Chapter 282 - 280: Miscalculation
In the central square of the Sun-piercing Alliance, Chen Yuan, wearing the Nether King Mask, surveyed the surrounding chaos.
Elder Qi had already convinced Yuan Dong, and the two had gone to find Vice Alliance Leader Yuwen Shan.
At this point, Yuwen Shan had only two choices.
Either stand with Guan Tianming and fight the Ming Sect to the death, or choose to split the Sun-piercing Alliance and preserve his strength.
Yuwen Shan was already dissatisfied with Guan Tianming’s recent actions. He naturally had no other choice but to gather what forces he could and prepare to lead a portion of the Sun-piercing Alliance’s members in a retreat to the borders of You Province.
Strictly speaking, the other party had been forced by the Ming Sect to split from the Sun-piercing Alliance. Because of this, Chen Yuan didn’t dare show his face to them and simply stood there, waiting for Bei Tianya and the others.
Just then, the whistle of True Qi echoed through the air as four figures descended from above.
Mr. Bei took in the surrounding chaos and asked in surprise, "What’s going on with the Sun-piercing Alliance? Why are they fighting amongst themselves?"
After Chen Yuan explained what he had done to Mr. Bei and the others, they were all astonished.
The original plan was just for Chen Yuan to release the disciples imprisoned by the Sun-piercing Alliance to create chaos, then use an Array to break the Sect Protection Array.
But now, Chen Yuan had actually managed to push them to the point of splitting up and fighting amongst themselves. His methods were truly extraordinary.
"Tsk, tsk. I told you this kid was a heaven-sent genius, didn’t I? His strength is exceptional, and his methods are even more so. You were all worrying for nothing."
Mr. Bei said, pointing at Chen Yuan with a hint of pride.
After all, he had been the one to discover Chen Yuan. With a performance like this from the young man, he also shared in the glory.
"Lord Ju Mang, you flatter me. I merely added a little fuel to the fire. The core of the issue is Guan Tianming’s own perverse actions. Many within the Sun-piercing Alliance were already dissatisfied with him, which is what made this split possible."
"Don’t be modest. This is all your accomplishment; it can’t be denied."
Mr. Bei shook his head and pointed to Wan Guiyuan and Liu Bai. "These two are Master Wan Guiyuan of the Dubhe Hall and Master Liu Bai of the Kaiyang Hall."
"This junior greets Master Wan and Master Liu."
Chen Yuan quickly cupped his fists in salute.
Wan Guiyuan laughed heartily. "No need for formalities! Ju Mang praises you as if you’re one of a kind, and that kid Du Yuanqi can’t stop singing your praises either."
"I thought it was an exaggeration before, but now I see it’s true. Young Friend Chen, you are truly remarkable. The Celestial Fire Hall has found a worthy successor."
Liu Bai merely gave Chen Yuan an indifferent nod.
It wasn’t that he had any issue with Chen Yuan; it was just his personality. He was like that with everyone.
Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, a piercing shriek echoed from the sky.
A ferocious, hundred-zhang Sword Qi slashed down from above, its power so immense it seemed poised to flatten the entire area.
Mr. Bei shot his head up and threw a punch. A Cyan Heaven Dragon Transformation materialized, roaring furiously across the nine heavens!
The Great Halberd in Wan Guiyuan’s hand slammed down, gathering the Power of Greedy Wolf. A wild battle intent soared to the heavens, tearing through the sky.
As for Liu Bai, he slashed out with his sword. It was a seemingly simple strike, yet it carried the force of cleaving open the heavens as it descended.
The three of them struck almost simultaneously, and only then did they manage to neutralize the power of that single sword strike.
Guan Tianming descended from the sky, with Pang Xing’an desperately trying to catch up behind him.
"So it was you who schemed against my Sun-piercing Alliance and ruined my grand plan?"
Guan Tianming coldly sized up Mr. Bei and the others, his eyes filled with a vicious light.
