Daoist Master Ironcloud had already used his most powerful technique. He did not believe that under his techniques, that young man had any possibility of surviving. However, he continued to watch Chen Chao, guarding against any unexpected developments.
As expected, the unexpected did happen.
The entire Sublime Bright Mountain suddenly began to quake at this moment. Daoist Master Ironcloud's expression changed and he raised his head. It was because he sensed that the sect's mountain gate formation had actually begun to shatter at this moment.
The Sublime Bright Sect was a major sect of Daoism, with a legacy spanning countless years. Something like the mountain gate formation was incredibly sturdy; they were not easily broken. Forget about shattering it, it would likely require more than just one or two cultivators in the Nepenthe Realm to damage it. However, the current situation indicated otherwise. The mountain gate formation was indeed breaking apart.
Daoist Master Ironcloud felt a dreadful aura and wanted to raise his head to see what was happening. But as he raised his head, all he saw was a black official boot.
These were standard issue for military officials in the Great Liang Dynasty—black official boots. They might not be special, but right now, the descent of these boots represented unparalleled strength as well as contempt for the Sublime Bright Sect.
How many military officials of the Great Liang Dynasty could afford to disregard the Sublime Bright Mountain?
How many dared to treat the Sublime Bright Sect like this; shedding all pretenses of cordiality.
Who was the arrival?
Daoist Master Ironcloud's expression became extremely ugly. If there were no surprises, this would be the most humiliating day in the history of the Sublime Bright Sect.
Having someone breach their mountain gate formation was an extremely disastrous situation no matter how one looked at it.
Following the sound akin to shattering glass, the entire Sublime Bright Sect's mountain gate formation was also shattered.
That official boot also fell down.
Daoist Master Ironcloud made his move.
Countless stars suddenly appeared around his body, each one incomparably brilliant. They surrounded him, and as Daoist Master Ironcloud's mind stirred slightly, the stars shot towards the sky, intercepting that enormous black official boot!
But in the next moment, the black official boots descended faster, and the stars shattered one after another, scattering starlight all over the ground.
It was a gesture of overwhelming power, representing the unyielding attitude and will of the owner of the official boots.
Daoist Master Ironcloud's complexion turned pale. In their first exchange of blows, he had already sensed the gap between himself and the owner of those official boots. His expression was very ugly, but there was nothing he could do.
He had cultivated bitterly for many years, obtaining that page too, and gained some new insights within the Nepenthe Realm. But in fact, he did not make much progress from start to end. When it came to the Nepenthe Realm, there were many others he could not match up to. This was a fact and it was something that could not be changed either.
At this moment, he had already thought of the answer.
In the Great Liang Dynasty, there were likely no more than two individuals who could attain this level of cultivation.
One of them was always stationed at the Northern Frontier and would not appear here.
This person must be the other one.
Daoist Master Ironcloud retreated dozens of feet, and then the black official boot landed.
A cloud of dust enveloped the Sublime Bright Mountain.
When the dust settled, a man appeared beside Chen Chao.
He wore a black official robe and black official boots, giving off a terrifying aura, like a tall mountain that could not be shaken no matter what kind of wind and rain.
His face appeared to be carved by a knife, looking very stiff.
At a glance, his blood vitality seemed like a bottomless abyss.
In an instant, Yun Jianyue guessed the man's identity.
Standing in the distance, Daoist Master Ironcloud also knew.
In the Great Liang Dynasty, the most powerful military officials numbered just two.
That Great General in the Northern Frontier would not leave the North, so the man before them could only be that Lord Warden.
A Nepenthe martial artist!
No matter how much the foreign cultivators looked down upon martial artists, they still had to show their respect when facing this Nepenthe martial artist.
Yun Jianyue clasped his hands and saluted, "I pay respects to Lord Warden Commander."
The Warden glanced at him and did not speak.
His gaze quickly returned to Daoist Master Ironcloud not far away.
Daoist Master Ironcloud's expression was complex and he did not speak.
"Ironcloud, you let your disciples insult the people of Great Liang, killed the Rainwater Commandery's warden, and even attempted to assassinate the newly appointed warden. Where do you place the laws of Great Liang? And what about the agreement established in the Divine Capital back then?!"
The Warden stood on the mountain and spoke first, his voice cold and indifferent. But everyone could sense the iron-willed determination behind it.
Listening to these words, Daoist Master Ironcloud's complexion became somewhat unnatural, and he replied calmly, "Why worry about finding a pretext if you want to condemn someone?"
The Lord Warden sneered, saying indifferently, "At this point, do you still want to act like this? This Warden will tear down your Sublime Bright Mountain first, and afterward, we can discuss the laws of Great Liang!"
As he spoke, Lord Warden took a step forward. Except, this step caused the entire Sublime Bright Mountain to quake instantly, with distant peaks even beginning to crumble.
