Chapter 1615 - 178: The Third Party

Chapter 1615: Chapter 178: The Third Party

The wind and sand swirled, the void shattered.

Behind Dragon Wood Venerable and a group of Great Demons, the snow dust shattered, and a majestic figure slowly emerged on the other side of the void. Although these Great Demons were already quite massive, in the presence of "Great Venerable Xuanhui," they seemed tiny and insignificant. Even the Great Perfection Realm Dragon Wood could barely reach its waist.

"Rumble rumble rumble."

The entire Sand Mountain began to shake.

Everyone raised their heads, gazing up at this majestic Great Demon projected from the void.

It was apparent.

Great Venerable Xuanhui deliberately revealed his entire dharma body to maximize the oppressive force... However, this move had little effect on the armored figure with the short sword at his waist. He merely sat on horseback, calmly and indifferently turning his head, fearlessly meeting Xuanhui’s gaze.

"Nalan Xuance."

Great Venerable Xuanhui spoke in a hoarse voice, expressionless: "What is there to see between you and me? As Long Mu said, the battle to the south... is about to end."

Though unsure of the Great Palace Master’s thoughts.

But just yesterday...

He indeed received the message.

The Heavenly Phoenix Palace would no longer pressure the Great Li Xuanbei Pass.

The demon tide stationed at the borders of both countries would recede bit by bit. The Heavenly Phoenix Palace held little respect for "Li Kingdom," so the drawn "Peace Line" wouldn’t be as wide as on the Great Chu side, but this communication order truly came from the Great Palace Master.

This war, starting with Mo Zhen, had lasted for a century.

Though both sides had moments of pause.

This time, however, it was a real cessation of hostilities.

Ironically enough.

Upon learning of the ceasefire, both sides’ Great Cultivators felt relieved; after fighting for so long, they could finally stop.

Everyone was willing to see this outcome.

Except for Nalan Xuance.

"The battle at Xuanbei Pass must continue."

The Armored Puppet controlled by Nalan Xuance looked up at Xuanhui and hoarsely said this.

"Huh?"

Xuanhui raised an eyebrow, a grin stretching his lips.

He extended his palm, facing upward.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The entire Sand Mountain shattered amidst tremors, the small hilltop where both sides had been located collapsed and sank under the pressure of the Great Divine Power User, eventually becoming a vast plain, with countless sand particles rising into the air, eventually condensing into a large sphere.

Though the Demon Country had ceased hostilities with the Human Race.

The conflict between the two races had never diminished.

Xuanhui had never held goodwill towards Nalan Xuance, even though the latter had collaborated with the Demon Country multiple times, facilitating attacks on the Xuanbei Pass. His view remained unchanged, feeling even more disdain for such a person.

A petty man who could betray even his country.

Yet sat as the State Preceptor.

Could even stand alongside Chen Jingxuan.

"Are you threatening me?"

The rolling sand particles coalesced into a great sun, ultimately falling into the palm of the majestic Great Demon. Great Venerable Xuanhui squinted, looking down on this sword-wielding Armor Soldier insignificant as an ant. He knew this puppet was connected with Nalan Xuance’s Divine Sea, capable of displaying the power of a Fourth Heaven of Yang God Realm Great Divine Power User.

But this wasn’t inside Li Kingdom’s borders.

Behind him, Xuanhui had the entire Heavenly Phoenix Palace with the Great Palace Master as backing.

What was there to fear?

"Today. I will accompany you southwards to attack the Xuanbei Pass. Besides that, Ning State, Wu State, and Yu State—three fronts, the Iron Cavalry will advance with all might... I will do my utmost to draw away all the Great Divine Skills users of the Xuanbei Pass."

The sword-wielding Armor Soldier slowly spoke, offering Xuanhui an alluring deal that was hard to refuse: "I know the Great Palace Master has abandoned the southward plan... but the communication order merely asked you to withdraw slowly, returning northward piece by piece. If you could capture the Xuanbei Pass, if you could take Chen Chong’s head, it would still be a great achievement."

"..."

Great Venerable Xuanhui fell silent.

