Chapter 154: Ridiculous

　　The evil cultivators had hidden for nearly a thousand years. In the last few years, they could only watch as the fake gentlemen of the orthodox sects lived well and even the lowly mortal people who had no cultivation talent started to dress in satin and brocade as they lived prosperous lives. But they, the evil cultivators who had once been famed, became worms and flies in the ditches. They had to hide their names and live dejected lives.

　　What did the lowly mortal people count as? They reproduced a lot and could live if they had something to eat. If a bunch was cut down, another bunch would crop up. The evil cultivators could not understand why these orthodox sects would spend so much energy taking care of these ordinary people.

　　Even more laughable was many orthodox cultivators even lived together with the ordinary people. They dishonored other cultivators!

　　Didn’t one cultivate for so many years to reach a high status and experience the pleasure of stepping on everyone?

　　The evil cultivators disliked the conduct of the orthodox sects. Seeing the orthodox sects gain the lead in the cultivation world, they became angry and panicked. There were so many orthodox sects. Most of the spirit veins and cultivation resources were taken away by the orthodox sects. The evil cultivators were lonely and weak. What good things could they obtain?

　　In the last few centuries, the orthodox sects produced stunningly talented disciples every once in a while. Especially that Zhong Xi of Radiance Sect—he was a killing machine. Evil cultivators would not have good days with him around.

　　They finally managed to wait for the lord to wake up, and with a Great Vehicle Stage cultivation that no one in the cultivation world had. They were naturally very happy at having hope of overthrowing those orthodox sects at last.

　　On the morning of the eighth, before the sky grew bright, the evil cultivators flooded into Harmonious City from all directions under the leadership of their sages. They prepared to commit a massacre in the city.

　　But before they even entered the city, they found something was wrong. Why weren’t they any closer to the city gates after running for so long?

　　A half hour ago, they ran past a certain tree. Why did they see it again now?

　　No, no, wasn’t Harmonious City in an inland area? Why was there a giant ocean suddenly appearing in front of them, and there were flames several meters tall around the ocean?

　　The evil cultivators who reached the eastern entrance didn’t dare to walk forward. The sage leading them smirked. “These fake gentlemen only dare to use such cowardly tactics. Do not fear, follow me. These are all illusions.”

　　He waved his talisman. The illusions in the surroundings immediately faded away. There was no ocean or flames, just a city gate without even a guard.

　　“These orthodox sect disciples are all cowards. Before we even attack, they have already hidden.” The sage was even more smug. “They speak of protecting the people, but they run faster than anyone else when they encounter danger.”

　　A blue-robed cultivator who was a half-step ahead of him looked silently at the empty eastern gate. Seeing the arrogant sage about to lead his subordinates in a charge, his gaze changed slightly and he imperceptibly took a few steps back.

　　“Sage Mu Xi.” The sage who had been very arrogant suddenly turned to stare at him. “Where are you going?”

　　Sage Mu Xi looked at him coldly and disappeared in a stream of light.

　　“Hmph, who does he think he is?” The sage leader was slightly unhappy at being ignored by Sage Mu Xi in front of so many subordinates. He spat on the ground. “If he didn’t make such a huge fuss by saying that using the anger of the mortal realm people could affect the minds of orthodox cultivators, and then got discovered by Radiance Sect and Splendid Cloud Sect’s disciples, the orthodox sects wouldn’t have been so wary of us.”

　　In order to activate that formation in the mortal world, not only had they shoved in several million common people, they had even grabbed some nomad cultivators and unlikable evil cultivators to sacrifice. They spent several years but finally it failed. They had sent so many people into the mortal world, but this person was the only one who returned. He had the face to ignore him?!

　　“Sage, you are right. That Mu Xi only dares to be so arrogant because he has the lord’s trust. If he really was so capable, during his long stay in the mortal world, he should have found the pentad spirit base female disciple of Splendid Cloud Sect. But the orthodox sects benefited instead.” The trusted aide of the sage said, “Such a good cultivation talent. How great would it have been if she had joined us evil cultivators?”

