Chapter 609: Chapter 340: Five Swords Visit, Madam Beats the Dog, Xiao Wanjian Obedient, Grand Challenge (Part 3)

The Five Mountains Sword Alliance was uncertain if Li Xian and Wen Caishang had already made their escape. A blind search might lead to more unfavorable situations, so they decided not to waste any more effort in searching. They contemplated how to escape, but with no brilliant plan, they attempted a forceful breakout.

As soon as they stepped out of the main hall, indeed, they saw He Wentian’s troops guarding tightly, leaving no path for the people to escape alive. The people lacked cultivation and inner qi... How could they withstand the barrage of arrows?

After several rounds of resistance, they were pushed back into the main hall. He Wentian further said, "My fellow Sword Alliance brothers, I, He Wentian, have not treated you poorly, yet you covet the treasures of Flying Dragon City. The Five Mountains Sword Alliance is said to be a noble alliance, but now, it seems to be nothing more than a hypocritical façade."

He retaliated with these biting words, causing the Sword Alliance members to grit their teeth in anger. He continued:

"I now offer you a path to survival, allowing you to exchange one life for another. Disciples must behead disciples, elders must behead elders. You have only recently allied together, with little affection between you. At times like this, self-preservation is the key, and seeking a way to survive is understandable."

"If you are concerned about having nowhere to go afterward, you can always join Flying Dragon City. I, He Wentian, appreciate those who recognize the times. Although Flying Dragon City is a remote territory, it has mountains, waters, and magnificent scenery, so it would not be a disgrace to the talents and heroes." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He excelled at persuading people’s minds, and with just a few words, he threw the Five Mountains Sword Alliance into chaos. Tensions nearly arose among the various Sword Sects. Fortunately, the five elders remained steadfast, calming the crowd’s emotions, allowing them to barely stabilize.

Hu Yueyue, Xiao Wanjian, Duan Yixin, and others found the situation troublesome, thinking, "This He Wentian is quite crafty. His words have cut off our retreat. If we linger at the rear of the hall, he won’t dare to rashly send troops, requiring him to maintain a standoff with us, which will slow him down."

"With his words, it becomes difficult for us to wait patiently. The longer we wait, the more conflicts arise, and suspicions grow. Prolonged hunger, and cold, will likely lead to internal strife, the alliance will fracture, fighting over survival, making it easy for him. The urgent task is to first attack the enemy, directing the hatred outward."

Thus, the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, forced into action, once again planned an aggressive assault to achieve results and boost disciples’ morale, reducing internal issues and resisting manipulation. The Five Mountains Sword Alliance... the five Sword Sects share a common origin.

The Five Mountains Sword Alliance formed because, although the regions, martial arts, and styles of the five great Sword Sects differed, they share the same roots. Each of the five leading elders of the alliance held a scroll of "Sword Techniques," which can be pieced together to form a Five Mountain Sword Array.

The five elders had already pieced it together but had not studied it thoroughly. At this moment, trapped, they needed to unite the power of the five sects. At this moment, nobody held back their secrets, and they practiced the Five Mountain Sword Array together.

After a day’s effort, they began to familiarize themselves with the sword array. Further real combat practice was required, so the five elders led the formation into battle against the enemy. The spectacle was indeed piercingly frigid as thousands of arrows flew, and the five swords emerged to slaughter the foes.

The disciples were skilled in Sword Dao, arranging formations, cooperating seamlessly, though the enemy was numerous. As long as the formation remained intact, they could barely cope. With such strength, they broke out from the main hall, unleashing the spirits of disciples and elders.

Though the Sword Sect disciples bore remnants of injuries, they were rare elites, not easily defeated. Previously, Li Xian had turned the tide single-handedly against the crowd, causing significant setbacks in their morale. At this moment, they charged into battle, relying on exquisite sword techniques to effortlessly strike enemy armor, break enemy spears, and cut enemy vital points, realizing their own strength was not inferior, attributing Li Xian’s actions to his abnormal prowess. Their spirits surged, and confidence quietly returned, hoping to emulate Li Xian, defeating many with few, and showcasing their might.

The more they fought, the more their spirits soared. He Wentian was terrified, his soul shaken, and had not anticipated this twist. He shot arrows from afar, skillful in the art of archery, but far inferior to Li Xian, unable to change the course of the battle. The Five Mountains Sword Alliance broke through a heavy siege. In this battle, they annihilated three thousand seven hundred enemy troops.

The enemy troops fled in disarray.

The Sword Alliance cheered, eager to pursue victory and annihilate the enemy. Zhao Chunxia solemnly stated, "This place is deep within, countless tough battles await, and resting for ten days is unrealistic. Swift victory is wishful thinking. Everyone should prepare mentally. Maintaining full strength is the top priority. I know a location in the enemy camp where supplies are hidden!"

All the elders agreed, "Chunxia speaks wisely, the desire for rapid victory should not exist, otherwise, a defeat would severely demoralize us. We must stabilize firmly, advance step by step, swiftly securing supplies." Zhao Chunxia led the way, charging to a military camp where the women had previously been stationed.

Excelled in hidden knowledge, the place held abundant supplies, with fruits, vegetables, dried biscuits, clear water, longbows, arrows, escape devices... The elders equipped themselves with escape devices, replenished their gear, and quickly cooked for nourishment.

The food they could carry, they did, and what could not be carried was consumed. Thus, they charged out again, facing successive waves of confrontation, sustaining losses, yet growing fiercer in battle.

After refining through battles, the Five Mountain Sword Array gradually entered the beginner stage. The five leading elders cooperated in killing enemies, allowing them to move freely through the enemy troops. Seeing it was difficult to achieve a quick victory, He Wentian resorted to harassment and siege tactics.

At first, the Sword Sect charged forward courageously, sharpening their blades eagerly. But after days of strife, they inevitably became exhausted and found it difficult to endure, slightly dampening their morale. With the enemy numerous, disadvantages began to surface.

Outside the main hall, it was He Wentian’s domain. Familiar with hidden paths, thoroughfares... he set ambushes along the way, deployed mechanisms stealthily, causing repeated setbacks for the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, leaving the situation perilous and urgent.