Chapter 64: Disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect

The encirclement that the evil cultivators had previously formed around Su Hao and the others was once quite tight and orderly, but at this moment, numerous cracks began to appear.

Those evil cultivators started fighting each other's battles; some rushed forward blindly, while others retreated in a panic. The entire scene descended into utter chaos, completely devoid of any order or strategy.

Seeing this, the disciples of the righteous sects—the Righteous Gate, the Azure Snail Gate, and the Taiyi Gate—responded with extreme swiftness. In an instant, they understood each other's intentions and moved closely together with tacit coordination, rapidly forming three tight battle formations.

Responding to one another and standing back-to-back, they resembled sturdy triangular fortresses, locking into a tightly knit, closed circle.

Although they were surrounded by a large number of evil cultivators on three fronts, leaving their backs completely exposed,

it was as if they had fallen into a desperate situation.

Yet these disciples showed not a shred of fear. Their eyes burned with raging fighting spirit, and every single one of them fought like a fearless warrior, taking on ten enemies at once as they bravely slaughtered their way through the enemy ranks.

The weapons in their hands flashed continuously, kicking up sprays of blood. Every strike they made hit the enemy with pinpoint precision, and every defense dissolved an opponent's onslaught.

At this moment, their eyes held only these vicious and merciless enemies, and their hearts harbored only a firm and unwavering conviction: to avenge their fallen martial brothers and defend the dignity of their sects.

Even when facing evil cultivators outnumbering them several times over, not a single person displayed the slightest trace of fear.

With such resolute expressions,

it seemed that even if the heavens were to collapse, it would not make them flinch by even a fraction of an inch.

While fighting fiercely amidst the enemy hordes, they could not help occasionally casting glances toward Senior Brother Qingming—namely Su Hao—who was moving as fluidly as a swimming dragon through the thick of the battle.

Su Hao's posture was vigorous and his steps were light, allowing him to weave through the enemy ranks with absolute ease, while his swordsmanship was unimaginably fierce and sharp.

Every single move and stance contained formidable power, as if capable of splitting mountains and cleaving rocks.

Moreover, to everyone's astonishment, Su Hao's prowess had improved vastly compared to just over a dozen days ago.

The leaders of those evil cultivators were not even able to withstand a single blow from him; more often than not, a mere exchange was all it took for Su Hao to effortlessly cut them down with his sword.

That spectacle was truly breathtaking to behold.

Witnessing this, the disciples felt their spirits immediately soar and their morale greatly boosted, much like catching a glimpse of the dawn's light piercing through the dark.

The slight tension they had felt earlier due to being outnumbered vanished completely into thin air.

One and all, they exerted their utmost abilities, unleashing every technique and martial form they had learned during peacetime.

They fought desperately against the evil cultivators,

with an aura so fierce it seemed they would not rest until every single evil cultivator before them was thoroughly annihilated.

On the other side, seeing their leaders fall one by one, the evil cultivators fell into complete disarray.

The offensive they had barely managed to maintain instantly crumbled into dust.

Those evil cultivators, who had previously looked so ferocious and terrifying, now wore expressions of stark terror. Some began to flee in panic and disorder,

running in a manner so utterly wretched and pathetic that they resembled wild hares pursued by a hunter.

Even those evil cultivators who had been disguised as members of righteous sects seemed to sense that something was terribly wrong.

Realizing that this conspiracy was likely doomed to failure, they too scattered in all directions like startled birds and beasts.

The entire evil cultivator camp turned into a complete mess, and the chaotic scene was simply too unsightly to behold.

As time quietly passed and more and more evil cultivators were slain, the pressure weighing upon the disciples of the three sects diminished correspondingly.

The heavy stench of blood that had previously permeated the air also seemed to gradually fade with the decreasing number of evil cultivators.

After a bitter and desperate struggle, this tragic and chaotic battle finally drew slowly to a close.

Among the Taiyi Gate disciples, only five sustained minor injuries; although blood oozed from their wounds, fortunately, no vital organs were damaged.

In the Azure Snail Gate, seven or eight disciples also bore some colored marks—some had scratches on their arms, while others suffered abrasions on their legs, yet all managed to grit their teeth and endure.

