Chapter 373: A Vast, Unobstructed Plain

The bone-chilling wind and the vast, heavy snowfall blanketed the pine forest in a thick white layer, with only scattered patches of green visible.

On the soft snow, several shallow footprints were left behind, two of which were almost imperceptible, as if ghosts had drifted by.

Meng Qi moved like an illusory demon across the snowy plain, yet he wasn’t exerting his full strength, fearing that the Divine Camel of the Northern Frontier and the Lady of Crimson Thread would be unable to keep up.

Although the “Moonland” mainly inherits the “True Manual of Subduing Evil under the Yin,” over generations it has assimilated countless sects and families. With occasional fortuitous encounters, its martial arts techniques are diverse and complex. Apart from the lineage of the Landmaster, few cultivate the “True Manual of Subduing Evil under the Yin,” and even those who do are likely trained as quick-to-deploy assassins,” explained the Divine Camel of the Northern Frontier, giving Qingyuan Taoist Priest a general introduction to Moonland while they had just exited the “Thousand Li Mountains.”

The Lady of Crimson Thread added, “Under Lord Xiyue, the Moonland’s prominent experts include the Four Guardians and the Eight Commanders, all of whom are renowned in the martial world.”

“I wonder about their strength and cultivation levels?” Meng Qi asked, then suddenly slashed his blade with his right hand. A flash of light and a person hiding behind a pine tree fell, blood gushing from his throat, staining his body red like a blooming plum blossom.

Meanwhile, Meng Qi’s footsteps never ceased.

“The Eight Commanders include those with nine and eight Heavenly Orifices respectively, but in actual combat, they might surpass even my aged and weakened nine-orifice state. As for the Four Guardians…” the Divine Camel paused as Meng Qi slashed his blade again, a bright silver streak erupting from the snow, leaving a crimson line.

Blood from the strike gathered along the blade, condensing into a droplet at its tip, which fell onto the snow like a petal from a plum blossom in a painting.

The Lady of Crimson Thread gazed in a daze. It wasn’t that she and the Divine Camel couldn’t detect the hidden disciples of the Moonland, but they were always a beat too late. Just as they were about to act, Qingyuan Taoist Priest had already sheathed his blade.

His actions were merciless and ruthless; Qingyuan Taoist Priest truly didn’t resemble an ordinary Taoist priest.

After a moment of astonishment, the Divine Camel continued, “Among the Four Guardians, ‘Purple Sun Sword King’ and ‘Azure Blood Dragon King’ are Lord Xiyue’s senior uncles, both half-step experts beyond the external scenery, renowned and feared throughout the martial world. ‘Silver Moon Water King’ and ‘Crimson Eyebrow Blade King’ have surpassed the typical nine-orifice level. When facing opponents of similar strength, their full power can produce extraordinary phenomena. They are Lord Xiyue’s junior nephews and are considered to be on the verge of becoming half-step experts.”

As he spoke, the trio dashed across the snowy terrain, their footsteps producing soft creaking sounds. Occasionally, a flash of blade illuminated the area, followed by the loss of a life and the blooming of a blood-red plum blossom, making the white snow appear even colder.

“If we encounter the Four Guardians, we may struggle to reach Jushen Manor. However, there’s no need to worry. Lord Huangfu has several powerful friends, such as the Wuliang Immortal of the Daoist Monastery and the Master of the Chivalrous Pavilion. Both are half-step experts beyond the external scenery. Even without involving their sects or bringing their sect’s treasures, it would take the Four Guardians to intercept them. Particularly Wuliang Immortal, a true disciple of the Daoist sect, is among the top half-step experts. It might even require Lord Xiyue himself to intervene,” the Divine Camel, who had experienced countless hardships, assessed the situation more thoroughly than the straightforward Lady of Crimson Thread.

