The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

The situation on Wan Jun Peak had turned.

Under the influence of the potent supplement, Kaiyang Taoist’s mind grew muddled, and his punches became increasingly chaotic.

Bai Yuan circled him, saber in hand.

His hands never stopped moving. Silently, the Fire Spirit was infused into Kaiyang Taoist’s body.

An ordinary person, even with a Fire Spirit, could never have poisoned Kaiyang Taoist.

But Bai Yuan was different. He possessed the master-level Ten Thousand Poison Hand. Even if he administered poison right under Kaiyang Taoist’s nose, the man wouldn’t have noticed.

In that moment, all the skills Bai Yuan had learned transformed into an art of combat.

Just as Lu Xiaoyu had said, a direct, head-on confrontation was always the crudest method of killing.

Finally, Bai Yuan identified enough openings.

His Broken River Saber Technique was ready to be unleashed.

Kaiyang Taoist instinctively sensed the danger.

"Son of a bitch! Just wait until I cure this poison, then I’ll come back and kill you!"

With a roar, Kaiyang Taoist tucked his head between his arms, curling his body into a ball and shooting down the mountain like a cannonball.

"Damn it, don’t run if you’ve got the guts!"

Yes, Kaiyang Taoist had fled.

Bai Yuan wanted to stop him, but with his slight frame, he stood no chance.

He couldn’t help but sigh in regret.

He had been just a few openings away from striking the killing blow against Kaiyang Taoist.

Bai Yuan sheathed his long saber, glanced toward the main peak, and then vanished into the courtyard beside Wan Jun Peak.

...

...

The Divine Mansion Sect was finished!

Murong Jiujiang stared at the flickering fires on the main peak and the twelve surrounding peaks, his heart sinking to the depths.

"Nephew Meng Ruo, long time no see."

General Zhao Wu, Ji Chang, brutally cut down a Divine Mansion Sect disciple. He looked at Murong Jiujiang, his bloody great-saber in hand.

He had waited far too long for this moment, and it had finally arrived.

With him were Fa Zhen Taoist, an Elder from Longevity Palace, and Yan Dong. It was impossible to know how many experts from the Divine Mansion Sect had died at their hands tonight.

"Is Longevity Palace colluding with the Lingzhou Army?"

"The Grand General of the North will never let you off lightly."

Murong Jiujiang rebuked them harshly.

Since both Ji Chang and Fa Zhen Taoist were here, he wasn’t foolish enough to bring up Murong Tian’s name.

’His master must be in a desperate situation as well.’

That was why he had decisively used the name of the Grand General of the North, Xu Dingchun, to try and intimidate them.

Ji Chang snorted coldly. "The war in the Northern Territory is tight. By the time that old man reacts, the Divine Mansion Sect will have long since been wiped out by remnants of the Demon Sect."

After tonight, all the crimes committed here would be blamed on the Demon Sect.

They would have absolutely no connection to the Lingzhou Army.

"You..."

Murong Jiujiang’s eyes were bloodshot. A moment later, he was overcome with despair.

’To think that the thousand-year legacy of the Divine Mansion Sect would be severed today.’

Supreme Elder Murong Qing had already fallen in the battle earlier, and Ge Zhen was gravely wounded. As for the other Thirteen Peaks, the situation there was surely no better.

There was no escape.

Murong Jiujiang took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute.

’Since it can’t be saved, I’ll at least die on my feet...’

"Fuck your mothers! You bastards from Longevity Palace and the Lingzhou Army, come and face your death!"

Murong Jiujiang shouted, leaning on his sword.

The disciples of the Divine Mansion Sect had always seen their Senior Brother as a gentle and refined man. They never expected him to curse like this.

"Haha... COUGH, COUGH... Well said!"

The heavily injured Ge Zhen roared with laughter.

He had always thought that the Meng Ruo Sect Master’s disciple was talented enough and of decent character, but lacked the brutal edge of a Jianghu person. Tonight, however, he found him more and more pleasing to the eye. ’What a pity we’re all about to die...’