　　The sage smirked. “So what if a female disciple of such quality is rare? This has been less than twenty years. Do you hope that she can overthrow the fake gentlemen of the cultivation world?”

　　That female disciple called Kong Hou had ruined many of their matters. The sage found it hard to have positive feelings about her. He was slightly unhappy that his trusted aide was speaking of her. “Go, we will kill all in the city.”

　　The group charged into the city. They thought that the streets would be filled with screams and sobs but there was no one on the streets. The ground was covered by the flower petals left by the wedding procession, and the streets were filled with a flowery scent.

　　The sage felt that the scene was slightly odd and took a step back. This movement saved him. A bolt of sword energy came out of nowhere. Before he could react, most of his men died.

　　The sage knew it was not good and turned to flee. But above him, behind him, and ahead of him were cultivators with Mind Manifestation Stage cultivation or greater.

　　Many disciples holding their lifebond talismans were behind these three cultivators. These disciples wore the attire of the major sects and clearly came from different sects.

　　“I have waited here for you for a long time.” Study Master An He of Harmonious Wind Study spun his sword in the air elegantly. “Everyone, where do you want to go?”

　　The sage saw he was surrounded by the orthodox cultivators on all sides. His expression was frosty. “You made preparations?”

　　An He snorted a laugh. These evil cultivators had been moving frequently. Who in the cultivation world wanted to live in fear? Who didn’t want to help to capture them all in one go when they had the chance today?

　　“You really think that you will still be as well-off as before if you kill us?” The sage looked around. No one from Radiance Sect was here. “Did Radiance Sect tell you that our lord is a Great Vehicle Stage cultivator?”

　　“So what if he is at Great Vehicle Stage? Can he ascend in front of us?” An He snorted. “If he can ascend immediately, it would be good if he left you trash behind for us to clean up.”

　　The sage’s arrogant expression faded. He took out his lifebond talisman. “You orthodox sects have so many people surrounding us. I fear you are bullying the few with many.”

　　“There is nothing to fear—we really are bullying the few with many.” Tan Feng, sitting with his legs crossed on his flying sword, dusted the nut shells off his body. He bowed towards the sky. “You have committed many sins and evil deeds. Today, we will protect the people of the world from being bullied by you vicious and cruel people even if the world curses us for bullying the few with many. I think the heavenly path will be able to understand us.”

　　The sage: “…”

　　The orthodox cultivators were increasingly shameless to say with such righteousness something shameless like relying on numbers to win.

　　The battle was about to start. Everyone remained motionless as the two sides faced off. It felt as though the first to move would lose.

　　An He neatened his new satin brocade robe and said to his shidi behind him, “As expected of fellow disciples. This Tan Feng is as irritating as Celestial Kong Hou when he speaks.”

　　Was this Splendid Cloud Sect’s strategy against the enemy? Killing the person halfway with anger before even fighting, so the other would be dizzy with anger when the fight actually started? Then it would be easy to find a weakness to attack.

　　He really had not thought that Splendid Cloud Sect would be so unscrupulous in their conduct.

　　An He’s shidi smiled awkwardly. He looked around and sighed in relief secretly when he saw no one was paying attention. Cultivators were all around. It would be easy for someone to eavesdrop.

　　Fifteen minutes passed. The sage finally could not stand the pressuring mood and wanted to fight to the death against these people and wait for the lord to save him. However, at this time, many of his subordinates had fallen to the ground unconscious.

　　“It seems that Spirit Master Nameless and Shishu‘s medicine is very effective.” The formation outside the gates was a nondescript illusory formation, but that formation was not to stop the evil cultivators from nearing the city gates. It was to make them unknowingly inhale the poison that was similar in scent to seawater.

　　People with cultivation would not easily be poisoned because they could hold their breath for a long time. They could only be unknowingly poisoned if they thought the scent of the seawater was due to the illusory formation.

　　The flowery fragrance they smelled after entering was another poison. Splendid Cloud Sect cared about getting a secure victory, and using the least cost to get the biggest victory.

