Chapter 300 – One Person Ascends Pine Mountain, Henceforth Pine Mountain Has No Name

“Halt! Who are you?”

At the main gate of Pine Mountain Temple, a disciple shouted angrily at the black-clad man slowly approaching the mountain entrance.

This was a critical period, and the temple master had repeatedly forbidden any strangers from ascending the mountain.

Even members of the Xia Dynasty royal family needed to announce their visit in advance, with the temple master deciding whether to grant entry.

Lu Chen clearly didn’t meet any of these conditions.

Seeing that Lu Chen continued advancing despite the warning, the disciple’s expression instantly changed.

This fellow… likely meant trouble.

Doot…

The Pine Mountain Temple disciple immediately blew a deer horn whistle he produced.

Deep, resonant notes began echoing throughout Pine Mountain.

Within moments, the previously tranquil Pine Mountain Temple grew noisy.

Countless disciples flew in from all directions, gathering at the mountain entrance.

“Junior Brother Gao, what’s happening?”

A senior disciple arrived at the entrance and questioned the gatekeeping disciple.

“Senior Brother Liang, look over there.”

Following Junior Brother Gao’s pointing finger, Senior Brother Liang quickly noticed Lu Chen standing not far away.

Lu Chen had stopped about a hundred meters from Pine Mountain Temple’s entrance, seemingly waiting for something.

Though Senior Brother Liang couldn’t discern Lu Chen’s background, sometimes the absence of information was itself information.

As one of the few Golden Core Stage cultivators in Pine Mountain Temple, the fact that even he couldn’t see through this person spoke volumes.

Considering this, Gao Jun stepped forward and asked Lu Chen: “Fellow Daoist, our Pine Mountain Temple is currently sealed off. What important matter brings you here?”

“If there’s nothing urgent, please withdraw for now and return another day to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.”

Gao Jun felt his words had shown Lu Chen considerable face.

Given Pine Mountain’s status in the Xia Dynasty, any ordinary cultivator daring to ascend the mountain privately without sending advance notice during this period would have at least lost an arm as punishment.

After hearing this, Lu Chen simply waved his hand.

Instantly, a massive bronze bell descended from the sky, landing before the numerous Pine Mountain Temple disciples.

BOOM!

The bell struck the ground, shaking the earth and kicking up clouds of dust.

Standing beside the bell, Lu Chen calmly said: “Nothing urgent. I merely came to deliver you all a gift.”

“…”

“De-deliver a bell?”

The Pine Mountain Temple disciples stared at Lu Chen, their eyes instantly turning sharp.

Presenting a bell to their faces – how was this different from slapping Pine Mountain Temple directly?

“Very well! Very well!”

Gao Jun looked at Lu Chen, laughing in extreme anger.

Since the other party had clearly come to pick a fight, there was nothing more to discuss.

But just as Gao Jun prepared to call his fellow disciples to teach this rude man an unforgettable lesson,

a voice came from behind them.

“All of you, step back.”

Everyone turned to see an old man with a goatee, white-haired yet youthful-faced, slowly emerging.

“Temple Master…”

The disciples all bowed their heads in respect at the newcomer.

Pine Mountain Temple Master Lu Yannian came before the disciples and stared at Lu Chen for a moment before speaking: “Fellow Daoist, to my knowledge we’ve never met before, and there should be no past grievances between us.””I wonder if Fellow Daoist might grant this old man an opportunity to turn conflict into harmony?”

“So long as Fellow Daoist is willing, aside from this Pine Mountain Temple, anything within this old man’s capabilities shall be fulfilled to the best of my ability.”

“I wonder what Fellow Daoist thinks of this proposal?”

Before Lu Chen could respond, the surrounding Pine Mountain Temple disciples erupted in chaos.

“Master, why reason with such a madman? He’s alone while we outnumber him!”

“Not to mention we have our ancestors’ protection! Why waste words on him!”

“Indeed, Master! When has our Pine Mountain Temple ever been so humiliated? If word spreads that our entire temple was intimidated by one man, we’ll become the laughingstock of the cultivation world!”

Hearing the disorderly clamor, Lu Yannian snorted coldly: “Silence, all of you!”

The entire Pine Mountain Temple immediately fell silent at his command.

Though many disciples still wore expressions of discontent,

Thinking Lu Yannian had grown cowardly with age, utterly spineless.

Only Lu Yannian understood – the moment Lu Chen ascended the mountain, his death omen star had been pulsating relentlessly.

Discerning fortune from misfortune was Lu Yannian’s innate divine ability,

The very reason he could maintain his footing in the Xia Dynasty.

