Free Web NovelChapter 221: Assassination
Yaoguang, Xu Qiexing, and the prince of the Taixuan Dynasty conducted the negotiations on the order for the Purple Firmament Type 13 in an orderly manner. Tang Fenghua had come to stand at Yaoguang’s side, guarding him closely. As Yaoguang’s personal guard, he usually remained by his side in many situations. Staying within arm’s reach was only natural.
As for Wang Feng, he led the experts from the Sea Guardian Institute and took care of the sixteen great cultivators who had been lying in ambush outside. With Yaoguang sealing off all transmission, those sixteen people failed to send out even a single message before they died.
It was at this moment that the prince of the Taixuan Dynasty suddenly said, "Chief Yaoguang, I know this request may be presumptuous, but... would it be possible for us to speak alone?"
As he spoke, he cast Xu Qiexing an apologetic glance. "This is the territory of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Hall Master Xu, please rest assured. We will not show the slightest discourtesy."
Xu Qiexing shook his head. "That would not be appropriate."
Su Yaoguang also refused. Chu Guang did not appear surprised. Instead, he pressed on. "If Chief Yaoguang is willing to have a private discussion with me, I can concede another one percent on this order of three hundred flying swords."
Yaoguang and Xu Qiexing exchanged a glance. The market price of three hundred Purple Firmament Type 13 export flying swords was as high as 24 million spirit stones. Even one percent amounted to 240 thousand spirit stones. 240 thousand spirit stones, just for a private conversation?
Yaoguang knew exactly what was going on. After a brief moment of thought, he decided to play along.
"Since Prince Chu Guang is so generous, I can hardly find a reason to refuse." He gestured politely.
Xu Qiexing opened his mouth as if to say something, but Yaoguang’s voice had already reached him through spiritual consciousness. "I know what they intend to do. Hall Master Xu, things may get chaotic here in a moment. Make sure to protect yourself."
Xu Qiexing froze, then seemed to realize something. His pupils constricted. "Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang..."
"Don't worry. I have already discussed this matter with the sect master and the others," Yaoguang replied.
Only then did Xu Qiexing relax a little, though he remained fully alert. Soon, the two of them entered another room. Prince Chu Guang immediately produced a small refined artifact inscribed with an array, sealing off the information within the area.
"Prince Chu Guang, what is it that you wish to say?" Yaoguang asked.
"Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang, you are in danger." Chu Guang’s expression turned grave. "On my way here, I was intercepted by great cultivators of the Great Sun Sword Sect. They infiltrated my entourage. You are their target. They intend to take you back to the Great Sun Sword Sect and have you serve them. For this operation, they activated a large number of hidden agents long embedded within your Nine Cauldrons Sect. I estimate that once the Great Sun Sword Sect makes its move, those hidden agents will surface to assist them."
Yaoguang felt a flicker of surprise, but he quickly seemed to sense something and smiled faintly. "Are Prince Chu Guang’s words true? This is no small matter."
"There is no time for jokes. The Great Sun Sword Sect has deeply infiltrated both our Taixuan Dynasty and your Nine Cauldrons Sect. The reason I asked to speak with you alone is that I have no idea who to trust. The best course of action is for us to leave this area immediately at the fastest speed and hide..."
He hurriedly added, "I know you do not trust me. The place you choose to hide can be wherever you believe is safest. During this process, I am willing to remain by your side as a hostage."
"This is the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Right beside us stands Sky Patrol Research Institute No. 3. Has the Great Sun Sword Sect truly infiltrated our Nine Cauldrons Sect to such an extent?"
"Deputy Hall Master Yaoguang, you have only recently come up from a vassal world and may not know. Over the years, the Nine Cauldrons Sect has embraced all rivers, recruiting far too many great cultivators. No one knows how many of them belong to hostile factions! On the surface, the Nine Cauldrons Sect appears powerful, but in truth, it is hollow within, a loose aggregate that could collapse at the slightest danger. Compared to it, the Great Sun Sword Sect is far stronger." Chu Guang’s expression remained solemn. "In addition to that, the Great Sun Sword Sect values you more than ever before! I secretly intercepted their communications. According to them, as long as they can capture you, any sacrifice is worth it. In their eyes, you alone are worth three elite battle institutes! This time, they will act without regard for casualties or cost."
"Without regard for casualties or cost..." Yaoguang repeated.
"Yes." Chu Guang gave a bitter smile. "To be honest, even if you hide in what you believe is the safest place, I am not certain we can escape this calamity. They made sure to emphasize how important you are. Even if it meant trading one of their hall masters for you, they would not hesitate."
He looked at Yaoguang. "The more I learn, the more powerless I feel. If not for the fact that I, too, am under pressure from the Great Sun Sword Sect, I might even advise you to simply defect. After all, you are not a native cultivator raised by the Nine Cauldrons Sect. You have only joined them for three or four years. Surely you have not yet reached the point of staking your life for them."
Yaoguang glanced at the prince, an odd expression on his face. So this is their real goal. They want to persuade me to surrender and defect. But...
"Don't bring this up again." Yaoguang’s expression turned cold. "The Nine Cauldrons Sect is not as fragile as you claim, and the Great Sun Sword Sect is not as invincible as you imagine. Don't worry, I have more than enough guards by my side to eliminate any agents that managed to infiltrate us."
