Yu Zhenghai looked at Si Wuya, who seemed to be deep in thought, and said, “Wise brother, how should we deal with the stalemates at the western and southern gates?”
Si Wuya smiled and said, “Just leave a few thousand of our men there and continue to cause a scene. If the enemy advances, we’ll pull back; if they retreat, we’ll march forward. The others should gather at the eastern gate.”
“Nice.” Yu Zhenghai beckoned a nearby subordinate over and had him pass on the message.
Si Wuya looked down at the Divine Capital and said, “However, the Divine Capital is huge. There might be elites in hiding. It’s dozens of miles from the Divine Capital’s eastern gate to the Imperial city. If there’s an Eight-leaf expert, we can only count on you, Eldest Senior Brother. Do you think you can do it?”
Yu Zhenghai was calm and confident. Si Wuya wondered where Yu Zhenghai’s confidence came from. For some unknown reason, he felt like his Eldest Senior Brother’s attitude toward the people and matters around him had changed. However, he could not quite put his finger on it. He had worked hard on their campaign to conquer the world. Although his comrades from the Nether Sect had contributed as well, the person who was going to face the Eight-leaf Liu Gu in the end was still Yu Zhenghai.
…
Half a day later. At the western city gate.
The Nether Sect’s four branch masters, Ning Jinshui, Qian Hu, Gong Feng, and Meng Jueshan, gazed at the distant western city gates and city wall.
“As expected of the Divine Capital. It remains standing even after all we’ve thrown at it.”
“There’s no rush… It’s only a matter of time before we breach it. Keep at it, everyone!”
100 Nether Sect disciples flew up to the walls at the same time.
At the same time, many Brahman Sea realm cultivators leaped onto the walls.
Both parties began a round of killing.
There were clashes of energy; many avatars flew in different directions. The sounds of intense battles could be heard everywhere.
“Look out for the Imperial guards!” Ning Jinshui pointed at the armored troops flying toward them.
The soldiers leaped onto the city wall and summoned their avatars before they attacked. Dozens of cultivators summoned their Ten Worlds avatars!
On the other hand, the members of the Nether Sect were only in the Brahman Sea realm. The Imperial guard overwhelmed them with a crushing momentum. Dozens of Nether Sect members instantly fell from the sky.
Ning Jinshui frowned and said, “The Imperial guards are strong. Charge!”
Four of them flew forward.
Among the dozens of Imperial guards, an inconspicuous and small cultivator suddenly summoned his avatar before he flew toward the four branch masters from the Nether Sect.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“A Four-leaf Golden Lotus!”
The avatar that suddenly appeared swept the dozens of Nether Sect members off the city wall.
“He deliberately concealed his cultivation base?” Ning Jinshui led the other three branch masters and charged toward the soldier.
The four of them launched several palm seals at the soldier.
Whizz!
“Seeing One’s Nature!”
An Arhat Golden Body appeared around the soldier.
“Dhyana Mudra!”
The soldier combined two techniques and effectively parried the palm seals from the four branch masters.
“A Buddhist?”
Both parties stared at each other from a distance.
The four Nether Sect branch masters regarded the elite with a complicated expression on their faces.
“Bald donkey! You should be chanting sutras inside a temple. What business do you have here, going against the Nether Sect? Are you sick of living?” Ning Jinshui cursed.
The soldier looked up, straightened his palm, and said, “Amitabha. My Buddhist title is Zhi Shui. My master is Kong Yuan, the abbot of the Temple of Great Emptiness. My master was killed by Old Villain Ji in the Mausoleum of Swords. With the Fiend Path wreaking havoc, how can I stay idle and do nothing?”
“So, you’re Kong Yuan’s disciple. For every grievance caused, there’s someone responsible; for every debt, there is a debtor. Why aren’t you seeking revenge from Senior Ji at the Evil Sky Pavilion?” Ning Jinshui was amused.
The monk, Zhi Shui, smiled faintly. “Is it inappropriate for me to assist the Divine Capital when it’s in trouble? Regardless, today will be the day you die! The Fiend Path hasn’t changed at all. There’s too much violence in all of you. Today, I will teach all of you a hard lesson on my master’s behalf.”