Even when besieged by Flowing Cloud and Azure Falls temples previously,

He had never experienced such foreboding.

This clearly revealed Lu Chen’s danger level –

Undoubtedly an existence whose cultivation far surpassed his own.

Though appearing alone, he posed greater threat than both Flowing Cloud and Azure Falls temples combined.

This person… should not be offended unless absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, though Lu Yannian had lowered his posture to such extent,

What he could offer held no interest for Lu Chen.

What Lu Chen wanted, he couldn’t provide.

For Lu Chen desired the Pine Mountain Temple itself.

Or rather, this very location of Pine Mountain.

Thus, facing Lu Yannian’s inquiry, Lu Chen merely gazed at him calmly without speaking.

Everything… was conveyed beyond words.

The seasoned Lu Yannian understood Lu Chen’s meaning upon seeing this.

He sighed deeply, then turned to his disciples: “Take action.”

“Yes!”

The long-restrained Pine Mountain Temple disciples immediately grew exhilarated.

Their frenzied expressions bore no resemblance to the dignity and composure expected of cultivator families,

Appearing more demonic than actual demons.

Instantly, hundreds of Pine Mountain Temple disciples in daoist robes surged forward, flying toward Lu Chen.

Having been confined to the mountains while watching their territories in Xia Dynasty being gradually eroded by Flowing Cloud and Azure Falls temples,

Their pent-up resentment had found its perfect outlet in Lu Chen’s appearance.

Naturally, they wouldn’t miss such opportunity.

After all, not everyone possessed Lu Yannian’s innate divine ability,

Nor everyone had the wisdom to assess situations appropriately.

Most Pine Mountain Temple disciples had grown accustomed to unchecked arrogance,

Believing that within Xia Dynasty’s borders, only they could bully others – never the reverse.

Moreover, under prolonged suppression and mental strain,

Extreme behaviors came easily, especially for Pine Mountain Temple members… who were never virtuous to begin with.

“Hahaha! This young master has been going mad with boredom! Finally found my chance!”A Pine Mountain Temple disciple laughed heartily, his Daoist robe transforming into a deer hide that draped directly over his body.

The deer hide fused with his skin, sprouting countless tiny blood vessels that pierced into the disciple’s flesh, completely replacing it.

In an instant, the Pine Mountain Temple disciple who originally appeared human immediately transformed into a half-human, half-deer monster.

Similar transformations occurred among the other Pine Mountain Temple disciples.

However, these changes varied among individuals.

Some only had their legs deerified, while others had their arms transformed.

There were even those with half their bodies altered.

Moreover, the deer hides these people wore also differed.

Some even appeared to be stitched together from multiple animal skins.

In the blink of an eye, the entire Pine Mountain Temple transformed from an immortal Daoist sanctuary

into a chaotic den of demons.

The fastest charging Pine Mountain Temple disciple had already reached Lu Chen’s front.

A ferocious grin spread across his face, as if he could already see himself dismembering Lu Chen, peeling his skin off to add to his collection.

But this grin became the final expression of his life.

Squelch!

With a flash of white light, a blood line immediately appeared on the Pine Mountain Temple disciple’s neck.

Then his head slid from his body, rolling several times on the ground before coming to rest.

The eyes in that head were filled with confusion, as if completely unaware of what had just happened.

The headless corpse collapsed on the spot, lying beside the lonely head, instantly intimidating the surrounding Pine Mountain Temple disciples.

“F-fake, right? Senior Brother Liu at the Foundation Establishment Stage… j-just died like that?”

A Pine Mountain Temple disciple screeched to a halt, his expression extremely grim.

If even Foundation Establishment Stage Senior Brother Liu could die so inexplicably, how could an ordinary disciple like him who hadn’t even reached Foundation Establishment hope to survive?

Run, run fast!

Strong survival instincts suppressed the madness in his heart.

Making him flee toward the rear without looking back.

But by now, wanting to turn back was already too late.

As several more white lights flashed through the air.

The dozens of Pine Mountain Temple disciples who had charged at Lu Chen first all suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Then, their bodies split apart like tofu, fragmenting into pieces.

As if sliced apart by something extremely sharp.

The many Pine Mountain Temple disciples in the distance witnessing this scene felt their hearts plunge into an ice cellar.

Because they couldn’t even see when Lu Chen had made his move, let alone how he did it.

Such power was already beyond what mere Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivators like them could handle.

“Gao Jun, you and Xiao Chen’s group, go test his capabilities.”

