Chapter 560: A Path for Villains

The sound of the impact when the Jasper Saber’s Great Dark Heaven Memorial hit the barrier resounded in the skies. The noise alerted the remaining civilians in the city. Many of the civilians had been evacuated, but there were a few who remained.

Yu Shangrong swept the streets of the city with his eyes, and he saw the civilians running toward the western city gates in groups.

At this moment, a large number of soldiers appeared near the western gates. There were also cultivators flying into the city at a low altitude.

“Hold it!”

“Nobody moves!”

“Anyone who leaves the city without permission. Be it men, women, the elderly, children, cultivators or not; execute them on the spot if they try to leave!”

The cultivators’ voices were gruff and powerful. They immediately pushed the civilians who were trying to take shelter at the western part of the city back.

With this, the civilians of the city could only run eastward…

The cultivators in the air kept an eye on the civilians that wanted to run away.

Boom!

Another loud noise rang in the air.

The Jasper Saber’s Great Dark Heaven Memorial unleashed the Dark Heaven Starlight. It was dazzlingly bright, like fireworks during the day. The starlight energy hit the barrier over and over again.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Soon enough, the energy saber faded away, and the ripples on the barrier faded away as well.

Yu Zhenghai stood proudly on the flying chariot and looked down on the entire city. This barrier was much more powerful than the one in Yu Province. He had cast the Great Dark Heaven Memorial twice, and yet, all he managed to do was create ripples on the barrier. It did not show any signs of breaking.

Si Wuya said, “Ma Luping will certainly be drawn to the huge commotion here. That mysterious elite who mimics Second Senior Brother must be skilled. I think he’ll be able to escape.”

“I hope that he’s not that stupid.”

“Elites are usually confident. Since he’s mimicking Second Senior Brother, I’m sure he’s a confident person as well. I’m just worried he’ll be stubborn and continue to fight,” Si Wuya replied.

“Now that you mentioned it, wise brother, I have a feeling he’s a stubborn character.” Yu Zhenghai frowned. “He’s as much of a pain as your Second Senior Brother is…”

“…”

Yu Zhenghai pushed his palm forward.

The Jasper Saber spun again for the third time.

Unlike before, Yu Zhenghai extended his arms and flew up. The Jasper Saber hovered in front of the flying chariot and shot out countless energy sabers.

“Sovereign’s Descent.”

The energy saber, which resembled the Jasper Saber greatly, stabbed downward.

The garrison soldiers hurrying over stopped in their tracks and looked up at the dense array of energy sabers.

Even experts were respectfully fearful when they saw this.

The only person under the heavens capable of unleashing this skill was the master of the greatest Fiend sect, Yu Zhenghai.

The Great Dark Heaven Memorial, the Sovereign’s Descent.

If Yu Zhenghai had been lacking a kingly aura during the battle in Radiant Cloud Forest, he had enough of it now.

Inside Yan Province’s main city, anyone who saw this stopped in their tracks and looked up at the horizons.

The storm of energy sabers continued raining down.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The barrier shook.

The collision between the energy sabers and the barrier resulted in a turbulent flow of energy.

The civilians inside the city thought that the barrier was broken.

The spot where the Sovereign Descent attacked caused ripples that traveled across the entire barrier.

The Sovereign’s Descent lasted for quite some time. Under its fierce attacks, the barrier dimmed slightly.

The cultivators who were initially enthusiastic about helping to defend the city threw all their valiant thoughts out of their minds when they saw this.

Why was the Nether Sect the greatest Fiend sect under the heavens?

How did the Nether Sect conquer the nine provinces of Great Yan?

Everyone had their answers at this moment.

In the flying chariot, Hua Chongyang gulped. “Your saber techniques are truly first-rate, sect master. You’re the role model of my generation!”

Yu Zhenghai landed and lowered his arms. His Jasper Saber returned to his hand. He looked down at the barrier arrogantly.

“The barrier is slightly weakened. I’m sure Ma Luping is greatly shaken by this move of yours, Eldest Senior Brother,” Si Wuya said.

Yu Zhenghai was also pleased with his technique. “It’s only a barrier. It’ll break after three more strikes.”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The ballistae above the city walls fired countless projectiles toward them.

The sound of the arrows sailing through the air resounded across the skies.

The garrison was fighting back.

When Hua Chongyang saw this, he said, “Sect master, leave this trivial matter to me.”

“Go.”

Hua Chongyang leaped down and summoned his Seven-leaf Golden Lotus avatar.

Whizz!

It swiftly increased in size.

The arrows were repelled.

Yu Zhenghai nodded. He ignored the ballistae and looked down at the garrison soldiers on the city walls. “After three strikes, if Ma Luping still doesn’t show up, I’ll break the barrier and have your heads.” His voice descended as a forceful soundwave. It was so loud that even the deaf could have heard him.

At this moment, a gruff and imposing voice rang from the western part of the city.

“How grand, Sect Master Yu.”

Everyone looked over.

The garrison soldiers bowed.

“Greetings, General Ma!”

The people hovering in the air and standing on the city walls bowed as well.

General Ma was skinny and did not have a big build. Yet, his presence was imposing enough. He was none other than Ma Luping, one of the Imperial guard’s eight great generals.

Ma Luping rose into the air with his hands behind his back, looking as majestic as a king.

