Chapter 2456: Chapter 2456
"You’re already so strong, yet you can’t complete this mission?" Youming countered with a playful smirk.
"We’re a team. We should accept missions based on our average strength!" Liu Yun explained.
But Youming pressed on, "Just one thousand more points, and you’ll be a first-tier Black Kill member. You could even get promoted to steward! And if I earn another thousand, I’ll reach first-tier too!"
"What’s the benefit of reaching first-tier in Black Kill?" Liu Yun asked.
"Once we get there, we can move into headquarters, take on classified missions, or even do nothing and still earn ten points every month," Youming replied.
"Damn, you guys already have that many points? Does that mean our squad’s about to break up?" Kuangsha grumbled.
The other three were still only at the third tier, far from accumulating enough points.
Still, they weren’t the type to hold Liu Yun and Youming back just because they lagged behind.
"We can stick around and help you grind a few more missions!" Youming reassured them.
Ignoring the chatter, Liu Yun picked up the mission details and studied them carefully.
The primary target, the Sword-master, hadn’t emerged from seclusion in years. Yet his mastery of the sword was legendary even in the Holy Dynasty.
Liu Yun suspected a renowned warrior like this wouldn’t wield just any ordinary swordsmanship. Whether his own blade intent could match it, he wasn’t entirely sure.
The Divine Sword Manor wasn’t particularly large—just over five hundred members. But most were either the Sword-master’s disciples or retainers, each formidable in their own right.
This mission was undeniably high-risk. With someone like Liu Yun and Mosha teaming up, the odds of success might improve.
Youming had clearly chosen this task to push Liu Yun into leveraging his captives and army, all to rack up points faster.
So Ye Liuyun also furrowed his brows, debating whether to decline this mission.
At that moment, Youming sent him a mental message: "These sword cultivators possess the strongest spiritual power and combat skills among martial artists. Targeting them could further enhance your abilities.
Even if we accept the mission and fail, there’s no need to feel burdened. You can give it a try. If there’s no opportunity, we’ll just switch to another task!
The rest of us are no match for these opponents—we’d only be supporting you from the sidelines without taking any real risks. So you don’t need to worry about us."
Ye Liuyun glanced up at Youming. If her intention was to help him grow stronger, he supposed it was understandable.
Youming, meanwhile, flushed slightly as she gazed at him.
Cloaked entirely in black, her expression would have been invisible to others—but Ye Liuyun’s golden pupils saw right through it.
*"Could it be... she has feelings for me?"* The thought flickered through his mind.
"Ahem, ahem..." Kuangsha cleared his throat pointedly. "Mind saving the heart-eyes for later, you two? Are we taking this mission or not?"
Ye Liuyun and Youming immediately averted their gazes, the latter’s face turning even redder.
Tianyan and Yidao exchanged glances, snickering on the side.
Flustered, Ye Liuyun blurted, "Let’s try it. Though I can’t guarantee anything—I don’t know how strong they really are!"
Once the group finalized their decision, they exited the secret realm.
The journey back was awkward, tension lingering between Ye Liuyun and Youming.
*"This can’t go on. I shouldn’t take missions with Youming anymore. From now on, I’ll go solo."* He resolved silently.
Therefore, Ye Liuyun decided to treat this mission as his final task to accomplish.
Once he accumulated enough points, he would have a solid reason to apply for a position as an executive at the headquarters—something that would be easier to explain to others.
The group traveled to the Divine Sword Manor via a teleportation array. Upon arrival, they began gathering information in the surrounding area.
Having just emerged from the harrowing "Journey of Death," this was Ye Liuyun’s first chance to unwind in a while. Instead of diving straight into reconnaissance, he took his time strolling through the small town.
The town wasn’t densely populated, but many martial practitioners openly carried swords on their backs, clearly identifying themselves as swordsmen—a testament to the profound influence of the Divine Sword Manor.
Swords dominated the weapon stalls in the marketplace, and the taverns buzzed with martial artists passionately debating the intricacies of sword intent.
With nothing pressing to do, Ye Liuyun struck up a conversation with a burly, bearded swordsman in one of the taverns, hoping to learn more about the Divine Sword Manor.
"You’re an outsider here to seek apprenticeship at the Divine Sword Manor, aren’t you?" the bearded man asked bluntly.
"How did you know?" Ye Liuyun played along, feigning surprise.
"Ha! There are too many outsiders like you coming here with the same dream. Let me tell you—most of them don’t stand a chance!" The man lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"Oh? Why’s that?" Ye Liuyun pressed, signaling the waiter to bring the man another jug of wine.
The moment the wine arrived, the bearded man perked up, his tongue loosened by the free drink.
"Evil Creature can’t even set foot past the manor’s gates without a proper introduction," he explained between sips. "Even us locals need connections—and even then, you’ve got to meet their standards. Too old? Rejected. No talent? Rejected. Weak spiritual power? Rejected. The list goes on. Hardly anyone makes the cut."
He took another swig before continuing, "And even if you do get in, don’t expect personal training from the Sword-master himself. Most students are taught by his disciples. Oh, and it’ll cost you a fortune—ten billion spirit stones in tuition fees before they even consider you."
And that billion is just the surface cost—there are additional expenses for greasing the palms of senior disciples who act as intermediaries, not to mention the spirit stones required. So not only do you need talent, but you also need connections. Ordinary folks simply can’t afford it.
Every year, tens of thousands dream of learning the sword, but if even one or two are chosen, that’s considered a stroke of luck!"
"What kind of power does the Sword-master actually possess?" Ye Liuyun pressed the bearded man.
"Who knows? The Sword-master hasn’t made an appearance in ages. Rumor has it he’s been in seclusion, refining his skills. But one thing’s for sure—there aren’t many in the Holy Dynasty who could stand against him!" the bearded man replied.
"Is the Sword-master currently at the Divine Sword Manor?" Ye Liuyun probed.
"Of course! The Sword-master has always resided there," the man confirmed.
Ye Liuyun went on to gather more details about the people and affairs of the Divine Sword Manor.
According to the bearded man, the sword cultivators within the manor were far more formidable than martial artists of the same realm—and not just because of their mastery of sword intent.
What truly surprised Ye Liuyun was that the Divine Sword Manor had its own formation masters, alchemists, and artifact forgers. They even cultivated spirit rice, spirit fruits, and raised feral beast, maintaining minimal contact with the outside world. This made it nearly impossible for him to capture anyone from the manor.
Moreover, the area around the manor was heavily fortified with formations. Many who tried to sneak in ended up ensnared. The manor showed no mercy to outsiders—capture meant execution.
For the moment, Ye Liuyun couldn’t devise a way to infiltrate the Divine Sword Manor.
Next, he visited a merchant guild to inquire about materials for forging weapons and refining pills. His reasoning was simple—even if the manor produced its own artifacts and elixirs, they would still need to source materials from outside, wouldn’t they?
