Mount Zhongnan, also known as the Celestial Capital, was a revered place where countless immortals were said to have ascended. Nestled at the heart of the Qinling Mountains, it stretched westward to Gansu Province and southward to Henan Province, making it a sacred mountain where spiritual energy converged.

Because of this, not only the Taoists of the Zhongnan Sect but also many practitioners gathered here to train. The mountain was dotted with caves and burrows, which served as perfect hideouts for these practitioners.

Today, Mount Zhongnan was alive with heat and chaos. Sparks flew from the burning forest, creating a cacophony of noise, while smoke billowed from the caves and burrows scattered across the mountain.

“Set fire to any cave or burrow you see!”

“Zhongnan’s warriors are descending from the eastern hill.”

“First and third squads, hold them off. The rest, keep setting fires.”

The forces of the Overlord Fortress were advancing up Mount Zhongnan.

The Zhongnan Sect had been using the countless caves and burrows to launch surprise attacks and then retreat. In response, the Overlord Fortress was setting everything ablaze to thwart their tactics and burn the mountain.

“Stop this madness!”

“How dare you defile Mount Zhongnan!”

The Taoists of the Zhongnan Sect, clad in their blue robes, burst through the burning forest. The warriors of the Overlord Fortress, seeing this, charged forward with eager smiles.

Clang!

Though outnumbered, the Zhongnan Sect held their ground with remarkable resilience. Their disciples wielded the Celestial Sword Techniques with precision, facing twice their number without faltering.

“Impressive.”

“These disciples are something else!”

As the warriors of the Overlord Fortress laughed at the defensive prowess of the Zhongnan disciples, a golden sword aura suddenly swept through from behind.

“Watch out!”

“Behind us!”

The warriors of the Overlord Fortress realized too late, as a sword sliced through them, unleashing a golden wave.

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords.

The Celestial Gaze.

Seizing the perfect moment, the master of the Zhongnan Sect executed a wide-ranging technique, cutting down dozens of warriors in an instant.

Yet, the master’s sword did not rest. Forcing her way through the ranks of the Overlord Fortress, she carved out a domain for the Thirty-Six Heavenly Swords, causing their formation to crumble from within.

“Now’s our chance!”

“Let’s help Master!”

With the master cutting through from the inside and the disciples pressing from the outside, the warriors of the Overlord Fortress soon found themselves defeated, lying on the ground.

“Sister!”

At the call of her sister, Sunmi, the master nodded quietly, then surveyed the second-generation disciples of the Zhongnan Sect.

“Is anyone hurt?”

“No, Master.”

“I’m fine as well.”

The master looked at each of the second-generation disciples, then took a deep breath.

“You must hold off the Overlord Fortress forces coming from the east. The headmaster has ordered us to secure a retreat route, just in case. The elders are on their way, so you should meet them.”

Some of the second-generation disciples’ faces hardened at the mention of a retreat.

“A retreat…?”

“If things get worse, we must evacuate the third-generation disciples.”

The master’s calm words cast a shadow over the disciples’ faces.

The Overlord Fortress was surrounding Mount Zhongnan, advancing from all sides. With fires raging, even the third-generation disciples were being mobilized to help extinguish them.

“What about you, Master?”

“I’ll head south to assist the other disciples. I sent the supporting disciples ahead while I was on my way to see you.”

There was no time for lengthy conversations. The master turned to leave after saying what was necessary. Sunmi looked at her with concern.

“Sister, be careful.”

“Master, don’t overdo it.”

Acknowledging their support with a nod, the master leaped into action.

No matter where she looked, columns of smoke rose high into the sky. Wherever the smoke originated, the Zhongnan Sect and the Overlord Fortress were undoubtedly clashing.

The first and second-generation disciples of the Zhongnan Sect were forming teams to block the advancing warriors of the Overlord Fortress from all directions, while the elders moved individually to support any faltering areas.

Having reached the pinnacle of her skills, the master had received intensive training from several elders, solidifying her prowess. She was now recognized for her martial arts and tasked with a role similar to the elders.

‘We’re holding them off, but we’re slowly being pushed back.’

Having traversed various parts of Mount Zhongnan and engaged in battles, the master could feel the overall situation firsthand.

So far, the Zhongnan Sect had suffered fewer casualties, but the Overlord Fortress had the numbers to absorb their losses, while the Zhongnan Sect’s casualties were gradually accumulating, leaving more disciples unable to fight.

The minimal damage was partly due to the Zhongnan Sect’s defensive sword techniques, but also because the main forces, including the Ghost King, had not yet joined the fray.

‘At this rate…’

Experiencing the overwhelming power of the Overlord Fortress, which was expanding from Sichuan, where three prestigious sects were based, the master understood why many sects feared them.

