Chapter 807: Forming Good Connections

It was already deep autumn. The grass had turned yellow, and the vast expanse of withered grass was magnificent. Traveling further north, the wild grass gradually thinned out, replaced by patches of snow. Here and there stood towering evergreen trees that formed ancient forests stretching for thousands of miles, their branches thick and leaves lush, creating a vast expanse of forest and snow.

At the edge of one such ancient forest, the snow on the ground had been trampled into a muddy mess, suggesting frequent human activity.

This place was not uninhabited. Many tribes lived hidden within the deep mountains and old forests, or in ice-covered caves on the frozen plains. Some even practiced martial cultivation, often adept in icy and cold techniques. They had no interest in heading south and preferred to explore the far north, remaining almost completely isolated from the martial arts world of the Central Plains. If it weren’t for the occasional external experts flying to the icy plains or the far north in search of rare treasures for forging weapons or refining pills, people might not even know of their existence.

At this moment, over a dozen men and women stood on the muddy snow, exuding a powerful aura. They appeared to be standing firmly on the ground, but a closer look would reveal that their feet hovered slightly above the snow and ice, maintaining a distance of about two or three sheets of paper—just enough to remain suspended.

Leading them was a mature woman dressed in a pale pink robe. Her face was as delicate as a lotus blooming from clear water, her hair thick and flowing, her figure tall and graceful. She was none other than the “Cold Ice Fairy,” Ye Yuqi. Surrounding her were the elegant and refined “Thousand-Handed Bodhisattva,” Ming Fa, and the cold-eyed “Soul-Stealing Enforcer,” He Xiu—both were Grandmasters.

Suddenly, they all felt something and simultaneously turned their gazes southward. From the snowy expanse, a man dressed in black martial attire slowly approached. He wore a hero’s scarf on his head, carried a long sword on his back, and his tall, sturdy figure exuded a steady and gradually intensifying pressure, like an unshakable mountain.

With each step, he moved forward with both calmness and weight. Yet, within just two or three breaths, he had already reached the group. Though his pace was slow, it was not sluggish, creating a strange sense of dissonance that caused a few of the weaker Grandmasters to feel momentarily dizzy.

“‘Furious Blade’ Su Meng’s ranking recently soared—indeed, he has some skill. There are no empty reputations under heaven,” many of the Grandmasters who were meeting Meng Qi for the first time thought inwardly.

“The people are all here,” said Ye Yuqi, glancing at Meng Qi. Her delicate eyebrows barely perceptibly furrowed. She noticed that his aura had subtly changed from before—he seemed more confident, as if ready to face any opponent in the world.

Besides the Grand Grandmaster Ye Yuqi, there were thirteen Grandmasters present, the maximum number that could be temporarily gathered. The remaining Grandmasters were still pursuing other groups and could not come.

After exchanging greetings and introducing themselves, Meng Qi directly took out an object and handed it to He Xiu of the Donghai Sword Manor.

It was a deep-blue, nearly black token shaped somewhat like a short sword. On its surface were vividly carved, strange insects that seemed to be wriggling.

“The Swordworm Talisman!” He Xiu, known for his cold demeanor, blurted out in surprise, his eyes betraying astonishment.

This was the very item the Donghai Sword Manor had long sought. It contained a portion of the “Unnamed Sword Manual” that had been taken away by the “Invisible Swordworm” lineage. Outsiders could not perceive its presence.

While each sword lineage had its own insights and the loss of this section did not significantly hinder their cultivation, especially for He’s lineage, which had gradually perfected its techniques, it was different for Master He Qi, who had achieved perfection in “Invisible Sword” and gained deeper understanding of the original manual. For him, recompiling the various sword lineages and returning to the source would aid his further cultivation.

Moreover, the Swordworm Talisman had been cultivated for generations and was on the verge of evolving into a divine weapon, becoming a treasure to protect the entire manor.

Its hidden value to the Donghai Sword Manor far exceeded its surface worth. Every member of the manor longed to recover it. However, Gao Qianyuan, a seasoned Grandmaster with unique techniques and wielding an artifact superior to divine treasures, had been difficult to confront. Unless Master He Qi himself was present, others could not defeat him, though they might escape if necessary. To seize this treasure was no simple task.

Meng Qi nodded slightly. “Gao Qianyuan has already been defeated.”

“Did he die by your blade?” He Xiu instinctively asked.

He knew of Gao Qianyuan’s strength and techniques. Upon hearing of his death, he felt disbelief. If the speaker had been Cold Ice Fairy, it might have been more believable. But this was “Furious Blade” Su Meng, still a Grandmaster like himself, without a significant difference in cultivation level.

“He had hidden flaws and mainly relied on the power of the Swordworm Talisman. However, he had no deep, life-bound connection with it, leaving many vulnerabilities. I found an opening and eliminated him without much difficulty,” Meng Qi replied briefly, making it sound effortless.

“Did you avoid entanglement in karma?” He Xiu knew Meng Qi’s strongest technique was his “Karmaless Blade.” Initially, he thought Meng Qi had used it to kill Gao, but now it seemed he had exploited a weakness?

Meng Qi smiled. “Why would I risk entanglement in karma or mutual destruction to kill him?”

Only now did the other Grandmasters begin to understand what had transpired. “Furious Blade” Su Meng had slain Gao Qianyuan, the “Nine-Fingered Blue-Blooded One,” and taken down another Grandmaster!

