300: Chapter 299, etc.

Lie Qianyang walked to Great Elder's side, his gaze falling on Jiang Hanzhou as he sized him up. Then, he let out a cold sneer, one filled with disdain, as if he were looking at an ignorant brat who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

"Where did this brat come from, daring to interfere in the affairs of my Liehuo Alliance?" His voice was thick and low, echoing through the valley like muffled thunder. "Great Elder, is this the Loose Cultivator from the Western Desert you mentioned? Just an Early Stage Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm, and he dares to block my path?"

Great Elder nodded repeatedly. "Alliance Leader, it's him. He killed Yi Qianfan and snatched the Western Desert's formation core. Lord Wei Wuya sent word that this boy must be eliminated."

A cold glint flashed in Lie Qianyang's eyes. He gripped his greatsword, and the flames on the blade surged violently, twisting the surrounding air with heat. His cultivation was fully released at this moment, and the pressure of the Middle Stage Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm bore down like a mountain, leaving Young Valley Master and the valley Disciples gasping for breath.

"Since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, it saves me the trouble of searching for you." Lie Qianyang took a step forward, his greatsword pointing at Jiang Hanzhou. "Hand over the formation core, and I'll leave you an intact corpse."

Jiang Hanzhou didn't waste words.

He directly activated his Burning Heaven True Intent. The seven-colored fire dragon in his Dantian snapped its eyes open, and a dragon's roar erupted from within his body, making the entire valley tremble. The seven-colored flames on the tiger soul saber surged, extending from the blade to the edge, and from the edge to the tip, condensing into a zhang-long blade of fire.

He swung the saber.

A flash of fire dozens of zhang long shot out from the tiger soul saber. The blade light was seven-colored, containing the full power of the Burning Heaven True Intent. Wherever the light passed, the air ignited and the ground was torn asunder. Dozens of Liehuo Alliance Disciples caught in the aftershock were instantly reduced to ashes.

Lie Qianyang's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected this Early Stage Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm youth to erupt with such terrifying power. He hastily circulated his full Internal Energy, holding his greatsword horizontally before him. Crimson flames poured from the blade, condensing into a thick shield of fire.

The blade light struck the shield with a deafening boom. Flames splattered and air currents surged. Lie Qianyang's body was sent flying back by the massive impact, tumbling several times in the air before crashing heavily onto the ground ten zhang away. His greatsword flew from his hand and embedded itself into a distant rock wall; the runes on the blade flickered violently a few times before going completely dark.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper. His battle armor was covered in cracks, with blood seeping through and staining the dark red armor black. His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief, his voice trembling. "Middle Stage Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm? No, your power... it's even stronger than the Middle Stage..."

Jiang Hanzhou didn't answer. He simply took a step forward, the seven-colored flames on the tiger soul saber surging again. His gaze passed over Lie Qianyang, swept across the Liehuo Alliance Disciples, and finally landed on Great Elder.

Seeing things were going south, Great Elder's face turned ashen. He secretly retreated a few steps, hoping to slip away amidst the chaos. But Jiang Hanzhou's Divine Sense had already locked onto his Divine Soul, and the Heart Blade quietly condensed within his Sea of Consciousness.

The moment Great Elder turned to run, the Heart Blade struck silently. There was no blade light, no sound, and no ripple of spiritual energy. Only an invisible force of the Divine Soul surged out like a tide, sinking into Great Elder's Sea of Consciousness.

Great Elder's body suddenly stiffened. His eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and the light in his eyes instantly vanished. His mouth fell open, a muffled gurgle coming from his throat, before his body slowly collapsed, hitting the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. His Divine Soul had been completely erased by the Heart Blade; he died on the spot without even letting out a scream.

Great Elder's corpse lay on the ground, the flaming long saber sliding from his hand as the fire on its blade gradually died out. His eyes were still open, his mouth agape, and the terror he felt before death still lingered on his face. But there was no longer any breath of life; he was merely an empty shell.

The Disciples of the Liehuo Alliance were filled with terror the moment they saw Great Elder fall. They looked at Jiang Hanzhou—at the youth holding the seven-colored flaming saber and radiating a terrifying pressure—and their legs began to tremble.

Lie Qianyang struggled to his feet and pulled his greatsword from the rock wall, wanting to fight again. But his internal organs were damaged and the spiritual energy in his Meridians was in total disarray; every time he tried to circulate his Internal Energy, it was accompanied by intense pain. He knew he was no match for Jiang Hanzhou; if he continued to fight, there would be only death.

Jiang Hanzhou turned to look at Lie Qianyang, slightly raising the tiger soul saber until the tip pointed at his throat. His tone was flat, yet it contained an unquestionable killing intent: "Either get out, or die."

Lie Qianyang looked at him and remained silent for three breaths. Then, he glanced at Great Elder's corpse on the ground, then at the tiger soul saber burning with seven-colored flames in Jiang Hanzhou's hand, and gritted his teeth. His eyes were full of resentment, but he knew he had no choice.

"We're leaving!" he barked, turning to walk toward the valley entrance. His steps were staggered, and every step was accompanied by a cough, the blood he spat out dripping onto the crimson ground.

