MTL NOVEL Chapter 56: Failed Persuasion
Chapter 56: Failed Persuasion
Ahead, a middle-aged man dressed in a pristine white Daoist robe stood in mid-air. His demeanor was elegant, his stature imposing, and he exuded the aura of an immortal who had descended to the mortal realm.
He Shutong narrowed her cold eyes:
“Xun Su.”
The man named Xun Su smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect that the Lotus Sword Venerable would still remember the name of this humble Daoist after thirty years. I am truly flattered.”
“It’s hard to forget someone as repulsive as you,” He Shutong replied, her voice as cold and dangerous as the whisper of a frost-covered blade.
Xun Su didn’t take offense, maintaining his calm and composed demeanor.
Unbeknownst to him, in He Shutong’s eyes, Xun Su’s appearance was completely different. His white robe was entwined with a crimson serpent, its scales densely packed, each one resembling a fallen eyeball. Combined with Xun Su’s eerily detached expression, the sight was grotesque and disturbing.
“It’s also hard to forget a beauty like the Lotus Sword Venerable,” Xun Su said with a grin.
As soon as the words left his mouth, a soaring sword aura swept toward him, blasting away a large portion of the cliff behind him. He Shutong stood silently, her sword in her hand. The spot where Xun Su had been standing was now empty, save for a severed piece of his white robe fluttering in the air.
“The Lotus Sword Venerable’s temper is as fiery as ever,” Xun Su said, now floating in the air, visibly shaken.
He Shutong didn’t react. With a light tap of her feet, she soared into the air, her next sword strike already following closely behind.
Xun Su didn’t engage in a direct fight, but instead dodged again and again. Several times, he barely avoided her strikes and couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
It was said that the Lotus Sword Venerable had sealed her cultivation to seek enlightenment in the mortal world, yet even without her full power, she was still terrifying. Truly, she lived up to her reputation as the number one female sword cultivator.
“Venerable, there’s no need to hurry. I will let you return to Chuyun City, but now is not the time,” Xun Su said, resting his hand on a black gourd at his side.
“What’s happening in Chuyun City?” He Shutong demanded.
“You’re asking the wrong person. My task is only to delay you,” Xun Su replied with a sly smile.
“You won’t stop me!”
He Shutong glared at him, her brows furrowed in anger. She wasn’t incapable of defeating this evil cultivator, but his constant evasion was infuriating.
She swung her sword in a graceful arc, no longer holding back. However, Xun Su had anticipated this and quickly backed away, casting several dark barriers to block He Shutong’s relentless attacks.
He Shutong’s gaze remained unwavering. To her, any spell or barrier was as fragile as a sheet of paper before her sword. Just as she broke through the final barrier, Xun Su’s gourd released a thick, ink-like mist that completely enveloped He Shutong.
The black mist swirled as if it had a mind of its own, resembling a massive, eerie jellyfish.
Now floating in the air, Xun Su looked at the trapped He Shutong with a sinister gleam in his eyes. He immediately began meditating to recover his energy, muttering under his breath:
“Even without profound energy, I refuse to believe that I can’t stop you…”
On the walls of Chuyun City, a group of people strained their eyes to see through the thick fog that covered the outside world. But all they could see was an endless expanse of milky white.
Zhou Yichang leaned out, trying to catch a glimpse of something, but to no avail. He couldn’t help but ask:
“City Lord Liu, is there really a mountain-sized evil entity out there as you said?”
City Lord Liu stood up with his hands behind his back. He shifted his gaze and replied, “I couldn’t have mistaken it… The fact that it hasn’t attacked yet might be a good thing for us. It suggests that the intervals between its mist spewings are long. If we set out after its next burst, we might have a better chance of escaping.”
Zhou Yichang nodded. Although this was all based on City Lord Liu’s speculation, there was no better way to increase their odds of survival.
Meanwhile, Lu Muchun reached out to touch the mist, his expression one of helplessness. “This fog is truly bizarre. How can we stop it from spreading further into the city?”
As he spoke, he channeled his profound energy into his palm, creating an invisible barrier. Surprisingly, the mist flowed around the barrier.
“Although releasing profound energy can block it, how can a few Water Condensation Realm cultivators like us cover the entire city?”
City Lord Liu shook his head. He didn’t have a good solution either. Even if they could create such barriers, they wouldn’t be able to maintain the required energy output. He turned to Qi Daodong and asked:
“Have you ordered everyone in the city to keep their doors and windows closed?”
“Wu Cheng and the others are already handling it,” Qi Daodong replied.
“Good… City Lord Qi, the city’s grain reserves are limited. It should last the citizens for about three days. Don’t distribute any food for the next two days. Plan the rationing carefully to stretch the supplies as long as possible. If there’s any unrest among the people, you must suppress it swiftly and decisively. We can’t afford to lose the people’s trust.”
Qi Daodong nodded his head in agreement. Ever since selecting the team to venture outside the city, City Lord Liu had been meticulously instructing him on how to manage the city. This made Qi Daodong deeply admire City Lord Liu’s greatness. He had even suggested that City Lord Liu stay behind while he went out to seek help, but City Lord Liu had firmly refused. As the only one among them who had seen a real evil entity that had come from the Divine Mountain, City Lord Liu was their best hope for survival.
“City Lord, You Su has something to report,” a servant approached and informed City Lord Liu.
City Lord Liu was momentarily surprised. He had specifically asked Zhou Li to escort You Su back home. “Let him come up.”
“Yes.”
Shortly after, You Su emerged from the mist, his head lowered and his expression hidden.
“You Su pays his respects to City Lord Liu.”
“Hmm. What do you have to report?”
You Su paused for a moment before speaking. “I believe that City Lord Liu should not venture outside the city rashly.”
“Oh? And why is that?” Intrigued, City Lord Liu asked. The nearby sect leaders also turned their attention to You Su.
“City Lord Liu and the sect leaders are the backbone of this city. Each of you is indispensable to Chuyun City at this time. With you here, we might be able to hold out a little longer while we wait for reinforcements to arrive.”
City Lord Liu smiled, thinking that You Su was simply offering a naive perspective.
“You’re a good kid, You Su. But you’re blind. You can’t see the evil being out there. If you could, you’d understand that it’s unstoppable. It doesn’t matter if we’re here or not. In this situation, our best chance is to get help as soon as possible.”
“Then has the City Lord considered that there might be more than just the one evil entity you saw in the mist? Wouldn’t venturing out be a death sentence?”
Upon hearing this, the sect leaders exchanged surprised glances. They hadn’t considered this possibility because they hadn’t seen any evil entities themselves. The only one they knew of was the one City Lord Liu had described.
“I have thought of that possibility,” City Lord Liu replied, his smile unwavering. “But if we let fear stop us from acting, what’s the point of this old man living a few more days? I’d rather take the risk and fight for that slim hope.”
Everyone present felt the weight of his words, a mix of admiration and sorrow.
You Su, too, felt helpless. He could only respect City Lord Liu’s decision. He couldn’t go any further without revealing too much.
“The City Lord’s righteousness is admirable,” You Su said with a sigh. “Then I will take my leave.”
“Mm,” City Lord Liu nodded.
You Su bowed and retreated, his heart heavy with conflict. As he turned to descend the stairs, his gaze inadvertently swept across the distant horizon outside the city. Suddenly, in the haze of his vision, something caught his eye…
It was… a silhouette as massive as a mountain!