Chapter 22: The Rise of Tianxiahui (Finale)

As wind leaves no trace, and geese leave a cry behind, through ongoing clashes with the Pearl Pagoda, the forces of the Heaven Alliance and the Pearl Pagoda have gradually grown familiar with one another. Across the martial arts world, people have also slowly come to know the prominent experts within the Heaven Alliance's Wind, Cloud, and Thunder Halls.

At the Fortune Inn, idle wanderers of the rivers and lakes were discussing the Pearl Pagoda and the Heaven Alliance.

"Baili Xiaoxiang of the Pearl Pagoda is truly formidable! He has already slain three assassins from the Heaven Alliance, and even executed a counter-kill against Nie Wuxue amidst the Heaven Alliance's ambush!"

"The others are quite remarkable as well. Fengdu Yue also fought his way out of a complete encirclement!"

"And Xue Qiudao—he is immensely powerful too, having taken the lives of several Heaven Alliance members!"

"The Heaven Alliance is no less impressive! Feng Wusheng, master of the Wind Hall, has dispatched several Pearl Pagoda assassins. Then there is Yun Wuzong, master of the Cloud Hall. Most terrifying of all is Lei Wuji, who heavily injured Baili Xiaoxiang despite being ambushed by him, leaving even the arriving Fengdu Yue powerless against him!"

"Indeed, indeed! It is simply pitiful for those minor sects and factions, caught and repeatedly exploited by these two major powers until the very end, dying without even knowing whose hands took their lives!"

"Which rise of a major power is ever unaccompanied by blood and slaughter? If the Heaven Alliance wishes to endure, it must undoubtedly conquer one final trial!"

"Quite true, quite true! Tell me, why have they stopped attempting to assassinate Prince Canglang?"

"You fool! To strike against Prince Canglang is equivalent to declaring war on Mianshan. No matter how strong the Heaven Alliance is, could they possibly surpass Mianshan?"

………

Within the Pearl Pagoda, Xiaofengdie was asking much the same question:

"Master, tell me, why do the people of the Heaven Alliance lock horns with us to the bitter end? Why do they not target Canglang instead?"

"Ah, Fengdie! They naturally know full well that everything is orchestrated by Canglang from behind the scenes. But Canglang is a prince—tell me, what does moving against Canglang represent?"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda casually dismissed her while keeping his eyes fixed upon the book before him.

"Hm~ Did you not say that with the resurgence of the Heaven Alliance, they have prepared themselves to face all contingencies?"

Xiaofengdie pressed on, refusing to let the matter drop.

"Prepared to face all contingencies does not mean they are bent on a fight to the death with the Mianshan royal family!"

"In Mianshan, attempting to surpass the Mian King is a daunting task indeed!"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda finally lifted his gaze from the text, and furthermore………

"Mhm?"

Fengdie looked toward her master with a questioning gaze.

"The Mian King must account for the entirety of Mianshan; his adversaries comprise every faction across the land, so the forces he can directly mobilize are limited. However, that is merely the norm!"

"Should the Mian King be utterly resolved to annihilate a single faction, then that isolated faction could never hope to stand as his match!"

"Therefore, if the Heaven Alliance wishes to survive, they must never provoke the Mian King."

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda set his book aside, straightened his back, and stretched lazily.

"Ah—Master, where are you going?"

Seeing her usually indolent master rise to his feet, Fengdie asked in astonishment.

"The battle between the Pearl Pagoda and the Heaven Alliance must come to an end! It is time for me to meet the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud, leader of the Heaven Alliance."

With a gentle wave of his feather fan, a flowing azure robe draped over his frame.

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda had departed from the Pearl Pagoda!

…………

At Nine-Vein Peak, the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud stood mild and refined, quietly awaiting the arrival of the Pearl Pagoda's master.

Xiong Da, grand steward of the Heaven Alliance, accompanied him and asked in puzzlement:

"Sovereign, why have we come to this place?"

"To wait for a person! Perhaps, a multitude of people."

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud possessed absolute certainty, as though every development remained entirely within his grasp.

"Should we then deploy some elite guards to form a perimeter for defense?"

Xiong Da could not help but feel concerned for the Sovereign's safety.

Choosing to leave the Heaven Alliance at this juncture was truly a hazardous risk, especially since several of the Heaven Alliance's top experts were currently away executing missions.

