Chapter 35: A Resounding Victory

The Ghost King, Zhu Youwen, was incensed to find that his opponent was not Zhou Zhiruo, nor the maiden Little Dragon Maiden, but merely an unremarkable, petite woman. The moment Zhao Liying charged toward him, he resolved to teach her a lesson.

However, as she drew closer, he realized that this swordswoman’s momentum had accumulated to an explosive peak, as if it were on the verge of detonating at any second.

"Where did... such an... unknown come from!"

Before he could finish his stuttered sentence, Zhao Liying had already reached him.

"Ha!"

With a resounding shout, she brought her long blade down with the force of a mountain-splitting strike.

"Snow-Breaking Blade!"

*Clang...*

The Ghost King was forced back dozens of paces by the sheer power of the blow before he could barely steady himself. The strike was tyrannical; it not only shattered the protective yin energy surrounding him but also left a deep gash across his chest. His complexion shifted from black to red, then to a deathly pallor, leaving him unable to remain standing. The silver light of the blade was so intense that it even sliced through the surrounding dense fog, splitting it in two before it slowly dissipated.

Dongfang Bubai sat up abruptly from her palanquin.

"What a domineering blade aura! How could such power come from a woman?"

If Zhou Zhiruo’s essence was one of supreme yin, then Zhao Liying’s was one of supreme dominance. Their energies were vastly different, yet they hailed from the same faction, making everyone even more curious about their origins and identities.

"After this battle, the Earth Ranking will surely shift once more. What has become of the Great Zhou martial arts world?"

Dongfang Bubai laid back down slowly, though her heart remained unsettled. The motives behind this faction’s eradication of the Xuanming Cult were unclear, leaving her restless.

"Lian'er, I feel a sense of unease."

"Master, let me massage you." Yang Lianting hurriedly knelt and moved forward to knead Dongfang Bubai’s head.

Zhang Wuji, who possessed the Nine Yang Divine Art, was equally stunned by Zhao Liying’s formidable strike. He could sense, however, that she did not practice the pure yang arts like his own, but rather a form of pure, unadulterated, and domineering martial art. Combined with a lineage-based sword technique, the power of her strike was naturally staggering.

"Left Envoy Yang, can you discern what kind of art this woman practices?"

Yang Xiao, not only a formidable martial artist but also a wise and well-traveled strategist, served as Zhang Wuji’s primary advisor. Whenever Zhang encountered a problem, consulting Yang Xiao usually provided answers.

To Zhang Wuji’s disappointment, Yang Xiao frowned and shook his head. "I am incompetent; I cannot identify the technique."

"Alas! How many more trump cards does this mysterious faction hold? It is truly unsettling!"

Zhao Liying’s strike also shocked the Underworld Emperor on another part of the battlefield. He roared at Granny Meng, who was watching from the sidelines, "Granny Meng, why have you not yet moved to assist the Ghost King?"

Granny Meng held her Illusory Dragon Staff and tapped it lightly against the ground. Her raspy voice carried far: "This old woman intended to help, but it seems there is no need now."

"What does that mean?" the Underworld Emperor asked, baffled.

Gao Wu, however, knew that Granny Meng’s words were directed at him. "Haha, the Bad Commander has already helped me greatly. There is no need for Miss Shi to intervene!"

"Miss Shi!" Granny Meng seemed not to have heard that address in a long time, and she let out a light, crisp laugh.

"Miss Shi?" The Underworld Emperor was furious. "Who exactly are you?"

"Too much chatter!" Zhou Zhiruo’s willow-leaf brows arched, looking like two sharp daggers piercing toward her temples. She gripped her blade in one hand and formed a claw with the other, attacking the Underworld Emperor simultaneously.

*Nine Yin White Bone Claw!*

Icy winds swirled as the two engaged in a fierce struggle once more.

Li Cunzhong, perched on the shoulder of Li Cunxiao, rolled his eyes. *If I could seize this Gao Wu while the three heroines are preoccupied, I could hold him hostage to command them. Then the Tongwen Pavilion would...*

Suddenly, Gao Wu turned his head toward Li Cunzhong and bared his teeth in a bright, white smile. Li Cunzhong hurriedly suppressed his thoughts and offered a smile in return. *This kid is damnably eerie!*

Nearby, Li Maozhen, Mistress of the Phantom Sound Workshop, seemed to have noticed something. The corners of her mouth curled slightly as she breathed two words: "Idiot."

She then looked at Gao Wu. Though not delicate, he was broad-shouldered and sturdy, exuding an aura of pure masculinity. Gao Wu noticed Li Maozhen’s gaze and nodded with a smile, but the Mistress immediately averted her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze.

If the battles of Zhou Zhiruo and Zhao Liying were either brilliantly matched or settled with a single decisive stroke, Liu Yifei’s fight was different. She moved with such lightness that she effortlessly subdued Zhong Xiaokui under her sword, as if she were unwilling to disturb even a speck of dust. Zhong Xiaokui’s face turned red with frustration, her Underworld Water threads firing wildly, yet she could not shake Liu Yifei in the slightest.

Once Zhou Zhiruo captured the Underworld Emperor with her claw, the fate of the Xuanming Cult was sealed.

After Gao Wu confirmed that the Xuanming Cult had no further hidden cards, he stepped forward and shouted, "The Xuanming Cult is temporarily under my command. No member of the Cult is permitted to flee; those who defy this order shall be executed!"

His voice carried far, reaching not only the members of the Xuanming Cult but also the various experts watching from afar. This was precisely Gao Wu’s intention. He planned to stay at the Xuanming Cult for some time and did not want any short-sighted individuals coming to seize the territory.

Zhao Liying had the fewest moves and finished her fight the fastest, but she had also expended the most energy. Her strike had shattered the Ghost King’s protective barrier and left him critically injured, leaving him in a state of bewildered defeat. He was still lying on the ground, questioning his existence.

The Underworld Emperor, held like a doll by Zhou Zhiruo, grew even paler. He glared at Gao Wu. "Why? Why must you oppose the Xuanming Cult? Who are you people?"

"Heh, you truly are a fool. You don't even know who your enemies are, yet you dare call yourself an Emperor? An Underworld Emperor?" Gao Wu sneered, mocking him without reservation. If he could break the man's mental defenses early, the interrogation would be much easier.

"Let’s go! The Xuanming Cult must have an interrogation room. It’s only fitting that our Underworld Emperor enjoys the very torture devices he prepared himself!"

"Gao Wu, what are you doing? I am the head of a sect! Release me! If I am outmatched, I will end my own life—why must you torture me?"

The Underworld Emperor’s voice was high-pitched and grating, like a wail.

Gao Wu picked at his ear. "Want to commit suicide? Fine, but provide the information you have before you die!"

"Brother Zhang, Brother Li, I must interrogate the Underworld Emperor regarding some matters. I leave the care of these Xuanming Cult members to you for a moment!"

"Brother Gao, you are too polite. It is but a small favor!"

Although their group was small, every one of them was a master. With all the high-level experts of the Xuanming Cult captured and the leadership headless, they could not stir up any real trouble.

Seeing Gao Wu drag the three heavily injured figures away, Zhang Zifan asked curiously, "Brother Li, do you know what information Brother Gao hopes to extract from the Xuanming Cult?"

Li Maozhen rolled her eyes, having no desire to entertain him. "How would I know? Weren't you always together?"

"I had returned to the Tongwen Pavilion, hadn't I?"

Zhang Zifan’s eyes brightened as he suddenly looked toward the ignored Granny Meng.

"Hey, Granny Meng, do you know the secrets of your Xuanming Cult?"