As soon as Zhi Shui finished speaking, he activated his Arhat Golden Body again. His shone with a golden light as he charged toward the four branch masters.
The four branch masters struck with their palms. Their palm seals collided with Zhi Shui’s Seeing One’s Nature.
Boom!
The Dhyana Mudra was activated.
The four of them were pushed back!
At this very moment, on a towering tree beyond the western gate, an incredibly exquisite energy arrow sailed forth. The energy arrow was as thick as a person’s arm. It shot in the air like a comet toward the monk, Zhi Shui.
Zhi Shui was shocked. He hastily joined his palms together to intercept the energy arrow. Alas, the energy arrow continued to push forward.
Bam!
Zhi Shui flipped backward! “A Godly Archer?!”
The Nether Sect members turned to look at the towering tree. An old man and a young girl stood on the tree as they looked at the Divine Capital.
Hua Yuexing maintained her posture as she pulled on the bowstring until the bow resembled a full moon. “Meteor After the Moon!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several energy arrows burst forth from between Hua Yuexing’s fingers. She fired them at the garrison soldiers above the city wall. Every arrow took down one soldier.
Hua Yuexing ignored Zhi Shui and launched a frenzied attack at the city wall.
In no time at all, the top of the city wall was drenched with blood. Many corpses lay in the pool of blood with a gaping and bleeding chest.
“What excellent shooting techniques!” Ning Jinshui was full of praise. “Attack, my brothers! Someone’s helping us!”
The Nether Sect members’ morale was boosted as they launched another wave of attacks!
Meanwhile, Zhi Shui looked at Hua Yuexing, who was standing on the treetop, with a frown on his face. Without a second word, he leaped off the city wall and flew away from the western gate. His speed was incredibly fast. Although it was far away, for a Nascent Divinity realm elite, the distance of several thousand meters could be covered in a few breaths.
Zhi Shui said gruffly, “Put down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha now!” He joined his palms together, casting Seeing One’s Nature. At the same time, he unleashed his Dhyana Mudra. The Great Vajra Wheel Hand Sign shot out from between his palms!
Hua Wudao looked at Zhi Shui disapprovingly and said, “Bald donkey! Just who do you think you are?”
Hua Wudao leaped out and walked on air to intercept the attack. The Eight Trigrams spread out from under his feet, while the six directions and nine shining golden scripts spun around him. Then, he summoned his avatar. After severing his lotus and recultivation, he had a Five-leaf Golden Lotus.
Zhi Shui’s eyes widened. “No!”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The huge avatar’s hand moved and grabbed the Dhyana Mudra.
“Retreat!” Zhi Shui hastily retracted his Dhyana Mudra.
“Bald donkey. If you’re not going to go to hell, who will?”
The nine scripts struck Zhi Shui’s chest at this moment.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Without the Dhyana Mudra, Zhi Shui was as fragile as a piece of paper. The Six Compatible Daoist Seal landed on him.
Boom!
Zhi Shui fell to the ground with a loud crash and stopped breathing immediately.
Hua Wudao glanced at the western city wall before he said, “Yue Xing, carry on! Nobody’s getting close on my watch!”
“Understood!” Hua Yuexing was invigorated. Under Hua Wudao’s protection, she pulled on her bow with greater fervor. So long as cultivators appeared on the city wall, she would immediately take them out with an energy arrow…
The four branch masters formed the vanguard.
Without high-rank cultivators among the enemies’ ranks, they could only passively defend themselves. There was nothing they could do to the Godly Archer, Hua Yuexing, who was 1,000 miles away as well.
“The sect master has ordered that we leave 3,000 men here to continue harassing the garrison while the others are to gather at the eastern gate!”
“Understood!”
…
The next day. In the Evil Sky Pavilion’s eastern pavilion.
Lu Zhou opened his eyes and gauged his extraordinary power. It was almost completely replenished.
Compared to when he only possessed the Human Scroll, Lu Zhou clearly felt that he could store more extraordinary power now. Based on his previous cultivation base, even without his extraordinary power, cultivators below the Five-leaf stage were no match for him.
