My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 227: Chapter 227: The Ghost Swordsman’s Mission to Yan Country (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)

Fengyun Hall.

Zhao Qingmei was seated at the head of the hall, and below her was a man in his thirties, who was indeed the son of Ouyang Ping, Ouyang Quan.

Besides them, there was no one else.

Ouyang Quan stood up with a smile and said, “Sect Leader Zhao, since that is the case, let us set off immediately.”

Zhao Qingmei casually replied, “No rush, let’s wait a bit longer.”

“Oh?”

Ouyang Quan showed a trace of surprise in his eyebrows, “Waiting for whom?”

“He’s here.”

As the words of Zhao Qingmei fell, a figure appeared at the door.

A smile appeared on the corner of Zhao Qingmei’s mouth, and Ouyang Quan couldn’t help but look over.

It was a young man, seemingly not very old, with handsome features and what was most distinctive were his eyes —elongated and profound, his eyelashes fluttering lightly like clouds covering the moon.

Even Ouyang Quan had to admit that those eyes were indeed bright and spirited.

“Who is this?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲονǥᴑ.ᴄο

Ouyang Quan asked with curiosity.

He was familiar with most of Demon Sect’s experts, and such a young one was unlikely to be among them.

Zhao Qingmei said, “This is my husband, who will be accompanying me to the Sealing Demon Platform this time.”

An Jing greeted Ouyang Quan with a fist, “I am An Jing, at your service.”

“You’re too kind.”

Upon hearing this, it dawned on Ouyang Quan that this man was the outside paramour kept by Sect Hierarch Zhao, and envy, even jealousy, arose in his heart.

Being born with good looks indeed had its advantages.

Zhao Qingmei stood up and said, “Then let’s set off now.”

“Very well, please, you two,” Ouyang Quan said, gesturing with his hand.

……

Sealing Demon Platform, atop the great hall.

The boundless yellow sand swept carelessly across the land, and under the glow of the setting sun’s orange halo, the azure of the sky changed hues. In a blink, the world turned into a hazy grey, and even the sun lost its rightful shine.

A man stood atop the flying eaves of the great hall. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, not particularly handsome, just ordinary looking, his white robes flapping loudly in the fierce wind.

Ouyang Ping was standing below the great hall, greeting the man above with a fist, “Great Elder, Quan’er has already gone to Dongluo Pass, and Sect Hierarch Zhao should be arriving soon.”

The man on the flying eaves was none other than the Great Elder of Sealing Demon Platform, Jun Qinglin.

This man was once a top expert whose name shook the heavens.

Jun Qinglin looked toward the distant vast sky and asked, “This Sect Hierarch Zhao reached the Second Qi Master Realm by the age of twenty?”

Ouyang Ping replied, “It should be said by nineteen. She has unparalleled talent, extraordinary, and moreover, she obtained the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence and the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ from our Demon Sect’s expert in the Sealing Demon Well, her cultivation has indeed reached the Second Qi Grandmaster Realm.”

Jun Qinglin murmured to himself, “A Second Qi Grandmaster under twenty, that’s truly unbelievable. Across thousands of years of history, only the Martial Arts Emperor of Qin Dynasty has ever achieved this.”

A twenty-year-old Second Qi Grandmaster required not just monstrous talent but also unimaginable luck.

It showed that Zhao Qingmei was someone blessed with destiny and had a great chance of reaching the Grandmaster Realm in the future; possibly, there were few in this world who understood the significance of the three words ‘Grandmaster’ better than him.

A Grandmaster had a life span of three hundred years and also ensured over three hundred years of prosperity for the Demon Sect.

Especially in recent centuries, no expert with Grandmaster cultivation had emerged.

The advent of a Grandmaster could absolutely change the pattern of the world.

Jun Qinglin thought of something and asked, “Where did Jiang Shang go?”

Ouyang Ping hesitated for a moment before replying, “Previously, Sect Master Jiang returned, wanting the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ from Sect Hierarch Zhao. As a result of this, master and disciple completely fell out. Sect Hierarch Zhao was forced into the Sealing Demon Well, and Sect Master Jiang has since disappeared.”

“Later, Yuan Feng colluded with the Soul Seeker Mansion for this ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ and ultimately perished alongside the Ghost Swordsman who was besieging the Demon Sect.”

There was no significant change on Jun Qinglin’s face; he simply nodded calmly.

It seemed that in his heart, he wasn’t surprised about this matter at all.

Ouyang Ping sighed, “If Jiang Shang had been devoted to the Demon Sect, it wouldn’t have declined in recent years. How would the Ghost Swordsman dare to attack the Demon Sect, or the Soul Seeker Mansion to act recklessly? The Demon Sect wouldn’t be showing a trend of decline.”

