harleyscars Chapter 290 - 289: The Venerable Alliance’s Encirclement! Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountain
Chapter 290 - 289: The Venerable Alliance’s Encirclement! Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountain
Outside Jianghai City, on the southern side of the Da Mountain Range.
Waves of soughing pines billowed over the mountain peaks, a vast sea of green surging below.
Two figures stood facing each other.
"What did you say, Senior Brother?"
The Nine Celestial Venerables stood on the peak, his face contorted with rage. A vein throbbed on his temple. "The Heaven-Blasting Gang actually refused?! I walked you through exactly what to say, and you couldn’t even win them over?!"
"What does that have to do with me!"
Across from him, Meng Tianxuan flicked his sleeve, retorting just as fiercely, "The Heaven-Blasting Gang has already made up its mind! They’re hopelessly stubborn. It’s true they’re not a real organization, which makes them impossible to persuade!"
He continued, looking at the Nine Celestial Venerables and saying coldly, "That Qin Yang, in particular, is incredibly arrogant. He even swore to annihilate your Beast God Sect!"
As his voice fell.
"Heh heh..."
"Annihilate our Beast God Sect? Is he even worthy? Over the past few hundred years, countless people have tried. Every single one of them ended up as ash!"
The Nine Celestial Venerables spoke coldly. After a moment of thought, he urged Meng Tianxuan, "Fine. If the Heaven-Blasting Gang doesn’t want to join forces, so be it. But if the two of us work together, the result is the same... As long as we defend the Blood Spirit Array, everything will be fine."
"Join forces?"
Meng Tianxuan glanced around nervously. He sent out his Spiritual Power to scan the surrounding miles, and only after confirming they were alone did he respond. "Joining forces isn’t a problem. But do you have any plans for dealing with the Heaven-Blasting Gang?"
"Plans? We go directly after Qin Yang..."
"Absolutely not! Are you insane, Junior Brother?"
Meng Tianxuan cut him off, his face darkening as he shuddered and backed away. "Haven’t I been blown up enough? Are you trying to get the Venerable Alliance wiped out again?"
After witnessing that madness last time...
’I’m not taking that risk again, no matter what!’
"Senior Brother, what are you thinking?"
The Nine Celestial Venerables shot Meng Tianxuan a disdainful look. With his hands behind his back, he slowly walked to the cliff’s edge. "Did you think I was an idiot like you?
Before coming here, I did my research. The Heaven-Blasting Gang’s Young Master has a few close friends and family. That Sword Dao genius from Jianghai, Li Zixuan, is the perfect target!"
"That... could work. The Venerable Alliance will lend you a hand."
...
Time passed peacefully.
「A few days went by in a flash.」
During this brief period, Qin Yang’s days were quite comfortable.
When he had free time, he would condense his True Dragon Dharma Aspect at home. Occasionally, he would guide Xia He and Li Zixuan, helping them with their Cultivation problems. In the evenings, they would gather for hotpot, enjoying the warm and happy atmosphere.
Things had been chaotic for too long; it was a rare chance to enjoy being together.
「Meanwhile.」
Inside the Jianghai Martial Arts Academy.
The Scripture Pavilion.
Liu Wushuang sat in a rocking chair, holding a cattail fan, leisurely guarding the books.
Suddenly.
BOOM!
An earth-shattering explosion ripped through the air. The doors and windows rattled, and rows of bookshelves toppled over, scattering books everywhere. The room was instantly plunged into chaos!
’What was that?’
Seeing this, Liu Wushuang frowned slightly and immediately got up to rush outside the Scripture Pavilion.
Just then, several unfamiliar auras flared to life. They were aggressive and heading straight for the Scripture Pavilion, their killing intent sweeping over the back mountain.
When he stepped out of the Scripture Pavilion, he found several familiar figures in ornate robes floating in the sky, wielding spears and swords!
All of them were at the Venerable Realm!
"Why is it you?"
