Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 718 - 713: Establishing Authority One

Chapter 718: Chapter 713: Establishing Authority One

Sun Luyue was slightly taken aback, having not expected such an attitude from the other party.

Before his arrival, he had heard of the deeds of the Thousand-Hand Divine Monarch, the stories of facing a thousand enemies alone, defeating grandmaster-level warriors, and being famous for miles around.

As a seasoned grandmaster-level swindler, he had similarly constructed histories, although not as extensively publicized as his counterpart’s.

In his view, the Lakeside Mountain Sect was merely more skilled technologically and luckier.

Yet upon arriving, he felt a spot on the mountain where nature’s spiritual energy was exceptionally dense, which greatly piqued his interest.

As a fellow grandmaster swindler, he thought, ’If I don’t expose him, I’m already being generous. It shouldn’t be a problem to just ask for a piece of land,’ and thus, he had made his way up the mountain.

But unexpectedly, the other party.....

"Since that’s the case, I shall take my leave!"

Fury rising within him, Sun Luyue turned and stormed away.

If the other party couldn’t appreciate what was offered, he would make them regret it later!

He was determined to gather peers from his path and ascend the mountain to destroy the so-called Lakeside Mountain Sect, eager to see what this supposed Thousand-Hand Divine Monarch was capable of.

He was also a grandmaster-level expert and always held disdain for the few famed grandmasters known across the world.

Originally, he thought a new talent had emerged from the Taoist sect. He had impulsively decided to ask for a plot of land during his visit, but to his shock, he was kicked out.

"Infuriating! Absolutely infuriating!!"

He descended Qing Lake Mountain, his face red and his breathing heavy.

Suddenly, he heard a series of heavy, rumbling hoofbeats coming from the official road ahead.

The three of them looked up.

They saw a massive group of Black Cavalry, ferociously charging toward Qing Lake Mountain.

This group of Black Cavalry numbered around a thousand, filling almost every inch of their field of vision.

At the back, a rider wearing an eunuch’s hat was holding up a yellow scroll, racing towards them.

"The Emperor himself has arrived, clear the way!"

"The Emperor?!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Luyue’s body shuddered.

"Even he has come personally!?"

He stared incredulously at the cavalry behind.

Indeed, four bearers were seen behind, each dressed in white silver robes, their breaths long and steady, their figures balanced, and their running speed surprisingly on par with that of stout horses.

All four were close to the grandmaster level in external skills.

Sun Luyue felt a surge of terror and quickly stepped aside to clear the road, yet he couldn’t help but feel a schadenfreude.

Now, the Lakeside Mountain Sect was surely doomed!

He recognized at a glance that the large group of Black Cavalry was the famed elite Black Flag Army. Coupled with the Emperor’s personal arrival, their martial prowess was extraordinarily high, even slightly surpassing grandmasters.

This so-called Thousand-Hand Divine Monarch was likely in great peril.

"So much for his boast of facing a thousand alone, let’s see how he squirms his way out this time!"

Sun Luyue remarked in a weird tone.

However, suddenly, the massive group of Black Cavalry slowed down.

"The whole army, on guard!"

The leading cavalryman instantly drew his spear.

The other cavalrymen also swiftly drew their weapons, all bracing for battle.

Several of the passing cavalry spotted Sun Luyue and his two companions by the roadside.

"Could these Taoists also be part of that demon cult of the Lakeside Mountain Sect!?"

"They killed so many of my brothers, I want the Lakeside Mountain Sect annihilated from top to bottom!!" the leading Black Cavalry shouted harshly.

Without allowing any explanation, a spear struck towards Sun Luyue.

Though a grandmaster-level fighter himself, Sun Luyue’s figure flashed, avoiding the spear, but he immediately leapt far away.

Despite dodging the attack, his expression betrayed his shock.

"Wait! What did you just say? They killed so many of your brothers???"

He thought he had heard wrongly.

"Thousands of my sons did not die on the steppe fighting for the empire, yet they perished by the hands of a mere demon!"

The Cavalry General, eyes reddened, pointed at Sun Luyue.

"Kill him! Kill any Taoist you see!!!"

Ssssssshhh!!

Suddenly, hundreds of arrows thunderously shot out.

Sun Luyue and the two children barely had time to reveal their identities before they were completely engulfed by countless arrows.

Ding ding ding!

After deflecting a few arrows, he was horrified, as the force in each was far beyond ordinary bows, powerful and heavy. Within moments, his arms were numb and his strength waning.

The arrows were incessant, furiously sweeping toward him.

Thud!

Finally, an arrow pierced through Sun Luyue’s sword screen, fiercely penetrating his shoulder.

The immense force threw him off balance.

Ah!

Ah!!

As he lost his balance and couldn’t perfectly block, the two children beside him were instantly turned into pincushions, utterly lifeless.

Sun Luyue let out a mournful cry and swiftly drifted backward.

Whizz!!!

Suddenly, a silver arrow, like a shooting star chasing the moon, broke through his sword screen. Brutally, with a hint of madness, it pierced through his chest.

Thud, his blood splattered, dispersing from his back.

"I....refuse...to yield...ah...!!"

Sun Luyue’s energy dissipated, and suddenly he was riddled like a sieve. Blood flowed like water from a broken bottle, leaking uncontrollably.

In his final vision, he saw the Cavalry General with mad, red eyes, glaring intensely towards the Lakeside Mountain Sect, not even glancing his way.

