World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 360: A Lone Strike

Under the starlit sky, a faint shadow raced through the clouds as swiftly as lightning, yet he did not leave even the slightest ripple in the mist.

Wang Sheng, who had set out alone, was leaning slightly forward, his hands clasped behind his back. Spiritless was in his right hand in a reverse grip, its blade resting quietly along his back. Under him, Flying Haze carried him onward. Its radiance was restrained, yet it had already been pushed to the very limit of sword flight speed.

Without the Flowing Celestial Robe, Wang Sheng now exuded a sharper aura. It was as though he were a celestial sword that had just been drawn from its sheath, ready to cut down anyone who dared block its path.

On his shoulder sat Yaoyun, shedding a faint light of immortality that dampened Wang Sheng's aura. She made the primal qi around them fluctuate enough to turn them almost completely undetectable.

However, the black talisman on his chest was the main reason behind his nearly translucent form. Shi Qianzhang's invisibility talisman was often seen as mediocre since it could only conceal the user from the naked eye, not from a cultivator's spiritual consciousness or perception.

He had even tested it with the research institute and confirmed that biological radars could still detect it. Nevertheless, the warfare unit still armed themselves with it in large numbers, which earned Shi Qianzhang a tidy sum in patent fees.

With Yaoyun suppressing Wang Sheng's aura, the talisman was surprisingly working even better. Even so, Wang Sheng did not feel completely safe. He continued to restrain his aura as much as he could, and he always used clouds as cover whenever he came across some.

He could only roughly estimate that he was still around six hundred kilometers away from the Aukuili Mountains, which was less than half the distance. After all, he had left his phone with Huai Jing and the others to reduce his chance of exposure. Who knew what tracking components were hidden in such advanced devices?

As Wang Sheng flashed past a large city with dark and quiet buildings, Yaoyun swung her little feet. In a serene tone, she telepathically asked, "You're not completely sure about this either, are you?"

Though she no longer exuded the dignified elegance of a Heavenly Court princess, she now seemed more lively. In her fairy form, she resembled Thumbelina of Western tales, though her ancient gown of flowing feathers marked her as otherworldly.

Wang Sheng nodded slightly. He whispered, "The world can't demand certainty in everything before taking action. The enemy is gathering the hostages in one place, which means this is our last shot at rescuing all of them. If I slip in quietly, I might be able to do what they least expect."

"You were speaking so confidently earlier, I almost thought you had begun to understand stratagems." Yaoyun laughed softly. "Long ago, when the Heavenly Court returned to the star domains, they also used the ruse of an open feint to hide their true motives, allowing them to catch the foreign armies off guard with a powerful attack. That was how they turned the tide.

"Now that you're a disciple of Emperor Ziwei, you ought to learn the Dao of Strategy as well. Blind cultivation alone is not enough to perfect the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Art."

Wang Sheng smiled. "As a cultivator, getting to walk my own path is enough for me. I'm not really interested in meddling with anything else."

Yaoyun just chuckled softly, though it seemed to have a hidden meaning. She then hummed a delicate tune.

Wang Sheng focused on what awaited him. He played out every possible scenario and considered the tactics he could use. Considering Dark Faction experts had likely crowded the place he was heading to, it had effectively become a temporary stronghold.

The two remaining ancient vampire princes alone were already a grave threat, but others of equal standing were probably also in the area. After all, the Blood Race could not logically rule the Dark Faction by themselves.

This is troublesome...

The two "firecrackers" still posed the most danger. If he could destroy them without being discovered, then he had accomplished the true tactical purpose of his mission.

Concerned, Yaoyun asked, "If it seems too dangerous, why not wait for reinforcements? A person can only do so much alone, and you're still only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. You don't have to force yourself."

Wang Sheng smiled faintly. "To win through surprise, I have to take risks. I want to give it a try."

"What if you're discovered too soon?"

"Then I'll cut my way through. Don't worry. I won't foolishly trade my life for the safety of the hostages. If the plan proves impossible, I'll retreat immediately."

"That is not entirely obstinate at least."

"As cultivators, we seek nothing more than an open heart and a clear conscience. I will bear the responsibility for my actions in this battle, but even if the world condemns me for this, my Dao Heart won't be shaken in the slightest. I simply have to do this. Doing nothing or hiding behind others would make me feel ashamed."

The tiny fairy turned to study his profile. Light flickered briefly in her eyes, but she quickly veiled it.

"The enemy is still moving their forces. Circle from the west; their defenses have larger gaps there."