Liu Wushuang’s brow furrowed, his expression grave. He scanned his surroundings and realized he was surrounded. Among them were several familiar faces—allies from the Venerable Alliance.
"Everyone, is there any need to be so merciless?"
Liu Wushuang’s face was impassive. Though his words were polite, his hands were already unfastening the Profound Bow from his back and nocking an arrow, ready for a fight. "For the sake of our past friendship, why not let me go?"
"Shut up! You traitor, you have the gall to ask us to let you go?"
Another Venerable, also holding a bow, snarled as he drew his arrow and aimed it at Liu Wushuang’s skull. "The Alliance Leader gave the order for us to come personally," he hissed through gritted teeth. "If you dare take a single step off this back mountain, you will die."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other Venerables also drew their weapons.
Their killing intent was palpable!
"What did Meng Tianxuan tell you?"
Liu Wushuang asked grimly. "He’s convicted me in secret again, hasn’t he?"
"Betraying the Venerable Alliance, colluding with outsiders... There are too many crimes to count." A voice came from above as a former ally looked down on Liu Wushuang. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
"In my defense? Let that hypocrite say whatever he wants."
Liu Wushuang said coldly, his expression turning dark and ugly. A hostile glint flashed in his eyes as he drew his Profound Bow, facing them down.
"When you’re determined to find someone guilty, you’ll never lack a charge."
...
"Oh no, Xuanxuan, the Venerable Alliance is here to cause trouble for Elder Wushuang again! Get back and hide!"
Inside Tengfei Building, Elder Li and Li Zixuan were running frantically down a long corridor. Shards of glass littered the floor, and sunlight streamed in through the broken windows.
The scene was one of total chaos.
"..."
Li Zixuan frowned. "Can’t these people from the Venerable Alliance ever give it a rest...?"
In the midst of the chaos.
Suddenly.
They stopped in their tracks at the same time, looking up at the passageway ahead and realizing something was wrong. Logically, they should have reached the stairs by now, but the corridor just kept stretching on, as if they were trapped in a ghostly maze.
No matter which way they went, they couldn’t get out!
"Not good! There’s someone else?"
Elder Li’s expression changed drastically. He raised his sword to shield Li Zixuan as he spotted a figure in black robes standing at the end of the hall. The person wore a white porcelain Nuo opera mask with sorrowful, downturned ink-black eyebrows, a weeping, nightmarish expression, and terrifying beast patterns carved in vermilion lacquer.
"You’ve finally arrived, Li Zixuan."
The stranger opened his arms as if in a grand welcoming ceremony, his gaze slowly falling upon Li Zixuan. "Just as the Alliance Leader predicted. This was your inevitable path!
I have been waiting here for a long time."
The cold words reached their ears. Though not loud, the voice echoed clearly down the corridor.
’Waiting for a long time?’
Elder Li’s face stiffened, and he shivered as if plunged into an icy cavern. He turned to look back at Li Zixuan, and a sudden chill shot through his heart, goosebumps breaking out all over his skin!
A terrible thought rose in his mind.
He realized then that he was wrong.
Horribly, terribly wrong!
’This battle was never about Liu Wushuang from the very beginning!’
’The siege on the back mountain was a feint; the real ambush was here in this corridor!’
’A classic ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain!’
’I’m only at the Innate Realm, a mere ant before the Venerable in front of me. They’re here for Li Zixuan!’
"Run, Xuanxuan!"
Cold sweat streamed down Elder Li’s face as he charged forward with his sword, trying to buy time.
But it was too late!
In the next moment, the black-robed, masked figure took a single step, crossing a hundred zhang in an instant. He appeared beside Li Zixuan, grabbed her wrist, and the very space around them suddenly collapsed.
BOOM!
In a flash, Elder Li didn’t even have time to react. He felt a light breeze brush his face, and when he turned back, he found himself completely alone. In the silent corridor, there was no sign of anyone at all...