In those years, Ying Heng, dressed in white and wielding the Chunying Sword, was both swift and unrestrained. Before Sang Dai, he was the most formidable sword cultivator.
Shi Yao had seen Ying Heng many times. The sword cultivator who always resided at the peak of Tianque Mountain would display a rare tenderness when facing Sang Dai. Many people couldn’t understand why Ying Heng cared so much for Sang Dai, what relationship Sang Dai had with him, or why he, who had never taken a disciple, willingly accepted Sang Dai as one.
But Shi Yao knew that Sang Dai was the only surviving bloodline of the Weisheng family and the daughter of Ying Heng’s old friend.
At this moment, the four of them were collectively stunned. Hua Ling couldn’t believe the person standing at the foot of the mountain was Ying Heng.
The fierce wind swept at his robes, causing the wide sleeves to flap audibly. His long black hair was disheveled, and he appeared utterly unkempt, bearing none of his former tidiness.
Yet his demeanor was still as it always had been—calm and composed, confident and full of vigor.
He gripped the Zhiyu Sword with one hand. This sword, renowned as the greatest in the world, appeared particularly obedient in Ying Heng’s grasp.
With an emotionless expression, Ying Heng spoke in a calm voice: “If you intend to kill my disciple today, then I have no choice but to kill you.”
In the distance, a monk came running, gasping for breath. “Amitabha… teleporting people really drains spiritual power. It’s still faster for me to run on my own.”
Supporting his waist and panting heavily, he looked up at Hua Ling, who was on the mountain peak, and shouted:
“Lady Hua! I’ve rescued your husband and child and placed them in the nearest sect!”
Shi Yao and the others immediately understood.
Tan Huai’s disappearance was because he had gone to the Chen family to save them. From the very beginning, he had suspected the relationship between the young man and Hua Ling.
Hua Ling had sent her child out of Manxiang Pavilion to lead Sang Dai, Su Xuan, and Tan Huai to find the location of Manxiang Pavilion. In reality, she had hoped that the young man would deliver the message. She knew Tan Huai would inevitably suspect the source of the madness and would likely investigate the Chen family.
From the beginning, Hua Ling had been gambling on that slim chance of survival, gambling that Sang Dai and the others would sense something amiss and send someone to investigate the Chen family.
Shi Yao gritted her teeth. “Tan Huai!”
Tan Huai chuckled awkwardly. “Apologies. On the way here, I happened to see Immortal Lord Ying Heng, so I brought him along. Bullying others with numbers is really despicable.”
Madam Shi roared in fury: “I’ll kill you!”
She summoned a longsword with a flick of her hand and stepped forward to strike Tan Huai. But just as she took a step, a sword pierced through her chest from behind.
Shi Yao and Bi Fang were both dumbfounded.
“Mother…”
“Madam Shi…”
Hua Ling drew out the longsword, her expression cold. “I only did what I was supposed to do.”
She leapt down and, noticing that Ying Heng’s condition seemed off—as if he had lost all five senses—she transmitted her voice to him using spiritual energy: “Immortal Lord Ying Heng, your Chunying Sword is in my mustard-seed spatial barrier. Take it!”
She flipped her palm, opened the mustard-seed barrier, and retrieved the longsword, throwing it toward Ying Heng.
Ying Heng raised his eyes and, guided by Chunying’s direction, caught the Chunying Sword.
Shi Yao supported Madam Shi, tears streaming down her face. “Mother…”
Madam Shi picked up a jade token and, struggling to breathe, said, “Summon… all nearby disciples… kill Sang Dai and the others… you must flee… don’t stay here…”
The jade token shattered in her hand.
Within a radius of several dozen li, disciples who had been waiting for orders activated their spiritual power and teleported toward them.
Tan Huai approached Ying Heng and said, “Immortal Lord, Miss Sang is about to undergo her tribulation. With the thunder tribulation here, she cannot leave, and there are still Shi family members within a dozen li.”
Ying Heng couldn’t see Sang Dai, but Tan Huai could.