It could be said that under Jiang Shang’s leadership, the Demon Sect had once reached its zenith, but it quickly fell into decline, and now it has plummeted to the nadir. If it weren’t for Zhao Qingmei’s emergence, it would be difficult to imagine the Demon Sect still standing in the world.

Then, silence fell between the two of them, as Jun Qinglin gazed into the distance.

I remember the parting moments, among the peach blossoms and willows a thousand threads.

As much splendor as there is in the human world, there is that much regret.

The vast expanse before them was empty and boundless, with yellow sand sweeping over, blurring the distinction between heaven and earth. Jun Qinglin’s mind involuntarily recalled that bright-eyed, kind girl. She was on her horse under the setting sun, turning to smile at him and saying, “Brother Jun, after this farewell, our paths diverge, with no promise of a reunion. Remember to take good care of yourself.”

And at this moment, Jun Qinglin realized that this event had already occurred a hundred years ago.

What is it like to suddenly remember something from a hundred years ago so vividly?

Jun Qinglin watched the sunset, only to find that what he had always thought was a breathtakingly beautiful sunset no longer seemed quite so beautiful, nor was it something he loved to watch anymore.

Immediately, he leapt down to the ground.

Ouyang Ping asked in confusion, “Great Elder, aren’t you going to watch the sunset anymore?”

Since he came out of seclusion, Jun Qinglin had said he wanted to enjoy the sunset, but why had he stopped appreciating it just as it was nearing?

Jun Qinglin shook his head in resignation and turned to walk into the great hall.

Ouyang Ping seemed to understand something; even a person with such profound cultivation had many things in this world they could not see through.

Just then, Ouyang Quan hurried in, saying, “Father, Sect Master Zhao has arrived.”

Ouyang Ping nodded slightly, “Let Sect Master Zhao come into the great hall.”

Ouyang Quan said in a deep voice, “Father, the husband of Sect Master Zhao has also arrived. Should we arrange another place for him?”

After all, what Jun Qinglin and Zhao Qingmei were to discuss might concern the secrets of the Demon Sect.

“It’s fine, let him come in too.”

Ouyang Ping waved his hand dismissively.

“Yes.”

Having said that, Ouyang Quan turned and walked into the great hall.

Inside the hall, Jun Qinglin was resting with his eyes closed, leaning back in his chair, seemingly overhearing the conversation outside, and asked, “Have they arrived?”

Ouyang Ping nodded, “They have.”

Jun Qinglin slightly lifted his head, looking towards the entrance of the hall.

Soon, Ouyang Quan entered first, followed by a young man and woman, both extremely youthful and attractive, a pleasing sight to behold.

“Great Elder, this is our current Sect Master of the Demon Sect, Zhao Qingmei,” Ouyang Ping explained with a smile, “Sect Master Zhao, this is the Great Elder of the Sealing Demon Platform, Senior Jun Qinglin.”

“Greetings, Great Elder.”

Zhao Qingmei and An Jing both made a fist-and-palm salute.

Outside the hall, An Jing’s thoughts lingered upon the Earth Book, not detecting any black fortunes, which led him and Zhao Qingmei to enter the great hall.

To his surprise, seeing Jun Qinglin made him somewhat astonished; Jun’s appearance wasn’t as aged as he had imagined. Merely by his looks, he even seemed younger than Yi Daoyun, with an enigmatic qi mechanism within him.

A master!

Just one glance, and An Jing knew that this man was definitely the strongest master, second only to the mysterious Xu Wang.

Ouyang Ping waved his sleeve, “Quan’er, please step outside for now.”

“Yes.”

Ouyang Quan bowed to Jun Qinglin at the head of the hall and slowly withdrew.

Suddenly, there were only four people left in the great hall.

Jun Qinglin looked at Zhao Qingmei and couldn’t help saying, “Truly remarkable, to have reached the Second Qi Grandmaster realm at the age of twenty. A hero indeed arises in youth.”

Zhao Qingmei’s cultivation was unconcealed, so Jun Qinglin could naturally see through her level. The young man beside her appeared ordinary and did not attract his attention.

“Great Elder flatters me,” Zhao Qingmei said calmly.

After pondering for a while, Jun Qinglin asked, “I hear you practice the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture.’ May I know which layer you have cultivated to?”

Zhao Qingmei replied, “The eighth layer.”

Jun Qinglin’s fingers tapped on the table, “So, your Demon Seed has been nurtured and born.”

Although he had never cultivated the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” there were sporadic records of this martial arts heart method in the ancient books of the Demon Sect.

The method of Dao Heart Demon Planting was said to be incredibly miraculous and profoundly mysterious.

Zhao Qingmei nodded and said, “That’s correct, the junior was able to condense the demon seed below the Sealing Demon Well.”

