Chapter 42: The Sect of Five Elephants

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“Yuchi Baolin, do you dare to strike?”

No sooner had the two crimson-robed sorcerers spoken than a blade of purple-gold light cleaved through the air toward them. Enraged, the man and woman each thrust a palm forward, sending twin jets of violet fire from their hands. The flames merged, and as the mountain wind swept past, they twisted into a savage demonic effigy. Its gaping maw devoured the blade of light in an instant.

Having swallowed the blade, the flaming demon roared skyward and soared above the general’s head, threatening to incinerate both man and horse without mercy. Zhao Yougui and Zhu Zhen, unable to restrain themselves any longer, cursed the others for their shamelessness, unleashed their flying swords, and in a flash, shattered the demon effigy.

Fiery embers scattered across the earth. Strangely, whenever the flames touched the ghostly soldiers below, they were immediately extinguished—no burning, no disturbance, as if this spectral army slumbered on, undisturbed.

“Yang Yan, Yang Miao! How bold you siblings are. I suppose your Valley of a Hundred Blossoms no longer wishes to remain in Yangzhou.”

“Hahaha… What a joke! Two old dogs of the imperial court, daring to boast so shamelessly. What of the Supreme Heaven Sect? If you have the skill, try to wipe out our Valley of a Hundred Blossoms!”

“Defy the will of Heaven, and you'll be reduced to ashes before long. There’s no need for our sect to intervene.”

Clearly, the two from the Valley of a Hundred Blossoms harbored deep resentment toward the court. From the start, they opposed both the Supreme Heaven Sect and Yuchi Baolin. Yet after that initial exchange, seeing neither could overcome the other, they settled for trading barbs, each venting their frustration in words.

“How marvelous! In a place where such fierce mountain winds blow, those violet flames not only endure but can even take on the form of gods and demons. Even from this distance, I can feel the searing heat.”

The scholar was elated, his eyes shining, eager for the combatants below to continue their battle. He had never before witnessed a clash between masters of the Returning Microcosm realm and was visibly thrilled. Beside him, Lu Xin’s expression hardly changed; he merely furrowed his brow more deeply.

The more formidable the experts below, the more perilous this venture would be. Should chaos erupt, the small group up here wouldn't survive even a single exchange.

“That is the legendary Imperial Fire of the Purple Star. Not only is it impervious to wind, but even water or earth cannot extinguish it. Scholar, if you’re wise, you’ll stay right here and go nowhere. Divine magic is blind—if you’re roasted like a spring chicken, you’ll regret it dearly.”

“Regret your grandfather! You damned fox, keep spouting nonsense and when I top the imperial examination rolls, I’ll cook you up myself.”

“Hehehe… You two youngsters are certainly lively. Friends, after squatting here so long, isn’t it time you stretched your legs?”

As the scholar and Moonless Night bickered, a shrill, ghostly laugh echoed suddenly behind the five of them. The sound was sharp as a nightingale, eerie and chilling. Lu Xin was the first to turn, spotting five silhouettes standing in the darkness, each pair of eyes aglow with fire, fixed intently upon them.

“Who’s skulking there? Show yourselves!”

Yang Xiu’s expression darkened as she realized someone had crept up behind them unnoticed. Yang Qin instantly drew a dagger, holding it defensively across her chest.

“If I am not mistaken, you must be of the Five Emblems Sect.”

Moonless Night stood, unfazed, brushing back the hair from his brow with a smile as he questioned them in return. Lu Xin silently shielded the scholar behind him, saying nothing, watching for what might unfold. Though their visitors’ intent was unknown, one thing was clear: these five were not here to pick a fight. If they had intended to kill, they could have struck already.

“Heh. Not bad, little brother. Indeed, we are the Five Emblem Bearers of the Myriad Emblems Sect: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise—and myself, the Qilin Bearer.”

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The speaker’s laughter remained inscrutable, leaving others guessing at his intentions. Meanwhile, the members of the Five Emblems Sect emerged from the shadows: three men and two women, each dressed differently but all holding large seals. Lu Xin recognized these five from Xuanzhou City, where they had followed Yuchi Baolin, their powers intertwined, moving with astonishing speed.

“Hmph, Five Emblems Sect or Six, makes no difference. Speak plainly and drop the sly airs—they grate on the nerves.”

“Hahaha! Women of Miaojiang truly are fiery and bold. Fine then. Your witch tribe wields great power—though not a proper sect, your strength surely rivals even the Supreme Heaven Sect. Little lady, we are here to propose an alliance, not to fight.”

“An alliance? Why would we need one? We’re not here on a vendetta or to kill.”

Yang Xiu sneered, her gaze sweeping across the five, unmoved by the Qilin Bearer’s words.

“No need for suspicion. I know your reason for coming: the Herb of Deathless Rebirth not only grants longevity but is a sacred medicine for healing wounds. You seek it to save a life—am I right?”