Sang Dai hung her head low, her consciousness seemingly muddled. The thunder tribulation looked more like… it had been forcibly triggered by her self-igniting her golden core.
Ying Heng lowered his gaze. As if attuned to her thoughts, he turned around and faced Sang Dai, who was inside the formation.
Neither could see the other—Sang Dai was unconscious, and Ying Heng’s vision was pitch-black.
“Master Tan Huai, would you join me in stopping those disciples?”
Tan Huai glanced back at Bi Fang, who had flown up to the mountain peak. “And what about them?”
Bi Fang transformed into a spirit crane with wide wings, carrying Shi Yao and Madam Shi on its back, seemingly preparing to take flight.
Hua Ling had arrived beside them. She was merely at the Qi Refining Stage, and Tan Huai was only at the Nascent Soul Stage, while Bi Fang was also in the Nascent Soul Stage. However, many Shi family disciples were rushing to this location.
Ying Heng pondered briefly and said, “Leave them be for now. Helping Sang Dai through her tribulation is the most important thing—we cannot let anyone disturb her.”
Tan Huai nodded solemnly, casting a glance at the sky.
The woman in the pink dress sitting on the spirit crane’s back looked directly at him.
The moment their eyes met, the usually calm Buddhist cultivator couldn’t help but furrow his brows. A chill ran up his spine, raising every hair on his body and leaving him deeply uncomfortable.
Shi Yao’s gaze was utterly terrifying. Despite her delicate and beautiful face, her eyes were dark, cold, and oppressive, staring like a venomous snake.
She met Tan Huai’s gaze, her red lips curling slightly, revealing a cold smile on her pale face.
Tan Huai frowned and tightened his grip on the Buddhist beads in his hand.
Hua Ling said, “The Shi family disciples are closing in.”
Ying Heng held the Chunying Sword in one hand. Even without spiritual power, this Heaven-grade artifact could function due to its innate intelligence.
With one hand gripping Chunying and the other Zhiyu, Ying Heng’s expression remained composed. The hilt of the Zhiyu Sword held a Tianyu Stone, which stored the purest spiritual power from the Guixu .
Ying Heng said, “Zhiyu, go and protect your master.”
As his voice fell, Ying Heng leaped onto the Chunying Sword. “Chunying, let’s go.”
Chunying carried Ying Heng toward the distance to intercept the ambushing Shi family disciples.
The thunder tribulation had been brewing for a long time, and it wouldn’t be long before it descended.
The Zhiyu Sword flew into the formation, standing upright in front of Sang Dai. Its blade released a barrier, enveloping and protecting her within.
Tan Huai performed a Buddhist salutation toward Hua Ling and said, “Madam Hua, I have safely arranged for your family. Miss Sang is about to face her tribulation. This place is unsafe. I’ll go assist Immortal Lord Ying Heng. You should find a place to take shelter.”
Hua Ling nodded. “Thank you, Master Tan Huai.”
Tan Huai disappeared in a flash.
The Shi family of Youyun had ancestors who were merchants, giving them substantial wealth and numerous disciples.
This time, Madam Shi had brought nearly one-third of the Shi family’s disciples—three thousand people—to surround and kill Sang Dai. Shi Yao, meticulous as she was, had also ordered an additional two thousand disciples to remain on standby for further instructions.
The disciples stationed several dozen li away received the command—a message sent by their madam. The directive read:
“I died at the hands of Sang Dai of the Sword Sect. All disciples should avenge me and protect Yao Yao.”
Even in her final words, Madam Shi had instructed them to protect Shi Yao.
The leading disciple crushed the jade token with his hand, his voice as cold and sharp as shattered ice.
“How dare they kill the madam of the Shi family of Youyun! All disciples, heed my command—avenge the young lady!”
“Yes!”
Two thousand disciples immediately teleported toward the location of Manxiang Pavilion. Even while still dozens of li away, they could already see the thick clouds looming in the sky.
The oppressive aura spilled forth, an intangible force pressing down on their spines, causing those with weaker cultivation levels to almost collapse to their knees.
