Chapter 176: The Sky-Piercing Sword Sect

Just now, during the battle on the lake, Su Che and Yu Qing not only used every possible tactic but also exerted their utmost wisdom. At first, as they unleashed their respective powers, they deliberately weakened their strength to deceive Feng Huo, causing him to underestimate them.

Later, Yu Qing feigned surrender. Though he seemingly sealed his true energy and appeared completely defenseless, he actually used some secret technique to break through his self-imposed seal. With Su Che’s assistance, he unleashed two powerful attacks, dealing severe damage to Feng Huo.

Subsequently, Su Che was struck by Feng Huo’s petrification spell. At first, his body indeed stiffened, and he fell into the lake uncontrollably—this was not feigned. However, thanks to the timely treatment from the Immortal Prison Warm Current and the Black Stone Clear Stream, it was discovered that the so-called petrification spell was actually a type of toxin—perhaps best called the Petrification Poison.

Since it was a toxin, it could be antidoted. Moreover, Su Che’s poisoning was not severe; he had only been touched by the petrifying mist. With the detoxification effects of these two energies, he quickly regained all his abilities.

Finally, Yu Qing employed another secret technique related to the Great Collapse Divine Fist, triggering the fragmented injuries Feng Huo had suppressed within his body. This created a rare opportunity for Su Che to take out the talisman given by his master and behead Feng Huo with a single sword strike.

It can be said that without the wisdom, strategies, and flawless coordination of the two brothers, it would have been impossible to defeat Feng Huo relying solely on their divine powers. The dangers involved are beyond description in just a few words…

At this moment, Su Che was flying swiftly with the unconscious Yu Qing on his back, unaware that the most terrifying person had already begun chasing them. That person possessed a powerful cultivation level in the later stage of the Golden Core phase. Once he caught up, no matter what methods Su Che used, he would not be able to escape. The disparity in strength was too great; a miracle was impossible.

Unless…

The Golden Core leader did not fly using any flying device; relying solely on his own cultivation, his speed was unimaginable. It didn’t take long for him to sense, through some means, that the fugitives were just dozens of miles ahead—though they were not yet visible. For him, a distance of dozens of miles could be covered in the blink of an eye. He estimated that it would take only another dozen breaths before he could catch up with Su Che.

But suddenly, his brows furrowed, and he turned to look in another direction…

From that direction, a gigantic flying sword was approaching—estimated to be at least dozens of zhang in length.

On the blade of the sword were inscribed four large characters: “Tongtian Sword Sect”; atop the sword, hundreds of Taoist figures sat in meditation.
“The Tongtian Sword Sect has arrived too.”
The Golden Core leader sighed slightly and lost interest in pursuing the fugitives ahead, for continuing the chase would inevitably lead to a confrontation with the Tongtian Sword Sect. He knew that among their support forces, there must be a Yuan Ying ancestor, someone he could never defeat.
Retreat!
Without hesitation, he changed direction and withdrew in time.
On the other side, a Yuan Ying ancestor on a giant flying sword also noticed this late-stage Golden Core cultivator. However, unsure of whether he was friend or foe, he did not pursue him.
Among the ten great immortal sects, the Tongtian Sword Sect was the farthest from the Taiyi Sect, receiving the rescue message last, and thus arriving several days later than the other sects.
Su Che was completely unaware of this; he had no idea that the tardy Tongtian Sword Sect saved him, a mere minor figure, first rather than the Taiyi Sect.
Since both Su Che and the Tongtian Sword Sect were heading to the Taiyi Sect, they were soon caught up by the giant flying sword.
“Tongtian Sword Sect!”
Seeing the giant sword, Su Che breathed a sigh of relief. Whether there were pursuers behind him or not, at least now he was safe.
Bang!
Su Che took out the rescue talisman of Tianxuan Sect and activated it, causing dazzling fireworks to bloom in the sky.
As soon as the fireworks appeared, a figure appeared before him in an instant.
“Why seek help?”
The man was an elderly man with black hair and beard, his spiritual energy completely concealed, making it impossible to determine his cultivation level.
Su Che knew that even Lao He couldn’t gauge this old man’s strength; all he could say was that he was a Yuan Ying ancestor.
“I am Su Che, a disciple of Tianxuan Sect. I greet the Great Ancestor of Tongtian!”
Su Che bowed respectfully.
The old man responded with a low grunt and, with a simple gesture, brought Su Che and Yu Qing back onto the giant sword.
The sword continued flying toward the Taiyi Sect, and Su Che briefly explained what had happened in the markets of Qinglan Continent.
After pondering for a moment, the old man said to someone behind him, “Lin Jian, take some people to check out the markets.”
“Yes, Master.”
The responder, who was at the late stage of Golden Core cultivation, bowed respectfully before leading several junior disciples of the same stage to fly toward the markets of Qinglan Continent.
Then, the old man said to Su Che, “Just now, someone was chasing you, only a few dozen miles behind. It might well be the late-stage Golden Core leader you mentioned…”