Jun Qinglin couldn’t help but ask, “A demon seed condensed from below the Sealing Demon Well?”

Zhao Qingmei said, “Yes.”

Jun Qinglin took a deep look at Zhao Qingmei and said, “With your current age, as long as you are steady and solid, you will definitely have a place in this world in the future, provided that you can persist on this path. The day when the Demon Sect is revived in your hands is not far away. I have nothing else I can teach you.”

“Since I am the Great Elder of the Sealing Demon Platform, I naturally will not stand idly by during the Demon Sect’s moment of crisis. For the remaining years, you may act freely.”

Ouyang Ping nodded in relief, pleased that the Demon Sect would have a successor. All they had to do was wait for Zhao Qingmei to grow, and the sect would undoubtedly be able to rise again.

“Thank you, Great Elder.”

Zhao Qingmei clasped her fists, feeling a sigh of relief in her heart.

The presence of a Five Qi Grandmaster in the Demon Sect now meant a completely different significance. Even if the Houjin were to attack now, they would have to weigh their options carefully.

A Five Qi Grandmaster was close to becoming a Demi Immortal, and taking the head of a general out of tens of thousands of soldiers was not a difficult task for them.

Furthermore, with the presence of Jun Qinglin, they would have much more confidence when negotiating with the Yan Country.

Jun Qinglin waved his hand, “All right, if there are no other matters, you may go back.”

He was very tired and didn’t want to say much more, nor was he concerned with the relationship between An Jing and Zhao Qingmei.

Zhao Qingmei and An Jing exchanged glances, then An Jing stepped forward and said, “Great Elder, actually, there is another matter for which the juniors have come to inquire with the Great Elder today.”

Jun Qinglin glanced at An Jing and asked indifferently, “What matter?”

An Jing said solemnly, “Does the Great Elder know that there is a Grandmaster-level expert beneath the Sealing Demon Well?”

“A Grandmaster beneath the Sealing Demon Well!?”

Jun Qinglin furrowed his brows.

The Great Hall instantly became quiet. To Jun Qinglin and Ouyang Ping, this statement was undoubtedly as shocking as a bolt from the blue.

A moment later, Ouyang Ping recovered and asked urgently, “Is this true?”

An Jing replied seriously, “It’s true. The junior witnessed it personally when I went to the Sealing Demon Well.”

Ouyang Ping stared intently at An Jing, “When did you enter the Sealing Demon Well?”

The Sealing Demon Well was a secret place of the Demon Sect, and without the permission from the Sealing Demon Platform, even people from the Demon Sect were not allowed to enter it on their own.

After a long silence, Jun Qinglin said, “Who is this Grandmaster, and what is their name?”

A Grandmaster could increase their lifespan by three hundred years and belonged to the realm of a Demi Immortal. Yet, there was a Grandmaster level expert hidden in the secret place of the Demon Sect – something Jun Qinglin was unaware of.

An Jing clasped his fists and said, “She claims to be Nan Weiping and seems to be related to the seventh-generation Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.”

“Nan Weiping…”

Jun Qinglin pondered for a moment, “I have no impression of this person, and their name is not found in the ancient records of the Demon Sect. The seventh-generation Sect Hierarch has been gone for a thousand years now. Even if she is a Grandmaster-level expert, it’s impossible for her to live that long. And why would she be beneath the Sealing Demon Well?”

An Jing consequently narrated Zhao Qingmei’s encounter and his own journey to the Sealing Demon Well.

“I see.”

Jun Qinglin let out a long breath upon hearing this.

Who would have thought that under the Sealing Demon Well, a Grandmaster Realm expert was trapped.

Ouyang Ping spoke with a solemn face, “What about the demon seed in Sect Leader Zhao’s body?”

“This person must not be released.”

Jun Qinglin shook his head and said gravely, “Her temperament has already changed, and she was surely imprisoned in the Sealing Demon Well by a high-ranking expert from our Demon Sect. If she were to escape, it’s unknown what kind of terrible things could happen.”

An Jing and Zhao Qingmei nodded in agreement.

Let alone whether it’s possible to cut through the Nine Heavens Profound Iron, even if it truly can be cut, they must consider deeply whether to release Nan Weiping, who could be either human or a monster.

If she were a monster, that would be too terrifying.

Ouyang Ping thought for a moment and said, “For the Sect Leader to reach the Grandmaster Realm wouldn’t be a bad approach, but there seems to be an issue with the timing…”

Nan Weiping clearly didn’t have many years left to live, and with such a short timeframe, it seemed nearly impossible for a Second Qi Grandmaster to break through to the Grandmaster Realm.

“Time is indeed a big problem.”

Jun Qinglin nodded slightly, “Advancing from Second Qi to Five Qi is not difficult for you, but it still requires time to settle. However, rising from Five Qi to the Grandmaster Realm presents a great challenge.”

