Chapter 919: Sword Spare Mercy

The voices of the arriving members of the Yu Ling Sect were filled with shock. They had intended to get closer to Ji Yuan, but upon exiting the mountain gate formation, they realized that the terrifying pressure they had previously felt from the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum was only a tiny fraction of its true power. Outside the formation, it felt as if their physical bodies were about to be crushed by the collapsing sky. From a mental level, it was impossible to even conceive of resistance, and they found themselves unable to fly.

Ji Yuan simply watched calmly from above as people flew out from the mountain formation. When he spoke, his serene yet solemn voice resonated throughout the surrounding mountains.

"Where are True Person Ziyu and True Person Yangming now?"

The Yu Ling Sect experts who had flown out of the formation exchanged glances. Some were expressionless, while others sighed in relief. Regardless, it seemed Ji Yuan was not directly targeting their Yu Ling Sect.

Immediately, someone responded loudly.

"We have long heard of your esteemed name, Mr. Ji, and know that your Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum is unparalleled. However, your visit to our Yu Ling Sect to exert pressure must be based on some mistake. Our sect lives peacefully in seclusion, not contending with the world. We have never heard of any True Person Ziyu or True Person Yangming. Could there be a misunderstanding?"

"Indeed, our Yu Ling Sect is righteous and has nothing to hide. There is absolutely no one here by the names Mr. Ji mentioned!"

Ji Yuan did not even look at the two who spoke. His gaze swept past the dozen or so Yu Ling Sect experts, all possessing considerable cultivation, and settled on the precarious mountain gate formation below. Despite the obstruction, he seemed to sense the panic among the Yu Ling Sect disciples within, as well as an aura that he had faintly perceived at the Dharma Aspect level.

In fact, on a level invisible to everyone, a colossal illusory image of Ji Yuan stood towering, gazing at the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate.

"I will ask one more time: Where are True Person Ziyu and True Person Yangming now?"

Beneath the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate formation, deep within the sect's underground secluded cultivation chamber, a thin, graying middle-aged man had sweat beading on his forehead as he firmly pressed his hand against his chest. Opposite him sat a beautiful middle-aged woman and a young woman, both with grim expressions.

"The sense of the sky collapsing can be felt even deep underground. It truly is that person's Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum!"

"There's no mistake..."

The man responded with a grim expression. The suppressed sword intent within him seemed to stir at that moment, causing no substantial harm but bringing waves of stinging pain that even immortal cultivators would find hard to bear.

"What should we do then? Try to escape?"

"No! We are hidden deep within this cavern, and he might not have discovered us yet. If we try to escape, it will be difficult to evade his perceptive gaze. He is looking for those two individuals, so perhaps we can use them to our advantage."

While the two women spoke, the graying man struggled to gather his qi and regulate his breathing, suppressing the sword energy imbued with sword intent within him. When he heard the young woman suggest using True Person Ziyu and True Person Yangming, he opened his eyes and spoke.

"I'd like to hear the details."

The beautiful middle-aged woman looked at the young woman.

"Use Madam Tu's mind-controlling spell to control those two from Yuhui Mountain. Make them send Ji Yuan away, and that will ensure our safety. Even if they return to Yuhui Mountain afterward, they won't escape Madam Tu's grasp."

"No!"

Tu Xin immediately voiced her objection.

"This method absolutely cannot deceive that person! If it's discovered, we'll be directly implicated, and he'll trace the truth back to us. Furthermore, the mind-controlling spell will surely damage their primordial spirits by clashing with their mental defenses. What if they become idiots?"

"Hmph, that Ziyu is stubborn and unyielding; they're impervious to persuasion. Even if they don't become idiots, we won't be able to pry their mouths open. Besides, both of them are righteous cultivators; how could they go mad or foolish from this?"

After personally witnessing Tu Siyan inexplicably die before her eyes, Tu Xin harbored an inexplicable fear of Ji Yuan. For years, she had heard no new news about Ji Yuan, and now hearing of his presence again, her heart trembled. How could she possibly put herself forward to confront Ji Yuan?

"I said no, and I mean no! This method will absolutely be seen through by Ji Yuan!"

The beautiful middle-aged woman sneered as she looked at Tu Xin, who was kneeling, and the man, who was sitting cross-legged.

"Then what do you suggest? If we hand them over directly, will that person spare this place? Will he not investigate to the end? Or do you suggest we confront him directly? Let me be frank, it's not suitable for me to appear before him, and I don't possess that level of cultivation. You two, however, both have exceptionally high cultivation. If you combine your efforts, it might not be impossible to contend with him."

Tu Xin knew the other person was mocking her and returned the harsh look.

"It's easy for you to say. I admit I am absolutely no match for that person, and my identity is rather sensitive. Fellow Daoist Shen also has a sword injury, which would weaken him by thirty percent just by facing that person. If we join forces and are lucky enough to force him back, that's fine. But if not, you won't escape either. And even if we succeed, the Yu Ling Sect will likely find it difficult to maintain its standing here afterward."

"Hahahaha... That's truly funny. Do you, Madam Tu, think the Yu Ling Sect will still be able to stand here afterward? The moment he appeared, he immediately unleashed the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum; that's enough to explain the problem. We're still bickering here, and soon the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate formation will be shattered!"

"Enough!"

The man roared angrily, stopping the two women's argument, then said through gritted teeth.

"Let me ask for instructions from the Venerable Master!"

