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Chapter 35 - Phoenix Roost Gorge

The Phoenix Roost Gorge, nestled between towering mountains with sheer cliffs as smooth as glass, was an insurmountable obstacle for most. Only the bravest and most skilled climbers could hope to scale its heights.

At the base of the canyon lay a stone path wide enough for five horses to pass abreast, a vital thoroughfare for the Xu Clan’s transportation team.

The crunch of wheels on stone echoed through the gorge as the team made their slow progress, under the watchful eye of Deacon Qi. With his seventh-level Xiantian Realm cultivation, he was charged with ensuring the safe delivery of their goods to Azure Billow City.

The stakes were high for the Xu Clan’s transportation team. They had already suffered the loss of several shipments of Iris Gold Ore, and another failure could spell the end for their weaponry workshop.

“Pull yourselves together! We’ll be safe after passing through the Phoenix Roost Gorge!” Deacon Qi roared. Just yesterday, he had received a pigeon post from the Xu Clan that they would reinforce him with an expert to ensure their safety. This was why he had dared to lead the team through treacherous Gorge. But even he didn’t know who was coming; the patriarch had been tight-lipped on the matter.

The fifteen guards drew their weapons, guarding both sides of the carriers. Failure was not an option as they transported ten carriages of Iris Gold Ores, valuing over a few million gold coins.

As they entered the Phoenix Roost Gorge an hour later, Deacon Qi ordered the carriers to maintain a safe distance from one another. Too close, and chaos could ensue; each carriage kept a gap of roughly ten meters, allowing for quick response and order in the event of an emergency. The canyon stretched for a thousand meters, and it would take the team about ten minutes to traverse it.

When they safely made it halfway through the canyon, Deacon Qi and the guards heaved a sigh of relief because this was a sign that the experts dispatched by Xu Clan had cleared up the obstacles on the road.

Just as the team began to relax, a hail of arrows rained down upon them.

“Ambush! Prepare to fight!” cried Deacon Qi. The guards sprang into action, grabbing shields from the carriages and raising them to block the deadly barrage. In moments, the ground was littered with arrows, a clear sign that their attackers were numerous.

Fifty black-clothed men dashed out from both sides of the Phoenix Roost Gorge, trapping the Xu Clan’s transportation team at the canyon\'s center.

“Listen up, Xu Clan!” bellowed a burly man, his aura radiating power in the Spirit Cleansing Realm. “Lay down your weapons, and we may spare your lives! Resist, and we will show no mercy!” Deacon Qi’s face paled at the sight; they had never faced an opponent of this caliber before.

“Deacon Qi, what should we do now?” The Xu Clan’s guards panicked. Deacon Qi was the strongest among them; it was up to him to decide whether they should surrender or fight.

Some guards were hired by the Xu Clan, and there was no need for them to risk their lives for the Xu Clan. In the worst scenario, they could leave Azure Billow City and seek another livelihood elsewhere.

But some of the guards remained steadfast in their loyalty to the Xu Clan despite the danger. Their families lived in Azure Billow City, under the protection of the clan. What would happen to them if they surrendered now? With anxious eyes, they turned to Deacon Qi, awaiting his orders.

“Prepare to break through the encirclement!” Deacon Qi ordered. The patriarch had sent him a pigeon post about reinforcements, and they could be lurking in the shadows, ready to strike.

Upon receiving the order, the fifteen guards formed a tight circle, minimizing their exposure as much as possible. But the foals became restless, wanting to break free from the rope and escape.

The black-clothed men raised their crossbows, aiming at the beleaguered guards. These were no ordinary weapons; black crossbows were powerful tools of war, rarely seen outside of military use. A single bolt could pierce the body of a ninth-level Houtian Realm cultivator with ease, and even those in the Xiantian Realm were not safe if caught off guard.

“Who are you?” demanded Deacon Qi, his face darkening. “Why do you wield the military crossbows of the Great Yan Dynasty?” The identity of their attackers was no longer a simple matter. Could they have been sent by the Tian and Wan Clans? It seemed unlikely that they could have acquired such weapons on their own. Deacon Qi began to suspect that there was more at play here than met the eye.

“I initially planned on crippling you, leaving your fate to heaven,” sneered the black-clad leader, “but since you recognized our crossbows, I have no choice but to silence you all.” He raised his hand and the sound of crossbows being cocked filled the air.

But just as the battle was about to begin, a cold wind swept through the canyon, dislodging gravel from the cliffs above.

From the heights came the sound of mocking applause. A young man sat perched on the trunk of a crooked tree growing from the cliff face, watching the scene below with interest. It was rare for such trees to take root on the sheer rock, their hold precarious at best.

The applause made the black-clothed men freeze because they failed to notice that there was someone else around them.

But when the Xu Clan’s guards raised their heads to look at the young man seated on the tree, the corner of their lips twitched, and they couldn’t help revealing a wry smile.