No one present knew better than he the difficulty of reaching the Grandmaster Realm.

An Jing asked, “Has senior not broken through the shackles to reach the Grandmaster Realm?”

“Hahahaha.”

Jun Qinglin let out a big laugh upon hearing this and shook his head, “The Grandmaster Realm is oh so hard to achieve.”

Even for someone like him, a favorite of the heavens, once a renowned expert known across the world, he couldn’t help shaking his head in discouragement in the face of such insurmountable natural moats and chasms.

Jun Qinglin shook his head and said, “I have no solution for that Grandmaster’s Demon Seed imprint either, it seems now we can only look for another method.”

Taking a deep breath, An Jing said, “No matter what, I am determined to break through Nan Weiping’s schemes.”

Hearing this, Jun Qinglin’s eyes turned to An Jing.

An Jing also felt Jun Qinglin’s gaze, feeling as if those eyes, emitting a cold and secluded light, were about to see right through him.

About three or four breaths later, Jun Qinglin withdrew his eyes.

Narrowing his eyes, Jun Qinglin studied An Jing, “Surely your strength is not merely at the Lower Three Grades, is it?”

Ouyang Ping also frowned and looked at An Jing, this doctor had been hiding his strength!?

To know, with his Master Cultivation, the common methods of concealing one’s cultivation in Jianghu were mostly transparent to him, and Ouyang Ping had never realized An Jing was hiding his own cultivation. Hence, hearing Jun Qinglin’s words, he couldn’t help but show a trace of surprise.

An Jing clasped his fist and said, “Senior is perceptive, my cultivation is indeed not of the Lower Three Grades.”

Jun Qinglin nodded slightly, not asking further, “This matter concerning Nan Weiping needs further study, and in time we will surely find an appropriate plan.”

“Thank you for the trouble, Great Elder.”

An Jing took out a scroll, “If senior needs it, perhaps this ‘Nine-Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ may be of some help.”

‘Nine-Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’!?

Ouyang Ping’s eyes widened in shock upon seeing the scroll, for it was one of the three extraordinary secret scriptures surpassing the Heavenly Martial Level, even Yuan Feng had not laid eyes on this peerless heart method.

Looking at the scroll, Jun Qinglin seemed to be asking An Jing or perhaps himself, “Is this sincerity or pretense?”

An Jing smiled, “If senior received it with sincerity, then it is given in sincerity.”

“Hahahaha, I am quite fond of that sentence of yours.”

Upon hearing this, Jun Qinglin burst into laughter, then smilingly said, “Youngster, if you have time, you can always come to see this old man at the Sealing Demon Platform.”

In this world, people who can exchange sincerity for sincerity are rare.

Mostly, true sincerity is met with pretense, which is why fewer and fewer people are willing to offer their sincerity.

An Jing left the ‘Nine-Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ and then left the Sealing Demon Platform with Zhao Qingmei.

Watching the backs of the departing pair, Jun Qinglin seemed to fall into contemplation.

Worriedly, Ouyang Ping said, “Great Elder, is that Demon Seed really that hard to break?”

Picking up the ‘Nine-Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’, Jun Qinglin replied, “It’s very difficult, but that doesn’t mean impossible. There’s always a way in this world, as long as you don’t give up.”

Thinking of An Jing’s determined gaze, Jun Qinglin couldn’t help but smile.

Emotions are indeed a vulnerability, but they can also become an armor. Without vulnerability, you also lose an armor.

……

In Yujing City, the Imperial Palace, West Garden.

Zhao Tianyi had finished dealing with today’s memorials and then glanced at the two most important confidential documents on the table.

As the Emperor’s brush-holding eunuch, although he was in a position of high authority, acting on behalf of the Great Yan Emperor to handle the court’s major affairs, he still had no authority to make decisions on extremely important matters.

Even some secret cases were personally delivered to the quiet chamber in the Imperial Study Room by Meng Zhaodou.

“Huu…”

Exhaling deeply, Zhao Tianyi picked up the two confidential documents and headed towards the Imperial Study Room.

“Head Eunuch Zhao!”

Along the way, eunuchs and palace maids who saw Zhao Tianyi all hurriedly bowed low, not daring to rise until he was far away.

This was the rule of the palace; in these secluded walls, hierarchy reigned supreme, even if the heavens were to fall, hierarchy would still take precedence.

In life, one must observe hierarchy, and in death, the same is true.

At the entrance of the Imperial Study Room stood two guards, while in unseen places, numerous invisible experts were hidden.

This is the Inner Forbidden Palace, a place even Grandmasters dare not trespass.

The guard at the door recognized Zhao Tianyi and did not speak up to stop him.