Su Che’s expression changed drastically as he was shocked. Only then did he realize that thanks to the appearance of the Tongtian Sword Sect, he had unknowingly escaped disaster.
“Thank you, Grandmaster, for saving my life,” Su Che bowed deeply in gratitude.
“It was just a coincidence,” the old man said with a faint smile, waving his hand gently. “Rest for a while. When we reach Taiyi Gate, I have something to discuss with Zi Xiao.”
“Yes, Grandmaster.”
Su Che closed his eyes and began to meditate. Although he hadn’t been injured in the battle, he was exhausted in every way and could barely hold on any longer.
Meanwhile, in the Immortal Prison, Lao He was interrogating the primordial spirit of Fenghuo to find out the purpose behind their efforts to create chaos everywhere…
The Tongtian Giant Sword also traveled at great speed, though slightly slower than the Vast Ship of Tianxuan Sect. In less than an hour, it covered tens of thousands of miles and arrived at the gates of Taiyi Mountain.
This time, Su Che followed the people from the Tongtian Sword Sect into Taiyi Mountain. Inside a hall atop one of the high mountains, he met Elder Zi Xiao.
Zi Xiao first silently observed Yu Qing’s condition and then relaxed. He then asked Su Che, “What happened?”
Su Che recounted everything that had taken place in the markets of Qinglan Continent, this time in much greater detail.
By the end, Zi Xiao was quite surprised. He hadn’t expected those two youngsters to work together to successfully kill a cultivator in the early Jin Dan stage. To be honest, such a feat of defeating someone beyond one’s own level was something only Tianyin of Wuji Sect could achieve in his memory…
After that, Su Che continued, “Grandmaster, I’ve found out that the Jin Dan cultivator we killed was named Fenghuo. His senior brother, the leader of the later Jin Dan stage, is named Fengsha. He is the chief elder of a large sect called the Fengmo Hall.”
“Fengsha…”
Zi Xiao nodded. “I’ve heard of him. Go on.”
Su Che continued, “Three months ago, all the cultivators above the Foundation stage in the Fengmo Hall disappeared. Only one Jin Dan elder with a near-limitless lifespan remained to manage the sect alone, overseeing thousands of Qi-training disciples.”
“Oh?”
Zi Xiao’s expression changed slightly. He knew something about the Fengmo Hall—the sect leader was also a Yuan Ying ancestor, with over a dozen Jin Dan elders under him.

“As far as I know, similar to the Seal of Demons Hall, more than a dozen other major sects do the same—sending their best elements to form an unprecedentedly powerful force,” Su Che emphasized. “Their ultimate goal is to throw the entire cultivation world into chaos, the more chaotic, the better. Ideally, it should become so chaotic that it’s beyond control, like the end of the world.”
“Why? Are they all crazy?” Zi Xiao, despite his profound cultivation, was greatly shocked and quickly asked, “How did you find out all this?”
“Please forgive me, Grandmaster…” Su Che said cautiously, “I captured the original spirit of Feng Huo and used a soul-searching technique on him to obtain this information from his memories.”
The soul-searching technique was quite vicious. Normally, immortal sects did not advocate such practices, which was why Su Che asked Zi Xiao for forgiveness.
“What about his original spirit?”
Zi Xiao didn’t have the heart to scold him over these matters. To be honest, if it were him facing a spirit that couldn’t speak, he would also have to resort to soul-searching.
“My skills are inadequate. By accident, I refined his original spirit,” Su Che replied with a ashamed look.
This wasn’t entirely a lie—the original spirit of Feng Huo indeed no longer existed; it had long been sent by Lao He to the Netherworld of Ghosts, where it became nourishment for two ghost servants.
It was estimated that the original spirit of a Golden Core cultivator could elevate those two ghost servants by one level, allowing them to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage. Without any ghostly weapons, their overall combat strength would be equivalent to that of human cultivators in the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
Zi Xiao didn’t doubt Su Che’s answer, because once the soul-searching technique was used, the victim would usually suffer severe damage. Even if they had a physical body, they might become idiots, let alone just a spirit.
Moreover, Su Che was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he knew a bit about soul-searching techniques, his insufficient cultivation level would make it difficult for him to control the intensity, turning that fragile spirit into spiritual energy—a completely normal outcome.
“You boy are too reckless…” Zi Xiao tapped Su Che’s forehead and stopped pursuing the matter. He then asked, “Is there anything else? Tell me everything.”
“Feng Huo isn’t of high status, so the secrets he knows are very limited,” Su Che continued. “All his actions were carried out according to the orders of the leader of the Seal of Demons Hall. However, I did hear such a claim from his senior brother, Feng Sha…”
Zi Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly and listened quietly.

Su Che whispered, “Feng Sha told his junior disciples that if they accomplished this, they would gain unimaginable benefits. Those at the Golden Core stage are guaranteed to be able to reach the Infant Stage in the future; those at the Nascent Soul stage can surely advance even further…”
Zi Xiao smiled, instinctively thinking it was nonsense, utterly ridiculous! Even a super sect like Tianxuan Sect wouldn’t have the ability to make such promises to its disciples.
However, Su Che’s next words made him…
“Feng Sha also revealed this to Feng Huo: the grand plan to disrupt the entire cultivation world wasn’t devised by any individual or faction within it, but originated from a higher realm…”
At this point, Su Che pointed upward.
“The Spirit Realm?”
Zi Xiao, who had remained calm until now, finally changed his expression drastically.