Two days later.
East Qingzhou City.
Green Willow Manor.
Seven or eight grand halls surrounded a square paved with bluestone, a hundred zhang across. With its rockeries, bamboo groves, ornamental scenery, lotus pond, and little bridge over flowing water, the whole manor gave off an air of unmatched elegance.
In the largest hall at the center, Qin Shuang wore a silver mask and sat in a tiger-hide chair. Jin Yang, Liu Hao, Chen Wang, Jin Shisan, Chen Qinglang, and more than thirty others stood to either side below him.
Everyone waited respectfully for Hall Master Qin Shuang to speak.
"At present, the Azure Dragon Society has three thousand four hundred members. We'll divide them into four halls, with eight hundred members in each!"
"Jin Shisan will be the Intelligence Hall Master, responsible for gathering intelligence!"
"Jin Yang will be the Gold Jade Hall Master, responsible for the Society's finances!"
"Liu Hao will be the Hidden Edge Hall Master, responsible for training promising members and working with the Wind Hall to gather intelligence!"
"Chen Qinglang will be the Startling Cloud Hall Master, commanding the Society's elite and responsible for combat!"
Qin Shuang closed the register of Society members in his hands. Looking at the people gathered in the hall, he spoke in a deep voice.
"We thank the Hall Master!"
"Your subordinates obey!"
"..."
Hearing Qin Shuang's appointments, Chen Qinglang, Liu Hao, Jin Yang, Jin Shisan, and the others faced him and dropped to one knee, respectfully thanking him.
"Chen Wang!"
Qin Shuang spoke in a deep voice.
"Hall Master, your subordinate is here!"
Chen Wang stepped forward with a bow and knelt before Qin Shuang, his eyes alight with excitement.
"I appoint you steward of the Azure Dragon Society. You'll take charge of the remaining two hundred men and handle miscellaneous affairs!"
Qin Shuang looked at Chen Wang and spoke gravely.
Chen Wang wanted to make something of himself and had also received the Life and Death Seal. Later, when Qin Shuang needed things to simplify his martial arts, he could leave it all to Chen Wang and focus single-mindedly on simplifying his skills and increasing his strength.
"Chen Wang thanks the Hall Master! I'll brave fire and water for you without hesitation!"
At once, Chen Wang dropped to his knees before Qin Shuang, overwhelmed with excitement.
He hadn't expected it.
The Hall Master had actually made him steward of the Azure Dragon Society.
Xiangzhou Divine Saber Sect.
The Sect Master's Hall.
A middle-aged man in a blue robe, with a high nose and three long whiskers, sat in the seat of honor. More than ten people sat on either side of the hall, each with a keen gaze and a formidable aura.
"Elders, I've just received a message carried back by Elder Situ's Divine Eagle. The Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber has appeared in Qingzhou City!"
"This is no small matter!"
"Which elders are willing to go and retrieve the saber?"
Li Hongxue swept his gaze over the elders and True Disciples in the hall and asked in a deep voice.
"Sect Master, this disciple is willing to go to Qingzhou City alone and reclaim the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber!"
Just then, a young man of about twenty-three or twenty-four rose from the left side of the hall and cupped his fists respectfully. A domineering saber hung across his back, and his powerful aura radiated an overbearing force that brooked no resistance.
When the young man spoke, the other elders fell silent.
That was because he was the Divine Saber Sect's foremost True Disciple of this generation, a saber-path prodigy known throughout Jianghu as the "Overlord Saber," Xiao Jiulang!
Moreover,
Xiao Jiulang was domineering in all he did, and his word was law. Since he wanted to go alone, no one would compete with him.
"Very well! We'll await good news from Nephew Xiao!"
Li Hongxue glanced at the other elders and nodded, saying no more. After all, Nephew Xiao Jiulang had the skill to back it up. Though young, his saber mastery had already surpassed that of most of the elders present!
Xiao Jiulang bowed to Sect Master Li Hongxue, cupped his fists, then turned and strode away.
"'Holy Land' may not be a reachable search term, so try the author's name. Perhaps the title has simply changed!"
"Sect Master, now that the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber has reappeared in Jianghu, I fear... the Holy Land won't sit idly by..."
