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墨書 Inktalez
Zuo Dao never expected that Huangshan Hall would be in such a dangerous state, especially with the Hall Master already gone. The spirit of the Cultivators from Huangshan Hall before him was also lacking.
"What happened?" asked Kun Ru Tao.
After making a decision, Su Ziqing informed him of the current situation at Xuming Hall, so he was somewhat aware of the conditions of the various halls under Xuming Hall.
Although Huangshan Hall was not ranked highly within the Inner Circle Hall, due to previous contraction tactics, it now possessed the combat strength of three halls. Even so, to have the Hall Master taken down was shocking.
"My lord, I’m not very clear on the specifics either. I only heard that the opponent is very cunning and does not play by the rules at all. The other two halls are almost completely battered," said the Cultivator responsible for the Teleportation Array, who also seemed unsure.
"Forget it; let’s go take a look," Zuo Dao suggested directly, realizing that further questioning would yield little information.
The Teleportation Array was still some distance from the hall, and Huangshan Hall had tight security around it. Even so, Zuo Dao frowned slightly upon seeing it. He estimated that due to a lack of manpower, the defense of the Teleportation Array relied heavily on formations and a few Cultivators.
After some thought, Zuo Dao decided to leave a squad of Dan Guards led by Wan Boxiong at this location. He currently commanded two squads of Dan Guards: Youzheng and Wan Boxiong. Youzheng was a fierce general, while Wan Boxiong was a wise strategist. The Teleportation Array was crucial for Zuo Dao, so he chose the latter.
After making arrangements and wasting some time, they arrived at the hall just in time to witness another attack from their opponents.
Upon reaching Huangshan Hall, Zuo Dao finally understood why Xuming Hall's branches were so easily targeted. After asking Kun Ru Tao, he learned that apart from Xuming Hall being located in a large city, other halls typically chose locations near mountains close to cities. The closer they were to areas rich in spiritual herbs, the more prominent their positions became.
It would be quite difficult to launch an attack on a faction's branch if it were situated within a city.
As they approached the hall, they noticed two groups of people battling fiercely in mid-air, while many Cultivators from Huangshan Hall stood ready in defense.
Although Huangshan Hall had the numerical advantage, in terms of combat strength, their opponents held the upper hand. Another thing that caught Zuo Dao's attention was a team of Black-Robed Cultivators among the opposing faction. Though few in number, each displayed remarkable combat prowess that left him astonished; there was an unmistakable familiar aura about them.
Despite being a team of ten, the Cultivators from Huangshan Hall clearly had higher realms than their opponents; however, during combat, it felt overwhelmingly one-sided.
The coordination among this team of Black-Robed Cultivators was exceptionally strong. Although their realms were lower than those of Huangshan Hall's Cultivators, their performance in battle resembled that of fierce tigers.
The formation of the Ten-Man Team surged down like a ferocious tiger, while Huangshan Hall resembled a sheep. In the brief time that Zuo Dao observed, two or three people had already sustained injuries.
Within the span of a single incense stick, Zuo Dao believed that Huangshan Hall was destined for a significant defeat; it remained to be seen how many could escape, depending on their luck.
Zuo Dao's appearance undoubtedly drew the attention of the cultivators present. The members of Huangshan Hall immediately recognized Youzheng and others by their attire, and the arrival of the Dan Guard boosted their morale significantly.
In contrast to Huangshan Hall, the opposing side displayed a more cautious demeanor. The attacks from their squad noticeably weakened, allowing Huangshan Hall's squad a moment to breathe.
Zuo Dao did not rush to join the battle. After stopping Youzheng from charging in, he flew alone into the ranks of Huangshan Hall.
The reason for not allowing Youzheng to enter was simple: it would create pressure on the battlefield. If they entered Huangshan Hall, many backup plans would become unfeasible.
"Who is in charge now?" Zuo Dao asked as several cultivators approached him.
"Huangshan Hall's Zhenyue," replied a middle-aged cultivator who stopped about five zhang away from Zuo Dao. This distance was just right for safety.
