Soaring the Heavens

With his portly steed clad in fearsome armor, his hair fluttering in the wind, and his face covered by the enchanting maiden’s mask—Miao Yi charged alone, wrapped in battle armor from head to toe. He held the Inversed-Scales Spear in his hand, as he chased after the Mount Shaotai cultivator that sounded the alarm.

The rest of the steeds behind him had been left in the dust. Their mounts had no way of keeping up with Charcoal’s full speed.

Relying on Charcoal’s superior leg strength, he finally caught up to the fleeing cultivator. Dragon roars boomed as his triple-edged spearhead grazed the ground and struck forth.

That cultivator was deathly pale in fear. Even though the enemy had a mask on, he didn’t have any trouble recognising that this was the infamous, and brutal East Arrival Cave Master at first glance. There was no one else in the two Manors besides him who donned armor such as this.

The name of the East Arrival Cave Master that managed to pave open a path of blood in and out of an encirclement of about two hundred men had shaken both Manors. He even dared to issue a challenge to Mount Shaotai’s Mountain Chieftain Xiong Xiao to his face. How could he stop a person like that?

Yet, he had no choice. The other party did not have any intention of letting him go—he had no choice but to try and quickly counter with his own spear strike,

Still in the midst of striking with his spear, Miao Yi flicked his wrist and knocked aside the opponent’s spear shaft.

Attacking with such blinding speed, yet still being deft enough to make an instant counter—the Great Cave Master Miao’s spear arts was truly at the pinnacle of finesse. A cold light struck forth lightning-fast, and the fearsome triple-edged speartip lodged itself into the opponent’s underarm. The explosive impact of the spearhead instantly ripped open a b.l.o.o.d.y hole in the enemy’s underarm.

With a swipe of the Inversed-Scales Spear, it rained blood as the enemy cultivator screamed in agony and fell.

He was nowhere close to being able to withstand even a single strike from Miao Yi; he was instantly struck off his steed from a single exchange of their spears.

Meanwhile, the thunderous booming of a stampede from up ahead forced Miao Yi to quickly reign back Charcoal from his relentless charge.

Charcoal raised its front hooves; its back hooves kicked up a cloud of dirt and snow as it etched a deep and lengthy mark into the ground. Only then was it able to hold back its upper body and come to a stable halt.

After that, the fourteen mounts following behind him came to a stop as they observed the oncoming forces ahead.

Mount Shaotai’s Mountain Chieftain Xiong Xiao personally led a company of about seventy men over. They stopped a hundred meters away, and were glaring at the few dozen steeds before them.

Miao Yi was at a loss for words—how could there be so many men within Mount Shaotai’s own forces?

He was still unaware that Yang Qing had already sent a call to arms to the respective Mountains. Naturally, in normal circ.u.mstances, Yang Qing the Manor Head would not skip levels and personally send an order to a mere Cave Master such as Miao Yi. If that really were the case, how could he expect the subordinate Mountain Chieftains to tolerate it? The Great Manor Head might as well take over his subordinate Mountain Chieftain positions as well.

He wasn’t aware that this was only half the forces of the eight Caves. Even though there seemed to be the forces of eight Caves—in reality, these were only the troops from four Caves, numbering up to forty men. With twenty men from Xiong Xiao’s own division, the total number of people amounted to seventy.

With a hostile expression on his face, Xiong Xiao’s gaze descended on the frontmost figure with both man and steed wrapped in an elaborate and fearsome battle armor.

It would have been better not to have looked. After he saw this, Xiong Xiao instantly burst into rage, ‘This brat Miao Yi must take me for a fool! Did you think I won’t be able to recognize you just because you wear a mask?’

"Miao Yi, you little t.u.r.d! How dare you p.i.s.s me off time, and time again!" Xiong Xiao bellowed, swinging his long sword to stab forth with.

As he listened, Miao Yi cast a glance at Charcoal. It was indeed difficult to pull a wool over someone else’s eyes when he put on his armor, but it would be dangerous if he did not. Even if he didn’t wear it, Charcoal’s figure alone would also stick out like a sore thumb among dragon steeds, so he would still be recognized. It would only be possible to trick them, if he didn’t come along.

While he was feeling helpless because of his own low cultivation, Xiong Xiao was enraged till fumes were blowing out of his nose and ears because he thought that Miao Yi was intentionally trying to mock his intelligence—thinking that he would be fooled with just a simple mask!

