299: Chapter 298 Fire Dragon

He stood up and walked out of the guest courtyard. Su Muxue was still standing at the door. Seeing Jiang Hanzhou come out, her eyes were full of expectation.

“The pill is complete. Let's go and give the Valley Master the medicine.”

The two walked quickly back to Valley Master's palace. The guards bowed in unison when they saw the Young Valley Master and cleared the way. Jiang Hanzhou pushed open the stone door, walked to the stone bed, poured out the Ice Heart Pill from the jade bottle, and held it in his palm.

Valley Master was still lying on the bed. His complexion was even darker than two days ago, the cracks on his lips were deeper, and his breathing was so weak it was almost inaudible. Jiang Hanzhou placed the Ice Heart Pill into Valley Master's mouth and used Pure Yang True Intent to catalyze the medicinal power, guiding the pill into his stomach.

The moment the pill entered his stomach, Valley Master's body jerked. The black lines on his face flickered violently, then turned from black to dark red, from dark red to crimson, and finally faded away. His breathing went from weak to steady, and from steady to forceful. His fingers twitched, then his eyelids trembled a few times before he slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were bloodshot, but they no longer held that deathly gloom from before; instead, a glimmer of spirit had returned.

“Father!” Su Muxue rushed to the bedside and grabbed Valley Master's hand, tears finally streaming down her face.

Valley Master looked at her, a weak smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His throat moved, and he made a raspy sound: “Muxue, I’m fine now.”

Then, his gaze turned to Jiang Hanzhou. The weakness in his eyes turned into scrutiny, with a hint of gratitude within it.

“You are the little friend Jiang who saved me?”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded and cupped his fists in a salute: “The Valley Master is too polite.”

Valley Master took a deep breath and struggled to sit up. Su Muxue quickly supported him and placed two pillows behind him. Valley Master leaned against the pillows, looked at Jiang Hanzhou, fell silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

“The Heart-Burning Gu was a poison planted by the Great Elder. He had long colluded with the Liehuo Alliance Leader Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang to seize the position of Valley Master, and then offer the earth fire spiritual vein to Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang to help him break through to the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm.”

Jiang Hanzhou's brow furrowed slightly: “How can the Valley Master be sure it was the Great Elder?”

Valley Master took out a Jade Slip from under his pillow and handed it to Jiang Hanzhou. The Jade Slip was crimson all over, with dark red light flowing on its surface, and dense characters flickering faintly within the light.

“This is a letter I searched from a Liehuo Alliance prisoner before I was poisoned. The letter was written by Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang to the Great Elder, and it clearly stated their plan. The Great Elder was responsible for poisoning the valley, and Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang was responsible for coordinating from the outside. They planned to stage an uprising in the valley in three days, coordinating from inside and out to seize Yanhuo Valley.”

He paused, his voice containing an indescribable anger: “The Great Elder holds a Blazing Fire Token in his hand, which can mobilize three thousand Disciples of the Liehuo Alliance. He has already agreed that in three days, the Liehuo Alliance people will attack from the valley entrance, and he will open the Formation from within the valley to let them in.”

Su Muxue's face turned pale: “In three days? Isn't that the day after tomorrow?”

Valley Master nodded, his gaze falling on Jiang Hanzhou. His eyes were full of earnestness, and his voice was weak but firm: “Little friend Jiang, I know you are powerful. I beg you to help Muxue and protect Yanhuo Valley. Yanhuo Valley's Legacy has lasted for a thousand years; it cannot be destroyed in my hands.”

Jiang Hanzhou looked at him and was silent for three breaths. Then, he nodded: “Rest assured, Valley Master. Since I promised the Young Valley Master, I will not go back on my word. However, I need some time to consolidate my cultivation. Please have the Young Valley Master keep an eye on the valley's affairs for now. As for the Great Elder's side, do not alert the enemy for the time being.”

Valley Master nodded and took a crimson token from his waist, handing it to Jiang Hanzhou. The token was palm-sized, entirely crimson, with a fire dragon soaring through the clouds carved on its surface, its scales lifelike. In the center of the token, an ancient character for 'Yan' was carved, the strokes vigorous and powerful, each stroke containing an indescribable Fire Element True Intent.

“This is the Yanhuo Valley Master Token; seeing this token is like seeing the Valley Master himself. Little friend Jiang, take it, and you can mobilize all the Disciples and guards in the valley. If the Great Elder dares to act, you may execute first and report later, without any hesitation.”

Jiang Hanzhou took the Valley Master Token, put it into his sumeru pouch, and cupped his fists in a salute: “Thank you for your trust, Valley Master.”

He turned and walked out of the palace.

Su Muxue chased after him and shouted behind him: “Senior Jiang, where are you going?”

