Chapter 1055 - Pi Mo!
Martial Heaven Peak.
This was one of the most blessed grounds for cultivation in all of the Wilds.
Five hundred years ago, Su Xuanjun’s eldest disciple, Pi Mo, founded the Abstruse Force Alliance here, shaking the world.
“Is there still… no word from Junior Apprentice Brother Ye Luo?”
Pi Mo stood with his hands behind his back and asked casually.
He had a tall, powerful build, and he wore undyed, wide-sleeved robes. Even standing there casually, he seemed as unshakable as a mountain.
“My lord, the pawns we placed in the Netherworld have already started investigating what happened in the Burial Ground of the Dao. I trust they’ll send definite information before long,” said a gaunt, elderly servant.
Pi Mo sighed. “I’m afraid Junior Apprentice Brother Ye Luo won’t be coming back.”
“My lord, His Excellency Ye Luo might well have encountered trouble he can’t slough off so quickly,” the elderly servant said softly.
Pi Mo’s eyes flashed. “With his abilities, if he wanted to run, practically no one in the Netherworld could stop him. If he’s still unwilling to return after all this time… there must be another reason for it.”
Here, his voice turned low and solemn.
“Did you perhaps discern something, my lord?” the servant couldn’t help but ask.
Pi Mo’s expression shifted, but in the end, he waved. “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. Go tell my Junior Apprentice Sister Jin Kui to come see.”
“Yes, sir.” The servant left to carry out his orders.
Now, only Pi Mo remained in the grand hall.
He took a jade slip from his sleeves.
His disciple, Shangguan Jie, had sent this from the Netherworld. It had only just arrived today.
But its contents had left him deeply agitated.
Even before the slip arrived, he’d learned some of what had happened in the Netherworld. He knew that an unexpected development had occurred in the burial ground of the Dao. He knew that Huo Yao had fallen, that they’d lost contact with Ye Luo, and that even his legacy disciples had disappeared inexplicably.
Pi Mo had already realized that something fishy was going on.
Alas, the Netherworld, and the Wilds were so far away that he couldn’t learn any concrete details on short notice.
Now, when he saw Shangguan Jie’s jade slip, Pi Mo understood.
It was just that he couldn’t accept this reality all at once.
Pi Mo stood there in silence for a while, then took a deep breath and murmured, “So, Master, you’ve already reincarnated and come back? Hah. No wonder Junior Apprentice Brother would suddenly cut off all contact despite having always respected and admired me…
“And I’m afraid my missing disciples believe me a traitor to my sect. They must be quite disappointed in me.
“It’s just a pity about Junior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao. It’s only been five hundred years since he proved his Dao and became an Emperor. He’d yet to step into the Profound Unity Realm, but now, he’s already dead…” Pi Mo took out a jug of wine, then took a sip.
A moment later, he muttered, “Master, oh Master, I knew you couldn’t possibly pass away so easily, and I knew you’d return sooner or later.
“I’ve even… been looking forward to this day!” Here, Pi Mo’s expression turned calm and inscrutable, without any discernible emotion.
“In the past, I respected you as I might my own father, and I looked upon you with awe, as I once did the heavens. But in the future, that will no longer be possible!”
Pi Mo drained his jug of wine.
In that moment, he seemed to reach a decision, and his entire body emanated an imposing, majestic aura.
“Eldest Apprentice Brother, you were looking for me?”
A clear, crisp voice rang out beyond the grand hall.
Immediately afterward, a delicate figure walked inside. She was dressed in an azure shirt and apricot-yellow skirt, with her long hair tied up, revealing her long, snowy neck. Her eyes were bright and pure.
However, her gaze contained an imposing majesty. No one would dare treat her as they might an ordinary young woman.
Jin Kui!
She was the fourth legacy disciple of the Grotto of Abstruse Force.
Her talent was transcendent, and she had an extraordinary spirit root. She was elegant from head to toe, and a long time ago, her master praised her, saying, “her delicate hands scoop up the mist, and her clothes leave a trail of purple haze.”
He was describing her innate, elegant aura.
“Junior Apprentice Sister, have a look at this.” Pi Mo smiled and passed a jade box to Jin Kui.
Jin Kui opened it, and saw a blue pearl about the size of a quail egg. It was clear, translucent, and shrouded in spirituality. Upon closer inspection, a boundless blue churned within it.
“Is that… the Blue Sea Divine Pearl?” exclaimed Jin Kui.
“That’s right, it’s that very treasure,” Pi Mo said with a smile. “Junior Apprentice Sister, your cultivation is currently in the late-stage Profound Serenity Realm. With this treasure, you’ll be able to temper your cultivation base and reach the peak of the realm within a decade.”
Jin Kui froze, then said hesitantly, “Senior Apprentice Brother, Master left this treasure, and he said that he was holding onto it for Eighth Junior Apprentice Brother Bai Yi. I… I can’t possibly take it for myself.”
At the mention of their master, Jin Kui’s eyes shone with a nigh-imperceptible hint of grief.
Pi Mo sighed. “I’ve been searching for Junior Apprentice Brother Bai Yi all these years, but I’ve yet to uncover any leads.”
He paused, then looked at Jin Kui, his voice gentle. “Master has been gone for a long time. As the eldest apprentice brother, I naturally cannot monopolize the treasures he left behind. The Blue Sea Divine Pearl will be enormously beneficial to your cultivation. Leaving it here to rot would be desecrating a heavenly treasure. Please, take it without guilt.”