In his hand was not his famous Celestial Soldier, the Residual Cloud Sword, but a sinister Bone Sword shaped like a spinal column.
When Pang Xing’an caught up and saw the group, his expression changed instantly.
"Alliance Leader! It’s the remnants of the Ming Sect!
Ju Mang of the Cyan Wood Hall and Chen Yuan of the Celestial Fire Hall. They appeared before at the furnace-opening conference in Ping Province.
There’s also Wan Guiyuan of the Dubhe Hall and Liu Bai, the ’Sword Fool,’ of the Kaiyang Hall. They’re all figures at the level of a Ming Sect Hall Master!"
Although the members of the Ming Sect were mysterious, it wasn’t as if they never appeared in the Jianghu.
Especially Hall Masters like Wan Guiyuan and Liu Bai, who didn’t have public identities and always showed their true faces, their fame in the Jianghu was actually quite considerable.
However, because the Ming Sect was suppressed by both the Jianghu and the Court, the reputations of Hall Masters like Liu Bai weren’t widely known among ordinary Martial Artists. Their names were only circulated within Major Sects like the Sun-piercing Alliance.
Chen Yuan, having made it onto the Hidden Dragon Rankings under the identity of a member of the Celestial Fire Hall, had his name spread among many Martial Artists in the Jianghu. In fact, his fame was even more widespread than that of Hall Masters at Liu Bai’s level.
Guan Tianming’s eyes were bloodshot, the whites completely red-veined, but his pupils glowed with an eerie green light. He squinted at them, looking more sinister than ever.
"The Ming Sect? Heh heh... A bunch of scurrying sewer rats. You ruined my grand plan and disturbed my Dao Heart. You deserve to die! You all must die!"
Upon hearing the words "Ming Sect," Guan Tianming showed no fear. Instead, the aura around him surged, and the Power of Heaven and Earth gathered violently. In an instant, the sky darkened and the winds howled. Dark clouds covered the sky for miles, and a storm began to brew!
Martial Artists at the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound could communicate with heaven and earth through their Primordial Spirit. If the Eighth Realm Divine Platform was about borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth, then the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound was about controlling it.
But even "control" was a relative term. The Power of Heaven and Earth was vast and infinite; a Ninth Realm Celestial Profound expert’s so-called control was merely over a minuscule fraction of it.
Yet, the power Guan Tianming was unleashing at this moment was shockingly immense, to the point where it was affecting the weather itself.
A grave expression appeared in Mr. Bei’s eyes. He sent a sound transmission: "Something’s wrong with Guan Tianming!
I’ve met Guan Tianming before. He relied on external objects to break through to the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound. The foundation of his power is much weaker than that of a normal Ninth Realm Celestial Profound Martial Artist.
His foundation hasn’t actually changed, but he’s acquired some other kind of power. The strength he can unleash is abnormally high. Everyone, be careful!"
Mr. Bei’s original plan was for him alone to hold off Guan Tianming, while Liu Bai and Wan Guiyuan would deal with Yuwen Shan and Pang Xing’an.
But now, Chen Yuan had exceeded all expectations, directly instigating a split in the Sun-piercing Alliance and removing one of their Divine Platform Realm Grandmasters from the equation.
Who would have thought that he, on the other hand, had misjudged the situation? He never expected Guan Tianming’s strength to have surged to such an abnormal degree!
At that moment, Guan Tianming showed no hesitation. The Bone Sword in his hand slashed down, and a sinister sword light that seemed to devour all power shot straight toward Mr. Bei.
The trailing Pang Xing’an was still trying to process the situation. He hadn’t expected the Alliance Leader to be so decisive. ’He’s attacking already?’
After seeing they were from the Ming Sect, he had been preparing to negotiate. It would have been best if he could convince them to retreat on their own.
But Guan Tianming had already made his move, leaving Pang Xing’an with no choice. He followed up with an attack of his own, aimed at Wan Guiyuan.
