Chapter 1510: A Glimpse of Astonishment From a Single Sword

The city domain where Lingkong Palace is located is named Fengtai.It is considered one of the largest cities in Cheng State.Here exists a world of black and white. In the nocturnal realm, the rapidly expanding Nameless Cult and Lingkong Palace stand in opposition.One is characterized by fervent believers unafraid of death, the other by years of established influence and deep roots.Overtly, the City Lord's Mansion is, of course, the highest authority here.The Cheng State court even exceptionally appointed a修士 of the Outer Tower realm to hold office here, precisely to suppress the further expansion of the sect forces.In the neighboring Zhuang State, which boasts a burgeoning national power, the threshold for appointing city lords is merely of the Inner Mansion realm.But Cheng State has its own unique circumstances.These sects, on one hand, provide substantial tax revenue to the state; on the other hand, they are also a part of the national strength and are obligated to participate in times of war.Therefore, knowing how to manage the degree of suppression is a matter that greatly tests political acumen.The Nameless Cult and Lingkong Palace also need to let the Cheng State court know that they operate within limits and pose no risk of overstepping.As one of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Envoys of the Nameless Cult, tasked with cultivating believers in Cheng State,The Nether Earth Envoy is a being of Five Palaces Perfection, possessing divine abilities. One could say that by his own might, he has left Lingkong Palace gasping for breath. Were it not for the biased favor shown by the City Lord surnamed Li, Lingkong Palace would have long been expelled from here.However, it is merely a matter of time.The Nameless Cult behind him already possesses the strength to destroy a nation. His gradual weakening of forces here is merely to implement the will of the Divine Lord, temporarily acting discreetly and not wishing to fall out with the Cheng State court.Although the Nameless Cult is great, now is not the time to step into the sunlight. The common people are ignorant; truth cannot be attained in a single day.At this moment, he sat alone in a secret chamber, facing the divine shrine, reciting the "Nameless Sutra."Within this pale white shrine, a seated, faceless wooden statue of a deity was enshrined.On each side of the shrine were three white candles, arranged from high to low, perfectly aligned.However, there was no sandalwood incense offered to the deity.The white candles, made of some unknown material, burned faintly without shedding wax tears. The candle flames leaped in the air, yet a faint fragrance floated.Perhaps this is the unity of incense and fire within the Nameless Cult.Rather than worship, it felt more like mourning."From the bitter sea I come, my flesh and bones adrift. All those who suffer six failures and seven fates are afflicted beings. Those who endure three sorrows and eight pains are innocent mortals. The multitude pities me, and I pity the multitude..."The eerie chanting, fine and dense, continued for a long time before ceasing.The two rows of white candles also extinguished themselves automatically.At the moment the candle flames died out, a tall figure appeared in the secret chamber, perfectly timed. With a palm strike, it brought down upon the Nether Earth Envoy, who had not yet risen!A pressure like a mountain and sea, a matter of life and death!The Nether Earth Envoy had no time for other reactions at this moment. He only threw his head back abruptly, his deep, dark eyes instantly turning white. In that chilling pale white, an unknown world seemed to open. Surging power poured back in, circulating within this body. In a fraction of a moment, he seized a chance for survival, and his entire being darted forward—No movement!A tsunami erupted in his Sea of ​​Heavenly Connection, his blood, flesh, and bones... his entire being was confined by breezes of varying forms.The tall figure brought its palm down, directly shattering the head of the Nether Earth Envoy!Black, white, and red, mingled together.The corpse lay slumped on the ground.The two rows of white candles standing before the pale white shrine rekindled almost simultaneously.Two drops of fresh blood emerged from what should have been the eyes of the faceless, strange deity statue.An eerie aura descended!The tall figure was completely fearless. Stepping forward, it clenched its hands into hammers, striking down with the force of a collapsing mountain!Elemental currents of the Five Elements swirled around its arms, unleashing the power of the Outer Tower realm without reservation.Both rows of white candles extinguished simultaneously.Crack!The divine statue shattered into pieces.A pile of fragments lay on the ground.The tall figure did not even look, immediately turning and pushing open the door to leave the secret chamber.Calmly turning left and right within this stronghold, it regarded the patrolling cultists as if they were nothing. It left the room and walked into the courtyard, then leaped lightly onto the rooftop.Its figure rapidly shrunk in the air, transforming into a yellow talisman clutched between two slender fingers.Jiang Wang, wearing a cloak and linen robe, sitting on the ridge of the roof, quietly glanced at the yellow talisman, highly satisfied with its performance. Clasping the yellow paper, he gently shook it and put it away.Truly worthy of being a product of the Immortal Palace that once dominated an era!It was not in vain that this Jiang, in the bloody battle at Duanhun Gorge, slew demons and risked his life to extract jade in the Mountain and Sea realm.This Immortal Palace Warrior is truly useful!With his remote assistance using the Dragon and Tiger Arts, that so-called Nether Earth Envoy had no chance to