CHAPTER 422: CHAPTER 422 STAB

Yang Xiao chuckled and said:

"Not calling it a sneak attack, just wanted to persuade you guys to stop fighting. We’re all fellow sect brothers and sisters, it’s not worth the discord to fight without a clear winner, right?"

Mo Yan became angry upon seeing Yang Xiao. The Sister Lan Xin he had diligently pursued for years had been taken away by this lad in just a few days, and now they even intended to take away the Ancient Martial Secret Book of the Shenming Mountain Sect to Nanmu City. He found this unbearable.

"Yang Xiao, regardless of the means you utilized, today Lan Xin and the others must not take the Ancient Martial Secret Book of the Shenming Mountain Sect. If you want to leave, leave yourselves, but the chest stays."

Mo Yan placed his Longsword horizontally in front of him and said to his junior sect brothers behind him:

"I now command that Lan Xin and others must not take away the Ancient Martial Secret Book of the Shenming Mountain Sect. If they don’t comply, execute them without mercy."

Mo Yan’s eyes shone with a fierce light as he stared down Lan Xin and her group.

The forty or fifty junior sect brothers behind him felt somewhat troubled, but they had no choice but to obey the words of the senior brother Mo Yan. Moreover, everyone had just witnessed Lan Xin performing the last three Sword Moves—Snow Cage Divine Mountain, Ice Sealing Divine Mountains, and Divine Mountain Avalanche—which were powerful and fierce, causing them all to feel extreme envy. They also knew that they themselves had no hope of matching her.

Thus, everyone shouted in unison:

"Yes, Brother Mo!"

All of their Longswords were drawn with a whoosh.

The dozen or so girls on Lan Xin’s side also drew their swords.

"Come on, let’s hurt each other. Who’s afraid of you?"

Yang Xiao was startled, knowing that a fight between the two sides would surely be a disaster for the Shenming Mountain Sect. He believed that even Lan Xin wouldn’t want to see both sides suffering.

If Yang Xiao killed Mo Yan and others, he would become the enemy of the entire Shenming Mountain Sect. How could Lan Xin and the others then live peacefully in Nanmu City?

Yang Xiao took two steps forward and said:

"Brother Mo Yan, we are from the Divine Mountain South Garden, and you are from the Divine Mountain North Garden. By rights, you shouldn’t interfere in the South Garden’s affairs,"

Before Yang Xiao could finish speaking, Mo Yan sneered and said:

"For hundreds of years, the North and South Gardens have been one, Lan Xin, why don’t you tell us, is it not so? Our Shenming Mountain Sect’s ancestral instruction is that any outsider who insults any sect is a common enemy of our North and South Gardens. Right?"

Lan Xin could not deny this point and could only nod in agreement.

"Good, at least you still have a conscience and haven’t reached the point of betraying your own sect, still acknowledging that the North and South Gardens are part of Shenming Mountain Sect. Any one of our branches has the right and responsibility to protect the reputation and future of the entire Shenming Mountain Sect. I now demand you leave the Ancient Martial Secret Book; I can temporarily safeguard it for you. When you return to Divine Mountain, I shall duly return it to you, but if you want to take it out of Divine Mountain, I will absolutely not agree."

Mo Yan made his case with reason and evidence, leaving Lan Xin momentarily with no strong counterargument.

Yang Xiao then said:

"Just because we’re going to Nanmu City, does that mean we’re betraying our sect? If we don’t take these Secret Manuals, should we just leave them in the ruins to be gnawed on by rats?"

"In short, I won’t waste words with you. There’s only one rule—you must leave behind the Ancient Martial Secret Book, or you cannot expect to leave today."

Mo Yan said with an overbearing tone.

Lan Xin, outraged, said:

"Mo Yan, you still don’t have the right to order us around."

"Heh, I’m the senior brother, of course, I have the right."

"Enough, no more idle talk. I have a suggestion. Let one person from both the North Garden and the South Garden come out to compete in martial arts. If the person from the North Garden wins, we will leave the Ancient Martial Secret Book; if the person from the North Garden loses, then no more babbling. If we from the South Garden can’t even be defeated, what right do you have to protect the Secret Manual for us? How about it?"

Lan Xin and the others were taken aback, unsure of how to decide.

