288: Forcibly breaking into Taixu Gate

In the hearts of Mortals, the Taixu Sect was a Holy Land, the only hope for transcending the mundane.

They looked up at those white-robed Immortal Venerables, as if looking up at gods.

Just at this moment—

The sky suddenly ripped apart!

A black shadow, like a meteor, descended from the sky, carrying a world-destroying force, and slammed heavily in front of the mountain gate!

Boom—!!!

The earth cracked, rocks rolled down, the Nine Heavens Profound Light Array, the protective mountain array, violently shook, and three layers of barriers shattered one after another, Spiritual Light scattering everywhere!

Before the dust settled, a man slowly walked out.

He was clad in dark golden battle armor, his black robe fluttered, his eyes were like abysses, and three distinctly terrifying Auras intertwined around him—

This person was Ling Tian!

He didn't even glance at those high and mighty Disciples; he just coldly swept his gaze over the mountain gate.

"Get out of the way! This is the Taixu Holy Land; no unauthorized entry!"

Dozens of Disciples roared in anger, drawing their swords one after another, forming the "Seven Star Sword Array," Sword Qi soaring into the sky, Spiritual Light intertwining, attempting to stop this audacious individual!

Ling Tian didn't even pause his steps; he just casually waved his right hand—

"Scram."

An invisible, immense force swept out like a raging sea!

Dozens of Disciples were sent flying like straw, screaming as they crashed into the mountain wall, their bones broken, blood splattering!

Even the "Tongtian Jade Stele," which symbolized the Taixu Sect's prestige, was shattered into dust, its fragments scattering!

Immediately after, he raised his left hand, an Azure Dragon phantom roared, and a bolt of lightning, like a Dragon, pierced through the sky!

"Kill."

Boom—!!!

Hundreds of mountain gate Disciples, whether at Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment, were all pierced by the lightning, screaming and falling to the ground, their blood staining the jade steps!

Some had their heads explode, some had their chests pierced through, some had all their limbs severed, and wails filled the air!

In front of the mountain gate, it instantly turned into a Shura field!

Down the mountain, tens of thousands of Mortals were completely stunned.

They watched with their own eyes as those high and mighty "Immortal Venerables," those "gods" whom they had knelt before for three days and three nights without even earning a glance,

were slaughtered like ants in an instant!

Those white-robed figures who had once looked down on them with cold eyes now lay in pools of blood, wailing, twitching, dying... An old woman trembled as she raised her head, looking at the black-robed figure, muttering:

"So... Immortal Venerables... are nothing more than this..."

"Yes..." a young boy wiped away his tears, a flame igniting in his eyes for the first time, "They also die, they also bleed..."

Just as Ling Tian was slowly advancing, treading on a ground covered in blood—

A clear sword cry resounded through the clouds!

"Stop!!"

Only to see Spiritual Light explode in mid-air, a white-robed figure came striding on his sword, his Sword Light like a rainbow, tearing through the blood mist, his Aura awe-inspiring, as if an exiled Immortal had descended from beyond the heavens!

His posture was tall and straight, his face handsome, a golden pattern flickered between his brows, and the majestic Spiritual Pressure of the Taixu Sect's supreme Mind-Cultivation Technique, the "Nine Yang Profound Art," swirled around him; wherever he passed, blood stains dispersed, and broken swords returned to their sheaths!

It was Child of the Clouds!

Down the mountain, tens of thousands of Mortals instantly erupted in an uproar, looking up in shock!

"It's Child of the Clouds Immortal Venerable!!"

"Rumor has it that he is the next Sect Head of the Taixu Sect, having already entered the Late Golden Core Stage at only twenty-eight years old, hailed as the 'Number One Genius of the Southern Wilderness'!"

"He once killed a Golden Core Demon King with a single sword strike, protecting the common people of three states; he is a true living Immortal!"

The surviving Taixu Sect Disciples were even more ecstatic, as if seeing a savior, struggling to their feet one after another, shouting hoarsely:

"Senior Brother! Save us!!"

"It's this person, he killed hundreds of our fellow Disciples!!"

"He's trying to break into the mountain gate and destroy our Holy Land!!"

Child of the Clouds stood in the Void Realm, his white robe fluttering, his gaze like lightning sweeping over the corpses on the ground, his brow tightly furrowed, and anger rising in his eyes.

Although he was of a detached nature, he valued loyalty and righteousness; these Disciples were all his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters who had cultivated with him, and now they had been slaughtered to this extent!

