Chapter 53: Might Shakes a Thousand Miles

Jin Mingxiu's heart was filled with horror as he thought, "This is not a technique of this sect. What kind of technique is so overbearing?"

Shen Tang did not reveal the purple energy this time, making it difficult to discern for a while. Jin Mingxiu's thoughts raced like lightning, and his sword light quickly entered the dead person's back. Then he said apologetically, "It was this old man's insufficient reaction, I acted too late... fortunately, the sect master's divine power is invincible and was not invaded by petty people."

"Boom rumble!" In the thunder, Shen Tang slightly turned her face sideways, looking as if she were smiling but not smiling. "Hall Master Jin knows well. Your merit will offset your crime later."

In Jin Mingxiu's eyes, Shen Tang's smile, though beautiful and unparalleled, was as straight as a demon, making people's hearts tremble with fear. "Many thanks for the sect master's pardon..."

The wind stopped and the thunder vanished.

In the square lay five Lingyun Gate Daoist priests, already completely dead from the intersecting strikes of heavenly thunder and earthly fire.

Further away, in front of the East Jiang Gang's Vice Gang Master Wang, stood a white-haired woman. Her ice sword was pointed horizontally, and she alone blocked the East Jiang Gang's five or six people, preventing them from advancing even an inch.

Lu Xingzhou sat in the center of the square, gazing towards the high platform. He saw that Shen Tang was also looking at him. As their gazes met, they both smiled simultaneously.

Everyone in the entire field was wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

In the eyes of the people present, this smiling mutual gaze between the man and woman was simply between two monsters.

One, a mere seventh-rank, used the earthly fire of Danxia Mountain as a base to arrange a top-tier formation that utilized heavenly timing and earthly veins. The Lingyun Gate cultivators who broke the formation didn't even have time to use a single magic tool and were all trapped and killed here, ruthlessly. Among them, Xuan He Zhenren's life magic tool was shattered by Shen Tang's flying sword. He was still heavily injured and limping, his expression like one in a dream.

One, a fourth-rank... seemed quite high, but her opponents were also just as high. Her flying sword heavily injured Xuan He, and without a flying sword, she instantly killed two strong individuals of the same level from Fenxiang Tower with lightning fire stones. Was this still human?

And that white-haired woman on the other side, people's gazes were not there previously, so they didn't know why she alone could block so many people from the East Jiang Gang. Vice Gang Master Wang is also a fourth-rank martial cultivator, ah. Isn't this woman only a fifth-rank?

What kind of monsters are these, gathered in this so-called declining Tianxing Sword Sect?

Declining your ghost, ah... some people would even believe that this sect is stronger than before.

Sheng Yuan Yao touched her chin and quietly asked A Nuo, "Why didn't you act?"

A Nuo blinked her eyes. "What can I do as a little child, ah..."

"Tch." Only Sheng Yuan Yao in the entire field knew that this group of people still hid their strength. At least A Nuo didn't act. She had previously investigated the traces of evil cultivator soul possession seen on the corpses of the Huo family guards and Liu Qingcang. They didn't appear here.

That kind of thing is naturally not good to display publicly.

She still didn't know that Shen Tang could actually stand up. This was even more of a hidden strength within a hidden strength, absolutely not to be revealed externally.

In other words, this group of people achieved a scene of absolute suppression even while hiding a pile of trump cards. Looking at the shocked and fearful eyes of the people in the square now, Sheng Yuan Yao truly didn't expect this beforehand.

After this battle, the Tianxing Sword Sect can truly be said to have its prestige shock a thousand miles, and no one dares to challenge its edge.

Lu Xingzhou invited himself to the ceremony. It seems this time he truly didn't pit himself. He didn't need to do anything and instead ate a complete melon, feeling satisfied.

She asked A Nuo in a low voice, "Killing so many people might offend these forces to death. Even if they are now facing His Majesty's decree and don't dare to surround and attack the Tianxing Sword Sect, aren't you all afraid that once the storm passes, something will happen?"

