679: Chapter 679 Lu Xueqi and Biyao (58)

Qingyun Sect was arranged to stay in a courtyard in West City, with a quiet environment suitable for preparing for battle.

After checking in, Elder Lu gathered everyone: "Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, the conference will officially begin. Rest well tonight and conserve your energy."

Everyone returned to their rooms.

Su Han sat quietly in his room regulating his breathing, but his mind was uneasy. He thought of his Senior Sister's words, the Ask Heart Tower, and the unknown enemy.

Late at night, he suddenly felt something and pushed open the window.

Moonlight was like water, drenching the courtyard. On the opposite roof, a dark shadow flashed and vanished.

Su Han's eyes narrowed, and he followed silently.

The shadow was extremely fast, jumping between roofs, finally landing in a secluded alley. Su Han followed closely, but found the alley empty.

"Lost them?" He frowned slightly.

"Junior Brother Su has such sharp perception." A voice came from behind.

Su Han turned around abruptly and saw a person standing at the entrance of the alley—dressed in brocade with a jade belt, with a haughty expression. It was actually Luo Tianyu.

"It's you?" Su Han looked at him warily.

Luo Tianyu smiled, though the smile was somewhat forced: "Don't be nervous, I'm not here to cause trouble."

He stepped closer and lowered his voice: "I've found out some things about the person who impersonated your Sect's sword techniques to steal the Crimson Essence Fire Lotus."

Su Han's heart stirred: "Who is it?"

"I can't say." Luo Tianyu shook his head, "The other party has too powerful a background; I can't afford to offend them. But I can tell you one thing—that person has also come to Tianxing City, and their goal is to deal with you at the Hundred Sects Grand Assembly, or rather, to deal with the Qingyun Sect."

"Why tell me this?" Su Han asked.

Luo Tianyu was silent for a moment and smiled bitterly: "After losing to you that day, I thought a lot. The path of cultivation shouldn't just be about being competitive. That sword strike of yours... let me see another Realm of the Sword Dao. I don't want to see such a sword Dao Genius destroyed by someone's insidious methods."

He paused and added: "Additionally, my Master also said that although the thief's sword technique imitated the Tianya Nine Swords, it carried a trace of evil Qi, completely different from your upright and magnificent Sword Intent. The Ziyang Sect will no longer pursue this matter."

Having said that, he turned to leave.

"Wait." Su Han called out to him, "Do you know what methods the other party will use?"

Luo Tianyu looked back, a flash of complexity in his eyes: "At the Hundred Sects Grand Assembly, life and death are not guaranteed. Take care of yourself."

A dark shadow flashed and disappeared into the night.

Su Han stood there, silent for a long time.

An evil sword technique. A background too powerful. The target was him and the Qingyun Sect.

These clues connected together, pointing to a terrifying possibility.

He took a deep breath and turned back. No matter who the opponent was, he had to break through with his sword.

The next day, outside Tianxing City, at the foot of Starfall Mountain.

Tens of thousands of Cultivators gathered here, the noise of voices boiling over. Disciples of the hundred Sects stood in areas divided by Sect, each one rubbing their palms and eager to start.

In the area where the Qingyun Sect members were, Elder Lu was giving final instructions: "There are no limits on methods for the Ascending Heaven Ladder, but you must not kill intentionally. If you encounter danger, you can crush the jade pendant to be teleported down the mountain, but that also means forfeiting."

He looked at the three of Su Han: "You are our Sect's hope. You must reach the mountain peak."

"We understand, Disciple."

Exactly at the hour of Chen, a loud voice echoed through the sky:

"The Hundred Sects Grand Assembly begins!"

As the words fell, tens of thousands of Cultivators surged toward the mountain path like a tide.

Starfall Mountain was three thousand zhang high, with a winding mountain path. Every hundred zhang, there was a platform with a Restriction, where the pressure doubled. The higher one went, the stronger the Restriction became, posing a severe test for Star Power, Physical Body, and will.

The three of Su Han walked side by side. The initial stage was easy and natural, and they soon left a large number of Cultivators behind.