As for the Taiyi Gate, five or six disciples suffered superficial wounds; though they looked somewhat disheveled, their mental state remained quite good.

Fortunately, however, none of them suffered any life-threatening injuries, which could be considered the greatest stroke of fortune amidst a misfortune.

Meanwhile, their own side had successfully slaughtered over a hundred evil cultivators. The corpses of the evil cultivators lying scattered horizontally and vertically across the ground served as the best testimony to their victory.

Among them, Su Hao alone had single-handedly killed more than twenty evil cultivator leaders and individuals of profound cultivation.

This record of achievement could only be described as astonishing; anyone who heard of it would inevitably gasp in admiration.

It was as if Su Hao were a legend on the battlefield, single-handedly turning the entire tide of the war.

Who could have expected that a trap of evil cultivators—initially appearing unimaginably perilous, resembling a dragon's pool or a tiger's den—would be smashed to pieces in one fell swoop by virtue of their fearless courage and unyielding fighting spirit?

Furthermore, out of all sixty-one members on Su Hao's side, not a single person had died. Truly, this was a blessing in disguise!

Everyone breathed a long sigh of relief, the tense expressions on their faces slowly softening and being replaced by the joy and gratitude of having survived a catastrophe.

Subsequently, everyone began to clear the battlefield. Carefully collecting any usable supplies,

they picked up the weapons, medicinal pills, and other items scattered across the ground and stowed them into their pouches.

At the same time, they tenderly and skillfully bandaged the wounds of their injured martial brothers and sisters, uttering comforting words from time to time.

That scene was filled with the profound bonds of fellowship among sect members.

Seeing this, Su Hao promptly halted what he was doing and reached into his robe to extract a handful of life-saving medicinal pills.

The pills emitted a faint medicinal fragrance, as if imbued with miraculous power.

He walked briskly over to the injured disciples, his eyes brimming with care, and handed the pills to them one by one while saying:

"Junior brothers, quickly swallow these pills. They will allow you to recover from your injuries as swiftly as possible."

The injured disciples gratefully accepted the pills, their eyes filled with deep admiration and gratitude toward Su Hao.

Without the slightest hesitation, they swallowed the pills, and a miraculous phenomenon immediately followed.

The wounds on their bodies healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; the cuts that had been oozing blood gradually began to close, and the pain receded accordingly.

In no time at all, they were as full of vigor as newborn calves, their faces glowing with renewed vitality once more.

Even their cultivation bases seemed to have advanced slightly thanks to the miraculous efficacy of the pills.

Unable to contain their shock and delight, everyone cast gazes filled with reverence and gratitude toward Su Hao.

In their eyes, Su Hao had practically become an omnipotent savior.

Watching everyone regain their vitality, Su Hao wore a gratifying smile—warm and amiable like the spring sun.

Then, he beckoned to the senior brothers and senior sisters of the three sects. Understanding his intent, everyone gathered around in a circle to discuss their next steps.

With a solemn expression, Su Hao looked at the crowd and slowly began to speak:

"After this incident, we must all learn our lesson. The evil cultivators are becoming increasingly cunning and insidious.

They actually resorted to the despicable tactic of disguising themselves as disciples of various sects to carry out an ambush,

deliberately setting a trap in hopes of luring us in.

This time, it was only because their strength was insufficient and we worked together with one heart that we managed to break their scheme by sheer luck. We might not be so fortunate next time."

Hearing this, Biluo Chun clapped his hands in excitement, his eyes full of admiration as he said:

"It is all thanks to Senior Brother Qingming's divine martial prowess! Senior Brother, your performance on the battlefield today was truly ferocious and capable of turning the tide!

Had it not been for you charging at the front and taking the lead in slaying the enemy, we truly would have suffered a disastrous loss today and probably perished right here."

Situ Wuzhen nodded with a grave expression, furrowing his brows slightly as he offered a solemn suggestion:

"Indeed, today's event has sounded an alarm for us. From now on, our actions must be truly cautious and prudent. We must never act so rashly again, and we can never fall for their tricks again.

The pugilistic world is inherently perilous, with hidden crises lurking at every turn. We must remain constantly vigilant and advance step by step."