He stared intently at Ling Tian, his voice as cold as frost:

"God Slaying Pavilion's Ling Tian! How dare you stain my Taixu mountain gate with blood and slaughter the innocent?! If I don't suppress you today, I, Child of the Clouds, will be unworthy of the Sect Head's trust, and unworthy of the Taixu ancestors!"

Ling Tian looked up, a mocking smile playing on his lips, as if looking at an ant that didn't know its own limits.

"Hand over Liu Lanyan."

His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable domineering tone, "I have something to discuss with her."

Child of the Clouds snorted coldly, waving his sleeve: "Junior Sister Liu is in seclusion, at a critical stage of breaking through to Golden Core Peak; how can a Devil Head of the Evil Path like you disturb her?! Retreat quickly, otherwise—don't blame me for being merciless with my sword!"

"Oh?"

Ling Tian chuckled lightly, slowly raising his right hand, a ball of pitch-black flame condensing in his palm—that was the "World-Destroying Demonic Flame" he had formed by the Fusion of "White Tiger Evil Qi" and "Azure Dragon Thunder Qi"!

As the flames danced, space twisted, and even the air was scorched, showing cracks.

"If I flatten your Taixu Sect, and she still won't come out?!"

"You're going too far!!"

Child of the Clouds was furious to the extreme, letting out a long roar to the sky, his spiritual power circulating wildly within him!

He conjured three of his Natal Magical Artifacts—

The "Taixu Sword," which summoned the Nine Heavens Lightning Tribulation, its sword strike like a Dragon;

The "Profound Light Mirror," which reflected all techniques, offering unparalleled protection;

The "Star Luo Disk," which locked the Void Realm, immobilizing enemies!

With all three artifacts unleashed, they formed the "Three Talents Reversion Array," Sword Light like a net, mirror light protecting his body, and the disk's power locking space, vowing to slay Ling Tian before the mountain gate!

He further activated the tenth level of the "Nine Yang Profound Art," golden spiritual flames igniting around him, like a small sun suspended in the air, his power reaching the heavens!

Thunderclouds gathered in the sky, lightning snakes danced wildly, as if heaven and earth were assisting this Prodigy!

But Ling Tian merely smiled coldly, an Azure Dragon phantom flashing on his left hand, a White Tiger roaring on his right shoulder, and a Black Tortoise shell appearing on his back—

"A mere Golden Core, do you even qualify to block me?!"

He threw a punch!

The Azure Dragon coiled around his fist, the White Tiger imbued its strength, the Black Tortoise protected his body; the three forces superimposed, forming a shockwave powerful enough to shake mountains!

Boom—!!!

The "Taixu Sword" shattered on the spot!

The "Profound Light Mirror" splintered into pieces!

The "Star Luo Disk" flew backward, all its Spiritual Light lost!

Child of the Clouds was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, his chest caved in, blood flowing from his seven orifices, his Golden Core cracking, and he slammed heavily into the mountain, his fate unknown!

Ling Tian walked through the air, taking a single step, and was already in front of him.

He looked down at this young man, once hailed as the "Number One Genius of the Heavenly Realm," with no trace of pity in his eyes.

"Ant."

He pointed a finger, and black flames pierced through his body!

Child of the Clouds didn't even let out a scream; his Divine Soul was utterly destroyed, his corpse turning into ashes, scattering with the wind.

A generation's Prodigy, a future Sect Head, a "living Immortal" admired by thousands, was annihilated in a single move!

Down the mountain, tens of thousands of Mortals were completely stunned.

They watched with their own eyes as that "Immortal Venerable" who had once saved all beings and slain demons,

a being like a god in their hearts,

was killed by a single finger... without even leaving a corpse... At that moment, the faith in countless hearts collapsed with a crash.

"Stop!!"

An aged and sorrowful sword cry resounded through heaven and earth!

A Sword Light shot up from the main peak, as brilliant as the sun, tearing through the blood mist, heading straight for Ling Tian's throat!

That Sword Light contained endless sorrow and monstrous rage, forcing Ling Tian to side-step to avoid it; his black robe was torn by the Sword Qi, revealing a shallow bloody mark!

As the dust settled, a figure came striding through the air.

His white hair was disheveled, his Daoist robe stained with blood, he stood on an ancient longsword, his eyes were bloodshot, and tears streamed down his face.

With every step he took, heaven and earth trembled, and his Spiritual Pressure was like a prison!

It was the Taixu Sect's Sect Head—Xiao Qingxu!

He stood where Child of the Clouds had fallen, looking at the ashes scattering with the wind, his entire body trembling, old tears flowing freely.

"Child of the Clouds... your master... came too late..."