Chapter 1194: Chapter 49: Imperial Longsword, Breaking Through the Gap in Helan Mountain
When Xie Qingyun summoned the peak masters to discuss matters at Qingyun Palace, the news of the Heart Demon Clan’s invasion of the Central Spirit Domain had already been swiftly communicated through the Sword Sect’s channels to the other five regions’ Taoist Sects and Great Xia.
It was like a wildfire, quickly spreading throughout the entire Human Realm, shaking the Sky Dome Heaven.
Qinling, Yanlan Pass.
The Giant Spirit Clan, leading the Demons under their command, launched continuous assaults on the fortresses of the Human Race, persisting for over three months.
The Demons did not invest too much strength in each wave of assault, but the overwhelming continuity of the attacks left the cultivators at Yanlan Pass no time to rest.
What’s more, the most harrowing thought for the Human Race was not knowing when the Giant Spirit Demon Clan would strengthen their offensive.
It forced them to keep their hearts taut as a string.
This string grew tighter and tighter, leaving the Human Race in discomfort, caught between anxiety and despair.
Yet, no matter how tense it became, the Human Race could not proactively initiate a war with the Demons and could only respond passively.
As a result, the Human Cultivators grew increasingly weary and battered.
The Supreme of Great Xia, Lord Xia Zhao, stood on the walls of Yanlan Pass, gazing at the demon tide like black water in the distance, his serene expression betraying deeply hidden thoughts.
"Merely some harassment from the Demons causes such distress for the Human Race. If the Second Dao and Demon War truly begins, what kind of dire situation will the Human Race face then?"
A faint dread and weariness arose in his heart.
Just then, a commotion came from outside the city tower.
Lord Xia Zhao frowned slightly, and before he could speak, Elder Xuanji from the Heavenly Secret Pavillion hurriedly arrived with several cultivators.
The expressions on their faces were unusually grave, as if major events had unfolded.
Lord Xia Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, yet his expression remained mostly unchanged as he asked, "What has happened?"
Elder Xuanji glanced at Lord Xia Zhao and waved his hand, and immediately, a cultivator stepped forward, handing Lord Xia Zhao a piece of Spirit Jade.
"Lord, this is news from the Sword Sect at Yumen Pass in the Eastern Domain. The Sword Sect Master, Qingyun Sword Immortal, also sent a message..." Elder Xuanji, usually steadfast, had a voice that trembled slightly, as if he were still reeling from shock.
The Sword Sect’s message, along with a verbal directive from the Sword Sect Master, traveled all the way to Yanlan Pass.
In the Spirit Jade, the Sword Sect exposed the identity and origins of the Rinsing Spirit Sect, pointing out that with their help, Dragon City Pass had fallen, and the Central Spirit Domain was on the brink of a demonic invasion, an impending catastrophe.
Furthermore, the Sword Sect indicated that the Rinsing Spirit Sect’s Demons were destroying all cross-domain teleportation formations within the Central Spirit Domain, but their Sword Sect’s teleportation array had not yet fallen. If other sects wished to aid the Central Spirit Domain, they could use this path.
Lord Xia Zhao read through the Spirit Jade message in silence, his expression unchanged, seemingly calm.
Yet the whiteness of his knuckles from gripping the Spirit Jade tightly revealed his true emotions.
Neither Elder Xuanji nor the cultivators he brought spoke, all eyes focused on this nominal leader of Yanlan Pass.
After a moment, Lord Xia Zhao loosened his grip on the Spirit Jade slightly, lifted his head, and looked at Elder Xuanji, "What did Qingyun Sword Immortal say?"
"Qingyun Sword Immortal gave a single verbal command..." Elder Xuanji felt his voice grow dry, pausing before he continued:
"Wield the Imperial Longsword, break through the gap at Helan Mountain."
——In the Central Spirit Domain, at Helan Mountain and Dragon City Pass.
Lord Xia Zhao’s eyes flared brightly.
If the revelation of the Rinsing Spirit Sect’s identity, the fall of Dragon City Pass, and the impending Heart Demon Clan invasion into the Central Spirit Domain posed the greatest challenge to the Human Race since the Chang’an Years, then Qingyun Sword Immortal’s words were the most stirring statement anyone had heard since those times.
Indeed, in this world, Sword Cultivators have always been the most fearless and courageous group of cultivators.
It is this spirit that allows them to progress with unwavering belief on the unknown path of the Sword Dao.
So even now, faced with the devouring abyss-like Central Spirit Domain, the Sword Cultivators of the Sword Sect still have the courage to continue, determined to forge a path to the heavens.
However, if only the Sword Sect ventured to aid the Central Spirit Domain, would the Sword Sect alone be able to achieve victory?
Could the Sword Sect truly quell two clans with merely one sect?
Lord Xia Zhao clasped his hands behind his back tightly, his thoughts unfathomable to outsiders.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the weariness and fear in his heart, softly stating, "Immediately gather all Nine Realms Cultivators from Yanlan Pass at Summer Palace."
With those words, Lord Xia Zhao turned and flew to his travelling palace.
The Summer Palace.
Speaking of Lord Xia Zhao’s personal will and inner inclination, he would certainly want to send Cultivators to accompany the Sword Sect.
But the issue is, he is Lord Xia of Great Xia, and he cannot act willfully in all matters.
Yanlan Pass is confronting the most intense assault since the First Dao and Demon War, and he cannot now arbitrarily deploy a large number of Cultivators to aid the Central Spirit Domain.
...
Northern Domain, at Zijing Ridge, in the central Cangyuan Palace of Zhijing Pass.
At this moment, the Palace is gathering ninety percent of the Nine Realms Cultivators from Zhijing Pass, deliberating on matters.
The discussion had been ongoing for a long time, and the atmosphere in the palace was rather gloomy and oppressive.
"The Demons outside Zhijing Pass show no unusual activity; we have ample capacity to deploy forces to aid the Central Spirit Domain," said Huang Yang, the great elder from the Armor Pavilion of the Taoist Sect.
"The Giant Spirit Demon Clan has launched an offensive outside Yanlan Pass for over three months, the War Demon Clan is in a standoff with the Sword Sect outside Yumen Pass, and the Heart Demon Clan has exerted force outside Dragon City Pass, capturing it. Now it is a time of alarm and danger."