"Void Bright Zuo Dao," Zuo Dao revealed his identity badge, confirming who he was. This had been given to him by Kun Ru Tao on the way.
Zhenyue couldn't help but feel anxious; they had previously suffered losses due to underestimating their opponent, resulting in the Hall Master being killed in a moment of carelessness.
"I beg your pardon; it was because the Hall Master was too eager and overlooked the situation, which allowed the enemy to take advantage and led to his demise."
At this point, tears welled up in Zhenyue's eyes. There was an unspoken truth: the Hall Master had died trying to save him. It wasn't that he didn't care; rather, he wanted to repay that sacrifice through action.
The appearance of the Dan Guard placed immense pressure on their opponents. Just considering that there were only nine such Dan Guards in total within Void Bright, each consisting of no more than thirty members—including reinforcements—was daunting.
Currently, the two squads led by Zuo Dao were standard ten-man teams.
Zuo Dao began to ponder after gaining a general understanding of the current situation at Huangshan Hall. The battlefield was tepid, lacking the previous fervor. Both sides were acutely aware of their disparities; without Zuo Dao's intervention, it would undoubtedly be Huangshan Hall that faced defeat.
"We have prepared for the worst. If we cannot hold them off, we will destroy the Teleportation Array and perish together with the enemy," Zhenyue spoke in a remarkably calm tone, as if discussing an everyday matter.
Zuo Dao recognized this as a sign of resignation. Although he did not know what had struck Zhenyue so deeply, he respected anyone who possessed the courage to face death alongside their enemies.
Though the opposing forces had yet to breach Huangshan Hall's first line of defense, the losses sustained by Huangshan Hall had already exceeded Zuo Dao's estimates, which explained the urgency of their situation.
Xuming Hall's combat capabilities were inherently limited, compounded by the enemy's overwhelming assault. Xuming Hall could barely ensure that the Inner Circle Hall's defenses did not collapse. Most of the cultivators within the hall had been dispatched to various branches. If it weren't for Xuming Hall being situated in a large city, Su Ziqing and the others would not have dared to make such a decision.
At the same time, Zuo Dao received news from Zhenyue that several allied reinforcements had been ambushed and annihilated by an unknown force on their way. This was why Zuo Dao observed Huangshan Hall fighting alone.
Given Xuming Hall's influence in Void Bright, there were hardly any allies to rely on, and Zuo Dao was certainly not inclined to trust them.
It appeared that the enemy's strength was significantly greater than he had anticipated!
With increasing variables at play, although no disciples of Heterodox had been spotted at Huangshan Hall, the presence of that squad had raised considerable suspicion in Zuo Dao's mind.
"Hall Master Yue, you are still in full command. I will clear out the outside for you; you can handle the rest," Zuo Dao said as he took flight toward the battlefield under Zhenyue's stunned gaze.
Kun Ru Tao had already been informed; no one was allowed to advance without his notice.
The fighting momentarily halted due to Zuo Dao's appearance. The cultivators of Huangshan Hall began to slowly retreat, and the opposing side did not pursue but instead fixed their gazes upon Zuo Dao.
"Bring Hu Tiehua out to see me," Zuo Dao said, casting a calm glance at the enemy before speaking.
With the appearance of Zuo Dao and a team of Dan Guards, their identity already made the opposing side wary. Now, with a name suddenly mentioned from his mouth, there was a stir among their ranks, especially within that Squad.
"Who are you?" A figure who was clearly the captain of the Squad stepped forward.
"Who I am? Just call Hu Tiehua out and you'll find out." After glancing around, Zuo Dao's gaze fell toward an unknown direction.
The fighting style of this Squad exhibited a distinct individuality. It wasn't that each member had their own personality; rather, their combat style resembled that of a single person.
The true core of Heterodox consisted of three hundred sixty Cultivators personally trained by Zuo Dao, among whom the most elite were referred to as the Thirty-Six Guards, the captains of those ten Squads. Though not very familiar with them, Zuo Dao knew each one well, understanding their unique traits.
