Chapter 23: Breaking Through the Encirclement
Half a month later.
Inside the Nine Nethers Secret Realm.
Between two mountains.
A great battle was underway.
The number of combatants had reached a staggering one thousand or more.
Do not think that number is small.
These were not ordinary mortals from the mundane world — they were cultivators of the cultivation world, each possessing strength of at least the Third Realm: the Illusion Breaking Realm.
Among them, there were even a small number of Fourth Realm — Spirit Traversal Realm — powerhouses.
A battle involving so many cultivators had not occurred in the Li Continent's cultivation world for many years.
The Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect had been cornered between the two mountains.
The Seven Slaughter Sect blocked the way ahead.
The Wuji Demon Sect pressed in from behind.
On top of that, dozens of black-robed figures launched surprise attacks at irregular intervals.
Even the skies had been sealed with a sky-locking Array Formation, preventing the Sword Cultivators of the Shenxiao Sword Sect from sword riding.
Among the four great top-tier powers of the Li Continent, two alliances had formed, maintaining a balance of power for many years.
The Qingyun Sect and the Shenxiao Sword Sect had never feared the Wuji Demon Sect or the Seven Slaughter Sect.
Even when at a disadvantage, they could manage with composure.
But the addition of the black-robed figures changed everything.
The battle shifted dramatically in an instant.
Not only were these figures ruthless and merciless, but their combat experience was also extraordinarily rich.
Each surprise attack they launched claimed a life — or at the very least left someone gravely wounded.
The Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect, already at a disadvantage, were beaten to the point where they could barely fight back, forced to contract their defensive lines.
Fortunately, when the Qingyun Sect had set up camp here, they had laid down a defensive Array Formation.
It barely managed to hold off the attacks for the time being.
However, this was not a long-term solution.
Once the Array Formation was broken, there would be no escape — only death awaited them.
Inside the Array Formation.
Ye Qingxuan and Yang Fan of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, along with Li Luoyi and Xu Wei of the Qingyun Sect — four Core Disciples — were deliberating on a course of action.
All four bore wounds.
Yang Fan's were the most severe.
He had just been ambushed by two black-robed figures and nearly lost his life, saved only by his quick reflexes.
Seven Core Disciples in total had entered from the two sects.
The other three were nowhere to be found, leaving only these four banding together for mutual protection.
"Senior Sister Qingxuan, the Array Formation won't hold much longer. They'll break through soon — what should we do?" Li Luoyi asked, her face etched with worry.
The other two, Yang Fan and Xu Wei, were both filled with bitter regret.
Had they known this journey into the Nine Nethers Secret Realm would be so dangerous, nothing could have convinced them to enter.
Yang Fan regretted it the most.
He had come in for love.
Now he was on the verge of losing his life — what good would it do to win Ye Qingxuan's favor?
"The only option now is to wait for the moment the defensive Array Formation shatters, then have everyone charge through a single breach together. How many survive and escape will be up to fate." Ye Qingxuan let out a long sigh.
Faced with a desperate situation, she had no other options.
If it were only the Seven Slaughter Sect and the Wuji Demon Sect, perhaps they could still struggle through.
But with the black-robed figures added to the mix, their chances were almost nonexistent.
The only choice was to concentrate their force on a single point.
However many could survive — so be it.
It was better than dying here together.
"Senior Sister, is there truly no other way?" Yang Fan asked, unwilling to accept it.
If they all charged out together, the Core Disciples would certainly be the primary targets.
On top of that, they were already wounded.
Escaping would be nearly impossible.
Yang Fan did not want to die here. He was still young, his talent exceptional — his future achievements were boundless.
"No!!!" Ye Qingxuan shook her head.
She truly could not think of any way to escape.
The four fell into silence.
After a long while, Ye Qingxuan spoke again: "Let's gather everyone and decide where to break through. The Array Formation has already begun to crack — it can hold for ten minutes at most before it's breached."
Three minutes later.
Ye Qingxuan looked out at the hundreds of people before her.
How many would survive and escape was still uncertain.
Perhaps not even one in ten.
As for herself, she had long since prepared for death.
As the inheritor of the Bingpo Sword — one of the Seven Swords of Shenxiao — Ye Qingxuan knew full well that the enemy would never let her go.
When the time came, she could draw the attention of many enemies, creating opportunities for the others.
That was the only thing she could do.
"Fellow junior brothers and sisters! I'm sure you all know the situation we face. This is the Nine Nethers Secret Realm — not the outside world. No one is coming to save us. We can only rely on ourselves."
"If you want to survive, we must concentrate our strength at a single point. The moment a gap appears in the enemy's line, scatter and flee immediately. At that point, we Core Disciples will certainly become the enemy's primary targets — which means your chances of escape will be far greater."
"Remember! Once you break away, find somewhere to hide. Wait quietly for the Nine Nethers Secret Realm to open again and transport you out. Do not show yourselves again, and do not think about seeking any Fortuitous Encounters. What good is a Fortuitous Encounter if you're dead?"
"If you are fortunate enough to leave the Nine Nethers Secret Realm, please report everything that happened here truthfully to the sect. Let the sect decide what to do."
When Ye Qingxuan finished speaking, the scene fell utterly silent.
Though as cultivators, they had long anticipated that such a day might come.
When it truly arrived, it was still difficult to accept.
Who would want to die?
Was living not better?