“This is… a thunder tribulation?”
A Grand Completion Thunder Tribulation of the Grand Ascension Stage…
The answer was self-evident—it could only be Sang Dai.
Someone descended from the void, catching the attention of the Shi family disciples.
It was a sword cultivator in white robes, but his face was unfamiliar, and the disciples didn’t recognize him.
Ying Heng’s identity was unique, and Tan Huai had deliberately altered his appearance, even disguising the Chunying Sword to conceal its true form.
Ying Heng was concerned about causing unnecessary trouble for Sang Dai.
Standing beside him, Tan Huai clasped his hands together in prayer when he saw the overwhelming crowd. “Amitabha.”
The leading disciple drew his sword and shouted, “Master Tan Huai, we know you and mean no harm to you. However, the madam died at Sang Dai’s hands. We must avenge her. Please, Master, and your companion, step aside.”
Tan Huai shook his head lightly. “Your madam was not killed by Miss Sang.”
The disciple gritted his teeth. “Whether she did or not, the madam said it was Sang Dai, and so it must be her. Otherwise, how could we face our sect upon returning?”
Tan Huai sighed and transmitted the disciple’s words verbatim to Ying Heng using spiritual power.
Ying Heng’s long eyelashes flickered as he listened, his expression unfocused. In a calm voice, he said, “Apologies, but you cannot pass today. Approaching a Grand Ascension Thunder Tribulation means certain death.”
The disciple clenched his teeth. “We are equipped with protective artifacts. Sang Dai’s life will be taken today!”
The disciple leapt forward, continuing toward his destination.
A chilling sword intent slashed horizontally through the air, striking the disciple’s shoulder. The wound was deep enough to reveal flesh and bone, precise but sparing his vital points.
The disciple belatedly clutched his heavily injured shoulder.
“Senior Brother!”
Other disciples rushed forward to support him.
Hundreds of disciples unsheathed their swords and stood ready to fight. “Who are you to dare block the Shi family of Youyun?”
Ying Heng lifted his long sword, pointing it at the crowd. He did not answer their question but instead declared calmly:
“Anyone who crosses this line today—”
A blinding sword light erupted from the Chunying Sword, the blade transforming into an immense, shadowy silhouette that seemed to block out the sky. The piercing sword aura whipped their robes violently.
Ying Heng swung his sword downward, using no spiritual power—merely the sword intent of Chunying. Even so, the sheer pressure caused the disciples’ legs to go weak, nearly forcing them to kneel.
The ground collapsed inch by inch, and after a thunderous explosion, a bottomless chasm split the land between them.
“—shall die.”
It was an outrageously bold proclamation. Even many great cultivators would not dare to declare themselves capable of facing a thousand opponents alone. Yet this man, who displayed no discernible spiritual power, spoke these words without hesitation.
And somehow, simply by standing there, Ying Heng inspired absolute conviction. His face was devoid of emotion, his eyes empty, a loose strand of hair hanging by his cheek. Though disheveled, he exuded an unshakable calm that compelled belief.
Tan Huai cast a stealthy glance at Ying Heng beside him, inwardly moved.
Ying Heng was known for his soft heart and good temper. Who would have thought that one day he would speak such words? Both master and disciple were the same—resolute and unwavering when it came to matters concerning those they cared about.
The disciples fell silent, their eyes gleaming with malice, ready to form an array to strike down this insolent sword cultivator in white—
And at that moment, the first bolt of tribulation lightning struck.
Descending from the boundless heavens, it landed with an earth-shaking roar. The serene mountain forest erupted as spirit birds scattered in all directions.
The disciples, whose highest cultivation barely reached the Nascent Soul Stage, had never witnessed the tribulation lightning of a Grand Ascension Grand Completion. The residual pressure from just one bolt reached dozens of li away, causing the weaker disciples to vomit blood on the spot.
Ying Heng let out a muffled groan, his body wavering. Tan Huai quickly erected a protective barrier to shield them from the aftershocks.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, Ying Heng said, “Thank you.”