Chapter 1222: Chapter 1220 The Killings in Miaojiang
Bei Liang Dynasty had a mountain range called the Lingkong Mountain Range, named so because the cliffs became nearly translucent under sunlight, creating an image akin to a glass dragon coiled upon the earth when seen from afar.
Countless travelers, young masters, and ladies came to visit this famous site in the Bei Liang Dynasty every year.
Around the periphery of the Lingkong Mountain Range, small to medium-sized towns were clustered.
Within one such small town called Lingshui Town, taverns lined the streets. Shi Xiaole was sitting by a window, quietly listening to the boisterous conversations of fellow drinkers.
After parting ways with Uncle Wang and Yan Zhenning, he had been cultivating even as he traveled, arriving here three days ago.
"Come on, tell us, who won between the master of the Demon Blade and the Flying Horse Emperor?"
Someone urged the storyteller.
The old man leisurely drank a sip of tea, set his cup down heavily, and said, "There was no victor. After the fifth strike was delivered, the master of the Demon Blade retreated, and the Flying Horse Emperor returned to the imperial city. Having used divine weapons, both paid a great price and had no strength left to fight."
"What a letdown!"
The old man had whetted everyone’s appetite, only to deliver this anticlimactic news.
At this point, the latest issue of the Martial World news hadn’t been released, so most people could only gather information about significant events in the Martial World from taverns and teahouses.
Understandably, the battle in the Flying Horse Dynasty had become the center of focus for the whole world. Not to mention the three great dynasties and Western Region; even rumors had reached the South Sea and Miaojiang.
"They say the Demon Blade, the Divination Trigrams, and the Ziqi seed in the hands of the Flying Horse Emperor are all legendary divine weapons, and with them, one can temporarily exert the strength of the Sky Origin Realm."
A young swordsman, apparently new to the Martial World, spoke with longing, "If only I could obtain a divine weapon, wouldn’t I be invincible under the heavens?"
A wave of undisguised snickers broke out around him.
Everyone wanted a divine weapon, but not everyone was worthy of one. Without the proper strength, a divine weapon would only bring disaster.
Not wanting to crush the young swordsman’s dream, an experienced figure from the Martial World sighed, "If we could have the master of the Demon Blade, the National Master, and the Flying Horse Emperor represent us from East Victory in the three-way battle, heh heh, I don’t believe anyone from the South Sea could defeat us."
This statement managed to draw nods of agreement from the crowd.
As time passed, the events that occurred in the land of Fate had already spread, and now everyone knew about the three-way battle, a matter of crucial importance to the ownership of the land of Fate, something any warrior would be deeply concerned about.
Furthermore, countless busybodies were concerned about who Qin Elder and the others would choose to fight, with various lists changing daily, creating quite a stir.
"We don’t have the final say in this matter. Besides, East Victory has a divine weapon, how do you know the South Sea and Miaojiang don’t have any? Anything is possible in today’s world."
"True that, and perhaps that’s the charm of this grand era! Being martial artists and living in such times is indeed a stroke of luck."
"Here’s to this exciting and tumultuous world!"
The drinkers all stood up, tilted their heads back to down their drinks, and then burst into hearty laughter.
At the window, Shi Xiaole also showed a reflective expression.
Even he was surprised that Japan, having long been isolated, had amassed such formidable power. Although the aggressive actions of the Flying Horse Emperor had temporarily stemmed the tide of their expansion, in the end, five territories had escaped control.
And it was said that Japan was preparing to expand its dominion towards Daxia and Bei Liang, with massive troop gatherings at the borders of the two dynasties, poised to strike at any moment.
What particularly caught Shi Xiaole’s attention was that the master of the Demon Blade was suspected to originate from the Ancient Blade Slave Sect, the very menace that had created the second dark age!
If the rumors were true and the Blade Slave Sect had not been eradicated, Shi Xiaole had reason to suspect that the Palace of the Fire Stiffs, also known as the first great terror, was still out there!
"The Yuan Sword Emperor was just one of the seven sons of the founder of the Fire Stiffs, and even he didn’t perish, so how could the others be dead?"