Gao Jun standing beside Lu Yannian and three other Golden Core Stage Pine Mountain Temple elite disciples turned pale upon hearing this.

Sending the four of them to test Lu Chen’s capabilities? Did they even need testing?

Although they could easily kill dozens of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Achieving the same effortless composure as Lu Chen was absolutely impossible for them.

Sending the four of them to probe Lu Chen was no different from sending them to their deaths.

How could someone who dared block their mountain gate alone and deliver a funeral bell to Pine Mountain Temple in front of everyone

be easily dealt with by just four of them?

They didn’t believe for a second that Lu Chen was unaware of their Pine Mountain Temple’s situation.

Yet disobeying Lu Yannian’s command was equally unthinkable for them.After exchanging glances, Gao Jun and the others all revealed resolute expressions.

They… had no choice.

Gao Jun and his companions stepped over the bodies of their fellow junior disciples, stopping a hundred paces away from Lu Chen.

As elite disciples of Pine Mountain Temple at the Golden Core Stage.

Though they had no chance of reaching the Nascent Soul realm, they had obtained the true legacy of Pine Mountain Temple… the Stitched Deerhide Scripture.

In an instant, their Daoist robes transformed into deerhide.

Turning them into half-human, half-deer creatures as well.

But unlike ordinary disciples, the deer demons they transformed into were not only more complete.

But their deerhide skins were also inscribed with numerous mysterious patterns.

Clearly making them significantly more powerful than other Pine Mountain Temple disciples.

“Attack together!”

Gao Jun roared, pretending to charge at Lu Chen with ‘full force’.

But from the corner of his eye, he noticed that despite deliberately slowing his pace.

His fellow senior brothers still maintained a one-body-length distance behind him.

Without a doubt, the other three senior brothers shared the same thought.

Unwilling to be the first to strike.

What they failed to notice was that as they charged toward Lu Chen.

A crack silently appeared behind Lu Yannian.

Only because everyone’s attention was focused on Lu Chen and Gao Jun’s group.

Did others fail to notice Lu Yannian’s anomaly.

But Lu Yannian’s subtle movements were clearly seen by Lu Chen.

Lu Chen calmly glanced in Lu Yannian’s direction, then raised his hand.

The next moment, vast amounts of Primordial Qi condensed into countless Immortal Swords, flying toward both Gao Jun and Lu Yannian’s locations.

Facing this endless rain of swords, Gao Jun and the others immediately revealed their unique Divine Abilities.

Attempting to block Lu Chen’s terrifying sword rain.

But how could fireflies compete with the sun and moon?

Upon contacting Lu Chen’s Divine Ability Immortal Swords, they horrifyingly discovered their proud Pine Mountain Temple secret techniques were completely useless.

The Deerhide Scripture that could weaken or even ignore many spells and Divine Abilities was as fragile as paper before Lu Chen’s Immortal Swords, shattering upon contact.

“Ah!!!”

With four screams, Gao Jun and the others were pierced by thousands of Immortal Swords.

Then these Immortal Swords continued without pause, sweeping into the crowd.

Wherever the Immortal Swords passed, flesh and blood flew everywhere amidst continuous screams.

The previously arrogant, contemptuous Pine Mountain Temple disciples.

Had now lost all their original confidence and madness.

Their only thought now was to flee, to get as far away as possible.

But their speed was utterly insignificant compared to the surrounding Immortal Swords.

So not only could they not escape, they couldn’t even clearly see the Immortal Swords.

Within a few breaths.

Before the grand gates of Pine Mountain Temple, besides Lu Chen and Lu Yannian, not a single living creature remained.

Lu Chen didn’t look at the ‘human skin’ left by Lu Yannian, but controlled the Immortal Swords to shoot toward a certain pine tree.

Just as these Immortal Swords were about to strike the ordinary-looking pine tree.

The pine tree immediately grew a human face and waved numerous vines to block them.

The previously unstoppable Immortal Swords were genuinely stopped this time.

After a moment, all the Immortal Swords transformed back into streams of Primordial Qi, returning to Lu Chen’s body.

Lu Yannian looked at Lu Chen with a gloomy expression, saying in a deep voice: “Fellow Daoist, was this necessary?”Hearing this, Lu Chen calmly said, “Just changing the owner of Pine Mountain, that’s all.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Yannian’s expression… grew even more unpleasant.

If Lu Chen intended to change the owner of Pine Mountain, then he would certainly not spare Lu Yannian, the former master of Pine Mountain.

This battle was unavoidable.

(End of Chapter)