Chu Guang sensed Yaoguang’s resolute attitude and felt his heart sink. Still, he was not surprised by the answer. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Out of caution, he adopted a persuasive tone once more. "But this is too risky. You have not been in the Nine Cauldrons Sect long. There should be little talk of loyalty. Meanwhile, the Great Sun Sword Sect values you immensely. If you were to join them, you would at least become a hall master, directly part of the core leadership, with true decision-making authority! That is something the Nine Cauldrons Sect would never grant you. Even now, you are merely a deputy hall master, and a nominal one without real power."
He spoke quickly. "Join the Great Sun Sword Sect and ascend in a single step. Refuse, and you may face assassination and death. With your talent, the Star Lord Realm, Foundation Building Realm, and Primordial Psyche Realm are surely not your limits. You should become a star god, form a Golden Core, and achieve the Dharma Form. Why throw away your life for a sect destined to have no future—"
"Enough!" Yaoguang cut him off righteously. "There is nothing more for us to discuss."
As he spoke, he raised his voice toward the outside. "Tang Fenghua..."
Seeing this, Chu Guang, or rather, the Great Sun Sword Sect agent disguised as a prince of the Taixuan Dynasty, abandoned any attempt to persuade Yaoguang to defect.
Whoosh! In the next instant, true qi roared within his body, suddenly releasing terrifying energy.
As he opened his mouth and exhaled, a sword light that pierced through the void blasted toward Yaoguang at point-blank range. The strike was indeed decisive, swift, and thunderous. Unfortunately, Yaoguang had long been on guard.
The moment the flying sword shot from his mouth and flashed toward Yaoguang like lightning, a stellar force field descended, its power far surpassing that of any cultivator who had condensed a stellar god-fiend body.
Deep within his mental world, both the Stars’ Child and the Psychic Heart that had been planted in Longxiang City exerted their strength at the same time. Added to that was the spirit treasure he carried, the Stellar Soul.
In an instant, a stellar force field so powerful that even a third-tier great sword cultivator’s all-out strike could not shatter it condensed at the tip of Yaoguang’s finger. When his fingertip collided with the incoming flying sword, energy on the scale of a nuclear explosion erupted from the blade’s edge.
Yet, before that energy could devastate the surrounding palace, the stellar force field compressed, violently forcing all of it back into the enemy cultivator's life-bound flying sword. The berserk energy raged within that tiny space, nearly destroying the weapon.
"I cannot block Tang Fenghua’s sword yet," Yaoguang said calmly. "But do you really think that you, a mere third-tier great sword cultivator who hasn't even unleashed his strongest sword art, can injure me?"
Almost at the same moment that the agent disguised as Chu Guang made his move, Tang Fenghua, who had been stationed outside the palace, struck without hesitation. Sword light crossed the void at an inconceivable speed and instantly hit the third-tier great sword cultivator.
A faint hum followed. There was no grand explosion, nor any earth-shaking roar, but the man’s head was directly crushed into powder.
At the same time, another great sword cultivator who had been standing beside Chu Guang erupted into motion, attempting to intercept Tang Fenghua. However, given that this had been an almost certain-death mission, the Great Sun Sword Sect had ultimately been unwilling to dispatch a great cultivator who had established a Dao Foundation.
Relying on the sharpness of his flying sword, Tang Fenghua effortlessly fought one against two. After killing the great cultivator disguised as Chu Guang, his momentum did not slow as he pressed on to entangle the other.
"Why is there nothing left at all?" Yaoguang muttered somewhat helplessly as he looked at the assassin before him, who had not even left behind a corpse.
Fortunately, it was not a problem. As a Dharma Form cultivator, his powerful psychic thought instantly enveloped the entire battlefield. He directly simulated two life fluctuations. One belonged to the disguised Chu Guang. The other was his own.
The two life fluctuations streaked across the void, even issuing commands to nine sword cultivators in the distance. "Stop them."
Tang Fenghua, who had long discussed the plan with him, cooperated perfectly. He controlled his sword and chased after Yaoguang, creating the illusion that Yaoguang had been captured alive by Chu Guang and that he was now pursuing with all his might.
The nine great sword cultivators who had revealed themselves spared no effort as they pursued Yaoguang, but the Nine Cauldrons Sect's defensive forces were exceedingly powerful. With the Sea Guardian Institute mobilizing upon hearing the commotion, it was only a matter of time before they were completely wiped out.
The Heavenly Palace Hall of the Great Sun Sword Sect received news that Yaoguang had been captured. They were not surprised. Perhaps in their eyes, the moment Yaoguang had chosen to be alone with Chu Guang, the outcome had already been set in stone. After all, the weakness of primordial psyche cultivators in close combat was well known.
Although Yaoguang has also cultivated the Martial Dao system, how high could his Martial Dao realm have risen in such a short time? Before a third-tier great sword cultivator, would it even matter? Now our men just need to buy time for the Vajra to arrive at the gates and provide support. They thought.
Orders were issued one after another. The Vajra, which had been operating while hidden by an information-blackout zone, charged toward the Nine Heavens Domain at full speed.
On the other side, the Divine Wind Institute, Divine Wood Institute, and Divine Mountain Institute stopped pretending they were there just for probing and recon, immediately launching a direct assault on the core territory of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.
A great battle was about to erupt!
