Chapter 502 - 291: Little Sumeru Sword, Might of the Brilliant Flame
Chapter 502: Chapter 291: Little Sumeru Sword, Might of the Brilliant Flame
As far as the two Female Cultivators—one in white, one in green—were concerned, without the scar-faced Cultivator at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, their final, desperate struggle might not end in death.
But if they used their Magical Power to flee, they would be cornered and killed by two Cultivators of the same rank once it was depleted.
Therefore, during the recent standoff, the two had already secretly consumed Elixirs to recover their Magical Power. Fresh Magical Power was once again gathering in their Dantians.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough to support a life-or-death struggle.
However, the White Robe Female Cultivator didn’t attack immediately. Instead, she spoke up. "Must you really hunt us down to the last? I don’t believe the Yun Family has ever provoked your Cyan Crocodile Gang. Our two families are neighbors and have always coexisted peacefully. Could there be some misunderstanding? If so, we can resolve it. We can negotiate. Why must we resort to arms and let things escalate to this point?"
"Even if you’re determined to strike, we will fight to the death, and you may not escape unscathed. The mission was assigned by your gang, but your lives are your own. Is it really worth it? Did you not just witness the gruesome death of your Fellow Daoist?"
On the surface, the White Robe Female Cultivator was earnestly pleading for peace, but in reality, she was leveraging the lingering power of the Talisman Treasure to stall for time and focus on her recovery.
Meanwhile, the green-robed Female Cultivator put on a show of intimidation. Her aura surged and her brows shot up, giving her the appearance of someone ready to take her enemies down with her.
At these words, although the expressions of the two pursuing Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators remained unchanged and their auras just as imposing, they subconsciously exchanged a glance, their intent unclear.
But the White Robe Female Cultivator felt a knot of tension loosen within her. The standoff was as fraught as ever, but she knew her opponents had taken her words to heart.
’Peace sought through struggle endures. Peace sought through compromise perishes!’
This was indeed true. In the Cultivation Realm, many conflicts were, in fact, avoidable.
Blindly suing for peace was not a viable path, but using the threat of battle to negotiate for peace offered a slim chance.
In the Magical Combat and slaughter that had just occurred, the scar-faced man with the highest Cultivation had made all the decisions with absolute authority, his stance unequivocal.
But his stance didn’t necessarily represent that of the other two. They had only been forced to obey due to the disparity in their status and Cultivation.
It was possible the other two had their own thoughts on the matter.
Even if it was just a possibility, the White Robe Female Cultivator was desperately seizing upon it. Her strategy had been to first kill the enemy’s chief decision-maker, then attempt to negotiate.
Even if that failed, stalling for time was advantageous for her and her companion.
One of the men, a Male Cultivator with sloping brows, finally spoke in a breezy tone. "Fellow Daoist Yun speaks sense. But no matter what ignited this conflict, it has already reached a point of no return. A broken mirror can’t be mended; this cannot end amicably. After all, the great name of the Ten Thousand Swords Yun Family is well-known. How could a proud Sword Dao Family possibly swallow its pride and accept a loss?"
"I’m sure you understand this point better than I do, Fellow Daoist Yun. Or are you taking me for a three-year-old child, trying to trick and deceive me with a few simple words?"
Lin Changheng, hidden below, naturally overheard their exchange.
He couldn’t help but think, ’The Ten Thousand Swords Yun Family? So Fellow Daoist Yun is from that Sword Cultivation Family... No wonder I never saw her again after we parted ways last time.’
Still, the viciousness of the green-robed Female Cultivator’s Flying Sword moments ago certainly offered a glimpse of her family’s deep-seated heritage.
In the Song Territory, below the Five Great Sects and Daoist Schools, existed the Nine Great Cultivation Families—the apex of family-based Cultivation.
Each Noble Family had mastered a Core Technique for which it was named, such as the Beast Taming Sun Family and the Talisman-Making Song Family.
Lin Changheng had heard of the Yun Family on occasion. They were located within the territory of Cyan Mist Temple, near the southeastern edge, not too far from the domains of the Bixiao Sect and the Extreme South Palace.
’I just don’t understand how this woman from the Yun Family ran all the way here. The distance she must have crossed is not small.’
’The Yun Family...’
Lin Changheng then began to search his memories for more information about this Noble Family.
But the standoff above did not ease. With the sloping-browed Male Cultivator having punctured their pretense, the two sides began to verbally probe one another. The other man, the bald-headed Cultivator, was secretly sending a mental message, "They’re likely stalling for time to recover their Magical Power. Once it’s restored, our current advantage might take a turn for the worse!"
"Then we’ll find an opening and launch a surprise attack together."
Since peace was no longer an option, the sloping-browed Male Cultivator became quite decisive, unwilling to drag things out any further.
"Alright!"
...
On the other side, the two women appeared to be actively engaging in the conversation, but in their hearts, they knew the final battle was imminent and focused all their efforts on recovering their Magical Power.
"If Fellow Daoist Yun is willing to hand over a copy of your family’s Sword Dao Secret Transmission, then perhaps the two of us could be persuaded to leave you a path to survival..." The sloping-browed Male Cultivator changed his tune. It sounded like a concession, but he was actually proposing an impossible condition—nothing more than a final, pre-battle attempt to disrupt their Heart and Spirit.
"In your dreams!" The White Robe Female Cultivator’s face went cold as she heard his words, her retort sharp and decisive. A family’s secret transmission was the very foundation of its existence; how could it be shared with outsiders? She brandished a Seven-Inch Sword that materialized with a hum, its Sword Intent flaring to life again.
"In that case, let’s see what you’re really made of!" Upon seeing her reaction, the killing intent in the sloping-browed Male Cultivator’s eyes flared. He exchanged a look with the bald Cultivator, and they both exploded into motion at the same time!
"Do it!"
A streak of black light flew from the sloping-browed Male Cultivator’s sleeve. It was a strangely shaped Water-Splitting Needle imbued with a bone-chilling Cold Yin Power. Like a viper striking from its den, it shot straight for the White Robe Female Cultivator’s face!
The bald-headed Cultivator let out a vicious grin. He clasped his hands together as his muscles bulged and his skin took on a metallic sheen. Without even using a Magical Artifact, he threw a direct punch! The wind from his fist was incomparably ferocious, coalescing into a massive Fist Seal that hurtled toward the White Robe Female Cultivator!