The Lady of Crimson Thread whispered softly, “I truly cannot comprehend. At this crucial juncture when Lord Xiyue is contending for the title of Tianyuan Emperor, why would he act so recklessly with such shameless opportunism? Does he not fear that the ‘Starland’s’ ‘Star-Plucking Immortal,’ the ‘Silent Chan Master,’ and ‘Sword-Shaking Nine Provinces’ might seize this opportunity to challenge him? After all, Lord Huangfu enjoys the backing of numerous sects and noble families…”

“Madam Crimson Thread, don’t you think that for Lord Xiyue, who has just entered the realm of external scenery, vying for the title of Tianyuan Emperor is quite a stretch?” Meng Qi’s robe fluttered as he stepped on the snow, holding his precious blade.

“Huh…” the Lady of Crimson Thread was momentarily stunned.

The Divine Camel, who had tasted countless hardships, sighed, “Lord Xiyue’s intentions lie elsewhere. His bid for the Tianyuan Emperor title is likely a ruse, a way to step back and use his own withdrawal as the ‘price’ to gain the tacit approval of the Star-Plucking Immortal and others for his marriage alliance with Jushen Manor.”

Is that even possible… The Lady of Crimson Thread was momentarily stunned. She was straightforward by nature and disliked underhanded tactics. Now, she found Lord Xiyue’s actions sinister and devious. And even the Silent Chan Master, who was always seen as a representative of the righteous sect, had silently approved?

Politics is just so dirty… Meng Qi thought to himself. If the Silent Chan Master were truly a hermit or a high-ranking Buddhist monk, he wouldn’t have joined the competition for the Tianyuan Emperor title in the first place.

A flash of blade, a streak of blood splashed onto the snow, red and glaring.

Gazing at the endless snowy landscape ahead, the Divine Camel continued, “Among the Eight Commanders of Moonland, the most formidable is ‘Phoenix Immortal Sword’ Lin Buping, followed by ‘White Dragon Slayer’ Bai Zhanlong, who practices the ‘True Manual of Vanquishing Evil Under the Moon.’ The least powerful is Lord Xiyue’s son, the groom in this marital alliance—’Gentleman Amidst Blossoms’ Wen Hengshui…”

He went on to describe each of the Eight Commanders in detail, as they were the most likely experts to be sent to intercept them. The more they knew, the better their chances of working together.

The cold air was clear, and the blizzard gradually subsided, leaving a deep layer of snow. The dark clouds in the sky dispersed, revealing the bright moon, which illuminated the snowy landscape with a chilling glow, white and breathtaking.

Moonlight shone brightly, with a hint of silver, when suddenly a vague, twisted figure leaped from the “light,” hands shaped like claws, directly attacking Meng Qi’s back.

Before the figure arrived, its energy had already been unleashed. Ten finger beams, carrying a chilling aura that could freeze blood, shot forth.

“Be careful…” the Lady of Crimson Thread and the Divine Camel warned in unison, raising their swords and palms to assist.

Dressed in a water-resistant robe with a silk sash around his waist, Meng Qi faced away from the moonlight, slicing his long blade backward.

The blade’s momentum was round and complete, like the emptiness of heaven, containing all changes and absorbing all airflows. The ten finger beams were silently absorbed, causing the ten fingers to involuntarily grasp at the “void.”

Suddenly, the void cracked open, yin and yang differentiated, and the long blade abruptly surged forward. The blade’s motion was slow, yet it contained countless changes, each change occurring faster than imaginable, sealing all escape routes and dodges.

The attacker was quite strong, but first absorbed by the emptiness of heaven, his advantage in footwork was broken, and his technique had already reached its peak. Facing the subsequent blade strike, he could no longer evade.

The blade’s glow was dim, seemingly slow in descending, yet the attacker felt trapped in a nightmare, unable to escape until the blade reached him, and he hastily raised his palm to block.

The changes converged, the blade flicked upward, slicing directly between his palms like a bolt of lightning, splitting his protective aura.

Clang! The blade returned to its sheath. The attacker’s hands seemed to be clasped in prayer, a deep slash appearing on his throat, blood gushing out and staining the snow in front of him red, like one plum blossom after another.

