Chapter 139: Revealing His Identity, Pressure From The Martial Saint
Jiang Baishan walked on the streets of True Martial City, soon turning into a small alley, and then appeared at the door of a small courtyard.
“Ruhua!”
He happily looked at the woman in white who was watering the flowers and plants, his eyes revealing tenderness.
Lin Ruhua turned around, also blooming with a smile like a flower. She leaned into Jiang Baishan’s arms, the two were deeply in love, their eyes full of gentleness that could melt each other.
“These days, I’ve left you alone. It’s my fault.” Jiang Baishan said guiltily.
Lin Ruhua shook her head with a smile:
“I know everything. Recently, True Martial Sect is in a time of turmoil. As an Elder, you naturally have to lead by example.”
She then said coquettishly:
“Am I such an unreasonable woman?”
With that, she punched Jiang Baishan’s chest. It hurt so much that Jiang Baishan grimaced, and the words on the tip of his tongue—’Back then, I don’t know who it was that swung a big machete at me’—were all swallowed back.
He chuckled:
“Yes, yes, my Ruhua is the gentlest!”
Lin Ruhua nodded in satisfaction. Jiang Baishan suddenly said seriously:
“In that case, how about becoming the Elder Madam of True Martial Sect with me? This year’s True Martial Peach Gathering is about to begin soon, and the senior brothers all want to meet you.”
Lin Ruhua was stunned, her cheeks flushing red.
These words came too suddenly, catching her completely off guard.
There was joy and sweetness in her eyes, but it was ultimately replaced by hesitation. Looking at the determination and sincerity in Jiang Baishan’s eyes, she took a step back and sighed softly:
“Baishan, I don’t want to deceive you. I’ve never told you about my identity…”
Before she could finish, Jiang Baishan interrupted:
“You’re trying to say you’re from the Demonic Sect, right?”
Lin Ruhua looked at Jiang Baishan in shock, only to see him smile:
“We’ve been through so much experience together. If I were completely clueless, wouldn’t that make me seem too stupid? Master once taught me that people cannot choose their origins. A gentleman judges by actions, not by heart. Although you are from the Demonic Sect, you’ve never done anything harmful to heaven and reason; you even have a kind heart. In that case, what does it matter if you’re from the Demonic Sect?”
Lin Ruhua was deeply moved.
“But… I’m not an ordinary Demonic Sect member. I’m the daughter of Lin Xueshuang, one of the three Vice Sect Masters of the Demonic Sect.”
At these words.
Jiang Baishan was dumbfounded.
He had guessed that Lin Ruhua held a certain status in the Demonic Sect, but he never imagined it would be this exaggerated. A Demonic Sect Vice Sect Master was one of the highest-ranking people below the Sect Master. And now, he had essentially abducted her daughter. This felt somewhat fantastical.
Lin Ruhua chuckled:
“Are you scared?”
Jiang Baishan quickly said:
“Hmph! With her daughter in my hands, what do I have to fear!”
Lin Ruhua immediately pinched the soft flesh at Jiang Baishan’s waist, making him grimace and beg for mercy repeatedly.
Finally.
Lin Ruhua hugged Jiang Baishan’s arm and said softly:
“Baishan, as long as you don’t mind my identity, I’m not worried. I didn’t mean to hide it from you on purpose. You know that the Demonic Sect has always been hostile to True Martial Sect. I was afraid you’d misunderstand that I approached you with ulterior motives.”
Jiang Baishan said solemnly:
“The Demonic Sect’s matters have nothing to do with you. My Master and the others distinguish grudges clearly.”
Lin Ruhua breathed a sigh of relief. She had been rebellious since childhood and didn’t identify much with the Demonic Sect. Her beloved didn’t mind her background, and her heart felt unprecedentedly light. She thought for a moment and said:
“There are some things I want to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
The two opened up completely.
Lin Ruhua sorted out her thoughts and began recounting many secrets of the Demonic Sect:
“The Demonic Sect originally had conflicts with the Southern Border Alliance, and several Heavenly Human Realm experts died. But later, the two sides negotiated a truce, believing there was a third party stirring things up and deliberately inciting war between them. The two main suspects are your True Martial Sect and King Zhenbei.”
Jiang Baishan’s expression grew somewhat grave.
This information exceeded his expectations.
“And now, their suspicion of True Martial Sect is even higher than that of King Zhenbei. The previous assessment was a test by sending spies. Originally, the Demonic Sect and Southern Border planned to make a move against True Martial Sect, but Heavenly Sword True Person appeared out of nowhere and slew Heart-Seeking Sword in one strike, making them fearful.”
“However, they definitely won’t let it rest. Although there won’t be major actions for the time being, there might be some moves targeting True Martial Sect disciples. You must be careful.”
Then, she began revealing some details, all intelligence she had gathered using her identity.
She had originally planned to leak it to Jiang Baishan in another way, but now that they had been honest about their identities, she simply told him everything.
Jiang Baishan tightly gripped Lin Ruhua’s hand, his eyes full of emotion.
