Chapter 670: The Plan of the Sword Sect’s Leader

The back door of Heaven-Shaking Fortress.
Hundreds of armored men charged fiercely at the disciples of the Sword Forging Hall, trying to break in through the back door.
Although Heaven-Shaking Fortress had few defenders, they held their ground thanks to their advantageous location and the archers atop the walls, preventing the attackers from entering.
Yet…
In such a brutal battle, casualties were inevitable!
Soon, nearly a hundred corpses lay on the ground. The number of attackers outside gradually decreased, with most gathering near the entrance. Similarly, the defenders inside were also in a precarious situation.
Just then, a group of people rushed out from one of the rooms inside the fortress—over twenty of them, all dressed as disciples of the Sword Sect, standing out sharply…
“Charge!”
Though the disciples of the Sword Forging Hall were shocked and surprised by the appearance of these Sword Sect disciples, they dared not attack them rashly.
They watched helplessly as the twenty-plus people climbed over the wall and charged outward at incredible speed, using sword energy to carve a bloody path. Some disciples at the Liberation Realm were left trapped among the armored men, while three at the Wuwei Realm fled, wounded.
“Save me!”
“Damn it! Charge!” The twenty-some Liberation Realm Sword Sect disciples clearly lacked the strength to break through the armored men’s siege. A direct attack only led to them getting trapped, leaving them shouting in desperation.
In moments, several were knocked to the ground.
The defenders inside remained indifferent…
At that moment, another person rushed out from inside!
Under the astonished gaze of the Sword Forging Hall disciples, a young man dressed like one of them rushed forward, wearing golden gloves. With two punches, he pushed back the leading armored men and plunged into the crowd.
Yet…
This person wasn’t there to rescue the Sword Sect disciples. Moving swiftly, he struck out like a giant golden dragon, knocking over a group of armored men and breaking through the siege in no time. Without hesitation or looking back, he chased after the fleeing Sword Sect disciples…
…
Though this successful escape shocked and surprised the defenders of Heaven-Shaking Fortress, it also relieved considerable pressure on them. Taking advantage of the armored men’s distracted attention and their own injuries, they opened fire fully, killing dozens of attackers and greatly easing the pressure at the back door.
…
The battle at Heaven-Shaking Fortress continued.

But Happy burst through, immediately tearing off Mu Li’s mask and putting on a white snowsuit that blended perfectly with the surrounding snowscape. He chased after the three Sword Sect disciples like a ghost.
…
After following the three Sword Sect disciples for over ten miles and passing through a large cedar forest, the path suddenly opened up, revealing a semi-enclosed valley.
“Lao Qi, it’s me.”
“Why did you return so early? Who else is here? Why are there only the three of you?” A strange voice reached Happy’s ears from ahead. Soon, a snow wall trembled slightly, revealing a pitch-black cave. People emerged one after another, staring in surprise at the disheveled trio.
“Stop talking. We encountered people from the Four Immortals of Yunling—apparently, they’re with the Venerable.”
“The Venerable…” The group coming out of the cave narrowed their eyes sharply, as if hearing a highly taboo and terrifying name.
“Hantian Fort is under attack. We saw that the forces of the northern clans and the Nangong family were completely distracted, so we decided to retreat first,” replied the lead young Sword Sect disciple with a calm expression. “The others couldn’t get out during the escape.”
“I see.”
The voice grew softer.
Happy noticed that these people had no intention of staying hidden after hearing about Hantian Fort’s attack. Instead, they lit a fire in the valley to ward off the cold. A group of people gathered around the fire, saying nothing and showing no signs of leaving…
Seeing this, Happy grew even more puzzled.
What was going on?
If it weren’t for these people, each of whom possessed the cultivation level of the Wuwei Realm, Happy might have turned back to Hantian Fort right away.
Since they were still here, it meant they must be connected to Hantian Fort’s Sky Crystal…
Moreover, the Sword Sect master must have sent them here to act as a support team.
However…
Would the Sky Crystal ultimately fall into the hands of the Sword Sect, which had been planning this for the longest time? Happy wasn’t sure…
But compared to the northern clans and the Nangong family, the Sword Sect master, who had years of careful planning, seemed more likely to succeed! The only unexpected factor was the Four Immortals of Yunling—their arrival added some variables to this mission.
Still…
If the Sky Crystal fell into the hands of the Four Immortals of Yunling, Happy had virtually no chance. It would be better to stay with the Sword Sect members and see if he could uncover some clues.
Time passed, second by second.
Outside the valley, the cold wind howled.

Happiness meant staying motionless in a snowdrift beneath the cedars in the bitter cold, constantly watching for any signs of movement around.
…
“The Four Immortals of Yunling are nothing special.”
“Hmph! What can you two do to me!!”
“If you can’t take the Sky Crystal, just wait until the experts from my Nangong family arrive, along with the forces from the northern clans and the Sword Sect—can’t they still destroy you, the Four Immortals of Yunling?”
“Hahahahaha…”
The evil spirit handled the combined attack from the two with ease, laughing wildly at their words: “After failing to conquer us for so long, do you really think the Elders won’t send reinforcements?”
As soon as he spoke, the expression of the Sword Sect’s leader and the old monster Nangong turned extremely grim. Even Bei Xiao and the others outside the Sword Forging Hall showed serious looks.
“The Four Immortals of Yunling! If anything happens to Shake Heaven Fortress this time, I swear I’ll personally behead you all, no matter how far away you are!” Bei Xiao swore in fury!
What met him was an even more fierce attack from the Four Immortals of Yunling.
“Master Luo, it seems that if we don’t cooperate anymore, both our families will end up serving as sacrifices for that Sky Crystal…” the old man Nangong said gravely suddenly.
“What do you suggest then? That I deal with the evil spirit alone while you go get the Sky Crystal?”
“Tch!”
The old man Nangong’s expression turned cold. “At a time like this, even if I get the Sky Crystal, how can I take it away from you? You’ve seen its power to harm people—no matter who holds it, it means death!”
“Then fine! You hold off the evil spirit while I retrieve the Sky Crystal! With it in hand, maybe we can deal with the evil spirit.”
“You…” The old man Nangong didn’t expect the Sword Sect to be so stubborn. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Alright! We can discuss who gets the Sky Crystal later. Let’s focus on dealing with this evil spirit first!” Forced by necessity, he agreed to the Sword Sect leader’s proposal.
Inside the Sword Forging Hall, the atmosphere suddenly changed…
A faint, intense glow flashed in the Sword Sect leader’s eyes—something hard for ordinary people to notice. Taking advantage of the evil spirit being pushed aside, he rushed to the Sky Crystal like lightning and grabbed it without hesitation! A layer of silver powder was applied to the hilt.
Then he took a breath… and gazed solemnly at the sky above the Sword Forging Hall…