153: Chapter 153 The War Begins

One incense stick later.

Five Flying Boats rose from the Qinglan Sword Sect and sped toward the north.

Li Changsheng was assigned to the Outer Sect Support Team, a group of forty people, all of whom were Disciples from the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage to the Middle Stage.

The leader was an Elder at the Golden Core Initial Stage surnamed Zhou, who had a serious expression and barely spoke along the way.

On the Flying Boat, the atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive.

Some closed their eyes to regulate their breathing, trying to calm themselves down.

Some spoke in low voices, exchanging news they had heard from various places.

Some gripped their weapons tightly, wiping them over and over again as if that could alleviate the fear in their hearts.

Li Changsheng sat in a corner, watching the clouds rapidly flash past the window.

Sitting beside him was a young Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage.

He looked no more than in his early twenties, and his face still carried a hint of childishness.

The Disciple was trembling with tension, his lips pale; several times he wanted to speak, but swallowed his words back down.

Finally, he could not help but speak.

“Senior Brother Li, are you afraid?”

Li Changsheng turned his head and looked at him.

The Disciple's eyes were filled with fear and expectation.

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“I am.”

The Disciple was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to answer that way.

Li Changsheng continued.

“What is the use of fear? What must come will eventually come.”

The Disciple lowered his head and did not speak again.

On the other side of the Flying Boat, several Disciples were excitedly discussing in low voices.

“I heard the Blood Fiend Sect brought tens of thousands of people this time!”

“What is there to fear? Our Qinglan Sword Sect is no pushover either!”

“The time to make a name for ourselves has come!”

“Killing one breaks even, killing two is a profit!”

Li Changsheng glanced at them but said nothing.

War was not what they thought it was.

He had seen war.

That night in Qinghe Town, he had personally witnessed thousands of people die.

The screams of those people still echoed in his ears to this day.

Those shriveled corpses still appeared in his dreams.

War is a meat grinder.

Whether you are at the Qi Refining Stage or the Foundation Establishment Stage, whether you are a Genius or mediocre, once you are caught in it, you could die at any moment.

He gripped the sword in his hand.

The hilt was ice-cold, yet it gave his heart a trace of stability.

He remembered Elder Qin's words.

“Those who survive are the veterans.”

He wanted to live.

He had to live.

The Flying Boat continued forward.

Outside the window, the night was deep, and the clouds were churning.

In the distance, firelight vaguely flashed.

That was the direction of the Jinyang Sect.

It was also the direction of the battlefield.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and forced himself to calm down.

In his mind, the insights of True Lord Xuan Yun surfaced.

The content regarding spiritual power circulation and combat techniques was exceptionally clear at this moment.

He silently recalled them, over and over again.

Until the Flying Boat suddenly jolted and began to descend slowly.

Someone shouted.

“We're here!”

Li Changsheng opened his eyes and stood up.

The moment the Flying Boat landed, Li Changsheng smelled a strong scent of blood.

That smell, mixed with burning, rot, and a certain indescribable eerie Aura, rushed straight to his head, making him want to retch.

He had seen blood and killed people, but he had never smelled such a heavy scent of blood.

How many lives must it have taken to gather into such an odor?

Li Changsheng gripped his sword and followed the crowd, rushing out of the Flying Boat.

Behind him, the nervous young Disciple followed at his side, his voice trembling.

“Senior Brother Li, can we... go back alive?”

Li Changsheng did not look back.

“We can.”

But the sight before him made him suck in a breath of cold air.

The mountain gate of the Jinyang Sect no longer existed.

The grand archway had collapsed to the ground, shattered into several pieces, and was still stained with dark red blood.

The buildings behind the mountain gate were engulfed in flames, and thick smoke billowed, dyeing half the sky an eerie orange-red.

There were corpses everywhere on the ground.

There were Disciples wearing Jinyang Sect clothing, black-clothed demonic cultivators from the Blood Fiend Sect, and some Loose Cultivators whose identities were unclear.

Some were severed limbs and remains, some were unrecognizable, and some still had their eyes open, unable to die in peace.

