Chapter 220: The Fury of Yuanlao Mountain

“The elders are furious,” said Qilian, the master of Xiulian Grove, in a solemn tone. “The Nine Elder Directors are extremely angry. The four dragons, which the Senate spent so much effort to tame, were actually set free by Yang Hao.”

He spoke these words during one of the most oppressive meetings in the history of the Ten Sword Sects.

The meeting was secretly held in one of the four major guardian sects of Elder Mountain—Xiulian Grove. Almost all the leaders of the ten sword sects had gathered. Only the Starlight Circus was still on a covert mission in the outer territories and could not return in time, while the leader of the Beastheart Sword Sect, Bista, had been imprisoned due to the destruction of his sect.

During this meeting, there was a major reshuffling of the seating order among the Ten Sword Sects. Previously, the Wang Clan, the Murk Assassin Clan, and the Blackwind Sword Sect had all occupied the upper seats. However, due to the loss of their sacred swords, their power had greatly diminished, forcing them to sit at the lowest positions. The four sects that still retained their sacred swords—Xiulian Grove, the Yan Clan, Illusion Feather Sect, and Divine Absolution Group—now held dominant positions within the Ten Sword Sects.

The atmosphere was extremely tense. Since the founding of the Ten Sword Sects, they had never faced such a great setback. Within just a year, five sacred swords had been lost, several sword sects had suffered devastating blows, and their opponent was merely a young upstart.

“What is the decision of the elders?” asked Hai Wanggong, the head of the Wang Clan. As heads of families, they themselves were elders, so he was naturally inquiring about the decision of the Director Elders.

In the Galactic Empire, private cultivation was strictly forbidden; only the forces directly under the Senate were allowed to cultivate. Ordinary elders were at the same level as Sword Saints, while the Director Elders were said to be close to the realm of wandering immortals. Thus, if the Director Elders were willing to act, killing Yang Hao would be as easy as picking something from a bag.

Qilian sighed slightly. The old man had a serene face and a long, flowing beard, exuding the aura of a sage. He replied to Hai Wanggong, “The Director Elders seem to have some concerns, possibly related to the Zhi Zun. They probably won’t take action.”

The至尊referred to by these people was naturally the leader of the Senate—the supreme immortal of the Galactic Empire, and also the sworn enemy of Yang Hao and Hunyuanzi.

“Why should the Director Elders act?” the new leader of the Murk Assassin Clan, shrouded in black robes with a blurred face, said. “At least five of us here are elders, and Yang Hao is only at the level of a Grand Sword Master. Anyone of us could easily take his life.”

“No!” at least three elders shouted in unison.

Qilian frowned slightly. The Murk Assassin Clan had always been known for its calmness and ruthlessness. How could the new leader be so reckless? “Although Yang Hao appears to be at the level of a Grand Sword Master, his power surges rapidly when he attacks, and his cultivation path is beyond our understanding. Moreover, the Nine Director Elders have confirmed that the five rings on Yang Hao’s hand are divine artifacts, each sealing the power of ancient deities. If that power erupts, it may be beyond our ability to handle.”

“This won’t work, and that won’t either. Are we just going to let him go?” the Murk Clan leader sneered. “Yang Hao has already taken five sacred swords and established the Dan Ding Sword Sect. It won’t be long before the other five swords fall into his hands. We Ten Sword Sects might as well disband and merge directly into his Dan Ding Sword Sect.”

“That’s just a tantrum!” Hai Wanggong rapped his cane on the ground. Though he had lost his former influence, his remaining authority was still formidable. “Even if Yang Hao is powerful, he is still just one person, and every person has weaknesses. What is there to fear?”

“The question now is whether we should kill him,” Qilian said calmly, as if discussing murder was a natural thing. “The Director Elders have decided not to act, but as for us…”

“Kill him!” the Murk Clan leader slammed the table.

“Kill him!” the Light Sword Sect also roared.

“Kill him!”

“Kill him!”

“Kill him!”

“Kill him!”

“Kill him!”

Seven of the sword sect leaders expressed the same sentiment. Hai Wanggong concluded: “Regardless of the Director Elders’ stance, the ten sacred swords were personally bestowed upon us by the Supreme Being. Losing them means we will all be held accountable when the Supreme Being investigates in the future. Therefore, we must kill Yang Hao and recover the sacred swords at all costs.”

