The Sand Sea Reveals the Divine Gate

Having gained a fierce warrior, Yu Huatian finally showed a trace of a smile.

Taking Yan Shisan into his service had not been a passing whim. He had prepared for it long ago.

If he wanted to become Ming's uncrowned king, his own strength alone would never be enough. As a ruler, he could hardly handle every matter personally.

As it happened, he controlled the West Depot, an enforcement agency directly subordinate to imperial authority. He could openly expand its ranks, and with proper management, it would become a tremendous asset to him.

At present, however, the West Depot had too few experts. Only its first division chief, Ma Jinliang, and second division chief, Ding Xiu, were truly useful. The others, including third division chief Ji Xueyong and Zhao Tong, were still somewhat weak. Against a genuine expert, they would not last more than a few exchanges.

That was why Yu Huatian had begun considering expanding the West Depot.

Of course, he would not accept just anyone. Martial prowess and ability came first, followed by character.

Yan Shisan happened to suit Yu Huatian's tastes perfectly.

He was a pure swordsman. From his boyhood to his current youth, and even into his middle years in the original story, he spent his entire life pursuing the pinnacle of the sword.

His destined rival, by contrast-the Sword God Xie Xiaofeng, ranked fifth among Ming's Ten Greatest Swordsmen-possessed extraordinary swordsmanship but glaring flaws in character. Indeed, the emergence of the assassin organization Heavenly Venerable, now wreaking havoc throughout the martial world, could be said to have been entirely his doing.

Even if such a man came forward offering his services, Yu Huatian would refuse him.

Compared with Xie Xiaofeng, he valued Yan Shisan more.

The process had been somewhat convoluted, but fortunately, he had finally succeeded in bringing Yan Shisan under his command!

Looking at the tall Yan Shisan before him, who stood a full head taller than himself, Yu Huatian said calmly, "Follow me for now. We'll make further arrangements once this matter is over."

"Yes."

Yan Shisan solemnly cupped his hands, his gaze unwavering.

To pursue the ultimate height of swordsmanship, the heart sword realm, he was willing to abandon his principles and cease being a homeless, wandering swordsman. With the sword in his hand, he would slaughter all evil and sweep away every injustice beneath heaven!

For that, he would never regret his choice!

Yu Huatian smiled and nodded, but as soon as he turned around, he saw Ma Jinliang and the others staring at him, utterly dumbfounded, as though they had only just met him.

"What is it?" Yu Huatian frowned slightly.

Everyone immediately came to their senses.

Lu Xiaofeng glanced at Yan Shisan, who stood obediently behind Yu Huatian, then turned back to Yu Huatian. Admiration appeared on his face as he cupped his hands.

"Your skill at reading people's hearts is truly admirable, Eunuch Yu!"

Yu Huatian narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

A sudden chill rose from the depths of Lu Xiaofeng's heart. He shuddered and hurriedly said, "Nothing of the sort! I merely wished to congratulate you on recruiting a peerless swordsman!"

"From now on, address me as Director."

Yu Huatian glanced at him and paid him no further attention, turning instead toward the martial artists gathered nearby to watch the excitement.

When he spotted Yue Buqun, dressed in white and carrying a sword, approaching middle age yet still elegant and distinguished, with an expression as genial as a gentleman's, an unusual glint passed through his eyes.

Another ruthless schemer...

Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, Yu Huatian glanced back at Yan Shisan and asked, "Who sent you to kill me?"

Yan Shisan looked straight toward Yue Buqun and pointed without hesitation. "Yue Buqun offered me a thousand taels to kill you, Director, and avenge his eldest disciple, Linghu Chong."

The atmosphere instantly froze. Everyone turned toward Yue Buqun and his wife.

The West Depot men and Embroidered Uniform Guard revealed murderous intent, immediately shifting their formation to surround the couple.

Clang, clang-

The sound of swords and sabers leaving their scabbards rang out incessantly.

The martial artists standing beside Yue Buqun and his wife blanched and hurried aside, distancing themselves from the trouble lest they be caught in it.

"Yan Shisan, you..."

Yue Buqun's expression changed sharply as well. He stared at Yan Shisan, his eyes filled with shock and fury.

