"So those seven are all veterans of the Guanzhong? But why didn't these old guys show up when we swept through earlier?"
Listening to Xie Feng's report, Wang Hao frowned slightly, feeling quite puzzled.
Xie Feng had already obtained enough information from the seven Half-step Innate experts, and because they were interrogated separately, there was no possibility of collusion. Moreover, the information given by the seven was largely the same.
So it's basically confirmed to be true, which just puzzled Wang Hao.
Of these seven people, one was all alone, while the other six all had influence in the Guanzhong martial Guanzhong. Moreover, he had previously swept through all of them, even eliminating two of them who had committed heinous crimes.
He didn't believe the other party hadn't received the intelligence, yet they still hadn't come out; that was rather strange.
"They vaguely mentioned Confucian School, seemingly implying that Confucian School forced them into seclusion, and also subtly suggesting that a powerful Confucian School figure had appeared to send them to besiege their lord."
Xie Feng explained that he was also helpless about this matter.
The seven men seemed to be terrified of Confucian School, and they were vague when talking about Confucian School, refusing to speak openly no matter how he tried to persuade them.
However, it is almost certain that the Confucian School school was behind today's events.
"It is indeed the work of Confucian School. Xie Feng, take these manuals and leave first. I will come to find you later."
Suddenly, Wang Hao seemed to sense something, and looked out of the house with a very serious expression. He then told Xie Feng to leave first.
Seeing this, Xie Feng naturally understood that a powerful enemy had arrived. Without saying a word, he picked up the secret manual scroll that was placed beside him and left.
He understood that if the lord was taking it so seriously, it must be an unprecedentedly powerful enemy, one that he could not handle and would only be a burden if left behind.
Therefore, taking that secret scroll and leaving as soon as possible is the best option. Even if the master is not as good as the opponent, he can escape without any worries. No, he should retreat.
"Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? My Dugu friend, Qin Yan Qin Zixiao, has come to pay his respects!"
Just as Xie Feng left, a voice came from outside the house. The voice was very gentle, but it also contained a sense of nobility.
"If they are friends, I would naturally welcome them; but I fear that those who have come are not friends, but enemies!"
Wang Hao, holding a knock-off version of the Peerless Sword, strode out and quickly arrived outside the inn.
A middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes stood outside the door. He was fair-skinned and beardless, yet exuded an air of nobility, like an emperor.
Although standing at the bottom of the steps, he displayed a condescending gaze, appearing quite arrogant.
This condescending and arrogant attitude instinctively made Wang Hao uncomfortable, and his expression grew even colder.
Judging from their posture, the other party clearly had ill intentions.
What Wang Hao feared was that this person had actually developed Divine Sense within his body. Although the Divine Sense was very weak, it was undoubtedly Divine Sense.
In this world, Divine Sense is a power that only Xiantian Grandmaster are qualified to cultivate, which means that the other party is a Xiantian Grandmaster.
Although it might be a recent breakthrough, it has already undergone a fundamental sublimation, giving Wang Hao an extremely deadly feeling. Stimulated by this deadly crisis, he almost instinctively revealed his true form.
This person has the power to kill himself, or at least the power to kill this Sword Saint Dugu.
He wasn't confident he could withstand such an opponent, which was why he had Xie Feng retreat first, in preparation for his own escape.
"Those seven old geezers were sent by you, weren't they!"
After sizing up the person in front of him, Wang Hao's starry eyes flashed with a cold light. He prepared himself to fight or make a run for it at any moment.
"It was indeed Qin who sent them!"
The middle-aged man in fine clothes did not deny it, but instead continued to smile gently, "Originally, I wanted those seven servants to invite you over for a chat, but those seven servants were too useless, so I had no choice but to come and pay my respects myself."
What do you want to talk to me about?
Seeing that the other party didn't seem inclined to start a fight immediately, Wang Hao became somewhat interested.
Although his opponent was very strong, even capable of threatening his life, he was not without trump cards.
Even if you can't beat them, escaping shouldn't be a problem.
"This isn't the place to talk. Why don't we go inside and enjoy some tea while we chat? I've heard that the welcoming tea at Yuelai Inn is quite famous; it would be a good opportunity to try it today."
Qin Yan still wore that gentle smile, but Wang Hao saw indifference deep in his eyes—an indifference so cold it was almost icy.
This person is likely ruthless and decisive, and his outward gentleness is nothing more than a disguise.
You have to be careful with this kind of person; they might turn on you and start a fight at any moment!
"Alright!"
Wang Hao made room for Qin Yan to enter.
Perhaps Qin Yan had made arrangements in advance. Since Wang Hao entered the Yuelai Inn, apart from the innkeeper and the waiter, there was no one else there. There wasn't a single customer, and the place was deserted.
I didn't realize it before, but now it seems there might be a problem.
Wang Hao casually sat down at a table, and Qin Yan followed suit and sat down opposite him. The shopkeeper, being very perceptive, brewed a pot of tea and brought it over for the two of them to enjoy.
"Say what you have to say, but I might not be able to answer."
Wang Hao ignored the so-called welcoming tea, instead holding his Peerless Sword and striking a cool, aloof pose as he stared directly at Qin Yan across from him—or rather, at the longsword Qin Yan had placed on the table.
It was an ancient longsword, similar in style and specifications to the Zhanlu Sword that Li Haoran had held that day. Longswords of this type only existed before the Han Dynasty, and it was clearly a precious sword that had been passed down from the Sengoku States periods.
Given this person's cultivation level as Xiantian Grandmaster, that ancient sword should be on the same level as the Zhanlu Divine Sword.