resist whatsoever.And by using the Immortal Palace Warrior, even if the Nameless Cult had some special means, Zhang Linchuan would not be able to trace it back to him.Even a powerful being like the Fortune Teller Demon could not divine the Immortal Palace. How could Zhang Linchuan?The Immortal Palace Warrior asks nothing, says nothing, kills upon appearance, and leaves after killing. Its very nature is to sever all clues.However, on the other hand...This Nether Earth Envoy's so-called "divine ability" finally allowed Jiang Wang to see a hint.If the conjecture is true, and it's all related to Zhang Linchuan...Then it's not impossible for all seventy-two Earthly Fiend Envoys to possess "divine abilities."The Nameless Cult might be even stronger than imagined.While the common people were completely unaware, a terrifying monster had been birthed in the darkness of night.On such a night, Jiang Wang sat silently on the rooftop, quietly observing the Nameless Cult's stronghold.Behind him was a bright moon.Moonlight poured into the night.Not long after, the widely open door was noticed by a patrol, and the Nether Earth Envoy, who had died tragically in the secret chamber, was discovered.This was the leader of the Nameless Cult in Cheng State, a great being who acted as the will of the deity in the hearts of all the cultists here! And he was powerful and invincible, unbeatable.Yet, he had died without a sound.His death was extremely tragic.Alarm bells, shouts, the activation of spell formations...The entire Nameless Cult stronghold fell into chaos. People constantly rushed in and out, and the chaotic light of ignited lamps illuminated the area.But Jiang Wang, sitting on the rooftop, was not detected by anyone.In his right hand, he held a copy of "History Knife Carves the Sea," which he had, of course, read while waiting... In his left hand, he held the Calamity Hound Seal, and his entire body was covered by a layer of ethereal light.The moonlight flowed past him, flowing through him.The Bi Fang Seal technique emphasizes "technique." Under the guidance of Duke Huai, that esteemed elder, Jiang Wang used it to further condense the divine ability spiritual manifestation of Samadhi True Fire.And the Calamity Hound Seal technique, its use is in "concealment." Internally, it can hide oneself; externally, it can envelop the enemy's power. It is indeed an unparalleled method.All along, Jiang Wang's ability to conceal his tracks had been quite ordinary, relying entirely on a concealment cloak made by Granny Xiaofan in the past. Now that he has mastered the Calamity Hound Seal, it can be said that in this path, he has leapt over the dragon gate, and the world is vastly different.The Nether Earth Envoy had been killed. Jiang Wang remained seated here, firstly to search if there were any hidden experts in this stronghold, and secondly to see if any figures like the Heavenly Star Envoys of the Nameless Cult would come to provide support.But after observing for a long time, he only saw a chaotic swarm, and only heard a cacophony in his ears.It didn't resemble a force capable of vying for the strongest sect in Cheng State at all.Having lost the Nether Earth Envoy, they seemed to have lost their eyes, noses, ears, and brains.Jiang Wang could, of course, infer from this—Zhang Linchuan's construction of the Nameless Cult is a top-down, unidirectional node control. The disadvantage of doing so is that the organizational strength is not cohesive enough. The scattered strongholds are essentially operating independently.But the advantage of doing so is... any node can be severed at any time. If any stronghold is razed, it will not be traced back to Zhang Linchuan.This is also the necessary stealth of such unorthodox forces.Otherwise, whenever they provoke a strong opponent, they could easily be traced back and wiped out.And the disadvantage of this organizational structure, for a cult, actually doesn't have too much impact. If Zhang Linchuan is strong enough, he can completely use the power of a "god" to directly communicate with every believer. At that time, there will be plenty of cohesion.The Nameless Cult cannot continue to develop so smoothly; otherwise, Zhang Linchuan's power will inflate too quickly!As it now appears, before the arrival of a new Earthly Fiend Envoy, the Nameless Cult here in Cheng State is nothing to worry about.But Zhang Linchuan's roots hidden in the shadows still inevitably cast a shadow over Jiang Wang's heart.Especially the "Nameless Sutra" chanted by the Nether Earth Envoy during his secret prayer.Six failures and seven fates, afflicted beings. Three sorrows and eight pains, innocent mortals. The multitude pities me, and I pity the multitude...He was not bewildered by the sutra.Even ancient classics could not shake his Dao heart now.It was just... the most crucial aspect of the Outer Tower realm is the phrase "expound the Dao."Jiang Wang, who was already close to the highest level of the Outer Tower, could fully judge what such a "Nameless Sutra" signified.At this moment, Jiang Wang completely understood why Wang Changji, as soon as he reached the Divine Arrival stage, immediately exposed his strength and eradicated all Nameless Cult strongholds within Jiao State.Besides being a declaration of war...It was truly a matter of urgency!Zhang Linchuan is absolutely not someone who only plays with schemes. Perhaps he is another ambitious talent of a chaotic era like Zhuang Chenggan.Taking one last look at the chaotic Nameless Cult stronghold, Jiang Wang rose with a leap and vanished into the night.A mysterious strong expert arrived in the Fengtai city domain. With a single strike, he killed Venerable Hundred Patches, the strongest of Lingkong Palace, and the Nether Earth Envoy of the Nameless Cult.In a single night, he caused the two major sects that had been locked in conflict for days