The First Meeting Xu Yuan's mood had been quite good over the past two days.
Firstly, because his initial investment had paid off.
The enchantress had been working hard in her recent cultivation, and the growth rate of his Will-spirit was quite pleasing.
Secondly, because Xu Changge arrived in Jiuyuan City this morning.
Yes, the Jiuyuan City that his eldest brother had mentioned as a threat, the satellite town next to Jingjiang Prefecture, only forty li away from Jingjiang Prefecture itself.
The casual threat from the other party turned out to be more than just talk, as there indeed seemed to be matters to deal with in Jiuyuan City.
According to Auntie Lou Ji, it seemed there was a problem with a large "Demonic Beast Breeding Site" deep in the mountains, which would affect the supply of a certain type of Soul System Elixir in the southwest region.
Of course,
Beyond these superficial matters, what truly delighted Xu Yuan was the improvement of his own strength.
Since the day he had used the Blood Mirror in actual combat, it felt as though he had broken through some kind of bottleneck, with his combat prowess improving rapidly in a visibly noticeable way.
Now, when facing those Eighth Grade martial disciples, although he still had to fight for a long time, these martial disciples could hardly touch him anymore.
Of course, the downside of this style of fighting was that his Origin Qi consumption would increase rapidly.
Originally, Xu Yuan could brawl with those Eighth Grade martial disciples all morning, but now, after five or six fights, his Origin Qi would be exhausted.
Coming out of the Lake Heart Pavilion,
While mulling over these matters, Xu Yuan suddenly noticed a group of people dressed like servants standing at the edge of the marshy lake.
He was somewhat surprised.
This was the first time he had seen so many servants gathered by the lake.
In the past, at most, there would be just one or two servants pruning and cleaning up around here.
His gaze swept over them, and as his eyes met theirs, the servants immediately looked down in a fluster.
Just as Xu Yuan was about to dismiss the matter from his mind, his eyes suddenly met with another pair.
"..."
The moment their eyes met, those eyes also immediately looked down.
Xu Yuan glanced at the owner of the eyes with a trace of curiosity.
He was a young and robust man wearing gray hemp clothes.
His appearance was very ordinary, and his demeanor was unremarkable, inconspicuous in a crowd.
Yet, for some reason, Xu Yuan felt something was amiss as he looked at the man.
After a moment's hesitation, Xu Yuan stopped walking.
The nearby foreman had been watching this Third Young Master out of the corner of his eye; keen observation was a vital skill for a person of his low stature to survive.
Seeing Xu Yuan stop, the foreman immediately approached with a sycophantic gait and began to wring his hands anxiously,
"Hehe, does the Third Young Master have any instructions?"
Xu Yuan glanced at the servants and asked,
"Why are these people here?"
The foreman cursed silently in his heart and signaled the newly recruited servants to quickly leave by waving them off.
He responded in a servile tone,
"These are the mansion's new servants, and I am currently showing them around to familiarize them with the environment."
"…."
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
New servants?
At this time?
How long does it take to get from Changhong Valley to Jingjiang City?
His thoughts began to wander slightly, and Xu Yuan subconsciously called out to the dispersing servants,
"Wait."
"…."
As the voice of the silk-robed young master sounded, Qin Mo's peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of the Great Grandmaster coachman, who he had seen before, leisurely approaching from a distance.
His heart tightened slightly,
"Old man…"
"Don't panic, I'm here, the kid just looked at you, what's the rush?"
"Hmm…" Qin Mo felt a slight ease in his heart.
And the next moment,
He heard the silk-robed young master's following words, spoken with a rather annoyed tone,
"In the future, bring fewer people to gather by this lake, it's unsightly."
Hearing this, the foreman felt a surge of fear and quickly nodded and bowed, assuring him,
"Yes, yes, these good-for-nothings will never appear here again to trouble the Third Young Master's eyes."
Xu Yuan glanced at the foreman,
"You too."
"…" The foreman.
After the brief exchange,
The foreman then left quickly with a sheepish smile, leading the group of servants away.
Mixed within the crowd, Qin Mo let out a sigh of relief, exhaling deeply as he left with the others.
Watching the crowd depart, Xu Yuan, who remained standing in place, also let out a long sigh.
He shouldn't have called out to them just now.
If there had been no issue, there would have been no need to call out.
If there was an issue, his subconscious action would have been tantamount to sending people right back into peril.
He almost made a mistake, but fortunately, he reacted promptly.
After a brief contemplation, he decided not to go to the Wuxuan Institute either.
Xu Yuan realized where the sense of incongruity he had felt earlier stemmed from.
The eyes.
When his gaze swept over them, many servants met his eyes, but all of their looks were filled with panic and fear.
But that ordinary-looking young man was different.
Even though it was only for a moment, Xu Yuan clearly saw that there was no panic in the other's eyes.
What was present was calmness, and even a faint confidence that looked down from a superior height.
It was as distinctly exceptional as a crane stands among chickens.
Even if he had seen such eyes in a poor scholar, Xu Yuan would not be surprised, for fame has its own presence.
But to find it in a servant within the mansion…
This was not the world he had once known; this was a supernatural world with a strict hierarchy that could suffocate people with its pressure.
Even the mansion's chief steward would cower when seeing him, let alone the lowest-ranked servants and laborers.
It was very abnormal.
As thoughts flashed through his mind, Xu Yuan subconsciously thought of Qin Mo, feeling a faint absurdity in his heart.
Was that man just now Qin Mo?
Xu Yuan had considered that the other party might want to rescue Su Jinxuan, but he had not expected him to dare to enter the mansion for the rescue.
He hadn't gone looking for him, yet he had taken the initiative to show up.
Three Great Grandmasters plus the grand array inside Jingjiang Prefecture, and he dared to come?
Are the protagonists of these stories all so bold nowadays?
Xu Yuan rubbed his temples.
That said, it is not entirely the case; Qin Mo might not be aware that he had Great Grandmasters protecting him.
Moreover, he still had a Soul Ring, and within that Soul Ring lived a Saint.
From the other party's perspective, infiltrating the mansion to rescue someone might not be an impossible task to complete.
"…." Xu Yuan.
"Third Young Master, are you going to the Wuxuan Institute?"
As he was pondering, a voice came from behind Xu Yuan.
It was Zhou Chen.
Xu Yuan glanced sideways at him:
"Resting today, going to find Su Jinxuan."
He then turned and walked toward the northwest courtyard where the Communication Formation was situated, where Ying'er had been "training" Su Jinxuan lately.
There was a simple way to verify whether the person just now was Qin Mo or not, just let Su Jinxuan try to test him.
There had been a plan by the Black Scale Guards to have Qin Mo save Su Jinxuan, thus allowing her to go undercover.
But Xu Yuan dismissed the plan as soon as it was proposed.
The matter of killing Qin Mo was more important to Xu Yuan than the forces hidden in the shadows.
He was well aware of the rate at which the other person was growing, as well as the heights the other person could reach in the future.
Silently,
He entered the heavily guarded courtyard and suddenly asked Zhou Chen:
"Mr.
Zhou, do you know how the long-term servants in our mansion are recruited?"
"Hmm?"
Zhou Chen appeared slightly surprised and subconsciously glanced at the servant walking away in the distance before smiling and saying:
"I'm not clear on the specifics, but essentially they are mostly relatives of old servants in the mansion, with many inheriting their father's positions."
"Are there no exceptions?" Xu Yuan continued.
Zhou Chen was somewhat puzzled as to why Xu Yuan would ask this, but after hesitating briefly, he still replied truthfully:
"Of course, there are exceptions, and quite frequently so.
The slots for lower-rank servants like the one we just saw can be attained through many dishonest means, essentially with someone in the mansion selling those slots."
Zhou Chen had started from the bottom and was fairly familiar with these lower-level money-making schemes.
