Chapter Thirty-Two: If I Do Not Fall, I Shall Never Be Defeated

The brothers had divided themselves into three small groups, taking turns to train outside. The relentless, biting wind whipped their bodies until blood streamed down their skin. Periodically, they would return to have a special medicine applied by designated hands. This spiritual salve was an ancestral secret recipe from Xu Meng’s family, its potency extraordinary—usually, wounds would heal substantially overnight, and it even served to enhance the body’s strength.

Chu Jie sat on a massive stone within the cavern, his brow furrowed. Judging by the intensity of the Nine Heavens Gale, after training at the fourth terrace, the fifth would be the absolute limit his Mad Dog Battalion brothers could endure.

He had a plan. If every one of these men could reach at least the eighth level of the Body Gale Realm, they would be an invincible force in the entire Chaos Zone. With the addition of the battle formations bestowed by Duan Kun, sweeping through the region was not an impossibility.

Yet the threat of the Five Celestial Lords was pressing, a thorn in his side that robbed Chu Jie of sleep.

“Boss, I just saw people from the Five Celestial Lords have already reached the fourth terrace!” Liang Bo, in charge of intelligence, approached with a grave expression.

Chu Jie frowned. The fourth terrace was vast, but with seven or eight days of searching, they would inevitably be found. This battle was unavoidable.

His eyes narrowed to slits, his fists clenched, and a cold gleam flared in the dimness of the stone cave.

If there must be battle, then let us strike first! Chu Jie gritted his teeth.

He rose to his feet. “Brothers! Give it your all for three more days of training! In three days, we’ll let the Five Celestial Lords witness our might!”

The brothers howled in response, their morale surging as they trained with frenzied vigor.

By day, when the gales eased, they stood outside to temper their bodies and nurture their spiritual energy. At night, when the wind howled fiercely, they drilled their battle formations inside the stone cavern.

Shouts and roars echoed continuously. Three days passed in a flash, during which the brothers underwent yet more changes. Besides Chen Long and Liang Bo, the fastest progress was made by a man named Jiang Zilong.

Among cultivators, countless possess strong constitutions, but exceedingly few have bodies of true power. Chu Jie discovered that Jiang Zilong possessed the rare constitution known as the Sword Embryo—a peerless foundation for the way of the sword. With a sword in hand, he was as at home as a fish in water, mastering even the most difficult techniques in the blink of an eye. This delighted Chu Jie.

Chen Long was the most diligent, Liang Bo the most insightful, and Jiang Ziyun possessed the strongest physique; these three were placed in charge of a team each. Chen Long’s team, famed for their unmatched fortitude, was named the Black Tortoise Team—perfect for defense.

Liang Bo’s squad, with their overwhelming offensive power, was named the Vermilion Bird Team. Meanwhile, Jiang Ziyun’s team, noted for their swift and fierce attacks, was dubbed the White Tiger Team. The three squads complemented each other, weaving together seamlessly to form an unstoppable force.

On the third day, the time had come. Chu Jie curled his lip and led the Mad Dog Battalion out of the cave.

A blizzard raged, accompanied by howling winds. The Nine Heavens Gale was so piercing that even a glancing blow across the face left a bloody mark. More than thirty figures raced forward like a band of midnight spirits.

“Who goes there?” Five men ahead barked at their approach.

Chu Jie said nothing. Noticing the insignia of the Five Celestial Lords on their garments, he signaled with a gesture. Instantly, Jiang Ziyun led the White Tiger Team in a ferocious charge, shredding the five men in a heartbeat and tossing their remains onto the fifth terrace.

A cold smile flickered at Chu Jie’s lips as he gazed into the endless, raging wind. “Let them learn what it means to provoke us!”

The group pressed on, showing no mercy to any member of the Five Celestial Lords they encountered. By nightfall, over thirty had fallen to Chu Jie and the Mad Dog Battalion.

As darkness deepened and the gale roared ever fiercer, Chu Jie crouched behind a massive boulder, his eyes glinting with murderous intent as he watched a distant figure.

This was the third of the Five Celestial Lords—the Sword King!

The Sword King’s mastery of swordsmanship was extraordinary. Five streaks of dazzling sword light circled behind him, swirling in a vortex of sword energy that guarded his form. He was no easy foe.

But Chu Jie had already challenged the Five Celestial Lords; sooner or later, they would clash.

Resolute, Chu Jie gritted his teeth. “Attack!”

The three squads of the Mad Dog Battalion surged forward like a pack of mad dogs. Chen Long’s Black Tortoise Team led the charge, followed by the Vermilion Bird Team, and then the White Tiger Team.

“If I do not fall!” Chen Long thundered at the forefront, his body shrouded in a shield of spiritual energy.

“Then we shall not be defeated!” the brothers behind him roared, their voices shaking the earth.

In the very center, Chu Jie was exhilarated. With a mighty roar, he overtook Chen Long, sprinting to the vanguard of the battalion. As he ran, both arms swung forward, hurling the small cauldron and the Universe Wheel from his hands.

They shot through the night like twin beams of light—dazzling and sharp as dragons.

Chu Jie drew the longsword from his back, shattering the stones beneath his feet with each stride. “With my sword, I will press on without hesitation!”

Whoosh!

Though the sword was but a mortal weapon, it shrieked with sword energy, gleaming as it left Chu Jie’s grip, light bursting from its edge. He gritted his teeth and flung it forward. Midair, the sword exploded into a shower of cold stars, enveloping the Sword King.

The cauldron, the Universe Wheel, the shattered sword—three attacks struck in the same instant.

The Sword King was gaunt, bearing a mustache, his eyes small as soybeans yet flashing with cold light. Behind him, five spiritual swords interlaced.

As Chu Jie’s attacks came, the Sword King’s arm swept upward, and three flying swords leapt from their sheaths, slicing through the air in dazzling arcs to meet Chu Jie’s onslaught.

Clang! The cauldron and the Universe Wheel struck aside the spiritual swords, but one streak of sword energy shattered the fragmented sword and swept toward Chu Jie.

Chu Jie was relieved; though the Sword King wielded five spiritual swords, none seemed particularly formidable…

A wicked glint flashed in Chu Jie’s eyes. “Defend!”

Boom!

The Mad Dog Battalion’s spiritual power instantly formed an armor that gathered upon Chu Jie. With a sky-splitting roar, his hair streaming, he charged straight at the Sword King.