strength, at most, you can kill seven realm seven cultivators in succession.”
Tantai Guanjian was silent for a moment and said, “This is correct.”
“Back then, the people who speculated this was the Jiaodong Commandery Zheng Family who we all thought were just country people.” Zhangsun Qianxue took a deep breath and said, “If their speculation about you is correct, it will be the same for the other people of Min Mountain Sword Sect.”
Tantai Guanjian knew the meaning behind this. After a moment of silence, he said, “But I still know that Senior Sect Brother Baili will still make such a choice.”
Ding Ning took a deep breath. He slowly looked up. He thought of many past events, he thought of that jar of wine, and he felt tears rise.
At this time, there was a soft sound.
This sound came from the sitting Donghu monk. This sound came from his energy sea.
Before this, this sound represented the energy sea being pierced, and many years of effort slipping away. But now, such a sound came from deep within his energy sea. It was like something being remade after being broken, and a wave of energy swelled up in his body.
