199: Chapter 199 Voluntary Joining

The valley where Qingxin Pavilion was located was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Three sides were steep cliff walls, with only one narrow mountain path leading into the valley.

As long as the mountain path was held, one could resist many with few.

He divided the Disciples into three teams.

One team, led by Su Qianxue, guarded the entrance of the mountain path, responsible for the first wave of obstruction.

One team, led by Qin Hao, guarded the mountainside, responsible for support.

He himself led the most elite team, guarding the front of the mountain gate, ready to support any location at any time.

Su Qinghan sat at the mountain top, responsible for dealing with those two Nascent Soul Elders.

Once the arrangements were complete, Li Changsheng walked to the mountain path entrance and stood beside Su Qianxue.

Su Qianxue looked at him and said,

"Aren't you going to guard the mountain gate?"

Li Changsheng shook his head and said,

"The first wave is the most important. If we can block them here, things will be easier later."

Su Qianxue was silent for a moment and said, "Be careful."

Li Changsheng nodded.

In the distance, a dark mass of people was approaching.

Two thousand Qinglan Disciples surged forward like a tide.

The great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

When the Qinglan Disciples charged into the mountain path, the first wave of obstruction began.

The Disciples led by Su Qianxue threw down countless stones, Talismans, and Spells from the cliff walls on both sides. Those Qinglan Disciples were caught off guard, immediately suffering heavy casualties as screams of agony rose and fell.

But there were too many Qinglan Disciples.

As one group died, another came up.

They stepped over their companions' corpses and continued to charge forward.

Su Qianxue gritted her teeth, desperately throwing attacks.

Her spiritual energy was consumed extremely quickly, and she soon felt exhausted.

Right then, a figure flashed past her.

Li Changsheng.

He charged into the enemy crowd, killing three with one sword strike and forcing back five with another.

His sword techniques were sharp to the extreme, with every strike taking a life.

Those Qinglan Disciples were terrified by his killing and retreated one after another.

"Li Changsheng!" someone cried out in alarm.

"It's him! That traitor!"

"Kill him!"

Over a dozen Qinglan Disciples pounced at the same time!

Li Changsheng gave a cold laugh as his sword light unfolded. He alternately executed the Gale Style, Flowing Cloud Style, and Falling Thunder Style of the Qinglan Sword Art, each Move sharper than the last!

After ten Moves, all of those dozen or so people had fallen!

But even more Qinglan Disciples swarmed up.

Li Changsheng fought while retreating, always holding the entrance to the mountain path.

Several wounds were added to his body, but he couldn't spare a thought for them, only killing with one sword strike after another.

Just then, a terrifying aura burst out from the crowd.

It was a cold-faced middle-aged man with a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation, holding a blood-colored longsword.

His sword techniques were strange and ruthless, each strike carrying a dense Evil Qi.

Li Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly.

That Evil Qi... was exactly the same as the Blood Fiend Sect's Cultivation Technique.

He remembered the words he had heard from True Lord Three Swords before, and the text he had seen in the Blood Fiend Sect's Jade Slip.

Ling Cang was indeed researching Evil Qi Cultivation Techniques.

The man stabbed with his sword; Li Changsheng sidestepped to avoid it and countered with a sword strike!

Clang!

The two swords met, sparks flying everywhere!

The man was shaken back three steps, his expression changing.

"You..."

Li Changsheng didn't speak, he just pounced forward again!

His sword techniques became faster and more ruthless, each strike carrying a determination to kill!

After thirty Moves, the man finally revealed a flaw!

Li Changsheng stabbed out, hitting him right in the chest!

The man's eyes widened as he slowly fell.

Li Changsheng withdrew his sword, panting heavily.

He looked down at the man's corpse, then at the Qinglan Disciples who were still frantically attacking, a complex emotion rising in his heart.

These people weren't here voluntarily.

Their minds were being controlled by Evil Qi.

Just like the Blood Cloud Gate Disciples back then.

He took a deep breath and continued to kill the enemies.

No matter what, he had to hold this place.

The battle lasted for an entire day.

When the sun set in the west, the Qinglan Disciples finally began to retreat.

They left behind nearly five hundred corpses and fled the valley in a wretched state.

On the Alliance's side, over two hundred people had also been killed or wounded.

Li Changsheng stood before the mountain gate, covered in blood, watching the retreating enemies as he let out a long breath.

