Chapter 145: Heartache For His Beloved Daughter, Only Two Swords Remain
As soon as Ghost Mask said this, the Demonic Sect members’ eyes flickered, but there was no surprise. They had clearly planned this before coming. They quietly observed the changes in the expressions of the Southern Border people, trying to guess their thoughts.
The people of the Southern Border acted as if they hadn’t heard a word.
Ghost Mask brought it up again:
“Elder Lan He, what do you think?”
Elder Lan He’s expression finally changed. His eyelids lifted, his gaze utterly indifferent.
Then, a cold laugh escaped from Hei Yan’s mouth. He slowly stood up, and a mountain-like pressure instantly descended. His vital energy, like a furnace, unrestrictedly splashed outwards, indicating his astonishing mastery of the Essence Flower path. It was feared to be no less than that of the Buddhist Sect’s Arhats.
“Does your Demonic Sect take us, the Southern Border, for fools? You’re plotting against us!”
“Do you think we can’t refine the Blood Emperor Gu without your help? Your Demonic Sect, believing that the acquisition of Exotic Beast Inner Cores won’t have a significant impact, wants to control us? Fine, let’s go our separate ways. From now on, we’ll refine our Blood Emperor Gu, but you won’t get even half a Beast Inner Core from the Hundred Thousand Mountains!”
Hei Yan’s voice boomed like thunder, his aura surging, causing some of the Demonic Sect members to change their expressions.
The foundation of the Southern Border is truly deep. Such cultivation from a casually revealed Master suggests they could rank within the top twenty on the Heavenly Human Ranking.
The Southern Border people all wore cold smiles.
If they were to fully assist the Demonic Sect in creating a Martial Saint, wouldn’t they be at their mercy later? They feared they wouldn’t even know whose allegiance the Blood Emperor Gu would eventually fall under.
Although the Demonic Sect and the Southern Border had formed an alliance, they were not completely trusting of each other and maintained vigilance. It seemed that only when both sides simultaneously produced a Martial Saint could they continue to cooperate. Otherwise, if one side became too powerful, the balance could not be maintained.
Seeing the atmosphere grow somewhat tense.
Lin Xueshuang curtsied gracefully. A charming smile played on her lips, and her green dress swayed, exuding a hint of seductiveness that made Hei Yan’s gaze flicker.
“Everyone, please don’t be angry. It was merely a suggestion. This is indeed a method, but since you all find it unsuitable, let’s drop it. We are all in this together; let’s not speak of parting ways. The ultimate beneficiary would be Great Yan.”
“Now that we have enmity with Great Yan, it’s a matter of life and death. We must work together.”
Xiang Tianxing also chimed in to smooth things over:
“Precisely. Let’s not harm our harmony. Since you all find what Ghost Mask said unsuitable, how about proposing a feasible method? After all, cultivating the Blood King Gu requires absorbing Human Blood Essence, and Great Yan is watching closely, so it’s not like we want this.”
The Southern Border Saintess pulled down a section of her sleeve from her wrist and said indifferently:
“Who says the Blood King Gu must absorb Human Blood Essence?”
The Demonic Sect members were all stunned.
Lan Yiyi continued:
“It doesn’t require Human Blood. Beast Blood can also be used, though the process would be much more complicated, requiring impurity removal and having certain requirements for exotic beasts.”
“Furthermore, Great Yan is not the only power in the world. While the Northern Barbarian Grasslands may not match Great Yan in population, they can compensate for some of the deficit.”
“With both approaches, the progress will not be delayed. However, it will require a desperate entanglement with Great Yan so they don’t notice. This will require the cooperation of your Demonic Sect. Send some people to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to hunt exotic beasts. This will help you obtain Exotic Beast Inner Cores and also assist us in the Southern Border.”
She spoke calmly, clearly having a plan already.
The Demonic Sect members secretly nodded. This method seemed to consider both sides.
Ghost Mask chuckled:
“According to the Saintess’s suggestion, how many people should our Demonic Sect send?”
Lan Yiyi paused her gaze slightly and said faintly:
“That depends on your discussion. Ultimately, it’s best to make the best use of everyone’s abilities, especially at a time when we need all hands on deck.”