"Senior Sister! When the time comes, we'll fight to the death to clear a path for you. You are a Core Disciple of our Shenxiao Sword Sect — the inheritor of the Bingpo Sword. We can all die, but you cannot!" an Inner Disciple called out loudly.
Immediately, countless disciples of the Shenxiao Sword Sect echoed the sentiment.
"Clear the path for Senior Sister — slaughter every last scum of the Wuji Demon Sect and the Seven Slaughter Sect!"
"Clear the path for Senior Sister — slaughter every last scum of the Wuji Demon Sect and the Seven Slaughter Sect!"
Ye Qingxuan raised her hand, gesturing for silence.
The entire crowd fell quiet once more.
"I appreciate your intentions. But doing so would not only fail to save me — it would also squander your own chances of survival. The enemy's targets are the Core Disciples. They would rather let you go than spare us. So please, listen to me: if an opportunity arises, run. Protect your own lives first." Ye Qingxuan urged them patiently.
She spoke the truth.
Killing one Core Disciple was worth more than killing ten — or even a hundred — Inner Disciples.
As for Outer Disciples?
There was simply no comparison.
Crack!!!
A sharp sound jolted everyone awake.
A massive fissure had appeared in the Array Formation — it could shatter at any moment.
The four Core Disciples stood at the forefront. They had chosen to break through in the direction of the Seven Slaughter Sect.
After all, in terms of overall strength, the Wuji Demon Sect was somewhat stronger than the Seven Slaughter Sect.
Naturally, they would target the weaker side as their breakthrough point.
Watching the crack grow ever larger, a thought surfaced in Ye Qingxuan's mind.
Was this the end?
Even having mentally prepared herself, she felt a pang of anxiety in this moment.
She had never imagined she would die inside this Nine Nethers Secret Realm.
Once, she had even dreamed of surpassing her master Leng Hanshuang, inheriting the Bingpo Sword, shaking the Li Continent with her name, and becoming a female Sword Immortal.
Yang Fan stood nearby, his body trembling involuntarily from fear.
Li Luoyi and Xu Wei were somewhat calmer than Yang Fan, though the despair in their eyes was impossible to conceal.
Crack, crack, crack…
A series of shattering sounds rang out, like a mirror breaking apart.
"Move!!!"
Ye Qingxuan gave a sharp cry.
Gripping her life-bound flying sword, she charged toward the Seven Slaughter Sect's position.
Li Luoyi and Xu Wei followed close behind.
Yang Fan hesitated at this moment — he truly, truly did not want to die like this.
So he quietly retreated, blending into the crowd, and removed the white sash at his waist that marked him as a Core Disciple.
He hoped this would help him evade the enemy's pursuit.
The great battle began.
The Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect joined forces to break through from the Seven Slaughter Sect's direction, and for a moment the Seven Slaughter Sect was hard-pressed to hold the line.
Fortunately, the black-robed figures joined in, relieving the pressure on the Seven Slaughter Sect.
The Wuji Demon Sect also swiftly closed in from the rear, attacking from both sides, with the sky above sealed by the Array Formation.
It seemed the breakthrough was impossible.
Ye Qingxuan clenched her teeth.
She hurled her life-bound flying sword forward, her eyes filled with resolute determination.
Boom!!!
A tremendous explosion blasted a gap in the Seven Slaughter Sect's defenses.
Blood trickled from the corner of Ye Qingxuan's mouth. Her vision blurred and she nearly collapsed.
Fortunately, Li Luoyi arrived just in time to catch her.
"Senior Sister Qingxuan, are you all right?"
"I'm fine! Don't worry about me — lead everyone through the breach now." Ye Qingxuan said weakly.
She had just self-detonated her life-bound flying sword.
The effect had been achieved, but the backlash had struck her in turn.
Self-detonating one's life-bound flying sword was something a Sword Cultivator would only do as a last resort.
It was not only a means of killing enemies — it was also a distress signal.
When the Stewards of the Shenxiao Sword Sect saw that even Ye Qingxuan had self-detonated her life-bound flying sword, they followed suit one after another.
Boom, boom, boom…
In an instant, the battlefield erupted with explosions that sounded like fireworks.
* * *
Lin Feng had no idea that the Shenxiao Sword Sect was facing a crisis of total annihilation.
After leaving the small blessed land where Little Bai lived, he had been spending his days leisurely exploring the scenery.
It had to be said — the landscapes inside the Nine Nethers Secret Realm were truly breathtaking.
After all, it only opened once every one hundred years. Without human interference, the environment remained pristine and untouched.
Standing atop a high vantage point, Lin Feng gazed out into the distance.
Everything was a lush, vibrant green.
Suddenly, several faint sounds reached him from afar.
Lin Feng listened carefully.
That was the Shenxiao Sword Sect's distress signal?
And of the most urgent kind at that.
Nothing short of a life-or-death crisis would drive someone to self-detonate their life-bound flying sword.
A Sword Cultivator who self-detonates their life-bound flying sword has already resolved themselves to die.
The situation was critical.
There was no time to think. Lin Feng called out:
"Little Bai!!!"
A small white snake shot out from his sleeve. Its body rapidly expanded, and in the blink of an eye it had taken on the form of a Flood Dragon. It then lowered its head before Lin Feng.
Lin Feng stepped onto it without hesitation.
Whoosh!!!
The Flood Dragon's form vanished from the spot, leaving only a faint afterimage as it hurtled toward the battlefield.