“How do we kill him?” Qilian asked.

This question plunged the leaders of the sword sects into silence. Yang Hao’s personal strength was not too concerning, but his ghostly Shadow Moon Blade and the five divine rings were no joke. At the arena, Yang Hao had defeated the Beastheart Sword Sect with one strike and burned all the magical beasts with another. Just recalling that scene made them shudder.

“Even if we can’t kill him directly, we can at least kill those around him,” the leader of the Divine Absolution Group said without a hint of mercy. “We can capture his closest people and force him to hand over the sacred swords.”

“Wouldn’t that be too despicable?” Qilian said lightly.

“Assassination,” a woman’s voice said. There were few female elders in the Senate, and this beautiful woman, veiled and mysterious, was the leader of the Illusion Feather Sect—the only all-female sect among the Ten Sword Sects.

“Assassination?” the Murk Clan sneered. “If we can’t assassinate him, who can? In this regard, Yang Hao’s assassination techniques are probably far superior to ours. His sword can become invisible, while none of ours can.”

“The only way is to send her,” the Illusion Feather Sect leader said sharply.

“Her?”

“Her?”

The sword sect leaders recalled someone and simultaneously gasped in shock: “Has it come to this? Do we really have to use ‘Yaoji’?”

The Illusion Feather Sect leader tapped the table lightly with her slender fingers: “We are now facing an unprecedented crisis. The Ten Sword Sects may be completely uprooted. At a time like this, if we don’t use ‘Yaoji,’ when will we?”

The others fell silent. Indeed, the current crisis was immense.

But using “Yaoji” was truly terrifying. The “Yaoji” plan was the longest and most secret project of the Ten Sword Sects and even the Senate. “Yaoji” was a mysterious woman, trained for over twenty years by the Senate with a secret mission as a deep-cover agent. Once “Yaoji” acted, there was probably no one she couldn’t eliminate.

However, in the plan, “Yaoji” was supposed to target high-ranking officials like the Chief Minister of the Empire. Was Yang Hao really that powerful that they had to use this hidden ace?

Qilian stroked his beard, pondering deeply.

Suddenly, his eyes blazed with intense light: “We will strike from two directions. This time, Yang Hao must die!”

Thus, the decision was made.

Shortly after the meeting of the Ten Sword Sects, a black light flashed into the imperial palace of the capital through an instantaneous teleportation device.

Beside the grand architecture of stone walls and golden tiles stood a ten-meter-high hall entirely black, as if cast from rough iron, standing tall and unyielding in the wind like the elite soldiers of the Empire.

Even those who rarely entered the capital knew that this prominent building was the daily workplace of a pivotal figure in the Galactic Empire.

This person was named Tai Feng, and his identity was simple—he was the commander of the Imperial Guard.

Of course, the position of commander of the Imperial Guard was not as important as that of the Chief Minister of the Privy Council. The Privy Council commanded millions of troops and countless warships, making it the top military official in the Empire.

However, the Imperial Guard had always held a special status. They were a trusted force responsible for the safety of the imperial family. Although they lacked powerful warships and cannons, they had absolutely loyal guards and formidable combat strength that outsiders could hardly fathom.

Everyone knew that there were three Sword Saints in the Galactic Empire—three peerless experts who operated outside the Senate. However, no one knew that all three Sword Saints came from the Imperial Guard system and had been forced to appear only to teach martial arts to the imperial family. How many more Sword Saints-like figures remained hidden within the Imperial Guard was a closely guarded secret.

Take Feng himself, for example. He was over seventy years old and had served as the commander of the Imperial Guard for thirty years, yet no one had ever seen him fight. Even the most skilled military strategist among the Senate elders could not discern how much combat power he truly possessed. Feng always wore a black robe, specially granted by the emperor with the imperial insignia embroidered on it. He was allowed to appear before the emperor without kneeling and had the authority to make decisions on the spot. In short, Feng’s power was no less than that of any Chief Minister, yet throughout the history of the Empire, there had never been a single recorded statement from Feng regarding current affairs. He was a shadow of the imperial family, always hidden in the dark, protecting the safety of the royal family.

The black figure that emerged from the meeting of the Ten Sword Sects entered Feng’s Black Hall.