Walking into the Imperial Study Room, he saw an aged eunuch standing at the entrance. The eunuch was hunched over, standing still with his eyes closed, seemingly resting. What left a deep impression was his two long, narrow white eyebrows.

“Ming Gong.”

Zhao Tianyi handed over two confidential documents to the white-browed eunuch.

“Good, I will submit them to the Human Emperor right now.”

The white-browed eunuch opened his eyes and took the confidential documents, walking slowly inside.

Zhao Tianyi stood at the door waiting, time slowly passing, his expression remaining very calm without a trace of anxiety.

After a long time, the white-browed eunuch finally came out, holding a confidential document in his hand.

“Here, the Human Emperor has made his annotations.”

“I understand.”

Zhao Tianyi took the confidential document, opened it, and saw only four vigorous and powerful characters: “Buddha-Demon Conflict.”

He was an extremely clever person, and upon seeing these four characters, he immediately understood the Human Emperor’s thoughts.

Currently, Great Yan was surrounded by enemies on all sides, ready to face an imminent storm. It was indeed the best strategy to ally with the Demon Sect, but one must be wary of the Demon Sect’s wolfish ambitions.

If the Demon Sect and the Buddhist aligned and entered the Great Yan Martial World, the Zhenyi Sect might not be able to restrain the two major powers, and might even end up being usurped, which would then cause great trouble.

Now, not only was it necessary to divide the relationship between the Demon Sect and the Buddhist, but it was also essential to make them reveal some of their strengths, so that later they could be made useful for Great Yan.

The four characters “Buddha-Demon Conflict” had already spelled out the essence of it.

By letting the Buddhist and the Demon Sect fight, revealing their strengths, effective measures could then be applied.

In the game of strategy, the most important pieces are the hidden ones, the trump cards. Whoever reveals their trump cards first loses.

……

On the seventh day of the eighth month, Yunlin City of the Northern Wilderness Dao was bustling with excitement, as many quietly realized that the soldiers blocking the road to Dongluo Pass had departed.

Although this was a minor action, it caused a huge uproar in Yunlin City.

Initially prosperous due to trade, Yunlin City had declined after the Yan Country sealed off trade through Dongluo Pass.

This decree had been in place for over twenty years, and now it was completely relaxed.

What this implied, no one was unaware.

The originally quiet Yunlin City began to show signs of revival.

As a large number of caravans departed from Yunlin City towards Dongluo Pass, Dongluo Pass itself was bursting with activity.

The letter from Marquis Wang Shiyi reached Zhao Qingmei’s hands first.

Dongluo Pass’s location was very strategic, acting as a vital passage for the Yan Country and Houjin. Whether it was Yan Country attacking Houjin from behind or Houjin moving southward, they had to be wary of Dongluo Pass’s Black Armored Army.

It could be said that as long as Dongluo Pass stood, Houjin would find it difficult to attack Yan Country with full force, as if a nail was deeply embedded in Houjin’s eye.

Wang Shiyi was a border general and naturally knew the importance of Dongluo Pass, but if he wrote to the Demon Sect without the Great Yan Court’s order, that would be considered collusion with the enemy.

Clearly, the Yan Kingdom Court must be behind this, extending a hand of goodwill.

Two days later, at Dongluo Pass, Fengyun Hall.

At this moment, the high-ranking members of the Demon Sect were gathered together, including Duanmu Xinghua, Yi Daoyun, Lin Tianhai, and all other high-ranking members of the Demon Sect who could attend.

Zhao Qingmei glanced around and said, “You’ve all read Wang Shiyi’s letter, now share your thoughts.”

The attendees circulated the letter, each with a hint of joy in their hearts.

Duanmu Xinghua was the first to speak, “Our Sect allying with Yan Country has more benefits than drawbacks.”

Zhao Qingmei asked, “So Sect Master Duanmu, you agree?”

Duanmu Xinghua responded, “Yes, I agree.”

“I also agree.”

“I too agree.”

….

Subsequently, the high-ranking members present one after another voiced their support, almost unanimous in favor of allying with Yan Country.

After all, the Demon Sect was still faced with the threat of Houjin’s iron cavalry, and allying with Yan Country was a wise decision.

“After the alliance, our Demon Sect can also enter Great Yan openly and aboveboard.”

Zhao Qingmei’s eyes gleamed as she glanced at the many experts present and said, “This matter still requires an envoy from our sect to visit Great Yan and then discuss some specific details.”

As soon as Zhao Qingmei’s voice fell, Yi Daoyun stood up and said, “Sect Hierarch, I am willing to go.”

Although others present, like Lin Tianhai and Mu Xiaoyun, were eager to try, when they saw Yi Daoyun speaking up, they did not say anything more.

After all, Yi Daoyun was the leader of the White Tiger Sect, had reached the Grandmaster Realm, and was also a renowned Sword Immortal.