The Disciples of the Liehuo Alliance felt as if they had been granted a general amnesty, and they hurriedly followed Lie Qianyang out of the valley. No one dared to look back; no one dared to stop. They scrambled to exit the valley gate, fearing Jiang Hanzhou might change his mind and slay them all with a single strike.

A moment later, everyone from the Liehuo Alliance had retreated from Yanhuo Valley. Only the fallen stone gate and a ground full of corpses remained at the entrance, the air thick with the smell of blood and char.

Jiang Hanzhou sheathed his saber and turned to walk toward Young Valley Master. She was still lying on the ground, her face pale and blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her left leg had lost all sensation and the bone in her right arm was cracked, but her eyes were open, looking at Jiang Hanzhou with profound gratitude.

Jiang Hanzhou knelt down, took a healing Medicinal Pill from his sumeru pouch, and handed it to her. Young Valley Master took the pill and swallowed it; her pale complexion gradually regained a hint of color.

"Young Valley Master, Great Elder has been executed and the Liehuo Alliance has retreated. I'll leave the task of clearing the battlefield and treating the wounded to you."

Young Valley Master nodded and struggled to stand. Jiang Hanzhou reached out to support her, helping her to her feet. She leaned against a stone pillar, took several deep breaths to steady herself, and then turned to look at the Disciples who were still fighting.

"Disciples of the valley, listen! Great Elder is dead, and the Liehuo Alliance has retreated! Everyone stop immediately, clear the battlefield, and treat the wounded!" Her voice was weak, yet it carried an unshakable authority.

Hearing the Young Valley Master's voice, the Disciples stopped what they were doing. They looked at Great Elder's corpse on the ground and toward the valley entrance where the Liehuo Alliance had fled. After a moment of stunned silence, a cheer erupted. The cheering was mixed with weeping—the relief of having survived a disaster, and the grief of losing comrades.

Lin Xiaohuo leaned against the doors of the Scripture Pavilion, his iron saber sliding from his hand as he slumped to the ground, panting heavily. His body was covered in wounds and blood soaked his grey robes, but a hint of a smile hung on the corner of his mouth; it was the feeling of being alive.

The work of clearing the battlefield lasted through the entire night.

The Disciples gathered their fallen comrades and dragged the bodies of the Liehuo Alliance and Great Elder's confidants outside the valley to be burned. The Pill Furnaces were set upright again, the lingering fires in the herb warehouse were extinguished, and damaged buildings were given simple repairs. The wounded were sent to the Medicine Hall, where the medicine masters were kept busy without a moment's rest, treating wounds and brewing decoctions for every injured person.

Young Valley Master, dragging her injured body, personally visited every wounded person. She fed medicine to the severely injured, bandaged the lightly injured, and offered comfort to those who had lost comrades. There were no tears on her face, only determination, but within those pale gold eyes was hidden an indescribable sorrow.

Jiang Hanzhou did not participate in clearing the battlefield. He returned to the guest courtyard, sat cross-legged on the stone bed, and circulated his Burning Heaven True Intent to meditate and recover. That single strike earlier had consumed nearly half his power; though the Burning Heaven True Intent was powerful, the burden it placed on the Meridians was extremely heavy. He needed to recover as quickly as possible because although Lie Qianyang had retreated, Wei Wuya would not let matters rest, and Dragon Slaying True Person's schemes would not stop just because of Great Elder's death.

Three days later, Valley Master's body gradually recovered.

The Ice Heart Pill had suppressed the toxicity of the Heart-Burning Gu, and after the battle, Jiang Hanzhou had found the Gu Mother within Great Elder's corpse. The Gu Mother was hidden deep within Great Elder's Dantian—a crimson insect the size of a fingernail, its body covered in fine golden patterns. Jiang Hanzhou used his Dao-Slaying Blade Intent to sever the connection between the Gu Mother and the sub-Gu within Valley Master's body, then gave the Gu Mother to the Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu Mother to devour. The moment the Gu Mother was consumed, the Heart-Burning sub-Gu inside Valley Master died simultaneously, turning into black pus that was expelled from his seven orifices.

After expelling the toxins, Valley Master's complexion turned from dark to pale, and then gradually returned to normal. His lips were no longer parched, his body was no longer cold, and the fire-element True Intent within him began to circulate once more. He lay in bed, looking at Young Valley Master and Jiang Hanzhou by his side, a weak smile playing on his lips.

"Little Friend Jiang, I shall never forget your kindness in saving my life." His voice was still a bit weak, but it no longer had that deathly rasp from before.

Jiang Hanzhou shook his head. "Valley Master, there is no need for such courtesy. Great Elder colluded with the Liehuo Alliance and betrayed the Sect; even if it wasn't to save you, I would not have sat idly by."

Valley Master nodded and sat up in bed, leaning against the pillow. His gaze fell on Jiang Hanzhou, and after a moment of silence, he spoke slowly: "Little Friend Jiang, you didn't come to Yanhuo Valley just to Cultivate, did you?"

Jiang Hanzhou looked at him and remained silent for a breath. Then, he took the two teleportation formation cores from his sumeru pouch—one ice-blue, one shimmering white—and held them in his palm. The two cores flickered slightly under the lights of the bedchamber, emitting a soft glow that contained an indescribable fluctuation of power.