Miao Yi did not answer. It was the other party’s business whether they knew or not, but he couldn’t publicly admit. Otherwise, there would be no going back. Thus, he turned back and muttered in a low voice, "The enemy is vast in numbers. Do not delay. Just focus on killing the mastermind Xiong Xiao!"

As soon as he finished instructing, he swung his arm forth, sending out the signal to begin the attack.

He took the vanguard and raised his spear, leading the dozens of steeds behind him in a ferocious charge straight at Xiong Xiao.

Xiong Xiao’s expression twitched as he realised that the Great Cave Master Miao was indeed relying on the fact that he had experts as his subordinates, and was not the least bit afraid of him—he was so bold, it was outrageous! He would actually brazenly attack Mount Shaotai. Even if he was wearing a mask, he was still brazenly attacking!

"KILL!" Xiong Xiao swung his hand forth, and the men on either sides of him bolted forward.

He did not join in the fray because it was obvious that Miao Yi could not take over Mount Shaotai even if he conquered it. He was clearly only coming after him.

Xiong Xiao was incredibly vexed. Back then, he should have ended this man no matter the cost. In the end, he had allowed this man to succeed, let himself be the one pressured by him now.

Thunderous booms rang out as the two parties furiously crashed into one another. Dragon steeds screamed, as men fell and their steeds were knocked over—a scene of chaos and carnage!

As he observed the battle, Xiong Xiao narrowed his eyes and saw that, with Miao Yi leading the charge for his men at the fore, they were like a sharp dagger that stabbed deep into his own formation. Miao Yi was like a violent hurricane that blew away everything in his path. Wherever the coldlight in his hand landed, those that stood in his path would be knocked down. The steed he rode on was even more fearless as it charged ferociously without any heed for its own safety—crashing into dragon steeds that impeded its path, throwing out splatters of blood and flesh in the process. Together with the help of the two experts by his side, there was no one that could stop this a.s.sault of man and steed. They charged straight towards him as though they could split the waves.

Xiong Xiao was anxious at the sight of this. He had also heard of the incident where Miao Yi had killed his way in and out of an encirclement of two hundred strong. He had been a little doubtful, because he hadn’t witnessed it for himself. Even if he donned a full body of armor, they were still just first grade transcendent artifacts. How could they protect from being surrounded by so many men?

Only now that he was witnessing it, did he know that the rumors were not unfounded. The brat was ferocious and without equal with the spear in his hand, as thought he was highly versed in dealing with large mobs. He was at a loss as to how Miao Yi had even managed to train to such a level of skill.

To either sides behind him, Chun Xue and Dong Xue also had stunned expressions on their faces— especially Chun Xue. She was aghast; she never would have imagined that the pig-butcher brat, that had to kiss up to her Huang family back then in Changfeng City, had become so terrifying!

Seeing the enemy charge ever closer, and getting close to slaughtering their way through all their layered defences, Xiong Xiao’s began heart pounding like mad. He could sense that things were looking grim. It was difficult enough for him to face a single Blue Lotus cultivator—if he had to face two along with Miao Yi in addition to that, it likely wouldn’t end well for him.

‘While there is life, there is hope!’ Xiong Xiao abruptly turned his horse around, and solemnly shouted, "GO!"

He turned back to lead his two handmaidens and two of his trusted aides, as he hastily made a run for it—leaving behind the subordinates who were still in the raging battle, trying to stop the enemy.

Miao Yi had been focused on killing, but quickly noticed Xiong Xiao retreating in the distance. He immediately grew anxious—it hadn’t been easy for him to travel all the way here. If he allowed Xiong Xiao to escape once again, it would be too unfair.

He really wanted to leap over there with his steed and stop him, but it was very dangerous to do so while surrounded by enemies. Once he jumped up, he would receive attacks from his front, back; left, right; top and bottom—from every direction. It would be difficult to shield Charcoal’s abdomen, with just the protection of a first grade transcendent artifact.

Even if he could leap over, Yuan Fang and the rest behind him would be in trouble.

A Blue Lotus First Grade cultivation was not invincible. It made one capable of defeating many White Lotus cultivators, but it did not make one resistant to the charge of several dragon steeds. When that happened, they would most likely be annihilated.

Only with him in the vanguard—utilizing Charcoal’s full body armor designed for ramming—as the razor-edge of the front lines, could he open up a path for everyone else. Otherwise, they would be in a pinch.

"THOSE WHO IMPEDE ME SHALL DIE!" bellowed, Miao Yi as he began attacking with renewed ferocity. The Inversed-Scales Spear in his hand stabbed wildly, blasting those standing in his path off their steeds.

