noffsinger 89. Attack
89. Attack
The headquarters of the Seven Absolutes Sect is located at Luoxia Mountain.
The celebratory banquet for the alliance's founding was reaching its climax. Wine glasses clinked, music played, and in the center of the training ground, disciples performed an exquisite sword dance, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Lin Mo sat upright in the main seat, a perfectly measured smile on his face. He conversed quietly with the Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect, Zhao Kun, and others beside him, while his gaze seemingly casually swept over a corner of the guest seating area below. There, Wan Sanqian of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce was chatting and laughing with several merchants from the south, while the four black-clad guards behind him remained as still as rocks, their auras calm and composed, completely out of place amidst the surrounding noise.
A faint tremor emanated from the Taixu Ancient Sword within its sheath; the sword spirit's warning, like tiny ice spikes, constantly irritated Lin Mo's nerves. His seemingly relaxed fingers, concealed by his wide sleeves, had already gently rested on the hilt.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
"call out--!"
A sharp, piercing sound tore through the air without warning, shattering the tranquility of the night and the clamor of the celebration! The sound did not originate from inside the venue, but rather from the depths of the dense forest outside the mountain gate, moving with incredible speed and carrying a chilling aura of death!
The target is Lin Mo on the main stage!
"Alliance Leader, be careful!"
Almost at the same instant the sound of something cutting through the air rang out, Zhao Kun, standing beside Lin Mo, roared and tried to step forward to stop him without thinking. But Lin Mo was faster than him!
"Clang!"
The Taixu Ancient Sword suddenly emerged half a foot from its sheath, its cold blade reflecting a blinding glint of light under the lamplight. Lin Mo flicked his wrist, not fully drawing the sword, but instead, with an exquisitely precise angle, he used the tip of the scabbard to strike the approaching black shadow with unparalleled accuracy.
"Ding!"
A sharp crack! It was a short arrow, entirely black and only as thick as a little finger, its arrowhead gleaming with a ghostly blue light, clearly coated with deadly poison. The arrow was struck by the scabbard, its direction slightly off course, and with a "thud," it embedded itself deeply into the mahogany pillar beside Lin Mo, its tail feathers still trembling violently.
The sudden attack silenced the entire square instantly! All movement, laughter, and conversation ceased abruptly, and everyone stared in horror at the main platform and the still-trembling poisoned arrow.
However, this is just the beginning!
"Enemy attack—!"
The stern warning cry from the Seven Absolutes Sect disciple on guard duty was immediately drowned out by even more and denser sounds of air being torn apart!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Like a sudden summer downpour, countless arrows shot out from the darkness surrounding the square! These arrows were not aimed at any specific target, but rather spread out in a blanket manner, their purpose clearly to create maximum chaos!
"Pfft!"
"what!"
"My legs!"
"Get out of the way!"
In an instant, screams, cries of alarm, and the shattering of cups and plates filled the air! The once jubilant square instantly transformed into a battlefield. Quick-witted martial arts masters overturned tables and chairs for cover or brandished their weapons to deflect arrows, while many disciples and servants with lower martial arts skills were instantly riddled with arrows, their blood staining the bluestone ground.
"Protect the Alliance Leader! Form a formation!" The Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect roared, his beard and hair bristling. The well-trained disciples of the Seven Absolutes Sect quickly moved towards the main altar, drew their swords, and formed a circular formation, protecting Lin Mo and the core members in the center.
Leaders from other sects also rallied their followers, who, while fending off the rain of arrows, tried to determine the source of the attack.
Lin Mo, wielding the Taixu Ancient Sword, his eyes icy cold, pierced through the chaotic crowd, sweeping once more towards Wan Sanqian's location. There, the four black-clad guards had already tightly protected Wan Sanqian. Standing back-to-back, each held a uniquely shaped short blade, which they wielded with impeccable precision, deflecting all incoming arrows with synchronized, highly efficient movements—clearly a master of combined attack formations. Wan Sanqian, protected in the center, had lost his warm smile, replaced by a pale, feigned composure, though his eyes held little surprise.
"They really were the ones who brought this here!" Zhao Kun gritted his teeth, staring intently at Wan Sanqian and his group.
"Now is not the time to pursue this," Lin Mo said in a deep voice, his spiritual sense spreading outwards like mercury. "The rain of arrows is just the prelude; the real attack is coming."