He stopped meditating and exited the eastern pavilion. He stretched his limbs when he was outside.
At this time, Duanmu Sheng hurried in and said with a bow, “Master, a letter from Li Yunzhao.”
“Li Yunzhao?”
“Kindly have a look.” Duanmu Sheng handed him the letter.
Lu Zhou opened the letter and read it. After scanning its contents, he frowned. “Have you read it?”
Duanmu Sheng nodded. He immediately fell to one knee. “I’m willing to head to the Divine Capital!”
Lu Zhou considered this as he stroked his beard. “This is his business, after all.”
“But, he’s also your disciple!” Duanmu Sheng said.
“Have you ever considered that if Li Yunzhao is telling the truth, your Eldest Senior Brother will only hate me more?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Uh…” Duanmu Sheng was stunned.
There were those who were obstinate to the bone, and nothing could be done to change that. Hua Wudao, for example, had studied the Six Compatible Seal for 20 years just so he could fight the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Master and get over his obsession. Hua Wudao did not need the Yun Sect’s support. He even sent his disciple away. A person would have to finish what they started, no matter how difficult it was.
A master for a day, a father for life. Based on this, there was no way Lu Zhou would stay idle when he knew his disciple was in danger. In any case, he had to make a difficult choice.
Lu Zhou recalled Yu Zhenghai’s words when Yu Zhenghai was kneeling behind the mountain. He recalled the hardships Yu Zhenghai endured, his twisted fate, and his two deaths…
“Wait.” Lu Zhou raised a hand.
“Master?” Duanmu Sheng looked at his master in confusion. He could tell what was going through his master’s mind.
“Send word to Si Wuya. I’d like to confirm Yu Zhenghai’s two deaths!”
“Understood!”
…
Two days later.
The sun rose from the east as usual.
The morning mist hung over Golden Court Mountain. Like always, Lu Zhou was stretching his limbs in the eastern pavilion.
At this moment, Duanmu Sheng entered the easter pavilion with a letter in hand. “Master, Seventh Junior Brother has sent a reply.”
“Bring it here.” Lu Zhou took the letter. After reading it, he said coldly, “A rascal will always be a rascal.”
“Master, did Eldest Senior Brother really die twice in the past?” Duanmu Sheng was shocked.
“It’s a characteristic of Wuqians. They can resurrect three times if they die. However, each resurrection would cost them 300 years of their lives. I’m afraid… that your Eldest Senior Brother might not have long to live,” Lu Zhou said.
“…” When Duanmu Sheng heard this, his mind went blank.
…
In the Divine Capital.
The Nether Sect successfully advanced from the eastern and northern gates.
After five days of advancing, 100,000 Nether Sect members arrived at the Imperial city.
As far as the eye could see, apart from the Imperial city, the Divine Capital was riddled with fallen buildings and rubble.
“Land the chariot.”
The Nether Sect’s flying chariot groaned. After a few days of fighting, the flying chariot was teetering and full of dents and holes.
“Understood!”
The flying chariot landed slowly, stopping right before the Imperial city.
Tens of thousands of Nether Sect members fell on one knee in unison. “Greetings, sect master!”
Yu Zhenghai, Si Wuya, and Hua Chongyang emerged from the huge chariot.
“The Imperial city?”
They looked at the imperial city above the towering red walls.
This was the place that Yu Zhenghai had been dreaming of entering. Now, it had become a reality. He could not help but feel emotional. He said, “Those who follow me shall prosper, and those who go against me shall die.”
The large group of Nether Sect members shouted as well, their morale boosted. “Those who follow me shall prosper, and those who go against me shall die!”
The soundwaves rocked the Imperial city.
Creak!
The gate of the Imperial city, which was more than 100 feet tall, slowly opened. It was only slit, but it seemed like another world in there. As the slit widened, they saw a large number of Imperial guards standing before them.
Meanwhile, from the peak of the Imperial city, a white-robed cultivator announced in a clear voice, “Activate the Ten Terminal Formation!”
