Chapter 570: Breaking the Dream to See True Martial (1)

Chapter 570 unfolds where dreams pierce the veil of reality, revealing the turbulent dance of opposing forces. In this tense tableau, the relentless pursuit of justice clashes with the insatiable curiosity of ambition, their interplay shaping the fate of countless souls. A figure once executed, now confronting the weight of legacy, their resolve hardened by the specter of consequence. The air hums with unspoken tensions, each word a brushstroke in the tapestry of fate, while shadows whisper of alliances yet to be forged or broken. Here, the line between duty and desire blurs, leaving the reader adrift in the labyrinth of choices yet to be made.

Putting aside that bone‑deep chill, this is a common affliction of those who have risen through the Yin‑Yang Sequence.

After Zou Jiujiu finished answering the three questions posed by Lord Quejun, Gong Sunyao's demeanor grew ever colder and harder, as if he now regarded him as a subordinate of the Donghuang Palace.

Zou Jiujiu noticed the guard's glance and let out a hearty laugh: “Don’t get angry, sir—we’re just discussing things.”

“One‑Zero‑Eight, you simply don’t grasp the importance of this cavern. Zhao Yanlong is the ‘living tomb’ left behind by the fall of Wudang; the souls of countless Wudang disciples are buried within his cavern, containing myriad Wudang nourishment‑elixir arts and body‑strengthening foundations.”

“Your present method of forcibly boring a passage to thrust people into dreams is nothing short of draining the pond to catch the fish—wanton waste. Only by handing this over to the Donghuang Palace, letting Lord Quejun steady the dream‑structure, can we fully excavate its treasures. Do you understand?”

Gong Sunyao spoke coldly: “Considering your attitude isn’t terrible, I’ll grant you a moment—now break the dream cycle and at once draw out Chen Qisheng’s consciousness!”

So that’s the scheme these bastards have cooked up!

Zou Jiujiu smirked inwardly, his face showing a troubled expression: “Forcibly waking from a dream—if mishandled, it could get someone killed.”

“And what of it? It’s merely a Dao Sequence.”

Gong Sunyao sneered: “One‑Zero‑Eight, have you forgotten how those Dao Sequences treated us back then? The Yin‑Yang and Dao Sequences are born to vie for Heaven’s Will; ally with them and you’ll inevitably end up betrayed.”

“If you fear Li Jun will seek trouble afterward, you can set your mind at ease.”

Gong Sunyao said lightly: “If you’re willing to surrender the cavern, it will be a great merit; Lord Quejun will himself extend his protection over you.”

“Protect me, then.”

Zou Jiujiu suddenly asked: “I recall Lord Quejun should also be a Third‑Order Dream Master, right?”

Gong Sunyao did not answer; he merely fixed Zou Jiujiu with a strange stare.

“Whether we can protect or not—let’s leave that for later.”

Zou Jiujiu raised both hands to brush his temples: “Since Mingzhi Qingxiu is a puppet sent by the Donghuang Palace, I have a question that’s been nagging me. That madwoman seized many Yin‑Yang Sequence folk to build the High Heaven Terrace—does the Donghuang Palace know about this?”

Gong Sunyao remained silent, the chill in his eyes deepening.

“So you’re conceding, then?”

Zou Jiujiu nodded, undoing the buttons of his collar: “Not willing to sacrifice the cub, you can’t trap the wolf—your actions make sense. you can’t trap the wolf—your actions make sense. In that case, the bounty you’ve posted for the missing Yin‑Yang Sequence members is merely a smokescreen put out by the Donghuang Palace, isn’t it?”

“As the old saying goes, to achieve great things one need not fuss over trifles. Judging by the outcome—being able to trap and kill so many masters while stirring up feuds among the sects—this venture is indeed a profit‑a‑hundred‑fold.”

Zou Jiujiu unfastened his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.

“But most of us in the Yin‑Yang Sequence live miserable, penniless lives, with hardly any authority to speak of, and yet you still drag us out to fish—isn’t that a bit too cruel?”

