Chapter 255 – The Abandoned Disciple of Swords Gate
The old lady Nan Qianfang didn’t cast her Inner Core level power but the Awakening level power. She was purely casting the skill with her Yuan Shen; however, the skill she had cultivated was incredibly abstruse — the mountain god Yuan Shen had four arms, each of which had an eye, with each of those eyes having cultivated a sword ray.
The sword rays were formed by countless Sword Qi that interlinked together like gears to form a pillar that whirled around and slashed apart anything that stood in their way!
If it were only four punches, Zhong Yue would have been able to handle it by shielding himself with the Golden Crow wings, but these four Sword Qi was not something that his Golden Crow wings could withstand.
The Sword Qi extruded out of eyes in the palms of Nan Qianfang’s Yuan Shen. It was as if the hands of her Yuan Shen were clenching at the Sword Qi. The destructive potential was thus not restricted to the power of the Sword Qi itself but the inherent strength of her Yuan Shen that was wielding it. After all, she wouldn’t be the hall master of the Seal Suppression Hall if she could be easily dealt with!
Zhong Yue had been through countless battles, more than any ordinary Qi Practitioner would experience in their lifetime. He had seen many things and experienced even more. With just a single taste, he was able to feel the raw power in Nan Qianfang’s strike, and he couldn’t help but praise her strength!
When the four Sword Qi were launched out, his Golden Crow wings were mangled and crushed away, only leaving behind the broken feathers!
Zhong Yue stood steadfast while the three-legged celestial being released a loud shriek. It suddenly opened its eyes, and in its eyes, there were nine concentric layers of totem patterns, enveloping one another like gears!
The Sword Eye!
Two surges of Sword Qi blasted out and clashed with two of the four incoming Sword Qi, while the other two continued thrusting over in the middle!
Right at this moment, the divine third eye emerged on the three-legged celestial being’s forehead, blasting out a godly ray which appeared to be the Pure Yang Sword Qi. It clashed with the nearest approaching Sword Qi of the remaining two.
As the incoming Sword Qi was crushed away, the broken Sword Qi splintered into countless Sword Qi that chaotically blasted in all directions!
This was because Nan Qianfang had gathered too much Sword Qi and pooled it one in the palm eyes of her mountain god Yuan Shenk. Although doing such a thing would strengthen the power of the Sword Qi to an incredible state, at the same time, it would make it incredibly difficult to control – far more difficult than the other Sword Qi.
She could crush her targets like a petty bug without exerting any extra effort if she was facing with the normal Sword Qi or soul weapon.
But, Zhong Yue’s Pure Yang Sword Qi was incredibly sharp, even more so than her Yuan Shen’s Sword Qi. Even if the Pure Yang Sword Qi was not superior in terms of raw power, he was able to control it with much greater precision than she could her’s. Zhong Yue thought to exploit this weakness of her’s by breaking and splintering her Sword Qi pillar so that it would careen out of her control.
If it were ordinary Sword Qi being splintered, the master could still divide it into halves and continue engaging in the battle, or the Sword Qi could be merged back together again. Either way, the master would still have options they could turn to.
But Nan Qianfang’s Sword Qi pillar was too complicated, causing it to crumble right as it was crushed away Zhong Yue’s Pure Yang Sword Qi!
Countless strands of Sword Qi blasted out in all domains, the other elders furrowed their brows and surged out their psyche to curb the Sword Qi in mid-air.
Meanwhile, Zhong Yue’s Pure Yang Sword Qi continued on relentlessly and broke away the second incoming Sword Qi. The Sword Qi pillar crumbled again and another deadly round of Sword Qi confetti erupted out in the air!
Zhong Yue then kept his Pure Yang Sword Qi, it flew back into the divine third eye of the three-legged celestial being and as the divine third eye slowly disappeared as it closed shut. He said, “Senior martial sister, shall we stop here?”
Nan Qianfang kept the rest of the two Sword Qi pillar back into her mountain god Yuan Shen while Zhong Yue’s Sword Eye Sword Qi also returned back to the eyes of the three-legged celestial being. The nine layers of totem patterns also gradually disappeared.
