Volume One: The Turmoil of Yan and Yun Chapter Sixty-Eight: Xu Hai

Xu Hai. Broken Moon Gorge. Sunset Cliff. Someone stood at the edge of the cliff.

A flock of black crows flew across the sky, shaped like a crescent moon, obscuring a third of the heavens from view.

There was a person standing atop the black crows as well.

Though the crescent appeared slow, it was in fact swift as lightning, arriving at the edge of Sunset Cliff in a mere instant.

The flock of crows gathered together, transforming into a gigantic three-headed raven.

The man at the edge of the cliff gazed at the figure on the raven’s back.

The person on the raven’s back returned the gaze.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

At last, the one atop the raven could no longer restrain himself and spoke: "To meddle rashly in the affairs of Bohai is utter folly."

The man at the cliff’s edge remained silent.

The raven rider continued, "I’ve confirmed with Yang Wanli—this plot does not stem from the line of the Wise Immortal. Perhaps it’s merely the idle scheming of a few bored advisors in the Bohai Royal Court, seeking a thrill."

Still, the man at the cliff’s edge gave no reply.

The raven rider grew irritated, "You went to great lengths to revive the Five Pavilions of the Azure Robe Tower—do you intend for us to die amidst the Du Gu family’s internal strife?"

The cliff-edge man still said nothing, but lifted his head and glanced at him.

Both were beings of the Harmonious Dao, yet the raven rider suddenly felt suffocated, as if buried beneath a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood—open his mouth, and he would choke on thick, metallic blood.

He steadied himself, dispelling the sensation, and stared hard at the man by the cliff, his voice grim: "Blood Unspoken, what do you mean by this?"

So the man at the cliff’s edge was none other than the master of the Pavilion of Weeping Blood, Blood Unspoken.

After the revival of the Five Pavilions of the Azure Robe Tower, two Harmonious Dao beings were quickly revealed to the world.

The Master of the Pavilion of Weeping Blood, and the Master of the Pavilion of Soul Seizing.

In Xu Hai, the only one who could converse as an equal with Blood Unspoken was surely the Soul Seizing Pavilion Master, Soul Formless.

Blood Unspoken spoke, "Li Jinxing may be the foremost strategist in the world, but that does not mean he monopolizes all schemes. That is the first point."

He summoned forth the Sword of Weeping Blood, and asked earnestly, "You may question me, but you must obey me. That is the second point."

Soul Formless’s expression turned ugly in an instant. He eyed the Sword of Weeping Blood, weighing his options, and ultimately endured.

"Even so, how do you intend to act? Don’t forget—Tai Xuan Town is in the north, Xueyun watches the south, and with the imperial court involved, that makes six Harmonious Dao masters. Where else can you find equivalent power?"

And that’s not counting the imperial sacred beasts and the guardians of the various sects. If the great monsters were included, the Harmonious Dao strength that the imperial dynasty could muster would surely exceed ten.

"If one only calculates power on paper, then in the face of the Demon Clan, the Tang Dynasty might as well slit their throats en masse for a quicker end."

"Aside from Wei Sanmu and Li Jinxing, there’s never been a Harmonious Dao master who fought two at once."

Blood Unspoken gave no reply.

Soul Formless watched him, and after a long silence, exclaimed in mild shock, "Are you insane?"

Blood Unspoken’s gaze was strange. "Haven’t you always thought me mad?"

"It’s not the same," Soul Formless retorted. "If you want to challenge the Sword Chief of Xueyun and the Pavilion Master of Swords, I won’t object. But to take on both at once… that’s suicide."

The memory of the Sword Chief of Xueyun, sixteen years ago, joining forces with Tai Xuan’s Dao Saint to drive off the Demon Lord, was vivid. No matter how distant the Demon Lord, he remains the Demon Lord—the summit of Dao Abyss, perhaps equaled, but never surpassed.

To have forced the Demon Lord’s retreat was proof enough of the Sword Chief of Xueyun’s might.

As for the Pavilion Master of Swords, though less renowned, he is a Harmonious Dao master of the world’s foremost sect. The Sword Pavilion itself was founded to suppress all manner of supernatural evils. If the Master lacked overwhelming strength, how could Xueyun entrust him with such grave responsibility?

Blood Unspoken was a little exasperated. "Who said I intend to challenge the Sword Chief and the Pavilion Master?"

Soul Formless was taken aback. "Aren’t you going to Xueyun to submerge your sword?"

Blood Unspoken replied, "To submerge my sword at Xueyun does not mean I must provoke Xueyun."

Soul Formless thought this was pure fantasy.

Blood Unspoken pondered, then continued, "Besides, aren’t you going to help me?"

Soul Formless said, "I have no right to stir trouble before the Ten Thousand Swords Formation."

Not only him.

Within Dao Abyss, apart from the Demon Lord, no one had the right to stir trouble before the Ten Thousand Swords Formation. Even the Demon Lord could not claim to escape it unscathed. The Master of the Pavilion of Weeping Blood was barely regarded as the strongest since the Azure Robe Tower’s founding, leading its revival single-handedly. Most believed his power rivaled even the old Lord of Tianshan.

That was the one who perished alongside the Abbot of Chan and the Ten Great Vajras.

Yet between the Lord of Tianshan and the Demon Lord, there remained a gap.

Thus, when facing the Ten Thousand Swords Formation, the Pavilion Master of Weeping Blood must show respect.

"What should I do, then? I’m weary of this endless stalemate with Kunlun."

"Kunlun is insignificant. If not for concerns about the imperial dynasty’s desperation, I could wipe them out with a flick of the wrist."

"Without Kunlun’s destruction, Xu Hai cannot advance."

"Unless we render the imperial court powerless—or overthrow it altogether?"

"Naturally. From the day I assumed the Pavilion of Weeping Blood, I swore to let the Azure Robe Tower reign once more. That was no idle boast."

"But perhaps we must measure our strength. Since you took charge, you’ve unified the Five Pavilions, absorbed Tianshan’s remnants, destroyed the Divine Blade Hall, toppled the Si Shui Pavilion, and even dueled Du Gu Feiyun. I may not be the greatest contributor, but I have done my duty."

"Xu Hai’s current strength—you are irreplaceable."

"If I am irreplaceable, then heed my words."

"..."

"Do not go to the Xueyun Sect. Do not submerge your sword. Do not meddle in Bohai or Wuyang’s affairs. If we have endured in obscurity for centuries, we can grow stronger still. What we lack… has always been time."

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