“Mu Hui…”

The master’s voice was tinged with fatigue as she murmured his name.

It felt like sinking into a quagmire, the pressure slowly mounting. In such a situation, Mu Hui was the first to come to mind.

Having risen from the Sword Demon of Mount Hua to the Sword Saint, Mu Hui had faced numerous formidable opponents and continued to triumph. The master had kept up with all the news about him.

Even while training with the elders at the Pavilion of the Zhongnan Sect, or during the countless battles after the Overlord Fortress’s provocation, she never missed a word about him.

No matter how difficult things got, hearing about Mu Hui always brought her joy.

The master had no doubt that Mu Hui would continue his unstoppable journey even upon reaching Mount Zhongnan.

Thinking of Mu Hui, the master felt a renewed strength coursing through her. For the first time since the Overlord Fortress’s invasion, her lips, which had been set in a firm line, curved into a gentle smile.

“I’ll hold them off until you arrive, Mu Hui.”

Behind her serene smile, a steely resolve filled the master’s face.

With a fierce glint in her eyes, the master confirmed the distant presence of the Zhongnan Sect and the Overlord Fortress entangled in battle, then quickened her pace, launching herself forward.

* * *

The Pavilion of Mount Zhongnan.

A place of deep significance for the Zhongnan Sect, where many masters had trained and ascended.

At the Pavilion, the headmaster of the Zhongnan Sect and eleven elders sat in meditation, each facing a different direction.

Before them stood the master, summoned by the headmaster, gazing at the elders.

“Sunju, we’ve prepared a retreat to the east. Using the hidden passage, you can lead the third-generation disciples to safety. You will be in charge.”

“But headmaster, if I leave, the front lines will suffer.”

There were several places where the master’s involvement had turned the tide of battle. It was not easy for her to turn her back on the disciples still fighting.

“As you said, it’s a difficult situation. But we can’t afford to lose many disciples, so it’s best for you, who have reached the pinnacle, to lead a select few and guide the third-generation disciples.”

As Hongseon spoke, his face darkened momentarily. Turning his head slightly, he addressed the master.

“Sunju, step back.”

The master nodded at Hongseon’s command.

At that moment, the elders, who had been meditating with their eyes closed, sensed an ominous presence approaching the Pavilion and opened their eyes.

The Ghost King, exuding a sinister aura like hundreds of snakes slithering, looked at the gathered Taoists of the Zhongnan Sect and chuckled.

“Headmaster, your disciples are more skilled than I expected. The first-generation disciples blocking the path to Zhongnan are quite impressive, so I left them to my subordinates and came alone.”

Admiring the breathtaking view from the Pavilion, the Ghost King released his hands from behind his back with a sigh of admiration.

“Did you choose this place as your final resting place? It’s a perfect spot to die.”

From the Pavilion, one could take in the entire landscape of the Qinling Mountains. The fires consuming the mountains and the black smoke rising from all directions obscured the clear sky and clouds over Mount Zhongnan.

“Isn’t it a truly beautiful sight?”

As the Ghost King laughed at the horrific scene of Mount Zhongnan, Hongseon’s brow furrowed.

“Even if all the old men gathered here perish, we’ll take at least one of your arms!”

With Hongseon’s fierce declaration, the elders of the Zhongnan Sect leaped up from their seated positions, drawing their swords and pointing them at the Ghost King. Yet, the Ghost King remained unfazed, merely reaching for the whip at his waist.

“Headmaster, I bring a generous offer from the Overlord.”

“A generous offer?”

“If you acknowledge defeat and seal your sect, the Zhongnan Sect will not be annihilated. Of course, even if you seal the sect, the headmaster and the elders must still pay with their lives.”

At the Ghost King’s proposal, Hongseon’s expression darkened.

“You’re trying to leave an eternal stain of disgrace on the Zhongnan Sect.”

“Whether you choose to bear the disgrace and continue, or end the Zhongnan lineage today, is up to you, Headmaster. Do you really think you can smuggle your disciples away?”

The thought of the Zhongnan lineage ending today weighed heavily on Hongseon. His hand, gripping the sword, trembled, but as the headmaster, he had to remain calm and make a decision.

To protect the honor of the Zhongnan Sect.

To protect the disciples of the Zhongnan Sect.

Though it was only a fleeting moment, the decision felt like an eternity to Hongseon.

In the end, Hongseon had no choice but to make a decision. His choice was to protect the lives of the disciples.

“How many years of sealing do you demand?”

At Hongseon’s question, the Ghost King twisted his lips into a smile.

“One full cycle.”

The elders erupted in protest at the Ghost King’s mocking response.

“Sixty years of isolation? Are you serious?”