A Nuo was slightly stunned. "The storm passes... how long is that?"

Sheng Yuan Yao was also slightly stunned. "Half a year to a year, perhaps."

A Nuo looked at Sheng Yuan Yao as if looking at a fool. "Elder sister, I still thought you were very smart before."

Sheng Yuan Yao: "?"

"After half a year to a year, can we still have the same strength as now?"

Sheng Yuan Yao: "..."

Shen Tang's voice rang out. "Xuan He Zhenren... the honorable one said that the formation's power has no eyes, and life and death each depend on heaven's fate. Should this be counted?"

Xuan He Zhenren, weak on the ground, looked at the corpses of his followers. His face was like dead ash, and he couldn't even speak.

If he had known that his "suppression" would result in such misery, he should have kicked out Yang Dechang the day he came to instigate him. He shouldn't have come to this ceremony at all.

But now everything was too late... He himself had publicly said the words about life and death each depending on heaven's fate. How could he swallow them now?

Those words were spoken by Lu Xingzhou... Xuan He Zhenren looked at Lu Xingzhou's always smiling expression, and finally, there was some fear in his pupils.

Shen Tang still didn't let go. "So, what do you think of the ability of this sect's disciples, as well as the way of breaking techniques and formations, Zhenren?"

Xuan He Zhenren still didn't speak.

There was fundamentally no need to speak. Displaying such might among ten thousand people, the faces of the various forces in Xia State were all pale this time.

Did Liu Qingcang once drive out this pervert, Lu Xingzhou?

Shen Tang didn't wait for his response and continued to speak on her own. "Vice Gang Master Wang, does the East Jiang Gang also want to compete with us?"

Vice Gang Master Wang looked at the white-haired, blue-eyed woman in front of him, silent for a long time, and then slowly said, "Misunderstanding, the East Jiang Gang just came to observe the ceremony."

He and Du Gu Qingli had just exchanged one move, and then there were no more moves.

Saying one thousand and one ten thousand, this was someone else's sect-opening ceremony, and the emperor's decree was still pressing there. Public challenge could still be explained, but taking advantage of the chaos to surround and attack would just be waiting for the Xia State city master to report it upwards. It was hard to say that the East Jiang Gang wouldn't be ruined by this matter. Previously, under the chaos, he had a bit of brain fever. As a result, Du Gu Qingli's block sobered him up. This time, only a fool would continue to oppose.

Shen Tang also lifted a sedan chair. "The East Jiang Gang is the largest gang in this prefecture. The surrounding goods are basically all transported and circulated by your esteemed gang. Later, if this sect's goods need to be entrusted to your esteemed sect, everyone can cooperate completely."

Vice Gang Master Wang forced a smile. "Of course, today, Sect Master Shen's divine might shakes a thousand miles. This gang is very willing to cooperate."

Shen Tang's gaze fell on Wu Jianchen again. "Just now, Sect Master Wu was not like Fenxiang Tower, taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. Shen Tang thanks you here."

Wu Jianchen slowly said, "Public challenge among ten thousand people, if one's skill is inferior to others, there is nothing to say. This sect does not do that kind of act of sneak attacking in chaos."

Shen Tang nodded and looked at the corpses under her feet. "Whether it's Sect Master Wu or Xuan He Zhenren, there is no blame for public challenge. Only Fenxiang Tower secretly launched a sneak attack while others were sparring... This sect hereby announces that we are henceforth enemies with Fenxiang Tower. If we meet on the path, we will not rest until one of us is dead!"

Bai Chi, supporting the weak Bai Jingtian, said sternly, "Shen Tang! How dare you!"

"Then just see if this seat dares." Shen Tang said lightly, "Come, men, press them down."

Quickly, Tianxing Sword Sect disciples who once belonged to the Danxia Gang fiercely went over. With a "bang," one slap knocked out two of Bai Chi's teeth. "Grandma's, you ate our ruined family's food, wasn't it good?"

Bai Chi: "..."