Nan Qianfang turned around and bowed to the elders, she raised the jade seal in her hands and limped heavily as she stepped forward and passed it to Grand Elder Yu. She said, “Junior Martial Brother Zhong is a talented young man, he can take my place as the hall master of the Seal Suppression Hall. My heart is at ease knowing that my position and the responsibility that comes with it will be conferred to him.”
The elders had also caught a glimpse of Zhong Yue’s strength. They praised and laughed, “Hall Master Nan, the responsibilities you’ve once held are now nothing but burdens to your aged body; this time, you can finally unload the burdens and enjoy the leisurely life you’ve long wished for.”
Nan Qianfang heaved a breath of relief, she smiled and said, “I’ve watched over the Seal Suppression Hall for over a hundred years. Not a single day has gone by where I was able to feel relieved of the tension in my heart. I was afraid that the entities sealed in this hall would find their way out and escape back to the wild. And now, I can finally lift the greatest weight in my heart. Junior Martial Brother Zhong, this hall which I’ve guarded for countless years – the Seal Suppression Hall, will now be under your watch. I’ve just passed my biggest fear to you.”
Grand Elder Yu looked around and said, “Dear junior martial siblings, let’s start.”
The elders restrained their laughter and forced serious expressions. The jade seal was lifted up to the mid-air while the Grand Elder Yu suddenly pointed a finger at it and chanted, “Unseal!”
The jade seal quivered rapidly, all of a sudden, a surge of an appallingly strong aura erupted out from the jade seal, pressuring at them as if there was an invisible hand slowly clamping on their hearts!
“Krong—!!”
On the surface of the jade seal, the totem patterns were moving around violently; suddenly, a huge head emerged out from the jade seal, opening its mouth wide and letting out a ferocious roar — it was the Jiao Tu’s head! Its roar was so loud that it brought out a strong gale through the palace that caused their clothes to flutter in the air!
The other nine elders also moved, raising their fingers at the jade seal and chanting in their mouths. They then released the seals they had left behind on the jade seal.
Another loud and sonorous roar that sounded like a bell blasted in their ears. A mountainous dragon head then emerged from the jade seal — it was the Pu Lao!
Then, another loud roar erupted again. Ba Xia’s dragon head extruded out of the jade seal and let out its own roar.
This was finally followed by Bi An’s tiger head that did the same in a similar imposing and majestic manner!
In comparison to the four mountainous heads that emerged from it, the jade seal appeared to be incredibly tiny.
After the emergence of the four heads, a light cracking sound could be heard as the jade seal opened itself in the middle like a little box. A bright pearl. sized like a pigeon egg was then revealed from within it.
“Hall Master Nan, keep your marks away.” Grand Elder Yu said solemnly.
Nan Qianfang bowed and stepped forward, she wiped off her marks, then turned to Zhong Yue and said, “Junior martial brother, this pearl is the master core of the jade seal, placing down your marks in this pearl can allow you to have full control of the jade seal. This jade seal is required to enter the Seal Suppression Hall and it is of utmost importance. This jade seal is a treasure forged by our first headmaster, you mustn’t lose it.”
Grand Elder Yu then said sonorously, “The rules of Swords Gate is that the ten elders of the elder council will come together and seal off the jade seal. Only when the elders are together can the jade seal be opened and none of the elders are allowed place their own marks on it. Only the hall master of the Seal Suppression Hall has the authority to do so and control the jade seal. If the others intend to forcibly place down their marks, then they will face with the repulsion and attacks of the seals of the four legendary beasts and the ten elders. And now, us ten elders have opened the jade seal for you, quickly place down your markings on the pearl.”
Zhong Yue nodded, he refined the pearl with his Yuan Shen; and after a long time, he was able to place down his mark on the pearl.
The elders then struck out countless seals onto the jade seal. The four beasts disappeared into the jade seal. After the elders had sealed the jade seal, Grand Elder Yu looked at Zhong Yue and said, “The jade seal is of utmost importance, and the hall master of Seal Suppression Hall is a huge responsibility. Zhong Shan Clan member, you must not neglect your duty, understand?”
“Yes, I do.” Zhong Yue bowed and said.
