Chapter 21: With One Breath, Reduced to Ashes and Scattered to the Winds

Chapter 21: A Single Breath, Reduced to Ashes

Luo Li and Jun Moxiao had practiced together since childhood, developing an extraordinary rapport in combat. As they unleashed the Nine Transformations of the Divine Dragon, they darted through the sky, their movements elusive and unpredictable. Threads of sword light shot out from every direction, managing to hold their own against the Supreme Elder of the Chuyun Sword Sect.

The Supreme Elder was growing increasingly frustrated. He never imagined that he, a formidable master at the ninth level of the God-Sculpting Realm, would be unable to handle these two wet-behind-the-ears youngsters. Nearby, the disciples of the Chuyun Sword Sect watched the scene from afar, their hearts pounding with trepidation. The young man and woman possessed cultivation levels far superior to their own, despite being much younger.

The injured elders of the God-Sculpting Realm crawled toward the perimeter, leaning against the walls as they watched the earth-shattering battle. Li Qingshan, in particular, could not help but sigh as he observed the scene. It seemed the Chuyun Sword Sect would not escape disaster today. These two teenagers were simply too powerful. If the Supreme Elder failed to defeat them, none of the old guard would survive the day.

Boom! Boom!

Sword lights exploded repeatedly. The Supreme Elder pulled out all the stops, launching a fierce assault on Luo Li and Jun Moxiao. Amidst the crisscrossing sword qi, a few strikes landed on the duo, but the Emperor-grade robes they wore displayed astonishing defensive power, leaving them completely unscathed.

"Haha!" Jun Moxiao laughed aloud, his sword intent growing sharper. This Emperor-grade robe was truly remarkable; its defensive capabilities were stunning. The Supreme Elder’s attacks could not even pierce the fabric, allowing Jun Moxiao to fight without reservation. Luo Li was the same. Their sword intent soared to the heavens, raining down strikes upon the Supreme Elder.

Driven into a desperate corner by the two children, the Supreme Elder roared in anger. After delivering a desperate strike, he turned and fled, tearing through the sky.

"Trying to run?" Jun Moxiao sneered, immediately executing the Nine Transformations of the Divine Dragon to give chase. Although the Supreme Elder was fast, the Divine Dragon Sect's movement technique was peerless. Jun Moxiao kept pace effortlessly, with Luo Li trailing closely behind. This Supreme Elder held the secrets to the mastermind behind the curtain; he could not be allowed to escape.

In an instant, the three vanished into the horizon. Ye Yun remained motionless inside the carriage. His eyes were half-closed, observing the scene in the void with an exceptionally calm expression.

At that moment, Li Qingshan stood up shakily. He sighed to the other God-Sculpting Realm elders, "Fellow elders, the Chuyun Sword Sect has suffered a great catastrophe. Let us pack what we can and flee for our lives."

The other elders were helped up by their disciples, their faces pale from their severe injuries. "Sect Master, those two youths are far too powerful. We do not know if they have even stronger elders behind them. It seems our Chuyun Sword Sect has truly met a formidable foe," one elder said, coughing up blood with a bitter smile.

Another elder added tremulously, "In that case, let us descend the mountain immediately and lie low until this storm passes." The others agreed. As the disciples began to retreat, one God-Sculpting Realm elder glared at the black carriage with fury. "Don't be in such a rush! Let’s destroy this carriage first."

"Agreed!" A disciple immediately lunged at the black carriage with his sword. *Clang!* The blade rebounded instantly, leaving not a single scratch on the carriage.

"So sturdy? Is this carriage a magical artifact?" The disciple frowned and, gathering all his strength, struck again with a violent burst of sword qi. *Boom!* The sword qi shattered, yet the carriage remained unmoved.

"Haha, it truly is a treasure!" a God-Sculpting Realm elder laughed, his eyes gleaming with greed.

Li Qingshan chimed in, "While they are away, let’s take this carriage down the mountain."

"Understood." A swarm of disciples rushed forward. Some grabbed the reins of the black horse, while others pushed from behind. No one expected the black horse to suddenly lash out, kicking a disciple so hard he flew into a wall and died on the spot.

"Wow, this horse is actually that powerful?" Everyone was shocked; the injured disciple had been at the tenth level of the Profound Elixir Realm.

"Be careful, everyone," Li Qingshan shouted, a feverish glint in his eyes. This carriage was clearly an extraordinary treasure, and the horse seemed equally mysterious. Even if the Supreme Elder wasn't a match for the two youths, he should be able to hold them off for a while. If they could make off with this carriage before descending the mountain, it would be an unexpected gain! By the time the youths returned, they would be long gone.

Li Qingshan, whose injuries were not life-threatening, stepped forward with his sword in hand, filled with murderous intent toward the black horse. If the beast wouldn't cooperate, he would simply knock it unconscious. As a master of the God-Sculpting Realm, he refused to believe he couldn't handle a single horse.

"You people... truly, greed knows no bounds," a gentle voice suddenly echoed from within the carriage.

There was someone inside? Li Qingshan and the others were stunned. He had clearly scanned the carriage with his divine sense and found it empty—when had someone appeared?

The curtain lifted, and a young man in white stepped out. He possessed a face like polished jade, sharp features, and eyes as deep as the starry sky, exuding an aura of an immortal. At a single glance, he left an indelible impression; he looked as though he had stepped out of a painting, a celestial being who did not belong to the mortal world.

Li Qingshan tried to gauge the young man’s cultivation, but he felt nothing, as if the man were a mere mortal. Terror struck his heart, but he steadied himself and asked, "Are you... the elder of those two youths?"

"Indeed," Ye Yun replied, nodding faintly. His gaze swept over the greedy members of the Chuyun Sword Sect, and he smiled indifferently. "Your Chuyun Sword Sect is nothing but a den of sycophants and cowards."

"How dare you slander our sect! We are one of the top ten powers of the Guyue Dynasty! You would do well to weigh your words carefully!" a God-Sculpting Realm elder roared.

"A group of ants—what right do you have to bargain with me?" Ye Yun chuckled softly. He flicked his finger, releasing a wisp of clear energy.

The wisp, initially tiny, suddenly expanded into a vast, howling gale that swept outward. The moment the Chuyun Sword Sect disciples touched the breeze, they disintegrated into ash. Li Qingshan, being the closest, was the first to vanish. He watched in horror as his own body rapidly crumbled into dust. The God-Sculpting Realm elders behind him met the same fate.

Further away, the lower-level disciples witnessed this and were paralyzed with terror, their hearts shattering. They wanted to flee, but it was already too late.