Zhao Qingmei looked at Yi Daoyun without saying a word.

Yi Daoyun clasped his fists and said, “I was once defeated by Lin Yiyang; more than ten years have passed, and I wish to compete with him once more. I hope the Sect Hierarch can grant this.”

His heart had never been at peace after his defeat to Lin Yiyang, especially after hearing that Lin Yiyang had reached the Sixth Realm; he was even more eager to challenge him.

Back then, he had narrowly lost, but now his opponent had already reached the Sixth Realm, while he had not even touched the threshold.

“You’re not quite suitable for this task.”

Zhao Qingmei shook her head and looked towards Duanmu Xinghua, saying, “As I see it, it’s better to trouble Duanmu Grandmaster to take a trip to Yan Country.”

A month ago, Zhao Qingmei and An Jing had already secretly discussed that it would be best to let the leader of the Heavenly Sect, Duanmu Xinghua, go.

Duanmu Xinghua’s Second Qi Grandmaster Cultivation made him the top expert of the Demon Sect, next only to Zhao Qingmei and An Jing.

Duanmu Xinghua took a step forward and said, “I obey the command.”

Yi Daoyun’s expression darkened, but seeing Zhao Qingmei select Duanmu Xinghua, he had no choice but to step back slowly.

Although he prided himself on his exceptional sword Dao and counted himself among the top six Sword Immortal-level experts under the heavens, he was not so presumptuous as to expect a One Qi Grandmaster could battle a Second Qi Grandmaster.

Afterward, the crowd discussed some more specifics about the mission to Great Yan, including the timing and route. Once all this had been agreed upon, Zhao Qingmei stood up and left.

Yi Daoyun’s face looked somewhat ugly as he also hurriedly departed.

“Ever since being defeated by Lin Yiyang, Yi has always wanted to wash away that shame.”

Lin Tianhai shook his head as he watched Yi Daoyun’s retreating figure and said, “Now that Lin Yiyang has entered the Sixth Realm, if Yi insists on challenging him upon his visit to Yan Country, I fear it will be difficult for him to return alive.”

Lin Tianhai quite agreed with Zhao Qingmei’s decision. Yi Daoyun belonged to the younger generation’s top-tier experts within the Demon Sect, just entering his peak period, with swordsmanship so refined it was unmatched, his future boundless.

Going to Yan Country to challenge Lin Yiyang, who had entered the Sixth Realm—his hope of winning was almost nonexistent. Suffering two defeats in Lin Yiyang’s hands could, at best, halt his sword Dao progression, or at worst, result in both his death and the annihilation of his Dao.

Duanmu Xinghua shook her head and said, “It’s too difficult for Yi Daoyun to defeat that Lin Yiyang.”

Lin Tianhai lamented, “Lin Yiyang is a Swordsman of the Sixth Realm; I’m afraid apart from Lou Xiangzhen, there is no other Swordsman in this world who can beat him.”

A smile appeared on the corner of Duanmu Xinghua’s mouth, “That’s not necessarily the case. Perhaps our Demon Sect harbors just such a Swordsman.”

“Sect Master Duanmu must be joking.”

Lin Tianhai’s brows showed a trace of doubt. A Swordsman like that within the sect? If even Yi Daoyun, the top Sword Immortal of the Demon Sect, couldn’t win, could there be someone else who had a chance?

Duanmu Xinghua did not explain further and walked out of Fengyun Hall.

Looking at the fleeting clouds in the sky, she suddenly realized that she had been away from Yan Country for twenty years.

“Sect Master, shall we go to the Lin family tea house?”

At this moment, a Heavenly Sect expert asked in a low voice.

Duanmu Xinghua nodded. It was customary for members of the Demon Sect to go to Tianxi Block for tea after a meeting.

In Tianxi Block, there was an old, well-known tea house; seated on the second floor near the window, one could watch the bustling vitality of Tianxi Block, with its constant throng of passersby.

As usual, Duanmu Xinghua took her place at the table near the window.

She greatly enjoyed watching the lively marketplace and the busy lives of ordinary people.

Sometimes, she thought that if she hadn’t chosen to join the Demon Sect, she might have avoided a life bordering on the edge of the sword and, like the ordinary folks in the market, busily scurried for a few pieces of broken silver.

And when she would have been fretting about money as an ordinary person, she might have looked up at the tea house and sighed, wishing she had joined the Jianghu for a life of unconstrained freedom.

Life is essentially about choices.

Each choice brings something with it and also means losing something else.

Since that’s the case, there’s no point in regretting the path one has taken.

“Your excellent Yuhua tea is here.”

Following a shout, a small waiter dressed in plain clothes brought in a pot of tea, saying, “Customer, here’s your tea.”

Duanmu Xinghua nodded slightly and smilingly asked, “What happened to the previous waiter?”