A tall elder spoke with worry written on his face.
Everyone knew that with the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber back in Jianghu, Pudu Jing'an Nunnery, the foremost Holy Land of the righteous path, would surely intervene. Under the banner of eliminating evil, it would summon experts from across Jianghu and take the saber to Pudu Jing'an Nunnery for safekeeping!
It wouldn't be easy for the Divine Saber Sect to claim the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber.
"I know."
Li Hongxue nodded and spoke slowly. "Back then, our sect's saber-path prodigy, Ji Yang, was killed by Li Tianhen with the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber. Now that the saber has reappeared, we must bring it back to the Divine Saber Sect to honor our ancestors!"
Li Hongxue knew full well that the Divine Saber Sect's saber techniques would be even more powerful when paired with the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber!
They would use honoring their ancestors as a reason to bring the saber back to the sect first.
"Exactly!"
"Our Divine Saber Sect cultivates the saber path. Only in our sect can the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber unleash its full might!"
"As the saying goes, a treasured sword belongs with a hero. Our Divine Saber Sect is the Yellow Springs Heavenly Saber's rightful home!"
"..."
The elders in the hall spoke up one after another.
"So, to make certain nothing goes wrong, which five elders are willing to go to Yanzhou and secretly clear the way for True Disciple Xiao?"
Li Hongxue looked over the elders and spoke in a deep voice.
He knew that Nephew Xiao Jiulang was proud and headstrong. Though his saber mastery surpassed that of most of the elders present, Li Hongxue didn't want him to suffer the same fate as their ancestor Ji. That was why he planned to play it safe.
Hearing the Sect Master's words, the elders understood his intentions. Five of them immediately rose to their feet.
Green Willow Manor.
"I have to make a trip into the mountains."
Qin Shuang sat cross-legged in the rear hall, checking the system panel with his mind as he silently weighed his options.
To perfect the Blood Rage Saber Art, he had to kill a hundred wild boars. The Tiger Roar Divine Intent Skill required him to kill a hundred tigers. The Flying Swallow Movement called for braised eagle, and the Heavenly Wolf Bone Forging Art required him to stroke a wolf's head. All of these meant going to the Xuan Yin Mountain Range.
Most importantly, he was now in the Bone Forging Realm. Tempering all his bones until they turned golden would require an ocean of Qi and Blood. If he could find more Strange Beasts like the White Jade Golden Pattern Python, that would be ideal.
"Chen Wang, go call Hall Master Chen, Hall Master Liu, and Hall Master Jin. I want to see them!"
Qin Shuang spoke in a deep voice.
"Yes, Hall Master!"
Outside, Chen Wang, who had been waiting, bowed in acknowledgment and turned to leave.
"Jin Shisan greets the Hall Master!"
"Liu Hao greets the Hall Master!"
"..."
Before long, Chen Qinglang, Liu Hao, and Jin Shisan stood at the hall entrance, respectfully cupping their fists to Qin Shuang.
"Hall Master Chen, make preparations and bring a hundred elite members into the mountains with me for a while. Hall Master Liu, Hall Master Jin, have your two halls keep close watch on everyone entering the city. If any outsiders seem suspicious, especially anyone from the Divine Saber Sect, send word to me immediately!"
Qin Shuang looked at Liu Hao and Jin Shisan and spoke in a deep voice.
The person Qin Shuang worried about most was Situ Rui of the Divine Saber Sect.
"Rest assured, Hall Master. If anyone suspicious enters the city, your subordinate will send word at once!"
"Rest assured, Hall Master! Hall Master Liu and I have already planted eyes throughout the city. We won't miss even a single mouse!"
Jin Shisan and Liu Hao answered respectfully.
"Good. You may go!"
Qin Shuang waved Jin Shisan and Liu Hao away. Chen Qinglang, Liu Hao, and Jin Shisan each stepped back three paces with a bow before turning to leave.
Ten in the morning.
On Long Street by the East Gate of Qingzhou City, a young woman in white came slowly down the street. Her face was veiled in white gauze, and an ancient sword was strapped to her back. The instant she appeared, the townspeople and passersby along the way were drawn to her.
"The title can't be found by searching, so try the author's name. Perhaps it has simply been changed!"
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