Chapter 353
Ten days later, everyone who was going to the Demonlotus Realm gathered in the plaza. Aside from Tang Tong, Yan Ding, w.a.n.g Zhen, and Xin Yan, there were four others that Lin Yun didn’t recognize. But each one of them were emitting powerful auras.
They only barely got to know each other after a brief introduction. Lin Yun counted and there were nine people, including himself. There was still someone missing from the quota of ten. But a brief moment later, two people came over and Lin Yun instantly recognized one of them as Xin Jue.
Standing beside Xin Jue was a man dressed in white. His temperament was extraordinary and Lin Yun was shocked because this person definitely wasn’t simple.
“That’s Chen Xuanjun of the Heaven Ranking. He’s in the ninth stage of the Profound Martial Realm and ranked in the top ten.” Tang Tong quickly introduced the newcomer to Lin Yun. He had been in the sect for a long time, so he practically knew everyone.
Lin Yun fell into deep thought. The Heaven Ranking only had ten people, so they were all undoubtedly geniuses. They even held a higher position than many ordinary elders. The sect spent many resources on them, so it wasn’t an understatement to call them the Sword Firmament Pavilion’s future. For other sects, they would call them core disciples.
“Greeting, Senior Brothers.” The nine disciples greeted the two newcomers.
Xin Jue and Chen Xuanjun didn’t have any airs and smiled while nodding their heads.
“Junior Brother Chen, I might be here, but we still have to depend on you to take care of them in the Demonlotus Realm,” said Xin Jue as he patted Chen Xuanjun’s shoulder. It turned out that Xin Jue wouldn’t be entering. Firstly, the Demonlotus Core had no effects on him, and secondly, the sect wouldn’t allow him to take the risk. After all, his stage was the Dragon Gate Compet.i.tion.
“Don’t worry about it. This is also an opportunity for me,” said Chen Xuanjun.
He had been stuck in the ninth stage for many years. This was the reason why he agreed to enter the Demonlotus Realm without any hesitation when he heard about the quota. He wanted to do this even if there was a risk that he could die in there.
The disciples chatted as they were filled with anxiety for the Demonlotus Realm. A little while later, a dozen elders came over with Luo Feng in the lead.
Luo Feng glanced at everyone and said, “We’ll be heading to the Demonlotus Realm soon. I called you guys here to say something. The Demonlotus Realm opens up once every two decades and there are many ancient martial techniques in there. Try and bring them back if there’s an opportunity. Those incomplete techniques might not be useful for you guys since they’re difficult to comprehend, but they’re treasures for the sect.
It was practically impossible to cultivate incomplete martial techniques, but the sect could arrange grand elders to comprehend the profundities within them. Who knows, perhaps a decade later, the grand elders might be able to complete them, which would boost the sect’s foundation greatly. Furthermore, there were even damaged cosmic artifacts that the sect could repair.
“However, keep in mind that your lives are most important. The Demonlotus Realm has a high death rate and there are clans who suffer complete annihilation. It’s more dangerous than you guys can imagine, which is why I hope that you guys can come back alive.” Luo Feng’s face became grave as he spoke, “Remember, survive and come back.”
“We got it.” The disciples became more nervous when they heard Luo Feng’s words. The got ready to leave when Lin Yun took a look at the escort team. It was so extravagant that it shocked him. There were eighteen elders in the escort, who were all in the Violet Palace Realm, and forty deacons, who were in the Quasi-Violet Palace Realm. At the same time, there were also a hundred elites from the Earth Ranking who could form the Indigoyang Sword Array if needed.
The array could even deter experts in the Violet Palace Realm. In addition to the array, there were also many miscellaneous affairs for them to manage. After all, the elders couldn’t possibly handle everything by themselves.
What shocked Lin Yun even more was that a Sword-Bearing Elder was tagging along. In the entire Sword Firmament Pavilion, there were only seven Sword-Bearing Elders and each of them in the late phase of the Violet Palace Realm. They represented the pinnacle of strength in the Great Qin Empire and they were the cornerstones of the sect.
In the past, there was no need for Sword-Bearing Elders to come along. But the a.s.sa.s.sination attempt from the Primal Origin Sect two months ago made the Sword Firmament Pavilion cautious, so they were sending a Sword-Bearing Elder. Furthermore, there were many dangers along the way.
