Chapter 559: Battle in the City

Yu Zhenghai, Si Wuya, and Hua Chongyang exchanged a look.

“Your shoes will certainly get wet when you frequently walk by the river... This comrade of ours is in a pickle,” Yu Zhenghai said with a sigh.

Si Wuya asked, “Where is this elite now?”

“According to our sources inside Yan Province city, the mysterious elite was last seen at Fenglai Street. However, the elite is elusive. His current whereabouts are unknown at the moment.”

Si Wuya nodded. He turned and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, shall we rescue him?”

Yu Zhenghai was sitting, his back straight. He drummed his fingers lightly as he pondered on it before saying, “Of course, we must rescue him. Why do you think I managed to bring the Nether Sect to such great heights? If we leave him to his demise, how would our brethren in the Nether Sect be willing to work for us in the future?”

“That’s brilliant, Sect Master.” Hua Chongyang bowed.

“That’s sound judgment, Eldest Senior Brother.” Si Wuya bowed.

....

At the same time.

Inside a certain inn in Yan Province city that was surrounded by soldiers and cultivators.

The nearby streets and buildings were filled with cultivators hovering in the air as well.

There was not a single commoner in the area.

The entire Yan Province city was silent.

In the skies, the huge barrier enveloped the entire city.

“Senior Sword Devil, give up... From the moment you set foot in Yan Province, my men already had their eyes on you. Everything you see here today was prepared for you,” the skinny Ma Qing said calmly as he looked at the green-robed swordsman sitting across him.

Cultivators filled the inside of the inn as well.

“I’m certain that you’ve already severed your lotus. Your cultivation base must’ve deteriorated greatly after you severed your lotus. You’re no longer an Eight-leaf elite. You’re confident, but it’s this confidence that led you to your doom,” Ma Qing continued to say.

However, the green-robed swordsman sipped his tea in a carefree manner, enjoying the scenery outside the window.

Ma Qing could not help but feel that he was being looked down upon. He frowned slightly and said, “Aren’t you afraid?”

The green-robed swordsman smiled. “Why should I be?”

“You don’t I’ll kill you?”

“If you can kill me, what good does being afraid do? If you can’t kill me, then there’s even more reason for me to be unafraid,” Yu Shangrong replied in a gentle voice.

Ma Qing was rendered temporarily speechless. “Senior Sword Devil, I don’t think you understand me.” He waved his arm.

Zing! Zing! Zing!

The cultivators inside the inn drew their swords.

The cultivators outside the inn moved closer as well and tightened their enclosure.

This was a checkmate. There was practically no route of escape.

Yu Shangrong said, “If Ma Luping were here, perhaps, it would be slightly difficult. Alas, you’re the one who came.”

Ma Qing had cultivated with his elder brother, Ma Luping, since he was young. They were of similar age. Yet, Ma Luping’s talent was on another level, and he had a profound cultivation base. Everyone knew about Ma Luping, one of the eight great generals, but nobody knew about Ma Qing. He had always lived under the protection of his elder brother, Ma Luping. As time went by, Ma Qing wanted to prove himself as well. Today, trapping and killing the legendary Sword Devil, Yu Shangrong, was going to be a great chance for him to prove himself.

“I, alone, am enough.”

“I admire your bravery,” Yu Shangrong said lightly.

“We all have our own masters to serve... The Nether Sect is in an advantageous position right now. Moreover, it’s supported by the Nine-leaf Old Senior Ji. It’s only a matter of time before Yan Province falls,” Ma Qing said.

“If you know how it’ll turn out, why aren’t you running away?”

Ma Qing chuckled and said, “I will... but only after I kill you... That way, I’ll be rewarded by the Imperial family, and my name will be renowned. What does Yan Province or the empire have to do with me?”

At this moment, one of Ma Qing’s subordinates ran up the stairs, cupped his fists, and hurriedly said, “General Ma, the Nether Sect is launching its main attack.”

When Ma Qing heard this, his eyes widened immediately. Then, he heard a crisp sound ringing in the air. He saw the Sword Devil, Yu Shangrong, forcefully swinging his sword.

“General!”

“General!”

The others exclaimed in shock.

Ma Qing wasted no time in summoning his avatar.

Whizz!

His Six-leaf avatar stood before him.