In the air, the Evil Qi was so thick it almost condensed into substance.

That cold Aura drilled into his pores and eroded his Meridians, making his whole body feel uncomfortable.

“What are you dazing for? Follow!”

The leading Elder gave a sharp shout and took the lead in charging forward.

Li Changsheng took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and followed the team toward the center of the battlefield.

Beside him, those Disciples who were excitedly discussing 'making a name for themselves' just now were all pale-faced, and some even began to tremble.

The cruelty of war far exceeded their imagination.

Rushing through a sea of fire, the sounds of intense slaughter came from ahead.

The Disciples of the Jinyang Sect were resisting desperately.

They formed Battle Formations in groups of twos and threes, standing back-to-back, fighting bloody battles against enemies several times their number.

Everyone bore injuries, and everyone's eyes held despair, but not a single person retreated.

“The Qinglan Sword Sect reinforcements are here! Brothers, hold on!”

Someone shouted, and the spirits of the Jinyang Sect Disciples were lifted, their offensive instantly becoming more fierce.

Li Changsheng did not hesitate and directly rushed into the fray.

His opponent was a demonic cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage, holding a Blood-colored Long Saber, with a ruthless and sharp saber technique.

Seeing how young he was, the demonic cultivator gave a sinister laugh and slashed down with his saber!

Li Changsheng sidestepped to avoid it and thrust out his sword!

This strike was fast and fierce; it was exactly the Gale Style from the Qinglan Sword Art!

The demonic cultivator did not expect him to be so fast and hurriedly dodged, but his shoulder was still slashed by the sword's edge!

“Little bastard!”

The demonic cultivator cursed angrily, his saber technique becoming even more violent.

Li Changsheng responded calmly, alternating between sword techniques and fist techniques.

He had just established his foundation, and his cultivation was not yet stable, but a hundred years of combat experience allowed him to remain calm against any opponent.

After ten moves, he caught a flaw and pierced the demonic cultivator's throat with one sword strike!

The demonic cultivator's eyes widened as he slowly collapsed.

Li Changsheng did not look back and turned to find his next target.

Just then, he heard a cry of alarm.

“Senior Brother, save me!”

He looked back, and his expression changed drastically.

The nervous young Disciple who had been sitting next to him earlier was now slumped on the ground, his legs so weak he could not stand up at all.

Before him, a demonic cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage was sneering as he raised his saber to slash down!

Li Changsheng exerted force with his feet, and his whole body became like a streak of light, instantly rushing in front of the Disciple!

Clang!

He held his sword horizontally to parry, forcefully taking the blow!

A massive force was transmitted; the web of his hand went numb, and he was shaken back three steps!

The demonic cultivator looked at him, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes, followed by an even more sinister laugh.

“Another one coming to his death!”

He delivered slash after slash in a frenzy!

Li Changsheng fought as he retreated, protecting the terrified Disciple behind him.

This demonic cultivator's cultivation was higher than his, and his strength was greater; a direct confrontation would certainly end in defeat!

He had to win by wit!

While defending, he observed the opponent's saber technique.

This demonic cultivator's saber technique was ruthless, but it was overly aggressive, with a brief pause after every strike.

If he could catch that moment...

After fifty moves, he finally found his chance!

The demonic cultivator's slash missed, and the moment his strike overextended, Li Changsheng closed in and thrust his sword!

This strike concentrated all of his strength!

Pfft!

The sword tip pierced the demonic cultivator's heart!

The demonic cultivator's eyes widened as he looked down at the sword in his chest and slowly fell.

Li Changsheng panted heavily and looked back at the slumped Disciple.

The Disciple's face was deathly pale, his whole body was trembling, and his lips quivered, unable to speak.

“Get up.”

Li Changsheng said coldly.

The Disciple struggled to stand, but his legs were as soft as noodles and could not exert any strength.

Li Changsheng grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.

“Stand firm.”

Li Changsheng shouted loudly.

“If you don't want to die, stay close to me.”