Jiang Hanzhou stopped and said without looking back: “Back to the Earth Fire Cave. I need a day to consolidate my cultivation in the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm. The day after tomorrow, when the Liehuo Alliance comes, I will be waiting for them at the valley entrance.”

He stepped out of the palace and walked toward the Earth Fire Cave.

Behind him, Su Muxue stood at the palace entrance, watching his back disappear into the twilight, silent for a long time.

Then, she gripped her jade sword, turned back into the palace, and closed the stone door.

Inside the palace, Valley Master leaned against the pillows, watching the sky gradually darken outside the window, and muttered to himself: “Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang, Great Elder, if you want Yanhuo Valley, then come. Although I have fallen, my daughter will not let you succeed, nor will that young man from the Western Desert.”

Outside the window, the night wind blew, scattering his words into the twilight.

In the distance, the Great Elder's residence was brightly lit, and several figures could be seen moving in front of the window.

As night deepened, a silence fell over Yanhuo Valley.

But beneath the silence, undercurrents were surging.

At the moment Jiang Hanzhou broke through, the magma in the Earth Fire Cave suddenly exploded, a pillar of fire shooting straight to the dome, making the entire Yanhuo Valley tremble.

But no one had time to pay attention to the anomaly in the Earth Fire Cave, because the internal strife in the valley broke out at the same moment.

The Great Elder led hundreds of trusted Disciples, emerging from all parts of the valley. They were dressed in crimson armor, with white strips of cloth tied to their arms to distinguish friend from foe, holding sabers and spears, charging in an orderly fashion toward the defensive structures at the valley entrance. The Great Elder walked at the very front, a flaming long saber burning with crimson fire in his hand. Wherever the blade pointed, the gatekeepers fell.

“Open the valley gate!” he shouted. Several trusted Disciples immediately rushed to the mechanism at the valley entrance, turned the winch, and the heavy stone gate slowly rose.

Outside the valley, the Liehuo Alliance Disciples, who had been lying in ambush, swarmed in. They were dressed in dark red robes, holding fire blades, their faces covered with black cloth, revealing only bloodthirsty eyes. Leading them were several Hall Masters of the Liehuo Alliance, whose cultivations ranged from the Peak of the Soul Condensation Realm to the Early Stage of the Spirit Communication Realm. They brought over a thousand Disciples, a dense black mass that packed the valley entrance.

For a time, shouts of killing filled the air and flames filled Yanhuo Valley. The sounds of clashing weapons, screams, roars, and explosions intertwined, echoing between the crimson rock walls, making people's eardrums ache. Pill Furnaces were overturned, and the fires within spread, igniting the surrounding buildings. The medicinal herb warehouse was set ablaze, and precious herbs turned to ash in the flames, emitting a pungent burnt smell. The Disciples' blood spilled on the crimson ground, merging with the color of the soil until one couldn't distinguish blood from earth.

Su Muxue led the Disciples loyal to the Valley Master in a desperate resistance. Her jade sword danced through the crowd, its light cold as ice, each swing taking the life of a Liehuo Alliance Disciple. But the people around her grew fewer; the Disciples loyal to the Valley Master numbered only a little over two hundred, while the Great Elder's confidants plus the Liehuo Alliance Disciples totaled over fifteen hundred. The disparity in strength was huge, and they soon retreated step by step, from the valley entrance to the Martial Arts Arena, and from the arena to the front of the Scripture Pavilion.

“Hold the Scripture Pavilion!” Su Muxue shouted, swinging her jade sword to parry the fire blade of a Liehuo Alliance Hall Master. The webbing of her hand was torn, blood dripping down the hilt, but she gritted her teeth and did not take a step back.

Lin Xiaohuo stood by her side, holding an iron saber. Several wounds had already been added to his body, but he firmly protected the gate of the Scripture Pavilion behind him. His eyes were bloodshot, his lip bitten through, and blood dripped down his chin.

“Young Valley Master, we can't hold on much longer!” a Disciple cried out. His left arm had been cut off, blood gushing out, but he still held his saber with his right hand, standing in front of Su Muxue.

Su Muxue didn't speak, only tightening her grip on her jade sword and pouring all the remaining Shamanic Power in her body into the blade. The icy blue light on the sword flared up and then quickly dimmed; her face was as pale as paper, and her body swayed.

Just then, the Great Elder stepped out from the crowd.

The flaming long saber in his hand burned with crimson fire, and the runes on the blade flickered with dark red light under the reflection of the flames. A sinister smile hung on the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were full of pride and cruelty. He walked up to Su Muxue and swung his long saber, a wave of flaming Saber Qi forcing the Disciples around her back.