The Black Hall was indeed as dark as usual, with only Feng, wearing a black robe, standing beside his large desk, illuminated by a special white fluorescent lamp, studying a massive map on the table. The map was a flat representation of Earth, marked with various colored notes indicating the armed forces of different factions. The entire globe was densely covered with notes, with very few empty spaces.

“Teacher,” the black figure knelt halfway, looking up. He was actually the new leader of the Murk Assassin Clan, who had been at the meeting of the Ten Sword Sects.

“Xiao San has come,” Feng did not even lift his head. “Stand up.”

“Yes,” the one called Xiao San stood up and stood silently to the side without uttering a word.

Feng squinted at the map, patiently erasing several notes, which meant that in a few days, certain noble armed forces or merchant military forces on Earth would be completely eliminated.

The duty of the Imperial Guard was to reduce the threat of chaos in the capital and even on Earth to a critical level.

“The meeting is over?” Feng finally looked up and smiled.

“It’s over,” Xiao San replied respectfully, his expression solemn. He looked refined and somewhat effeminate, making it hard to determine his age.

“Hmph, after ten years of hiding, you finally got to attend a meeting,” Feng praised. “Xiao San, these ten years have been hard on you.”

This Xiao San, a Murk Clan assassin, was actually a spy planted ten years ago by the Imperial Guard system into the Murk Assassin Clan. Serving as a tool for the emperor to control the overall situation, the intelligence operations of the Imperial Guard system were unrivaled. A spy who managed to reach the position of a leader within the Ten Sword Sects clearly demonstrated the depth of Feng’s strategic planning.

“They have decided to kill Yang Hao,” Xiao San said.

“Hmm,” Feng nodded, naturally expecting this. “Yang Hao has been too conspicuous, pushing the Ten Sword Sects into a corner. It’s only natural for them to want to kill him.”

“They are even preparing to use ‘Yaoji.'”

“Oh?” This time, even Feng was taken aback. He sighed and then smiled. “I thought they were going to use ‘Yaoji’ to kill me. These old guys still can’t keep their composure.”

Xiao San lowered his head again: “I couldn’t find out who ‘Yaoji’ is. It’s not my fault.”

“It’s not your fault. The Senate’s biggest secret in the past twenty years, of course, wouldn’t be known to you.” Feng folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe, calculating in his mind.

After a long silence, Xiao San hesitated to ask: “Teacher, do you think Yang Hao will die?”

“Hmph,” Feng said coldly. “If even ‘Yaoji’ is sent out, there’s no way he can survive.”

“If that’s the case, should we help the Ten Sword Sects a bit?” Xiao San calculated. “After all, Yang Hao is going to die anyway. It would be a good favor to do…”

Feng smiled faintly and changed the subject: “Xiao San, who do you think the Empire belongs to?”

Xiao San was startled and immediately replied: “Of course, it belongs to the Emperor. The Galactic Empire has billions of people and countless planets, all belonging to the Emperor.”

“Wrong,” Feng said bluntly, almost like a traitor. “The Galactic Empire does not belong to the Emperor, but to the Senate. Those billions of people are just laborers digging resources for the Senate, and the countless planets are only within the jurisdiction of the Senate.”

Xiao San understood. This trusted minister of the imperial court felt that the power of the Senate was too great, even exceeding that of the Emperor. Since the founding of the empire, the Senate seemed to have been above all government. In recent decades, the Emperor had begun to use the Privy Council to balance power, but the effect was poor. The Senate still held great power and had long ignored the Emperor.

“It’s time someone weakened those old men’s power,” Feng smiled.

“But Yang Hao won’t last long. He will die soon,” Xiao San thought of ‘Yaoji’ taking action and felt uncomfortable all over.

“Fate is fate. Let’s see what his destiny holds,” Feng sighed, directing his gaze deeper into the Black Hall, where the darkness seemed endless, constantly extending.

And human destiny, wasn’t it also extending like this, with no one knowing what would happen in the future.

Since defeating the Beastheart Sword Sect, Yang Hao had experienced a relatively peaceful period. By “relatively peaceful,” it meant peaceful for Yang Hao. In the past month, he had spent every day either training or helping the children of the Hao Sword Sect break through to the Spirit Void Realm. After burning hundreds of magical beasts that day, Yang Hao naturally didn’t waste the beasts’ inner elixirs, bringing them back to help the members of the Hao Sword Sect cultivate and upgrade. Now, these people had all broken through to the Spirit Void Realm and, combined with the Sword Formation of Sorrow, their combat power was not to be underestimated.

