Chapter 356: Who is Actually Stronger

Wang Lingxiao was the master of the Nanhua Sect for this generation.

Ordinarily at this hour, he would either be lingering in the Hall of Heavenly Radiance attending to affairs, or sequestered within his own chambers, circulating his qi and cultivating his techniques.

But now, clad in a white robe a grade lower than even that of an ordinary elder, he departed from the sect alongside Taoist Xichi and Taoist Miaomiao.

Accompanying them were several other elders who held immense weight and authority within the Nanhua Sect.

"I say, what exactly is it?" a white-haired elder inquired in bewilderment. "To think it requires us to venture forth in person? Could we not simply bring it back?"

"It is said that Taoist Xichi discovered an ancient ruin, er... called something like the Emei Sect, and within it dwells some Youquan Blood Demon of sheer, terrifying power! It seems we must combine our strength to contend with it."

"Was it not said to be just a small shop?"

"What small shop or grand establishment? If it were merely a small shop, with my schedule so pressing, would I have followed along? It was clearly stated to be an ancient cave dwelling called the Blood Dripping Cave, and within it lies a Heavenly Book!"

"Did they not also mention some incredibly potent treasures inside, like the Haotian Mirror and the Jade Cleaving Sword?"

Listening to the chatter of the crowd, Taoist Xichi and Taoist Miaomiao exchanged glances, shaking their heads in succession with expressions of utter awkwardness.

"We truly ought to let them get out more, to properly see the world..." The corner of Taoist Miaomiao's mouth twitched slightly.

Evidently, without seeing it with their own eyes and experiencing it with their own hands, who in this world would know what cybercafes, computers, virtual reality, television dramas, and games were? Furthermore, explaining so much content at once could not possibly be overly detailed, so the gulf between what the two explained and what the crowd understood...

Had turned into this.

After all, within their worldview, such things were the closest approximations, and they could only use what was most familiar to draw analogies.

Fortunately, they cared little for what these elders believed at the moment; as long as they followed along, it was enough.

...

And at this very moment, in the forbidden grounds of the Nanhua back mountain.

"Those old fellows, it turns out they have discovered a large-scale ruin! No... I am afraid it is more than one!" With white hair and crimson eyes reflecting a cold glare, this was none other than the previous Nanhua Heavenly Maiden, who now guarded the forbidden grounds.

Shui Xianyun's eyes narrowed slightly: "Those fellows possess truly remarkable luck, to actually discover a cluster of ruins all at once, and it seems... the effects are remarkably pronounced."

"Has the cause been investigated thoroughly?"

"Thoroughly investigated," Shui Xianyun sneered. "It is merely a bit of a coincidence. It seems to be due to a faction that controls a cluster of ruins. We used power to entice those disciples, but many of them obtained things that enhanced their power within the ruins controlled by that faction, and the results appear quite formidable. Therefore, a portion of the Nanhua Sect disciples who could not yet be stably controlled were easily drawn over there."

"Which means... this is but a coincidence? They recruited people into the ruins, and happened to undo much of our work?"

Shui Xianyun replied: "I am afraid that is precisely the case."

"Hahahahaha!" That voice erupted into wild laughter. "What ruins? They are all nothing but a joke! Before the power of my clan, humans are but mere ants. Had it not been for this deity's momentary carelessness back then, being ambushed by those few brats, how could I be trapped here?"

"And now, those dead ghosts have all succumbed to their heavy wounds and departed early for the Yellow Springs, while my power grows continuously!" Its voice seemed laced with thick fury. "When I break free into the world, I shall make all your disciples and grand-disciples my servants! Those who do not yield shall be slaughtered!"

"Congratulations, Holy Sovereign, on your power ascending to a greater height!" A wicked, charming smile surfaced on Shui Xianyun's face.

...

By this time, the elders of various grand sects had already begun watching "Zhudian" and "Shushan," and some had even been led to play "The Legend," or "Grand Theft Auto 5," and "Harry Potter," casting their gazes upon far more inconceivable systems of civilization.

Originally, the Half-City shop was mostly populated by local cultivators of Half-City, but now, the cultivators from the Morning Star Sea Area were beginning to increase steadily.

Inside the shop doors, in the lounge area, the elders and masters of various sects who had finished watching movies or playing games sat with boxes of spicy sticks before them.

