At the Grandmaster level, the Step of Void Tumbling was already considered a top-tier method of flight among peers. As Batu approached the border of Northern Zhou and the grasslands, Meng Qi soon left the grasslands behind.
Only at this point did he slightly relax, the matter of karmic anomaly and Gu Xiaosang’s words casting a shadow over his mind and weighing heavily on his spirit. After some adjustment, he gradually recovered a bit.
Having endured so many hardships and dangers, and having witnessed numerous partings and deaths, Meng Qi was no longer the man he once was. His mind had become polished and resilient, and his optimistic and stubborn sides had grown stronger. Surrendering to fate or waiting passively for death was never his style. If he had to die, he would rather fight till the end. That was the real Meng Qi.
A true man must live gloriously, act decisively, and pursue justice and vengeance with passion. He would rather die standing than live kneeling! Meng Qi clenched his teeth inwardly. At most, he would be more cautious in future struggles, using the Yuxu Palace and Biyou Palace to avoid detection by powerful beings, so as not to endanger his loved ones. But he would never surrender or resign himself to death, nor would he spend his life as a mere “two-legged sheep” penned in by others!
Even if he ultimately failed, he would die gloriously, leaving a mark on those malevolent beings!
You may be mighty and exalted beings, but I am merely a commoner, a life of little worth—what do I have to fear? If I smash your delicate “vessels,” it will be you who feel the pain!
Meng Qi steeled his heart, feeling the dregs of his worries rise, and his mind gradually became clearer. At that moment, he saw a desolate mountain range. With a thought, he descended through the light and landed in front of an old, ruined temple.
The temple was not large, simple but sturdy, like a shelter built by ascetics for travelers. However, with the change in trade routes and the renovation of major roads, it had been abandoned.
Meng Qi found a lotus pond filled with mud and planted the lotus seed given by Gu Xiaosang inside.
The little demon girl was mysterious and unpredictable. Although this lotus seed seemed casually picked from the sea of Dora Su, who knew if she had left behind something undetectable by him? Carrying it posed too much risk; it might allow her to track him down. It was better to temporarily “store” it here.
After casually setting up a barrier, Meng Qi fled once more, but not toward Huamei Villa or Chunyang Sect. Instead, he headed toward Zangjian Tower!
…
At Huamei Villa.
News traveled through various channels and arrangements, often faster than flight. Within half a day, “Ice Fairy” Ye Yuqi had received the crucial intelligence from Meng Qi.
“Noble families are truly unreliable,” said Ye Yuqi, her demeanor cool and calm.
Except for the Gao Clan of Changle, the four top noble families of Northern Zhou—Cao of Peijing, Cui of Gezhou, Shangguan of Juyuan, and Xiahou of Lulong—had all secretly pledged allegiance to the Golden Tent. Countless other lesser noble families had done the same. The news was shocking even to Ye Yuqi.
Chonghe, clad in a deep blue Taoist robe with his white hair tied into a bun secured by a wooden hairpin, his face as smooth as a baby’s, offered a faint, bitter smile. “Many sects are alike. Do they truly believe that merely replacing the ruling powers—Changle Gao, Huamei Villa, and the Chunyang Sect—with the Golden Tent of the grasslands will ensure everything remains unchanged?”
If the combined forces of the grasslands and the Leftist sects succeeded, the entire structure of the Northern Zhou and Great Jin sects and noble families would undergo a complete upheaval. Where would the treasures and techniques for rewarding subordinates and winning allies come from? Would the heretical sects leave behind threats for themselves?
Except for the very few factions with the power to play the game, most others would eventually face elimination.
Unfortunately, when a great calamity approaches, some people are blinded by greed, and others lack foresight.
The meaning behind Chonghe’s words was clear to Lu Da Xiansheng and Ye Yuqi. They both shook their heads with a sigh, feeling the same sense of impending storm, as if Northern Zhou was on the brink of collapse.
After a brief silence, Mr. Lu slowly said, “It’s not entirely a bad thing. Aside from the Cao family of Peijing and a few minor sects and clans, most of those secretly pledging allegiance are merely hedging their bets. They will only fully commit once the grasslands show signs of dominance. If we can maintain the current situation or gain the upper hand, they will likely switch sides and support us.”