Hu Tiehua was merely one among those three hundred sixty individuals and also one of the Thirty-Six Guards. This Squad was evidently trained by Hu Tiehua himself.
Zuo Dao had invested considerable effort into the core Squad of Heterodox; everything they learned was top-notch in his mind.
However, this particular Squad appeared somewhat immature, lacking smooth coordination, which momentarily prevented him from noticing it.
With the two Outer Sect Disciples he had previously discovered and this Squad he saw today, Zuo Dao's questions grew increasingly pressing. Where exactly were the disciples of Heterodox? What were they doing?
Before Zuo Dao could receive an answer to his question, he caught a glimpse of killing intent in their eyes—a deadly resolve.
"Although I don't know how you learned the captain's name, anyone who knows about it is our target for elimination." This message came through telepathy.
As soon as those words fell, the entire team closed in around him.
From the very beginning of their training, they had received an order: anyone who knew about the captain's existence was their primary target for assassination. Although they were unaware of the reason behind this command, it did not hinder their execution of it.
"Foolish." Zuo Dao halted You Cheng, who was preparing to step forward, and turned his attention to the encroaching Cultivators.
"Although I don't know who you are, there are some people whose existence I care about. You only have one chance to come out; otherwise—death."
There was no hint of murderous intent in the words, but the firmness behind them made everyone shudder involuntarily.
Hu Tiehua was trained by him, and this team of Cultivators before him was trained by Hu Tiehua. The various tactics of the Heterodox were all from Zuo Dao. What seemed unbreakable to ordinary people appeared riddled with flaws in his eyes.
The opponent hesitated for just a moment before charging forward. The tight formation astonished the Cultivators from Huangshan Hall who had fought against them earlier.
"If I had known it would be like this, those hiding in the shadows should come out too," Zuo Dao said, shaking his head slightly.
It was a trap to lure the enemy.
It seemed that those Outer Sect Disciples had learned what he taught quite well. Zuo Dao had refrained from acting earlier because he had seen through their intentions.
The opponents did not expect Zuo Dao to say such a thing, and their formation faltered for an instant. In that moment, Zuo Dao moved.
Still as a maiden, swift as a hare. Zuo Dao's sudden attack caught everyone off guard. By the time they reacted, Zuo Dao had already plunged into their formation. At that moment, the captain of the Squad finally realized what was happening.
The entire formation was completely shattered by Zuo Dao's assault. The position he stood in was precisely the key point for changing formations; what should have been led by him turned chaotic in an instant.
Having decided to strike, Zuo Dao showed no mercy. He slammed his fist down hard into empty space. Just as the Huangshan Hall Cultivators wondered why Zuo Dao attacked an empty spot, one of the Squad's Cultivators suddenly appeared beneath Zuo Dao's fist, as if delivering himself right into harm's way.
The Cultivator facing Zuo Dao's punch had no idea what was happening and was instantly turned into a mist of blood. He had merely instinctively shifted formations without realizing he had stepped into a death trap.
Then, under the astonished gazes of the Huangshan Hall and the opposing Cultivators, members of the Squad automatically moved toward Zuo Dao's lethal fist.
In less than a breath since Zuo Dao made his move, the Squad crumbled under his onslaught, leaving only him and one captain still standing.
"Where is Hu Tiehua?" The captain spared the life of the one who remained alive. Zuo Dao's question went unanswered.
The captain's eyes were filled with a determination to die; he couldn't accept the death of his comrades, especially not the methods employed by Zuo Dao.
The only weakness in this battle formation was the position Zuo Dao occupied. At that moment, he recalled a saying from his captain during their training.
"This formation has a critical weakness. If someone discovers it, death will be your fate. However, even I cannot break through this weakness. If such a person exists in this world, it would be our instructor—the Sect Leader."
More importantly was the following statement.
"If you encounter him, there is only one solution—self-destruction."
The power of the formation had been tested; even if one knew its weakness, unless they possessed immense strength and speed, they could not break through it in motion.
After learning this, they once thought their captain was joking. Now, he finally understood why the captain had said those words.
