Chapter 71: Two Leaders

Deep into the night.

The silence was so profound that not even the sound of insects could be heard.

"Tsk tsk."

Nangong Bi, the Sword King, clicked his tongue and entered the room, only to come out again with his sword in hand.

Nangong Bi slowly walked out into the courtyard.

Following him, his wife Zhang Huaen came out of the room and scanned the surroundings.

She, too, held a sword, befitting her background from the Wudang Sect.

Nangong Bi, who had been quietly focusing on the sounds around him, suddenly turned and shouted,

"Who are you! The Sword King Nangong Bi is here!"

Nangong Bi's shout jolted the sleeping Nangong family compound awake.

The martial artists of the family quickly armed themselves and gathered in the main hall.

Then, the sound of weapons clashing came from the outer hall.

Nangong Bi looked around.

Forty or so people.

Fortunately, it seemed that all the disciples of the inner hall had gathered before the fight began.

At that moment, over fifty people rushed in through the winter gate.

Nangong Bi, looking at the uninvited guests with a cold gaze, shouted again,

"Who are you, and why have you visited the Nangong family compound in the middle of the night!"

Wushan Langlang covered her mouth and laughed.

"Hehe! Why are you acting so surprised? As the head of the Nangong family, why are you pretending to be innocent? You know well that good people don't come easily, and those who come on their own are not here with good intentions [來者不善 善者不來]."

Nangong Bi smiled wryly and said,

"Then, who are you?"

"Hehe! I admire how you can still be so calm in a tight spot. That's why I like the Nangong family."

"Admire? Do you think swinging a sword is enough? Even the Zhu Yan Gong couldn't stop dementia, could it?"

Wushan Langlang, it seems, is a woman.

Hearing the mention of Zhu Yan Gong and dementia, Wushan Langlang gritted her teeth.

"You must be crazy to want to die. How dare you make such a vulgar joke with me, Wushan Langlang."

"Really! If you're Wushan Langlang, aren't you the old fox of Xiaohu Wushan? What makes an old fox like you think you can challenge the Nangong family? Have you really lost your mind?"

Nangong Bi tilted his head.

Wushan Langlang is a high-ranking expert of the Moshan Sect, and she has no grudges or favors with the Nangong family. It was hard to understand why she had invaded in the middle of the night and what gave her the confidence to do so.

Although Wushan Langlang is a high-ranking expert of the Moshan Sect, she is far from being compared to the Ten Great Experts of the world.

Then, Yue Xiaoxian, who had been standing to the side, could no longer hold back and interjected.

"Nangong Bi, it's been a while. They say that when the tiger is away, the fox plays the king. That's exactly what's happening here. What's so special about the Nangong family? Isn't that right?"

"Who are you?"

Nangong Bi frowned.

He recognized the face but couldn't place it.

"Oh, you've already forgotten. It's me, Yue Xiaoxian."

"......"

At the mention of Yue Xiaoxian, Nangong Bi's face hardened.

Yuming Jiao.

A formidable opponent, even the Justice Alliance sends out martial notices to deal with him.

Nangong Bi turned to the back and said briefly,

"The opponent is Yuming Jiao! Everyone, leave the Nangong family compound! Right now!"

When the martial artists of the family hesitated, Nangong Bi drew his sword and shouted,

"This is the head's order! Everyone, leave! Head to Luoyang and join the Changtian Hall!"

Only then did the martial artists of the family scatter in all directions.

However, the fifty or so experts from Wushan Xiaohu were not just watching.

The experts from Wushan Xiaohu blocked the paths of the family's martial artists, and a bloody battle ensued.

Zhang Huaen stood shoulder to shoulder with Nangong Bi.

"Madam, you should leave as well."

"But......"

"Your presence makes it difficult for me to use my full abilities."

"I understand. I'll see you in Luoyang."

Zhang Huaen did not argue further and blended into the crowd of the family's martial artists.