Most importantly, as his True Spirit Sword Intent reached its First Tier of perfection, his perception was elevated, and he vaguely sensed that there seemed to be a power within that ancient sword.
He had a vague feeling about this when he clashed with Li Haoran's Zhanlu Divine Sword, so that ancient sword must be extraordinary.
"Okay, let's take turns asking each other one question. You go first."
Qin Yan frowned slightly; Wang Hao's attitude left him somewhat helpless.
His main purpose in coming here was to learn something from this person. Killing or even capturing him was not his primary objective. Moreover, given the nature of this person, even if he captured him, it would be difficult to extract any information from him.
"Alright, then I'll ask!"
A thought suddenly struck Wang Hao, and he hesitated for a moment before asking, "Does your Confucian School school still possess methods for cultivating Literary Qi?"
That's right, Wang Hao was about to start his deception.
Regardless of whether we fight this guy or not, let's try to fool him first, preferably until he's completely crippled.
He first encountered the term "Literary Qi " in a novel, a unique Body Refinement where the protagonist used Huaxia poetry and various literary works to cultivate in another world. Today, he was going to convincingly demonstrate this Literary Qi.
" Literary Qi?"
Qin Yan frowned slightly again, clearly hearing the word "Literary Qi" for the first time.
"It is a Body Refinement that Master Kong comprehended from the Dao Classic. I wonder if your Confucian School has any related records? If so, our Heavenly Demon Sacred Cult Sect leader is willing to exchange it for the Demon Sect Dao Heart Demon Seeding, a unique skill of the demonic sect."
"Even if you possess a complete Literary Qi Nourishing Method, my leader can allow you to study the Heavenly Demon Strategy for three days."
Wang Hao then threw out his own chips, which was, of course, just something he made up.
"I am unaware of the Literary Qi you speak of, but my Confucian School library is vast and contains some the Legend of Qin texts. The Literary Qi Nourishing Method you mentioned may lie within those books. I will grant you permission to enter and peruse them at your leisure."
Qin Yan also acted quite magnanimously, extending an invitation directly to Wang Hao.
"I'll pass. That thing is useless to me. It's our leader who wants it. We'll let him have it, but the prerequisite is that you have to prove you possess the relevant texts on the Literary Qi Nourishing Method."
Wang Hao waved his hand dismissively; he wouldn't be foolish enough to go to the heartland of Confucian School!
It might be difficult to get out by then, so I won't go now.
"That's fine. I'll have someone look for relevant texts later. But you also need to tell me about the profound mysteries of those divine skills you mentioned that day, including the Dao Heart Demon Seeding and Heavenly Demon Strategy you just mentioned. At the very least, you need to let me know the specific value of those two martial arts, and whether they are worth exchanging for my Confucian School Literary Qi Nourishing Method!"
He took a sip of the tea in his cup and stared intently at Wang Hao, as if trying to discern something from Wang Hao's facial expression.
As the overlords of the Central Plains, they received relevant intelligence after Wheel-Turning King and others left Mount Hua that day, and knew everything that Wang Hao had revealed that day.
However, those words were so outrageous that it was hard to believe. The main reason for coming here was to verify the truthfulness of those words.
It's hard to say about the Celestial Person Realm or the Shattering Realm, but martial arts cannot be faked. Even if you can't know the cultivation methods of those martial arts, you can still understand their core principles, which will help you make a judgment.
"This isn't just a problem! Never mind, there's no harm in talking to you about it."
Wang Hao ignored the subtle tricks in the words he had just witnessed, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I don't know much about the War God Illustrations. I only know that it consists of forty-eight relief carvings that contain the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. It is also a supreme divine skill. Once mastered, one can reach the Shattering Realm, and ultimately Shattering the Void and ascend to the upper realm."
"Wasn't there supposed to be a total of forty-nine illustrations? How come there are only forty-eight now?"
Qin Yan frowned again; this was quite different from the information he had previously received!
"It is indeed forty-nine lines, but according to the sect leader, the last line is completely blank. It's unclear whether the creators of the War God Temple didn't have time to inscribe it, or if it has some other meaning."
Shrugging, Wang Hao indicated that he was unaware of this, while also offering his own speculation.
This is Huang Yi Yi's fault; that's how it was set up, and he doesn't know why.
Before Qin Yan could ask any more questions, Wang Hao continued to bluff, no, to explain, "There are very few legends about the Emperor Xuanyuan's Longevity Instruction. I've only heard that Laozi, the founder of Taoist School, seemed to have obtained the Longevity Instruction and used it as a foundation to comprehend the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, creating the Dao Classic."
The Longevity Instruction is based on the forces of Yin and Yang and Yang and uses the forces of the Five Elements as its framework. It cultivates a Cosmo within the human body, which then communicates with the macrocosm of heaven and earth, achieving harmony between Unity of Heaven and Humanity, and ultimately Shattering the Void void.
Dao Classic 've heard that Daoist scriptures were scattered after the Taoist School split into the Heaven Sect School Human Sect, and the Yin-Yang School during the Spring and Autumn Period. I don't know if they still exist after all these years, but I haven't heard of anyone practicing them in the overseas martial arts world.
The Heavenly Demon Strategy of my sect leader can be called the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Its purpose is to devour the essence of all living beings in heaven and earth to cultivate Invincible Demonic Body. It is somewhat similar to your Central Plains martial arts' Star-Absorbing Great Art, but it is many times more powerful.
The Dao Heart Demon Seeding that you asked about...