Xu Yuan frowned upon hearing this and asked, "Selling?"
Zhou Chen replied in a quiet voice:
"The outside world is somewhat chaotic now, and many people are desperate to become long-term servants within a great family, even going so far as to sell themselves into servitude.
With buyers out there, naturally, there will also be sellers."
Xu Yuan furrowed his brows at this:
"Won't this method of recruiting long-term servants allow spies to infiltrate?"
"The Third Young Master is observant."
Zhou Chen saluted with his hands clasped and continued, "People below take these matters into accord to a certain extent.
Even when selling, they do not sell to strangers.
Moreover, it is rare for anyone to plant spies in this manner, as a servant remains a servant for life, unable to access important information."
"What if someone uses this to perpetrate an assassination?" Xu Yuan pressed on.
"Assassination, huh…"
Just as Zhou Chen was about to reply, Xu Yuan waved his hand to interrupt, indicating that there was no need to explain.
His last question was somewhat naive.
Both Cultivating Energy and martial training constantly improve physique as one advances in their practice.
Unless one reaches the Fourth Grade Integration Body to transcend the mortal frame, or practices some precious Secret Technique, it is difficult to conceal such physical enhancements.
If someone practices cultivation, a mere check of the body will be enough.
Servants aren't usually given such scrutiny.
As for those of Fourth Grade and above or those who have practiced precious Secret Techniques infiltrating to assassinate…
It is easy to act as a thief for a thousand days, but difficult to guard against one for a thousand days.
In his past life, even guarding against gun and knife assassinations was difficult, let alone in a world beyond the ordinary.
If the enemy is willing to expend substantial resources to assassinate, whether there is a way into the mansion or not is irrelevant.
Seeing how the conversation was going, Zhou Chen shifted the topic and asked softly:
"Did Third Young Master bring this up because there's someone among those people who's suspicious?"
"Mm."
Xu Yuan did not deny it.
Although he could not confirm whether it was Qin Mo, it wouldn't affect his preparations.
Zhou Chen frowned upon hearing this and looked toward the direction where the servants resided.
Xu Yuan, noting his gaze, immediately reminded:
"Don't act rashly."
Zhou Chen paused his actions and, after a moment's thought, asked quietly:
"Third Young Master has suspicions about them, but did you notice something just now?"
Xu Yuan stated truthfully:
"Among the new batch of servants, there was one whose gaze seemed off."
?
Gaze seemed off?
Zhou Chen clearly hesitated upon hearing this but quickly grasped the meaning and cleared his throat, saying:
"Cough…
Third Young Master is cautious, but isn't this perhaps a bit too anxious?"
"…"Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan wasn't sure whether he should be stirring up such a commotion over a mere look in someone's eyes.
But the timing was just too coincidental.
Changhong Valley was only a hundred and twenty li from Jingjiang Prefecture, a distance that could be covered in just a few days, and Qin Mo indeed had both the motive and ability to infiltrate the mansion.
When it concerns one's own life, one must be extremely cautious.
Without further explanation, Xu Yuan glanced at Zhou Chen and said:
"Throughout all this time, have you ever seen me worried about someone else?
Mr.
Zhou, I suspect it's that Qin Mo who has infiltrated to save Su Jinxuan."
Zhou Chen pondered for a moment and then said:
"The youngster from before who reversed Seventh Grade Practice Bones with an Eighth Grade Refined Veins slash?"
"Mm." Xu Yuan nodded.
Zhou Chen ventured to say, "In that case, does Third Young Master need me to go and check?"
Xu Yuan glanced at him and countered:
"Mr.
Zhou, you should have examined that group of servants earlier, hadn't you?"
"Of course, I did."
"Could you sense any Qi on him?"
"….."
Zhou Chen frowned at this.
In contrast with Xu Yuan's judgment based on a gaze, Zhou Chen would naturally prefer to believe his own findings.
But if Xu Yuan's suspicions were true, then the person in question was a powerful individual who could elude his perception.
While the likelihood was small, considering it involved the Third Young Master's safety, even a one-in-ten-thousand chance could not be ignored.
With a somber expression, Zhou Chen gave a slight bow:
"Could the Third Young Master accompany me back to the room for a moment?
I'll go fetch my sword."
He could have summoned his sword from afar, but that would cause a fluctuation of Origin Qi.
Since they were suspicious, everything had to be done with caution.
Xu Yuan thought for a moment and then shook his head, declining:
"For now, everything remains as usual.
Since Qin Mo has chosen to disguise himself as a servant rather than infiltrate directly to rescue someone, it is clear that he still has reservations and is unlikely to act immediately."
"Besides, I am not certain that the person is Qin Mo.
I need to let Su Jinxuan test him first."
After speaking,
Xu Yuan paused for a moment before adding:
"As for you, Mr.
Zhou…
Could I trouble you to enter the communication matrix and relay my words to Xu Changge just as I've said them?"
When you're up against a boss, and there's an expert to lead you, you naturally don't go at it alone.
He needed to shake up the expert to come over.
///82///
The mountain rain was about to come, and the wind filled the building; above the undercurrents was the calm before a storm.
An hour ago, Zhou Chen, who had gone to deliver a message, returned.
But Xu Changge did not rush to Jingjiang Prefecture; instead, he issued the same orders as Xu Yuan.
Keep everything as usual, and issue the command for Su Jinxuan to test and confirm the identity of that peculiar young man.
Half an hour ago,
Sizi Yu, who went to the government office to inform them to prepare the city's grand formation, returned.
A quarter of an hour ago,
Su Jinxuan, who went to test that peculiar young man, also came back.
She brought back a definite answer.
The seemingly mediocre young man that Xu Yuan felt could maintain peace was indeed Qin Mo in disguise.
After confirming this news, a paper screen that had already been prepared was passed to Xu Yuan's hand by Zhou Chen,
saying it was from the eldest young master just now.
The side room was very quiet, except for the faint scent of sandalwood, everyone's breathing was barely audible.
After a long while,
having read the contents of the paper screen, Xu Yuan took a long breath out.
He should have thought of it sooner.
The content of the paper screen given to him by Xu Changge was simple, it talked about several matters and gave him two choices.
The first choice, Xu Changge would secretly hurry to the mansion and then kill Qin Mo with a thunderous move.
The second choice, Xu Changge would enforce the law by subterfuge, coming to Jingjiang Prefecture in the fastest way possible, without concealing the fluctuations of his Origin Qi, and then kill Qin Mo with a thunderous move.
The difference was obvious, and the purpose was clear.
The first one, the goal was to kill Qin Mo and snatch the ring.
The second one, Xu Changge wanted it all.
Not only did he want to kill Qin Mo and the ring, but he also wanted to cripple or kill a couple of those Second Grade Origin Initials lurking in the shadows.
Based on several messages conveyed by Su Jinxuan, the force behind Qin Weijiu evidently prepared to bet on Qin Mo, and from the various pieces of information, the size of their stake might be substantial.
Since you want to place heavy bets on this Qin Mo, then I, Xu Changge, will take the chance of Qin Mo infiltrating my family estate to openly and justly kill him.
Up until now, the investigation of the forces behind Qin Weijiu by the Prime Minister's Mansion had been conducted without alarming them, unable to take the offensive directly against them.
Now that the person you bet heavily on is going to be killed, will you come out to stop it?
If you don't stop me, then I will just kill Qin Mo and take the Soul Ring.
If you stop me, then it's not my Prime Minister's Mansion investigating, but you exposing yourselves.
And besides, if you really want to stop me, is it not a bit disrespectful to send a few Third Grade Grandmasters against me, a Second Grade Primordial?
At the very least, it should be someone of Primordial Realm like Qin Weijiu, right?
This big brother seems to have mastered the art of enforcement by fishing.
But Xu Yuan did not immediately make a decision, because the reason Xu Changge left the choice of these two options to him was also very simple.