　　“You, you are shameless!” The sage looked at his subordinates that were lying on the ground. His eyes were red as blood as he shouted at Tan Feng, “I will kill you.”

　　Tan Feng did not hesitate to throw a defensive talisman in front of him and then flashed behind Elder Gu Yu.

　　Elder Gu Yu was the most stoic of the three Splendid Cloud Sect elders, but he was brisk with his sword when he attacked. Also attacking at the same time were two elders from Clear Dawn Sect and Blue Feather Sect. This evil cultivator sage was ranked fifty among the evil cultivators, and he was an expert that could move mountains with a wave of his hand.

　　But he had not expected the orthodox sects to be so shameless as to use poison before the fight even started. Then he was surrounded by a group of people, and the ones to attack were the three cultivators with cultivation closest to him.

　　“If we didn’t have to wait for the poison to take effect, why would we have acted like this and wasted so many words with you?” Tan Feng jumped off his flying sword and called out to the surrounding cultivators. “Path Friends, it is our duty to protect the path and to kill demons. The evil cultivators are here now—how can we remain aloof?”

　　After saying this, he swung his sword. The heads of several unconscious evil cultivators fell down.

　　“Path Friend Tan Feng is right. We should not refuse our duty of protecting the path and killing demons.”

　　“Today, we will not let any evil cultivator escape.”

　　Everyone raised their talismans, their blood heated, as they smashed and cut the unconscious evil cultivators.

　　“Amitabha.” A monk from Quiet Peace Temple sent off some evil cultivators around him and then said sorrowfully, “The evil cultivators are evil, but we do not want them to die in pain. Letting them pass unconsciously and in such ease is a virtue.”

　　“Master is correct.”

　　“The heavenly path is benevolent—how can we let so many people be in pain?”

　　“They come to the world crying, and we let them leave in peace. This is the cycle of reincarnation.” The monk shook his kasaya and draped it over his body. “Good, good.”

　　“You…” The sage threw up a mouthful of blood, possibly in anger or due to internal injury. He looked at the ground covered in heads and corpses. Seeing that no one from the orthodox sects was injured, he felt this was absurd and laughable. He breathed unevenly.

　　But he could no longer shout. In the next moment, Elder Gu Yu of Splendid Cloud Sect smashed his spirit platform and he stopped breathing.

　　Elder Gu Yu wiped his hand with a handkerchief and bowed to everyone. “All visitors are guests. We do not dare to ask everyone to clean up here. Just leave it to this humble sect.” Then he turned to Tan Feng. “Lead the disciples to clean this place. The gathering of Harmonious City is the day after tomorrow. Do not let the people smell blood.”

　　“Yes.” Tan Feng dared to be teasing and smiling in front of evil cultivators, but he was very composed and mannerly in front of his sect elder. He took out several dozens of one-use storage bags, distributed them to the Splendid Cloud Sect disciples and started to clean up the battlefield.

　　All the evil cultivators at the eastern gates were caught. The evil cultivators at the southern gates were not doing too well either. They fell into a formation before they even reached the gates. This was a large killing formation the major sects set up together. When they came out of the formation, they had already lost three-tenths of their people, and many of the remaining people were wounded and had used up their spirit energy.

　　They finally managed to climb out, but it wasn’t the harmless people of the city waiting for them. It was the elite disciples of Radiance Sect, Clear Dawn Sect, Nine Phoenix Sect and Beast King Sect, their peak masters and their elders.

　　This was not a fierce battle, but a one-sided massacre.

　　The evil cultivators did not understand before they died why their planned ambush became “waiting for the rabbit by the tree” and they were the stupid rabbits.

　　The ten major sects had prepared early, so all of the cultivation world moved and hid in the prosperous Harmonious City.

　　They used Zhong Xi and Kong Hou’s path union ceremony to purposefully bait them.

　　They understood this now but they already had no chance to escape. They could only watch as they died under the swords of the sword cultivators or got killed by the beasts controlled by the Beast King Sect disciples.

　　One evil cultivator sage murmured as he looked at Qiu Shuang who crushed his spirit platform, “Who among us are the evil cultivators?”

