Chapter 34: Heaven and Earth in Turmoil

“Madman…”
Shen Yu cursed inwardly.
Could it be that the Deep Cavern Sect truly courted death, daring to wage war against his Profound Origin Sect for the sake of an outer disciple?
Utterly irrational!
Even though several elders swiftly channeled their spiritual power to shield Song Yan, that instant of oppressive force still caused him to spit blood.
The might of Foundation Establishment—a surge of spiritual energy and authority…
To face Foundation Establishment directly was like a frog at the bottom of a well glimpsing the moon; he dared not even imagine what lay beyond that realm…
Amidst the chaos of his thoughts, Song Yan suddenly realized the situation had diverged completely from what he’d envisioned.
He’d thought this was simply a game of negotiation between two sects, using himself as a pawn. But now…
It had escalated to the brink of full-scale war with the Profound Origin Sect…
Was the Deep Cavern Sect truly so protective of its disciples?
Buzz—
As the standoff continued, a simple, ancient sword’s cry suddenly arose, echoing in everyone’s ears.
A torrent of sword energy swept across the sky, splitting the clear heavens above Deep Cavern Sect’s mountain gate in two!
In that moment, the entire Dao Entry Plain fell silent.
Whether disciples or elders of Deep Cavern Sect, or those from Profound Origin Sect, all felt as if time itself had stopped.
“Where did this youngster come from…”
A distant voice arose from Dragon’s Head Peak, reverberating throughout the Deep Cavern Sect.
“Fresh out of seclusion, I’m greeted by such noisy, shameless boasting…”
“Pointless clamor.”
The voice was like cold spring striking jade, yet it sent the Profound Origin Sect’s members’ blood surging.
The sword light spanning heaven and earth suddenly withdrew, its chaotic energy fine as silk; yet to their eyes, it dragged the Milky Way, poured down the universe.
Unstoppable!
Profound Origin Sect’s people stood frozen, not daring to move a muscle.
Before them, a waterfall of sword energy separated them from Deep Cavern Sect’s members.
Shaking, trembling.
Looking up,
Above Deep Cavern Sect, the sea of clouds was rent open by that sword energy, a canyon torn through the sky, clouds and mist pouring down.
Where the sword energy passed, mountains, sky, rivers—all faded to gray ink.
Profound Origin Sect’s members looked up and saw only darkness, the sun blotted out.
…
The hall was silent.
Everyone stared at the sword mark across the sky, stunned.
A single sword cleaved the clouds…
Heaven and earth in turmoil!
“Go back and tell Lou Zhengze.”
“If the Profound Origin Sect wishes for war, come at us. Spare us these childish games and wasted effort…”
The voice was calm, yet the Profound Origin Sect’s cultivators were drenched in sweat.

Golden Core Realm—there was only one in Deep Cavern Sect.
The sect master, Lord Li Jun.
Chen Linyuan!
“This disciple of mine, though mediocre in talent, has trained diligently in the outer sect, never seeking trouble.”
“Unreasonably made a pawn by you all, and now his cultivation lost—truly pitiful…”
“Send proper compensation in due time.”
…
The Profound Origin Sect’s faces were ashen with silence.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to argue, but the waterfall of sword energy before them threatened—one word, and a thousand swords would pierce their hearts.
“No answer? Then I’ll take it as your consent.”
“The hour grows late…”
“No need for farewells.”
As the words faded, the Profound Origin Sect’s group vanished; in the blink of an eye, they stood outside the mountain gate.
…
The oppressive sword energy gradually dissipated, and their taut nerves finally loosened.
To face a Golden Core directly…
Not just the Deep Cavern Sect’s disciples—even these Foundation Establishment cultivators had never had such an “opportunity” before.
…
Shen Yu’s expression was dark, his silence profound.
The mood among Profound Origin Sect’s people was deathly still.
The elder named Chang Ziyi looked young and spirited, perhaps never suffering such humiliation before. He gave a cold snort and declared loudly:
“Today we have witnessed the might of Deep Cavern Sect’s master!”
