Jiangdong Sword Immortal

"Huaqing Sect really carries weight. Not only did the Heaven and Earth Alliance act, even the authorities sent constables to assist."

Liang He would have been lying if he said he was not envious.

Within Clear River's borders, there were not many who could muster such a grand display.

Huaqing Sect truly deserved to be called an Anning Great Sect.

Wu Tu listened to the commotion outside.

He too marveled at Huaqing Sect's influence.

"This is what you call prestige, damn it."

Thinking of how, back when he was in the Dark Eight Gates, he had treated constables like the King of Hell himself, he could not help but sigh at the vast gulf between people.

Sure enough, with a great tree at your back, you could enjoy its shade.

After confirming the situation, Wu Tu said, "No need to panic. It should just be a routine patrol."

At that.

The tense group finally let out a breath. No one liked the feeling of gambling with their lives.

Liang He asked, "Steward Wu, do you think that person will come tonight?"

Wu Tu rolled his eyes. "How would I know?"

Intelligence was intelligence. Anyone who believed it all was a fool.

Wu Tu kindly taught Liang He a lesson. "Kid, when you go out on a mission, the only constant is the unexpected. So you should understand."

"Adapt to the situation?"

Liang He replied.

Wu Tu spat. "Bullshit. It means run when things look wrong."

"..."

Liang He was speechless.

This was Steward Wu's secret to surviving the martial world?

Wu Tu did not explain further. People could not teach people, but events could teach people in one go.

Some things could only be understood after living through them, and the lessons drawn afterward could bring enormous improvement.

Of course, that was on the condition that one was still alive.

Even though he had accepted Li Rui's request, he could not possibly handle every last shit and piss for him.

The wait was exceedingly tedious. All they had to do was watch the movements around them and stay ready to provide support at any time. The constables were more professional when it came to finding people.

With nothing better to do.

Wu Tu casually shared his experience with the seven or eight ordinary Heaven and Earth Alliance disciples around him.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a shrill whistle sounded, accompanied by a plume of white smoke shooting straight into the sky.

"They've come already?"

Wu Tu and the others stiffened, drew their weapons in unison, and rushed toward the Signal Arrow.

An hour earlier.

Inside the Heaven and Earth Alliance branch hall.

Branch Master Dao Xiong sat imposingly in a tiger-skin chair, with Liu Zhen seated to his left and Kong Xiannian to his right.

Kong Xiannian glanced at Dao Xiong.

He had heard that this Heaven and Earth Alliance branch master had once been a somewhat renowned Blade Wielder in Anning Prefecture. He had wielded a seven-foot Pu Dao and chased down a hundred mounted bandits, hacking at them all the way—ferocious beyond belief.

"Master Dao, do you think my plan to lure the snake from its hole will work this time?"

Kong Xiannian looked as though victory was already in his grasp.

Dao Xiong smiled faintly. "It's hard to say."

He did not object to Kong Xiannian using his own subordinates as bait. After all, Kong Xiannian had informed him in advance, sparing the Heaven and Earth Alliance from being caught off guard and losing face.

This matter had helped him.

Dao Xiong spoke. "Envoy Kong, what secret art did your sect lose that warranted such a massive mobilization?"

Kong Xiannian did not hide it. "The White Ape Mantle Blade."

At the four words White Ape Mantle Blade, Dao Xiong's expression instantly turned grave.

"The blade art created by that Huaqing Sect senior known as the Seven Continents First Blade?"

At Dao Xiong's words, Kong Xiannian showed a faint trace of pride. "Precisely. My sect's Martial Uncle Ma is that senior's eighth-generation disciple. Unfortunately, he accepted a disciple poorly, and Xu Hua stole the secret art."

Dao Xiong clicked his tongue.

White Ape Mantle Blade.

That was a top-tier Cultivation Method. He had never even seen one in his life.

He wondered who had stumbled into such tremendous luck and obtained the secret art.

"So Hall Master Li truly took the secret art?"

Only a few days ago had he learned that the Heaven One Hall master had also taken part in the battle at the ruined temple—and had merely been a Groom at the time.

Kong Xiannian shook his head.

"Please forgive me for acting first and reporting afterward, Master Dao, but Hall Master Li is innocent. He did not take it."

Dao Xiong was somewhat disappointed.

"Then this is rather troublesome. Who knows who might have such Great Fortune?"

Beggar children from nearby often spent the night in that ruined temple.

If some beggar child had used it as firewood and burned it, that would be quite the joke.

Dao Xiong turned toward Liu Zhen, who sat on the other side. "Envoy Liu, may I ask which senior has come to Clear River this time?"

This was what concerned him most tonight.

Kong Xiannian also looked over with interest.

Although both of them served Huaqing Sect, their statuses before becoming envoys had been worlds apart. Liu Zhen's background was far better than his.

Thus, there were many matters within the sect that he knew less about than Liu Zhen.

For instance, the elder personally traveling to Clear River this time.

Liu Zhen smiled slightly. "It is not that I intend to conceal it, but Elder Jiang specifically instructed me before departure. I trust neither of you wishes to sample Elder Jiang's sword?"

Elder Jiang?

Dao Xiong's heart skipped a beat.

There was only one elder surnamed Jiang in Huaqing Sect.

"Jiang Linxian, the Jiangdong Sword Immortal?"

His eyes widened.

Kong Xiannian wore much the same expression.

Neither had expected such a great figure to be stirred into action this time!

Dao Xiong asked probingly, "Envoy Liu, then why can you tell us now?"

Liu Zhen said blandly, "Because Elder Jiang has already arrived in Clear River. You may say whatever you like, so long as you can survive beneath his sword."

"..."

Dao Xiong and Kong Xiannian exchanged a look, and a chill ran down both their backs.

Just as they were wondering where Elder Jiang might be—

Whoosh!

The Signal Arrow streaked a white line across the sky.

Almost at the same instant, Dao Xiong and the two Huaqing Sect men flashed away, vanishing from the hall.

In the Black Night.

A figure quietly emerged from a room beside Heaven One Hall.

Clad entirely in black.

Neither face nor age could be discerned.

Li Rui lightly tapped the ground, landing without making almost any sound.

"The Nurture Bone Pill really is useful."

He was now only a hair's breadth from the eighth rank.

Others needed at least five years to cultivate to the eighth rank, yet he had needed only one. Before long, he estimated, he would enter the Copper Bone Realm.

Then, even in Clear River, he would have enough strength to hold his head high.

Perhaps it would not even take a few months. He raised his head and looked at the Signal Arrow on the horizon.

"So it's finally beginning?"

With the newly forged blade on his back, he found a suitable spot, vaulted over the courtyard wall, and headed toward the Signal Arrow as well.

That Huaqing Sect disciple had surely decided that he had taken the White Ape Mantle Blade.

He would definitely find a way to strike at him in secret.

Li Rui did not like having to worry about being assassinated even while he slept.

That feeling was truly unpleasant.

So the best method was to make that Huaqing Sect disciple completely unable to move. He had previously heard from another Disciple Zhou who had arrived alongside Zhu Family's eldest young master, Zhu Yue, that the Huaqing Sect disciple had been gravely wounded by Jiang Yan using some Divine Weapon Talisman. If they truly fought, Li Rui would at least be able to protect himself.

Though many experts had already made thorough preparations tonight.

When people grew old, they were prone to nightmares.

Unless he saw that Huaqing Sect disciple dead with his own eyes, he would not be able to sleep!

"I really can't rest easy!"