He had never imagined that Yu Huatian would win Yan Shisan over. Worse, despite being an assassin, Yan Shisan had shown not a shred of professional integrity, turning around and selling him out immediately.

"What are you glaring at? If you don't like it, come kill me!"

Yan Shisan gave him a disdainful glance. He had nothing but contempt for a man who, after his own disciple had been killed, willingly tucked his head into his shell like a tortoise and dared only resort to petty tricks behind others' backs.

Selling out such a man weighed nothing on his conscience.

Yue Buqun clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. He longed to draw his sword and cut down this shameless scoundrel, but unfortunately, he was no match for Yan Shisan.

Besides, he no longer had an opportunity to strike...

Yu Huatian slowly approached and looked at Yue Buqun and his wife, his face expressionless. "I never imagined that, in your eyes, Yue Buqun, I was worth a mere thousand taels of silver."

Yue Buqun's heart sank. Holding his sword in his left hand, he gripped its hilt tightly with his right and stared gravely at Yu Huatian without speaking.

"Senior brother..."

Ning Zhongze's face had turned pale as well. Her full chest rose and fell slightly, her nerves stretched to their limit.

She was only in the Xiantian Realm. Her senior brother was somewhat stronger, having broken through to Grandmaster in internal cultivation. Yet after the Sword-Qi Conflict, the sword arts left to the Mount Hua Sect were merely third-rate. Without swordsmanship to match their internal strength, neither she nor her senior brother possessed particularly formidable combat ability.

Moreover, even if their combat ability matched their internal strength, they had no confidence of escaping safely with so many West Depot agents and Embroidered Uniform Guard surrounding them, while Yu Huatian and the other West Depot experts watched like hungry tigers.

"It's all right."

Yue Buqun's expression was grave as he whispered, "I'll hold them back. Seize your chance to leave. Don't look back-go straight to Mount Hua."

"Senior brother?!"

Ning Zhongze's expression changed.

"Do as I say!" Yue Buqun said through clenched teeth.

"Discussing your escape right in front of me? You truly think nothing of me."

Yu Huatian said indifferently, "Want to leave? Go ahead. I'll give you a three-breath head start."

Clang-

Yue Buqun's gaze sharpened. His sword suddenly flashed from its scabbard as he shouted, "Go!"

Even as he spoke, he turned and charged at the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him.

Yu Huatian waved a hand slightly. "Let him run."

The guards blocking Yue Buqun's retreat were about to attack, but at his words, they immediately stepped aside and let Yue Buqun through.

Although Yue Buqun did not understand Yu Huatian's intentions, he had no time to dwell on them. He immediately seized Ning Zhongze and sped toward Dragon Gate Pass.

Everyone looked at Yu Huatian in confusion, unable to understand why he had let Yue Buqun escape first.

Soon, three breaths had passed!

Yue Buqun and his wife had already fled over a hundred meters. At that distance, catching them would be difficult for someone at the same cultivation level, unless they specialized in movement arts.

Yue Buqun breathed a sigh of relief, but he did not dare lower his guard. He circulated his internal energy again and accelerated his flight.

But just then-

Hiss!

An unimaginably powerful force condensed, drawing in nearly all the spiritual energy within dozens of meters. It finally became a strand of formless sword qi, materializing out of thin air before Yu Huatian, then shooting toward Yue Buqun and his wife with the terrifying speed of thunder and lightning.

Every hair on Yue Buqun's body stood on end. He instantly sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but before he could move, his body jolted. Looking down, he saw a gaping hole in his chest. Threads of vicious sword qi ravaged the wound, leaving him momentarily unable to feel any pain.

Beside him, Ning Zhongze had suffered much the same injury. She stared blankly at the place where her full bosom had vanished...

Holding Ning Zhongze's hand, Yue Buqun turned toward the distant white figure, bewilderment on his face. "You..."

Thud-

Before he could finish, husband and wife fell to the ground together, remaining forever in that lonely desert.

[Fortune from Yue Buqun +4936.]

[Fortune from Ning Zhongze +1272.]

Dead silence filled the scene.

Everyone gazed at the two figures lying neatly side by side in the distance, a chill spreading through their hearts.