Yue Xiaoxian stroked the blade of her Taiyi Jade Sword, her cherished weapon, and said,

"This is too touching to watch without tears. But since we're a couple, I guess we should at least coordinate our memorial days, right?"

With that, Yue Xiaoxian leaped into the air.

Rising about ten feet (about 15 meters), Yue Xiaoxian threw the Taiyi Jade Sword downward.

Swoosh—

With a whistling sound, the Taiyi Jade Sword flew like an arrow toward a single point.

Right above Zhang Huaen's head.

Startled, Nangong Bi immediately drew his sword and threw it.

Swoosh—

Clang.

Nangong Bi's sword deflected the Taiyi Jade Sword.

At that moment, Wushan Langlang, who had been waiting for the opportunity, swung her nine-section staff.

Although Yue Xiaoxian had said to just watch, she didn't want to miss a sure chance.

Instantly, the last section of the nine-section staff shattered and embedded itself around Nangong Bi.

Sssss—

With a strange sound, a gray cloud rose and formed a wall in front of him.

This was the Yunzhang Technique, which traps people in a cloud.

Yue Xiaoxian frowned slightly when Wushan Langlang interfered but said nothing.

She accepted it silently, acknowledging that Nangong Bi's sword technique was more formidable than expected.

Surrounded by the gray mist, Nangong Bi rushed forward.

However, no matter how far he ran, the cloud wall always blocked his path.

He realized too late that he had fallen into Wushan Langlang's spell.

Nangong Bi immediately let out a loud battle cry and pushed his sword technique forward.

Swoosh— Swoosh— Swoosh—

The sword seemed to fly forward, then split into two, four, and eight.

He was using the Dàyǎn Sword Technique with his Yi Qi Jian.

As the eight swords split the front, the dense cloud gradually thinned.

Nangong Bi leaped through the gaps in the cloud wall.

However, waiting for him outside was Yue Xiaoxian's Taiyi Jade Sword.

Yue Xiaoxian flew at him with the momentum of sword and body as one.

The person was now hidden behind the sword, and a massive sword swept toward Nangong Bi.

"Ah!"

A sigh of exasperation involuntarily escaped Nangong Bi's lips.

In a split second, Zhang Huaen rushed in between the two.

Zhang Huaen's sword struck the surface of Yue Xiaoxian's sword.

Clang.

"Ouch!"

Recoiling from the impact, Zhang Huaen was thrown backward.

She spat blood as she flew, indicating severe internal injuries.

"Madam!"

Nangong Bi swung his sword like lightning to force Yue Xiaoxian back, then rushed to Zhang Huaen.

Just as Nangong Bi was about to catch Zhang Huaen, who had fallen to the ground, Wushan Langlang, who had approached unnoticed, quickly recited a spell.

"Upper Golden Palace, Lower Kunlun (上朝金闕 下覆崑崙)!"

As she recited the spell and swung her nine-section staff, a mountain-shaped dark energy descended from the sky.

Boom—

Nangong Bi quickly used both hands to support the mountain, protecting Zhang Huaen, who was about to be crushed.

However, the immense pressure from above gradually forced his upper body downward.

To make matters worse, Yue Xiaoxian's Taiyi Jade Sword flew at him like a hawk.

Nangong Bi's face was flushed with veins as he let out a scream.

"Aaaaaah!"

If he let go to counterattack, Zhang Huaen would die, but if he just held on, they would both die.

Tears streamed down Nangong Bi's face.

Then, with a loud "Boom," the mountain fell on Nangong Bi and Zhang Huaen.

Boom—

Several consecutive explosions shook the ground, causing it to sink about ten feet (about 3 meters) deep. The surrounding pavilions collapsed, turning the area into a chaotic battlefield.

Before the dust had even settled, Nangong Bi walked out of the ruins.

Although he was already injured, his face was pale, but his eyes glowed with a fierce light.

An injured tiger is the most dangerous.

Nangong Bi, who had lost his wife and turned into a ferocious beast, swung his sword savagely.

The martial artists of Wushan Xiaohu fell one by one with piercing screams.