Under that threatening cry, and on seeing their Mountain Chieftain fleeing—those standing in his way ceased desiring to risk their lives any longer, and fearfully cleared away to either side to open up a path.

With that, Miao Yi successfully led his subordinates swiftly out from the enemies attempting to stop them. He pulled out all the stops, and aggressively charged in the direction that Xiong Xiao was retreating in.

Charcoal’s speed continued to increase as he swiftly carried Miao Yi over mountains, and past ridges. He left the men behind him in the dust, desiring to first reach Xiong Xiao before anything else.

Once he fled to a mountain peak, Xiong Xiao turned back to look and couldn’t help jumping in fright; he never thought that the leg strength of Miao Yi’s steed was so fast. It was quickly closing the distance between the two of them—all he could do was cry out to his surroundings, and anxiously speed up his retreat.

He could not describe the hatred in his heart. To save his own life, he had lost all face in front of his subordinates today. It would be impossible to avoid the slurs and mockery that others would throw behind his back—this was an irreparable stain to his authority as a Mountain Chieftain.

"Mountain Chieftain….," voiced out Chun Xue; pale with fear she began transmitting her plan over.

Xiong Xiao was moved when he heard it, but turning back to look at the two handmaidens who had loyally followed him for many years, he shook his head and rejected it. "No way!"

When she turned back to look, Chun Xue had also became anxious. She could also see that Xiong Xiao was not Miao Yi’s opponent—otherwise he wouldn’t have run away. Thus, she resolutely said, "This incident happened because of me. Even death will not redeem me. Furthermore, if Mountain Chieftain can’t escape, the both of us will die anyway. That filthy b.a.s.t.a.r.d will not let us go. So long as Mountain Chieftain still lives, then there is still a chance for us to be avenged. Mountain Chieftain must not hesitate any longer, otherwise there will be no time!"

In the end, a nervous trusted aide received the clothes that Xiong Xiao tossed over and put it on himself.

As they were pa.s.sing through a canyon, Xiong Xiao broke off alone with his dragon steed into the canyon to hide. He watched as Chun Xue and Dong Xue guard his personal trusted aide, as they made their way to the other end of the canyon; the sound of their hoof beats disappeared into the distance.

Not long after, he saw Miao Yi on his dragon steed cross over from the top of the canyon.

Soon after that, he saw dozen more dragon steeds fly over his head.

He waited until the thundering hoof beats disappeared before he sighed. "HAARGHH!" Xiong Xiao smashed a fist into the stone wall, as his face filled with sorrow and anger. His dragon steed then swiftly leapt tens of meters high up to the top of the canyon, and turned back on the path they had come from.

After chasing up to tens of lis, Miao Yi saw that the fleeing ‘Xiong Xiao’ along with his two handmaidens were just ten meters ahead of him, and began shouting angrily, "Xiong Xiao you filthy b.a.s.t.a.r.d, where do you think you are running off to!?"

Underneath him, Charcoal bolted as if he were flying and suddenly leapt, crashing down on the four people fleeing before it.

Chun Xue, Dong Xue, ‘Xiong Xiao’ and another of Xiong Xiao’s trusted aides turned around revealing shocked expressions on their faces.

Pointing forward with his raised spear, Miao Yi’s eyes narrows as he locked onto ‘Xiong Xiao’s face. How could he not know that he had been tricked then? He was instantly filled with rage.

"Please run away Elder Auntie, Little Auntie. We will stop him!"

Xiong Xiao’s trusted aides both immediately brandished their spears, and engaged in a fierce battle with Miao Yi, who had dismounted. As the Mountain Chieftain’s trusted aides, their cultivation wasn’t too low. The both of them had cultivations at White Lotus Fifth Grade, and indeed had the ability to face Miao Yi in battle.

However, after Miao Yi sw.a.n.g his spear to loosely blocked them, he didn’t bother with them at all and instead, continued chasing after Dong Xue and Chun Xue, who had continued fleeing. He alread let Xiong Xiao escape; if he were to allow that vile woman Huang Yue to escape as well, then he really would have wasted his time coming all the way here.

He chased after the two women with Xiong Xiao’s two trusted aides pursuing closely behind him. They wanted to help the two aunties escape; they were worthy of being Xiong Xiao’s trusted aides.

Yuan Fang and the others behind them had caught up by this point. Once they saw the situation, they immediately spread out to stop them.

After he saw his own troops circling around in front of him, and both Yuan Fang and Lai Yuhan already launching their attacks, Miao Yi shouted, "Leave these two alive!"