“Ruhua, was it you who leaked the information about the Demonic Sect and Southern Border spies during the assessment?”
Lin Ruhua was stunned, as she had only learned about this afterward.
“It wasn’t me…”
Both were stunned.
Jiang Baishan frowned:
“Not you? Then who?”
Lin Ruhua’s thoughts turned, and her eyes suddenly lit up as she thought of something. Her expression became slightly strange:
“I know who it was.”
Facing Jiang Baishan’s questioning gaze, she slowly said:
“Qin Yun.”
“That traitor?” Jiang Baishan looked incredulous.
Back then, he and Qin Yun had a good relationship. Thus, after Qin Yun left True Martial Sect, he was the angriest among the senior brothers, more than once saying that one day he would bring Qin Yun back to repent and admit his wrongs before Master.
Several years without news of Qin Yun, and now hearing about him from his beloved.
Lin Ruhua nodded:
“It’s him. My mother even wanted him to marry me to help him ascend to the position of Demonic Sect Holy Son. I originally thought he was a traitor too, but now it seems Qin Yun still harbors old feelings for True Martial Sect.”
“Have Qin Yun marry you??” Jiang Baishan grew anxious.
Lin Ruhua patted his hand, telling him to calm down.
“Previously, five Heavenly Human Realm experts from the Demonic Sect night assaulted True Martial Sect. Afterward, the Demonic Sect wanted to continue retaliating, but Qin Yun dissuaded them at the cost of entering the Blood Demon Pool. Unexpectedly, this guy is ruthless—not only did he come out of the Blood Demon Pool, but he even burned four hundred years of lifespan to step into the Heavenly Human Realm in one go, becoming one of the three Candidate Holy Sons of the Demonic Sect.”
“You mentioned earlier that someone sent a secret letter about the assessment matter. Now that I think about it, it’s nine out of ten Qin Yun’s doing, because this was originally his and the Southern Border Saintess’s joint responsibility. But his situation lately hasn’t been good.”
“Originally, with Ghost Face Deputy Sect Master’s support, he was a strong contender for Holy Son. But now, he’s vaguely under house arrest. My mother no longer mentions marrying me to him. If not for the Great Elder speaking up, the consequences would be even more severe. His old feelings for True Martial Sect are something the Demonic Sect cannot tolerate.”
“Those who enter the Blood Demon Pool must be loyal to the Demonic Sect, but Qin Yun broke this precedent. Now Demonic Sect experts are interrogating him closely. I heard from my mother that he once had an inner demon, and Demonic Sect experts are trying to nurture his inner demon to let it control him.”
Lin Ruhua explained slowly.
She knew Qin Yun had underestimated the Demonic Sect’s methods, thinking his actions were undetectable, but he had stumbled badly. She hadn’t understood why the Demonic Sect’s attitude toward Qin Yun changed so suddenly before, but combining everything she now knew, it all made sense.
Jiang Baishan’s expression gradually became complex. The original anger had dissipated unnoticed, ultimately turning into an inaudible sigh.
“Little Eight, that guy…” He felt some frustration at his unfulfilled potential, a mix of emotions, along with anxiety.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Baishan said seriously:
“Ruhua, can you come with me to True Martial Mountain to meet my Master and Senior Brother? These messages are very important to them. Don’t worry, they absolutely won’t mind your identity.”
Lin Ruhua’s heart trembled, but an ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet her in-laws. She nodded gently:
“I’ll listen to you.”
The two had gone through life and death experiences together and had long recognized each other.
She had no sense of belonging to the Demonic Sect. The only one she cared about was her mother, but now True Martial Sect was the weaker side against the Demonic Sect and Southern Border. She didn’t need to worry about her mother; instead, she needed to worry about Jiang Baishan.
The two embraced and stood.
After nightfall, they quietly went up the mountain.
…
Mingwu Pavilion.
Dragon Mountain Daoist and Luo Wentian were both there, while Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua stood side by side, their hands clasped tightly.
“Greetings, Dragon Mountain True Person and Sect Leader Luo!” Lin Ruhua saluted somewhat nervously.
Jiang Baishan was also a bit stammering:
“Master, this is my beloved, Lin Ruhua.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist and Luo Wentian exchanged a glance and both smiled. They slightly sized up Lin Ruhua; observing her demeanor and bearing revealed something of her temperament. They nodded silently in their hearts.
Luo Wentian smiled:
“Miss Ruhua, no need to be polite. I’ve long heard this kid Baishan talk about you. Back then, you nearly chopped off one of his arms, and he grumbled about it for months. Just call me Senior Brother.”
Lin Ruhua was no longer nervous and quietly pinched Jiang Baishan.
Jiang Baishan shook his head awkwardly. This was black history, destined to be inescapable.
Dragon Mountain Daoist also smiled kindly, but he didn’t say anything to make Lin Ruhua change her address to Master. That would wait until after they married.
“Baishan, what was the important matter you mentioned before?” he asked.
Jiang Baishan’s expression turned serious, and he slowly said:
“It’s related to Ruhua’s identity. She is the daughter of Lin Xueshuang, one of the three Vice Sect Masters of the Demonic Sect.”
