Chapter 11: Decisive Battle in the State of Wei Section 17: Sect Master of the Flying Immortals

As the Sword Fiend looked up, July had already walked quite a distance away, prompting him to mutter, "I rather like the Martial Sovereign's temperament—refreshing and straightforward." With that, he glanced sideways at Bu Jingxian and added, "Unlike the Northern Monarch, whose mind is deep and gloomy."

Bu Jingxian did not deny the remark, nor did he wish to argue or explain. Instead, he chuckled dryly and said, "The Master's eye for people is as formidable as your skill in forging weapons!" Finally, casting a glance at the Sword Fiend's wooden chest, he asked, "The Master's box contains four precious swords housed in scabbards. How formidable are the other three?"

"One is called Ice Rain; when infused with internal energy, the chilling light it emits can freeze lakes and rivers. Another is called Earth's Wrath; the sound of its vibration can cause the earth to shake, and in the hands of a master, it possesses the power to shatter mountains and cleave the earth. The final one is called West Wind; it stirs up gales from flat ground, capable of summoning a raging, destructive dragon-storm that blots out the sky and engulfs the earth." The Sword Fiend smiled with triumphant pride and continued, "In terms of sheer power, these three are on par with Crimson Rain. However, Crimson Rain was forged the latest, so its resilience and sharpness slightly surpass the others. Of course, compared to ancient divine weapons, they still fall rather short..."

Bu Jingxian led the horse for the Sword Fiend all the way back to the town. Along the journey, he could not help but recall the image of July catching up to the mountain bathed in moonlight, eating chicken legs with total disregard for decorum. At present, only that fleeting memory allowed him to recognize her as the July he once knew.

*If back then I had found some way to make her stay on Northern Spirit Mountain, things would never have come to this today...*

Upon returning to the town, thoughts of July naturally led Bu Jingxian to reminisce about the time Zheng Feixian took her away...

For several consecutive days, the primary generals of the Divine Soul Army, led by Bu Jingxian, conferred with the Zheng army generals led by Ling Luo to discuss strategies for breaking the enemy. Although everyone furrowed their brows in deep thought, no feasible plan emerged. In contrast, while July attended the councils, she appeared utterly unconcerned. She never once voiced an opinion, always sitting quietly in a corner to eat, occasionally playing with her gulu fruit.

On this particular day, as the commanders gathered once again to deliberate, a Zheng soldier suddenly rushed in to report that the Sect Master of the Soaring Immortal Sect had arrived.

During the great battle at Remote City, Zheng Linran had not participated in the fighting, remaining behind to manage the affairs of the Soaring Immortal Sect. Only now had she finally arrived at Dishan Pass.

The Zheng army held the Sect Master of the Soaring Immortal Sect in extremely high reverence. Upon hearing the news, Ling Luo personally led his top generals to welcome her, and Bu Jingxian accompanied them out of the tent.

The grandeur of Zheng Linran's procession caught the entire Divine Soul Army by surprise.

The streets of the town were lined with disciples of the Soaring Immortal Sect. Zheng Linran's sedan chair was at least a zhang in diameter, featuring a couch atop it. Veiled behind curtains woven from gold threads, the figure seated within was only faintly visible, stirring a deep curiosity in all who looked upon it to uncover the full mystery.

As the grand sedan passed, the disciples of the Soaring Immortal Sect dropped to their knees in prostration, shouting in unison, "Respectfully welcoming the Sect Master!"

Standing beside Bu Jingxian, Lady Zhao could not help murmuring in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this Soaring Immortal Sect Master puts on quite an airs. Both Your Majesty and the Marquis of Trust are present, yet she still dares to put on such a display!"

Elder Dongxue and a master from the Soaring Immortal Sect parted the golden curtains, revealing Zheng Linran's delicate and beautiful visage. She wore a royal golden robe adorned with a phoenix headpiece, her hair embellished with various gemstones that sparkled like a sky full of stars. The sheer luxury was such that anyone unfamiliar with her would have mistaken her for the Queen of Zheng at first glance.

Bu Jingxian inwardly chuckled to himself. *Back in the day, Zheng Feixian's pomp did not even amount to one percent of Linran's. True to form, she remains utterly infatuated with superficial and illusory beauty.*

Everyone escorted Zheng Linran into the tent. When she caught sight of July sitting upright and eating, her expression darkened slightly, and she walked past as if July were invisible. July acted similarly, ignoring her presence completely, just as she had failed to go out and welcome her earlier.