That disciple grabbed Bai Chi and sealed his mute acupoint. A group of people carried the Bai family's two members away like dogs.

Shen Tang looked at the color of the sky and revealed an unembarrassed smile. "Apologies everyone, I didn't expect the pill refining before to take so long. Now the sky is dark, and dinner time has passed..."

Sheng Yuan Yao: "?"

Immediately, someone sensible stood up. "We still have matters and will take our leave first. Congratulations to Sect Master Shen on the opening of your sect. May your great dao advance and your prestige shake all directions hereafter."

Shen Tang politely said, "Hereafter, this sect's business of pills and flying swords still hopes for everyone's full support."

"That is certain." Some people even started shouting, "Sect Master Shen, I'll buy that Break Yue you just used. Name a price, ah."

Shen Tang's smiling eyes curved. "We have a special person in the external affairs hall responsible for this matter. Everyone is welcome to consult if you are interested."

In an atmosphere of harmonious guest and host, Sheng Yuan Yao was pulled away by her subordinates, still kicking and scolding, "Lu Xingzhou, you stingy ghost, this old lady helped you hold the fort for so long, and you didn't even offer a mouthful of water to drink. You wait for me..."

The noisy hundred thousand square gradually scattered.

Shen Tang looked at the setting sun in the west and sighed, feeling a little tired.

Lu Xingzhou pushed his wheelchair over and smiled, "Tired?"

Shen Tang also returned with a smile, "Did my performance today count as completing your instructions?"

This grand ceremony was messy and bad, fundamentally not a regular ceremony, but the desired effects were all achieved.

The prestige abroad was established, the deterrence was there, and goodwill towards Xia State was also released. Everything that should be done was done. The surrounding powerful sects were also mostly pulled over, some were attacked, but not all were offended to death. The focus was on Fenxiang Tower, and secondly Lingyun Gate. And the East Jiang Gang and Cangshan Sword Sect, on the contrary, were left with some possibility of friendship.

The most important thing was that enough energy was gathered. Relying solely on themselves, they could fundamentally not gather so much.

The overall plan completely followed Lu Xingzhou's ideas, not deviating by a single point.

Lu Xingzhou smiled, "Our princess always does things in a way that makes people feel most at ease."

Shen Tang slightly pursed her lips. These things seemed simple, but who to focus on striking and who to let go lightly, all had a plan. If it weren't for Lu Xingzhou, Shen Tang knew it would be difficult to do it so orderly.

Under the twilight sunset glow, the two looked at each other quietly, their eyes seeming to have light and shadow flickering, yet both were silent.

Du Gu Qingli and A Nuo stood on one side, expressionless.

"Cough." Lu Xingzhou coughed dryly to change the subject. "Now Fenxiang Tower is truly not resting until one of us dies. Lingyun Gate also won't let go after so many people died. Is the sect master adult afraid?"

"You all aren't afraid, what am I afraid of?" Shen Tang smiled, glanced at Jin Mingxiu and others standing around, and said lazily, "Everyone is also tired today. Go and rest."

The crowd bowed and scattered. Shen Tang, however, did not return to her room. Lu Xingzhou gestured, and a group of people quickly went around to the large prison.

"Did you interrupt Jin Mingxiu's battle at that time because you saw he had a problem?" Shen Tang finally asked after they had gone far away.

"I wasn't very sure at the time, but I saw him hesitate and felt it was better to be steady. In case he deliberately lost a match in the battle, the momentum we had accumulated would all be defeated by him halfway." Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly coldly. "Later, looking at his stance to help you, I was even more certain that he must have ulterior motives. If you hadn't handled those two from Fenxiang Tower so decisively and cleanly, delaying for a moment, his sword might have even stabbed into your body."

Shen Tang sighed in a low voice, "Wanting some people you can trust is truly difficult..."

Lu Xingzhou looked at Du Gu Qingli behind her and smiled, "You are already very lucky, my princess."

Shen Tang: So, why are you concentrating on looking at Du Gu Qingli's white hair now?