However, this period was a time of great development for the Dan Ding Sword Sect and the Dan Ding Group. Yang Hao’s reputation was at its peak. Countless nobles had heard of the awe-inspiring duel in the arena, where he had defeated an entire sword sect alone. Wasn’t that the leader of the number one sword sect in the world? As a result, applications to the Dan Ding Sword Sect surged, and imperial coins flowed continuously into Yang Hao’s coffers.

But Yang Hao himself remained calm, surprisingly so.

For example, tonight, he did not accompany the Hao Sword Sect in their sword practice but instead traveled far to a remote place.

Although Earth had long been unified, it was still divided into multiple regions. There were more than twenty cities and one capital city globally. Most areas, except for the oceans, were assigned to cities, so the most prosperous places were the major cities. But the place where Yang Hao now stood was uniquely desolate, uniquely serene, and uniquely luxurious.

The luxury came precisely from the desolation and serenity. Earth now had hundreds of billions of people, most of whom were noble offspring, so land was more precious than anything. The oceans were all owned by the Senate, so naturally, they couldn’t be filled to create more land. Therefore, the forests and mountains on Earth had all been flattened to build skyscrapers.

But here, the original scenery still remained. Green trees were lush, and ancient trees had stood for a thousand years. In the dense forest of ancient trees, a green mountain rose from the ground, particularly ethereal in the clouds and mist. There were also small streams flowing through the jungle. Such a primitive ecosystem was rarely seen even hundreds of years ago, let alone now.

Yang Hao stood at the edge of the dark forest, gazing far away at the mountain, which looked like a black giant. Occasionally, light flashed on the peak. Others might not know what it was, but Yang Hao knew clearly—it was the flying sword of a certain elder.

“This is Elder Mountain,” Yang Hao said to Hunyuanzi. “The Imperial Senate is up there.”

“Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling,” Hunyuanzi was very displeased. “Say it with me once, Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling.”

“Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling,” Yang Hao obediently repeated.

Hunyuanzi was finally satisfied. He angrily said, “What Elder Mountain? A thousand years ago, it was known as Copper Furnace Peak. It was shaped by several ancestors of the Dan Ding Sect through tremendous supernatural power. Within the mountain lies an ancient copper furnace core capable of preserving natural spiritual energy and drawing it into the cave dwelling. The Dan Ding Sect has been cultivating here for thousands of years. It’s a pity that our enemies destroyed our ancestral home overnight and now occupy it.”

“The current Elder Mountain is heavily guarded,” Yang Hao had already gathered intelligence. “At the foot of the mountain, in the ancient forest, there are four sword sects guarding it from the north, south, east, and west. The few sects from the Ten Sword Sects that haven’t fought me are stationed here. They have never left Elder Mountain, so their strength is unknown. It is said that a sect called Xiulian Grove is relatively strong.”

“Hmm,” Hunyuanzi seemed to be immersed in memories, only responding with a sound.

“The entire mountain has only one small path for passage. There should be hidden guards on the path. My spies have tried several times but never returned,” Yang Hao squinted and looked at the peak of Elder Mountain. In the depths of the so-called ethereal mist, there was an inharmonious patch of dark clouds drifting. “I sent someone to fly up the mountain without taking the path, but he was struck by lightning from the peak and died on the spot.”

“The Xuan Lei Barrier,” Hunyuanzi said. “I remember it from my cultivation days. It’s unsolvable; the only way is to go up the small path.”

“The rest are just hearsay, and no one has returned with accurate information after climbing the mountain,” Yang Hao scratched his head in frustration. “Along the small path, at around 3,000 meters in altitude, lies the location of the Senate, where at least a hundred elders are cultivating. It is said that each elder is at least at the level of a Sword Saint.”

“Hmm.”

“Going further up, around 4,000 meters in altitude, is the place you mentioned… that… that…”

“The Sword Grave.”

“Right, the Sword Grave,” Yang Hao tried to recall the expensive intelligence he had bought. “It’s a graveyard made of countless broken swords, said to contain countless remnants of flying swords.”