Only then did Bu Jingxian realize how frigid the relationship was between July and Zheng Linran. Upon reflecting on their respective temperaments, however, he found it entirely natural, though he could not help thinking that having one serve as Sect Master and the other as Martial Sovereign was delightfully ironic.

After listening to the generals detail the situation at Dishan Pass, Zheng Linran fell into deep thought as well. Standing beside her, Elder Dongxue cast a glance at July and the Northern Monarch, a sudden scheme hatching in her mind. With a smiling, cupped-hand salute, she said, "Reporting to the Sect Master, this subordinate has a rather clever plan, and I await the Sect Master's verdict."

Everyone in the room looked on with eager anticipation, all hoping for a solution to the current stalemate.

Neither Bu Jingxian nor Ling Luo wished to see a truce called just yet. Once Dishan Pass was breached, the State of Wei was bound to perish! The armistice agreement between Zheng and Wei was on the verge of being finalized; factoring in the time required for King Zheng's imperial decree to arrive, they had at most one month. As long as they breached Dishan Pass within that month and marched straight through to annihilate Wei in a single stroke, no one in the world could accuse Zheng of breaking its word. Because Marquis of Trust Ling Luo had not yet received the decree, the moment the king's order arrived, Ling Luo would be strictly prohibited from waging further war!

"Speak," Zheng Linran instructed.

Dongxue then said, "Our sect possesses the invincible Martial Sovereign July, and we currently have the peerless Northern Monarch as well. Since Dishan Pass is unsuited for a direct assault, why not ask the Martial Sovereign and the Northern Monarch to join forces and charge through the pass together? Given their formidable might, who in Wei could possibly harm either of them even slightly? Even if they were to kill only a few thousand Wei soldiers each day, within half a month the Wei army would be terrified out of their wits, and the martial arts experts of Wei would be wiped out. At that time, our sect's experts could swarm out in full force, led by the Marquis of Trust and the elite martial artists of the Divine Sect, leaving Wei entirely unable to resist. Dishan Pass would naturally fall."

This was no strategy for breaching a pass; it was a vicious plot to murder someone with a borrowed knife. Everyone's expression changed upon hearing this.

The martial arts experts of Wei were no pushovers. Charging into the fortress with a mere two people meant facing encirclement by numerous martial cultivators. Without backup or support, how was that any different from seeking death?

Many Zheng generals had heard rumors of the falling-out between Zheng Linran and the Martial Sovereign, but none expected Elder Dongxue to utter such an outrageous proposal in public—and to drag the Northern Monarch into it as well, which struck everyone as utterly absurd. Aside from sabotaging the friendly alliance with the Divine Soul Army, what possible purpose could such words serve?

Ling Luo's expression shifted immediately, but he quickly let out a loud, forced laugh and said, "Elder Dongxue knows everyone is troubled by the war and is deliberately making a joke to ease the tense atmosphere."

Zheng Linran had initially remained silent in contemplation, but upon hearing Ling Luo's attempt to smooth things over, she suddenly smiled and said, "Indeed, it is merely a joke. Although July is the invincible Martial Sovereign, she cannot possibly traverse single-handedly through the countless experts of Wei. Furthermore, the term 'one against ten thousand' is mostly meant as a figure of speech, rather than a literal capability to fight ten thousand foes entirely alone."

The Zheng generals breathed a sigh of relief and quickly chimed in with laughter. However, when Zheng Linran added those remarks, the laughter died away, leaving a heavy silence. Many of the veteran generals loyal to Ling Luo's father felt privately displeased, believing her words effectively degraded the formidable reputation of the Left Chancellor as well.

Just as Ling Luo was about to steer the conversation elsewhere, July, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke up. "Since Elder Dongxue's plan is conducive to breaking the enemy, this Sovereign naturally approves."

Everyone in the room was stunned, save for Zheng Linran and Dongxue, who had known all along that July would agree. Their motivations, however, differed: Dongxue hoped July would be surrounded and killed by Wei experts, while Zheng Linran believed July's skills would allow her to withdraw safely, merely wishing to use the opportunity to heavily humble her so she would realize the immensity of heaven and earth and stop causing reckless trouble.

