Martial Cultivator

Since the establishment of Mount Qiuling’s dao lineage until now, this was the second time someone had forced their way up the mountain. And the first intruder had only targeted Lonely Moon Peak.

But this time, the commotion was even more overwhelming.

On the Great Liang Emperor’s ascent, daoists repeatedly tried to stop this martial artist before them, but every single one died on the mountain path.

When this martial artist was about to reach the summit, he did not head toward Vermilion Sky Peak. Instead, he turned and dropped down toward a distant peak.

It was Lonely Moon Peak.

Actually, ever since they learned that this martial artist had stepped onto Mount Qiuling, Lonely Moon Peak had already activated their grand array, in order to keep the Great Liang Emperor away, so that he would not tear off their last shred of face and grind it into the ground.

But the martial artist still came.

He descended from the sky and heavily stomped onto the sky curtain above Lonely Moon Peak. With a single step, although he had not yet landed on the peak itself, the entire Lonely Moon Peak began to shake.

The few remaining cultivators within Lonely Moon Peak gathered together. Looking toward that figure on the sky curtain, whose aura surged like a rainbow, they could not help but shout loudly, ”Do you really want to drive us to extinction? Peak Master has already died at your hands. Is that not enough?!”

The figure on the sky curtain did not answer. He simply stepped down again. The space beneath his foot began to twist, and then threads of white appeared, visible to the naked eye, spreading irregularly outward like a spiderweb. Those white threads were the cracks forming in the guardian formation.

Those white threads were, in truth, cracks.

The martial artist did not answer anything, but what he actually intended to do was already clear. It was not enough.

How could killing one Daoist Yuji be enough?

Best would be if the entirety of Mount Qiuling joined in. Then see whether you all could kill me, this uninvited guest, or whether I... would exterminate your entire Mount Qiuling.

......

......

”Mountain Lord, Lonely Moon Peak is still one of the seventy-two peaks. If we watch helplessly as this man flattens Lonely Moon Peak, then Mount Qiuling will surely become a laughingstock across all of Southern Ridge!”

On the plaza of Vermilion Sky Peak, the great figures all looked toward the distant Lonely Moon Peak, swaying violently. The so-called grand array would probably hold for only half a stick of incense. When that time came, if they did not act, Lonely Moon Peak definitely would not endure.

The collapse of Lonely Moon Peak was practically before their eyes.

If it were merely Lonely Moon Peak declining on its own, many would welcome it. But the problem was, this matter originated outside the mountain, and if they ignored it, they would indeed leave countless jokes for the outside world.

Daoist Muqiu said nothing. He only stared at that barely visible figure in the distance, not knowing what he was thinking.

As the mountain lord of Mount Qiuling, and as the one with the highest realm, it ultimately fell to him to make the decision. If he ignored it, would he still be able to convince the others? Would the hearts of the peaks remain with him? That was hard to say.

But if he truly stepped in?

If it were him, could he travel thousands of miles, come here, crush everything in his path, and finally kill his way to Lonely Moon Peak?

Daoist Muqiu himself was not certain.

In other words, this martial artist’s combat strength was actually not inferior to his own.

But judging from the information they had received earlier, had it not been said that this ruler of that dynasty had only just broken through that realm not long ago? Why, in such a short time, had he gone so far ahead, leaving this group of them with no way to respond?

Could such a genius truly exist in this world? When they cultivated, everything went naturally without obstacle, yet when he cultivated, he had to go through countless tribulations, and even then could hardly advance.

”This matter, when all is said and done, was Lonely Moon Peak violating the rules first. We people, once we left that place, were not allowed to return. That is the rule. That one named Wuyang did not pass through that thick fog, so returning could barely be excused. But those cultivators from Lonely Moon Peak, who told them to go back?”

On the plaza, a voice suddenly rang out. It belonged to a middle-aged daoist who had kept silent until now. Wearing a stern expression, he said, ”Returning is one thing, but they even attacked a young man. Now that the backer behind that young man has come to avenge him, who can they possibly blame?”

Looking at that middle-aged daoist, a certain peak master asked, ”But now that martial artist has already killed Yuji and still refuses to stop, what do you say to that?”

”Then you should ask the fellow daoists of Fallen Leaf Peak. When you go to recruit someone, if he refuses, then he refuses. But the moment killing intent rises and someone dies for it, is that unreasonable?”

The middle-aged daoist gave a faint smile. ”As far as I see it, if Fallen Leaf Peak is crushed together with Lonely Moon Peak today, that would be entirely within reason.”

”Fellow Daoist Wang, don’t speak such cold words. At this point, all peaks have already taken action. This matter has long been inseparable from Mount Qiuling. You may wish for self-preservation, but does that martial artist allow it?”

The small elderly daoist spoke, his voice worn with age, though his words held a certain sense.

The middle-aged daoist laughed. ”Since everyone knows there’s no peaceful outcome, why not send out the powerhouses of your own peak? What now? When we said whoever killed him would receive Lonely Moon Peak’s share, everyone was enthusiastic. But now that he’s difficult to kill, suddenly no one wants to take action?”

