Chapter 330: Remaining Sunset Still Shines

Chapter 330: The lingering sunset

This scene caused Xu Qing, Yan Yan, and the others to involuntarily inhale sharply. Although they had already known about this place before they came, and had seen too much on the way here, the reality of witnessing the three great black mountains, which were unparalleled in their ferocity, stirred something deep within their hearts.

However, the turmoil in Yan Yan's heart only brought her a shiver.

As for Xu Qing's turmoil, it resulted in him immediately taking out more of the concealment items he had gathered since beginning his cultivation, placing them all on his person and activating them.

As for the captain... he was different from the two of them. His turmoil resulted in an uncontrollable longing flashing through his eyes, staring fixedly at the three thrones, his breathing ragged.

"These are also treasures!" Yan Yan exclaimed, as if she had seen a ghost, her eyes widening.

Xu Qing had grown accustomed to such reactions and paid no mind, instead contemplating and then offering Yan Yan some concealment items.

His action immediately shifted Yan Yan's attention. Holding the concealment items Xu Qing had given her, Yan Yan's eyes sparkled with something unspoken, and she involuntarily lifted her fingers to bite them.

"This place is not passable. Master Qing, when will the Sword Alliance arrive?" Xu Qing suddenly spoke, his gaze moving away from the great black mountains and falling upon the mountains below.

They were currently perched on the peak of a large stone, gazing toward the distant horizon. The mountain they stood on was one of the surrounding peaks, unremarkable in comparison to the three great black mountains, and significantly shorter. Yet, it was tall enough for them to observe everything.

Looking out, the sparse mist around the three great black mountains twisted and swirled, forming illusory giant ghosts that circled the mountains, their mouths emitting wailing sounds.

On the ground, black stone cities could be seen, bustling with activity. Inside the cities, various screams, ferocious roars, and bloody laughter echoed far and wide.

All the inhabitants were disciples of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains, along with countless common people who had been reduced to slaves and sustenance. Their lives were worse than death.

The disciples of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains were a mixed crowd, drawn from every race. They were mostly wicked and cruel, gathering here under the protection of the Three Immortals, becoming their followers.

Even the minor cultivators were present, mostly captured or elevated from the common world as supplements.

Everyone had lost their humanity, some retaining only the desire for evil.

Only in this way could they survive here.

This scene, reflected in the eyes of Xu Qing and the others, revealed the countless demons and monsters that would be the first obstacle on their path to the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains.

Especially the powerful individuals within, Xu Qing felt the intense aura of many formidable presences just by glancing at them.

Fortunately, they were completely hidden, and their cultivation level was relatively unremarkable, so as long as they didn't make any noise, they could remain undetected for a short time.

But this was only because they hadn't gotten too close. If they approached any closer, they would trigger the array of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains and be discovered immediately.

Thus, the current situation was not much different from the forbidden land of the Haishi Clan. They couldn't boldly march in; they needed an opportunity.

"It should be coming soon. Don't worry, we'll stay hidden and wait." The captain licked his lips, suppressing his inner desire, and spoke in a low voice.

Xu Qing nodded and remained still on the large stone. Yan Yan, holding the concealment items Xu Qing had given her, moved closer to Xu Qing until her left hand touched his body. She shivered as if electrocuted, her eyes becoming dazed.

Xu Qing was about to move away, but just then, a fluctuation came from the distance, sweeping across their surroundings. Xu Qing didn't dare to move, maintaining his posture.

After a moment, the fluctuation passed and disappeared.

"It's an outer exploration of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains. Don't worry, as long as we don't jump out ourselves, this simple exploration will overlook us. It only searches for those above the Yuan Ying stage."

"After all, in the eyes of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains, cultivators below the Yuan Ying stage are just insects." The captain pretended to be knowledgeable, speaking in a low voice.

Xu Qing said nothing, taking out several more concealment items and activating them, signaling Yan Yan and him to move to another direction.

Years of experience made him know that the captain was sometimes unreliable.

Seeing this, the captain raised his eyebrows in annoyance.

"Little Brother Qing, you've changed. Why are you so far away?"

"Master Qing, did Master Jun give you some new treasures?" Xu Qing glanced at the captain from afar.

"How could that be? The old man is stingy. Oh, by the way, Little Brother Qing, do you have any apples? I'm a bit hungry." The captain's expression was normal, showing no flaws.

Xu Qing said nothing, tossing several apples to him, but strictly keeping his distance, and arranging poisonous powder around himself.

The captain blinked his eyes and sighed.

On the side, Yan Yan didn't understand the behavior between Xu Qing and the captain, finding it puzzling but not asking.

Thus, three days passed.

"Captain, if the Sword Alliance doesn't come, waiting like this isn't an option. Do you have a backup plan?" Xu Qing asked, crouched on the other side.

"The Sword Alliance will definitely come!" The captain's words were certain.

"How can you be so sure?" Xu Qing was surprised.

"Because I spent a lot of money buying the information!" The captain's eyes showed depths of cunning, appearing to be strategic.

Xu Qing thought about it and didn't say much.

Days passed.

Xu Qing silently observed the captain, who in turn took a deep breath and nodded.

"Don't worry!"

So another seven or eight days passed.

During these seven or eight days, there were several close calls.