Yu Zhenghai looked at Ma Luping disapprovingly. “Ma Luping, if you’re a man, come out and fight me.”

Yu Zhenghai and Si Wuya were relieved when they saw Ma Luping. This meant that the elite who was secretly helping the Nether Sect was now safe.

Ma Luping said, “Sect Master Yu, if you’re man enough, break this barrier and fight me.”

Both opponents faced each other.

Yu Zhenghai was about to say something when Si Wuya pulled his arm and said, “I think Ma Luping has reinforcements. We need to take a more cautious approach to conquer Yan Province.”

“Reinforcements?” Yu Zhenghai was puzzled.

Si Wuya said, “Xuang Jingyun and Wang Yue must be guarding the Divine Capital at the moment. Those two and the ten elders of the Big Dipper Academy have knowledge about the Divine Capital’s Ten Terminal Formation. They won’t leave so easily. Liu Gu doesn’t seem to have left the Ten Terminal Formation at all. The presidents of the two great academies and Wei Zhuoyan, the commander-in-chief of the three armies are more likely to come.”

“Didn’t you say Wei Zhuoyan is an impostor?”

“It doesn’t matter right now. It doesn’t change the fact that he has the power to mobilize the three armies… He’s not a particularly skilled man, but his greed has gotten the better of him,” Si Wuya said.

“That b*stard. Where would he be today if it weren’t for master?”

“It’s difficult to fathom a person’s mind,” Si Wuya said.

“Which reminds me, wise brother…” Yu Zhenghai had already used much of his Primal Qi. It would take him some time to break the barrier. At that time, he would no longer be in his peak condition. He walked to the edge of the flying chariot and looked down haughtily before he said, “Ma Luping, I won’t break the barrier today, out of consideration for the civilians in the city…”

He did not give Ma Luping the chance to retort as he released a soundwave and said, “Since I founded the Nether Sect, I’ve always had a firm rule in place. Civilians mustn’t be harmed. Alas, today, the garrison army is using the people as hostages. This is despicable! Although I’m of the Fiend Path, it’s not a path for villains. I will never do something as revolting as this.” He paused before continuing, “I’ll tell the world about this so that the people can see you for who you truly are, all of you.”

“Retreat.”

The Nether Sect’s flying chariot turned around and flew away slowly.

The Nether Sect members outside the city walls gave up attacking as well.

The throng of people retreated.

Ma Luping was as stunned as a wooden chicken. He was dumbfounded by this maneuver.

The cultivation world had never dragged civilians into their fights. This was because cultivators understood the most basic principle; they were all human once.

It was easy to kill a single, 100, or 1,000 people. However, annihilating everyone in a province or nation was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Ma Luping was still stunned.

People in the streets broke out in an uproar, screaming and shouting.

“The Imperial family doesn’t treat us commoners like humans! This is outrageous!”

“Even a Fiend sect like the Nether Sect knows that civilians shouldn’t be dragged into this… Yet, the garrison general took us hostage! What an abomination!”

“How audacious! Are the lives of the officials more valuable than the lives of commoners?! What logic is this?!”

More and more began to join in. Soon enough, their voices rose to a crescendo.

Ma Luping’s eyelid twitched. Although he was strong enough to kill all of them, his rational mind told him it was not a wise move.

At this moment, a voice entered Ma Luping’s ears. “General… Deputy General Ma is dead!”

Ma Luping’s eyes widened when he heard this. Then, he glared at the civilians and said contemptuously, “I’ll cut down anyone who keeps making a ruckus!”

The soundwave rolled out.

The shouting stopped immediately.

The civilians looked at Ma Luping in shock, too afraid to make a sound now.

Some of the commoners even wished for the Nether Sect to conquer their city sooner.

Ma Luping said expressionlessly, “Keep an eye on them. Kill those who try to leave without permission.”

“Understood!”

…

Meanwhile, in a nearby alley, Yu Shangrong looked up at the flying chariot that leaving. He started walking in the other direction with his arms crossed.

…

Inside the Evil Sky Pavilion’s eastern pavilion.

Lu Zhou had been meditating on the Heavenly Writing scrolls for an entire day. At this moment, he finally opened his eyes.

A voice rang from outside. “Master… A letter from Seventh Junior Brother.”

Creak!

Lu Zhou emerged from the room and saw Mingshi Yin standing respectfully at the door. He waved his arm, and the letter flew into his hand.

After reading it, Lu Zhou said disapprovingly, “Does he take me for a fool?”

Mingshi Yin had already read the letter so he knew the situation. He said, “Master, with your cultivation base, why don’t you march into the Divine Capital and bring Liu Gu away? That way, Eldest Senior Brother won’t have to go through so much trouble.”

“…” Lu Zhou was speechless. ‘I’d love to do that, but my strength won’t allow it.’

“The Divine Capital is defended by the Ten Terminal Formation. It’s not that easy.”

Mingshi Yin smacked his forehead. “You’re right, master. I forgot about that. We’ll need the Nether Sect’s support to destroy the Ten Terminal Formation.”

After all these years, the Imperial family had remained undefeated. Apart from the numerous elites in the palace, the Ten Terminal Formation played a great role as well. It was not an exaggeration to say that more than half of the elites in Great Yan were in the Divine Capital.