"Valley Master, I came to Yanhuo Valley to find the core of the third teleportation formation. Dragon Slaying True Person's thousand-year plan requires five teleportation formations to be opened simultaneously to be completed. I have already found the two from the Northern Border and the Western Desert; the third one, from the Southern Border, is right here in Yanhuo Valley."

Valley Master's pupils shrank violently. He looked at the two cores and was silent for a long time. Then, he looked up at Jiang Hanzhou and asked hoarsely, "How do you know the Southern Border's formation core is in Yanhuo Valley?"

Jiang Hanzhou took Yi Qianfan's letter from his sumeru pouch and handed it to Valley Master. Valley Master took the letter and read it word by word, his expression growing increasingly dark. His fingers trembled slightly, crumpling the paper.

"Li Tianxing," he murmured to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "In the letter, Wei Wuya addresses the Master of Yanhuo Valley as Li Tianxing. But that is not me. My name is Su Yan, and every generation of Yanhuo Valley Master has been surnamed Su. Li Tianxing was a traitor of Yanhuo Valley three hundred years ago; he betrayed the Sect, stole the valley's guardian treasure, and vanished into the depths of the Southern Border."

He looked up at Jiang Hanzhou. "If Wei Wuya believes Li Tianxing is the Master of Yanhuo Valley, it means Li Tianxing is still alive and is hiding right here in Yanhuo Valley. He has been manipulating everything from the shadows, corresponding with Wei Wuya in my name and colluding with the Liehuo Alliance. Great Elder was merely his pawn; the true mastermind is Li Tianxing."

Jiang Hanzhou's brow furrowed sharply. He hadn't expected the situation in Yanhuo Valley to be even more complex than he imagined. Li Tianxing, a traitor from three hundred years ago, was still alive and hiding in Yanhuo Valley. He had colluded with Wei Wuya using Su Yan's name, manipulated Great Elder, and joined forces with the Liehuo Alliance, not just to seize Yanhuo Valley, but to guard the core of the third teleportation formation.

"Valley Master, where in Yanhuo Valley is the third formation core?" Jiang Hanzhou asked.

Valley Master was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "In the deepest part of the Earth Fire Cave, on the ninth level. That is the Forbidden Ground of Yanhuo Valley, a place even successive Valley Masters cannot easily enter. The formation core is sealed on an altar in the center of the Forbidden Ground, suppressed by the power of the earth fire spiritual vein. Only by holding the Valley Master Token can the Seal be undone."

He took the Valley Master Token from under his pillow and handed it to Jiang Hanzhou. "Little Friend Jiang, take it. Go to the ninth level of the Earth Fire Cave and take the formation core. Li Tianxing must be there as well, guarding the core and waiting for Wei Wuya's command. You must be careful; his cultivation may be even stronger than Lie Qianyang's."

Jiang Hanzhou took the Valley Master Token, put it into his sumeru pouch, stood up, and walked out of the bedchamber.

As he reached the door, Young Valley Master's voice came from behind him: "Senior Jiang, your injuries..."

Jiang Hanzhou stopped and said without turning his head, "It's no matter."

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

Behind him, Su Yan leaned against his pillow, watching his back in silence for a long time.

Then, he murmured to himself, "Li Tianxing, you betrayed Yanhuo Valley three hundred years ago. Three hundred years later, do you still intend to destroy it?"

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

Three days later, Yanhuo Valley was decorated with lanterns and streamers.

Crimson lanterns were hung from the valley entrance all the way to the Council Hall in the deepest part of the valley. The candlelight within the lanterns swayed in the night wind, bathing the entire valley in a red glow. The Pill Furnaces were relit, their fires reaching toward the sky, and the fragrance of medicine filled the air. The Martial Arts Arena was filled with tables and chairs, piled high with spiritual fruits, beast meat, and century-old brews. Disciples sat around the tables, their faces beaming with the joy of having survived.

The victory banquet was held on the plaza in front of the Council Hall. Su Yan sat in the seat of honor. Most of his injuries had healed and his complexion had returned to normal, though he was still a bit thin. He wore a crimson robe with a golden belt and the red-gold crown of the Valley Master on his head. Though he was still somewhat weak, he had regained some of the Aura of one who has long held a high position.

Young Valley Master sat by his side, having changed into a brand-new red dress. A red-gold hairpin was tucked into her hair, making her look exceptionally radiant.

Her injuries had also fully healed; her left leg was no longer lame, and she could move her right arm freely.

A faint smile played on her face, but within those pale gold eyes, a hint of indescribable loneliness would occasionally flash.

Jiang Hanzhou sat in the first guest seat, the tiger soul saber resting across his knees. The seven-colored patterns on the blade flickered slightly in the light of the lanterns.

He had changed into clean black martial attire, his long hair tied back with a cord. His face still bore that human skin mask, making him look like an ordinary Loose Cultivator in his early thirties.

However, he still radiated the pressure of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm. Although he deliberately restrained that pressure, it still made the surrounding Disciples afraid to approach.