They could be spared from unnecessary trouble by sending a Sword-Bearing Elder who would reduce their potential death toll. When they left, the group either rode on Sword Condors in the sky or horses on the ground. When Lin Yun looked at the Sword Condors soaring in the sky, he was filled with envy.
Sword Condors in the Profound Martial Realm were rare because it was too troublesome to nurture them. Otherwise, everyone would be riding on a Sword Condor by now.
One hour later, they arrived at the border of the Extermination Mountain Range, which confused Lin Yun.
“Senior Brother Tang, the Demonlotus Realm is in the Extermination Mountain Range?” asked Lin Yun.
Tang Tong was surprised by those words and smiled, “Junior Brother Lin, you’re really obsessed with cultivating. The Demonlotus Realm is indeed in the Extermination Mountain Range, but it’s located at the core of the mountain range, at the Extermination Barrens. It’s so far away that it’s nearly at the borders of the Great Qin Empire.”
Lin Yun had spent a long time training in the Extermination Mountain Range, but he didn’t go too deep into the mountain range. That place was forbidden and Lin Yun could vaguely sense the powerful demonic aura coming from its depths. However, he never expected that the Demonlotus Realm was located there.
The Extermination Mountain Range had many demonic beasts, but those demonic beasts had never seen such a huge commotion. The hundred elite of the Earth Ranking alone were enough to intimidate them, not to mention the elders and deacons.
Lin Yun exclaimed when he saw this scene. They were practically travelling through the Extermination Mountain Range without any obstructions. The only time that they slowed down was when they arrived at the very depths of the forest.
The sky was shrouded in thunderclouds, so the Sword Condors didn’t dare to fly too high. It was much more convenient to travel by horse through the forest. The demonic beasts they encountered along the way were terrifying, but they were left to the elders and deacons to handle.
This expanded Lin Yun’s horizon because usually he had to avoid demonic beasts in the Violet Palace Realm. But the current scene was so shocking because the elders worked together and easily killed the demonic beasts in their path.
Seven days later, the party suffered a setback and a few deacons were injured. Some of them even lost their lives. The forest was shrouded in a fog that obstructed their path greatly, not to mention that the fog was poisonous.
The elders worked together to scout the place and it didn’t take long before they returned. Luo Feng frowned, “We’re unlucky to encounter a Violet Palace Real monarch demonic beast…”
“Do we have to reroute?” asked Xin Jue.
“It’s too troublesome to reroute.” Luo Feng shook his head. He then looked at the Sword Condor in the sky and he spoke, “Elder Qing Zhuo, please help out.”
But no reply was given. It was as if the Sword-Bearing Elder didn’t hear Luo Feng’s words. However, all of a sudden, a deafening sound roared and a sword ray shot into the fog. What followed was a loud wail along with bolts of lightning.
An outburst of demonic aura came from the fog and a snort was heard coming from the sky. Three sword beams descended and lit up the dark forest. The poisonous fog instantly disappeared as blood splattered around.
Everyone could see a demonic beast trying to escape, no longer daring to obstruct their path. Lin Yun looked up in shock. Everyone else felt the same when they saw a blurred figure on the Sword Condor. They had admiration and envy in their eyes.
The Firmament Cloud Swords were cosmic artifacts that the Sword Firmament Pavilion spent centuries to forge, and there were only seven of them. The swords were powerful and famous in the Great Qin Empire and many swordsmen dreamed of having one.
The seven swords were wielded by the Sword-Bearing Elders, and it was an honor for the disciples to witness it in action. Lin Yun had to admit that he would be killed if he faced that attack. But he might have a slight chance to avoid it if he used the Seven Profound Steps.
Then again, the swords could only unleash their prowess in the hands of experts. Lin Yun only hoped that the Flower Burial Sword could reach this height one day. Lin Yun’s eyes were filled with antic.i.p.ation.
The poisonous fog dissipated and they were no longer obstructed. A few days later, they formally stepped into the core of the Extermination Mountain Range. What appeared before them was a barren land. This place that no one usually visited was actually crowded today. Many sects were rus.h.i.+ng over to this place.