“Sigh…” Hunyuanzi sighed deeply. “That Sword Grave is one of the sacred places of the Dan Ding Sect. Throughout history, any Dan Ding Sect cultivator, whether they died in battle or during tribulation, their flying sword would enter this Sword Grave. Those swords were the weapons of our fellow disciples.”

“Is the thing you mentioned there too?” Yang Hao’s eyes began to sparkle, and drool slowly appeared.

“Two Master Pills,” Hunyuanzi chuckled. “They’re all yours now. I forged these two Master Pills back then, hid them in the Sword Grave, and then went to seek revenge on my enemy. Now, a thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye.”

“Why did you forge these two Master Pills back then? Didn’t you already pass the Cold Solitude and Frost Walk stages long ago?” Yang Hao asked while drooling. Back at the Three Crystal Sea, Hunyuanzi had told Yang Hao that a thousand years ago, he had already forged the two Master Pills for the Cold Solitude and Frost Walk stages and hidden them around the Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling. If Yang Hao could find them, he could easily advance two stages and become a Sword Saint.

Precisely because of this, Yang Hao had rushed here to Earth. The previously mentioned reasons about seeking answers and building his own strength were just trivial excuses. Being able to effortlessly obtain two extremely valuable Master Pills was Yang Hao’s true goal in life.

Hunyuanzi was somewhat emotional: “Back then, I was going to seek revenge on that person. I thought that even if I failed, I would at most regress two stages, so I forged the two Master Pills in advance to prepare for emergencies. Who knew that failure that time would leave me unable to recover, making these two Master Pills useless. But after a thousand years, I wonder if they have lost their efficacy.”

“They won’t, they won’t,” Yang Hao quickly shook his head. “The miraculous medicines of our Dan Ding Sect won’t lose their effectiveness even after a hundred million years, let alone with the protection of senior experts. As the only heir who will carry forward and expand the Dan Ding Sect, I naturally have to be protected.”

“Pfft, more like a weed,” Hunyuanzi was usually disdainful. “What about that other matter? Have you figured it out yet?”

“I can’t figure it out. Such a secret matter, there are only rumors,” Yang Hao once again directed his gaze to the peak of the mountain, where there was a faint glow of treasure light. “At an altitude of 5,000 meters, the peak should have a huge cave, and that thing should be inside.”

“This cave is the main hall of the Dan Ding Sect’s subterranean dwelling, where all the spiritual energy (Ling Qi) is concentrated. Ordinary people have no idea that for cultivators who absorb Ling Qi, cultivating within such a cave dwelling could enable them to advance a thousand miles in a single day,” Hunyuanzi’s voice brimmed with hatred. “With my spiritual senses, I can tell that that person is no longer on Earth. He must have sent his Yuan Ying on a distant journey. Naturally, his physical body must be well protected.”

“There is no place on Earth more heavily guarded than this. There are four sword sects guarding the bottom, the only small path up the mountain has hidden guards, there are over a hundred elders cultivating in the middle, and at the peak, there is an impenetrable Xuan Lei barrier. If that person’s Yuan Ying is on a journey, his physical body must be hidden and preserved in the Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling. This preservation method might even make his skin smoother,” Yang Hao said with a smile.

The “that person” the master and apprentice were talking about was naturally their enemy, the highest-ranking immortal in the Galactic Empire, and also the “Supreme” revered by the people of the Empire.

The Supreme founded the Senate, unified the Galactic Empire across the universe, and was the most invincible existence in the universe. These words were deeply ingrained in the hearts of the Empire’s people. However, for the past hundred years, the Supreme seemed to have never appeared again. The Senate had always claimed that the Supreme was on a spiritual journey. Yang Hao and his master naturally knew that the so-called spiritual journey was actually the Yuan Ying leaving the body to travel. This was the simplest method for immortals. An immortal’s Yuan Ying could fly out countless light-years in an instant,不受任何条件的影响, making it an unbeatable existence.

(Note: The Chinese phrase “不受任何条件的影响” in the original text seems out of place as it is not English. If this phrase was intended to be part of the narrative, please clarify. Otherwise, here is the corrected version in English:)

The Supreme founded the Senate, unified the Galactic Empire across the universe, and was the most invincible existence in the universe. These words were deeply ingrained in the hearts of the Empire’s people. However, for the past hundred years, the Supreme seemed to have never appeared again. The Senate had always claimed that the Supreme was on a spiritual journey. Yang Hao and his master naturally knew that the so-called spiritual journey was actually the Yuan Ying leaving the body to travel. This was the simplest method for immortals. An immortal’s Yuan Ying could fly out countless light-years in an instant, unaffected by any conditions, making it an unbeatable existence.

