Chapter 209 - - 208 Average strength_1

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Equal in power, equal in talent.

Duge shouted out the new slogan.

The disciples of Sky Mist Valley grew more frenzied, each standing opposite Duge, raising their arms and shouting the new slogan.

Their voices echoed through the entire valley.

Looking at those who had been at sword’s point not long ago but were now eagerly joining the Seven Star Gate, the Seventh Junior Brother stealthily cast a glance at the Third Senior Brother’s back, his admiration for Duge growing even stronger.

Such an event was beyond his wildest dreams before now, just as he never dared to dream that in one day he would reach the peak of the Qi Refinement Realm…

The Sect Leader’s mild and kind temperament would never achieve such a feat in a lifetime; the decline of the Seven Star Gate was justified.

At this moment.

The Seventh Junior Brother truly experienced the joy of cultivation.

One should live like the Third Senior Brother.

…

No matter how strong Ling Pingshuang was, he was but at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

After helping six or seven people enhance their strength to the peak of Qi Refinement, his own realm and spiritual power were pulled down.

To further equalize spiritual power would mean bleeding from Duge’s own reserves.

He still had to maintain his combat strength to face the strongest force of Sky Mist Valley, the Valley Master, and naturally, he couldn’t afford to weaken himself for a bunch of newly joined disciples.

Moreover.

The fate of these people was no longer in their hands now that they had joined the Seven Star Gate.

The attire of Sky Mist Valley was uniform.

To differentiate between the Seven Star Gate and Sky Mist Valley, Duge ordered the newly joined disciples to tear off the left sleeve of their garments, and then he led them tumultuously toward the valley, shouting the slogan “Equal in power, equal in talent” as they charged.

Ling Pingshuang had long since regained consciousness, but sensing his fallen realm and dissipated spiritual energy, he faced Duge’s smile suffused with sarcasm; his throat went dry, and he too shouted out the slogan “Equal in power, equal in talent.”

Then.

His old face turned crimson in an instant.

When Duge’s gaze moved away from him, Ling Pingshuang breathed a sigh of relief, ashamed of his own cowardice.

But then, seeing his severed arm and remembering his earlier ordeal, sorrow welled up inside him. With a hard heart and clenched teeth, he walked bare-armed amidst the Sky Mist Valley disciples, crying out the slogan.

He had no other choice.

If he didn’t join the Seven Star Gate and ended up in this ghastly state, he would be completely ruined.

At this time.

Ling Pingshuang’s greatest resentment was toward the one who had proposed seizing the Seven Star Gate’s territory. Had he known that such a terrifying monster lurked within the Seven Star Gate, only a fool would have provoked them!

…

Such a commotion naturally alarmed those in closed-door cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage and other disciples.

Sky Mist Valley had more than a thousand disciples; those practicing in the training field were just a small part, taking turns maintaining the peace of the valley.

Otherwise.

If more than a thousand disciples had besieged the Seventh Junior Brother all at once, he likely wouldn’t have lasted until reinforcements arrived and would have been hacked to pieces.

Everyone rushed out of their abodes to see what was happening outside.

There were thirteen at the Foundation Establishment in Sky Mist Valley in total.

Often, most of them were in seclusion, and only three managed the affairs of the valley.

This month, it was the turn of Law Enforcement Hall Elder Ling Pingshuang, the Sect Leader’s first disciple Lu Dong, and the fourth elder Qian Dajin. Qian Dajin was aware of the commotion at the same time as Ling Pingshuang and had seen the battle between Ling Pingshuang and Duge.

At that time, he was prepared to support Ling Pingshuang.

But before he could take action, he saw Ling Pingshuang stripped and even his arm taken off.

Qian Dajin, being at the same realm as Ling Pingshuang, dared not show his face and fled straight to the Sect Leader’s seclusion area.

The opponent was too strong; aside from the Sect Leader, no one might be able to subdue him.

…

Qian Dajin had fled.

The remaining ten at the Foundation Establishment Stage, unaware of what had happened, emerged from their seclusion. At first glance, they saw the disciples of Sky Mist Valley rebelling, the ringleader clearly not one of their own, and even the Sect Leader’s disciple’s arm appeared to have been cut off by the intruder…

How could the proud Foundation Establishment Stage elders swallow such an affront, with someone causing trouble right at their doorstep?

Ling Pingshuang, missing an arm, couldn’t dress himself and hid shamefully in the crowd, unnoticed by these elders.

Cultivation is about being able to return favors and seek revenge when oppressed, isn’t it?

Then.

One after another, these Foundation Establishment Stage elders charged down to confront the invading enemy.

Ten Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators together might have caused some trouble for Duge.