If he chose the second one, he might be in danger.
In this world, those who could cultivate to the Primordial Realm were already unparalleled; even if Xu Changge could be invincible at the same level, killing the opponent would definitely not be too simple.
During this time, if the Saint's Remnant Soul within the Soul Ring detected anything unusual, the three Grandmasters guarding Xu Yuan in the mansion would have to work with the city's grand formation to stop Qin Mo from leaving until Xu Changge was free to come back.
And most crucially, he, Xu Yuan, couldn't leave Jingjiang Prefecture in advance.
There would be spies for Qin Weijiu, both outside and inside the mansion.
Leaving at this point would seem too deliberate.
Ever since he brought Su Jinxuan back to the residence, he hadn't left the house for over a month.
Moreover, what's more important is that there seemed to be no safer place than the Xu Residence.
Because the storage for cultivation resources had been rebuilt, the northwest compound of the residence, which was protected by a formation.
But the aftermath of a Grandmaster's battle could affect a hundred yards, and the methods of the Saint's Remnant Soul were unforeseeable; many things were uncertain.
Hesitation flickered in Xu Yuan's eyes.
Which should he choose?
If he picked the first option, Xu Changge likely wouldn't say anything.
But Xu Yuan knew that his elder brother offered him the second choice mostly out of helplessness.
The situation in the Imperial Capital was tense now, and discovering a force harboring animosity towards the Prime Minister's Mansion lurking in the shadows undoubtedly vastly increased the pressure.
If it were possible, to incapacitate or even kill one of the opponent's Second Grade Primordial without raising their suspicion, it could greatly weaken the enemy's strength.
After all, if a Primordial Realm expert who overshadowed the world could be easily used as a pawn, why would the opponent hide in the shadows so furtively?
Silent for a long while, Xu Yuan casually burned the paper screen, shaking his head with a smile:
"Qin Weijiu wants to control me; he needs to be taught a lesson.
Since my big brother is willing to stand up for me, that's naturally for the best."
As soon as the voice fell, silence descended upon the room for a moment.
Zhou Chen exchanged a look with Sizi Yu beside him, then raised his hand to clasp his fist:
"Yes."
With that, Zhou Chen turned and left the room to report to Xu Changge.
Xu Yuan then glanced at the three people remaining in the room, sighing:
"You all should leave too, I need to change my clothes."
He planned to change into the blood jade glazed garment that he had kept in his storage ring.
The blood jade glazed garment, which appeared alongside the Blood Essence Meteoring Art and three supreme grade elixirs, would certainly not be an ordinary item.
Now that it was time to face the boss, it was natural to switch to the best "equipment" as a sign of respect.
Upon hearing this,
Sizi Yu and Ying'er left the room in succession.
However, Su Jinxuan, still dressed in plain clothing, remained standing in place.
After a two-second silence,
Xu Yuan looked at her, softly asking:
"Do you need something from me?"
Su Jinxuan gave a slight nod:
"Yeah."
Xu Yuan smiled slightly: "What is it?"
"…." Su Jinxuan opened her mouth but then closed it again, seemingly struggling to broach a difficult subject.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan's eyes carried a hint of confusion: "What's wrong?"
Su Jinxuan's chest rose and fell slightly, and after taking a deep breath, she said in a low voice with some anxiety:
"Um…
that person named Qin Mo just confessed his feelings to me."
"?"
Xu Yuan was taken aback by these words.
Hints of Cang Yuan flashed through his mind.
Among the myriad choices there, one could indeed select a path featuring a single female lead with no romantic ambiguity.
If she were moved, it would be normal.
But why was Su Jinxuan telling him this?
Seemingly noticing the surprise in Xu Yuan's eyes, a tempting blush spread across Su Jinxuan's fair face.
Although Xu Yuan hadn't shared the details with her, she faintly sensed the coming storm from the atmosphere just now.
Her fist clenched slightly, the voice of the enchantress grew more hurried:
"It's just…
it's best if you have someone take me away later, since Qin Mo can even block the perception of a Third Grade Great Master.
If he comes looking for me, and you stay with me, you might be in danger."
"…."
Xu Yuan's breathing suddenly caught after hearing this.
He had only considered the possibility that Qin Mo would flee, as staying was likely to result in death.
But the main character of the old man's storyline was also half of a traditional passionate route, and with such a personality, it was highly unlikely he would leave Su Jinxuan by his side, especially right after confessing.
After a brief silence, Xu Yuan looked into her peach blossom-like beautiful eyes:
"Thank you."
Su Jinxuan curved her eyes into a smile and shook her head:
"It's fine, I…
I'll go down first."
"Wait," Xu Yuan called to her.
"What?" Su Jinxuan looked back.
Xu Yuan hesitated slightly, his tone very serious:
"If you have a chance to go to the Funeral Village, you might want to check out the Lost Soul Valley to the north."
"Hm?" Su Jinxuan's eyes showed a bit of confusion.
Xu Yuan shook his head and waved his hand:
"Just remember my words, you should go now, I need to change."
Su Jinxuan's beautiful eyes flickered:
"Do you need my help…"
"I don't."
"…." Su Jinxuan.
///83///
Seventy-Seven Response Outside Jingjiang Prefecture, Mount Bieli.
The mountain stood tall.
Standing at the summit, one could overlook the vast Jingjiang City.
At this moment, a man was standing quietly on the steep cliff of the mountain peak, gazing into the distance at a grand residence within Jingjiang City, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Suddenly,
a graceful figure descended from the sky, landing more than ten meters away from the man.
The soft footsteps made the man glance sideways, and upon seeing who it was, he immediately said with a smile:
"You've arrived?"
Yu Lan, however, wore no smile, her eyebrows knitted tightly:
"Qin Weijiu, what are you up to?"
Qin Weijiu responded with a light sound of doubt, counterasking:
"What do you mean 'up to'?"
Yu Lan's tone grew slightly heavier:
"Don't play dumb with me here.
Why did you let that Qin Mo enter the Xu Residence?"
Qin Weijiu did not answer immediately, his gaze fell as he fiddled with an ancient token in his hand.
It was something he and Yu Lan had found together in that Secret Realm.
Seeing the token, Yu Lan's anger intensified:
"Qin Weijiu, I'm asking you a question!"
Qin Weijiu looked up with a smile, his voice deliberate and measured:
"Yu Lan…
what's the rush?"
"What's the rush?"
Yu Lan's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly: "Ever since we came out of that Secret Realm, don't tell me you still don't know who the Saint residing in the Soul Ring is?"
Qin Weijiu sighed softly at her words, tossing the ancient token to Yu Lan, the Sumeru Ring on her:
"Of course, I know."
Yu Lan caught it with a frown, storing the ancient token in the Sumeru Ring, but her tone grew heavier again:
"Knowing that, you still dared to send Qin Mo into the Xu Residence?"
"Because I know, that's why I sent him," he said.
Qin Weijiu shook his head gently: "Don't you understand that adversity reveals true feelings?
If Qin Mo is willing to rescue Jin Xuan, giving a little push will also help foster the affections between the two youngsters, won't it?"
"….."
Yu Lan took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm her emotions, but ultimately failed and said coldly:
"But what if something happens to Qin Mo?
The Soul Ring would fall into Xu Yinhè's hands then, don't you realize what that means?!
That's the Saint of Jiatiange!"
Qin Weijiu shook his head, his tone reassuring:
"Yu Lan, don't worry."
"Breaking into the residence to rescue someone was Qin Mo's own decision.
I merely gave him a little push from behind.
Even if I hadn't helped him, he would have done it anyway, and he must have had his own confidence to dare to break in."
"Heh…
Moreover, even if Qin Mo himself is reckless, could the Saint who helped him break into the Xu Residence also be reckless?"
"…." Yu Lan fell silent.