“Enough talk, One‑Zero‑Eight—give me your answer.”

Zou Jiujiu ignored Gong Sunyao’s shouted query and continued on his own.

“Those Yin‑Yang Sequence members who died unjustly—you ignore them. Lü Chou, who labors for you—you also ignore him. And now you have the nerve to tell me you can protect me?”

Clang!

Zou Jiujiu raised his right hand to shoulder height, and a long spear materialized in his clenched five fingers.

A cold light flowed, sending a chill to the heart.

“Li Jun cannot enter the Nether Sea, nor can he do anything to you bastards. But I, Elder Zou, am here as a lone martial sequence!”

A sudden gale rose, whipping the waves against the hull.

Gong Sunyao stared impassively at Zou Jiujiu, the ship’s sails snapping loudly in the wind behind him.

“And remember this, Elder Zou.”

Zou Jiujiu gave a grim smile and set his foot on the gunwale.

“My name is Zou Jiujiu—not that damned One‑Zero‑Eight!”

Bang!

Zou Jiujiu’s figure shot forth like an arrow, bursting through a detonating sea‑curtain, he lifted his spear, turned, and drove the icy point toward Gong Sunyao’s eyes!

Pfft!

The spear tip pierced through the skull and emerged, pinning Gong Sunyan’s corpse to the mast.

One strike felled the foe.

Yet Zou Jiujiu’s face showed no trace of relief; his brow furrowed ever tighter.

This is the Huangliang Nether Sea; a Fourth‑Order Yin‑Yang Sequence cultivator does not die so easily.

Sure enough, the corpse impaled on the spearhead shattered into a scatter of translucent bubbles of varying size, which the howling wind blew skyward.

On the distant horizon, black clouds gathered like an inverted, towering cloud‑palace, almost sinking into the sea.

A massive whirlpool lay across the sea, immeasurable waters churning without cease, within which a vast shadow loomed and faded.

Roar!

A colossal beast resembling a serpent surged from the waves, its back sprouting four wings, its blood‑filled maw gaping to reveal rows of icy fangs.

The Donghuang Palace’s sea‑mountain monstrosity—the Ming Snake!

At the same moment, the guard’s small boat beneath his feet swelled with the wind, instantly becoming a towering five‑zhang war‑galley that swallowed the tethered cavern‑sea beast whole into its hold.

“Damn it, sure enough, another ominous hexagram.”

Plunk.

Zou Jiujiu fished a few copper coins from his sleeve, glanced at them, and tossed them into the sea.

He leveled his spear at the beast, his body encased in scarlet armor.

“Let’s see today who’s the fiercer—you or me!”

Boom!

The collapsed Nanchang Dao Palace threw up rolling clouds of dust; armored warriors shot skyward, trailing blazing tails that cleaved the dark night as they screamed toward the southwest.

“Strike! First slay the Gezao Mountain, then Li Jun!”

Seeing that the situation truly unfolded as foretold—Li Jun would break out from Gezao Mountain—Zhang Qingyu could no longer restrain his inner turmoil and decisively flicked his sleeve to issue the command!

“Zhang Qingyu, what do you mean by this?!”

A shouted query followed close behind.

“Zhang Xilian, I honor you as an elder of the Zhang clan, a veteran of the Dragon‑Tiger school; I have indulged you before, but now is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity—are you still going to defy orders?!”

Zhang Qingyu snapped his head around, his gaze bestial and fierce, locking onto the distant Daoist hurtling toward them.

Zhang Xilian’s figure halted abruptly, suspended mid‑air, his face grim and unsightly.

“To move against Gezao Mountain now is to ignite a war between the two peaks—Zhang Qingyu, have you lost your mind?!”

“First slay the Gezao Dao Sequence, then the demon Li Jun—this is the edict personally issued by Grand Master Chongyuan; anyone who disobeys will be cut down on the spot.”