But the elders all had their own estates, and their retreats for closed-door cultivation were different, leading to varied times of emergence. This provided Duge with an opportunity to exploit.

He would deal with them one by one.

Moreover, having consecutively beaten two at the Foundation Establishment Stage, Duge had gained experience.

After stepping forward, even at the cost of injury, he would first snatch the weapons, then pluck off their arms. Once he had rendered their arms useless, these fellows became oversized power banks for him, entirely at his mercy.

Now, there was no shortage of disciples at the Seven Star Valley, no fear of having nowhere to channel their energy.

First absorb, then send off.

As blessings from above descended, the disciples who switched from the Sky Mist Valley to the Seven Star Gate were suddenly plunged into a frenzy of celebration.

Even being stripped of their clothes by Duge didn’t matter.

Reveling in the joy of their rapidly increasing power, these rebellious disciples felt increasingly that the Seven Star Gate was truly their home.

And then.

Their chants grew even louder.

After six consecutive Foundation Establishment Level elders were sent off, the Sky Mist Valley disciples on the slope were dumbfounded.

The external manifestation of “Actions on Behalf of Heaven” was not conspicuous.

Duge didn’t say a word.

Even as the disciples of the Seven Star Gate chanted about “sharing the power equally,” they couldn’t understand what was happening.

All they saw were their own elders having their arms yanked off, stripped naked, and then those traitorous disciples entered a frenzy of euphoria…

Duge’s perversion and madness left them wanting to charge but too afraid to move forward, lest they follow in the footsteps of their elders.

After all.

The sight of their defeated elders was too pitiful!

Some observant disciples had already spotted seven slick armless elders hidden within Duge’s troops, with mouths agape in shock.

What kind of demon had come knocking at their door!

It was too brutal.

The Sky Mist Valley might not survive today…

…

“Elder Chu, don’t go.”

“Elder Chu, run, you’ll be stripped down…”

“Elder Chu, watch out for your arms!”

…

As a result, when another Foundation Establishment Stage elder leaped out to meet the enemy, the disciples of Sky Mist Valley on the slope offered various kinds of heartfelt advice.

And after that.

The bewildered Elder Chu also fell.

It must be said that without witnessing it first-hand, no one understood what principle Duge’s fighting style was based on, and it was impossible to prepare defenses…

…

When the Valley Master of the Sky Mist Valley arrived belatedly, there were only two unharmed Foundation Establishment Level elders remaining.

These two elders lived the farthest away and had hesitated to approach the battle upon seeing the scene of Duge’s cruelty.

Scattered clothes.

More than a dozen severed arms, alongside eight clean and tidily stripped elders of unknown fate, lay in front of the array—nearly scaring the souls out of the two elders, who did not dare to move forward and face the enemy.

…

A figure emerged from the depths of the valley at almost blinding speed and came to a halt in front of Duge’s troops. Gazing at the shocking scene, they bellowed furiously, “Who are you? Why are you tormenting the elders of my Sky Mist Valley?”

The voice was as thunderous as a storm.

The Seven Star Gate disciples, who had just been shouting loudly, fell silent in an instant. Each of them looked away, shifting their gaze and not daring to meet the eyes of the newcomer.

“Valley Master of the Sky Mist Valley?” Duge stepped forward unafraid, clasping his fists in greeting, “I am Sect Leader Wang Chong of the Seven Star Gate, here to seek justice for my sect.”

“Seven Star Gate?” The Valley Master of the Sky Mist Valley frowned, “What Seven Star Gate?”

At this moment, the two hesitant Foundation Establishment Stage elders, emboldened by the presence of the Valley Master, also came over.

One of them looked timidly at the Valley Master and said, “Valley Master, the Seven Star Gate is a minor sect to the northwest of Danyang City. The number of disciples in the Sky Mist Valley has been growing, and there is a shortage of spiritual energy within the valley. Before you went into retreat, you mentioned finding new valuable lands to expand our sect. We discovered that the Seven Star Gate is in decline, with only seven or eight people, and the highest cultivation level of their sect leader is but the Qi Refinement Realm. So, we thought of taking over the Seven Star Gate…”

Qi Refinement Realm?

The Valley Master of Sky Mist Valley looked at Duge on the opposite side and then at the elders behind him, disarmed and stripped of their clothes, and with a dry mouth, he turned and heavily glared at that elder, as if to say, is this what you call the Qi Refinement Realm?

The humiliated Foundation Establishment Stage elder dared not speak.

Taking a deep breath, the Valley Master of Sky Mist Valley looked at Duge and with a clasp of the fist said, “Sect Leader Wang, this might be a misunderstanding. I was not aware of this matter. You have already vented your anger, and several of my sect’s elders have been slain by you, utterly humiliating us. How about we give each other face and let this matter rest?”

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