The smiles on Dragon Mountain Daoist and Luo Wentian’s faces froze, but they soon relaxed. They knew Jiang Baishan’s character and that he wouldn’t act recklessly.
Lin Ruhua watched their expressions change and breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. Then she saluted and said:
“True Person, Senior Brother, it’s like this…”
She slowly recounted all the Demonic Sect and Southern Border’s schemes against True Martial Sect.
She even mentioned Qin Yun’s current situation.
After speaking.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s expression was complex.
Back then, for the secret letter during the True Martial assessment, they had made various guesses and didn’t know who sent it. Unexpectedly, it was Qin Yun. Thinking of Qin Yun’s current situation, he felt some pity.
One wrong thought, leading to this.
Luo Wentian also sighed inwardly. He said gratefully:
“Miss Ruhua, thank you for informing us.”
Now that the causes and effects were clear, they knew the Demonic Sect and Southern Border suspected True Martial Sect because of the destruction of the Southern Border’s Qingzhou stronghold.
Especially the subsequent plans and actions of the Demonic Sect were very important to True Martial Sect. Knowing them in advance allowed for countermeasures.
He knew.
For Lin Ruhua to reveal these insider details, she must be deeply in love with his Fifth Junior Brother and had made great sacrifices.
Lin Ruhua waved her hands repeatedly, her face slightly red:
“Senior Brother, you’re too polite.”
She hesitated slightly, then gritted her teeth and said:
“There’s one more thing. Although True Martial Sect has Heavenly Sword True Person sitting in command, the Demonic Sect and Southern Border ultimately have deep foundations. After forming an alliance, they’ve been secretly plotting to achieve Martial Saint, supplementing each other’s deficiencies. If a Martial Saint emerges from either force, it will turn the world upside down. They might declare war on Great Yan and very likely use True Martial Sect as a sacrificial flag!”
“Please make preparations early, True Person and Senior Brother!”
Saying this, she finally breathed a complete sigh of relief. This was all she knew.
Mingwu Pavilion fell silent.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s face was grave.
Luo Wentian and Jiang Baishan were wide-eyed in shock.
The pressure of a Martial Saint was simply too immense.
Jiang Baishan’s face paled. He looked at Lin Ruhua somewhat dazedly, then anxiously said:
“Martial Saint? How is that possible? It’s been how long since a Martial Saint emerged in the Great Yan World? How could the Demonic Sect and Southern Border produce a Martial Saint so easily?”
Lin Ruhua gently held Jiang Baishan’s hand and said:
“In fact, the Demonic Sect and Southern Border have always had methods to achieve Martial Saint with external aid. They’ve been attempting it for a thousand years and are now close to success. A hundred years ago was a test. They waited for Great Yan Martial Saint’s weakness to seize the opportunity to rise.”
“Now that the two forces have allied, progress is even faster.”
Luo Wentian couldn’t help asking:
“Miss Ruhua, do you know the soonest the Demonic Sect and Southern Border could produce a Martial Saint?”
Lin Ruhua said apologetically:
“I don’t know the specifics. That’s the Demonic Sect’s absolute secret. I only glimpsed it occasionally from my mother. But based on the Demonic Sect’s recent movements, it won’t be later than three years.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s heart was also somewhat unsettled.
In other words.
At the latest in three years, the world would face great changes?
It was foreseeable.
If both Southern Border and Demonic Sect produced Martial Saints, they would surely challenge Great Yan’s rule. Two thousand years of rule was indeed too long.
They originally thought True Martial Sect was on the rise, but such a great change arrived.
And True Martial Sect would be the first to bear the brunt.
With the prior destruction of the Qingzhou stronghold, the conflict between True Martial Sect and the two forces was irreconcilable. Moreover, the greater Heavenly Sword True Person’s prestige, the better to use for establishing might and sacrificial flag.
For a moment.
It was as if a demonic sword hung over True Martial Sect, ready to strike at any time.
It was said to be at the latest three years, but what if the Demonic Sect produced a Martial Saint two years or even one year early?
No one could say for sure.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s gaze imperceptibly glanced at the screen behind him, then he let out a long breath and said:
“This information is very important to us. Miss Ruhua, thank you.”
He gave a slight bow.
If not for Lin Ruhua’s information, True Martial Sect would be completely unaware of the impending crisis.
Lin Ruhua quickly dodged. She waved her hands in panic:
“True Person, you’re too serious. Baishan and I are in love. His sect is my sect.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist sighed inwardly.
He had lived nearly a hundred years and saw things more clearly than the young. He naturally knew Lin Ruhua’s heart was fully on his fifth disciple, hence her actions.
But this wasn’t entirely fair to Lin Ruhua. With Demonic Sect and True Martial Sect as enemies, as the daughter of a Demonic Sect Vice Sect Master, and Jiang Baishan as Dragon Mountain Daoist’s disciple, even in victory, one of them would inevitably suffer.
Dragon Mountain Daoist needed to consider more.
Perhaps the best way was to keep both out of this.