Nangong Bi cut down the martial artists of Wushan Xiaohu and walked toward Wushan Langlang and Yue Xiaoxian.

Yue Xiaoxian sneered and extended her sword forward.

A red sword beam shot straight at Nangong Bi.

Nangong Bi suddenly raised his sword to the sky and soared upward.

He was about to use the Changgong Wuai Sword Technique, the highest skill of the Nangong family.

"Ugh!"

A pained groan escaped Nangong Bi's lips as he flew like a bird.

Using the Changgong Wuai Sword Technique while injured was too much.

However, as if disregarding life and death, Nangong Bi poured every last bit of his inner strength into his sword.

Sensing the danger, Yue Xiaoxian flew at Nangong Bi again with the momentum of sword and body as one.

True sword and body as one means the body and sword become one, disappearing and leaving only the sword. At this point, the sword's own power can neutralize most attacks.

Yue Xiaoxian chose sword and body as one for both attack and defense, not the Yi Qi Jian.

Wushan Langlang was not just watching.

Her nine-section staff was a treasure of the Moshan Sect, a priceless treasure.

"Regulate the rules, control the universe (調理綱紀 統制乾坤)!"

Wushan Langlang recited the spell and plunged her nine-section staff into the ground.

Instantly, a network of energy formed above the staff, like a tightly woven net.

Then, Wushan Langlang, like a fisherman, threw the energy net at Nangong Bi.

At that moment, Nangong Bi's sword split into hundreds in the sky.

"Cough!"

Nangong Bi spat blood and fell to the ground with his sword.

The energy net seemed to try to catch Nangong Bi and the hundreds of swords.

At the same time, Yue Xiaoxian, who had achieved sword and body as one, transformed into a white light and pierced the dark sky.

When the three powers collided, the night sky flashed with white, red, and blue light.

Boom.

The shockwave caused Wushan Langlang's hair to fly wildly.

Yue Xiaoxian was also not unscathed.

When she landed gracefully on the collapsed pavilion, her face was pale.

"Ah, cough!"

Yue Xiaoxian spat blood and approached Wushan Langlang.

"Langlang? Is he dead?"

"If he survived this, he should be called a sword god, not a sword king."

She had not seen Nangong Bi's body but believed he was dead. It would be strange if he hadn't been reduced to dust in that terrifying explosion.

A short while later, the two White-Headed Demon Generals and the martial artists of Wushan Xiaohu disappeared into the darkness.

***

The fall of the Nangong family, the leader of Nan Zhili Province, shocked the entire martial world.

And it was done by a single hall of Yuming Jiao, the Wushan Xiaohu of Taihu.

Subsequently, the flags of Yuming Jiao halls were raised at Guangming Manor in Jining, Shandong Province, Chaoyue Mountain Hall in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Zhaoyu Temple in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and Zimei Palace in Shun天府, North Zhili Province.

Including the Wushan Xiaohu of Taihu and the Yinhua Hall of Yushui, there were now six halls in total.

Rumors spread that each hall had a White-Headed Demon General as a guardian, whose martial prowess rivaled the best in the world. If true, Yuming Jiao could rival the Seven Great Sects and Four Great Families.

Shocked by the news, the Seven Great Sects and Four Great Families urgently recalled their outer disciples.

The high-ranking experts of the Seven Great Sects and Five Great Families, gathered by martial notices, only learned of the Nangong family's tragedy when they arrived in Yushui. By then, the Seven Great Sects had already ordered their disciples to return.

However, no one was willing to retreat with the Yuming Jiao hall in sight. Especially with one of the Ten Great Experts, Yi Tian Jian Zun Li Yizheng, present.

But Yinhua Hall's hall master, the Chaotic World Sword Demon Chai Jinjing, was a seasoned demon of the green forest.

When the martial heroes stormed Yinhua Hall like a tide, it was empty. In the end, the martial heroes had to return to their respective sects, hoping for another day.

And, incredibly, the era of two leaders, the Justice Alliance and Yuming Jiao, began.