“Be careful… ambush.” Only after the attacker slowly collapsed did the Lady of Crimson Thread and the Divine Camel finish their warning, their swords and palms just beginning to strike.

What a powerful blade technique!

What a fast blade!

In just a moment or two, he had killed an expert who seemed quite formidable?

The two exchanged astonished glances, looking back and forth between the attacker and Meng Qi.

Meng Qi was quite satisfied with his blade technique just now, so he calmly accepted their gazes.

After fighting alongside Jiang Zhimei in the fragments of the Demon World, his sword and blade techniques had improved further. He could now freely combine his own insights with the Solitary Heaven Blade techniques to target different situations and vulnerabilities. He was only one step away from reaching the level of returning to simplicity with his sword and blade techniques, wielding them effortlessly and skillfully.

Due to the attacker’s considerable strength, the Divine Camel of the Northern Frontier kicked him over to identify his identity.

“It’s, it’s Bai Zhanlong!” The Divine Camel was stunned. The attacker who had been killed so effortlessly by Qingyuan Taoist Priest was actually Bai Zhanlong, the second strongest among the Eight Commanders? He had assumed it was just an ordinary nine-orifice disciple from the Moonland!

A few snowflakes drifted down, landing on his face and body, but he felt no chill, only a surreal vision before him.

To kill Bai Zhanlong with a mere wave of the hand would likely require the strength of a half-step external scenery expert. Yet, Qingyuan Taoist Priest didn’t seem to be a master who had opened the mystical third eye!

The Lady of Crimson Thread was shocked and doubtful, unable to believe it was truly Bai Zhanlong, the second strongest among the Eight Commanders. Just now, Qingyuan Taoist Priest had barely turned his head, at most half-turned his body!

“So he’s Bai Zhanlong. His strength is decent,” Meng Qi glanced at him. Due to the effects of the “True Manual of Subduing Evil under the Yin,” which allows one to hide in the moonlight, Bai Zhanlong didn’t carry any weapon or common items, wearing only a thin robe.

Meng Qi looked at the crimson plum blossoms blooming one after another on the snow behind him, then gazed ahead at the vast snowy expanse, smiling, “Now that the Eight Commanders have made their move, the path ahead should be smooth sailing.”

With that, Meng Qi quickened his pace, moving like the essence of the snow, a faint trace.

His sleeves fluttered, his hand resting on his long blade, exuding an air of elegance and freedom.

“This is the future Tianyuan Emperor…” the Lady of Crimson Thread and the Divine Camel of the Northern Frontier regained their composure, sighing involuntarily.

…

Jushen Manor was built against the mountains and beside the water, covering a vast area.

When Meng Qi and the others arrived, it was just dawn. Winter days are slow to brighten, and it was still quite dim. The entire manor was decorated with lanterns and red paper, exuding a festive atmosphere. However, the disciples and servants on night duty were few, their faces filled with anger and resentment, showing no sign of joy or celebration.

In the distance, a group of people approached with drums and gongs, as if welcoming a bride.

“Trouble, the Moonland is making a swift move and has started the wedding ceremony ahead of schedule,” the Lady of Crimson Thread’s expression changed. The wedding procession would surely have powerful figures of sufficient rank to oversee it, possibly one of the Purple Sun Sword King or Azure Blood Dragon King!

The Divine Camel was first stunned, then solemnly said, “Deliberately spreading false information about the wedding date to mislead Wuliang Immortal and others into miscalculating the timing, then proceeding with the wedding at their leisure, turning raw rice into cooked. Well done, Lord Xiyue!”

Meng Qi held his blade in his left hand, his sword resting on his back, his water-resistant robe fluttering in the wind. He looked at the red plum blossoms blooming in the corner of the wall against the white snow, seemingly recalling the vivid “plum blossoms” on the battlefield. His voice remained calm:

“What must come will inevitably arrive. Let’s go in first to find Miss Huangfu and see what her thoughts are.”