“Deacon Qi, surely this isn’t the ‘expert’ the patriarch promised to send us?” sneered one of the guards, eyeing the young man on the cliff with disdain. Despite Liu Wuxie’s recent rise in status within the Xu Clan, he was still considered little more than garbage by the guards.

Deacon Qi’s brow furrowed, unsure of how to respond. The patriarch had not mentioned who would be coming to their aid, and his heart sank at the sight of Liu Wuxie.

A black-clad figure approached their leader, whispering something in his ear. The leader’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re the Xu Clan’s son-in-law?” he said coldly, gesturing for his men to aim their bows at Liu Wuxie.

“Interesting...the Great Yan Dynasty’s Terrabreak Army has come to rob the Xu Clan’s Iris Gold Mine. What a sight to behold.” Liu Wuxie crossed his arms, a cold smile on his lips. The Terrabreak Army was renowned for their fighting prowess, but they rarely appeared in public, tasked with guarding the borders. Few knew of their existence.

As Liu Wuxie spoke, a wave of murderous intent emanated from the black-clad figures. Only soldiers who had seen battle could project such a fearsome aura.

The mention of the Terrabreak Army sent shivers down the spines of the guards, their legs trembling with fear. One even collapsed to the ground, his face pale. The Terrabreak Army was a symbol of invincibility; their small band stood no chance against such a formidable foe.

“Not bad, recognizing us as members of the Terrabreak Army,” sneered the black-clad leader. “But do you realize that, now that you’ve seen through our disguise, you must all die?” No one could command the Terrabreak Army; if word of their involvement in Azure Billow City reached the generals, they would face severe punishment.

The words of the black-clothed leader were filled with a powerful murderous intent that enveloped the entire Phoenix Roost Gorge. The entrance and exit of the canyon were blocked, and everyone there had to die.

“Tell me, who sent you here? If you tell me, I can consider sparing your lives.” Liu Wuxie didn’t want to offend the Terrabreak Army if possible. The Terrabreak Army was the Great Yan Dynasty’s elite troops. But if they had to fight, he would have to ensure their deaths to silence them.

“Hahaha!” The black-clothed leader laughed while the Xu Clan’s guards cried inwardly.

“Young Master, please stop adding fuel to the fire and find a way to escape quickly!” pleaded Deacon Qi, tears welling up in his eyes. If Liu Wuxie hadn’t been there, the guards could have fought to the death against the Terrabreak Army. But if he were to fall, they would have no way to explain their failure to the patriarch, even if they survived.

“Escape?” Liu Wuxie was baffled, but he still felt warmth in his heart. He knew that Deacon Qi was urging him to escape for his sake. “Why should I flee when I’m here to save you?” With those words, he stood and leaped from the cliff, his hand on the hilt of his blade.

“Kill him!” The black-clothed leader ordered, and all fifty crossbows were aimed at Liu Wuxie. If Liu Wuxie were struck, he would be turned into a porcupine.

The Terrabreak Army was known for its ruthlessness and decisiveness, sweeping away threats at the borders of the Great Yan Dynasty with deadly efficiency. As they unleashed their volley, arrows filled the air, leaving Liu Wuxie no room to dodge.

“Since you seek death, I will grant your wish!” Liu Wuxie leaped down like a hawk, descending rapidly, and drew his blade at the incoming arrows. He unleashed a bizarre red curtain of aura, slicing the incoming arrows into two as they fell from the sky.

Deacon Qi closed his eyes when the black-clothed men fired their crossbows. This was because he didn’t think anyone could dodge such densely packed arrows and couldn’t bear to see Liu Wuxie turned into a porcupine.

As more arrows were destroyed, Liu Wuxie swung his blade before he landed on the ground, unleashing a suffocating aura that enveloped the entire Phoenix Roost Gorge.

“Momentous Gleam!” Liu Wuxie unleashed the strongest attack of the Blood Gleam Blade Art, which combined all seven sword forms, and his blade aura was like blood gushing to the surroundings.

“Shit!” The black-clothed leader noticed something wasn’t right because Liu Wuxie’s attack was comparable to the pinnacle of the Xiantian Realm. But how was that possible? They were told that Xu Clan’s son-in-law was a piece of trash.

The Xu Clan’s guards were equally stunned, their eyes bulging with shock. They had never imagined that the young master they had so often looked down upon could be so powerful. Those who had mocked him in the past felt a chill run down their spines.

Deacon Qi finally understood why the patriarch had not revealed who would be coming to their aid. Who would have believed that it was Liu Wuxie?

But before anyone could fully process this revelation, Liu Wuxie’s blade swept across the horizon, sending rocks and debris flying through the air.

Blood sprayed across the cliffs, painting them red like some macabre flower garden. With a single stroke of his blade, Liu Wuxie had beheaded ten of his attackers, their bodies falling to the ground amidst a sickening stench of blood.

In that moment, the cold wind that had swept through the Phoenix Roost Gorge died away, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.