Murong Jiujiang raised his Long Sword. "Elders and disciples of the Divine Mansion Sect, charge with me and slay the enemy!"

Hearing Murong Jiujiang’s words, the surrounded members of the Divine Mansion Sect slowly raised their lowered weapons.

Even if they were all going to die, they wouldn’t let their enemies have an easy time.

For a moment, battle cries echoed across the mountaintop.

Ji Chang sneered. "What’s the use of being loud? Go! Kill them all for me!"

...

...

At dawn, a torrential rain began to fall over Huanglong Prefecture.

Crimson rivers of blood flowed from Shenfu Mountain all the way into Huanglong Prefecture City.

When the city’s factions dared to venture to Shenfu Mountain, they found it littered with corpses. There was not a single living person left in the Divine Mansion Sect.

The Divine Mansion Sect had been annihilated!

This shocking news quickly spread through the city.

Who could have imagined that the giant serpent that had coiled around Huanglong Prefecture for a thousand years would one day be slain? To the people of Huanglong Prefecture, it felt like a dream.

The Lingzhou Army outside the city acted swiftly.

That very day, they sent soldiers to seal off Shenfu Mountain, announcing to the public that the Divine Mansion Sect had been attacked by the Demon Sect, and everyone in the sect had died in battle.

...

「Outside Huanglong Prefecture City.」

Ruan Xiuluan, Peak Master of the Divine Mansion Sect’s Qianzhu Peak, was fleeing wildly through the forest with her disciple, Li Zhu.

The pursuers were hot on their heels.

The previous night, she and Li Zhu had fought a bloody battle. Relying on her powerful Swordsmanship and familiarity with the terrain, they had actually managed to carve out a path to survival.

But even after escaping Shenfu Mountain, the Lingzhou Army pursuers, disguised as Demon Sect members, showed no intention of letting them go.

Ruan Xiuluan was gravely wounded from the continuous battles of the previous night. Her white clothes were stained a shocking, bloody red.

’Forget it. If I’m to die, so be it. If I go quickly, perhaps I can still catch up to Li Lang.’

Li Lang was her husband who had died young, the previous Peak Master of Qianzhu Peak.

Her husband had also been killed by the Lingzhou Army. The one who killed him was none other than General Zhao Wu, Ji Chang.

Ruan Xiuluan felt her strength draining away, her steps growing increasingly unsteady.

Seeing this, Li Zhu, who was beside her, grew extremely anxious.

If Ruan Xiuluan fell, they would both be doomed.

Just as Li Zhu was falling into despair—

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly erupted behind them.

He turned to see a strange man with a saber on his back appear behind them.

The pursuers behind them had all been cut down by the saber-wielding man.

Li Zhu’s eyes widened as he stared at the strange man. "Who are you?"

But then, the man’s features shifted, and he transformed into Bai Yuan.

Bai Yuan walked forward. "Junior Martial Uncle Ruan, Senior Brother Li, come with me."

Ruan Xiuluan and Li Zhu exchanged a look, seeing the shock in each other’s eyes. Although they didn’t know how Bai Yuan had found them, they decisively followed him.

They followed Bai Yuan through the mountain forest until they reached a secluded valley.

It was already crowded with people.

"Senior Brother Liu."

Ruan Xiuluan’s almond-shaped eyes went wide when she saw Liu Donghai, the Peak Master of Taibai Peak.

The battle on Qianzhu Peak had been brutal last night, so Taibai Peak couldn’t have fared much better. She never thought she would have the chance to see Liu Donghai again in this lifetime.

Liu Donghai looked at Ruan Xiuluan with relief. "Junior Sister Liu, it’s good that you’re alive. We owe our lives to Nephew Bai."

Ruan Xiuluan looked at Bai Yuan in astonishment. She hadn’t expected that all these people had been saved by him.

She glanced around at the people in the valley.

