Free Web NovelChapter 293: Chapter 289: I Alone Can Fight an Army of Thousands
RUMBLE...
Thunderclouds roiled as a black, oppressive canopy of clouds gathered over Qing Province, plunging the world into darkness.
As if to confirm Ning Jiang’s declaration that "a storm is coming," a torrential downpour, accompanied by howling gales, suddenly began to fall.
"PATTER PATTER PATTER."
Raindrops the size of beans pelted the roof beams, creating a continuous, crisp sound like jade pearls falling onto a platter.
"It’s raining."
Ning Jiang looked up at the sky. Amidst the flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, the wind and rain howled. ’This storm will likely last a long time,’ he thought.
’Sister An, are you all okay?’
His thoughts drifted away, back to Cyan Cloud Country. He remembered dueling his enemies there, several times in rain just like this.
The most memorable time was when he emerged from seclusion after recovering from grave injuries to face Wang Jiangshi of the Wang Family at Star Moon Lake.
After that battle, his rise was unstoppable. For several days and nights, he fought his way across thousands of miles, from Luoyang City to the Li Family in Golden Cauldron City, and then on to Pill King Valley. Heads rolled wherever he went. He was peerless and unrivaled, eventually earning the title of Young Master Wushuang.
A gentleman on the path, as flawless as jade; a young master, peerless in this world.
Everyone in Cyan Cloud Country knew those lines by heart.
Ning Jiang murmured, "It’s been almost a year since I left Cyan Cloud Country. Once this is all over, I’ll go back for a visit."
Cyan Cloud Country held fond memories for him, and people he couldn’t let go of.
Behind him, Yue Wenfu and the others watched his back. They could faintly sense his nostalgic mood.
Just then, Ning Jiang’s gaze shifted. He looked to the south and slowly uttered five words: "A great war is coming!"
His Divine Sense had been spread out over a hundred-li radius all this time. Just a moment ago, he had detected countless powerful experts heading in their direction.
"What?!"
Although Yue Wenfu and the others were in the God-Seizing Realm, the range of their Divine Sense was inferior to Ning Jiang’s.
But they knew Ning Jiang would not lie.
Following his gaze, their hearts grew heavy with apprehension.
One breath, two breaths...
After ten breaths,
"WOOOOOOO—"
Amidst the resounding blast of a horn, a roiling, blood-red cloud appeared in the southern sky.
Upon closer inspection, the blood-red cloud was formed by over ten thousand figures clad in crimson robes. A terrifying killing intent emanated from them, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who sensed it, even from a great distance.
"The Evil Spirit Sect is here!"
"Can the Myriad Swords Sect survive this disaster?"
All around the Star Sword Sect’s grounds, numerous experts from Qing Province had already gathered.
They all knew a great war was inevitable, so they had come to this place long ago.
"A force of this size could probably sweep across all of Qingjiang."
"The Evil Spirit Sect is too powerful! Just from their auras, there are over a hundred at the Primordial Spirit Realm, and even more than a dozen at the Immortal Realm."
"The strongest are the four at the very front—they’re all Earth Martial Realm experts!"
This sight made the hearts of countless Martial Artists pound with fear.
At that moment, everyone finally understood just how powerful a Top Grade Sect truly was. In the hearts of countless onlookers, any hope for victory had already been extinguished.
A force like this could easily crush any Upper Grade Sect.
What trump card could the Myriad Swords Sect possibly have to stand against such a formidable enemy?
"Maybe this battle will be over soon."
"Not necessarily. Don’t forget, doesn’t the Myriad Swords Sect have that mysterious Meng Daoyi backing them?"
"No matter how strong Meng Daoyi is, he’s still just one person. Don’t tell me he can fight four Earth Martial Realm experts at once?"
The crowd broke into fervent discussion.
Soon, the great army of the Evil Spirit Sect flew into the sky above the Star Sword Sect, looking down on everything from on high.
With their arrival, Yue Wenfu and the others were suddenly hit by a suffocating pressure.
Even though they were God-Seizing Realm experts, their bodies couldn’t help but tremble in the face of such a massive force.
At this moment, the only one who remained perfectly calm was Ning Jiang.
Their eyes were all fixed on Ning Jiang. He just stood there, looking perfectly ordinary, yet he exuded an air of such profound calm that it seemed he would remain unfazed even if the heavens themselves were to collapse.