He sat upright, hands resting on his knees, sword placed neatly on the side table, as disciplined as a young student.
“Therefore, the key is not to show weakness. Once the wall starts to fall, everyone will push it down,” Lu Da Xiansheng concluded, as direct as a sword strike, pinpointing the core of the current situation.
Chonghe Daoist pondered for a moment before saying: “You and I together should be able to hold off Gourdo, and Nan Shi of the Asura Temple won’t act recklessly for the grasslands. We can temporarily ignore his threat and focus our forces.”
This was Meng Qi’s previous assessment. The latest intelligence also indicated that his disguise had likely been exposed, and the earlier information might have been fabricated. However, considering the Asura Temple’s historical neutrality, Nan Shi’s ties with the grasslands, as well as his personal temperament and methods, both Lu Da Xiansheng and Chonghe Daoist concurred that the Asura Temple’s hesitation was genuine. Even if circumstances compelled Nan Shi to take action, his level of dedication remained doubtful. Hence, Chonghe boldly suggested not deploying a Dharmakaya to intercept Nan Shi, but instead concentrating their forces on a localized battlefield.
This was the importance of intelligence!
“Nan Shi will come from the west. To the north is the Cui family of Gezhou, to the south the Sima family of Xiliang, and further southeast is the Xijian Pavilion. The first two are hedging their bets and won’t be attacked by Nan Shi for now, which also ensures temporary safety for other sects and families in Gezhou,” said Ye Yuqi, who had long been in charge of Huamei Villa and spoke more fluently about the overall situation than Lu Da Xiansheng.
The Northern Zhou’s Gezhou and the Great Jin’s Xizhou bordered the Western Regions. Unless Nan Shi harbored ulterior motives, the most advantageous strategy would be to eliminate nearby enemies and expand his influence, avoiding a deadly confrontation with other Dharma bodies.
“As for the latter two, we can only be grateful that Xizhou and Ganzhou are relatively barren. With top noble families and sects controlling the regions, secondary sects and families are few and have retreated into city-states. If they cause too much destruction, Lanke Temple’s Bodhisattva will intervene,” Ye Yuqi explained in a formal tone.
Ganzhou borders Xizhou, and Xijian Pavilion lies in the northern part of Nanhuazhou, Ganzhou.
Lu Da Xiansheng said: “Su Wuming and Sima Yin are both young talents who crossed the Three Heavens Ladder early. With divine weapons, they should be able to delay Nan Shi for a while.”
Sima Yin was one of the two shining stars of his generation, a young prodigy whose fame would have been a hundred times greater in most eras. Every martial artist remembers the two shining stars on the Ranks, but who remembers the third-ranked after them?
Needless to say, among the Earth Ranks, except for Su Wuming, he was the youngest Half-Fashen, ranked thirteenth, a testament to his strength. Now he was the head of the Sima family in Xiliang.
Upon hearing Lu Da Xiansheng’s words, Chonghe Daoist slightly furrowed his white eyebrows: “Su Wuming is somewhat special. I once observed his cultivation place from afar and sensed a pervasive subtlety. I wonder what state he is in now.”
Mr. Lu Da gave a slight nod, lost in thought for a moment before speaking: “Daman is highly skilled in magical arts and witchcraft. If he intervenes in our battle with Gourdo, he could very well determine the outcome. We must not overlook him and should request Master He to intercept him.”
“The Blood Robe Sect is determined to interfere, likely with some backing. Either the Gu God is aiding them, or they’ve received hints from Gourdo and Han Guang. If the demonic tribes intervene, there’s a good chance they’ll join the battle,” Chonghe added.
They had prepared for the worst-case scenario of demonic interference.
(Note: “妖族” is translated as “demonic” in this context, as it conveys the supernatural/malevolent nature often associated with the term in Chinese fantasy settings. Alternative translations could include “monstrous races” or “yao tribes” if more literal or specific to the setting.)
Chonghe continued: “Therefore, we must ask Yunhe Daoist to secretly set up formations, and have Kongwen Daoist and Cui Qinghe Daoist take the lead. If there are no other changes, the three Daoists working together with the formations should be able to eliminate the Blood Sea Rakshasa quickly, shocking the enemy and turning the tide in our favor.”