Grand Elder Yu nodded, he then said, “Hall Master Nan, bring Hall Master Zhong to the Seal Suppression Hall and tell him of his duties. Show him around and get him familiar with the affairs and secrets of the Seal Suppression Hall.”
Nan Qianfang nodded and said smilingly, “May Junior Martial Brother Zhong follow me.”
The old lady then tottered her way out, as soon as she exited the elder council’s palace, the Yuan Shen behind her lifted her in its palm and strode toward the Seal Suppression Hall.
While Zhong Yue was flying behind her.
The Seal Suppression Hall was built on the side of the precipice, lifted by a mushroom-like platform, there were countless palace eaves with the doors sealed with the charms of totem patterns.
It was lonely and deserted, a place sequestered in the darkest corner of Swords Gate.
Nan Qianfang led Zhong Yue forward, ignoring the doors and walking past them. She said, “These are all props, used to deceive the world. There’s nothing in them but dead corpses. Whatever intentions our enemies have towards the Seal Suppression Hall, their efforts would all be in vain as they will come to the wrong place. The real Seal Suppression Hall is here.”
She pointed to a mountain wall and walked over to it, she said, “Junior Martial Brother Zhong, cast out the jade seal and you will be able to reveal the true place where our Seal Suppression Hall seals the entities.”
With a thought, Zhong Yue cast out the jade seal and the four beasts emerged out from the jade seal, placing their claws on the mountain wall. Four notches appeared out of nowhere, sinking down as the claws were placed on them — the sounds of creaking could be heard as a door was opened.
Nan Qianfang brought him through the door, and a whole new space was presented right before him. The inside of the mountain was drilled out, leaving a vast cavernous space in it, it was nearly a few miles of empty space.
There were countless huge and thick metal chains shackled to the sides of the mountain hall, chained towards the copper palaces. These copper palaces didn’t have any windows, only doors that were tightly closed behind layers of seals.
“This is the true Seal Suppression Hall.”
Nan Qianfang’s Yuan Shen carried her and walked on the huge metal chains, she said, “Although Shui Qingyan and Qiu Jiner are both the deputy hall masters of the Seal Suppression Hall, I have never brought them here. I’ve only shown them the outside and told them that is the place. He-he, the names of those that can be sealed here can only be heard in the legends, they are incredibly hard to eliminate. They wouldn’t be sealed here in the first place if they could have been killed in the first place. Some of them have been sealed in here for over tens of thousands of years, and they might just still be alive.”
“Tens of thousands of years and still alive?”
Zhong Yue shouted in shock, “This Seal Suppression Hall, did it seal off some gods?”
“It’s true that there are gods in here.”
Nan Qianfang led him to the side of a copper palace, it was crawling with dust and rust, and appeared to be old and ancient. She said, “In this palace was sealed a Martial Divine Master from the Zhong Li Celestial Race of the South Barren. He is beyond the capability of the Martial Heavenly Master, a martial art cultivator that was said to be as strong as a god. He led the Zhong Li Celestial Race to invade the Great Wilderness. He was taken down by our 13th headmaster. However, he was so strong to the point of being unkillable, no matter how hard the 13th headmaster tried. And so, left with no choice, he was sealed here. This man, he locked his pores and there wasn’t a single leak of essence from his body. When the 15th headmaster took his post, it had already been a thousand and five hundred years since that time; two headmasters have passed and here he still is.”
Zhong Yue was shocked, he murmured, “Is he dead now?”
“No one knows.”
Nan Qianfang continued forward, she came to the side of another copper palace and said, “This palace sealed the demonic spirit of a demon god. Our current headmaster had a battle with a demon magnate from the land of demons across the seas. His opponent summoned the demonic spirit and was captured by our headmaster. It was also unkillable and so was sealed in this palace. This demonic spirit was very bizarre, you must not open it or otherwise, things will go terribly wrong.”
“This copper palace, sealed the abandoned disciple of Swords Gate, Feng Xiaozhong … the son of the current headmaster.”
Nan Qianfang walked to the side of another copper palace, she wanted to say something but somehow stopped halfway. She shook her head and said, “Let’s move on … this copper palace is incredibly impressive, within it is sealed the mortal body of Tian Myriad Mother.”