At that moment, he faintly understood.

If the Thousand-Hand Divine Monarch hadn’t actually killed over a thousand Black Cavalry, such a tyrannically powerful commander of the Black Flag Army wouldn’t have personally led troops out, furthermore with the phoenix carriage accompanying him.

But how could one person kill over a thousand cavalry? Even using explosives, it wouldn’t be possible to kill across such a large area, right?

"Is it that I am too young... or is this world, too crazy...."

In the end, with this doubt in his mind, Sun Luyue sank into eternal darkness.

"Kill!!!"

The Cavalry General raised his spear high, leading the charge toward the Lakeside Mountain Sect.

From behind the thousands of Black Flag Army troops, one could still see from afar an endless sea-like array of infantry wielding shields and swords closely following them.

Further behind were spear infantry, crossbowmen, and so on.

Regrettably, Sun Luyue didn’t see this; if he had, he might have understood that the current Imperial Court had already treated the Lakeside Mountain Sect as a huge army to be attacked.

*******************

"An army approaches?"

Lin Xin sat on the high seat, his expression calm, neither joyous nor sad.

However, the Taoists below were somewhat agitated.

"Looking at their banners, they claim to be a hundred thousand strong, though at most fifty thousand, but the people I can muster from Qing Lake Mountain are at most a thousand who can fight...."

Lingjing Wang sat on a seat to the side, expressing his worry.

"What should we do now?"

Empress Huai Yang and others stood behind Lin Xin, while Emperor Zhou Songyun, Grandmaster Zhao Wumian and others sat below.

These were all individuals knowledgeable about military strategy, hence Lin Xin had summoned them to discuss together.

"Let those who came to seek tutelage choose whether to stay or leave."

Lin Xin spoke slowly and calmly.

"Yes."

A Taoist went down to make the announcement.

This was indeed the best time to see people’s true nature.

If seekers of the Tao are not willing to face even a bit of risk and difficulty, then such people need not be taught. Even if taught, should the Sect face any troubles or dangers, they would each flee when disaster strikes.

"This fifty thousand strong army must have been mobilized by Lin Wufeng’s orders."

Emperor Zhou Songyun managed a bitter smile.

"To think that she, knowing I came here incognito, would still...."

A flicker of sorrow passed through his eyes; to be an Emperor to this extent was indeed unprecedented.

"Father, mother actually started... started an affair with that man a long time ago," Empress Huai Yang said softly with a bitter expression.

Zhou Songyun’s face flushed red all at once, and for a time, he couldn’t utter a word, only gaping open-mouthed and speechless.

"Right now, we can leave in batches through the back mountain’s small paths. When we leave, light a fire, which should block their pursuit." Zhao Wumian coughed a few times, diverting everyone’s attention.

After all, the affair of the Empress was known to everyone under heaven, except for this obliviously old Emperor.

"Indeed, this method seems simple but because Qing Lake Mountain is surrounded by a large lake, spanning tens of miles all being marshes and puddles, it makes military movement extremely difficult.

Even if they guess that we plan to retreat this way, they won’t have any other measures."

A young officer, the son of Marquis Wu, who had a bit of military experience intervened.

"Moreover, my father, commanding several hundred thousand troops stationed at the border, would be furious if he learned I was trapped in Qing Lake Mountain. The Empress would definitely consider this aspect."

"That’s a good point."

Emperor Zhou Songyun nodded in agreement.

"Moreover, King Yuxiang also knows I came out to Qing Lake Mountain, upon hearing the news, he will definitely march to our aid. We brothers had the best relationship back in the day; he would never stand by and watch me die."

King Yuxiang was also a formidable general guarding another border of the Empire and was additionally a royal relative.

Below, the crowd burst into a clamor, various strategies leaping forth, but none could solve the immediate predicament as a vast army pressed close, and distant waters could not quench near fires.

Lin Xin sat above, his eyes slightly closed.

When everyone proved helpless, he slowly began to speak.

"Where is Lu Li?"

"Disciple is here, Honored Master."

Lu Li walked down from behind him, kneeling respectfully to kowtow.

Lin Xin pulled out one of the several longswords from behind and handed it to a Taoist nearby.

"Take this sword down the mountain and insert it into the must-pass path at the mountain’s foot."

"What is the master’s intention with this action?"

Empress Huai Yang asked curiously on the side.

Lin Xin smiled.

"I established the Lakeside Mountain Sect here to comfort the heavenly spirits and save the myriad people. Residing here, I represent the will of heaven.

Here on Qing Lake Mountain, I am heaven itself.

To defy me is to defy the will of heaven!"

"You go to the foot of the mountain, plant the sword firmly, then write five words next to it."

"Which five words?"

Lu Li, whose expression had been somewhat indifferent and confusing, now looked curious as well.

"Those who cross this sword, die."

Lin Xin slowly raised his head, his eyes suddenly flashing red.

The red glint seemed instantaneously to cross the great hall, surpass the Taoist Palace, and reach beyond the mountain’s foot.

It passed through tens of thousands of troops and met a pair of blue eyes nested within the phoenix carriage.

Crack.

Inside the carriage, a teacup in Empress Lin Wufeng’s hands split with a crack.

Just then, for a moment, she felt as though someone was watching her from afar.

The Inner Qi she had cultivated for many years suddenly became disordered for an instant.