431: Chapter 431 A disagreement arises on the eve of battle; both want Xiao Nianyin.

The Hehuan Sect was blocked front and back, but Cult Leader Situ was in no rush.

He paced around Xu Ruyu for half a circle, clicking his tongue and saying, "Tsk tsk, Qi Refinement Stage.

A brat at the Qi Refinement Stage who can turn the Taihu Clan upside down and force me to take action personally—you are truly one of a kind in the Cultivation World.

I've heard that you really made quite a name for yourself in the Taihu Clan!

Completing the saint tablet, breaking the Forbidden Array, gaining the approval of the taihu tripod, and blasting a Half-step Saint Realm expert away with one shot—any one of these things alone would be enough for someone to brag about for a lifetime.

What a pity, what a pity—"

He stopped walking, leaned close to Xu Ruyu, lowered his voice, and a flicker of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a naked intent to kill:

"Today, you, the Saint Master of the Taihu Clan, are going to die here.

The Hehuan Sect behind you will also be buried along with you.

As for your Disciples, kill the men, and the women..."

He didn't finish his sentence, just smiled meaningfully, his expression full of lewdness.

The Jile Sect Disciples behind him started laughing along, their laughter lecherous and grating.

Just then, a cold voice came from behind: "Cult Leader Situ, I will say this again—Xiao Nianyin is mine."

Cult Leader Situ straightened up and looked back.

Zhao Qian had already led the people from the Tianshu Sword Sect to surround them, completely cutting off the Hehuan Sect's path of retreat.

He walked up close, his gaze passing over Xu Ruyu to stare fixedly at Xiao Nianyin behind him. His eyes were filled with complex emotions—hatred, resentment, unwillingness, and an obsession twisted into madness.

Upon seeing Xiao Nianyin again, Zhao Qian's expression was exceptionally cold and grim.

He stood there, surrounded by Sword Qi, like a drawn sharp sword, radiating a fierce Killing Intent.

"Elder Zhao, what you said is not right."

Cult Leader Situ said slowly, arms crossed, looking dismissive.

"Xiao Nianyin is the prey of my Jile Sect; I have been waiting outside Tianyin Mountain for over half a month just for her.

Why is your Tianshu Sword Sect joining in?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qian realized that the other party wanted to hog the prey for himself. He couldn't help but point at Xiao Nianyin and say coldly: "She, Xiao Nianyin, and I have an old grudge.

Twenty years ago, she insulted my Sword Heart and ruined my Dao path. If I do not avenge this, I, Zhao Qian, swear I will not be a man.

I came today to settle this Karma.

Cult Leader Situ, your Jile Sect wants the person, while I want her life.

Let us each take what we need and not interfere with each other."

Cult Leader Situ laughed, his laughter full of mockery, echoing in the mountain wind: "An old grudge? Elder Zhao, it's not like I don't know about your sordid affairs.

You failed to woo Xiao Nianyin, were humiliated by her instead, and turned love into hatred, harboring that hatred for twenty years.

Tsk tsk, a dignified Sword Cultivator, an Elder of the Tianshu Sword Sect, turning yourself into this state over a woman—how can you have the nerve to call yourself a leader of the Righteous Path?

'Insulted my Sword Heart, ruined my Dao path'—it sounds so nice.

Isn't it just that she didn't fancy you? Is it worth holding a grudge for twenty years?"

Zhao Qian's face instantly turned livid, veins bulged on his forehead, and he shouted sternly: "Situ E! You—"

"Alright, alright."

Cult Leader Situ waved his hand, saying lazily, still looking impatient.

"I won't argue with you about these useless things.

You say you want Xiao Nianyin, fine.

However, you have to wait. Wait until I've had my fun. If I'm in a good mood then, I might just reward you with an arm or a leg to take back to vent your anger. How about that? I'm generous enough, right?"

The Jile Sect Disciples behind him started laughing again.

Zhao Qian's eyes were almost spitting fire. His hand pressed onto his sword hilt, and the blade vibrated slightly, emitting a low hum.

The Tianshu Sword Sect Disciples behind him also drew their longswords in unison. The sword light flickered in the twilight, brimming with Killing Intent.

"Situ E, don't go too far."

Zhao Qian gritted his teeth, saying every word clearly: "Although the number of people my Tianshu Sword Sect brought today is not as large as your Jile Sect, you must know that I am an Elder of the Tianshu Sword Sect!

Without me saying it, you should know what these four words represent in the Cultivation World.

If you burn your bridges and act so extreme today, aren't you afraid that my Tianshu Sword Sect will trample your Jile Sect one day?

Besides, Situ E, don't be too arrogant; who will emerge victorious is yet to be known.

The people I brought today are enough to give you a headache.

If you want both sides to suffer, feel free to try.

At worst, neither of us will get Xiao Nianyin."

The two stared at each other, the air filled with the thick scent of gunpowder.

The people from the Jile Sect and the Tianshu Sword Sect were at daggers drawn, the atmosphere tense to the extreme, ready to fight at any moment.

The Hehuan Sect members were caught in the middle, not daring to even breathe loudly.

How is this a collaboration between the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path? It is clearly two hungry wolves fighting over prey, and they are that prey.

Some were fearful, some angry, some desperate, some unwilling.

But no one spoke, no one dared to speak.

Xu Ruyu still did not speak, just quietly watched everything, his gaze as calm as water.

He was thinking about how to break the deadlock.

Fight head-on? Impossible.

The opposition alone has two Saint Realm experts, one Half-step Saint Realm expert, over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators, and dozens of Golden Core cultivators.

On the Hehuan Sect side, besides himself, the strongest are the three, including Leng Ningshuang, who are at the Soul Transformation Stage.

Even if he used the psionic rocket launcher, he could at most deal with one Saint Realm expert.

The remaining people would be enough to slaughter the Hehuan Sect completely.

This is not a battle; this is a massacre.

Break through? Also impossible.

Blocked front and back, with dead ends on both sides.

To the left is a steep cliff, with jagged rocks and no vegetation, making climbing almost impossible.

To the right is a bottomless canyon, pitch black and impossible to see the bottom, with only the sound of wind howling in the valley.

Even if he could escape, what about those three hundred Disciples?

He, Xu Ruyu, would not abandon his own Disciples.