As if to prove his words, just as the first round of overwhelming arrow rain stopped, heavy and orderly footsteps came from the darkness around the square!
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The footsteps sounded like the resounding drums of war, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Then, to everyone's astonishment, squads of warriors clad in light black armor, their faces covered with black scarves, revealing only a pair of cold eyes, emerged from the shadows like ghosts.
Their numbers were small, appearing to be only around a hundred, but their movements exuded a suffocatingly chilling aura. Their equipment was extremely sophisticated: uniformly issued waist knives, small crossbows strapped to their left arms, and grappling hooks and other gadgets hanging from their waists. They moved swiftly and silently, their coordination impeccable, and in an instant, they had completely surrounded the square.
These black-clad warriors were unlike ordinary bandits or private soldiers of powerful families; they were more like a well-trained army, an elite force born for slaughter!
"Kill! Leave no one alive!"
The leader, dressed in black, gave the order in a hoarse and cold voice. Without uttering any further words, he pointed his sword at the chaotic square.
At the command, the black-clad warriors charged into the crowd like tigers released from their cages, in groups of three or five, fearlessly! Their swordsmanship was concise, ruthless, and efficient, without any fancy moves; every strike went straight for the vitals. Combined with the cold arrows from their crossbows and the interference of their grappling hooks, they instantly tore several gaps in the crowd!
"Form ranks to defend against the enemy!"
"Let's fight them!"
"ah--!"
Although the martial arts heroes were experienced in one-on-one combat, they found themselves struggling to adapt to this military-style battle formation, often losing their footing and suffering increasing casualties instantly. A fierce battle unfolded in every corner of the square, the sounds of clashing swords, roars, and the cries of the dying mingling together, completely washing away the previous festive atmosphere.
"Alliance Leader, who are these people? I've never seen their martial arts style before!" Zhao Kun asked breathlessly, slashing down a black-clad warrior who tried to approach. The cold, emotionless look in the black-clad warrior's eyes before he died sent a chill down his spine.
Lin Mo didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on the black-clad leader who was giving orders, and on the unique, heavily official-sounding tactical style they displayed during their attack. Combined with the unusual behavior of Wan Sanqian and his guards, an answer was almost obvious.
"Whoever they are, daring to cause trouble at my alliance's celebration, they will pay the price!" The Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect roared, his longsword flashing, unleashing a sharp sword aura that instantly cleaved two charging black-clad warriors in half at the waist! "Fellow cultivators, follow me to kill the enemy!"
The Grand Elder's bravery temporarily boosted morale, and several highly skilled elders and sect leaders also joined the fight, managing to barely withstand the overwhelming onslaught of the black-clad warriors.
Lin Mo took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't wait any longer. He had to act, stabilize the situation as soon as possible, and find the mastermind behind it all.
"Zhao Kun, you take your men and protect the flanks, prioritizing the treatment of the wounded. Elder, the frontal pressure is yours. I'm going to meet their leader!"
Before he finished speaking, Lin Mo's figure blurred, and he had already darted out of the protective circle like a ghost. The Taixu Ancient Sword was finally fully drawn, and its clear sword cry resounded through the night sky, its blade flowing with a cold light like water.
He didn't charge directly at the leader who gave the order, but instead, like a hurricane, plunged into the densest part of the battle. His sword flashed, like a cascading galaxy, and wherever it passed, the black-clad warriors fell like harvested wheat. His swordsmanship was a fusion of the essence of two lifetimes: the unparalleled profundity of his past life, the ruthlessness honed in this one, and a trace of the destructive essence bestowed by the Ancient Sword of the Void.
Ordinary black-clad warriors were no match for him! Wherever his sword flashed, armor was like paper, and swords shattered instantly. His single charge had torn a huge gap in the black-clad warriors' tight formation!
The black-clad leader had clearly noticed Lin Mo's astonishing combat prowess. A hint of seriousness flashed in his cold eyes. He parried an attack from a martial arts expert with his blade, and his hoarse voice rang out again: "Target, Lin Mo! Prioritize killing him!"
Instantly, more than twenty black-clad warriors abandoned their opponents and, like sharks smelling blood, converged on Lin Mo from different directions, firing crossbows in unison, throwing grappling hooks, and weaving a web of death with flashing blades!
Despite the encirclement, Lin Mo's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Well done!"