Ghost Mask chuckled:
“That’s reasonable.”
He understood clearly who Lan Yiyi was referring to. Taking this opportunity to send Qin Yun to the Hundred Thousand Mountains was a good idea, as he was a Heavenly Human Realm expert for whom the Demonic Sect had spent considerable resources.
Smart people don’t need to be told much.
Lan Yiyi nodded slightly, but a complex, indescribable emotion welled up within her.
The two sides began to discuss various details and agree on terms of cooperation.
Then, the people of the Southern Border departed using their various methods.
However, before leaving, they reiterated the importance of thoroughly investigating the true strength of Great Yan’s Martial Saints and sowing discord with the True Martial Sect.
They also mentioned the current challenge of the Blade Demon against the world. They wished the Blade Demon could kill Heavenly Sword True Person with a single strike, or at least heavily injure him. This would create an opportunity. Currently, most of the True Martial Sect members were hiding in True Martial Mountain, and the others would occasionally show themselves, causing them immense discomfort, like a mouse encountering a cat.
Once all the Southern Border people had disappeared.
The Demonic Sect members fell silent once more.
After a moment.
Xiang Tianxing suddenly let out a cold laugh:
“Deputy Sect Leader Lin, you have indeed given birth to a good daughter!”
While the Southern Border people were present, many of their shameful deeds could not be revealed. But now, they had no such scruples.
During this period.
They had already learned.
Lin Ruhua had, at some unknown time, become a concubine with Jiang Baishan of the True Martial Sect. It was unknown how many sect secrets she had leaked, which led to Great Yan Dynasty noticing them prematurely, resulting in their current passive situation.
Lin Xueshuang could not escape responsibility for this mistake.
Lin Xueshuang’s body trembled slightly. Her expression remained calm, but her heart was extremely complex.
When she first heard of this, she was both surprised and angry. She had lost her husband years ago and never remarried, having only this one daughter, whom she cherished like a treasure. Yet, unexpectedly, she had eloped with another man without even informing her mother.
But after receiving an unknown secret letter from Lin Ruhua, her anger gradually subsided, and then she couldn’t help but feel heartache.
Only then did she realize that her daughter and Jiang Baishan had already gone into seclusion in a place unknown to anyone, simply not wanting to be put in a difficult position. The letter conveyed Lin Ruhua’s guilt and apologies, stating she didn’t seek her mother’s forgiveness but only wished her mother wouldn’t be sad or distressed, and would repay her nurturing kindness in the next life. This made Lin Xueshuang’s heart ache even more.
Lin Xueshuang said faintly:
“The fault of the child lies with the parent. Ruhua’s father passed away early. If she made a mistake, it is indeed my failure as a mother for not teaching her well.”
She knew why Xiang Tianxing brought this up. The other two Deputy Sect Leaders had likely already planned to use this opportunity to attack her and diminish her power.
Ghost Mask spoke:
“Deputy Sect Leader Lin, you are too harsh. Miss Ruhua might have been misguided by that young man surnamed Jiang. After bringing them back to the sect, you can persuade them properly. However, the Sacred Sect has its rules, and it’s not appropriate for Deputy Sect Leader Lin to interfere. Regarding both the Great Yan issue and the True Martial Sect matter, Deputy Sect Leader Lin needs to recuse herself.”
Lin Xueshuang snorted inwardly, wanting to retaliate, but after a moment of silence, she sighed:
“Very well, I will take responsibility for the task of hunting exotic beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
She knew.
If she went on this mission, after things settled down, her power would inevitably be divided with Ghost Mask and Xiang Tianxing.
She could have chosen not to go, but the thought of her daughter’s letter softened her heart.
“If I were to confront the True Martial Sect, it would inevitably hurt Ruhua’s feelings in the future. Going to the Hundred Thousand Mountains now and not meddling in affairs here is a way of accounting for Ruhua, so she won’t be caught in a dilemma.”
Lin Xueshuang implicitly intended to support her daughter. If True Martial Mountain’s Old Daoist Dragon Mountain could exhaust himself for his disciples, then she, Lin Xueshuang, could certainly plan far ahead for her beloved daughter.