Qin Weijiu turned his head back to continue looking over Jingjiang City, his voice gentle:
"Yu Lan, where in this world can you find anything with a hundred percent certainty?"
"….."
Yu Lan's eyes flickered for a moment and she spoke: "I hope you know what you're doing."
Qin Weijiu smiled lightly, his voice calm:
"Don't worry.
If an incident occurs inside the Xu Residence, couldn't we also enter Jingjiang City to rescue him?
The city is no fortified town of the Border Army, its formations pose no threat to us.
If the two of us take action, who in this world could…"
His leisurely words were suddenly cut off mid-sentence.
There was a moment of silence,
Qin Weijiu and Yu Lan almost simultaneously turned their heads sharply towards the southeast,
gazing into a calm and clear sky.
But they sensed the Origin Qi in the heavens being subtly disturbed.
Someone was speeding towards Jingjiang City full tilt!
Atop Mount Bieli, an abrupt silence ensued, so profound that one could hear a pin drop.
Who?
A Primordial powerhouse?
Coming to Jingjiang Prefecture at this time?
After several seconds of silence,
as the ripples of speeding Origin Qi gradually became clearer, Qin Weijiu's steady breathing began to grow iterative and more rapid.
The familiar fluctuations of Origin Qi from the sky brought forth images that he had forgotten deep in the recesses of his memory.
Before he turned twenty, he was confident and proud.
At seventeen he underwent Integration Body, reached Grandmaster by twenty, and by the age of coming-of-age ceremony had become invincible among his peers, which was the basis for his pride.
But laughably, the greatest praise the world had for him was merely being on par with the son of the Prime Minister.
A trip abroad,
A Heaven's Element Conference,
Gave Qin Weijiu the opportunity to prove that others could only aspire to be his equals.
It was a massive canyon that captured everyone's attention.
It was the son of the Prime Minister who had been his traveling companion for several months.
It was…
Three sword lights so powerful they made it hard to breathe!
The sword lights flashed,
Everything shattered…
His former pride now seemed so laughable,
And what's even more laughable was that afterward, some considered this a compliment to him…
Three swords, though not dead, but his state of mind had completely collapsed.
"Xu Chang…."
"Qin Weijiu!
What are you zoning out for?!"
The woman beside him softly scolded Qin Weijiu, snapping him out of his reverie.
Regaining his composure, Qin Weijiu paused for a moment, then suddenly chuckled.
"Heh heh…"
Qin Weijiu laughed at himself, sensing the Origin Qi fluctuations from afar, his trembling palms gradually steadying as he raised his hand to rub his temples:
"That really was embarrassing…."
"What?" Yu Lan asked, puzzled.
Qin Weijiu looked towards the sky and shook his head:
"Nothing, just recalling some old events.
That presence in the distance…
It should be Xu Changge."
"Xu…
Xu Changge?"
Yu Lan suddenly understood why the man before her reacted so intensely; she had heard about that year's events too.
Her pupils shrank slightly as she trembled, "Why would he be here?!"
"Don't know."
Qin Weijiu shook his head, slowly rose into the air, and his tone once again became calm, "But I think we need to stop him now, after all, the Soul Ring can't fall into Xu Yinhè's hands."
As he spoke, Qin Weijiu flicked his finger.
A beam of white light shot out instantly, speeding toward the direction of the Xu Residence in Jingjiang.
Hovering in the air, Qin Weijiu glanced at Yu Lan, who was still standing on the mountaintop, and said with a smile:
"I've already sent a message to that kid Qin Mo, are you going to keep standing there?"
At his words, Yu Lan rubbed her temples, casually threw a mask to Qin Weijiu in midair, and put on another for herself:
"What reason should we use when we face Xu Changge?"
Qin Weijiu put on the mask, his figure becoming ethereal, and laughed softly:
"Naturally, in the name of attending the funeral of a village elder and friend."
Yu Lan also rose smoothly into the air:
"We'll stall for a bit then leave, the two of us might not be a match for Xu Changge."
Qin Weijiu shrugged his shoulders:
"Can't you trust my strength for once, what if I could actually take him down?"
Yu Lan gave him a glance:
"Back then, you were almost beheaded by three swords, and now just sensing his Qi you freak out, have you the nerve to say that?"
Qin Weijiu sighed, his emotions fully calmed, and said with a smile:
"After all, it's the inner demon that was planted back then.
Now, over a decade later, after entering the Primordial, I should have made some progress, right?"
Yu Lan felt a surge of emotions but lacked the strength to scold, and so she rubbed her temples:
"Let's go."
"Heh, women."
With that,
The two of them turned into streaks of light, speeding in the southwest direction….
///84///
The Calm Before the Storm Jingjiang Xu Residence, the servants' quarters.
On the first day of entering the residence, there was nothing miscellaneous to do; they were told that an old servant from inside the mansion would show them around and familiarize them with their duties the next day.
Qin Mo lay on the not-so-large bed, gazing at the wooden ceiling while humming a tune and contemplating his next move.
He had never expected that he would see Su Jinxuan on his first day in the Xu Residence, nor had he expected to be so agitated upon seeing her.
"The young lady hasn't agreed to anything, yet look at you, all pleased with yourself."
The middle-aged man's somewhat mocking voice suddenly echoed in Qin Mo's heart.
Qin Mo's thoughts jolted, and he coughed lightly:
"Old man, you saw Su Jinxuan's reaction as well.
There's always a chance."
"Tsk, tsk…
Somebody was insisting they were just ordinary friends."
Qin Mo smacked his lips and said with a smile:
"Old man…"
"Wait a minute."
The middle-aged man's voice suddenly interrupted him, sounding somewhat puzzled:
"Someone is sending you a message."
"What?" Qin Mo paused in thought, failing to respond immediately.
But in the next moment,
a beam of white light streamed through the wooden window into the room.
As soon as the white light entered the room, it exploded with a "pop."
Then, a light and swift voice rang through the room, very briefly:
"Kid, a powerful one is coming.
If you want to save your sweetheart, better hurry; I can only hold him off for a brief moment at most."
"…."
Qin Mo's pupils shrunk slightly.
The room was silent for two seconds,
Then Qin Mo whispered:
"Old man, what…
what is this?"
"A messaging technique."
The middle-aged man's voice grew a bit more solemn: "Hmm…
Judging by the aura, it should be someone from the Primordial level."
A Second Grade Origin Initial…
Qin Mo did not lose his rationale due to the sudden change of events and asked in a low voice:
"Can this person be trusted?"
The middle-aged man fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly:
"I feel that it's unlikely to be a deception.
If he wanted to harm you, with his cultivation level, killing you would be easy.
Sending you a message at this time, he's probably a friend of one of the youngsters from that funeral village."
With a hint of teasing, the middle-aged man added, "This person must have started following you quite some time ago."
"…" Qin Mo frowned and remained silent.
The middle-aged man's words were light:
"So, kid, what are you planning to do?
I'm not clear on what happened, but I suggest you run first, there's no fear of running out of firewood if the green hills are preserved."
Qin Mo's eyes drooped, and he was silent.
Figuring out how he had been exposed was no longer the issue to dwell on but what to do next?
Run?
Rationally speaking, the current unknown change of events indeed suggested he should flee at once.
But if he ran, what would become of Jinxuan?
If he left this time, sneaking back in later would undoubtedly be as difficult as scaling the heavens.
His fists tightened slightly, and Qin Mo's eyes gradually filled with determination:
"Teacher, can you help me out?"
"Sigh…."
The middle-aged man sighed, but after a moment of silence, he then spoke with a chuckle, "You sure are practical, kid.
Now you remember to call me teacher, eh?"
"Cough…." Qin Mo looked slightly embarrassed.
The middle-aged man's tone was teasing:
"But since you've called me teacher, I can't just leave you hanging.
If it's impossible, I will take you and run.