He gazed at the sword-wielding Armor Soldier, lost in thought for a long time.

After a while.

Xuanhui finally spoke, his voice low.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I hate him just as much as you do."

The sword-wielding Armor Soldier replied without hesitation, calmly saying: "Chen Chong betrayed the Qian State, betrayed the Crown Prince. I want to kill him more than anyone in the world... And if I remember correctly, when he was patrolling the north in the Yin God Realm, he killed your Dao partner, and your offspring. And Luo Lie, would you really be willing to return to the Heavenly Phoenix Palace and watch them unharmed? You should make them pay."

The Sand Mountain fell into a deathly silence.

The enormous demon body of Great Venerable Xuanhui trembled lightly, uncontrollably showing a trace of sadness... and hatred in his eyes.

Indeed.

If one were to tally who hated Chen Chong the most in the world,

It was likely him.

Years ago, during a northern tour battle, Chen Chong made a name for himself, returning to Li Kingdom, becoming the youngest Three States Iron Cavalry Lord in history. In that battle, Great Venerable Xuanhui’s Dao partner and offspring all died in battle; he should have broken through the void to come, but was stopped by Luo Lie of the One Strike Sect.

"Huff..."

Moments later.

Great Venerable Xuanhui breathed out a foul breath.

He made up his mind, his gaze turning decisive: "You need to take a soul oath."

He didn’t trust Nalan Xuance much.

Only...

He was indeed dissatisfied with the retreat north decision.

Having fought at the Xuanbei Pass for so many years, seeing it about to be taken, how could one just leave?

"No problem."

Nalan Xuance hesitated almost not at all, controlling the Armor Puppet to raise his palm, gently tapping it onto his forehead. Wisps of pitch-black gloom emerged, accompanied by low chanting, pledging, transforming into a light sphere, falling into the palm of the Great Demon.

"With just you and me, we can’t capture the Xuanbei Pass."

Xuanhui received the soul oath, but didn’t act immediately.

The Great Demon solemnly said: "Chen Chong just recently advanced to the Fourth Heaven of Yang God Realm. Even with the Spiritual Treasure bestowed by the Great Palace Master, I’m not his match."

Guarding the Xuanbei Pass weren’t just one Great Divine Power User.

Besides Chen Chong.

The two from the One Strike Sect, and the Buddhist Sect’s Miao Zhen, frequently visited as well.

"Luo Lie and his son are currently in Ning State, delayed personally by my true body."

"Miao Zhen is in Wu State, dealing with the Great Li Royal Family’s Tributor."

The Armor Puppet smiled and said: "As long as you and I work together, in today’s siege... there will only be Chen Chong as the hard bone to crack in this Xuanbei Pass. If you still feel uncertain, you might as well contact the Heavenly Phoenix Palace and call another Venerable from the Demon Country."

"Hmm..."

Xuanhui fell into thought again.

This was indeed a good idea; even with a soul oath, he still didn’t trust Nalan Xuance entirely.

If two Great Venerables acted together.

Then killing Chen Chong wouldn’t be an issue, and the backstab could be prevented even after breaking the Xuanbei Pass.

Considering this.

Great Venerable Xuanhui took out a communication order, the first contact in mind was the female Great Venerable "Dead Phoenix." This Great Venerable originally in charge of attacking near the Jiayong Pass on the western edge of the Northern Border Great Wall, the Great Palace Master retracted the order, and she filed a protest overnight but was ultimately forced to return to the Main Sect.

The Northern Border Great Wall was not allowed to be attacked.

Would the Li Kingdom’s Xuanbei Pass still not be allowed?

Just as Xuanhui was about to send out a Divine Thought, a soft sigh suddenly sounded near his ear.

"I advise you not to do this."

"???

Great Venerable Xuanhui was taken aback.

The sword-wielding Armor Soldier was also taken aback.

The two of them looked up in the direction of the voice, only to see that the dim sky blocked by four-sided dark curtain walls, with sands blocking the sun, had somehow... an additional shadow.

That figure sat on a Flying Sword, resting his chin on his hand, lazily overlooking.

He seemed to have just arrived.

Yet somehow... had been there for a long time.