Pang Xing’an had a powerful build. His Mountain-Shaking Hand could pluck the moon and shake mountains, its might immense. He wrapped his arms as if embracing the world, and in that instant, the majestic Power of Heaven and Earth gathered in his hands, crashing down on Wan Guiyuan with boundless force.
Wan Guiyuan snorted coldly. He raised his Great Halberd and slashed forward, cleaving through the heavens with peerless momentum. The ultimate force and sharpness of his strike instantly shattered the power of Pang Xing’an’s mountain-shaking attack before sending the man flying, tumbling like a gourd.
Wan Guiyuan’s cultivation was at the Divine Platform Realm Late Stage, while Pang Xing’an was only at the Divine Platform Realm Early Stage.
Moreover, Wan Guiyuan was a Ming Sect Hall Master. Anyone who could become a Hall Master was a top figure among Martial Artists of the same Realm.
Pang Xing’an had only managed to step into the Divine Platform Realm by relying entirely on the resources Guan Tianming had piled on him. The gap between the two was immense.
But while Wan Guiyuan dominated his opponent, Mr. Bei and Liu Bai were under immense pressure.
The power unleashed by the sinister Bone Sword in Guan Tianming’s hand seemed to devour everything. Mr. Bei’s Cyan Heaven Dragon Transformation and Liu Bai’s Ultimate Sword Qi were swallowed in an instant.
The power emanating from Guan Tianming had become utterly sinister, overwhelming Mr. Bei and Liu Bai almost immediately.
After knocking Pang Xing’an back, Wan Guiyuan swung his halberd at Guan Tianming, but Guan Tianming didn’t even turn around. He performed a Void Seal Formation.
In an instant, a massive black and red vortex appeared in mid-air. It swirled and ground together, completely annihilating the power of Wan Guiyuan’s attack.
Then, the vortex’s power erupted, blasting him away. He went tumbling like a gourd, looking even more miserable than Pang Xing’an had moments before.
"Old Bei! Damn you, are you going senile? Is this the Guan Tianming you told me about? The one who relied on external items to reach the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound? That worthless piece of trash Guan Tianming?"
Wan Guiyuan roared at Mr. Bei, feeling as though his good friend had completely screwed him over.
"Something’s wrong with this guy! He was definitely not like this before!
Besides, Guan Tianming uses the Residual Cloud Sword and cultivates the Sun-piercing Alliance’s legacy technique, the Sun-Piercing Heart Scripture. But look at him now! Do you see even a trace of the Sun-Piercing Heart Scripture in him?
It’s as if he’s completely abandoned the cultivation of the first half of his life and started over with a completely new power!
Stop holding back! Use your trump cards! Go all out!"
A grave look filled Mr. Bei’s eyes.
’We’ve screwed up. This time we’ve really screwed up.’
The last time he saw Guan Tianming was three years ago. Normally, for someone at the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound level, three years was no different than three days; there shouldn’t be much change in their power.
Back then, Mr. Bei would have dared to say he could withstand Guan Tianming’s attacks head-on. Who could have imagined he would change so drastically?
Mr. Bei and Liu Bai once again attacked Guan Tianming with their full strength. Wan Guiyuan tried to charge forward as well but was tied down by Pang Xing’an.
Pang Xing’an knew he was no match for Wan Guiyuan, but he just had to prevent his Alliance Leader from facing a three-on-one battle.
Seeing that things were going south, Chen Yuan immediately said to Du Yuanqi, "Elder Du, help me hold off these Primordial Pill Realm Grandmasters from the Sun-piercing Alliance. I’m going to find Yuwen Shan and get him to act!"
Originally, Chen Yuan hadn’t wanted to reveal himself to Yuwen Shan.
With the Sun-piercing Alliance down one Divine Platform Realm Vice Alliance Leader, the pressure on them had been greatly reduced. There was no need to risk exposing himself to Yuwen Shan to ask for his help.
But now the situation had changed. He had to convince Yuwen Shan to step in and tie down Pang Xing’an.