No one had imagined that the esteemed leader of the Mount Hua Sect would die here, much less in such a bizarre fashion.

In that brief instant, many of them had not even detected the slightest fluctuation before seeing Yue Buqun and his wife collapse.

They had never witnessed such a mysterious, uncanny method of attack!

Yu Huatian ignored their expressions. Hearing the system notifications in his mind, he opened his information panel.

Host: Yu Huatian

Realm: peak Grandmaster

Martial arts: Boy Skill (perfection), Sunflower Manual (perfection), Thirteen Life-Taking Swords (Fourteenth Sword), Innate Body-Piercing Formless Sword Qi (perfection), Star-Absorbing Great Method (perfection), Dragon-Capturing Skill (perfection)

Plundered fortune: 8638

His fortune had increased by just over six thousand, but it was still insufficient for a silver draw.

The Thirteen Life-Taking Swords entry in his martial arts panel had changed, however. Instead of perfection, it now displayed "Fourteenth Sword," but without a "+" sign. Presumably, that meant the subsequent Fifteenth Sword, the Sixteenth Sword whose very existence remained uncertain, and any sword moves beyond them could not be upgraded using fortune. He could only comprehend them himself.

It seems fortune can only improve martial arts to levels that have existed before...

Yu Huatian fell into thought.

By then, everyone had recovered their senses. Their gazes toward Yu Huatian were filled with awe and apprehension.

Lu Xiaofeng frowned deeply, staring at Yu Huatian as though pondering something. Then his eyes flashed, and he suddenly said, "Sword qi released without a sword, and formless once unleashed. If I'm not mistaken, Eun-Director, the art you just used should be the Innate Body-Piercing Formless Sword Qi of Senior Guan Qi, the holy lord of the Great Song Dynasty's Heavenly Alliance?"

Many looked bewildered at his words, clearly having never heard of this supreme art.

Yu Huatian, however, frowned and turned toward Lu Xiaofeng. "It seems I underestimated you. You even know something of the Great Song Dynasty's martial world?"

His words effectively confirmed it. A smile appeared on Lu Xiaofeng's face as he cupped his hands.

"You flatter me, Director. I've traveled to many places, so I know a little more than most. What I never imagined was that you had managed to learn even Senior Guan Qi's supreme art. Truly enviable."

Yu Huatian gave him a long look, ignoring his flattery. "Knowing too much isn't always a good thing. From now on, you had best keep your mouth shut about my affairs."

As he spoke, Yu Huatian glanced at Hua Manlou and Fu Hongxue as well, his gaze sharp. "That goes for you two, too!"

Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou's hearts tightened. They hurriedly cupped their hands. "Rest assured, Director. We won't breathe a word to anyone."

Fu Hongxue was displeased by Yu Huatian's threatening gaze, but remembering that uncanny formless sword qi, he could only lower his head slightly and fall silent.

"Director, we found this on Yue Buqun."

A West Depot agent ran over and handed Yu Huatian a purple book.

Yu Huatian took it and looked. Four bold characters on its cover read "Violet Mist Manual."

[Ding!]

[Martial art detected: Violet Mist Manual. Initiate infusion?]

Yu Huatian paused. It's actually genuine?

The Violet Mist Manual-Yue Buqun actually carried it on him?

Then again, it made sense. The Mount Hua Sect's signature internal cultivation art might not be safe anywhere else. Perhaps carrying it personally was the safest choice for Yue Buqun.

This was plainly no time to cultivate, however. Yu Huatian closed the system and tucked the Violet Mist Manual into his robes, planning to study this first-rate internal cultivation art after returning.

"The wind has changed! The Black Sandstorm is ending!"

Someone suddenly cried out excitedly.

Everyone hurriedly turned to look. Sure enough, the dark clouds above the desert were gradually dispersing. As the wind changed, the previously boundless, terrifying Black Storm slowly shifted deeper into the desert, while portions of it began dissipating in midair.

Sunlight pierced the clouds, shining once more upon the golden sands.

Yu Huatian's gaze sharpened. He immediately walked aside, swung onto his horse, and shouted, "Move!"

As his words fell, he had already urged his steed forward.