"But you better be quick; the person helping you likely won't be able to stop that powerful one for long."
"Thank you."
Upon hearing this, Qin Mo smiled faintly, got out of bed, and walked towards the exit of the chamber.
With each step he took, a vast surge of Soul Power spread out from within his rings, and the aura around him grew increasingly strong.
Just as Qin Mo stepped out of the chamber,
suddenly,
"Boom!!!"
A roar that seemed capable of tearing apart space came from the skies beyond Jingjiang City's Prefecture!
The colossal boom was clearly audible in every corner of Jingjiang Prefecture.
And just after the sound subsided, a fierce gale that had weakened over the journey swept through.
At this moment, cultivators within Jingjiang City with reasonable cultivation could faintly sense the Origin Qi between heaven and earth trembling, continuously flowing toward the southwest of Jingjiang City.
Meanwhile, the countless commoners above the marketplace, with no cultivation at all, stopped in their tracks to look up at the sky, yet they couldn't see anything.
The panic induced by the unknown nearly caused an uproar throughout the entire Jingjiang Prefecture, with numerous discussions and speculations.
"Hey, Old Liu, you've seen a lot.
What was that sound just now?"
"…Not too sure, maybe it was an Earth Dragon turning over?"
"Miss…
Miss, your steamed buns.
You're a cultivator, right?
Do…
Do you know what that noise was?"
"Yes, I know…"
"It couldn't be a Demonic Beast invasion, could it?
I heard that several small cities near the Wanxing Mountain Range have been breached by Demonic Beasts."
"But this is Jingjiang City, a Prefecture City.
No Demonic Beast would dare to come here."
"Old Wang…
Old Wang, get out of the way!!!
The mount is frightened and out of control!"
"Get out of the way!!
My Earth Dragon Turtle is out of control again!!"
"Aaah!!!!"
"….."
"….."
…
Compared to the chaotic and noisy markets within the Prefecture City, the vast northwest courtyard of the Xu Residence remained as quiet as a library, with Protectors of all ranks quietly standing at their respective posts.
Ying'er had taken Su Jinxuan to the North Garden and kept watch there, while Zhou Chen and Sizi Yu stayed by Xu Yuan's side.
Xu Yuan, even deep in the secret chamber, had heard the loud noise from the sky.
His heartbeat was a bit fast.
Xu Changge had already started to make his move outside the Prefecture City, which meant that Qin Mo would likely take action immediately as well.
In the midst of the silence,
Zhou Chen, with a sword on his back, suddenly looked up and spoke in a voice that seemed somewhat hollow in the enclosed underground chamber:
"Third Young Master, please stay in this secret chamber and don't move about."
"Yes, alright," Xu Yuan, dressed in blood jade glazed clothes, nodded.
"Then Zhou will take his leave for the time being."
Zhou Chen bowed slightly, and next to him, Sizi Yu, though silent, also bowed to Xu Yuan.
Afterward, the two simultaneously vanished from the quiet chamber.
In the large underground secret chamber, only Xu Yuan was left.
The battle on the ground began quickly, as Xu Yuan could clearly feel the earth continuously trembling.
Lacking sufficient power, he couldn't take part in the battle happening on the surface.
This feeling of having his life wholly protected by others was not pleasant for Xu Yuan.
Time ticked away slowly, and the battle on the ground went on.
After an indeterminable amount of time,
suddenly,
"Boom—"
A roar made Xu Yuan's figure sway.
He felt as if something had struck the ground directly above him, and bits of sand and debris fell from the ceiling of the secret chamber.
A shock went through Xu Yuan's heart, but before he could ponder,
"Boom—"
Another quaking of the earth followed, and this time the special material of the chamber's dome cracked.
Xu Yuan looked up solemnly, as the Blood Essence Meteoring Art began to operate quietly within him.
What is happening?!
How did the battle reach right above him?
Wasn't this chamber supposed to have a Spirit-avoiding Formation that conceals any presence?
Fortunately, after that booming sound, there was no more major activity above him for the time being.
Five seconds,
Ten seconds,
Thirty seconds,
After these two impacts, Xu Yuan was fairly certain that his location was likely exposed.
After a moment's hesitation, Xu Yuan slowly stood up, ready to leave.
If he didn't leave now, he would probably be buried alive.
But just as he was about to get up,
"Rumble—"
Once again, there came a violent shaking, and the special material of the ceiling above crumbled in large pieces; the soil and rocks from above poured into the secret chamber like water breaking through a dam…
///85///
Getting Up (Seeking First Subscription) A black cover.
That was the first image Xu Yuan saw after drilling out from the stone and earth-covered secret chamber.
Before entering the chamber, he had seen the azure sky, but now it had vanished, replaced by a black sky canopy that had been inverted over the Xu Residence, isolating the entire Jingjiang Xu Residence from the outside world.
But the sky canopy wasn't completely pitch black; through its surface, the intricate formation patterns visible to the naked eye could faintly be seen in the sky above.
The sky defense array of Jingjiang City had been activated, with formation patterns as wide as a zhang flashing white radiance and spreading amidst mysterious lines above the sky.
Yet this layer of black sky canopy enshrouded the entire Xu Residence, preventing the massive array from locking onto its target.
Soon, Xu Yuan's gaze fell on the four figures in the sky.
Ying'er, Zhou Chen, Sizi Yu, and…
an illusory remnant.
Even while sustaining the black sky canopy, the Saint's Remnant Soul still showed no signs of weakness against the siege of the three Great Grandmasters.
Under the vast Will-spirit sensing capabilities, the various martial skills of a Third Grade Grandmaster could hardly hit him.
Xu Yuan's eyes quickly settled on Zhou Chen, who stood motionless.
As the gusts around him converged, Zhou Chen's grip on the sword hilt became stronger, and the glow at the tip of the sword, accompanied by the condensing Origin Qi, grew brighter until finally, Xu Yuan could hardly look directly at the light on the sword tip.
In an instant, time seemed to freeze, and Zhou Chen's hand gripping the sword hilt swung out fiercely.
Sky Edge Nine Swords, Sword Essence Technique.
The sword radiance flickered, and the air trembled in its wake.
But his target wasn't the ethereal Saint's Remnant Soul, it was that black sky canopy stretched over the sky.
With one sword technique, the black sky canopy was torn open, leaving a gap over thirty zhang long.
The white light of the formation patterns from the ready city defense array outside immediately turned into a sinister red, but regrettably, the Origin Qi beam had not yet been shot out before the black sky canopy healed, its black light, however, had already faded slightly.
At that moment, a thunderous shout came from the sky:
"Qin Mo, what are you waiting for!
I've breached their formation over there, capture that brat quickly, or we won't be able to leave!!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan's pupils shrank sharply.
No…
something's wrong!
The Saint wasn't controlling Qin Mo's body to fight, but appeared in person to confront the three Great Grandmasters with his Will-spirit form.
Then…
where is Qin Mo?!
"Third Young Master!!
Are you all right?"
At this time, a group of muscular giants suddenly barged into the courtyard from outside, with several men leading that Xu Yuan recognized quite well; all of them were the peak Sixth Grade instructors personally assigned from Wuxuan Institute.
But seeing this scene, Xu Yuan's breath hitched, and he fully activated his cultivation technique on guard, while asking aloud:
"Head Instructor Wang, where are the others?"
"The others?" Head Instructor Wang seemed puzzled.
Xu Yuan was straightforward:
"Where are the Guest Elders of Fifth Grade Soul Condensation and Fourth Grade Integration Body?"
Head Instructor Wang hesitated slightly, then spoke in a low voice:
"Not sure, but just now, the formations in this northwestern courtyard were being maintained by them, and now that the formation is broken…"
As he spoke, Instructor Wang chose not to continue further.
Xu Yuan, upon hearing this, raised his hand to massage his brow and suddenly felt an urge to laugh.