Jin Kui gently bit down on her lower lip. “I… once we find Junior Apprentice Brother Bai Yi, I’ll return it to him.”
Pi Mo smiled. “Of course that’s alright.”
“Is there anything else you wanted to discuss, Eldest Senior Apprentice Brother?” asked Jin Kui.
After a moment’s silence, Pi Mo’s expression filled with grief. “Junior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao… is dead!”
Jin Kui looked stricken, and her eyes widened in disbelief. “How is that possible!?”
After a moment’s silence, Pi Mo explained, “A shameless, despicable character appeared in the Netherworld. I don’t know where he came from, but he knows Master’s past like the back of his hand, and he’s even proficient in Master’s Daoist magics and secret arts!
“This scoundrel impersonated our master to win Junior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao’s trust. He mistook that person for Master’s reincarnation, so he wasn’t at all on guard against him. In the end, that impersonator killed him!”
Jin Kui couldn’t help but fly into a rage. “That bastard dares impersonate Master!? He deserves death by a thousand cuts, and for his bones to be reduced to ash!”
Her bright eyes widened with unconcealed murderous intent.
“Junior Apprentice Sister, don’t let your anger muddle your head. That person might be despicable, but he’s no ordinary person. He impersonated Master so well that he fooled even Junior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao. It should be obvious how extraordinary his methods are.”
Pi Mo’s expression was grave. “Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge, that scoundrel has seized complete control over Junior Apprentice Brother Ye Luo’s mind. He really believes that impersonator is Master’s reincarnation. That’s what I’m most worried about.”
“Even Junior Apprentice Brother Ye is being controlled?” Jin Kui was both startled and enraged. A chill coursed through her.
She was well aware of how strong Ye Luo and Huo Yao were. In the Wilds, they were first-rate, peak experts within the Profound Serenity Realm.
Yet one of them had been murdered, and the other was under mind control. It was easy to imagine how terrifying this impersonator’s cultivation base was, and how insidious his methods were!
Jin Kui couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Apprentice Brother, who is this impersonator?”
“His name is Su Yi.” Pi Mo looked deeply concerned. “Furthermore, if I’m not mistaken, this person will soon arrive in the Wilds!”
“Good!” Jin Kui gnashed her teeth. “We can seize this opportunity to capture him, free Junior Apprentice Brother Ye Luo, and avenge Senior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao!”
Pi Mo sighed. “Junior Apprentice Sister, don’t speak out of anger. This impersonator is no ordinary person. I can already predict that he’ll play the same old tricks here in the Wilds. He’s likely to continue impersonating Master to target the inheritors of the Grotto of Abstruse Force!
“Furthermore, he was capable of both killing Junior Apprentice Brother Huo Yao and controlling Junior Apprentice Brother Ye Luo’s mind. It’s obvious how terrifying his abilities are.”
Jin Kui couldn’t help but feel immense pressure bear down on her. “Then… What should we do?”
Pi Mo’s expression was solemn, and he said with staunch assurance, “Junior Apprentice Sister, you needn’t worry. I’ll do everything in my power to wipe out this despicable impersonator!”
Jin Kui nodded. “Senior Apprentice Brother, when the time comes, let me help you!”
Pi Mo shook his head. “Junior Apprentice Sister, I didn’t tell you this so that you’d put yourself in danger. I just want you to be on guard. This way, on the off chance you encounter this impersonator, he won’t be able to confound you, and you won’t suffer Junior Brother Ye Luo’s fate.”
He paused, then said with determination, “Leave ending that impersonator to me!”
Before long, Jin Kui left.
Pi Mo watched her leave. After a moment’s silence, he said, “Come to me.”
A man in black silently appeared in the hall and clasped his fist. “What can I do for you, my lord?”
“Send our people to spread word throughout the Nine Provinces of the Wilds. Say a despicable evil-doer is impersonating the founder of the Grotto of Abstruse Force. His behavior is outrageous, and heaven and earth will not tolerate it!
“From this day forth, this person shall be the common enemy of everyone in the Abstruse Force Alliance!”
Pi Mo spoke with staunch assurance. “Anyone who finds a lead to his whereabouts can come to the Abstruse Force Alliance for a generous reward, no matter who they are!
“Furthermore, if any faction tries to take advantage of this storm to stir up the wind and waves, the Abstruse Force Alliance won’t let them off!”
“Yes, sir!” The man in black solemnly nodded his assent and rushed off.
Pi Mo muttered to himself, Master, don’t blame your disciple for taking pre-emptive action. I founded the Abstruse Force Alliance in your name. What would I do with myself if you came back? And what… would become of the Abstruse Force Alliance?
I’ll make the world understand that the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force cannot possibly return alive. Even if you return, you’ll be seen as an imposter!
Of course, I’m sure that this move won’t be enough to stop you, but I'll at least muddy the waters. We can see which of us emerges victorious in the end later!
But then, the same elderly servant from earlier rushed in and said at top speeds, “My lord, we just received word from the Profound Sky Realm! Elder Feng and the experts of the Levitating Sword Hall accompanying him are dead down to the last man!”
Pi Mo’s pupils constricted, and his expression shifted, as if he found this difficult to believe. “Elder Feng… is dead!?”
His gaze was cold and imposing, and his entire body emanated a terrifying majesty. The elderly servant trembled from head to toe and almost collapsed.
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