　　Qiu Shuang kicked aside the sage’s corpse, not a drop of blood touching her beautiful dress. “There is no orthodoxy or evil in the world, only one’s bottom line. You treat the ordinary people like animals, we treat them as friends. Our paths are different. Your mistake was to try to steal our path. In order for the people who will come later on our path to live in peace, we can only trouble you to die.”

　　Qiu Shuang turned and saw the ground full of corpses. She said to all the junior disciples, “All cultivators with cultivation lower than Projection Stage, return to Splendid Cloud Sect without delay.”

　　“Yes!” The Splendid Cloud Sect disciples cleaning up the bodies threw down their work and ran away without any hesitation upon hearing this.

　　The people from other sects hesitated and ran when they saw how fast Splendid Cloud Sect was running. They would run as fast as Splendid Cloud Sect. Soon, only a few Projection Stage cultivators were left on the streets of Harmonious City.

　　The wind rose. A man dressed in white robes appeared at the city gates. His steps were unhurried, as though he was a visitor accidentally entering the city. Behind him was a blue-robed cultivator. This cultivator had delicate features, like a weak scholar who could not do anything.

　　“Lord Jiu Su and… Formation Master Mu Xi. Our juniors are holding their path union ceremony today. We have no energy to welcome you two. Please leave.” Qiu Shuang played with her fan, her smile bright.

　　“I heard long ago that Celestial Qiu Shuang had the beauty of a peony. After today, I know that the peony cannot compare to Celestial.” Mu Xi bowed. “Today is Celestial Kong Hou’s wedding. My lord and I want to drink a cup of wedding wine. Is Celestial willing?”

　　“You praise my beauty—I am happy to hear this.” Qiu Shuang fanned herself. “But my mind is strong. No matter how pleasing you two handsome young men talk, I will not let you in.”

　　“Celestial is not willing, so this one can only offend.” Mu Xi smiled, his eyes cold.

　　Qiu Shuang did not dare to underestimate. This Mu Xi’s cultivation was lower than hers, but he had Jiu Su on his side. Jiu Su was fickle in his emotions and hard to predict. Fortunately, the elders from the other sects arrived quickly. Everyone… was beaten up by Jiu Su together.

　　They were all old people, and respected elders of their sects. They had not been in such a sorry state for centuries. But everyone was just as miserable, so no one laughed at the others. They even felt a friendship form out of their sympathy.

　　Jiu Su’s expression was ugly at being delayed by the powerful elders of the ten major sects. But these old people were one in mind and he could not kill them quickly.

　　“Today, if you are willing to pick one person to die, I will be willing to spare the others.” Jiu Su put his hands behind his back and looked down at the elders who were covered in wounds. “Or do all of you want to die together?”

　　The elders looked at each other and didn’t speak. The elders of Nine Phoenix Sect and Clear Dawn Sect took this opportunity to glare at each other.

　　“It’s about time.” Elder Qiu Shuang glanced up at the sky and threw up blood as she covered her chest. “What are you waiting for—flee!”

　　As she spoke, the elders threw out offensive talismans. They took this opportunity to jump into the air. Lin Hu, who had been hiding in midair, used his talisman to catch them and hurried in the direction of Splendid Cloud Sect.

　　“You want to flee?”

　　Jiu Su laughed and looked at Mu Xi who was standing behind him with a bow. “What are you doing?”

　　“I saw the remains of the sages.” Mu Xi’s smile faded. “The sages and I have worked together for centuries; may I…”

　　“Stay behind and take care of their corpses. With your cultivation, you are of no use if you go to Splendid Cloud Sect with me.” Jiu Su looked coldly at the corpses of the evil cultivators. In his eyes, these dead evil cultivators were useless.

　　“That is not proper!” Mu Xi said urgently. “The orthodox sects are fake gentlemen and cruel in their tactics. How can this subordinate feel at ease if Lord goes alone? As for these corpses—when Lord has conquered the cultivation world, will you worry about lacking people to serve you?”