Xu Changge planned to kill a Second Grade Origin Initial, while three Great Grandmasters were restrained by that old man.
Currenty, only a Peak Sixth Grade Protector was guarding by his side.
They're back, they're all damn back.
While he was thinking,
"Bang!"
A figure holding the Ancient Ingot Long Knife suddenly hopped over the wall and heavily landed on the lawn of the garden.
Rivulets of fresh blood kept dripping down the sharp and weighty blade, with his coarse hempen robe soaked in the bright red blood as well.
Qin Mo had fought his way through.
Xu Yuan frowned and retreated behind the others.
After a silent second,
Xu Yuan, looking at the protagonist revealing his true appearance, suddenly spoke out:
"Qin Mo?"
He tried to use conversation to buy time.
But Qin Mo clearly had no intention of speaking and, holding the long knife, started walking towards Xu Yuan.
Seeing the situation, Instructor Wang automatically moved in front of Xu Yuan:
"Stop right there!"
"…"
As Qin Mo advanced, Xu Yuan hesitated slightly, but then stopped talking and turned to flee.
It was obvious that the other party had reached Seventh Grade, and with his current strength, struggling even against an Eighth Grade was exhausting.
Staying would only hinder others.
Qin Mo saw Xu Yuan attempting to flee and his brow furrowed slightly, but almost at the same time, he fiercely stomped on the ground.
The stone slabs shattered!
His figure turned into a blur as he charged at the Protectors in front of him.
All the martial students in Wuxuan Institute had been selected from Tian'an Martial Hall, which was an important military resource for the Prime Minister's Mansion.
The cultivation techniques and martial arts they practiced were all for the battlefield.
In nearly an instant, the team of Protectors formed a small battle formation, blocking Qin Mo's path.
Even though the opponent was just a Seventh Grade Bone Tempering, Instructor Wang wasn't taking any chances.
Behind him was the Third Young Master; there was no room for negligence.
As the battle formation took shape, the breaths of the martial students within it layered upon each other, and the Origin Qi formed a closed loop, endless and unyielding.
Xu Yuan didn't look back at the battle, and as he leaped onto the upper floors of the pavilion, he suddenly stopped again.
The scene in front of him was somewhat suffocating.
The vast black sky above was like a giant cage enveloping Jingjiang Xu Residence.
Some attendants dressed in young squire attire tried to escape through it, but the instant they touched the black screen, they were drained of their will-spirit and fell to the ground, dead.
Outside the northwest courtyard where the original houses stood solemnly and the elegant and quiet pavilion of Xu Residence now lay collapsed into heaps of soil and rubble, charred pits, deep marks cut by sword qi, the aftermath was evident everywhere.
Composing himself, Xu Yuan prepared to search for other Protectors within the Residence, but after a whole round found not a single living creature.
Almost everywhere his eyes landed, there were corpses.
There were Protectors, attendants, and stewards.
The aftermath of a fight between Third Grade Great Masters could kill ordinary people and even low-ranking martial students from a distance, leaving very few alive in the once bustling Xu Residence.
It was as though it had become a sealed purgatory on earth.
And this purgatory was still ongoing, only that the four people battling in the sky had, without any apparent agreement, deliberately spared this northwest courtyard.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath.
He couldn't leave; the black canopy above blocked him, and even if he tried, he couldn't escape.
If the team of Protectors underground were to die, he would have to face Qin Mo alone.
The battle in the courtyard had intensified to a fierce level within moments after he had left.
But the scene was rather bizarre; Coach Wang and the other Protectors, who were formed in a battle formation, were almost being crushed.
Because the martial skills that Coach Wang used were somehow being blocked by some invisible force, and although Qin Mo's every strike failed to penetrate the turtle shell formed by the Protectors' formation, it made the formation's Origin Qi fluctuate violently every time.
Xu Yuan almost immediately realized that this main character of the plot must have received a BUFF from the remnants of the Saint's soul.
Qin Mo was striking the weak points of the formation every time, and if this continued, the formation would soon be broken.
His heart sank, but Xu Yuan didn't approach.
Keeping a distance from Qin Mo was very important.
Su Jinxuan had mentioned a move that instantly teleported without any invincible frames.
Standing outside the circle, more than ten zhang away on the courtyard wall, he concentrated his spirit and quietly began to charge his ability and prepare his ultimate move, all the while suddenly speaking provocatively with a smile:
"Qin Mo, it's true that seeing is believing.
You're indeed very strong, a Seventh Grade with the capacity to clash against a peak Sixth Grade formation."
"…" Qin Mo completely ignored him as if he hadn't heard anything.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan pondered for a while, then suddenly switched his tone, his lips curling into a smile:
"I've always heard Jinxuan mentioning your name in bed, warning me to watch out for you, and I've almost grown calluses from hearing it so much."
He suddenly recalled the words Miss Enchantress had told him before.
"…."
Hearing Su Jinxuan's name, Qin Mo suddenly glanced at Xu Yuan:
"Shut up!"
As he hissed lowly, his Ancient Ingot Long Knife emitted a burst of white light.
Thousand Mechanism Slash!
With this strike, a Protector within the formation, an Eighth Grade Bone Tempering martial disciple, lost grip of his weapon and was sent flying out directly!
The corner of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched.
A reaction was good; it was worrying when the opponent kept silent.
Continuing to charge his ultimate move, Xu Yuan said with a smile:
"Judging by that expression, you came to my residence to save her, right?"
Seeing this, Qin Mo stopped talking, steadying his mind to focus solely on breaking the formation.
But that bastard named Xu Changtian incessantly babbling from atop the courtyard wall.
"Ah, do you know how I snatched her from Zuixian Pavilion back then…."
"During our first time, Jinxuan would cry out in pain, and before I could enjoy myself fully, she fainted…"
"If you had been a bit stronger, maybe the result would have been different….."
"You truly are a lovesick fool, but what a pity it seems you've come a bit too late….."
"…."
Qin Mo treated the other's words as mere farts, attempting to disturb his focus, yet the grip on his Ancient Ingot Long Knife remained incredibly stable.
Until,
Xu Changtian suddenly said with a sly smile:
"Ah, you don't think I'm under Jinxuan's control, do you?"
"….." Qin Mo.
"You are really pitiful.
Your background has indeed limited your imagination.
Isn't it just an Enchantress Divine Physique?"
"…" Qin Mo's breathing became slightly erratic.
Xu Yuan's voice continued to creep over like maggots on bones:
"Though the Enchantress Divine Physique is frightening, my father is the current Prime Minister.
Isn't it normal to have a secret treasure that protects the will-spirit?
"Qin Mo, do you want to hear the details about Jinxuan and me…."
"Shut up!!!"
Qin Mo suddenly exploded, performing a Seize Heaven Slash that crossed through the air.
"Boom!!!!!!"
A loud explosion resounded throughout the courtyard as the blade's light burst forth, and the shockwaves lifted waves on a small pond more than twenty zhang away!
The target of the attack, Coach Wang, let out a muffled groan with a trickle of fresh blood at his lips, temporarily forced back several zhang, leaving behind a huge gap.
After executing that slash, Qin Mo didn't care about the backflow of Origin Qi.
He immediately stepped to the left to sidestep, repositioning and slightly lowering his body's center of gravity.
Recognizing this familiar stance, Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly and his heartbeat sped up, but he continued to speak methodically:
"Ah right, Qin Mo, do you want to know my assessment of Jinxuan?"
"…." Qin Mo's gaze intensified.
Step Void Slash!
Qin Mo's figure suddenly accelerated forward, then vanished from sight.
And at that moment,
Xu Yuan, without a moment's hesitation, swung out the long-charged ultimate move in front of him.
Blood Phoenix Drill!
The very next instant,
Qin Mo reappeared, but he was now right in front of Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan's lips twisted into a savage smile.