They won.

Though the casualties were heavy, they won.

Su Qianxue walked over and supported him.

Her face was pale and she had several wounds on her body, but her gaze was still bright.

"Li Changsheng, are you alright?"

Li Changsheng shook his head and said, "I'm fine."

Qin Hao also walked over, grinning.

"Brother Li, you're too amazing! You killed so many people by yourself!"

Li Changsheng looked at him and smiled as well.

"You weren't bad either."

The three of them looked at each other and laughed.

In the distance, Su Qinghan descended from the sky and landed beside them.

Her aura was somewhat disordered; she had clearly been entangled with those two Nascent Soul Elders for a long time.

"They have retreated."

"They shouldn't come back for a short while."

Li Changsheng nodded and said,

"That's good."

He turned to look at the Disciples who were clearing the battlefield and the companions who had sacrificed themselves, a sense of sorrow rising in his heart.

This battle was won.

But even more battles were waiting for them.

That night, Li Changsheng sat in his Immortal Cave, regulating his breath to heal his injuries.

Over a dozen wounds had been added to his body, but none were fatal.

The recovery ability of the Golden Core Stage allowed him to heal quickly.

He closed his eyes, recalling today's battle.

Those Qinglan Disciples controlled by Evil Qi and those ruthless Moves gave him an ominous premonition.

Ling Cang, what exactly are you researching?

But no matter how deep you hide,

One day, I will uncover your true face.

Three days after the victory of the first battle, Qingxin Pavilion welcomed a group of uninvited guests.

That morning, the Disciple on duty ran into the main hall in a panic, his face deathly pale.

"Pa-Pavilion Master! A group of people has arrived outside the mountain gate!"

"They... they are wearing blood-red clothes!"

Su Qinghan stood up abruptly, and Li Changsheng also gripped his sword.

Blood-red?

Blood Fiend Sect?

The two exchanged a look and dashed toward the mountain gate at the same time.

Outside the mountain gate stood about thirty people.

The leader was a man with white hair and a white beard, a lean face, and deep eyes, with a Middle Golden Core stage cultivation.

Behind him followed twenty to thirty Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples, each looking exhausted and carrying injuries.

They wore blood-red robes, which was the standard attire of the Blood Fiend Sect.

Su Qinghan stood before the mountain gate, looking at them coldly.

"What are people from the Blood Fiend Sect doing at my Qingxin Pavilion?"

The middle-aged man stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Pavilion Master Su, I am a former Elder of the Blood Fiend Sect, Yang Liu. I have come today unannounced to ask for a favor."

Su Qinghan's brow furrowed slightly.

"What favor?"

Yang Liu took a deep breath and said slowly,

"We wish to join the New Righteous Alliance."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.

Li Changsheng stared at him with a sharp gaze.

"Join the Alliance? Hasn't your Blood Fiend Sect always been an enemy of the Righteous Path?"

Yang Liu looked at him, a trace of bitterness flashing in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Li, there is something you don't know. Our Blood Fiend Sect was not born as evil cultivators."

He looked up at Yang Liu.

"We were all framed."

Yang Liu nodded, his eyes turning slightly red.

"For three hundred years, we have been hiding everywhere, not daring to reveal our identities."

"We Cultivate the Blood Fiend Sect's techniques not to harm people, but just to survive, so that one day, we can avenge our grievances."

He clenched his fists and said word by word,

"Ling Cang is a descendant of Ling Yuan."

"He inherited his ancestor's ambition and his ancestor's cruelty. We hate him, hate him to the bone."

Li Changsheng fell silent.

He thought of that Blood Fiend Sect Jade Slip, the text recorded on it, and what True Lord Three Swords had said.

The Blood Fiend Sect was indeed framed.

He looked at Su Qinghan.

Su Qinghan also fell silent.

After a long while, she slowly spoke.

"If you want to join the Alliance, you can. But I have one condition."

Yang Liu said,

"Please speak, Pavilion Master Su."

"Your people must accept the Alliance's supervision."

"You must not act without authorization and must not kill the innocent. If there is any violation, you will be executed without mercy."

Yang Liu nodded without hesitation.

"Agreed. We were never people who killed indiscriminately to begin with."

Su Qinghan looked at Li Changsheng.

Li Changsheng nodded.

"Then it is settled."