This aura helped to calm their frayed nerves somewhat.
But in the next moment—
"Slaughter them all! Leave no one alive!"
The ten thousand members of the Evil Spirit Sect roared in unison. The sound was deafening, overpowering the rolling thunder and echoing ceaselessly between heaven and earth.
In every direction, the faces of countless Martial Artists from Qing Province and Lei Province turned pale, terrified by this overwhelming presence.
Yue Wenfu and his companions trembled violently, their pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
However, it was as if Ning Jiang was completely unaffected by the grim, icy atmosphere. Nothing seemed to faze him in the slightest.
"The Evil Spirit Sect has traveled thousands of miles to pay us a visit. As their hosts, we mustn’t forget our manners. Come, follow me to welcome them."
Ning Jiang’s voice was tranquil, like a clear spring washing over them, soothing their agitated hearts.
He took a single step and rose into the sky.
"Whew. To face tens of thousands of enemies without even batting an eye... The Sect Leader’s courage puts this old man to shame."
Yue Wenfu let out a long breath. He, Lin Zhan, and Fang Xue stepped forward together, following behind Ning Jiang.
A moment later, the four of them were in the sky, facing the tens of thousands of enemies across the distance.
One side had only four people; the other had over ten thousand. To any observer, it looked as though the Myriad Swords Sect was trying to smash a stone with an egg, a foolish and hopeless endeavor.
"How strange."
And yet, the onlookers sensed something strange.
The combined presence of the Evil Spirit Sect’s ten thousand members crashed down in waves like a furious tide, vast and overwhelming. Before such a force, Ning Jiang’s group of four should have been utterly insignificant.
But Ning Jiang stood there alone like an unshakable pillar in the midst of a raging sea. No matter how powerful the opposing presence became, he remained completely unmoved.
"The combined presence of ten thousand men can’t suppress a single person?"
"Strange indeed. Even if we were to face such a force, our own presence would be diminished."
"This young man is truly extraordinary."
This brief exchange shocked all who overheard it.
The speakers were the Sect Leaders of the Withered Blade Sect, Earth Gate, and the Beast Taming Sect—all of whom were Earth Martial Realm experts. They had all given Ning Jiang an extremely high evaluation.
"You are Ning Jiang?"
A hoarse voice, grating as a crow’s caw, cut through the air.
The speaker was an old woman with a hunched back and sparse, thinning hair. She held a scepter, the top of which was shockingly adorned with a human skull.
Lady Blood Crow.
That was her title in Lei Province.
"I heard Lady Blood Crow was once a great beauty who mesmerized countless men. Something went wrong while she was practicing a certain cultivation technique, and she ended up like this."
"Shh! Don’t talk nonsense. If Lady Blood Crow hears you, your life is forfeit. Everyone knows how ruthless her methods are."
Facing Lady Blood Crow’s question, Ning Jiang casually flicked a fingernail. "If you’re referring to the Ning Jiang who killed your people, then that would be me."
"Such a cocky young man. I wonder if you’ll be able to maintain that composure after we slaughter everyone under your command," Lady Blood Crow said, her gaze as cold as ice.
"Oh? Is that what you wanted to say to me? In that case, I have a few words for all of you as well."
Ning Jiang’s gaze swept over their army as he spoke slowly. "With so many of you here, have you ever stopped to consider that I don’t have nearly enough coffins to go around?"
"You’re courting death!"
Killing intent flared in the eyes of everyone from the Evil Spirit Sect. The terrifying aura of death became almost tangible as it swept toward them, causing the expressions of Yue Wenfu and his two companions to change drastically.
"The three of you can go back down," Ning Jiang said with a wave of his hand.
"Sect Leader, be careful."
The three of them didn’t try to act tough. They understood that in this situation, their only choice was to trust in Ning Jiang. If they remained, they would only hold him back.
"You’re all alone? Don’t tell me you think you can stand against my Evil Spirit Sect by yourself?" Lady Blood Crow sneered, looking at the solitary figure of Ning Jiang.
"That’s right. Just me."
Ning Jiang’s voice was firm and decisive. With each word he spoke, his presence seemed to grow stronger. "I alone can fight an army of thousands!"
As his voice fell,
A domineering aura, one that seemed to look down upon the entire world, erupted from his body.
One man standing guard at the pass, holding back an army of ten thousand!