Mo Yan, on the other hand, laughed and said:

"Yang Xiao, this is the first sensible thing you’ve said since I’ve known you."

Yang Xiao was not annoyed and chuckled: "Brother Mo, I speak human language to humans, ghost language to ghosts, and naturally, there’s no need for me to speak human language to you."

Xiao Lan and the others covered their mouths to stifle their laughter.

Mo Yan, aware that Yang Xiao was insulting him in disguise, was about to retort when a thought suddenly struck him, and he said:

"A martial arts competition is acceptable, but I have a condition: both parties must use the techniques from Shenming Mountain Sect, only then will I be truly convinced in defeat."

Mo Yan remembered the intense killing aura Yang Xiao had unleashed during the sudden ambush and still felt a lingering fear, worried that Yang Xiao was setting a trap.

Yang Xiao laughed and said:

"Is Brother Mo scared?"

Mo Yan snorted disdainfully.

Yang Xiao continued:

"Fine, although I joined Divine Mountain South Garden later than others, and my mastery of martial arts is not extensive, I still want to represent Divine Mountain South Garden in battle. I hope Sister Lan Xin will grant me this opportunity."

Yang Xiao looked at Lan Xin and blinked.

Left with no choice, Lan Xin had to nod and say:

"Alright, Yang Xiao, be careful."

Mo Yan watched Yang Xiao, puzzling over what kind of trick he was pulling. Now he was forced into a corner with no escape and immediately said:

"I hope you’ll keep your word this time. After you’re defeated, leave the Ancient Martial Secret Book obediently. I, representing North Garden, will confront the number one male disciple from South Garden over the past few centuries."

Mo Yan’s words were tinged with mockery. With a swoosh, he positioned his longsword horizontally in front of his chest.

Yang Xiao smiled faintly, took out the Bronze Divine Sword from his Space Ring, and executed a basic thrusting motion.

Stab!

His longsword pierced through the void, like a shark leaping out of the sea, stirring up endless killing aura, surging violently towards Mo Yan.

Mo Yan was taken aback internally, "What powerful killing aura!"

Without hesitation, he braced himself and unleashed his sword qi, slashing at Yang Xiao.

However, when his sword qi met the killing aura produced by Yang Xiao’s Bronze Divine Sword, it disappeared without a trace, as if entering the sea.

Shocked, Mo Yan quickly retreated backward.

Yang Xiao was already making a swift advance, his longsword flashing like Lightning and thrusting straight towards him.

It was a simple thrust without any fancy sword moves, yet the overpowering killing aura of the Bronze Divine Sword created a crushing momentum towards Mo Yan.

Mo Yan swiftly tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and shot up into the air. Spinning his body, he shouted loudly and swung his sword at Yang Xiao.

A four-meter-long sword qi slashed through the void, aimed directly at Yang Xiao.

"Still not backing down? Seeking death!"

Yang Xiao yelled lowly, immediately displaying the Divine Mountain Light Skill, leaping over ten meters high, his Bronze Divine Sword cleaving through the air.

Mo Yan only felt his sword qi seemingly vanish, completely devoured by the killing aura unleashed by Yang Xiao’s longsword, and was utterly astounded.

With no time for thought, Mo Yan, still mid-air, released a Defense Light Screen in front of him while his body flipped backward.

Yang Xiao’s sword strike effortlessly sliced through the Defense Light Screen. As he landed gracefully on the ground, he stood still, holding his sword, and watched the frightened Mo Yan falling in the distance.

"Is there something wrong with your sword?"

Mo Yan said in terror.

Yang Xiao replied with a cold sneer:

"What I just used was the most basic sword move of Shenming Mountain Sect, the thrust. Would Brother Mo care to acknowledge it?"

Mo Yan hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. That simple stabbing motion Yang Xiao had made was too familiar to everyone present, as they had practiced it countless times.

Of course, everyone was astounded that such a simple move by Yang Xiao could unleash such powerful killing aura. It seemed almost inconceivable.

Some thought of Yang Xiao’s sword, but based on their experience, a regular longsword would only increase the Strength Attribute; how could it possibly generate such potent killing aura?

(There will be 2 more updates tonight, thanks to fellow reader Xingyun Piaoxue for the reward of 500 Qidian Coins, and o影o绝o for the reward of 100 Qidian Coins. Thank you all for your support.)