Inside Sacred Land.
Li Suxin is announcing the good news to her father.
"Father, I have good news for you! His Royal Highness has promised to protect our sect."
Hearing this, Li Liang showed ecstasy.
"Is it true?"
"Of course it's true. The prince also gave me a heaven-level cultivation technique, which can be used to suppress cold symptoms."
"Great kindness, great kindness!"
He never expected that her daughter would be so loved by His Royal Highness; it is indeed a blessing from the Sacred Land.
With the support of Xiao Tian, even the mysterious enemy would have to show some fear, and his heavy heart finally calmed down.
The Sword Emperor's family has never been afraid of anyone!
But at this moment, a hurried figure suddenly rushed outside.
"Lord, enemies are here!"
"So they finally arrived." Li Liang's previous happy expression was replaced by a cold look, and he said. After that, he gathered all the elders and walked outside to meet the people of the Splitting Sword Sect.
Although they had the support of Xiao Tian, they had to fight for his sect.
...
Li Suxin also followed the elder.
At this time, a figure approached her.
"Suxin."
"Ye Fan, what are you doing here?" Li Suxin looked at the person who came; it turned out it was Ye Fan.
"Suxin, come with me. I will take you out of the sect safely; it is not safe here." Ye Fan said with an earnest expression.
"What are you saying? The enemies are at the door, and you are suggesting running away like a coward." Li Suxin was disappointed with the attitude of Ye Fan and said.
...
The sky above the Purple Mist Sect had never looked so still.
The clouds—bruised with shades of ash and crimson—hung low, casting an oppressive veil over the mountain ridges. Every disciple in the inner court held their breath as the Splitting Sword Sect's members assembled like a thundercloud across the sect's northern ridge.
Dozens of cultivators stood in formation, their blades gleaming, their faces cold and disciplined. Although their number was small, each of them was a strong expert.
At the very front hovered three powerful elders, each cloaked in oppressive sword aura that shimmered like heat waves in the air. In the centre stood Sect Master Gu Zheng, a lean man with long silver hair tied in a topknot and eyes like sharpened steel.
Behind him, the ground trembled slightly beneath the force of their collective qi.
Inside the sect's protective boundary, dozens of Purple Mist Sect elders, led by Sect Master Li Liang, stood at the gate with solemn expressions. Behind them, the disciples had taken defensive positions, readying formations, spirit talismans, and barrier artefacts.
The outermost spiritual barrier shimmered faintly, a translucent dome pulsing with defensive inscriptions.
Li Liang stepped forward. His long robes rippled in the wind as he faced the invaders from the top of the stone staircase.
"Gu Zheng," he called out, his voice composed but grave. "You've already dishonoured yourself by attacking us unprovoked once. What excuse do you bring now?"
Gu Zheng smiled thinly.
"Excuse?" he echoed, raising his hand dramatically. "Is truth not enough? Your sect hides a treasure unworthy of its value. Suxin must be surrendered to us."
Li Liang's gaze narrowed. "That is impossible."
Gu Zheng said, eyes gleaming. "You had your chance to join a big power. Now, you will either submit or die."
A murmur rippled through the Purple Mist disciples. Tension crackled in the air.
From beside Li Liang, Li Suxin took a step forward, her sword still sheathed but radiating chilling pressure. Her breath left frost in the air.
Gu Zheng raised his hand, and the formation behind him shifted. Ten cultivators stepped forward, each holding a heavy blade inscribed with rune marks.
"We're giving you one last chance," Gu Zheng continued, his tone darkening. "Open the barrier. Hand over your daughter. Disband your sect and swear allegiance to the Splitting Sword Sect."
He paused, smiling cruelly. "Or resist—and be destroyed."
Silence fell.
Li Liang's hand rested on his sword hilt, his knuckles white.
He looked back at his elders.
Old men who had trained here since youth.
Disciples who had grown under the plum blossoms and bamboo paths.
His gaze lingered on Suxin.
His daughter, standing as proud as her late mother once had, refusing to bend even before the storm.
"We'll never surrender," he said quietly, but clearly.
Gu Zheng's smile faded.
"Then you've chosen death."
He turned to his men and gave a flick of his wrist.
"Break the formation."
The air ignited.
Sword cultivators from the Splitting Sword Sect leapt into action, gathering in formation around a huge spiritual core-breaker talisman they had prepared.
A complex array was activated beneath their feet—ten men standing at cardinal points, chanting in unison.
Golden lines of spiritual energy wove through the sky, striking against the outer barrier.
BOOM!
The dome rippled violently, shaking with the force of the impact. Lightning surged along its surface. Disciples were thrown back from the inner ring of the wall.
"Reinforce the formation!" Li Liang ordered.
Li Liang stepped forward, his hands forming seals. Ice-blue inscriptions flowed from his fingers, merging into the barrier itself, strengthening it temporarily.
Gu Zheng's voice echoed over the battlefield again.
"How long can you hold out? Your sect is already fractured. Your strength, a shadow of its former glory."
Another wave of sword energy exploded against the barrier.
CRACK—!
The dome shuddered again. Fine cracks began to web across its surface.
A disciple fell to his knees, coughing blood. Several elders who were transferring their spiritual energy into the formation stagnated.
Inside the main hall, a group of elderly formation masters sat in meditation, their qi strained to the limit as they tried to redirect the force.
"We can't keep this up!" one of them whispered.
Meanwhile, above the sect, Li Suxin soared into the air to observe the scale of the enemy's forces.
Her eyes showed a concerned expression. She couldn't help but glance at the back mountain where Xiao Tian was staying temporarily. Her and the entire sect's hope was in his hands.
Outside, Gu Zheng's men prepared for the third strike.
The spiritual core-breaker hummed ominously. Energy gathered at its tip, ready to strike again like a divine hammer.
Gu Zheng drew his sword.
"This is your last breath, Li Liang," he said softly. "Watch your legacy shatter."
He raised his blade to signal the final attack—
—
And then—
A low chuckle echoed through the valley.
"…Oi, oi… What's all this shouting about?"
The sound was slurred, lazy. Completely out of place amidst the tense silence.
Heads turned toward the sky.
A figure stumbled into view. Walking on the air. Wearing mismatched robes, his beard dishevelled, and a gourd in his hands, drinking.
He hiccuped. "Arrived on time, it seems."
Gu Zheng narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
The man took a swig from his gourd and belched loudly.
"Just a drunkard guard of prince…"
He paused, then scratched his chin.
"…Though the prince calls me Elder Cang."
Li Liang's eyes widened. His tense posture broke. Xiao Tian finally took action.