Caressing the seal in his hands, the Qilin Bearer’s eyes narrowed to slits beneath his smiling face. At this, the Yang sisters’ expressions shifted, and they fell silent.

“Look below—five Returning Microcosm masters. With your small group, even if you learn the herb’s location, you won’t get anywhere near it. We five may not hold that cultivation, but our magical implements are powerful. If we join forces and combine our five seals into one array, its might will rival a supreme treasure, more than enough to fell any one of them.”

“Sister, don’t trust him. Central Plains folk are full of trickery.”

“How did you know I sought the herb to save someone?”

“Sister?”

“Qin’er, let me handle this.”

Yang Xiu’s eyes flashed like lightning, fixed on the Qilin Bearer, torn between suspicion and hope. Sensing this, he exhaled slowly, at last putting aside his smile.

“Sixty years ago, your tribe’s Grand Priest clashed with the Underworld Daoist Patriarch and was wounded by the artifact of Frost and Flame. That battle, too, was fought here in Chizhou…”

“Enough. No need to say more. I will ally with you. But should we obtain the herb, my sister and I claim half.”

“Agreed, agreed. Then let’s descend together, shall we?”

Seeing Yang Xiu nod, the Qilin Bearer laughed aloud and strode down the hillside without another word. The sisters followed close behind, soon swallowed by the darkness. The scholar longed to go as well, but seeing both Lu Xin and Moonless Night unmoving, he remained in place.

“Brother Xin, Fox, what are you two thinking? The girls have gone, and you’re still daydreaming?”

“Hmph. Did you not hear their conversation? She’s likely the Grand Priest’s daughter—who would dare cross her? We’re different: no sect, no backing. If we went down there, our deaths would be for nothing.”

With a cold snort, Moonless Night sat down, clearly unwilling to move. Lu Xin frowned in silence and turned to peer down the hillside. The ghostly troops below remained unmoving, but the tolling of the dreadful Soul Bell grew ever more frantic, its sound shaking them to the core.

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“It seems these ghost soldiers will awaken soon, senior brother. We cannot delay any longer. The Herb of Deathless Rebirth appears only once every sixty years. Ao Tian is sure to have an elixir that masks the living aura, allowing entry to the underworld. If we seize it, we may obtain the ancient art of alchemy from pre-Qin sorcerers. This is of great importance to the sect.”

Zhu Zhen, gripping his purple sword, gazed anxiously at the sky. As he finished, Zhao Yougui glanced toward the depths of the army formation—countless spectral troops blocked the view, making it impossible to spot the pre-Qin sorcerer.

“We must not be hasty. The sect master warned that though he now lies in a state of feigned death, his avatars are myriad. An ancient master of the Heaven-Fusing realm can perform the Five Element Arts upon his very flesh. If we act rashly, we might not even touch his shadow.”

“What then? We two alone surely cannot succeed, even if those below cannot approach because of their cultivation.”

The two elders from the Supreme Heaven Sect had clearly come prepared; their words revealed they already knew the sorcerer’s identity. Yet neither seemed confident about what would come next.

“Zhao Yougui, what are you two muttering about? Afraid, are you? Hmph! Think we don’t know your Supreme Heaven Sect’s schemes? Ancient alchemy is the shortcut to cultivation—you’re not the only ones who want it!”

With a cold laugh, Yang Yan and Yang Miao rose into the air, flying above the ghost army, clearly intent on seeking the pre-Qin sorcerer. Seeing this, Yuchi Baolin bellowed, “Traitors!” and charged into the ranks atop his steed. Zhao Yougui and Zhu Zhen, unable to stop them, turned pale and hurried after.

Boom, boom, boom—boom, boom, boom…

The bell’s toll grew ever more frantic and oppressive, until it seemed to become the very drumbeat of battle. The five masters had barely entered the depths of the formation when the ghost soldiers began to open their eyes, one after another.

A chorus of dreadful, guttural roars echoed through the wilds. The spectral soldiers hefted their weapons and surged toward the five. Yuchi Baolin was fiercest, his great blade sweeping out to reduce seven or eight ghost soldiers to dust in an instant. All around, flames erupted within the ranks, a hundred swords flashing in every direction as ghostly soldiers vanished everywhere.

Yet as the five fought fiercely on, they found the ghost soldiers around them only multiplied. No matter how many they slew, the numbers were inexhaustible. Their strength waned rapidly, their faces growing ever more grim.

“Brother Xin, why do those ghost soldiers seem unkillable? I saw them vanish, but then they reappear elsewhere.”

The scholar, watching anxiously from above, spoke with a trembling voice, both terrified and awestruck. Though he held no power, he saw clearly: from the very start, the host of ghostly troops on the plain had not diminished in the least.

“It seems these things have no true form. We should have guessed—soldiers of the underworld, likely dead for countless centuries.”

“Little Xin, look—what’s that?”

As Lu Xin sighed, Moonless Night suddenly pointed in a certain direction, his voice dropping to a grave whisper.