But this would pose a danger: the immortal’s physical body would be completely unprotected. That person was not Yang Hao, who was a freak with two Yuan Shen. Even if one flew out, the body was still controlled by someone. But for an ordinary person, once the Yuan Ying left, the physical body would be empty. If it were harmed, it would be completely defenseless.

Once the physical body was destroyed, it would be a significant loss for the immortal. Even if the Yuan Ying could return, at least half of its power would be lost. Master and apprentice had plotted for a long time, thinking of this ruthless revenge method. With Yang Hao’s strength, challenging the Supreme would be like a small fish fighting a whale. Yang Hao wouldn’t even be able to choose how he died. The only way was to first attack the unprotected physical body. In Yang Hao’s words, it was to first whip the corpse, reduce the physical body to dust, and then the immortal would lose half his power. At that time, he wouldn’t be feared anymore.

This plan sounded simple, but implementing it was like a fantasy. Just the four sword sects guarding the bottom were already a major problem. Yang Hao naturally had confidence in dealing with them, but how could he do so without letting the sects send out any signals?

As long as these four sects sent out an attack signal, the nine Director Elders, who were traveling on the sea, would return. Even if Yang Hao were a god, he probably wouldn’t be able to break through the defenses of these nine people.

Even if Yang Hao managed to reach the halfway up the mountain, he would have to face the entire Senate, with over a hundred elders. One Sima Hai Sword Saint had already required the use of a divine ring. How could he possibly fight against a hundred people at the level of a Sword Saint?

Moreover, even if the Supreme’s physical body had no resistance, it was hard to avoid having extremely strong barriers nearby. With Yang Hao’s strength, how could he be confident in breaking through the barriers set by a fairy?

Therefore, although this plan was good, it was ultimately just a fantasy. Yang Hao often came here recently to investigate the situation, absolutely not harboring the delusion of reducing the Supreme’s physical body to dust. He was just thinking about how to sneak into the Sword Grave and get those two Master Pills first.

Yang Hao slowly focused, suddenly the air in front of him began to fluctuate violently. Then, faint blue light appeared. Soon, several ice cones as thick as arms floated in the air. Following Yang Hao’s consciousness, they slowly flew forward.

This move was something Yang Hao had learned from the four dragons. That day at the beast arena, Yang Hao saw the four dragons using their spiritual power to condense ice cones. He thought that since his spiritual power was also strong, having eaten the dragon breath pill, his spiritual power was now strong enough to communicate with dragons. He should be able to achieve such a feat.

After several experiments, Yang Hao indeed became proficient in using this spiritual power to condense ice cones. Moreover, he discovered that his spiritual power seemed to have other uses.

A few ice cones appeared briefly before dissipating in the air, but Yang Hao’s spiritual power continued to advance. He wanted to push this spiritual power slowly up Elder Mountain until it infiltrated the Sword Grave, helping him steal Hunyuanzi’s Master Pills.

Just as the spiritual power was about to approach the sword sects, Yang Hao suddenly sensed a movement behind him, causing him to start in alarm. Around Elder Mountain, a thousand kilometers were designated as a forbidden zone, where anyone entering would be killed on sight. Yang Hao had always been vigilant in guarding his surroundings, yet this individual had approached so closely that he only noticed their presence at the last moment. Clearly, this was an extremely skilled expert.

Shadow Moon was drawn, slicing straight back without any flourish, creating a deep groove in the ground behind him. However, he found nothing, as the expert had twisted his body and moved even closer to Yang Hao.

Yang Hao employed the Flying Flower Illusion to evade two body lengths and turned around, but the martial arts expert followed closely like a shadow, still sticking tightly to him. Before Yang Hao’s eyes, a familiar mask gleamed with strange light.

“Xie Fengmo?” Yang Hao was stunned. “What are you doing here?”

Indeed, the expert who appeared behind Yang Hao was Xie Fengting, who had come to deliver gifts on behalf of the Merchant Guild. Yang Hao still remembered that this guy used techniques from the Light Sword Sect and possessed strength close to that of a Sword Saint.

