Chapter 254: Maiden in Distress
Lv Yunsheng glanced around, then looked outside. Shen Daoxing’s figure had already disappeared into the distance.
He hurried out after him. "Yang... Yang... Don’t be reckless! This is obviously a trap. If you show yourself now, you’re finished!"
Seeing Lv Yunsheng rush out, Elder Mu, who had been busy with his own affairs just outside the door, shook his head and sighed. "You shouldn’t have told him about this!"
Then he suddenly shouted, "Xin, hurry up! We’re out of time!"
"You got it!"
Xin’s high, clear voice echoed from the distance.
...
When Shen Daoxing reached the top of Ancient Moon City’s walls, he found the area swarmed with gawking onlookers, all pointing and murmuring about the scene above.
"Tsk, tsk. To think the former fairy of the Sacred Land would end up like this."
"I heard she’s the one who let the Celestial Slaughter Demon Star go!"
"I never thought the Celestial Profound Sacred Land would be so heartless, treating its own disciple this way!"
"It seems her relationship with that Demon Star is anything but ordinary!"
"I bet the Celestial Profound Sacred Land is using Shangguan Yiran to draw out Shen Daoxing. You think he’ll show up?"
"Shen Daoxing’s not an idiot. Why would he come? Unless he has a death wish!"
Shen Daoxing looked up to see Shangguan Yiran suspended high above the city wall, her arms spread wide.
Her hair hung in a tangled mess, and her simple white robes were drenched in blood. Blood trickled intermittently from her eyes, ears, and the corners of her mouth. Her face was deathly pale.
Worse still, small golden flying swords pierced her hands and feet, with crimson blood oozing slowly from the wounds. Even from a distance, he could clearly see her body trembling uncontrollably. It was easy to imagine the agony she was suffering.
A tragic young woman, hung high in the air above the vast city gatehouse.
She looked like a fairy fallen from the Nine Heavens into a mortal Purgatory—tragic yet beautiful. But the crowd below showed not a hint of compassion.
Just then, a Celestial Profound Sacred Land disciple in blue robes rose into the air on his sword. He slowly approached Shangguan Yiran and shot her a cold glance.
"Everyone, listen well! This is the price for betraying the Celestial Profound Sacred Land! This is the consequence of releasing the Celestial Slaughter Demon Star! From this day forward, Shangguan Yiran is no longer a disciple of our Sacred Land. She will hang here as a warning to all until she bleeds to death."
With that, he drew a nine-foot-long, blood-soaked Treasure Sword with a sharp SWISH. He made a feint towards Shangguan Yiran’s abdomen, then raised the blade high, preparing to plunge it forward.
Shen Daoxing’s brow furrowed sharply.
Just then, Lv Yunsheng caught up from behind, gasping for breath. "Yang, you can’t be rash! This is clearly a trap!"
As he spoke, he reached out to grab Shen Daoxing.
In the next instant, Shen Daoxing vanished from where he stood.
CLANG!
A sharp ring echoed.
The Treasure Sword went flying.
The Celestial Profound Sacred Land disciple stared down at his empty hands, stunned. "Who was that?"
"Me?"
Shen Daoxing’s figure slowly materialized.
"Who are you?"
The Celestial Profound Sacred Land disciple stared, momentarily baffled.
"Shen Daoxing!"
"Huh?"
Before the Celestial Profound Sacred Land disciple could process the name...
A flash of black light.
A head went flying high into the air.
Instantly, the crowd erupted like a volcano.
"It’s! It’s Shen Daoxing, the Celestial Slaughter Demon Star!"
"I can’t believe he really showed up!"
"Does he have a death wish? The three great Inner Sect masters of the Celestial Profound Sacred Land are all in Ancient Moon City right now!"
"This is obviously a trap set by the Celestial Profound Sacred Land. With three of the Sacred Land’s Inner Sect masters making a move, he won’t be able to escape even if he sprouted wings!"
Suddenly, a furious roar ripped through the sky above Ancient Moon City. "Shen Daoxing, you’ll pay for my brother’s life!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Immediately after, three streaks of light shot up from the distance and streaked toward them at high speed.
The man in the lead had an icy expression, his intimidating aura palpable even without any show of anger. A single glance from him was enough to chill one to the bone.
He raised his fist high, then clenched it so hard the air seemed to pop. He threw a punch downward, despite being a great distance from Shen Daoxing.
All at once, a colossal golden fist materialized right above Shen Daoxing’s head.
Golden light flared brightly.
And then, the massive golden fist came crashing down.
BOOM!
The entire gatehouse of Ancient Moon City collapsed with a tremendous crash, sending rubble and dust flying everywhere.
"Yuwen Wuji has made his move! Shen Daoxing is dead for sure!"
The gawking onlookers suddenly screamed and scattered in a panic.
Seeing this, Lv Yunsheng slammed his fist in frustration, his eyes turning red. "Yang, I told you not to show yourself! This is obviously a trap set by the Celestial Profound Sacred Land! Now look what’s happened... what am I supposed to do?"
The words had barely left his lips when he saw Shen Daoxing emerge slowly from the collapsed ruins, carrying Shangguan Yiran in his arms.
"Yang!"
Lv Yunsheng stared, stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with joy. He quickly and discreetly wiped the tears from his eyes.
Lying in Shen Daoxing’s arms, Shangguan Yiran struggled to open her eyes and said weakly, "You shouldn’t have shown yourself!"
Shen Daoxing shook his head and said calmly, "I owe you a debt of gratitude. I had to intervene."
’From Baiyun City to the capital of the Martial Kingdom, and now to Ancient Moon City, Shangguan Yiran had helped him time and time again along the way. He owed her far too much. He couldn’t possibly stand by while she was in danger. Especially since this was all his fault to begin with.’
Shen Daoxing walked slowly over to Lv Yunsheng and placed Shangguan Yiran in his arms. "Take care of her for me."
Then, with a sudden movement, Shen Daoxing shot up from the ground.
"Huh?"
Lv Yunsheng stared, stunned. When he finally came to his senses, he shouted, "Yang, you’re not running away? You’re going to fight them? Are you insane!"
Lv Yunsheng wanted to stop him, but Shen Daoxing had already disappeared.
Shen Daoxing transformed into a streak of light, using Sword Control to fly through the sky. A moment later, he appeared before the trio of Yuwen Wuji, Wang Mingxuan, and Wu Feihua.
"Was this your order?"
Shen Daoxing stared coldly at the three men.
"She is but a junior disciple. It was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of our Celestial Profound Sacred Land."
Wang Mingxuan said with a faint smile, his scholarly appearance unchanged.
"I never thought a Celestial Slaughter Demon Star like you would be so sentimental."
Yuwen Wuji stared icily at Shen Daoxing, his eyes brimming with boundless killing intent.
Wu Feihua shook his head, his face a mask of impatience. "Why are you wasting your breath on him? Let’s just kill him so we can report back!"
With that, Wu Feihua shot into the sky like a falcon. His great saber sliced through the air, creating a dazzling afterimage as it came chopping down with the ferocious speed of a lightning strike.
Seeing this, Wang Mingxuan hurriedly called out, "Feihe, don’t be careless! Do not underestimate him."
As he spoke, his figure flickered, and he appeared behind Shen Daoxing. With a slight shake of his palm, a Money Sword, formed from a string of copper coins, materialized in his hand.
Wu Feihua paid him no mind. "Wang Mingxuan, I don’t need your help! He’s just some bumpkin from the countryside. Even if he is a genius, won’t I capture him with ease?"