to cease their disputes.Attracting the attention of both the court and the public.There were rumors that he was a hidden master secretly dispatched by the Cheng State court to curb the expansion of sect forces, acting decisively to eliminate the source of chaos.There were rumors that he was a supreme expert who had been living in seclusion locally, who, seeing the constant disputes between the two forces causing unrest among the people, struck down the strongest members of both sides as a warning...But these rumors, these stories that the cultivation world of Cheng State enthusiastically discussed, were no longer heard by Lord Jiang.Since the Yellow River Assembly, he had only compared himself to the top figures in the world, even tracing back history to verify the ancient and the modern. Ordinary cultivators who held sway in the less prominent Cheng State seemed to him to be in a different world entirely.At the peak of cultivation, each leap to a higher level presents an entirely different landscape.A chance encounter.It was nothing more than strolling through the mundane world, one sword already a breathtaking flash.Since the new era of the Dao Calendar began, the official system has flourished, and the national structure has become prevalent.To this day, after three thousand nine hundred and twenty years, states stand tall, and the present world is divided.But outside the myriad of powerful states, there are still some strong sects that have traversed history and spanned the world.Inheriting undying traditions, they are still verifying the end of cultivation.In terms of space, the official system has reached its zenith. In terms of time, it may not be eternal.Time will verify the power that is truly worthy of continued existence.There is no other place in the world like the Southern Domain, where so many powerful sects coexist.From the Blood River Sect and Sword Pavilion, to Dragon Gate Academy and Mount Sumeru, then to Evening Drum Academy and Southern Dipper Hall... all are famous and great sects of the world.This naturally has its historical reasons, and it also demonstrates the prosperity of the Southern Domain's cultivation world since ancient times.There are many theories among people regarding the location of Southern Dipper Hall. Some say it is in Wei State, some say in Li State, some say in Yue State, and so on.This is because this sect is truly mysterious. It is not like the Sword Pavilion, which stands a peak as a sword and controls dangerous passes, asking who is the world's foremost swordsman. Nor is it like Evening Drum Academy, located at the foot of Mount Shu, a sacred place of Confucianism, gathering the world's literary energy and inviting brilliant essays.Nor is it like Dragon Gate Academy gazing at the River Viewing Platform, nor like the Blood River Sect forever guarding the Calamity Waters.Southern Dipper Hall is more like Mount Sumeru, its divine dragon seen at the head but not the tail.Its fame spreads far, but its true location is vague.However, to say it is a secluded cultivation place is also not entirely consistent with the style of this sect.After all, someone like Seven Kills True Person Lu Shuanghe gained his fame through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.What is even more unique is...Although Southern Dipper Hall is a great sect of the world, it does not widely accept disciples, but rather... is exceptionally willful.The Six True Persons: Fate Master, Heavenly Beam, Heavenly Mechanism, Heavenly Harmony, Heavenly Appearance, and Seven Kills – whoever is in the mood will travel the world. Whoever they fancy, they will bring back to the sect.Basically, it is a one-on-one transmission across generations.Of course, it is also permissible to take several disciples; not taking any disciples also seems to be no issue.In short, very capricious.The true location of Southern Dipper Hall is, of course, not in any of the states of Wei, Li, Yue, or Song; otherwise, who is the host and who is the guest would be a problem.Cultivators who have truly lived in the Southern Domain will know that it is west of Li State, south of Wei State, and north of Evening Drum Academy...There is a place called Mount Du'e.This location is not seen on any country's map.But centered around this peak, within a radius of a hundred li, it has been designated as a forbidden area by the surrounding forces.And in reality, this is merely an entrance to Southern Dipper Hall.This sect does not truly maintain a stronghold in the present world.Of course, as a great sect of the world, Southern Dipper Hall also has many subsidiary industries, its own resource needs, and relatively close relationships with the surrounding countries... But the core of this sect has always been just those few people.They are the so-called Six True Beings of the Southern Dipper.Beneath the clear sky and snowy clouds.Amidst the deep mountain valleys.A clear stream winds its way.The stream water is so clear that one can see the bottom, seeing how the fish swim through the water grass.By the stream is a piece of green stone.On the stone sits a man with white hair draped over his shoulders.His hands rest on his knees, allowing the breeze to blow through his hair. He is silent and unmoving, his closed eyes like two horizontal swords.Very dull, very silent swords.At a certain moment, this realm of heaven and earth underwent a subtle change.Like a wisp of wind brushing past a floating leaf, like a drop of water immersing into a faint light, like the call of a distant wild goose arriving a thousandth of a breath later... In short, these were all things that should not have been noticed, or rather, were simply natural occurrences.The world is constantly changing.But the man sitting cross-legged on the green stone opened his eyes—His swords had been sharpened.(P.S. "Nameless Sutra" - Why such sentiment.)