Xie Fengting had a serious expression and spoke without hesitation: “Quickly leave, the Dan Ding Sword Sect is in trouble.”

Yang Hao was shocked: “In trouble? What happened?”

“Someone went to the Dan Ding Sword Sect to cause trouble, injuring people and capturing others.” Xie Fengting grabbed Yang Hao and flew away. Instantaneous teleportation devices could not be used within a thousand kilometers of this area, so they had to fly out of this region before they could quickly locate and return.

Although Yang Hao was flying, his mind was in chaos. The Dan Ding Sword Sect was in trouble? The Hao Sword Group was there, along with Longyun, Maya, XII, and Zhuge Jian. All his friends and brothers lived at the Dan Ding Sword Sect. How could this happen? How was it possible?

Yang Hao and Xie Fengting were both experts. Before long, they had returned to the Dan Ding Sword Sect’s villa.

According to imperial tradition, each sword sect should have its own residence. Although the Dan Ding Sword Sect was not officially recognized, Yang Hao’s wealth allowed him to buy a large piece of land, demolish the existing buildings, dig a lake, and pile the excavated earth into hills. Recently, it had become quite impressive.

However, today, as soon as they entered the high archway of the Dan Ding Sword Sect, Yang Hao felt something was wrong. Usually, at the gate, there were always noble children lined up to pay money to join. At the busiest times, even many vendors flying in their vehicles were selling food, making it seem like a commercial district.

But today, it was eerily quiet, not even a bird in sight. At the gate, several patches of dried blood were shockingly visible. Yang Hao’s heart tightened, and he didn’t bother to ask too many questions, rushing into the sword sect.

Indeed, there was a problem. The Dan Ding Sword Sect had recently recruited so many noble children, most of whom had no real interest in swordsmanship. They were mostly there to polish their resumes and indulge in some fun. So normally, they gathered near the gate, chatting and arguing.

But today, there was no one gathered. Even those who were there moved silently toward the gate, not even greeting Yang Hao when they saw him.

When Yang Hao entered the White Building, his anxiety finally turned into pain. The White Building was one of the most prominent buildings in the Dan Ding Sword Sect, where the members of the Hao Sword Group lived. These were all orphans Yang Hao had brought from Remon Star, living together like brothers.

But now, Yang Hao saw that the White Building was filled with cries of grief. Almost all the members of the Hao Sword Group were lying on the ground, each with varying degrees of injury. Some were seriously injured, even unconscious in pools of blood.

“What happened!!” Yang Hao was so angry his hands were trembling.

Seeing Yang Hao arrive, the members of the Hao Sword Group rushed over. Several girls started crying loudly: “Captain, Captain, you’re finally back. We… we’re all injured, some are very seriously hurt…”

Yang Hao clenched his teeth. Seeing the members of the group with serious injuries, although not life-threatening, they would need a long time to recover. His heart was like being cut by a knife. Since he brought these orphans from Remon Star, he had always nurtured them carefully, never letting them take risks, hoping they would inherit the legacy of the Dan Ding Sect.

But now, someone had injured all these children, touching Yang Hao’s most sensitive nerve, making him furious.

“What exactly happened?” Yang Hao comforted those with more severe injuries first. There were already some doctors treating them, so he pulled aside a lightly injured member to ask, “How did this happen?”

The member said: “Captain, after you left today, Elder Zhuge sent an urgent message saying there was a major incident at the group and needed support. So Longyun and Maya took the Promise Team to go there.”

Yang Hao frowned. The Dan Ding Group had always focused on business and stayed out of other matters. Moreover, Zhuge Jian was experienced and capable. If he sent an urgent message asking for support, there must have been a serious problem at the group.

“Shortly after Longyun left with the team, a group of swordsmen wearing golden clothes came in and started causing trouble,” the member continued. “There were about fifty of them, all swordsmen. The new disciples of the sword sect, seeing their aggressive approach, all fled at once. Only we resisted a bit in front of the White Building.”

“Did they injure you?” Yang Hao already knew the answer. To send so many swordsmen at once, who else could it be but the Ten Sword Sects. It was infuriating that those damned nobles, when their sect was in trouble, fled first. Only the Hao Sword Group would truly fight against the Ten Sword Sects.