The server smiled and said, “Are you talking about A-Hua? I heard his relative passed away, and since that relative had no sons or daughters, he went back to inherit the family estate.”

Duanmu Xinghua slowly said, “That would be a good thing for him.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes the misfortune of others turns out to be one’s own luck.”

The server remarked with a sigh, “Guest, enjoy your tea, I’m going to be busy for a bit.”

“Alright.”

Duanmu Xinghua nodded when suddenly her eyebrows furrowed sharply; she saw three streaks of cold light shooting towards her.

“Hmm!?”

Duanmu Xinghua’s True Qi circulated, and her boundless True Qi stood in front of her like a tidal barrier.

The three flying silver needles, caught by the True Qi, were immobilized and suddenly fell to the ground.

The server, who was about to leave, revealed a trace of cold light in his eyes as he struck his palm towards Duanmu Xinghua’s heavenly spirit cover.

His speed was incredibly fast, and in an instant, his palm arrived in front of Duanmu Xinghua.

Caught off guard, Duanmu Xinghua could only strike back with a palm of her own.

“Bang!”

The clash of their palms sounded like two small mountains colliding, emitting a muffled noise, as waves of True Qi spread outwards. The table in front of them and the surrounding carvings turned into sawdust in an instant.

“A Grandmaster!?”

Duanmu Xinghua’s expression darkened—she had not expected that a Grandmaster expert would be hidden right in front of her. “Who are you, exactly?”

“Who I am is not important; what’s important is whether you live or die,” the ‘server’ sneered, swinging his hand again.

This time Duanmu Xinghua was well-prepared; her True Qi circulated in her palm as she struck out fiercely.

“Boom!”

The explosion of True Qi surged like a sudden burst of energy.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

But beneath the ‘server’s’ robe, what flew out were several silver needles, reflecting a chilling light under the faint sunshine, and they were too quick to trace.

In this world, there are no martial arts that cannot be countered; fists are restrained by palm skills, palm skills by finger techniques, and finger techniques by fist skills again. This is the same principle.

And it was these tiny silver needles that were specifically designed to break through vast True Qi.

As the master of the Heavenly Sect, Duanmu Xinghua had battled through many dangers. Faced with these incoming silver needles, she remained composed, her sleeves sweeping out.

All the flying needles were wrapped within her sleeves, vanishing without a trace.

“Worthy of being the master of the Heavenly Sect, truly a fine skill.”

The ‘server’ sneered, his body flickering as he dashed towards the window.

Duanmu Xinghua was about to give chase when suddenly she felt the True Qi inside her stagnate as if it had been frozen.

“Sect Master!”

At that moment, the Heavenly Sect experts rushed over.

Duanmu Xinghua looked at her palm and saw it turn pitch black. She realized then that she had been poisoned after the first palm strike. The attacker continued to target her, forcing her to circulate her True Qi and allowing the poison to invade her internal organs.

“Sect Master, we’ve captured the tea house manager,” one of the Heavenly Sect experts reported, bringing the tea house manager with him.

“Spare me, spare me, I was forced too, they kidnapped my wife and child. If I didn’t listen to them, they would kill my family,” the manager pleaded.

“Thump, thump, thump….”

With his face pale with fear, the manager collapsed on the ground, continuously kowtowing and begging for mercy.

Duanmu Xinghua asked in a stern voice, “What is the identity of that person?”

Stuttering, the manager replied, “I… I don’t know, I really don’t know. They captured my wife and child half a month ago…”

Duanmu Xinghua coldly said, “Are you not afraid that we, the Demon Sect, would kill you as you are afraid of them killing your wife and child?”

The tearful manager continued to kowtow until his forehead bled, “I’m afraid… but my wife and child have been held by them. I had no choice.”

“Do you realize that your wife and child might have already become corpses?”

After speaking, Duanmu Xinghua walked down from the tea house, leaving the manager still begging for mercy.

It was not long before the noise from upstairs ceased.

“Sect Master Duanmu!”

“Sect Master Duanmu!”

At this moment, Lin Tianhai, Liu Simiao, and many other Demon Sect experts all hurried over.

Duanmu Xinghua extended her palm and said, “Poison King, can you see what poison this is on my hand?”

At that moment, Duanmu Xinghua’s palm was pitch black, even with purplish patterns circling around her palm.

“Bone Erosion Heart Palm!?”

Liu Simiao looked at Duanmu Xinghua’s palm, her eyebrows slightly raised, “This is an extremely yin poison technique, the hand force contains hundreds of herbs and venom from poisonous insects. These hundreds of poisons blend together and can even corrode bones and erode hearts, hence the name Bone Erosion Heart Palm. However, this technique is extremely difficult to cultivate; one must endure the pain of the hundred poisons invading the body. Only then can the hand technique gather all the poisons, which is why very few people have cultivated this technique. But once it’s mastered, its power is indeed astounding.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Tianhai asked, “Is there a method to counteract the poison?”