He had been waiting for this move!
Their close-range confrontation lasted only a split second.
Next moment,
"Bang!!!!!!"
Qin Mo's body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily against the courtyard wall, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Witnessing this scene,
Xu Yuan's heartbeat gradually steadied.
Although his Origin Qi felt somewhat depleted, he still rose from the courtyard wall, smiling as he said:
"Qin Mo, my assessment of her is…
"Very smooth~"
///86///
The Void-Cleaving Longsword The sword technique that Qin Mo had comprehended, which was almost like instantaneous movement, was indeed very powerful, so much so that even Xu Yuan, who possessed the Blood Essence Meteoring Art, was quite tempted by it.
If this teleportation-like sword technique was used properly, catching the enemy off guard and defeating those of higher levels would be all too easy.
On the contrary, once exposed, this type of sword technique would seem somewhat useless for attacking purposes.
The variation of the Step Forward Slash wasn't meant for attacking, but rather for dodging skills through invincibility frames.
Moreover, the reason this move was effective in Cang Yuan was solely because the bosses there didn't understand what invincibility frames meant, let alone what it meant to press up on an opponent.
The past bosses didn't understand, but Xu Yuan, being alive, naturally did.
If Su Jinxuan hadn't mentioned that Qin Mo knew this move, then Xu Yuan really would have been overturned here.
But since it was mentioned, that created a fatal intelligence gap.
Xu Yuan knew, but Qin Mo didn't.
So I'll just set a trap and wait for you to come.
The Blood Phoenix Drill, given Xu Yuan's current level of cultivation, was strenuous to conjure even without any disturbance, but if used at close range to pressure an opponent, then it would be quite suitable.
Lightly jumping down from the courtyard wall, Xu Yuan nearly stumbled and fell to the ground.
Acting as if nothing had happened, he patted off the non-existent dust on his blood jade colored clothes, and his will-spirit surged out, probing into the dust and smoke near the wall.
Origin Qi and will-spirit complemented each other while being independent; the depletion of Origin Qi would not affect the will-spirit.
"Cough cough cough…
cough ah…
waugh cough…"
No sooner had the will-spirit probed out that Xu Yuan heard a series of coughing up blood from the dust.
Upon closer perception, Xu Yuan suddenly let out a light chuckle.
As the dust gradually dispersed, the Protectors regrouped their battle formation, and within that pit, Qin Mo struggled even to stand, his entire chest seared to a char, his body nearly turning into a bloody figure.
Qin Mo, having taken his overdrawn hit, was now showing signs of the light fading.
The red grade of the Blood Essence Meteoring Art was no joke.
The reason those Eighth Grade martial disciples could fight back and forth with Xu Yuan was entirely because Xu Yuan was weak, not because the power of the cultivation technique was insufficient.
His combat skills were too low; almost anything he tried to do would be preempted and interrupted by these disciples who had been trained from a young age.
But given time to prepare his technique, it would be a different matter.
The protagonist of the current story is an example.
"Bastard…"
Qin Mo glared fiercely at the blood-clothed young master opposite him, forcibly propping up his body from the pit, and as he spoke, he once again gripped the Ancient Ingot Long Knife in his hand.
Xu Yuan stood at the back of the crowd with a calm face, watching Qin Mo, suppressing the urge to mock his opponent, and said directly:
"Instructor Wang, don't waste time, kill him."
To kill is to aim for the heart.
Since killing was now an option, there was no need to waste words to strike at the heart.
Villains die from talking too much, and this much Xu Yuan understood.
As soon as his words fell,
a long spear was vigorously thrown out by a burly man from the military formation.
The long spear turned into a shadow, swift as lightning, the distance of over ten yards practically flashing by in an instant.
"Clang—"
A metallic clang sounded, the thrown spear was deflected by an exhausted Qin Mo using the blade of the Ancient Ingot Long Knife, but the cost was the knife being shaken out of his grip.
No one on the battlefield would give an enemy a chance to breathe.
Almost the next moment,
as two more long spears were thrown, several burly men from the formation swiftly closed the gap and rushed toward Qin Mo.
"Hum—"
This time, there was no crisp sound of metal striking metal, but instead a piercing hum.
The two thrown spears abruptly halted in the air in front of Qin Mo.
In the next instant, Qin Mo, lying in the pit, was pulled up into the sky.
Xu Yuan's heart sank suddenly at this scene, and he looked up.
The Saint's Remnant Soul still had the strength to intervene in this battle amid the struggle?
The cooked duck was flying away…
Oh, no, it should still be considered in the pot right now.
As the Saint's Remnant Soul pulled Qin Mo up, Zhou Chen seized the opportunity and fiercely swung his sword at Qin Mo, who was ascending into the air.
The Saint's Remnant Soul raised a hand to grasp.
A Will-spirit shield, solid as reality, formed in front of Qin Mo.
The Sword Qi instantly reached the surface of the Soul Force Black Shield; upon collision, there was no sound, but the dispersing Origin Qi and Will-spirit caused the surrounding air to ripple.
With this heavy hit, the Saint's Remnant Soul's phantom seemed even more transparent.
Having pulled Qin Mo to his side, the Saint's Remnant Soul looked at his disciple's disheveled appearance and sighed softly, then still smiling, he said,
"Kid, you seem to have fallen in with the wrong crowd."
"Teacher…."
Qin Mo clenched his fists slightly.
At this moment, how could he not know how his whereabouts had been exposed.
The Saint's Remnant Soul, however, smiled carefreely and said,
"Alright, it's also my fault for being shortsighted.
Live and learn, just be more careful next time."
Qin Mo's gaze was fixed on the three figures constantly attacking the soul phantom in the sky, his eyes filled with guilt, and he whispered,
"But Teacher, what should we do now?"
As the Saint's Remnant Soul fended off Zhou Chen and the others, he said casually,
"Hmm, escaping is easy, but I might have to sleep for a very long time.
After that, it will mostly be up to you."
Zhou Chen and his two companions didn't feel any empathy to stop their actions because of the master and disciple's parting conversation, but instead, every strike of the sword blade and the secret techniques of Will-spirit became sharper.
In a moment, the backlashes of the confrontations between the three and the Saint sent additional waves of destruction across the Xu Residence in Jingjiang, which was already nearly in ruins.
"I understand…." Qin Mo made some kind of decision in his heart.
"….."
The Saint's Remnant Soul didn't speak again, his aura suddenly soared, and a tremor of Will-spirit momentarily repelled Zhou Chen and his companions.
After that,
A spatial tremor spread from the center of the Saint's soul body!
Xu Yuan, watching from the ground, felt a sudden sink in his heart.
Damnit.
This situation shouldn't all be able to let this protagonist escape, right?
And if Xu Yuan could discern the move, the three Great Grandmasters in the sky naturally knew as well, but the Saint's soul body was now surrounded by spatial ripples, blocking all their attacks.
Even if they stood and hit it for a while, they couldn't penetrate the spatial ripples.
Soon, the aura of the Saint's Remnant Soul gradually reached its peak, spatial tremors appearing as dark patterns that even ordinary people could see with the naked eye.
The Saint's Remnant Soul took a long breath, looked deeply at Qin Mo behind him, and said with a light laugh,
"Qin boy, don't overthink it, I'm just going to sleep, not dying.
We, master and disciple, will have plenty of opportunities in the future…."
Whoosh————
Before the Saint's Remnant Soul could finish speaking, his pupils suddenly contracted.
In a moment that seemed to freeze time,
he saw a black, ancient longsword flying towards him.
And in the instant he saw the sword blade, he realized that his depleted Soul Force left him unable to dodge.
As he anticipated,
In the silent world,
The black longsword pierced the barrier he had created.
Gliding through the void,
It entered the spatial barrier around him like piercing water, and ultimately, gently stabbed into his soul body.
