Martial Cultivator

The young man was bare-chested, his body covered in crisscrossing scars. At this moment, those scars appeared terrifying in the eyes of those Clearwater Mountain cultivators.

Especially with him still holding a broken saber in his hand, the impact of this scene on the onlookers was immense.

"He's already exhausted and can't last much longer. Let's rush him together, he'll surely die here!"

Seeing that their fellow cultivators around them were hesitant to move forward, a cultivator called out loudly. Despite the considerable losses suffered by the Clearwater Mountain cultivators at this moment, there were still many of them present. As the saying goes, once the bow was drawn, the arrow must be released. Since they were already besieging this young martial artist, they should continue. Otherwise, would the previously deceased cultivators not have died in vain?

As the cultivator spoke to boost everyone's morale, the brief moment of tranquility on the mountain path was shattered, and once again, all the cultivators moved in to attack.

Chen Chao was expressionless, just watching the people in front him, tightening his grip on the saber in his hand.

Murder was the theme of the night. Although many had already died on the mountain path, it was only the beginning. For this rainy night, the end was still far from sight.

……

……

In the hall at the peak, Daoist Sage Tianyi stood under the eaves, listening to the disciples' reports on the situation along the mountain road in the rain. Even the usually solemn face of Daoist Sage Tianyi showed some emotional fluctuations now.

"Black clothes, broken saber, and a young martial artist."

Daoist Sage Tianyi pondered slightly, then came to an answer, saying slowly, "So, this is the renowned third-ranked person on the Latent Dragon List."

Hearing this, the disciple in the rain was taken aback, then said worriedly, "Mountain Lord, since it's him, should we stop? The Great Liang Dynasty must value this young man greatly. If he dies on our mountain, it may bring calamity upon us."

Daoist Sage Tianyi sneered, "Stop? He's already killed 30% to 40% of our mountain's cultivators. Stopping now? How will my Clearwater Mountain maintain its dignity in the foreign lands? "As for the Great Liang Dynasty, what's there to fear? Just a country banded up together by a bunch of uncouth martial artists."

"But that Great Liang Emperor..."

The Great Liang Emperor had previously ventured alone to the Northern Frontier and engaged in a fierce battle with the Demon Emperor in the desolate north. This was something that had long been known to everyone. With such a powerful figure holding down the fort in Great Liang, perhaps the Infatuation Daoist Temple and other top sects could afford to ignore them. However, for Clearwater Mountain, they might not be qualified to do so.

Daoist Sage Tianyi said indifferently, "Since he trespassed our mountain first, and killed so many disciples, if he ends up dying on the mountain, who can say anything? As for the Great Liang Emperor, his Great Liang might have a peerless martial artist, but do our foreign lands not have powerhouses?"

"When the time comes, what reason will his Great Liang use to denounce us? Even if he really wants to send a punitive expedition, will those people just stand idly by? Would they have any face left by then?"

As the lord of the mountain, Daoist Sage Tianyi naturally differed from the other cultivators. He stood higher and saw farther, understanding the intricacies of the situation very clearly.

After learning the identity of the other party, he understood even more clearly that if they could kill that young martial artist tonight, Clearwater Mountain would reap countless benefits.

"Spread the word, whoever can bring me the head of that young martial artist, they can freely choose the medicinal fruits in the immortal grotto at the back of the mountain."

Daoist Sage Tianyi's indifferent voice sounded out, his voice cold and detached. He understood the principle that where there was a large reward, there would be brave souls.

Hearing that the medicinal fruits in the immortal grotto could be freely chosen, even the disciples kneeling in the rain felt somewhat swayed.

The path of cultivation on Clearwater Mountain relied entirely on these medicinal fruits, and the medicinal fruits in the immortal grotto at the back mountain were basically high-grade fruits that had been refined for several years or even more than a decade. Getting one would bring boundless benefits.

How could they not be tempted?

Under Daoist Sage Tianyi's generous reward, the disciples on the mountain path would undoubtedly become even more reckless.

Furthermore, no matter how strong a Bitter Sea Realm martial artist was, could he truly contend with all the cultivators of Clearwater Mountain?

Were there no Bitter Sea Realm cultivators on their mountain?

…………

Before the news from Daoist Sage Tianyi arrived at the mountain path, another battle had already taken place. This time, in the skirmish, another 20% of Clearwater Mountain's cultivators were lost. Counting the 30% to 40% lost previously, now half of Clearwater Mountain's cultivators had died under the saber of that young martial artist.

However, at this moment, everyone finally saw a glimmer of victory. After all, after the young martial artist had slain half of Clearwater Mountain's cultivators, he had already sustained numerous injuries himself. With so many scars on his body already, the young martial artist had accumulated many more new injuries at this moment.

The blood that had been flowing down the mountain path finally started to flow from his body.

Moreover, as more and more Clearwater Mountain cultivators died, the remaining half of the Clearwater Mountain cultivators were not so easy to kill anymore.

They had higher cultivation realms and greater combat strength.

But even so, everyone could not help but feel a chill in their hearts. Everyone said that sword cultivators had unparalleled killing power. They had not seen any sword cultivators themselves, but just thinking about it, there probably was not any sword cultivator in the world who was as good at killing as this young martial artist in front of them.

Unlike the Clearwater Mountain cultivators, Chen Chao did not think so much at the moment. After slicing apart another cultivator's body with one slash, he dragged another cultivator over to block a fatal blow from the Clearwater Mountain cultivators for him. This person had actually been observing for a long time on the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity. Finally finding it, he boldly made his move among the many cultivators. Unfortunately, Chen Chao still sensed it, and this strike failed to kill Chen Chao but instead directly killed his fellow disciple. There was no time for him to think about it, as what awaited him next was also Chen Chao's saber.