Ghost Mask and Xiang Tianxing exchanged glances, seeing the joy in each other’s eyes, and then cupped their hands together:
“Deputy Sect Leader Lin, your righteousness is admirable. If our Sacred Sect’s great undertaking succeeds, you will have a great merit in it!”
Lin Xueshuang saw that their words were insincere, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a sense of weariness. In the past, she had also been ambitious and wanted to achieve great things. But over the years, through voluntary or involuntary power struggles, the Demonic Sect had long lost its original purpose. In fact, there were already different voices within the sect.
“If you find Ruhua, bring her to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to see me.”
Saying this, she turned and left.
However, in her heart, she hoped that her daughter could live in seclusion with her beloved.
…
Time slowly passed.
The secret plots of the Demonic Sect and the Southern Border naturally remained unknown.
On the surface, they were still fiercely engaged in conflict with Great Yan Dynasty, even deliberately creating illusions, as if trying to protect some strongholds. Sometimes they would even sacrifice some Masters to mislead others. But in secret, their focus had shifted to the Hundred Thousand Mountains and the Northern Barbarian Grasslands, where they were doing their utmost to prepare the items needed to achieve Martial Saint.
Meanwhile, the Great Yan World continued to be in an uproar due to the matter of the Blade Demon.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Another highly anticipated and world-shaking battle ensued.
The Blade Demon challenged Divine Wind Saber Master, ranked eighth on the Heavenly Human Ranking!
This battle held a different significance.
It was because.
These two were the strongest swordsmen in the open world. Aside from those in seclusion or those who did not appear on the ranking for various reasons, these two represented the absolute peak of the Blade Dao in the world.
The winner of this battle would be the undisputed Number One Swordsman Under Heaven.
Although the Blade Demon’s might was unparalleled, some people still hoped for a miracle to occur, as the two had never fought before.
Countless swordsmen rushed to witness the birth of this ultimate saber strike.
The Blade Demon arrived as scheduled and met Divine Wind Saber Master at the Red Leaf Plain.
The two stood between heaven and earth.
The endless saber intent made everyone’s heart tremble. Even Divine Wind Saber Master himself was filled with anticipation for this battle.
“Wind God Saber!”
His saber was like a whistling gale, and the world was filled with saber shadows, appearing to be everywhere. Even observers a thousand zhang away felt immense pressure. The Wind God Saber was incredibly sharp, squeezing the void and forming terrifying Saber Qi.
The spectators were horrified and retreated further and further back.
The Blade Demon was also unusually solemn for the first time.
He was more solemn than when he fought Arrogant Sky Sword. He saw something that interested him in Divine Wind Saber Master.
“Human Demon Saber!”
He gripped the now shorter hilt but did not let go. A terrifying, unparalleled demonic aura surged from the Blade Demon. At this moment, he seemed to have merged with the Demonic Saber; he was the Demonic Saber, and the Demonic Saber was him.
Divine Wind Saber Master’s expression changed.
Endless Saber Gang covered everything in heaven and earth. The wind howled, and numerous crisscrossing saber marks on the Red Leaf Plain were extremely conspicuous. The residual Saber Intent within them was enough to shock people’s hearts. It could be foreseen that in the future, this place might become a good spot for meditating on the saber, although the Saber Intent would be somewhat violent and require caution.
The spectators watched, their minds wavering.
This was the most peak battle in recent years.
The swordsmen were filled with longing.
Finally.
All the Saber Gang subsided, and everyone quickly looked on.
They saw that the two had somehow landed on the ground. The Blade Demon slowly released his right hand from the saber hilt, while Divine Wind Saber Master was kneeling on the ground, his face filled with sorrow. The winner and loser were evident at a glance. However, one could see respect in Divine Wind Saber Master’s eyes.
The crowd held their breath and heard the Blade Demon speak for the first time:
“Your saber is good.”
This was the first time he had praised an opponent in this way. The crowd looked sideways; Divine Wind Saber Master had lost but died with honor.
Divine Wind Saber Master, however, felt a bit disheartened. He had traversed the world for so many years, only to suffer such a crushing defeat today. While this praise was an honor for others, it was difficult for him to bear. But he had no choice but to accept defeat since he was outmatched.
