Chapter 90 — The Mantis

He himself had lost his left hand in the Immortal Slayer Sword Formation, and his cultivation had suffered greatly. Worse, because the Changsheng Hall was the leading faction, its masters naturally stood in the first line of battle, and at Connecting-Heaven Peak they had worn down half their number against the elders and chiefs of the Canglan Sect.

Later, when the Immortal Slayer Sword Formation was unleashed, the surviving masters of the Changsheng Hall were cut down in heaps; barely one or two escaped. It was all but total annihilation.

In this world, everything is easy to obtain; the hardest thing to obtain is talent—especially talent you have cultivated yourself and can trust completely!

For ten years Yuyang Zi had toiled with heart and blood, and the Changsheng Hall had slowly recovered. Yet in Yuyang Zi's heart, that shadow only grew larger.

The battle of Qingyun had all but destroyed the Changsheng Hall's main fighting strength. In the years since, had it not been for Yuyang Zi's own lofty cultivation overawing the surrounding enemies who eyed him like tigers, and especially his decisive move seven years ago—against his disciples' objections—to forcibly relocate the main hall to this remote corner, the Dead Marsh, far from the spheres of the other three great factions, the consequences might well be beyond imagining.

But just one month ago, the increasingly fierce internal strife within the Demonic Cult had come to an abrupt halt. The last of the mid-sized sects with real strength, the Blood-Refining Hall, had finally been brought to heel by the Hades King Sect.

Everyone had chosen their sides. After a brief and suffocating calm, Yuyang Zi instinctively foresaw that what would follow, and soon, was fierce internal strife erupting directly among the four great factions of the Demonic Cult.

After all, in the hearts of countless Demonic Cult disciples, the figure of Elder Blackheart eight hundred years ago—uniting the Demonic Cult and sweeping across the world—was already an eternal legend!

But legend was legend. At this very moment, things were extremely unfavorable for the Changsheng Hall, and for Yuyang Zi. Limited by its strength, the Hall was willing but unable in the struggle to win over the smaller factions; and so, as one waxed and the other waned, the gap in power between it and the other three great factions only widened. Yuyang Zi was sick with worry, barely able to sleep at night.

And it was at just this time, as if Heaven had opened its eyes, that a wondrous omen of a rare treasure appearing suddenly emerged in the Dead Marsh, right beside the Changsheng Hall.

Yuyang Zi was startled and delighted. If he could truly obtain a treasure like the Canglan Sect's "Immortal Slayer Ancient Sword," then first, the Changsheng Hall's self-preservation would no longer be in question; then he could plan its development at leisure, and in days to come, who knew but that they might turn their fortunes around.

Under these circumstances, the Changsheng Hall regarded the treasure in the Dead Marsh as already in its grasp, absolutely refusing to let others lay a finger on it. But someone, somehow, had leaked the news, and within a few days it had spread across the world. In an instant all eyes turned to the marsh, and masters of both the righteous and the demonic paths gathered there in droves.

Yuyang Zi was alarmed and furious, but by now he could not retreat. So he gathered the full strength of the Changsheng Hall and deployed it throughout the Dead Marsh, seeking the treasure's whereabouts with all their might while taking charge of ambushing and killing invading outsiders. In those dozens of days, no fewer than several dozen people had been secretly slain in the Dead Marsh by the Changsheng Hall—among them righteous wandering immortals as well as masters of other Demonic Cult factions.

For the survival of his sect, Yuyang Zi had already cast all caution aside!

That night, Yuyang Zi received a secret report from his disciples: near the "Bottomless Pit" at the outer edge of the Dead Marsh ahead, a group of righteous cultivators had made camp and intended to spend the night there. Then, as wave after wave of scouts returned, Yuyang Zi's expression grew colder and colder, and he already understood in his heart who these people were.

They were the most elite young disciples of the Canglan Sect. There should have been only a dozen or so of them, but the scouts reported that their numbers had already swelled to several dozen, and among them were monks and people in the garb of the Fenxia Valley. Yuyang Zi knitted his brows tightly, drew a deep breath, and gazed into the distance, as if waiting for something.

After a long while, light footsteps suddenly sounded in the darkness behind him, and a shrewd, lean-looking middle-aged man emerged and came to Yuyang Zi's side. Yuyang Zi turned at once to face him, clearly showing that this man's status was no ordinary one.

This middle-aged man was named Meng Ji, one of the top masters of the Changsheng Hall under Yuyang Zi himself, and one of the few surviving Changsheng Hall experts from the battle of Canglan Mountain—which was why Yuyang Zi trusted him so deeply. That Yuyang Zi had delayed in making his decision was also because he was waiting for this man to return.

Meng Ji bowed to Yuyang Zi. Yuyang Zi shook his head slightly and said, "Enough, no need for formalities. How did it go?"

The question came out of nowhere, but Meng Ji clearly understood what Yuyang Zi meant. He said in a low voice, "This subordinate has already taken men to search the Black Water Ditch and White Horse River areas on the other side of the Dead Marsh. We found no large-scale incursions by the Hades King Sect, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, or the Soul-Charming Faction—only a few stragglers from minor sects, whom this subordinate disposed of directly."

Yuyang Zi's spirits lifted, and for the first time a smile appeared on his face. He nodded and said, "Good! Then we need not worry about our rear. Tonight we strike with full force at those Canglan Sect, Brahma Sound Temple, and Fenxia Valley youngsters who don't know the height of heaven and earth. Once we remove these people, the righteous path will have no strength left to contest us!"

Yet Meng Ji showed little joy; instead he looked somewhat worried. He hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "Master, three days ago, a hidden lookout near Great King Village sent word that Ming Li and Qin Wujiu seem to have already arrived near the Dead Marsh. And Jin Pingyue of the Soul-Charming Faction has always come and gone like the wind. We cannot fail to guard against them!"

Yuyang Zi's facial muscles twitched, and a look of bitter hatred came over him. "How could I not know that! Those righteous folk merely want the treasure, but the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and the Hades King Sect—what they want is my life!"

Meng Ji's body gave a start. What he was thinking inside was impossible to tell, and his expression shifted uncertainly. He said in a low voice, "Master, then what shall we do?"

Yuyang Zi snorted, drew a deep breath, and relaxed his bearing. "As things stand, we have no road back. While the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Hades King Sect, and the Soul-Charming Faction have not yet arrived, we will first wipe out these righteous whelps, then search for the treasure with all our strength. Once it is in hand—judging by the omens of recent days—it must be a peerless treasure the likes of which the world has rarely seen. Then we need not fear the other three factions!"

Meng Ji bowed his head and said, "A wise plan, Master."

Yuyang Zi nodded slightly, then turned around, steadied himself, and raised his one remaining right hand, sweeping it heavily forward through the night. At once shadows stirred in the darkness, and moments later a great host of Changsheng Hall disciples appeared, racing with practiced ease toward the direction Yuyang Zi had indicated.