Surging divine thought shattered the hair‑bound Daoist cap; Zhang Qingyu’s black hair flowed in the wind, a formation of flying swords whirling behind him, killing intent thrusting straight at Zhang Xilian.

“You”

Gazing at the feigned madman Zhang Qingyu before him, Zhang Xilian found himself momentarily cowed by the opponent’s aura.

Yet he still could not believe that Zhang Chongyuan would issue such an order, and hastily linked his divine sense to the Dragon‑Tiger Cavern Heaven.

But in the very next instant, Zhang Xilian’s pupils constricted sharply.

The entire city of Nanchang was already shielded, cutting off all contact with the outside world.

Shall I ask again, Zhang Xilian, are you prepared to sacrifice yourself at the crucial moment?!

The flame at the tip of the sword hilt flickered uncertainly, ready to shoot out at any moment.

The crowd of Longhu Mountain members looked at each other, tightly gripping their ready-to-unleash magical weapons, their rising momentum now waning.

Clang!

The sword that sliced the air emitted a crisp, ringing hum.

Amidst a chorus of horrified gazes, Zhang Qingyu truly rode the flying sword toward Zhang Xilian.

Slash!!

Zhang Xilian lifted his sleeve, and the incoming flying sword, as if seized by an invisible hand, twisted and deformed, turning into a heap of scrap metal that fell from the sky.

The old Taoist swept his gaze across the expressions on everyone's faces, sighing helplessly.

He turned and charged forward, leading the way.

Zhang Xilian knew that if he continued to cause trouble, hearts would scatter, and at that time none of these junior disciples would be able to leave Nanchang Prefecture alive.

All he could do now was first kill the warrior Li Jun, then find a way to stop Zhang Qingyu.

Everyone, follow Grandmaster Lian and kill!

Zhang Qingyu issued a stern command, his figure soaring into the sky.

From the direction of Ge'ao Mountain, Longhu Mountain seemed to move with Li Jun, filled with hostile intent, occupying half the sky.

Colluding with the martial order, Longhu Mountain, you are destroying your own sect!

Yi Kuai's eyes were cold and fierce; he decisively ordered a temporary retreat.

Another elder of Ge'ao Mountain, Jiang Jue, was already at his side, ready to respond, with no need to clash head‑on with Longhu Mountain here.

Nanchang Prefecture is the stronghold of Ge'ao Mountain; it suffices to avoid the immediate blade, and later there are plenty of ways to slay all these people within its borders.

But the moment Yi Kuai issued his command, a sudden anomaly arose!

Seeing Li Jun, who had been heading southwest, suddenly carve a fierce trajectory, his speed surging, turning to charge straight at his own back.

This sudden shock instantly captured everyone's attention.

Zhang Qingyu, you fool, open your dog eyes and see clearly for your master!

Zhang Xilian kept shouting angrily, watching Li Jun rush forward without a hint of fear, his fighting spirit high, and he summoned a rune‑shaped Daoist artifact to hurl at him.

Bang!

Two figures collided in mid‑air, sending rippling shockwaves outward in all directions.

The whistling long spear smashed the expanding, mill‑like Daoist artifact into shards, its momentum continuing unabated, tearing through Zhang Xilian's body.

Shattered bone fragments scattered across the ground, the spearhead lifting a withered, shriveled Daoist base.

[Obtained 100 proficiency points]

[Remaining proficiency points 232]

Still not enough.

Li Jun flicked his wrist, pulverizing the Daoist base, then lifted his gaze at the distant, terrified crowd of Longhu Mountain disciples scattering in panic.

Finally, he landed on the sneering face of Zhang Qingyu, whose killing aura still burned unabated.

Li Jun, what do you intend to do?!

An angry, furious voice rang in his ear.

Old fool, anger is not as good as striving, turning hostile is not as good as turning the tables.

Li Jun curled his lips with a contemptuous cold smile: "You can wield words and arguments, I can flip the table and overturn the board."

"Today I will devour you whole, what can you do to me?"