As a sect master, Wang Lingxiao was currently swaying his head, seated beside an old Taoist priest clad in black-and-white Taoist robes: "The creation of heaven and earth is said to be of the time of chaos, when ignorance was undivided, the sun and moon contained their brilliance, heaven and earth blended their forms, and once the vast transformation occurred, the clear and turbid were arranged... The content of this Heavenly Book is truly profound and difficult to comprehend. Though I have already committed it to memory, the deeper meaning within is truly elusive!"

"What is so difficult about that," the old Taoist beside him snorted disdainfully. "It is just like this Taiji Xuanqing Path, where Taiji is one, yin and yang accommodate each other, or like these Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder, mutually generating and restricting, complementing each other."

"I say, Old Taoist Tianxu, I am speaking of the Heavenly Book, speaking of 'Zhudian,' how have you dragged it back to 'Shushan' again? And what Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder! If not for the Nanming Li Huo Sword being present, one wouldn't even know how the masters of the Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder died!"

"You are talking sheer nonsense!" Hearing someone declare that the Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder were inferior to the Nanming Li Huo Sword, Old Taoist Tianxu instantly flew into a rage. "The combination of the twin swords perfectly aligns with the Way of One Yin and One Yang of all things, drawing upon the momentum of heaven and earth. Could it possibly be inferior to the Nanming Li Huo Sword?"

"What blind chatter is this? What Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder? Nanming Li Huo Sword?" A middle-aged man nearby in sapphire-blue Taoist robes and a treasure crown, who was precisely the Sect Master of the Haoran Sect, chimed in. "This movie speaks of the noble righteous qi between heaven and earth. Did you not hear Bai Mei mention repeatedly that the noble righteous qi endures forever with heaven and earth?"

An elder surnamed Duan clad in grey also lightly stroked his beard: "Well said. If this noble qi could be utilized by my Haoran Sect, then I think our sect's Combining Heaven Hao Sword could also unleash unimaginable power!"

"What did you say?!" A middle-aged Taoist from the Yimu Dao Palace held a clump of flame that was orange on the inside and blue on the outside. "If I had not felt the power of the Nanming Li Huo in 'Shushan,' my Yimu True Flame would probably still be stuck at the ninth layer even now. I have felt no such power in any other weapons! The Nanming Li Huo Sword is the strongest!"

"Junior Brother! What did you say?!" Old Taoist Tianxu was instantly so enraged his beard turned upright and his eyes widened. To think he would side with an outsider?!

"It is clearly the Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder that are invincible under heaven! As for the Nanming Li Huo Sword, keep bragging; I doubt it possesses even half the might of the Jade Cleaving Sword Formation!"

"Bullshit!" Wang Lingxiao said displeasedly. "The Jade Cleaving Sword Formation is not even enough to withstand a single slash from the Nanming Li Huo Sword!"

The "Zhudian" faction instantly refused to take this lying down: "Did our Jade Cleaving Sword Formation provoke you? The Nanming Li Huo Sword is the Nanming Li Huo Sword, what does it have to do with the Jade Cleaving Sword Formation? Believe it or not, if I blast down with one sword, your entire Emei mountaintop will be gone!"

"On what grounds could you blast away the Emei mountaintop with one sword?" The "Shushan" faction instantly revolted. "Do you take my Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder for vegetarians?"

"There isn't a single immortal in the world of 'Zhudian,' yet you have the nerve to brag about some Jade Cleaving Sword Formation?!"

"The opening clearly stated that there are no immortals or gods in the rules of that world, can that be blamed on the cultivators?!" Clearly, the "Zhudian" faction also had many members, and each was an old customer, such as Taoist Chiyi. "If you have the ability, fight a match with me. Nothing else, I will just use a set of spells modified from the Heavenly Book!"

"As if I fear you?"

On the other side, a patch of alternating black and white spiritual light surged around Taoist Tianxu: "You have gained some insights, did you think I have none?"

"If you want to fight, please go outside the door!" Owner Fang said with a darkened face.

"Outside it is! I refuse to believe there can be anything stronger than the Twin Swords of Heaven and Thunder!"

"You have all misunderstood! Clearly, the noble righteous qi of heaven and earth is the strongest! Do you have the ability to take my Combining Heaven Hao Sword?!"

A group of people walked outside the door with swords drawn and bows bent, gesturing and posturing as they went.