At those words, the two Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen from Yuan Province were both immediately shaken inwardly.
Though their standing within the alliance was not low, they had never heard a single word about any alliance between their own organization, the Primal Yin Origin Sect, and the Great Yan Sword Sect to deal with Falling God Peak.
Hearing this from the Silver Moon Sword Lord's own mouth, they immediately understood that this had to be a secret known only to the highest levels of the alliance.
The two exchanged a glance, and both had an unusual quality in their eyes.
By rights, something this secret was not something they should be hearing carelessly. But given the unusual situation at Falling God Peak, it seemed it might not matter so much now.
At that point the Profound Yin Three Elders let out a cold snort, though they clearly harbored some wariness toward the white-robed elder of the Great Yan Sword Sect, and said no more.
But the white-robed elder stroked his beard, swept a look over the Profound Yin Three Elders and the two Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen, then suddenly said, "Times are different now. This old one is somewhat curious. After the fight between Falling God Peak and the Great Li court is over, are you planning to kick Falling God Peak while it is down?"
Hearing this, one of the Profound Yin Three Elders glanced at the white-robed elder, and another said with a dark, cold air, "What of it? Could it be that your Great Yan Sword Sect has an interest?"
The black-robed elder then let out a cold laugh, saying, "But even if you have an interest, you will have to wait until Falling God Peak and the Great Li court are finished fighting before anything can be said."
At those words, the hilltop went suddenly quiet, and the other two of the Profound Yin Three Elders immediately shot a look at the one who had spoken, clearly blaming him for saying too much.
The two Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen both gave barely perceptible nods of their heads and said nothing. This was not something they could discuss.
As for the white-robed elder, his eyes flickered, though what he was thinking was difficult to say.
And right at that moment, one of the Profound Yin Three Elders' gaze shifted, and he suddenly turned his head to look in the direction of Hundred Refinements City.
The others all turned quickly to look as well.
They could see that in the darkness at the far edge of the mountain range, a flame had risen at some point.
This flame was clearly different from the signals sent before. Like magma erupting from a volcano it shot straight into the sky, as though it would burn through the entire cloud layer at the horizon.
Very quickly, the clouds above Hundred Refinements City in that direction became a vast blazing red, like evening clouds lit by a great fire, visible clearly from nearly a hundred miles in every direction across the Falling God Peak region.
"That is..."
Both Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen were stunned by what they saw in the distant sky.
They could naturally guess that someone was making their move in the direction of Hundred Refinements City, but this kind of terrifying power and capability seemed as though no human force could achieve it.
It was not as though they had never seen formidable martial artists. They had even had the fortune to witness the martial genius who had taken the position of Fifth Vice Alliance Master at such a young age make their move at the Alliance Under Heaven's main gathering.
That person's martial cultivation was unfathomable, awe-inspiring to the point of shaking the martial resolve of those watching.
Yet even that person had possessed no such staggering ability as controlling a sky full of blazing fire and burning through the heavens themselves.
The two of them found themselves inwardly wondering whether what they were seeing could truly be done by a human being.
At that point the Profound Yin Three Elders and the white-robed elder likewise all changed expression sharply.
Yet their breadth of knowledge was clearly enough for them to vaguely recognize the identity of the person making their move from within Falling God Peak.
"Scarlet Fire Honored Elder."
One of the Profound Yin Three Elders said quietly to himself.
The dark sky above was reflected in his shadowed eyes, and his entire bearing was extremely unsettled, even showing a trace of fear.
The two Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen slowly came back to themselves, exchanged a look, and unable to hold back their curiosity, could not help but ask, "Elder, what manner of person is this Scarlet Fire Honored Elder? Why have we never heard this name in the martial world before?"
Hearing this, the Profound Yin Three Elders glanced at the two of them, then continued to look toward the sky, showing no inclination to explain.
The two could see this and their expressions darkened, but they could only hold their peace and did not dare ask again.
But at that point the white-robed elder nearby looked out into the distance and said slowly, "It is perfectly normal that you do not know the Scarlet Fire Honored Elder, because this person has never traveled the martial world, and has in fact never once acted before this. Even this old one only learned of their identity from the master's own mouth."
At those words, both Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen stirred and immediately folded their hands in a respectful bow, saying, "We ask the Silver Moon Sword Lord to enlighten us."
The white-robed elder looked toward Hundred Refinements City in the night. The entire sky above it had at that moment become a sea of roaring fire.
His eyes were filled with shock. After a moment of silence, he said, "According to what my master told me, Falling God Peak, beyond its grandmaster, also has four Honored Elders who serve as its true foundation and deepest reserve of strength."
"And these four Honored Elders are no ordinary martial artists. Not only is their martial cultivation formidable, but they also appear to command certain unknown and unusual powers, capable of controlling wind, fire, and rock, among other things."
Saying this, the white-robed elder let out a heavy sigh and shook his head, saying, "When I first heard this from my master, I assumed he was exaggerating. Only seeing it today do I truly understand that all of it was real, and that people of such extraordinary natural gifts truly exist in this world."
At that point one of the Profound Yin Three Elders looked toward the sky and suddenly said, "No wonder our sect master and the senior elders took Falling God Peak so seriously. With abilities as extraordinary as those Honored Elders possess, even someone whose martial cultivation exceeds theirs would find it very difficult to overcome them."
At those words, the hilltop fell suddenly silent.
Both Alliance Under Heaven helmsmen were stunned by what the white-robed elder had said and stopped asking questions, their gazes fixed on the burning clouds in the sky ahead with growing alarm.
At that point one of the Profound Yin Three Elders said in a cold voice, "One wonders which old presence the Great Li court has sent this time. Facing the Scarlet Fire Honored Elder of Falling God Peak, unless they can overwhelm this person in martial cultivation, going there means certain death."
Before, they had still been hoping the Great Li court and Falling God Peak might exhaust each other and come away both badly wounded.
But having truly seen the Scarlet Fire Honored Elder make their move, they no longer held any hope of that at all.
After all, Falling God Peak had three more Honored Elders of this kind. How many old presences would the Great Li court need to draw from the imperial palace to barely stand a chance against all four of them?
And even if Emperor Yuanwu had made the firmest possible decision to remove Falling God Peak, there was no way he would leave the Great Li capital hollow by truly dispatching that many powerful martial artists.
The white-robed elder let out a sigh, saying, "Falling God Peak has kept their secrets well enough. With the four Honored Elders never once having made a move, naturally no one would know their true strength."
"After this battle, Falling God Peak's name will be even more fearsome than before."