Neigh!

Warhorses whinnied one after another. The West Depot men and Embroidered Uniform Guard mounted as well, following Yu Huatian onto the sands and disappearing into the desert.

The remaining martial artists watched them depart, then exchanged glances. Struggle flickered in their eyes, but in the end, they gritted their teeth and followed.

A blazing sun hung high in the heavens amid dark clouds that had yet to fully disperse. The clouds pressed so low that the sky seemed liable to topple down at any moment.

The former site of the Dragon Gate Inn was now completely buried beneath yellow sand, silent and devoid of any human presence.

Before long, however, a hole suddenly opened in the ground. A look inside revealed a tunnel.

Once the tunnel entrance opened, over a dozen figures sprang out.

Their clothing varied. More than half were Tatars in foreign dress, but Chai, the former owner of the Dragon Gate Inn, was among them as well.

Beside Chai stood a white-clad woman with a ponytail, holding an absurdly oversized mountain-cleaving saber. Next to her stood a man in white wearing a scholar's cap. He concealed half his face behind his broad sleeve, his shifty eyes scanning their surroundings.

The saber-wielding woman tugged at him. "Enough, stop hiding. The Black Sandstorm has only just ended. Yu Huatian is probably still waiting outside the pass. He won't see you."

"Careful sailing keeps a ship afloat for ten thousand years. If he happens to discover that I look just like him, how could I possibly survive?"

Muttering, the man lowered his sleeve, revealing a face strikingly similar to Yu Huatian's. His constantly darting eyes, however, made him look somewhat sleazy.

Chai said gravely, "Stop wasting time. Hurry! Everyone else has been cut off by the wind and sand, and we're closest to the treasure. We must find it before the others arrive and take as much as we can. Once the imperial court's men get here, the few of us won't even know how we died!"

Everyone nodded slightly.

The saber-wielding woman looked toward an alluring woman at the head of the Tatars and instructed, "Chang Xiaowen, take your people that way. Chai, you and your workers go this way. Feng Lidao and I will go over there!"

No one objected. They turned and began searching in the directions she had assigned.

The young man who closely resembled Yu Huatian, whom the saber-wielding woman had called Feng Lidao, sighed and cursed, "It's all that damned woman Ling Yanqiu's fault! We told her out of kindness and invited her to hunt for the treasure with us. To avenge Zhao Huaian, she spread news of the treasure's emergence throughout the whole world. Otherwise, why would we need to be so careful? The treasure would all be ours!"

"Stop babbling. Hurry up!"

The saber-wielding woman frowned and walked straight ahead.

Before long, someone suddenly shouted in the distance, "Found it!"

Everyone perked up and immediately ran toward the voice. The Tatars had been the first to find it.

Climbing a dune and gazing into the distance, they immediately spotted a hazy cluster of ancient buildings deep within the desert, glittering gold beneath the sunlight.

"The White-Shang Kingdom's golden roofs! Hurry!"

Delighted, the saber-wielding woman called out and immediately ran toward the gleaming light.

The others followed without hesitation.

Amid yellow sand filling the sky, over a dozen figures approached the vast complex of ancient buildings like ants.

Not long after they left, a dense clatter of hoofbeats sounded in the distance. It was the West Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Clop, clop-

Yu Huatian rode up the dune and immediately noticed the brilliantly shining stretch of dunes as well. A slight smile curved his lips as he urged his horse onward.

At the same time, from the other end of the desert, another large troop of fierce figures rode toward the same place, collectively radiating a sharp, murderous aura.

The white-clad woman leading them wore soft armor woven with golden threads and carried a sword at her waist. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail behind her head. She looked crisp and capable, a heroine yielding nothing to any man.

Flying Dragon Spiral Armor; the sand sea reveals the divine gate!

That ancient saying had come true.

As the Black Sandstorm ended, an ancient city buried underground for hundreds of years emerged, instantly drawing countless eyes...

This is a double-length chapter, and the final stretch of the desert storyline.

Thank you to "World-Class DJ" for the 1,500-coin tip, and to all my generous readers for keeping up with the story, investing, voting, tipping, and commenting every day. Thank you for your support.

(End of chapter)