At this, both women fell silent, exchanged glances, and lowered their heads. The man, meanwhile, took out a small, lustrous white, translucent mirror. With a thought, the mirror expanded to the size of a washbasin.

The man muttered incantations, and not long after, a hazy light enveloped the mirror's surface, and a blurred figure emerged from it.

"Venerable Master, that Mr. Ji is outside the mountain gate formation above us, unleashing his Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum, intending to break the formation..."

The figure in the mirror did not speak immediately, seeming to be examining the three people at the edge of the mirror.

"It seems you do not wish to confront Ji Yuan?"

As the voice from the mirror emanated, all three remained silent. Only after a moment's hesitation did the man speak truthfully.

"None of us are confident we can defeat him. I wish to ask for your instructions, Venerable Master, on how to deal with that cultivator from Yuhui Mountain."

Yangming was insignificant, but True Person Ziyu was useful; otherwise, he wouldn't have been imprisoned for so many years.

"Activate the Moon Azure Mirror. I will speak with Ji Yuan myself."

"Yes!"

The man's heart calmed considerably, and the two women beside him also sighed in relief, as if Ji Yuan would become insignificant as soon as the person in the mirror took action.

However, this sense of calm did not last long; it was instantly swept away by intense vibrations and a tremendous roar.

"Rumble..."

Outside the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate, its cultivators were still arguing their case.

"Mr. Ji, you are a senior of the immortal path. How can you be so overbearing without any evidence? Our Yu Ling Sect has no grievance or enmity with you. Your rudeness today—are you relying on your profound cultivation to bully our sect, thinking we have no one? Everyone says Mr. Ji is benevolent and kind-hearted, guiding all beings. If word of today's events spreads, wouldn't it become a laughingstock among the righteous cultivators of the world?"

"Nonsense! If Mr. Ji says my master is here, then he is definitely here!"

"We are discussing serious matters. How dare a junior like you speak up?"

Ji Yuan, from the clouds, curled his lips in a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Stubborn and unrepentant! Today, I shall be overbearing!"

As he spoke, he pointed his sword finger downwards, and the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum, which had been held back, suddenly descended. Instantly, the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate formation swayed violently, the surrounding mountains trembled, and everything fell silent.

The Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum came with fierce force. The pressure of the sky collapsing at the horizon instantly made the dozen or so Yu Ling Sect experts subconsciously lower their altitude; some even fell downwards.

"Rumble... rumble... boom..."

The sword momentum hadn't even fully landed when the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate formation was directly annihilated, causing over a dozen mountain peaks to collapse. At this moment, an unimaginably terrifying pressure fell upon all Yu Ling Sect cultivators without any obstruction.

The Yu Ling Sect cultivators looking up at the sky, regardless of their cultivation level, all stared blankly. Many couldn't bear the pressure and were forced to their knees.

"This is..." "The sky has collapsed..."

"It's... it's the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum..."

"Is this single sword strike going to annihilate our Yu Ling Sect...?"

"There's no escape... no escape..."

The Yu Ling Sect cultivators were filled with despair. Facing this sword strike that made the heavens collapse, and seeing only a collapsing sky everywhere their eyes could reach, they felt there was nowhere to hide and nowhere to run. Resistance was an even greater fantasy.

Even Shang Yiyi stared at Ji Yuan in astonishment, thinking that Mr. Ji truly intended to annihilate the Yu Ling Sect with a single sword strike.

"Hold your blade—"

A loud roar rose from below the Yu Ling Sect, growing louder and directly shaking the heavens. A white light flew upwards, transforming into a hazy white radiance above the Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate.

In an instant, the Moon Azure Mirror covered the mountains, dividing into nine layers, blocking the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum.

"Boom—"

Countless cultivators with insufficient cultivation instantly lost their hearing, then reflexively and painfully covered their ears.

But if the sky were to collapse, how could it be stopped on command?

Ji Yuan was extremely confident in his control. Every divine ability and wondrous technique was now wielded as effortlessly as an arm. The Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum did not retract at all, falling onto the Moon Azure Mirror like a plummeting star.

The Yu Ling Sect's mountain gate descended three zhang at this moment, as if to embed itself into the great mountain. The protection provided by the Moon Azure Mirror cracked inch by inch in that instant, collapsing at a rate of one layer per blink of an eye.

"Fall."

The man named Shen stood on a mountaintop of the Yu Ling Sect, his eyes bloodshot, his arms propping up the sky as he firmly pressed against the Moon Azure Mirror. Ji Yuan's faint voice came, and the pressure instantly doubled.

"Pfft..."

He spat out a mouthful of blood. The suppressed sword injury in his chest flared up, feeling exactly as it had the moment it was first pierced years ago. Yet, even so, he stubbornly continued to support the Moon Azure Mirror, refusing to retreat.

At this moment, the blade of the Green Vine Sword was already almost touching the surface of the Moon Azure Mirror. Once this final layer broke, the man would surely be cleaved in two along with the mountain peak beneath his feet, and the entire Yu Ling Sect would be annihilated by the Heaven-Tilting Sword Momentum.

At this moment, Ji Yuan was counting silently in his heart: 'Three, two, one.' If there was no change, the sword momentum would only strike one person and split one mountain.

"How dare you!"

An angry roar erupted from the mirror. A figure of light stepped out from beneath the mirror's surface, crossing beyond the Moon Azure Mirror, supporting it with one hand. At this exact moment, the Green Vine Sword made contact with the mirror's surface.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light erupted, and everyone was unable to distinguish between heaven and earth, black and white.