Everything happened so fast, it was as if time had been paused.
The next moment, pause was released.
Flurries of chilling frost began to spread rapidly from the blade.
And in an instant,
Both the Saint's Remnant Soul in the air and Qin Mo beside him were frozen into ice sculptures, plummeting from the sky…..
///87///
What's happening?
Watching the two ice sculptures fall from the sky, Xu Yuan's eyes were tinted with astonishment.
He had just prepared himself to hear the protagonist utter harsh threats, and then to watch them slip away right before his eyes.
Is this the result?
Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan's gaze upon the falling ice sculptures became slightly grave.
He hadn't been able to see clearly how the ancient black Longsword appeared, nor how it imprisoned the Saint's Remnant Soul, but he did see the process of the protagonist's soul and body being frozen into ice sculptures.
Was it Xu Changge who came?
But in Cang Yuan, this elder brother didn't seem to have the ability to freeze things, right?
As thoughts flickered, Xu Yuan's attention was quickly drawn to something else.
The black canopy covering the entire Xu Residence underwent a strange change.
After the Saint's Remnant Soul was sealed in ice, the canopy immediately developed dense holes, which visibly spread and connected at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Eventually,
The whole black canopy had dissipated into invisibility before the ice sculptures hit the ground, revealing the intricate and mysterious Formation Patterns in the sky above.
And with the loss of the target, those visibly mysterious Formation Patterns in the city's grand formation gradually vanished from the air as well.
Regaining his composure, Xu Yuan instinctively looked towards where the ice sculptures had landed.
However, after a flash of thought, he didn't go over immediately but turned his gaze to the Protectors in the courtyard, who appeared weary yet relieved.
In the midst of that hell on earth, these martial disciples still didn't forget to come and protect him, the Third Young Master.
Facing life and death, they fought bravely nonetheless.
"Hoo…"
Releasing a long breath, Xu Yuan flicked his fingers, and a couple dozen silver notes, each worth a hundred taels, flew into the hands of Coach Wang.
Coach Wang, who had been looking up at the sky, caught them with surprise and after a quick look, immediately said to Xu Yuan:
"Third Young Master, what we did just now was our duty, I can't take this…"
"Take it if I give it to you.
If not you, then surely your subordinates will need it."
As he spoke, Xu Yuan glanced towards the entrance of the courtyard.
"…"
Suddenly, Coach Wang fell silent, his mind recalling those brothers who had been killed by Qin Mo on their way here…
Xu Yuan looked downcast, patting Coach Wang's shoulder.
He didn't know about the others in the residence, but he was always mixing with the folks at the Wuxuan Institute.
After sparring with that group of hearty muscle-heads for over a month, many memories remained fresh in his mind.
Originally, he had also planned to go there today.
Now it seems, he would never be able to go there again.
"Rest well, you did a good job this time."
After speaking, Xu Yuan withdrew his hand and walked towards the courtyard entrance.
The sky remained sunny and mild, but the courtyard showed signs of the aftermath of chaos.
Coach Wang held the stack of silver notes tightly in his hand, remaining silent for a long while, before finally bowing deeply in the direction of the Third Young Master who had already disappeared around the corner:
"Wang Quan, on behalf of the brothers from Wuxuan Institute, I thank the Third Young Master!"
…
…
The ice sculptures had fallen near what was once a quiet and beautiful wetland lake.
By the time Xu Yuan arrived, Zhou Chen and the other two were already waiting by the side.
Seeing Xu Yuan coming, Zhou Chen, with the Longsword on his back, was the first to approach, greeting with a clasped fist:
"Third Young Master."
Xu Yuan glanced at Zhou Chen.
Oh no, he surveyed all three Grandmasters.
Each was somewhat disheveled, with Zhou Chen, who had directly confronted the Saint's Remnant Soul, being the worst off.
His body was covered with bloody wounds, but given his strong spirit, he seemed to be relatively unharmed.
Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan nodded and asked, "Was that sword strike from Xu Changge earlier?"
Zhou Chen shook his head:
"It was not the Young Master Changge."
The two talked while walking toward the two ice sculptures that were sealed in ice.
Xu Yuan frowned, somewhat surprised:
"Not Xu Changge?
Then who was it?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen's lips stretched into a peculiar smile, speaking softly:
"Third Young Master, you'll probably know who it is when you see that sword."
Back then, he had seen the Third Young Master coerce Young Master Changge to let go of the State Preceptor's disciple with the threat of death.
Now it seems it wasn't without reward.
"….."
Hearing this, Xu Yuan's thoughts were caught off guard.
"Ice, is that okay?"
A cold voice that once infuriated him to the point of cerebral hemorrhage suddenly flashed through his mind.
Ice.
That Big Ice Lump was also ice; could it really be her this time?
His steps subconsciously halted, and Xu Yuan looked toward Zhou Chen with a strange expression in his eyes.
However, at that moment, Zhou Chen wasn't looking at him, but slowly lifted his eyes to the sky to one side.
Following his gaze, Xu Yuan also turned quietly to look.
Soon after, he saw a slender figure slowly descending from the sky, landing about ten meters from him.
She wore black, concealing her exquisite curves, with a bulging travel bag slung on her back.
But unlike their first encounter, this time she didn't wear a veil.
Instead, she had bought a veil hat that covered her head; her serene gaze was still faintly visible through the thin fabric.
They exchanged wordless glances.
Xu Yuan let out a breath, walked up to her, performed a salute, and said with a sincere smile,
"Miss Ran, long time no see."
Ran Qingmo stared at Xu Yuan silently for two seconds and then simply uttered three words,
"Ran Qingmo."
"..."
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, came to his senses, and with a light cough, repeated,
"Ahem…
Ran Qingmo, long time no see."
Ran Qingmo slowly removed her hat, pursed her lips, and nodded her head,
"Mm, Xu Yuan, long time no see."
After that, silence.
"….." Xu Yuan.
"….." Ran Qingmo.
"Cough."
Xu Yuan coughed lightly, glanced sideways at the two ice sculptures, "Were these your doing just now?"
Ran Qingmo walked towards the ice sculptures, retrieved her sword, and said nonchalantly,
"Mm."
Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice,
"Ran Qingmo, thank you."
If it hadn't been for Ran Qingmo's sudden intervention, the main character of the storyline might have actually been transported away to escape, and it would have been as hard as ascending to heaven to kill him after that.
"….."
Upon hearing this, Ran Qingmo didn't immediately respond, paused as if reminiscing, and then looked into Xu Yuan's eyes,
"Xu Yuan, 'thank you' is the most worthless thing in this world.
You owe me a favor."
"…." Xu Yuan.
After a pause, Ran Qingmo shook her head again,
"No, that's not right.
It's that I only owe you one favor now."
"All right, now you only owe one favor," Xu Yuan said with a wry smile.
Steering the conversation back on track, Xu Yuan looked at the two ice sculptures,
"By the way, Ran Qingmo, are both of these people dead?"
Ran Qingmo's beautiful eyes glanced over there, lifted a slender jade finger, and pointed towards the two ice sculptures,
"No, he isn't dead, but he is."
The first strike, Saint's Remnant Soul.
The second strike, the main character Qin Mo.
Xu Yuan's breath caught.
Dead…
Looking at the protagonist who seemed still alive encased within the ice sculpture, Xu Yuan's eyes filled with deep surprise.
Qin Mo is dead?
?
The protagonist is really dead just like that?
Seeing his expression, Ran Qingmo pressed her red lips together and asked softly,
"That, didn't you want him dead…."
Xu Yuan snapped back to reality, waved his hand,
"No, it just feels a bit too easy."
Ran Qingmo looked utterly baffled.
Xu Yuan, feeling at ease, didn't feel like explaining to the Big Ice Lump and instead directed the topic towards Ran Qingmo,
"Did you come to find me because of that matter?"