The middle-aged daoist sneered endlessly. The reason this group wanted Daoist Muqiu to make the decision earlier was only because they hoped someone else would go instead of sending out their own peak’s people.

That martial artist was now at the height of his power. His aura alone could be felt even from this distance. Every peak master, without exception, had weighed themselves and knew clearly that if they went, they would have absolutely no chance of winning.

Seeing the suffocating silence on the plaza, Daoist Muqiu finally spoke. ”Regardless, today’s matter cannot be resolved peacefully. All of you should unite...”

”Mountain Lord’s daoist techniques reach the heavens. If Mountain Lord takes the field, he will certainly achieve victory and turn the tide for Mount Qiuling!”

Before Daoist Muqiu could finish, someone interrupted.

”Yes, if Mountain Lord is willing to act, he will surely make that martial artist understand that Mount Qiuling is not a place he can come and go as he pleases.”

”Mountain Lord, we beseech Mountain Lord to kill this man. Otherwise, Mount Qiuling will never again be able to raise its head.”

”Mountain Lord, take action!”

One voice after another rang out, and very soon it became the will of everyone present.

The middle-aged daoist looked at them, his eyes full of disdain. How could he not know what these people were thinking? He simply could not be bothered to expose them.

They were roasting the mountain lord of Mount Qiuling over the fire at this very moment. Even he felt a little sympathy for that mountain lord.

Mountain lord, mountain lord - on the surface glorious, but in truth, only he himself knew the true warmth and coldness of the role.

The middle-aged daoist gave a soft laugh, turned around, and left, no longer intending to involve himself in anything.

“Since that is the case, then this penniless daoist will go take a look.”

Daoist Muqiu was expressionless. With a slight stirring of his mind, the wooden sword carried on his back left its sheath and hovered before him.

Daoist Muqiu rode his sword and departed Vermilion Sky Peak.

......

......

The Great Liang Emperor had already shattered Lonely Moon Peak’s grand array with a single step. He landed squarely on the peak summit. The remaining cultivators of Lonely Moon Peak stood not far away, watching that man clad in imperial robes.

In the eyes of those cultivators, the Great Liang Emperor was like a towering mountain, pressing down on their hearts, leaving them unable to breathe.

They stared at the man’s back, not daring to utter a single word.

They could only watch as that man walked a few steps through Lonely Moon Peak on his own, arriving before the great hall.

Inside that great hall were enshrined the memorial tablets of Lonely Moon Peak’s successive peak masters. It was the most important place of the peak. Yet at this moment, as the Great Liang Emperor raised his head to look at it.

The entire great hall began to collapse and disintegrate.

Rumbling sounds rang out endlessly. The entire great hall collapsed completely.

Dust and smoke billowed everywhere.

It seemed to proclaim the end of something.

Yet it also seemed to proclaim the beginning of something.

Those cultivators stared with wide eyes, yet for reasons unknown, they still could not utter a single word, as though the moment they spoke, they would be struck down by that martial artist.

Even Daoist Yuji had not been his match. How could they possibly be a match for that martial artist?

As the great hall collapsed, the Great Liang Emperor never turned around. Only when the dust finally settled, and a tall daoist appeared before him, did the Great Liang Emperor lift his head slightly.

Daoist Muqiu appeared there. Looking at the man still clad in emperor robes, his expression was complicated.

After cultivating for countless years, he could long be considered someone who had left the mundane world behind. Even before leaving that place, he had always looked down upon so-called emperors of secular dynasties. Yet when such a person truly arrived here, still wearing emperor robes, Daoist Muqiu felt an inexplicable sense of emotion.

He solemnly performed a salute and asked, “Greetings, Your Majesty. May I ask what the name of the current dynasty in the world is?”

The Great Liang Emperor glanced at him and said calmly, “Great Liang.”

Daoist Muqiu smiled. “This penniless daoist is Muqiu. I was once from Qinghe County of the Great Tang, and my place of cultivation was called Earth Dragon Temple. I fear it no longer exists in the world today?”

“So you were once from a prominent background as well?”

The Great Liang Emperor naturally knew of Qinghe County. In the Great Tang Dynasty, it was the origin of the Cui Family, a place that produced many outstanding figures.

Yet as the Great Tang Dynasty fell, the Qinghe’s Cui Family could not withstand the passage of time and ultimately vanished into history’s dust.

As for Earth Dragon Temple, the Great Liang Emperor had never heard of it. It was likely a small daoist temple, with a minor lineage and little transmission.

Dynasties rise and fall. Place names change as well.

Nothing more than that.

Daoist Muqiu said wistfully, “This penniless daoist has cultivated for several hundred years and considers myself to have achieved something. Within Mount Qiuling, I have no equal. Yet for reasons unknown, these past years I keep recalling the past. Could it be that age has finally caught up to me?”

The Great Liang Emperor said calmly, “There is no familiarity to cling to. We are not the monarch of Great Tang.”

Daoist Muqiu smiled faintly and asked with curiosity, “Does Your Majesty truly intend to fight to the death here? A Mount Qiuling is not necessarily something Your Majesty alone can destroy.”

The Great Liang Emperor thought for a moment, then simply said, “We want to try.”