“Isolation? You’re trying to strangle the Zhongnan Sect to death!”

Closing the gates meant halting all external activities. No martial arts, no business, and worst of all, no new disciples to sustain the sect’s future.

If they went through with this, the third-generation disciples would eventually become the new elders. By then, even if the gates were reopened, the sect would be a shadow of its former self.

“Old fools, can’t you see? This is about preserving the Zhongnan Sect’s legacy. What’s a mere sixty years in the grand scheme?”

The Ghost King chuckled derisively at the elders. Hongseon and the others realized the truth behind his sneer.

The Ghost King wanted the Zhongnan Sect to decline, no matter what choice they made.

Seeing the fire in the elders’ eyes, the Ghost King sneered again.

“Choose wisely. Even the Emei Sect, after losing half their young disciples in a futile resistance, chose isolation.”

Hongseon exhaled deeply, his resolve hardening.

“Prepare.”

At his command, the elders took their positions, channeling their energy. The Ghost King grinned, as if this was what he had been waiting for, and gripped his whip.

“Fools.”

Hongseon and eleven other Zhongnan Sect masters surrounded the Ghost King.

The Heavenly Six Harmonies Formation.

The sect’s most formidable formation was now in play.

The twelve masters extended their swords, covering a wide area with twelve directions, and a smaller area with thirty-six.

“Attack!”

With a sharp crack, the Ghost King’s whip lashed out in all directions, tearing through the air.

“Ugh!”

Using the whip’s unique properties, the Ghost King struck multiple points of the formation simultaneously.

The whip, twisting like a serpent, sent shockwaves through the formation with each crack.

“Tighten the formation!”

“Go!”

The elders executed the Thirty-Six Swords of Heaven, but the Ghost King’s unpredictable whip was a formidable challenge.

He swung his arm, striking six elders at once, or wrapped the whip around his wrist to adjust its length, targeting an elder from an unexpected angle.

The Ghost King showed no mercy, relentlessly attacking, but the formation held strong.

Crack! Snap!

The whip was not only versatile but powerful enough to split rocks, causing the elders to groan with each strike.

“Argh!”

An elder’s sword shattered, and he was struck in the chest, coughing up blood as he fell from the formation.

“Elder Hongryeon!”

Seonju, who had been watching anxiously, rushed to the fallen elder, but he was already dead, his chest crushed.

With tears in her eyes, Seonju gritted her teeth, drew her sword, and joined the formation, taking Elder Hongryeon’s place.

The Ghost King’s interest was piqued by Seonju’s determination.

“Ah, I see who you are. The Golden Sword Maiden. You’ll die here with the elders.”

He focused his attacks on Seonju, intending to toy with her.

“Ugh!”

The whip’s end vibrated as it struck her sword, sending shockwaves through her body.

It felt like deflecting a massive boulder with her blade. Despite the elders’ support, Seonju’s face turned pale.

She spat black blood, deflecting the whip’s relentless strikes. Even when she parried, the whip twisted, aiming for her vital points.

Boom!

The Ghost King’s whip lashed out indiscriminately, striking seven points of the formation in quick succession.

“Cough!”

“Ugh!”

The whip, imbued with inner power, tore an elder’s arm off, then shot up like a dragon, breaking another elder’s sword and ripping his chest open.

The Ghost King was systematically dismantling the formation. Seonju was next. The elders protecting her had already fallen, bleeding.

“Impressive for a mere junior, but you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’ll die before your talents can bloom.”

The Ghost King tightened his grip on the whip, which straightened like a spear.

“Crushing promising talent is always a pleasure.”

With a whoosh, the whip shot forward, aiming to pierce Seonju’s heart. She couldn’t even perceive the attack.

Yet, instinctively, she swung her sword, her body reacting to the danger.

Clang!

Her sword shattered as the whip struck, but Seonju didn’t close her eyes.

Instead, a face flashed in her mind.

‘Muwi, my brother.’

At that moment, a familiar scent filled her senses.

‘Fragrant.’

She smelled the delicate scent of plum blossoms.

Petals swirled around her, and in their midst, she saw a man’s back, strong and reassuring like the Zhongnan mountains.

“Muwi, my brother.”

“Well done. A swordsman must swing their sword to the end.”

Hearing Muwi’s voice after so long, Seonju collapsed to her knees.

Muwi glanced at her briefly before turning his gaze to the Ghost King.

“Did you say she’d die before her talents could bloom? Not while I’m here.”

“The Plum Blossom Sword Saint. You make it sound like she’s one of the rare talents in the world.”

Muwi pulled the whip taut with his Plum Blossom Hand and reached for his sword.

“She has the potential to become a Sword Queen. I’ve acknowledged it, so it will be so.”