By concentrating forces to create a local advantage, once the Blood Sea Rakshasa is killed, it would create a huge shockwave, forcing the fence-sitters to make a choice instead of continuing to watch passively.
Every major sect and aristocratic family possessed their own foundational resources and divine artifacts. Individually, they could only hold their ground, but when united, their combined might was truly formidable. For instance, in a duel between two Dharmakāya-level experts, if one side had the backing of powerful forces like the Cao Family of Peijing or the Zangjian Tower, or deployed Quasi-Dharmakāya warriors, the outcome would be obvious. They simply couldn’t afford to lose such an advantage.
“If the demonic tribes intervene, the three of them plus the formation should be able to hold them off and avoid a defeat,” agreed Grandmaster Lu.
Three great demons, along with the weakest Dharma Body—the Blood Sea Rakshasa—might not be enough to overpower Kongwen, Cui Qinghe, and Yunhe, especially since the latter could set up formations to assist.
Recalling the intelligence and judgment from Meng Qi, Ye Yuqi interjected: “The Demon Master Han Guang and the Dharma King Du Shi are both troublemakers who thrive on chaos. They would never allow Gourdo to dominate unchecked. It is highly unlikely they would risk their lives to interfere in the Earth Immortal battle, but I wonder what they are planning…”
“If Master Gao Luan has obtained the Human Emperor Sword, the chaos and decline of Northern Zhou would bring him no benefit at all. He should be able to contain the Dharma King Du Shi, who desires chaos the most. As for the ‘Demon Master’ Han Guang, he is proud and never willing to be second to anyone. He would not serve as a pawn for Gourdo. Perhaps he wants to take advantage of the chaos in the great war to gain something for himself, for example…” Chonghe Daoist paused, looking at Lu Da Xiansheng and Ye Yuqi, then uttered three words: “Time Blade.”
“He is the mythical ‘Celestial Emperor,’ so it is natural for him to covet the Time Blade,” Lu Da Xiansheng nodded.
“We must inform Master Shoujing to guard the gates carefully and prevent internal collusion and mutual surveillance,” Chonghe said calmly.
The Xuantian Sect is safeguarded by an ultimate divine weapon, rendering it as impregnable as a fortress, even against attacks from the Dharmakaya. Unless they fail to anticipate Han Guang’s schemes, grow negligent, or attempt to wield the sword in the Dharmakaya battle.
“The Zangjian Tower’s Faceless Demon King must be captured quickly, or the news of a top sect being breached could cause panic and shift the momentum,” Ye Yuqi volunteered. “Brother-in-law, Senior Chonghe, why don’t I go with a divine weapon?”
Chonghe Daoist chuckled: “Young Su is probably already on his way. If you leave, who will guard Huamei Villa?”
Huamei Villa’s foundation was still shallow. Though it had a Grandmaster, it wasn’t particularly strong, and at this time, it was difficult to manage everything.
“That’s about it. Gourdo’s aura has already been unleashed. The great battle is coming,” Lu Da Xiansheng closed his eyes, his right hand caressing the sword, focused and devout.
Chonghe Daoist also closed his eyes to meditate, waiting for dawn.
The sky was dim, a golden streak brightening the layers of clouds, morning glow soaring.
Chonghe Daoist clapped his hands with a benevolent and humble smile on his face, then leaped into the high sky, sensing the aura and moving in harmony with it.
Lu Da Xiansheng opened his eyes, picked up his long sword. This battle was dangerous, and no one knew who would return.
Beside him, Ye Yuqi suddenly bit her lip, finally showing a bit of feminine tenderness, yet with a fierce expression, she said: “Brother-in-law, my feelings…”
Lu Da Xiansheng smiled: “Do you remember my nickname?”
“I do,” Ye Yuqi was taken aback.
Lu Da Xiansheng’s eyes became tender, filled with affection: “Young Su once said, ‘Only names can be mistaken, but nicknames are never wrong.'”
As the words fell, the sword light pierced the clouds.
Ye Yuqi stood still, gazing into the distance, finally sighing softly, as if talking to herself:
“He who loves deeply wields the sword deeply, devoted to one person for a lifetime.”
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