After killing this cultivator, he was almost reaching the mountaintop from halfway up the mountain. He lifted his head to look ahead, at this moment, there were much fewer Clearwater Mountain cultivators compared to before.

Challenging an entire mountain by himself at the Bitter Sea Realm, apart from relying on his unparalleled physique at the same realm, it was also that these Clearwater Mountain cultivators were nothing much at all. There were not many worth taking into consideration. They were already walking an unorthodox and heretic path, they were not necessarily strong among those in the same realm. Moreover, there were not many cultivators in the Bitter Sea Realm in the entire Clearwater Mountain.

Even so, this tactic of overwhelming with numbers more or less posed some trouble for Chen Chao.

Moreover, after reaching the mountaintop, he still had to fight against that Mountain Lord.

A Great Beyond Realm cultivator was waiting for an exhausted enemy?

If it were any other time, Chen Chao would never be so reckless as to do this, but now...

There was only killing intent in Chen Chao's eyes.

As for living or dying, he did not think about it tonight.

……

……

The heavy rain continued, and Chen Chao continued to swing his saber non-stop.

There are no words to describe the killing spree Chen Chao unleashed tonight.

Chen Chao decapitated one cultivator, then immediately received another sword strike.

A sharp longsword pierced into Chen Chao's original wound, directly piercing through Chen Chao's body. Chen Chao raised his eyes and saw that the one who delivered this sword strike was a middle-aged cultivator with an ordinary face.

"Martial Uncle Hao!"

Seeing this scene, everyone was invigorated. Although this sword did not hit Chen Chao's vital points, it still pierced through his abdomen. This was also the most severe injury Chen Chao had suffered since coming up the mountain.

After killing so many, the fear of the cultivators had dissipated. At this moment, fear was useless. If they wanted to survive, they had to kill this young martial artist here.

Both sides had already lost all reason from killing.

However, before that Martial Uncle Hao who successfully ambushed Chen Chao could pull out his longsword, he was grabbed by Chen Chao, and then heavily hacked apart with a saber.

Chen Chao released his grip, letting the corpse fall.

At this moment, there were not many cultivators left in front of him.

Chen Chao replenished another breath of qi.

This was the fourth breath he had replenished before going up the mountain, and if nothing unexpected happened, it would be his last.

……

……

An hour later, Chen Chao stopped swinging his saber.

There were no more Clearwater Mountain cultivators standing in front of him.

At this moment, Chen Chao began to gasp frantically for air. As for the countless wounds on his body now, some had scabbed over, some had new wounds on top of old ones, and some areas were even a blurry mess of flesh and blood.

But Chen Chao did not care.

However, even though there were no more people in front of him at this moment, he did not immediately go up the mountain.

He slowly pulled out the longsword still stuck in his body and casually tossed it aside.

Then he turned his head indifferently and looked back at the path he had come.

The entire mountain road was littered with dismembered corpses.

The smell of blood was thick in the air.

Regardless of whether Chen Chao could leave alive tonight, it was likely that this Clearwater Mountain which had harmed many people would be silent for many years to come.

After waiting for the wound in his abdomen to scab over again, Chen Chao continued to walk up the mountain.

Not long after, Chen Chao saw a stone plaque at the mountain top, engraved with a line of large characters - Qing Shui Liang Ren.[1.]

Chen Chao was expressionless, hacking apart the stone plaque with one stroker, then looking toward the peak.

There was light there.

It could be seen clearly even in the heavy rain.

Chen Chao followed a mountain path and slowly climbed the mountain.

Before long, he had already arrived at the peak.

A large hall appeared before his eyes.

The downpour intensified, as if even the heavens could not bear the sight of bloodshed on that mountain path and wanted to cleanse it.

With his bare upper body, Chen Chao approached the front of the great hall and saw the daoist in purple robes.

At this moment, there were no other cultivators besides Daoist Sage Tianyi.

Seeing the young martial artist who had come to this place, the Mountain Lord of Clearwater Mountain did not erupt in anger as Chen Chao had expected. He simply looked calmly at the young martial artist before him, feeling somewhat emotional. "I didn't expect that you could really make it here."

The entire Clearwater Mountain, countless cultivators had come and gone, yet none had been able to stop this young martial artist.

"But now that you're here, what does it matter?"

Daoist Sage Tianyi looked at the young martial artist before him and said softly, "Do you really think you'll leave here alive?"

"I'll bury you with Clearwater Mountain. It's not a bad ending. Dying here tonight isn't exactly unjust."

Daoist Sage Tianyi sighed and said, "But to use Clearwater Mountain as a stepping stone for my own future, I find it somewhat regrettable."

Chen Chao had been silent as he looked at this Clearwater Mountain Lord. At this moment, he suddenly returned his saber to its sheathe.

Daoist Sage Tianyi chuckled, "Since you're already here, I'm not in a hurry either. I probably know a bit about the reason you came to this mountain. What about the relationship between you and that girl?"

Chen Chao replied calmly, "Just a chance encounter."

Daoist Sage Tianyi said, "Isn't it ridiculous to throw away your life for a little girl you met by chance?"

Chen Chao did not speak, he just exhaled a final breath.

Watching the young martial artist before him, whose aura was steadily rising, Daoist Sage Tianyi did not mind. He simply said, "Ready to die?"

Chen Chao shook his head. "It's hard to say who will die tonight."

Then, he unfastened the saber from his waist and threw it heavily. The broken saber, along with its sheathe, embedded itself into a rock.

"What, not even using your saber?"

Daoist Sage Tianyi sneered. "Seems like you're really seeking death."

Chen Chao stared at Daoist Sage Tianyi, then suddenly grinned. "Don't worry, I won't let you die too easily in a bit."

"I'll beat you to death, punch by punch."