Their thoughts churned, leaving them momentarily speechless. Though they were all Grandmasters with confidence in their abilities, facing someone whose strength couldn’t be measured by conventional means was still unsettling.

At the Grandmaster level, one needed mastery of techniques, experience, divine moves, and top-tier treasures. Additionally, one could create external domains, making them the pillars of their sects. Battles between equals often lasted a long time before a single move decided the outcome. Killing or capturing an opponent was extremely difficult.

Among the gathered Grandmasters, fewer than five had ever defeated another Grandmaster in one-on-one combat. Those experiences were either perilous or complicated, and such victories were rare.

Yet “Furious Blade” Su Meng, since ascending to Grandmaster, had not only benefited from internal conflicts but had also captured the “Evil Heaven Fiend” and beheaded the “Crying Old Man,” earning the attention of many Grandmasters. Now, he added another feat—easily defeating Gao Qianyuan, the “Nine-Fingered Blue-Blooded One.”

Looking at him now, they felt as if he could rival even a Grand Grandmaster!

They didn’t know the true value of the Swordworm Talisman, or their shock would have been even greater.

He Xiu looked at the Swordworm Talisman Meng Qi had handed him. Without hesitation or false modesty, he accepted it and said solemnly, “Our sect will surely reward you generously.”

Meng Qi already possessed many treasures and had no shortage of merit. With a divine weapon soon in his grasp, what he valued most was forging good relations. He hoped that when facing powerful adversaries he couldn’t easily confront, he might gain a human immortal ally. Whether Master He Qi would risk everything to help was ultimately his choice. Meng Qi wouldn’t force him but would instead strive to maintain good relations. He smiled slightly and said, “It was a simple matter—why speak of rewards? If I ever face danger, would the Sword Manor abandon me?”

He Xiu replied firmly, “Your matter is the Sword Manor’s matter.”

As a Grandmaster who had received the Swordworm Talisman, he had the authority to speak on behalf of the sect.

The observing Grandmasters, seeing He Xiu’s attitude, began to grasp the true value of the Swordworm Talisman. They also understood Meng Qi’s intention—to build good relations and gain more support. Yet they couldn’t help but silently admire him. Faced with such a precious treasure, who wouldn’t feel a flicker of greed? And with no witnesses at the time, keeping it for himself would have seemed more human. That Su Meng chose to return it showed his integrity and generosity, living up to his reputation as a righteous hero.

Ye Yuqi nodded subtly and spoke, “A nearby ice plain tribe has spotted the trail of Haswula and other Golden Tent Warriors. There are at least five Grandmasters among them. They’ve infiltrated the dense forest, and we don’t know where they’re trying to escape.”

She succinctly explained the situation.

The heavens were vast, and many supreme experts and grandmasters possessed divine vision or celestial eye techniques. Thus, when fleeing, apart from the initial phase of creating distance, most would opt to stay close to the ground, employing fire escape, earth escape, water escape, or wood escape. In short, they relied on terrain, trees, and rocks to conceal themselves, avoiding detection from above. Haswula and his group were no exception.

“We’ll split into groups of two or three and search the surrounding area for more clues,” suggested a Grandmaster from the Cui family of Gezhou.

“Haswula and his group are on the run and unlikely to kill witnesses, which would leave more traces. Perhaps we can learn more from the local tribespeople,” another added.

Ye Yuqi scanned the group and said, “Prepare communication and distress items to prevent a counterattack from Haswula and his men.”

It was common for fugitives to strike back when cornered, so vigilance was necessary.

Those who already had communication items were fine. Others, like Meng Qi, received them as gifts from fellow Grandmasters. After all, these items weren’t priceless.

When forming groups, Meng Qi thought for a moment and said directly, “I’m used to working alone. I’ll take responsibility for one area by myself.”

He had many secret techniques. Since obtaining the Primordial Gold Scripture’s core and five of the Nine Seals, their power had become equal to the Eight-Nine Mystical Art. If he didn’t use them, his combat effectiveness would drop significantly, hindering his ability to integrate them seamlessly. Therefore, in dangerous situations, it would be hard not to use them. Thus, it was better to act alone—enemies could be silenced, but allies could not.

Moreover, with the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, as long as he was cautious, it would be difficult to fall into a trap unless the enemy had a divine body capable of obscuring fate’s signs. Even then, whether he had allies or not made no difference.

Knowing Meng Qi’s many secrets, Ye Yuqi immediately agreed before others could object, “Fine.”

Soon, the groups were formed, and they each headed toward different ancient forests.

…

In a dark area where sunlight was blocked by towering trees, the leader of the Golden Tent Warriors, Haswula, sat like a still mountain on a large rock. His injuries had healed, and his right fist was tightly clenched as he looked around at his men.

“It is said that the divine body is searching for the Khan’s whereabouts and has not come to pursue us,” he said.

“Here’s our opportunity. We can teach those Central Plains dogs a lesson and prove to them that the heroes of the grasslands are no helpless prey to be hunted!”

Several of the fleeing Grandmasters nodded in agreement, though their gazes drifted toward a nearby object.

It was a coffin, surrounded by swirling crimson mist!

Haswula followed their gaze and said solemnly, “The Emperor kindly intervened. We are deeply grateful.”

A voice, both dignified and hoarse, emerged from within the coffin: “I need fresh Grandmaster flesh to help my sect’s supreme expert ascend the second heavenly step. We both stand to gain.”