A wave of irritation rose in Ling Luo's heart; he had not anticipated that Zheng Linran would pull such a stunt. Yet, with so many Zheng generals present and July having readily agreed, it was difficult for him to say anything further.

"Our sect knew the Martial Sovereign is invincible and would certainly not disappoint expectations," Zheng Linran said, before turning her gaze to Bu Jingxian. "The Northern Monarch is a vital ally of Zheng and has contributed immensely to the campaign against Wei. Given your status, Northern Monarch, you certainly should not be exposed to such danger. This matter was truly nothing more than Elder Dongxue's joke."

Zheng Linran had long known that the Northern Monarch could not be easily provoked by reverse psychology, and she inwardly felt that dragging him into this was unwise. Now that July had agreed, she hurried to defuse any hostility from the Divine Soul Army.

July's prompt agreement caught Bu Jingxian off guard, yet it did not entirely surprise him.

This was clearly a malicious design, and Bu Jingxian saw no reason why July wouldn't see through it. She was certainly not the arrogant and reckless fool she had appeared to be at the Divine Martial Arena. Judging by her duel with Ling Luo—where she deliberately concealed her strength while instantly slaying Karl, intentionally creating the illusion of effortless victory to awe the world's experts—July possessed immense courage, combining valor with strategy. At this moment, she appeared quite calm, unlike someone acting rashly out of wounded pride.

Initially, Bu Jingxian had no interest in entertaining Dongxue's provocation. The so-called "one against ten thousand" title from the Black Wolf Tribe carried no real persuasive weight in the broader world. To the martial experts of Zheng, it sounded like an over-glorified brawler from a remote village coming to the city and still parading around under the title of a grand hero.

"Since the Martial Sovereign is in such high spirits, and Sect Master Linran is keen to test whether this Monarch's title of 'one against ten thousand' is undeserved, I am quite willing to accompany the Martial Sovereign and witness the prowess of Wei's experts firsthand." Bu Jingxian's words startled everyone in the room; even Zheng Linran never expected him to be foolish enough to fall for the bait.

"Your Majesty!" Lady Zhao started to dissuade him, but Bu Jingxian raised a hand to stop her.

"However, since Sect Master Linran has proposed such an interesting idea, there ought to be a wager attached."

Zheng Linran smiled inwardly while her face beamed with eager anticipation. "Name whatever wager you desire, Northern Monarch. Speak freely."

"I cannot think of anything off the top of my head. How about this: let the wager be that Sect Master Linran unconditionally grants one request of mine, provided it does not harm the interests of Zheng or the Soaring Immortal Sect. How does that sound?"

Zheng Linran pondered for a moment, realizing she could not let such a golden opportunity slip away. Knowing that refusing would hand him an easy out, she immediately nodded and smiled. "A marvelous proposal, Northern Monarch. Let us set a limit of ten days, shall we? As long as the Northern Monarch enters Dishan Pass to slay enemies for two hours on each of those ten consecutive days, you shall be considered the winner."

Bu Jingxian knew Zheng Linran's proposal was full of malicious intent. Entering Dishan Pass to slaughter the enemy for ten consecutive days would leave no adequate time to recover lost blood, and spiritual restoration required a full day's rest. However, ever since his battle with Wu Fei, where he mastered the tavern veteran's ultimate technique, he had continued to refine its application in the battles against Wei. He was eager to test his skills further, and he also wished to assist July, figuring they could support each other.

"Very well! It's a deal."

"You truly have remarkable courage, Northern Monarch. This sect holds you in high regard!" Zheng Linran had initially feared that the ten-day consecutive combat proposal might scare him off. Seeing Bu Jingxian agree without the slightest hesitation, she inwardly dismissed him as nothing more than a fool. Such arrogance would surely cost him his life in Dishan Pass. She quietly began plotting whom to send to advise July not to offer assistance, convinced that the Northern Monarch's lightness skills would never be enough to help him escape the fortress in a moment of crisis.

Ling Luo found himself unable to offer dissuasion, nor could he fathom why even the Northern Monarch would make such an unwise decision that offered no hope of victory and guaranteed certain death. Yet, for reasons he could not explain, a surge of fierce impulse rose within him; he felt that this act possessed a peerless, majestic grandeur, reminding him of the many glorious exploits of his late master, Li Kuang.