“Yet today’s matter is not settled! We will return to seek justice another day—”
Buzz—
A streak of sword energy, faster than lightning, shot from the sky and entered Chang Ziyi’s mouth before he could react, swirling ceaselessly.
“Ah! Mmm…”
The violent sword energy rampaged in his mouth, shredding his tongue, but its strength was precise; it let his Foundation Establishment power heal and repair.
Thus, the sword energy kept pulverizing Chang Ziyi’s tongue and mouth, blood gushing forth.
“Today I am in a fine mood and wish not to spill more blood…”
“But from now, until you return to the Profound Origin Sect’s protective array, should you utter another word, you need not return at all.”
He truly dared to strike!?
Chang Ziyi, on the brink of fainting, cut off his spiritual energy, letting the sword energy reduce his mouth and tongue to a mess of flesh.
Shen Yu dared not linger—he swept his sleeve and led the Profound Origin Sect’s group away in flight.
Not even the word “leave” dared pass their lips.
…
Within Deep Cavern Sect,
Song Yan suddenly felt a coldness envelop him, as if an invisible gaze had seen through him.
“In this world of cultivation, no one is truly innocent, nor are there true villains…”
“Battles and slaughter—so long as one abides by their heart and avoids wanton karma, killing is killing; what need for concealment.”
“This matter is settled.”
“Elders, for the many troubles during my seclusion, come to Lingxiao Hall for a discussion.”
The elders bowed toward Dragon’s Head Peak from afar: “We obey.”
The surrounding disciples gradually dispersed, but Song Yan stood rooted, gazing at the distant sword scar in the sky…
This was the sect master of Deep Cavern Sect, Lord Li Jun.
Deep Cavern Sect was unlike the other great sects—in fact, it was very different.
If one with a mind for history reviewed the chronicles of cultivation in Chu, they would find that the other five major sects were mostly founded by cultivators only at Foundation Establishment.
Later generations of disciples, through painstaking management over long years, saw their sects flourish and eventually produced Golden Core masters.
Of all the great sects, the one with the longest history was the Flowing Crossing Temple in Chen Prefecture, founded eight thousand years ago.
Most ancestral founders of these sects had long since passed away.
But Deep Cavern Sect was different: Lord Li Jun arrived here only three hundred years ago, established the sect and its mountain gate.
The sect had only seen a handful of generations.
He was a living founder…
All the sects, large and small, in Chu, had ever coveted Deep Cavern Sect’s blessed land.
First, Deep Cavern Sect had only this one Golden Core cultivator, and in recent years, no one had heard of any breakthroughs to Golden Core in its ranks.
Second, a cultivator who breaks through to Golden Core extends their life by three hundred years, living perhaps five hundred in total.
When Lord Li Jun journeyed here, he was already at least a mid-Golden Core expert.
How difficult is it to reach Golden Core?
In the remote and barren land of Chu, the youngest recorded breakthrough was by a cultivator named Master Qingyan.
He secluded himself at the age of one hundred and twenty-six, broke through after three years, and achieved Golden Core at one hundred and twenty-nine.
Unfortunately, he later left Chu to wander the world, disappeared without trace, and his original small sect, Purple Source Sect, was long since destroyed.
Even if Lord Li Jun had equal talent, by now he should be roughly four hundred and thirty years old.
Everyone speculated that Lord Li Jun’s lifespan was nearing its end.
But today’s sword would surely deter those surrounding sects from their unrealistic ambitions.
…
Song Yan lowered his head.
He wasn’t sure if the sect master’s words were meant for him, but whether they were or not, what he said was true.
No one is innocent.
“In this world where true power can command clouds and summon rain, weakness is itself a sin—innocence does not exist.”
“If one lacks strength, as the sect master said, one is but a dog or an ant…”
“Merely a pawn on the boards of the sects and the mighty, a plaything in their grasp!”
One day…
Song Yan raised his head.
There was no resentment or hatred in his eyes, only calm and determination.
One day…
One day, he would cultivate the Dao, no longer rely on others’ protection, and become the master of his own fate!