Chapter 140: My Sword Is the Pass

With the treasure map in hand, it still took Qin Chuan nearly a month to clear out every outpost.

After this wave, Qin Chuan finally wore a satisfied smile. The harvest was far better than he had imagined. Not only did he level up three times and undergo a mutation evolution, but he also accumulated a pile of merit points and vital energy. More importantly, he successfully unlocked two third-stage skills.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been logical for Qin Chuan to leave, but he chose to do the exact opposite, venturing deep into enemy territory alone. He had expected the crowds to grow as he went deeper, but the reality was quite the contrary. The further in he went, the more desolate it became, as he had arrived at a captive zone designated by the Black Wind Cliff.

The territory of Black Wind Cliff was vast, with dozens of such captive zones, each containing spiritual treasures of varying levels. Each zone was managed by an outer sect branch responsible for collecting any treasures above the rare grade. These areas also served as training grounds for Black Wind Cliff, where many disciples would choose suitable zones to hone their skills.

Although Qin Chuan had caused quite a stir, news traveled slowly. The outer towns were primarily inhabited by humans who traded among the various major factions. Consequently, the news of Qin Chuan killing Shang Xuanyun was still confined to human circles, and the people of Black Wind Cliff had yet to receive any word.

Ahead lay a level 30-40 zone. The spiritual treasures here were mostly of excellent quality, and there were hardly any mutated ones left, as anything with the slightest bit of quality had already been snatched up by Black Wind Cliff. Qin Chuan noticed a faint white light in the surroundings, similar to the situation in the Wind Spirit Valley, though it felt much more formidable here.

"Master, there is a magical formation here. It would be best to find the entrance."

"Understood."

Qin Chuan followed the white light and soon spotted ten outer sect disciples guarding a main road.

The guards at the entrance shouted fiercely, "Who goes there? Halt! Show your entry permit, or get lost!"

Generally, aside from passing merchants, no one would ever come here. Qin Chuan’s presence was highly suspicious, and the guards challenged him from thirty meters away.

Qin Chuan’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Entry permit? I don't have one."

*Clang!*

The ten outer sect disciples drew their spiritual weapons in unison. The leader glared at him menacingly. "Get lost immediately, or die!"

At this moment, Qin Chuan unsheathed the Dragon Pattern Frost Crystal Sword and said with a playful smile, "My sword is my permit."

The ten disciples were instantly enraged. Black Wind Cliff was the master of this region; whoever came here had to be obedient. Yet, this man in black not only showed no fear but intended to force his way in—it was pure suicide.

"Junior brothers, attack! Hack him into mincemeat!"

"Wow, I’ve been guarding this place for so many years and haven't killed anyone yet. Today, I’ll get a taste of it."

"Exactly, I really want to see the feeling of blood spraying out!"

"Yes, yes, the thought of it makes my blood boil!"

In an instant, the ten disciples charged forward with excitement.

However, the very next moment, a long sword pierced the air and transfixed the throat of one of the disciples. Now, there was indeed blood spraying everywhere. Qin Chuan recalled his blade, the tip still stained with a trace of crimson.

"Hiss!"

"Good heavens, am I seeing things? What kind of sword technique is this to strike from such a distance?"

"Could it be a flying sword from the Celestial Realm?"

"Impossible, that’s simply impossible!"

"How could someone from the Celestial Realm come here?!"

The way Qin Chuan used his skills now resembled both a sword technique and a flying sword. The remaining nine disciples felt their blood freeze instantly, their eyes filled with shock and panic. To be killed in a flash before even reaching him—how were they supposed to fight?

"The guy is too strong! Go back and find the elder!"

They turned and fled in a display of cowardice, forgetting their duty to guard the entrance entirely. These disciples ran for their lives, wishing their parents had given them more legs. A single strike from Qin Chuan had frightened them out of their wits.

*Whoosh!*

Qin Chuan’s figure flickered, leaving long afterimages in his wake; his speed was unimaginably fast.

"Oh god, what kind of movement technique is this? How can he be so fast?"

"No, don't come over! Don't come over!"

The nine disciples looked back and were so terrified they nearly wet their pants. Behind them, red light flashed, and a hundred sword shadows whistled toward them.

"Ahhh!"

*Ding! Kill confirmed...*

Qin Chuan had lightly thrust his palms forward, unleashing his ultimate move, "Falling Sky Stream," which instantly annihilated all the outer sect disciples. The ultimate move continued to move forward, much like a bulldozer.

Qin Chuan smiled slightly. "Hmm, the feeling of using an ultimate move for the first time isn't bad."

Long Ao remarked dismissively, "Master, you are wasting your ultimate move."

"Heh, I hadn't used it before, so my hands were itching."

This reasoning left Long Ao speechless. Along the way, the few spiritual treasures Qin Chuan encountered provided pitiful amounts of experience and essence. Eventually, Qin Chuan gave up on the idea of clearing the area and headed straight for the Black Wind Cliff’s outer sect branch.

The treasure map left behind by Shang Xuanyun proved incredibly useful. It clearly marked the locations and routes—a truly thoughtful gift. Shang Xuanyun would never have imagined that even after his death, he would continue to contribute his remaining value to the development of the Spirit Realm.

The Black Wind Cliff's outer sect branch was situated on a mountain peak, consisting of several buildings housing about a few hundred people. On the plaza midway up the mountain, sword light flickered as many outer sect disciples practiced diligently, hoping to advance their cultivation.

At that moment, Qin Chuan appeared at the mountain gate.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Two disciples guarding the foot of the mountain shouted angrily, drawing their spiritual weapons to block the gate. They were stunned, unable to figure out how the man in black had managed to get this far.

Qin Chuan smiled cordially. "The scenery here is beautiful; I thought I'd come for a visit."

This remark infuriated the two disciples.

"Scoundrel! This is the stronghold of the Black Wind Cliff outer sect; how dare you treat it like a tourist spot?"

"I think you're looking for death!"

Before they could finish, they saw Qin Chuan lift his right hand slightly, and *whoosh*, a long sword pierced the air.

*Thwack!*

"This..."

The other disciple trembled, his legs giving way, unable to speak as he turned to flee.

*Chirp!*

*Thwack!*

"Ah!"

The Dragon Pattern Frost Crystal Sword passed through his back—another instant kill. Although these outer sect disciples were around level 30, their spiritual defense values were far too low to withstand the sharpness of the Dragon Pattern Frost Crystal Sword.

These two shrill screams caught the attention of an outer sect elder whose duty was to guard the mountain gate. He was the outer sect elder, Gu Qiuyou. The outer sect disciples Qin Chuan had killed along the way were, in fact, his subordinates.

"Enemy attack?"

"Impossible. For so many years, all factions have been very disciplined; they generally don't cause trouble at will."

"Could it be that the Purple Spirit Mansion has attacked? But why haven't I received any news?"

Filled with doubt and shock, the elder rushed toward the mountain gate. From a distance, he saw a man in black walking toward him with an air of nonchalance. The scene was completely beyond Gu Qiuyou's expectations.

"Who are you, and why do you trespass on the Black Wind Cliff stronghold? If you don't give me a good reason, I will ensure you have no place to be buried!"

*Ding! Black Wind Cliff Outer Sect Elder detected, level 40.*