At three hundred zhang, the pressure suddenly increased, as if they were carrying giant boulders. The speed of many Disciples with weaker cultivation slowed down significantly.

At six hundred zhang, the pressure increased several times again. Some Disciples could no longer bear it and crushed their jade pendants to withdraw.

"This Restriction is indeed powerful." Ye Wuhen had sweat on his forehead, "It's said that above two thousand zhang, the pressure is comparable to the pressure of the Star River Realm."

Su Han nodded; he could feel the flow of Star Power in his body starting to become sluggish. But his Physical Body had been tempered many times and was much stronger than those of the same rank, so he could still endure.

They continued to climb.

One thousand zhang, one thousand five hundred zhang... when they reached two thousand zhang, fewer than a thousand people remained, each one an elite of their respective Sect.

And from here, the real competition began.

"Get out of the way!" A bare-chested brawny man shouted and struck a palm toward the thin youth in front of him. Caught off guard, the youth was sent flying, spitting blood and falling off the mountain path.

The brawny man sneered and continued upward.

Similar scenes were playing out everywhere. Although intentional killing was forbidden, "accidental" heavy injuries were a tacitly accepted rule. With only a hundred seats, everyone wanted to compete.

Su Han and the other two looked at each other, moving closer and forming a defensive Formation.

"You three, this path is closed." Five people suddenly appeared ahead, blocking the way. The leader was a hook-nosed young man with Middle Stage Star Palace Realm cultivation, with golden flame patterns embroidered on his clothes.

"People from the Golden Flame Sect," Mu Qingxue said in a low voice.

The Golden Flame Sect was a medium-sized Sect in the Eastern Region and had long-standing grievances with the Qingyun Sect.

"If you want to pass, you'll have to ask the swords in our hands." The hook-nosed youth grinned maliciously, "Or, leave behind some toll money."

This was blatant robbery. Snatching others' resources during the climb was also one of the conference's tacit rules.

Ye Wuhen sneered: "Just with you lot?"

He took a step forward, the Qing Yun Dharma Idol appeared, and he struck with a palm. The five people's expressions changed drastically as they hurriedly joined forces to resist.

Boom!

Air waves surged, and the five were shaken back several steps. The leading youth even had blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Qing Yun Dharma Idol... You are Ye Wuhen?" He said in horror.

"If you step aside now, there's still time," Ye Wuhen said indifferently.

The five people's expressions shifted, and they finally gritted their teeth and made way. They had intended to pick on soft targets, but they hadn't expected to kick a steel plate.

Su Han and the other two continued upward.

The higher they went, the more intense the fighting became. Along the way, they occasionally saw Disciples who had been injured and withdrawn, as well as a few corpses—unlucky souls who hadn't had time to crush their jade pendants.

At two thousand five hundred zhang, the pressure had become terrifying. Every step required full effort, and Star Power was consumed like flowing water.

Su Han's bones creaked, and sweat soaked his clothes. But his eyes were firm, and he moved steadily upward, one step at a time.

Mu Qingxue's face was pale. She specialized in Formations, and her Physical Body was relatively weak; she had reached her limit. Ye Wuhen wasn't much better, his Dharma Idol phantom flickering in and out.

"You two go ahead, I'll follow slowly," Mu Qingxue said, gritting her teeth.

"No." Su Han shook his head, "Together."

He reached out to support Mu Qingxue, passing a stream of pure Star Power into her body. Ye Wuhen also came to help. The three supported each other and continued to climb.

This scene was seen by many. Some sneered at their stupidity for still caring about Sect fellowship at such a time; others showed looks of admiration.

Two thousand eight hundred zhang, two thousand nine hundred zhang...

The mountain peak was in sight!

But at this moment, a figure appeared ahead.

The person wore a black robe and stood with his back to them, as if he had been waiting there for a long time. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around.

It was an ordinary face, the kind that wouldn't be found if thrown into a crowd. But the moment Su Han saw him, alarm bells rang loudly in his heart. (End of Chapter)