Liu Simiao replied, “Sect Master Duanmu is deeply cultivated and not severely poisoned. She can certainly withstand the poison from attacking her internal organs. It’s not difficult to neutralize it, as long as I find the hundred poisons used in cultivating the Bone Erosion Heart Palm and then prepare the corresponding antidote. However, it will take some time.”

Upon hearing this, everyone present heaved a sigh of relief.

Duanmu Xinghua asked, “How long will it take, approximately?”

After pondering for a moment, Liu Simiao said, “At least half a month.”

Duanmu Xinghua shook her head, “That’s too long, can it be faster?”

She was scheduled to leave for Great Yan in three days; how could she afford to delay here now?

Liu Simiao sighed, “This is the quickest time; to prevent any mistakes that could harm Sect Master Duanmu, it might even take longer.”

Lin Tianhai added from the side, “Sect Master Duanmu, let’s put aside the mission to Great Yan for now. You should focus on recovering first.”

Duanmu Xinghua sighed softly.

“First take Sect Master Duanmu back,”

Lin Tianhai told Liu Simiao, his eyes flashing with a cold light, “I want to see who dares to assassinate the Sect Master of Heavenly Sect at Dongluo Pass.”

…….

The night was like water, the lanterns flickering.

The news of Duanmu Xinghua’s assassination quickly spread throughout Dongluo Pass, and now the pass was sealed off while Lin Tianhai, head of the Azure Dragon Sect, was searching for the assassin through the night.

Zhao Qingmei furrowed her brow and asked An Jing, who was sitting on the bed, “Who do you think did it?”

An Jing, idly handling the Heavenly Flipping Seal in his hand, said, “There are definitely not many who dare to assassinate Duanmu Xinghua and have the guts to do so. It’s likely the Black Ice Platform or Houjin forces, but we can’t rule out other powers in the world with different goals.”

Zhao Qingmei said in a grave tone, “According to what Duanmu Xinghua said, the person today was also a Second Qi Grandmaster expert. There are almost no obscure figures among the Second Qi Grandmaster experts in the world. However, after checking various records, not one person fits the profile.”

“This individual is either in disguise or a master from an unknown power.”

An Jing thought for a moment and said, “Their goal might not be to kill Duanmu Xinghua, but to delay the alliance between the Demon Sect and Great Yan.”

A Second Qi Grandmaster wanting to kill Duanmu Xinghua would need to be extremely careful, even if the expert possessed the talent to contend with a Third Qi Grandmaster. After all, this is Dongluo Pass; if the first strike misses, they would face encirclement and pursuit by many Demon Sect experts.

Zhao Qingmei nodded, her resolute eyes alight with a shimmer, “They are delaying our steps, but the more they delay, the more it will backfire on them.”

After hearing this, An Jing analyzed, “Duanmu Xinghua needs to heal from the poison, and she won’t be able to travel shortly. There are two options now: first, wait for Duanmu Xinghua’s recovery; second, find someone to replace her for the trip to Yan Country.”

Zhao Qingmei asked, “Waiting for Duanmu Xinghua’s recovery might result in more unpredictable events; delay can breed trouble. Who do you think is the most suitable to go to Zhao Country?”

Despite Duanmu Xinghua’s injury, the mission to Great Yan must not be canceled; otherwise, it might already fall into the calculations of others.

An Jing pondered for a moment, “Ouyang Ping is more powerful than Duanmu Xinghua. Logically, he would be the most suitable candidate. However, he is an expert from the Sealing Demon Platform. If an elder from there were to move, it would clearly signal to the world that the Demon Sect has no more powerful experts available. Yi Daoyun is capable with no questions, but I doubt his strength can command the scene, considering how many experts there are in Yujing City.”

“You, as the Sect Leader, can’t make a move lightly.”

He exhaled softly and then said, “All things considered, I believe the most suitable person is myself.”

“You want to go on the mission to Yan Country?”

Zhao Qingmei felt a slight heaviness in her heart and said, “Since they dare to assassinate Duanmu Xinghua, they might try to assassinate you as well.”

Indeed, as An Jing said, he was the most suitable person, but there was also a certain risk involved in going to Yan Country.

An Jing said softly, “This mission to Yan Country requires not just strength to impress the Yan people but also to negotiate and rescue Li Fuzhou.”

This trip to Yan Country was critical; not only did the Demon Sect’s interests lie elsewhere, but the most important goal was to rescue Li Fuzhou. Yi Daoyun’s capability wouldn’t hold against the pressure, making it difficult to rescue Li Fuzhou.

…….