　　Jiu Su snorted. “So what if they have many schemes? This seat has Great Vehicle Stage cultivation and is a step away from ascension. How can this seat fear those clownish tactics?”

　　“But…”

　　“No need to speak. Stay here, and lead the remaining subordinates to wait for this seat to return.”

　　“Yes, this subordinate understands.” Mu Xi stood where he was. He watched as Jiu Su’s figure disappeared into the clouds. Then he turned and walked out, faster and faster until he almost flew out of the gates.

　　A sword appeared in front of him.

　　##

　　The elders had been beaten miserably by Jiu Su. They finally managed to return to the main hall of Splendid Cloud Sect. Seeing that Huan Zhong and Kong Hou’s path union ceremony had finished, they had the low cultivation disciples all hide.

　　“No, no.” Qiu Shuang panted as she fanned herself heavily. Her hair pins swayed around. “We old people cannot last any more. We need to go rest in the hall. You go.”

　　Then, these elders did not wait for a response from Jin Yue, Heng Yan, Kong Hou, Huan Zhong and the others. They fled behind the hall doors.

　　“I will also hide. I am good at pill making but not at fighting.” Qing Yuan took out a large bag of pill medicines and shoved it at Kong Hou. “If you need any pills later, just ask me.” Then he quickly slinked into the hall and closed the door with a swing of his sleeve. Kong Hou and the others were locked outside.

　　“Sect Master Heng Yan, Celestial Kong Hou is young. How about letting her in?” Ling Yue saw Kong Hou outside the door and felt pity. The evil cultivators were ruthless. Kong Hou was much younger than those present. She had such a long life left. How could she die today?

　　“Thank you, Celestial Ling Yue.” Kong Hou had not thought that Ling Yue wanted her to live at such a time. “Huan Zhong and I are one. I will be where he is.”

　　Ling Yue wanted to say, Jiu Su is powerful and no one in the cultivation world is a match for him. But seeing Kong Hou and Huan Zhong’s clasped hands, she quieted. If they could not win against Jiu Su today, no matter where they hid, they could not hide from Jiu Su’s evil clutches.

　　It was better to be hand-in-hand. Live or die, at least they wouldn’t be alone.

　　After realizing this, Ling Yue smiled at the pair. She summoned her lifebond sword and stood behind the master of Nine Phoenix Sect.

　　As an orthodox sect disciple, from the moment she stepped onto the path, she knew this principle. When the world is in danger, we will not shirk from our duty.

　　Radiance Sect, Nine Phoenix Sect, Clear Dawn Sect, Quiet Peace Temple, Beast King Sect, Binary Sect, Pill Sunset Tower, Blue Feather Sect, Splendid Cloud Sect, Moon Star Sect. Their sect masters, eldest sect disciples, peak masters, and powerful disciples were all standing in front of the main hall without taking a step back.

　　The winds rose. A man dressed in white landed from the sky.

　　He looked coldly at the people from the ten major sects and smiled mockingly. “You think you can stop me with your insignificant capabilities?”

　　“Amitabha,” the abbot of Quiet Peace Temple, Fa Tan said. “Master Jiu Su, you already have Great Vehicle Stage cultivation. You are just a step away from ascension. Why oppose all the beings of the cultivation world?”

　　“A step away?” Jiu Su sneered. “You really don’t know the reason that the cultivation world has not had anyone ascend for many years?”

　　Everyone was silent.

　　“Cultivation is to contend. Contend for opportunity, contend for spirit energy, contend for all resources. But you have been so great these years. You publicized all kinds of cultivation methods, and made the cultivation world a place where we are all friends.” Jiu Su smirked. “You aren’t willing to even contend. The cultivation world is bigger and more peaceful, but you lost the ascension opportunity.

　　“You like to make the cultivation world a world of peace. You do not want to harm others for the opportunity to ascend. Then I must take over doing this.” Jiu Su sneered. “So laughable. The elders from several thousand years ago must have never thought that while they fought to the death for opportunities and tried all they could to ascend, their juniors shared the cultivation methods of their sects.”

　　Translator Ramblings: Jiu Su makes it sound like his side is the right one.