Having been adopted and nurtured from youth without mistreatment, every single core member of the Heaven Alliance was fiercely loyal.

"There is no need! This is an opportunity I bestow upon them, and the sole method to compel them to acknowledge the Heaven Alliance."

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud was exceptionally confident. If the original martial arts manual focused primarily on the Three-Point Return to Origin Breath and possessed only the virtue of endless endurance, the current manual—having integrated the Three Supreme Treasures of Mianshan—had been vastly enhanced in both group combat and solo combat capabilities.

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud reckoned that his current strength should be more than sufficient to traverse the Nine Realms unchecked.

"Understood!"

Though anxiety lingered in his heart, Xiong Da suppressed his thoughts and continued to keep vigil beside the Sovereign.

Moments later, the sounds of battle echoed from afar. The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud looked into the distance and declared:

"They have arrived."

Instantly, a stream of sword light surged from afar. As it approached the battlefield below, the sword radiance splintered into countless torrents of sword rain, cleaving the three intersecting battlefields apart.

Following that, a figure descended from the heavens, landing gracefully before the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud.

"The rakshasa arrives from the nether void, chilling the human soul to the bone; the heavenly law completes its endless cycle, life and slaughter rest entirely within my will!"

"The Master of the Pearl Pagoda pays his respects to the Sovereign!"

As his voice faded, six trails of shimmering light soared into the air, landing respectively behind the two figures. They were none other than Baili Xiaoxiang, Fengdu Yue, Xue Qiudao, Feng Wusheng, Yun Wuzong, and Lei Wuji.

"Many thanks to the Master for saving us!"

The members of the Pearl Pagoda hastily spoke to express their gratitude.

"Sovereign!"

The members of the Heaven Alliance likewise rushed to greet their leader.

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud exchanged a glance with the Master of the Pearl Pagoda, and both simultaneously waved a hand, signaling everyone to withdraw and recuperate.

"Might I ask what momentous matter brings the Sovereign to invite me here?"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda, holding his feather fan and wearing a scholar's scarf, nodded slightly toward the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud in gratitude.

"When have I ever issued an invitation to the Master?"

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud replied with an ambiguous smile.

"Ah, why must the Sovereign ask when he knows the answer perfectly well? To surround Baili Xiaoxiang and the other two without delivering a fatal blow, forcing them all the way to Nine-Vein Peak—was that not precisely to compel my arrival?"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda used his feather fan to partially shield his face, a glint of murderous intent flashing within his narrowed eyes.

"The terrain of Nine-Vein Peak is treacherous; driving individuals toward this place—would that not simply grant the opponent an opportunity to escape?"

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud stood with his hands clasped behind his back, turning slightly to the side before looking back at the Master of the Pearl Pagoda.

"Indeed! The terrain of Nine-Vein Peak is treacherous—truly a magnificent opportunity to make an escape!"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda likewise stood with his hands behind his back, turning his gaze back toward the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud.

Between the two men, the wind stirred unprompted, their robes fluttering. An indescribable aura hung heavily in the space separating them.

"Have you prepared yourself for an escape, then?"

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud turned fully around, facing the Master of the Pearl Pagoda.

"Hahahaha... What a delight! If you do not flee, you shall perish right here!"

The Master of the Pearl Pagoda likewise spun around, meeting the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud face-to-face.

It seemed as though the two men were speaking on the exact same wavelength, yet equally as though they were worlds apart.

Yet both men understood the current situation clearly. Since the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud dared to leave the Heaven Alliance, he had naturally prepared himself to face a coordinated ambush.

As for the identities of those participating in the ambush, that would depend entirely on how many operatives the Mian King had dispatched in secret.

That was precisely why the Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud had chosen this location, and it was also the reason the Master of the Pearl Pagoda had dared to come here and effect a rescue.

Confident though he was, the Master of the Pearl Pagoda was not blindly arrogant; he would never rashly enter a battle without understanding his opponent's intelligence or leaving himself an escape route.

The Supreme Sovereign of Wind and Cloud was no different. He could not accurately predict which formidable agents the Mian King would dispatch, and while he was arrogant enough to believe no one could easily take his life, time was on his side—there was no need to rush into a premature clash.

Regardless of how many assassins the Mian King sent to encircle them, eventually, they would have to withdraw.