Outer Sect Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, True Disciples, Elders, Stewards... There were over a hundred people in total. There were even six True Disciples among them, with Shangguan Jin being one.

But there was no one from the main peak.

Liu Donghai saw her confusion. A look of sorrow crossed his face, and he sighed deeply. "Nephew Meng Ruo led the thousand people of the main peak, and all of them fought to the death. Not a single one survived."

"..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Ruan Xiuluan fell silent.

Bai Yuan didn’t stay in the valley for long.

He had to continue searching for other survivors from the Divine Mansion Sect.

Last night, after his fight with Kaiyang Taoist, he had decisively disguised himself as Kaiyang Taoist and gone to the other nearby peaks.

Just like on Wan Jun Peak, the entire Shenfu Mountain was surrounded by soldiers from the Lingzhou Army.

Bai Yuan could only do his best to save people, like Liu Donghai and the others in the valley.

He was only able to save Liu Donghai because Taibai Peak was the closest to Wan Jun Peak.

By the time he reached the main peak, Ji Chang and Fa Zhen Taoist had already killed Murong Jiujiang, Ge Zhen, and all the other experts there.

He had no choice but to lead the people he’d saved out of Shenfu Mountain and take refuge in this valley.

...

「Three days passed.」

The Lingzhou Army had taken complete control of Huanglong Prefecture. The Lord Lingzhou General even issued a special notice, vowing to exterminate the remnants of the Demon Sect in Huanglong Prefecture.

The outskirts of the Divine Mansion Sect’s grounds had now become a camp for the Lingzhou Army.

"What a useless piece of trash!"

Ji Chang spat as he stared grimly at Shi Bai Mountain’s corpse.

According to the Lord General’s original plan, after wiping out the Divine Mansion Sect, they were to install Shi Bai Mountain as the new Shenfu Sect Master. That way, even if the Grand General of the North found out, they would have at least saved some face.

But who would have thought that Shi Bai Mountain, along with two Jin-realm masters, would try to ambush Bai Yuan, only to end up dead himself.

Not only that, but Kaiyang Taoist from Longevity Palace was still unconscious.

He had apparently been hit with a potent poison and had already been taken back to Longevity Palace by Fa Zhen and the others.

’Bai Yuan...’

Ji Chang now gnashed his teeth in hatred at the name. If it weren’t for that True Disciple named Bai Yuan, he wouldn’t be facing such a mess right now.

Now, aside from the Divine Mansion Army and those who were away with Murong Tian quelling rebellions, everyone else in the Divine Mansion Sect had been completely slaughtered.

Choosing a puppet from among the survivors had become extremely difficult.

After all, anyone who could serve as a puppet needed to be at least at the level of a Peak Master, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to command respect.

The Lord General’s intention wasn’t to completely annihilate the Divine Mansion Sect, but to break its spine and reduce it to an ordinary power. Otherwise, he would have no way to answer to the Northern Garrison Army.

"Drag him out and give him a proper burial."

Ji Chang waved his hand at a nearby soldier.

Of course, all the corpses on the mountain had to be buried properly, to show the Lord General’s respect for the heroic dead.

Ji Chang, with his long saber at his side, walked to the summit of Wan Jun Peak and gazed out at the mountains.

’Is there really an Immortal Cave Mansion here?’ he wondered.

The Lord General had gone to such great lengths not only to remove the thorn in his side that was the Divine Mansion Sect, but also to search for the Divine Mansion.

However, apart from a few trusted confidants like himself, almost no one knew about this second objective.

The intelligence that came in today had surprised him.

Even with the Lord General and the Longevity Palace Master joining forces, they had still allowed that Meng Ruo Sect Master to escape.

He heard the Lord General was personally leading the pursuit.

’That Meng Ruo Sect Master is truly skilled.’

Ji Chang felt inadequate in comparison. To survive an ambush by two great masters—such a feat was considered top-tier in Ling Province.

As the Lord General’s confidant, he had seen the Lord General in action many times.

The gap between one master of the Zhigan realm and another could be immense.