Watching the barefoot old man turn and leave, Divine Wind Saber Master finally couldn’t help but speak:
“How far are you still from your peak?”
The Blade Demon paused, understanding he was referring to the Blade Demon’s ultimate realm.
He continued walking, and only his voice faintly echoed back:
“Half a step.”
Divine Wind Saber Master was filled with admiration.
He was still a step away from the realm of “Everything can be a saber.” A step and half a step, though seemingly close, were vastly different.
Thus.
The opponent could now be called the Number One Swordsman Under Heaven!
He noticed that the saber hilt at the Blade Demon’s waist was even shorter than when he arrived, which made him sigh with even greater admiration. He wondered how such a saber dao prodigy existed in the world, gaining insights from another battle. Who in the world could withstand his progress?
The outcome of this battle spread.
The world became even more fervent.
The Blade Demon’s title as the Number One Swordsman Under Heaven was no longer doubted.
Next.
There were only three remaining.
And these three were all swordsmen: Canghai Sword Sect, Sun Chasing Sword King, and Heavenly Sword True Person.
The swordsmen held their heads high, hoping the Blade Demon would continue his surge, defeat all three, and solidify his invincible reputation.
But to everyone’s surprise.
After the battle with Divine Wind Saber Master, the Blade Demon unexpectedly did not appear for a long time. Previously, there was almost always a battle every half month, with only a slight delay during the challenge against Heavenly Sword True Person. But this time, the delay was even longer, and unconsciously, more than half a month had passed.
“Could it be that the Blade Demon was also injured in that battle?”
Numerous people speculated, becoming somewhat anxious.
They worried that the Blade Demon would disappear henceforth, making this unprecedented grand event end anticlimactically.
Fortunately, this anxiety did not last long.
One month after the battle with Divine Wind Saber Master, the Blade Demon finally reappeared.
This battle.
He challenged Canghai Sword Sect, ranked sixth on the Heavenly Human Ranking. He arrived at Canghai Pearl Island near the sea. Warriors were already waiting nearby; some chose reefs, some chose deserted islands, and some settled on large ships. The area around Canghai Pearl Island was more lively than ever before.
Soon.
Everyone understood why the Blade Demon had taken so long to appear this time.
He fought with Canghai Sword Sect.
The observers could clearly see that Canghai Sword Sect’s strength was slightly superior to Divine Wind Saber Master’s, but unexpectedly, the Blade Demon won even more easily!
Looking at the Blade Demon, who was walking on the sea.
Countless people were astonished.
This indicated that the Blade Demon had gained significant insight during his previous battle with Divine Wind Saber Master, which accounted for the month-long delay.
Careful observers noticed.
The saber hilt at the Blade Demon’s waist was now very, very short, perhaps only half a hand’s width, looking like a block of iron.
The result of this battle once again spread throughout the world.
Next.
Only two individuals remained.
One was Heavenly Sword True Person, and the other was Sun Chasing Sword King.
At this point, no one knew who the Blade Demon would challenge first.
If he challenged Heavenly Sword True Person first, it would indicate that the Blade Demon considered Sun Chasing Sword King to be the strongest swordsman. Conversely, it would mean Heavenly Sword True Person was the strongest.
The swordsmen argued incessantly, solely because both individuals had a considerable number of supporters.
Which location should be chosen as the observation spot for the next battle?
The congregation found it difficult.
And so, a scene that was both laughable and ridiculous appeared.
Those supporting Heavenly Sword True Person headed straight for Setting Sun Sword Sect. They were certain the next battle would be between Heavenly Sword True Person and Sun Chasing Sword King, and they didn’t want to miss such a grand event.
And those who supported the Sun Chasing Sword King, one after another, came towards True Martial Mountain.
Half of the martial artists in the world.
True Martial Mountain and Setting Sun Sword Sect are both overcrowded.
When Ning Qi learned of all this, he couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.
However.
He didn’t pay attention either.
He was in an extremely good mood now. The shadows of the Demonic Sect and the Southern Border Martial Saint were not yet visible, but he was about to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm.