"You are the Sect Leader that the captain spoke of?" The Cultivator forced a smile. "Had I known it was you, we wouldn't have acted. But now that we've acted, we must pay the price."
Zuo Dao understood what the Cultivator intended to do and did not stop him. The mention of "Sect Leader" had already given him the answer he sought.
For reasons unknown, this captain did not reveal that statement before his self-destruction. Everyone only saw Zuo Dao shake his head and release the Cultivator, who then self-destructed before their eyes.
The entire process felt eerie, but when three hidden squads emerged nearby, the battle had already concluded.
The newly appeared squads made those from Huangshan Hall break out in a cold sweat. Zhenyue felt particularly uneasy; he had already been apprehensive before the fight and was shocked to discover that three squads had been hiding in the shadows. Had he impulsively led his team into battle, the consequences would have been dire.
"Are you with that squad from earlier?" Zuo Dao asked as he looked at the three squad leaders at the front.
Zuo Dao's movements were incredibly swift. By the time they appeared, one squad had already been completely annihilated by the enemy. When they attempted to retreat, it was already too late.
Counting ten members per squad, this was the standard composition of Heterodox forces. However, the attackers from Huangshan Hall clearly consisted mainly of these four squads, along with several dozen other Cultivators. When Zuo Dao confronted the first squad, these Cultivators did not intervene. It was evident they were conserving their strength to assist the subsequent three squads in delivering a final blow.
Zuo Dao's methods left the newly arrived squad leaders feeling a dryness in their throats.
"Who exactly are you?" one of the leaders asked, struggling to suppress his unease.
"Don't you already know?" Zuo Dao replied with a faint smile, though only he knew what thoughts lingered in his mind.
Inside, he felt a twinge of bitterness; he hadn't expected to encounter such a scene today. It was no different from infighting. Something must have happened among the Outer Sect Disciples, and he needed to find out what it was.
"You don't need anything else; I only want to know the whereabouts of one person," Zuo Dao's voice was soft and gentle.
If those Heterodox Cultivators were his disciples, then these individuals were essentially his grand-disciples. Zuo Dao didn't have a strong sense of morality, but he deeply disliked this feeling.
Zuo Dao's request was actually quite simple, yet the three squad leaders and their members all understood that they could not answer this question.
Encountering this person meant only one outcome for them. If they hadn't engaged in battle, it might have been different; however, from the annihilation of the first squad to their own appearance, their fate had already been sealed.
They knew what those two words meant to their leader who had trained them. The identity of the enemy was likely that very person their leader had mentioned.
The three squad leaders exchanged glances and saw despair and reluctance reflected in each other's eyes.
When Zuo Dao asked his question, he did not hold back; even the Cultivators from Huangshan Hall heard him clearly. Among them, Kun Ru Tao felt the most complicated emotions.
These enemies who had appeared out of nowhere had cost Xuming Hall dearly without yielding any information. To think that this time with Zuo Dao’s arrival there were some clues emerging, and it seemed Zuo Dao knew something more.
The origins of Zuo Dao were a mystery within Xuming Hall. For him, who had grown up in Xuming Hall, this moment brought forth deep doubts about Zuo Dao.
He knew that now was not the time to delve into it, but witnessing Zuo Dao's actions left him utterly perplexed.
The three captains remained silent, and Zuo Dao did not press further.
"Youzheng, deal with the remaining Cultivators." Although he felt no sense of belonging to Xuming Hall, Zuo Dao's methods were rather sinister; no one, including himself, knew what he would do next.
Zuo Dao's command stirred unrest among the opposing faction, and Youzheng did not hesitate. He was well aware of how many Cultivators Xuming Hall had lost.
"Kill."
Youzheng, who had been holding back for too long, was already impatient and charged forward with the Dan Guard.
Zuo Dao remained still, coldly observing the three captains.
"I only want one answer."
For just one answer, the bloody slaughter commenced, and the chill in the hearts of the three captains grew heavier. Though they wished to help, Zuo Dao's gaze was firmly locked onto them.
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