“Niece Muxue, if you're smart, hand over the Valley Master Seal, and I can still spare your life.” His voice was raspy, like sandpaper rubbing, containing an indescribable smugness. “Your father is already crippled. Half of the Elders in the valley are on my side, and the Liehuo Alliance Disciples outnumber yours five to one. What do you have to fight me with?”

Su Muxue gave an angry shout and thrust her jade sword. The sword light was icy blue, aimed straight for the Great Elder's throat: “Great Elder, you traitor!”

The Great Elder snorted coldly and swung his flaming long saber, striking the jade sword. The clash of blades erupted in a piercing roar. Su Muxue's jade sword was knocked from her hand, spinning a few times in the air before stabbing into the ground several yards away. Her body was sent flying by the massive impact, crashing heavily onto the ground as she spat out a mouthful of blood.

Her cultivation was only at the Middle Stage of the Dragon Fetus Realm, while the Great Elder was at the Early Stage of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm. They were separated by a whole major Realm; she was simply no match. She struggled to stand up, but her left leg had lost all sensation, and the bones in her right arm felt as if they were splitting, with every movement accompanied by a piercing pain.

The Great Elder walked up to her and raised his flaming long saber, the tip of the blade pointing at her throat. The flames on the blade scorched her skin red and curled her hair, but she did not close her eyes, only staring fixedly at the Great Elder, her eyes full of defiance.

“Since you refuse to hand it over, then die.” A hint of Killing Intent flashed in the Great Elder's eyes, and the flaming long saber slashed down.

Just as the blade was about to touch Su Muxue's throat, a blazing saber light struck from afar.

That saber light was seven-colored, containing the endurance of the Tide, the heat of Pure Yang, the sharpness of Metal Sharpness, the wildness of Heavenly Fire, the piercing cold of ice, the violence of yellow sand, and the majesty of Buddha Power. The seven powers were layered together like a rainbow, and like a divine sword that could split heaven and earth. Wherever the saber light passed, the air was torn apart, the stone slabs on the ground were flipped over, the flames were split, and even the smell of sulfur in the air was purified by the saber light, turning into nothingness.

The Great Elder's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly withdrew the long saber aimed at Su Muxue, holding it horizontally in front of him to block. The saber light struck the flaming long saber, erupting in a deafening roar. The Great Elder's body was shaken by the huge impact, retreating step after step, each step leaving a deep footprint on the ground. He retreated seven steps before stabilizing himself. The flaming long saber in his hand was trembling, the runes on the blade flickering violently a few times before mostly dimming.

The webbing of his hand had split, and blood dripped down the hilt. His chest felt tight, and a metallic taste rose in his throat—a sign of internal organ damage. His eyes were full of horror as he looked in the direction the saber light had come from.

Jiang Hanzhou walked over slowly.

His pace was not fast, but every step on the ground made a dull sound. The tiger soul saber burned with seven-colored flames in his hand, the dark gold patterns on the blade flowing in the fire like living things. A layer of seven-colored halo surrounded him—the pressure of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm, heavy as a mountain and blazing as fire, compressing the surrounding air until it was distorted.

He walked to Su Muxue's side, stopped, and fixed his gaze on the Great Elder. That gaze was calm and cold, as if looking at a dead man.

“Elder Liu, for colluding with external enemies and betraying the Sect, do you know your crime?” His voice was not loud, but it contained an indescribable pressure that echoed through the valley.

The Great Elder's pupils contracted sharply. He sensed the aura within Jiang Hanzhou's body, an aura a whole minor stage higher than his own, thick and violent like a sleeping volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

“Jiang Hanzhou? You actually broke through to the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm!” His voice held a hint of panic, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced toward the valley entrance, where a large number of Liehuo Alliance Disciples were pouring in, and an even more violent aura could be seen approaching within the crowd.

He sneered, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and gripped his flaming long saber: “So what if you broke through? Alliance Leader Lie will be here soon. You all will die today!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a violent wave of fire surged from outside the valley. That fire wave was crimson, containing a rich Fire Element True Intent, instantly raising the temperature in the air several times. Within the wave of fire, a burly middle-aged man strode forward. He was dressed in dark red battle armor, engraved with dense flame runes that flowed with dark red light. In his hand, he held a giant sword that was entirely crimson, with raging flames burning on the blade and dark gold light flowing at the edge. His face was rugged, with a full beard, and his eyes were crimson, with flames faintly dancing in his pupils.

Liehuo Alliance Leader, Alliance Leader Lie Qianyang. An evil cultivator in the Middle Stage of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm.

Behind him followed hundreds of elite Liehuo Alliance Disciples, each with a cultivation at or above the Soul Condensation Realm, holding fire blades and brimming with Killing Intent. They poured into Yanhuo Valley, merging with the Great Elder's trusted Disciples, surrounding Su Muxue and the remaining valley Disciples.