Just as everyone was discussing this amongst themselves, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly drifted from a concealed spot in the woods to the right.

The footsteps were very light, almost imperceptible,

as if someone was deliberately suppressing their steps to avoid being noticed.

However, being people of the pugilistic world, their hearing was naturally much sharper than that of ordinary folk.

Before long, all of them had detected this unusual movement.

Immediately afterward, over thirty cultivators hurried over.

Their figures flickered indistinctly among the trees, gradually becoming clearer as they drew closer.

Situ Wuzhen of the Righteous Gate reacted with extreme promptness. Raising his gaze instantly,

his eyes as sharp as a falcon's, he recognized the newcomers' faces in a flash. A flash of pleasant surprise crossed his eyes as he cried out loudly:

"It's Senior Brother Hui Xingchen of the Heavenly Mystery Gate!"

"Junior Brother Situ Wuzhen, why are you all here?" Hui Xingchen asked, cupping his fists in greeting.

"Senior Brother Hui Xingchen, we have formed an anti-evil cultivator alliance and are searching for disciples of various sects scattered in all directions," Situ Wuzhen replied, cupping his fists in return.

As it turned out, many of the people among them were acquaintances whom he knew, having crossed paths a few times in the pugilistic world previously, making them somewhat familiar with one another.

Furthermore, the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Gate had only dared to muster the courage to come forward because they recognized the senior brother of the Righteous Gate and felt a sense of reassurance.

From a distance, they had witnessed this fierce battle and bore witness to Su Hao's peerless valor.

His posture as he galloped across the battlefield like a god of war had left an immensely deep impression upon them.

Upon noticing that these people wore the attire of the Righteous Gate, the Azure Snail Gate, and the Taiyi Gate—and recognizing most of the members from these sects—

they deduced that these were friends rather than foes. Thus, they revealed themselves, intending to join forces with them so they could look out for one another.

With this union, the two groups converged, instantly swelling their numbers significantly.

Counting carefully, the crowd now reached a scale close to a hundred people—ninety-six in total.

The spectacle looked quite imposing, and an even more formidable momentum naturally arose from it.

Su Hao narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up the thirty-five disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Gate.

With his keen perception, he sensed that these disciples faintly radiated an extraordinary aura.

That aura carried a trace of formidable strength.

It seemed their combat effectiveness was far superior to that of the disciples from the Righteous Gate, the Azure Snail Gate, and the Taiyi Gate.

Presumably, anyone who could survive in this perilous pugilistic world must possess genuine skills to rely upon.

Moreover, Su Hao understood in his heart that it was precisely because they had witnessed his brave performance on the battlefield—judging that following him might grant them a better chance of victory—that they had decided to reveal themselves.

After exchanging greetings, the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Gate enthusiastically conversed with the others, recounting some of their prior experiences.

They spoke with vivid flourishes, detailing those thrilling encounters and the processes by which they cleverly defused crises.

Everyone listened with rapt attention,

as if they themselves were immersed in those tales, occasionally letting out bursts of exclamation or sighs, with some even unable to resist asking for specific details.

The atmosphere at the scene instantly became lively and harmonious.

Taking advantage of the moment, Su Hao also gave them a detailed introduction to the anti-evil cultivator alliance to which they all belonged.

He shared the original intent behind the alliance's formation, the mission it shouldered, its current development, and the predicaments it faced without holding anything back.

His words were earnest, and his gaze carried a sense of sincerity and expectation,

hoping to give the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Gate a deeper understanding of the alliance so they would join and contribute their strength to the fight against the evil cultivators.

Hearing this, the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Gate felt a surge of hot blood coursing through their veins,

rolling and surging within their chests as if yearning to burst forth.

Exchanging glances with one another, they all saw the same determination and eagerness in each other's eyes.

They too harbored a desire to join this righteous alliance and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else,

uniting to fight against those evil-doing cultivators.

Seeing this, Su Hao flashed a trace of joy in his eyes—a joy resembling a shooting star cutting across the night sky, brief yet exceptionally brilliant.

Unable to wait any longer, he eagerly asked, "Do you happen to know if there are disciples from any other sects nearby?"