Boom!

The second floor of the inn was blasted away by the avatar. Shrapnel and miscellaneous objects ricocheted everywhere!

The golden avatar planted itself before the Longevity Sword. There was a blast of energy as Ma Qing retreated. He distanced himself from the building and hovered in midair.

The others swarmed forward.

Ma Qing was still assured of his victory, certain that Yu Shangrong’s attack would miss, when his vision began to swim...

When his men ran up the inn, they blocked his view, causing his already blurry sight to lose focus. He hastily focused his gaze and forced himself to be more clear-headed. When his sight finally focused, he saw three figures were coming at him from the left, the center, and the right.

The green-robed swordsman wore a faint smile on his face as he wielded the Longevity Sword in his right hand. A faint red light swirled around the blade as it was held at a 45-degree angle. Grand technique! Return and Enter Three Souls!

Yu Shangrong swung his Longevity Sword with a calm expression on his face.

A crisp and familiar sound rang in the air.

An obvious and neat cut appeared on Ma Qing’s avatar...

“This...” Ma Qing’s eyes widened in fear. His instinct spurred him to grit his teeth and flee.

Yu Shangrong remained composed as usual. He sheathed his sword.

The Longevity Sword slashed at the cut on the avatar again as it returned to its scabbard at lightning speed!

Yu Shangrong did not even deign to look at Ma Qing as he rose into the sky.

At the same time, the cultivators who swarmed into the inn discovered their target was nowhere to be found.

They turned around at once and saw Ma Qing standing outside.

“General!”

“General!”

“Kill him!”

Dozens of cultivators charged out like flies.

Yu Shangrong moved swiftly in the air. Leaf-like energy seals spun around him.

“What are those things?”

Yu Shangrong adjusted his direction.

Boom!

Like a gale, he charged at the others as the leaf-like energy seals spun behind him.

The golden leaves slashed and stabbed at the cultivators who obstructed Yu Shangrong’s path. Then, corpses began to fall from the air one after another. They did not stand a chance at all and had died immediately.

The others were sent flying backward by a blast of air like scattered petals.

“Lotus leaves!”

“Lotus leaves from the Golden Lotus!”

“Look out for the lotus leaves!”

The cultivators gave up on their chase.

Ma Qing hovered in midair and lifted his hand to press it against the wound on his chest. However, it seemed to be futile. He saw countless leaf-shaped energy seals behind Yu Shangrong. They gradually faded and scattered in the wind. Eventually, only six leaves were left before they merged with Yu Shangrong’s body.

Ma Qing opened his dried mouth. He said incredulously, “S-six-Leaf? After the lotus is severed, the leaves... can be used in this manner?”

Alas, realization dawned on Ma Qing too late. He dropped from the sky headfirst. Blood gushed out from the wound on his chest onto the stone slab, forming a red river.

“Ding! Killed a target. Reward: 1,500 merit points.”

Naturally, Yu Shangrong could not hear the system notification. He continued unleashing his grand technique as he sped toward the city’s gates.

Killing Ma Qing was nothing to brag about. His elder brother, Ma Luping, was the difficult opponent.

Since Yu Shangrong had exposed his whereabouts, he would have to leave Yan Province as quickly as possible. The Formation had been activated, and a barrier surrounded the main city. Could he get out before Ma Luping arrived?

Yu Shangrong shot past the buildings. He kept going until he saw the city walls. At this moment, he looked up and saw a huge black flying chariot hovering above the city walls. The Nether Sect? Resounding cries signaling a charge against the city walls reached him from the other side of the wall. The barrier beyond the gate boomed as though it was being hammered.

“Attacking the city at this time? Utter foolishness,” Yu Shangrong remarked indifferently. In his opinion, the Formation was at its strongest at the moment. It was slightly foolish to attack the city now.

Yu Shangrong stopped flying. He landed and looked at the distant city walls that were so tall that he could not see the top. He waited for the barrier to be weakened.

At this moment, a massive energy saber dropped down from the flying chariot.

The Jasper Saber shone with a blinding golden radiance as it dropped down toward the barrier.

The Great Dark Heaven Memorial, the Dark Heaven Starlight!

The huge spinning energy saber descended.

Boom!

The sound of the impact resounded through the main city.

A huge ripple appeared on the barrier.