Wang Sheng glanced at her.

Composed, Yaoyun added, "They're already within my perception's range. Would you like me to probe ahead first?"

"Will they notice?"

"If they can detect me, you may as well turn back. There would be no point in going."

"I'm counting on you, then, Fairy." Wang Sheng smiled.

Yaoyun snorted lightly, then closed her eyes to search. Whenever he didn't require her help, he called her by name only. Now that he did, he called her "Fairy" again.

Before long, she reported, "The hostages have been brought to the town at the foot of one of the mountains. The enemy forces are concentrated on the mountain itself, and they're using small flying boxes as weapons.

"Half the mountain has been hollowed out with complicated structures. Around three thousand troops are stationed inside, but they are all just a bunch of disorderly rabble who are not worth worrying about. There are four individuals who are as strong as the fiend you killed earlier, though."

Four...

Remaining composed, Wang Sheng nodded. "Can you locate the two 'firecrackers'?"

"What do they look like?"

"Let's see..."

Wang Sheng thought for a moment, then roughly described the shape of a common nuclear warhead. Following Yaoyun's advice, he also began to circle toward the west. He occasionally emerged from the clouds, blending into the night.

"I have found several hundred that match your description."

Wang Sheng staggered and nearly stumbled from the air, but he quickly realized that she just likely found missiles or rockets. He quickly asked about their locations. After a brief explanation from Yaoyun, Wang Sheng breathed a little easier. They were just simple missiles. Not all warheads were necessarily nuclear.

If the enemy truly possessed hundreds of nuclear warheads, the nations of Europe would have already panicked. Even the Dami Empire would never allow such madness. Hundreds of such weapons on the loose would be a dire threat to them as well. Just like the investigation unit's reliable intel had reported, the enemy likely only had two nuclear warheads hidden among their missiles.

Wang Sheng asked a few more questions. "How far is the secret base in the mountain from the town? Are there any cultivators hidden among the drones monitoring the hostages?"

Based on Yaoyun's answers, he gained a clear understanding of the enemy's plan: they intended to use the nuclear warheads to either kill him or wipe out the Hua Republic cultivators who'd be coming to rescue the hostages.

If he appeared in the town to save the civilians, they would not hesitate to launch their nuclear weapons immediately and obliterate the town. The fortifications inside the mountain could withstand the blast, and only weaponized drones were guarding the hostages, not cultivators.

If Wang Sheng somehow managed to escape the core of the explosion and survive, the experts hiding inside the mountain would engage him all at once.

The plan was ruthless, but the vision of the one who devised it was clearly narrow, and their understanding of cultivators was shallow. They probably weren't all that strong themselves. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

The Great Dao of the Golden Core and the Dao of the Primordial Spirit had one unparalleled advantage: Primordial Spirit cultivation. Upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, one's perception could span a hundred li.

Wang Sheng didn't have to conduct any investigation himself, thanks to the Celestial Immortal with him. As a spirit, Yaoyun was now far weaker than her true primordial soul, but she still far surpassed the probing power of any mortal cultivator.

With all the information that Wang Sheng had obtained, the battlefield had become his to command. The Dark Faction was still hurrying to complete their arrangements, unaware that the one destined to foil their plan had already arrived.

Half an hour later, Wang Sheng reached the Aukuili Mountains. He hovered quietly within the clouds as Yaoyun stood on his shoulder with her eyes closed, her small hand pressed to his neck. The images she perceived flowed into his mind, laying the layout of the Dark Faction's stronghold bare before him.

She showed him the missile launchers hidden in the mountain; the town below, which hundreds of drones had swarmed; the hostages herded into the main streets; and the bewildered locals, who had also been taken captive. Even the mountain's main peak appeared as transparent as glass, revealing the layers of structures within.

Wang Sheng waited patiently for several minutes. His perception had already detected a few "Harrier" craft flying in from distant peaks, carrying over ten decently strong cultivators.

When they passed below him, Wang Sheng instructed, "Conceal my aura."

"Mm," Yaoyun responded softly. She turned into a membrane of light and wrapped around Wang Sheng.

He replaced his invisibility talisman with a new one. Silent and unseen, he shot out of the clouds on Flying Haze, which had also been hidden from view. He plunged straight toward the flying aircraft. Not one of the radars, eyes, divine senses, or spiritual perceptions watching the sky detected him.

As the aircraft descended to a saddle between peaks, the mountain's outer shell slid open, revealing a deep shaft. The aircraft smoothly flew inside.

Wang Sheng slipped in with them undetected.