Seeing this scene, Yun Jianyue's expression became somewhat ugly. After a martial artist reached the Nepenthe Realm, they would become an existence that even the foreign cultivators needed to fear. Although martial artists at this level still did not know magic spells, they did not need to use magic spells either, their bodies would be the toughest treasures in the world.
If such a martial artist went crazy, it would be equivalent to the combat power of at least two Nepenthe cultivators.
"If you didn't find the formation eye of my mountain gate formation first, could you have entered my Sublime Bright Mountain so easily?!"
Daoist Master Ironcloud remembered something, his eyes filled with resentment.
The formation eye of the mountain gate formation was extremely hidden, it was naturally not something ordinary people could know about. However, since Chen Chao had the final letter from that Daoist Master Green Bamboo, he naturally also found and destroyed the formation eye in passing.
Daoist Master Green Bamboo only wanted revenge, he did not worry about the future of the Sublime Bright Sect at all. The secrets of the entire Sublime Bright Sect were written in that final letter.
The Lord Warden did not have much to say. He took a step forward, once again crushing a mountain peak beneath his feet. In a single stride, he arrived in front of Daoist Master Ironcloud and threw a punch out.
That seemingly ordinary punch caused the surrounding space to shatter when it was unleashed.
Countless stars appeared in front of Daoist Master Ironcloud, giving off a faint blue light that headed towards the Lord Warden.
The meeting of fist and stars was short-lived.
In an instant, the stars shattered as the fist passed through the space filled with these countless stars, landing on Daoist Master Ironcloud's chest in the end.
Daoist Master Ironcloud retreated, his figure extremely fast.
At his cultivation realm, if he wanted to retreat, nothing would be able to stop him.
But sadly, the Warden was faster. So in the end, the fist still landed on his chest.
There was an incomparably loud sound.
It reverberated throughout the surroundings like a clap of thunder.
Daoist Master Ironcloud staggered back, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth.
The Lord Warden returned to his original position and grabbed Chen Chao, a surge of boundless qi flowing in from his shoulders.
The broken bones were being completely remodeled at this moment.
Chen Chao felt excruciating pain, but it was evident that the Lord Warden did not care too much about his feelings.
"Can you still hold on?"
Lord Warden took a look at the broken saber grasped in Chen Chao's hand and shook his head as he said, "That's kind of a hindrance, I told you long ago to change it."
Chen Chao grinned but remained silent.
Daoist Master Ironcloud, who now had a pale face, suffered severe injuries. This was his territory, he should not have suffered such a result no matter what.
"What reason do you all have for trespassing my Sublime Bright Mountain?!"
Daoist Master Ironcloud glared at Lord Warden.
Lord Warden remained expressionless. "Given what's happened now and what everyone knows, I'm sure you're aware of the situation too. Forget about the fact that I came to the Sublime Bright Sect today without warning, even if this Warden were to demolish your Mountain and sever your legacy, what can you say?"
Hearing this, Yun Jianyue's expression was somewhat unusual. For many years, the foreign cultivators had shown little respect for the Great Liang Dynasty. There had been no reaction from the Great Liang Dynasty either. This had been the case for many years and no one thought this would change. Everyone thought the story would continue this way. However, who could have imagined that everything would change over these few years.
It could be said that the beginning of these changes was when Chen Chao first killed those qi refiners. However, in reality, such a thing was bound to happen sooner or later as long as the Great Liang Dynasty was unwilling to continue as it had in the past. In that case, everything would change, and there would not be any exceptions.
Daoist Master Ironcloud had a grim expression. By now, he fully understood that what they had considered a secret was known to more than just the Infatuation Daoist Temple. Even the Great Liang Dynasty knew as well, and it was not just the Great Liang Dynasty that knew, it was likely that the entire world knew.
Thinking of this, Daoist Master Ironcloud's heart was like cold ashes.
What he was worried about was similarly not the fate of the Sublime Bright Sect, but that ancient ruin. He had not found more things yet, would it abruptly come to an end now?
He was quite reluctant.
He raised his head and looked at Yun Jianyue as he asked, "Will the Temple Master come?"
In the world of cultivation, there were no real rights or wrongs, it was all about trade-offs and interests, and this could even be applied to the entire world.
The only one who had the power to save him now was that Infatuation Daoist Temple's temple master.
He was the leader of Daoism, if he was willing to say something and do something, it would definitely be useful.
Yun Jianyue looked at him and did not speak.
Actually, he did not need to speak either.
He came, but the Temple Master did not come, it could actually explain a lot of things.
Daoist Master Ironcloud said, "I originally thought that the Temple Master would just be a bit slower."
A bit slower, but he would eventually come.
But clearly, it was not a bit slower.
Yun Jianyue said, "The trouble that Daoist Master has caused is too problematic."