The disciples of the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountains either flew past or patrolled, almost discovering them. The most dangerous moment was when a group of disciples passed by, one of whom seemed to sense something was wrong and carefully looked toward their location.

Xu Qing's continuous concealment, using shadows to cover, and Yan Yan also having her own treasures, caused the two to avoid the searchlight's gaze.

As for the captain, he activated his concealment instantly, his body becoming transparent in an instant. Xu Qing, looking down, checked his own shadow.

In the darkness, the small shadow invisible to others quickly pointed toward a distant large stone. Xu Qing's expression was flat as he glanced at that direction.

At the same time, the large stone at the direction the small shadow indicated suddenly revealed a crack at its base, the crack shaped like a half-closed eye.

"Something's wrong. Did Little Brother Qing discover me? Did the old man tell him about a treasure that can transform into a clone and change form?"

"This brat is too smart. He's not fun to play with anymore." The large stone was, in fact, the captain's concealment.

In reality, the large stone was his clone. The actual body was elsewhere... He had originally planned that after the Sword Alliance attacked, he would let the clone follow Xu Qing and the others as a guide, while he followed behind. This would be safer and might even allow him to secretly obtain better rewards.

In the Haishi Clan's forbidden land and the Haishi Clan's underground waters, he had done the same, but both times he failed.

In the underwater lair of the Haishi Clan, he had secretly followed the path, only to fall into the poison laid by Xu Qing. In the Haishi Clan's forbidden land, he had taken the blame.

This made him very resentful. This time, with the captain's treasure, he felt he could succeed once.

But Xu Qing's gaze just now made him feel somewhat hesitant.

After thinking about it, when the Three Immortal Sacred Dao Mountain's disciples left, he changed direction.

Thus, three days later, on the evening of the nearly month-long wait, suddenly a bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the world with a shocking flash.

This lightning was immense, enough to span tens of thousands of feet, resembling a rift torn in the heavens, exploding violently.

The sound was deafening, like countless thunderclaps echoing, causing the earth and sky to tremble.

Moreover, after the appearance of the giant lightning, numerous smaller bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, thundering toward the earth.

Enveloping this vast area, as if forming a domain of thunder.

Within it, lightning was diffused, and the place was instantly in chaos.

At the same time, the black clouds in the sky suddenly split open, the sound of war drums echoed through the sky, and a sword light flew out from the black clouds.

This sword light was immense, surrounding it with thousands of marks, as if the sword contained the power to sever the heavens, radiating endless might, like a heavenly tribulation, directly approaching... the first mountain of the Three Sacred Mountains!

A sword fell, and the first mountain erupted in fierce rumbling.

A mass of dense black mist rose, and the sword light within it tangled and collided, causing the earth and heaven to shake, with a low roar that stunned minds spreading far and wide.

“Executive Sword Master!”

“Executive Sword Court, on behalf of the county command, subduing the Three Sacred Mountains!” The voice responded clearly within the sword light.

This sudden scene made the Three Sacred spirits shaken, while the earth was even more disturbed and terrified.

Then, a pair of giant hands stretched out from the sky, violently pushing aside, the storm exploded, sweeping across the four directions, the black clouds in the sky were completely parted.

Following them were numerous figures of sword-wielding executives, clad in their ceremonial robes, who, upon appearing, transformed into streams of sword light, directly rushing toward the earth.

Moreover, in this descent, the giant who parted the clouds also landed on the earth and heaven, roaring toward the second mountain, striking with a single punch, unleashing his full power, causing the second mountain to tremble and shake, with massive cracks appearing in the mountain, as if it were about to collapse.

Moreover, three figures appeared, standing atop the giant at this moment. Each was of a celestial presence, each had rays of light diffusing from their eyes. With each step they took, these three people simultaneously stepped out, directly rushing toward the third mountain beside them.

Before the people arrived, the sword energy had already come, crashing into the third mountain!

In the next moment, the third mountain erupted in a thunderous crash of mountain collapse and ground fissure, its defenses and seals all collapsed, the mountain body directly collapsed half, and the peak tilted, its original might also dissipated.

Even in the mountain's middle, one could see that with the collapse, a giant pit was exposed, inside which was the location of the Fairy Spirit Lord's Abbey.

In the sky above, the tall Fairy Spirit Lord changed color, then his murderous intent exploded.

The bone giant of the second mountain also suddenly stood up, letting out a roar.

“Executive Sword Court, do you understand the consequences of your actions against us? We have upheld our duties, not trespassed, nor responded to the Ghost Emperor's summons. If you do this, are you forcing us to merge with the Ghost Emperor, to awaken the Ghost Emperor?”

“Merely some ghostly tricks, in the era of the Ancient Emperors, you would have been like mountain bandits. Now that the human race is weak, you dare to issue threats.”

In the sky above, following the sound of words, a middle-aged man approached.

A martial official's robe, a cap inscribed with mystical patterns, a composed demeanor, and a long antique sword on his back.

His approach caused his robes to flutter in the wind, sword energy swirling, and behind him were countless images of himself, each larger than the last, as if connected to the sky.

This was the second stage of the Return to Emptiness.

Moreover, behind him, with the parting of clouds and mist, the light of dusk, after countless years, fell upon this dark and desolate land that had not seen light.

Though it was twilight, it was still dazzling!

Just like the human race.