Shi Xiaole sighed.
The world’s situation was becoming more and more perilous.
The aftermath of the East Victory incident had not yet dissipated, and the preparation for the three-way battle was already in the making. On one hand, the Blade Slave Sect was reviving from its ashes, and the whereabouts of the Palace of the Fire Stiffs were unknown, while on the other hand, lands beyond were eyeing them rapaciously, ready to unleash a cataclysmic world war at any moment.
It seemed the days of peace like these could be shattered at any moment.
Strong.
Only by being strong enough could he protect himself and his loved ones in this chaotic world.
After leaving his payment, Shi Xiaole walked out of the tavern.
"Hey, do you guys think he looks like the legendary Kirin?"
"I’ve been looking at him too but didn’t dare to stare for too long. Maybe he’s a Kirin enthusiast; the world is full of such people."
Some people whispered as they watched Shi Xiaole’s retreating figure.
Guided by the Heavenly Destiny Divine Fortune Teller’s formation, Shi Xiaole knew that the Life-and-Death Unfounded Cave was within the Lingkong Mountain Range. However, as he just stepped out of Lingshui Town, he darted in the opposite direction.
"Eh, could this kid have spotted us?"
Within the clouds, a pair of sinister eyes flickered in and out of visibility.
"This works out just fine. If we make a move here, Qin Elder and others might seize the opportunity to accuse us. Chase him!"
No sooner had the voice faded than two presences were gone, covering thousands of miles in an instant.
In another town, Qin Elder and his companions watched coldly as the five experts appeared before them, the leader with pitch-black eyelids and eyes like the night sky. It was none other than the Chi Evil Great Witch.
"What do you five mean by this, If anything happens to Shi Xiaole, even the slightest misfortune, I will demand your lives. Do not push me!"
Qin Elder’s hand rested on the strings of his instrument.
The blind old man made a gesture as if to play the erhu, while a young girl next to him curiously watched the scene unfold. To the far right, the Heavenly Destiny Divine Fortune Teller wore a smile at the corner of his mouth, but his aura was on the verge of explosion.
"Gentlemen, please cooperate. My granddaughter wishes to test her skills against the talent of your land. If you interfere, things will become very difficult."
The Chi Evil Great Witch said with a sinister smile, "Once we fight, at least the surrounding towns and all the people in them will die. Consider this carefully."
Behind him stood four other pseudo Sky Origin Realm masters from Miaojiang, each radiating an aura at its peak, ready to strike at any moment.
The talent of Shi Xiaole was too remarkable, so much so that it alarmed the five masters of Miaojiang to the extent that they decided to take collective action and hold off Qin Elder and his companions, to buy time for Black Abyss Elder and Scorpion Lady.
"I guarantee that if you kill Shi Xiaole, I will personally go to Miaojiang and kill all the experts there, one by one, until there is no one left. Just try me."
Qin Elder’s white hair fluttered without any wind, his seven-stringed instrument hovering in mid-air, and for the first time, a boundless killing intent appeared on his withered face.
"For one life, a million will be buried!"
These were the words of the blind old man, the sounds of his erhu not melodious but filled with a chilling murderous aura instead.
The Heavenly Destiny Divine Fortune Teller was the calmest of all, but this calmness was not a lack of concern. On the contrary, it was akin to a tiger or wolf retracting its claws before hunting, to ensure enough strength for a powerful strike.
This unexpected display caused all five Miaojiang experts to tremble inwardly.
This made no sense. Even if Shi Xiaole came from East Victory Continent and the three had a high regard for him, they shouldn’t be so protective. As for the ownership of the land of fate, one Shi Xiaole could not possibly affect the grand scheme years later.
Chi Evil Great Witch even saw a determined madness in the expressions of Qin Elder and his companions, as if should anything happen to Shi Xiaole, they truly would commit a massacre in Miaojiang at all costs!
"Gentlemen, if this lad grows up, it will be no good for either of us. If you refrain from intervening, in exchange, I am willing to offer resources that are rarely seen in this world."
The Chi Evil Great Witch took a step back.
"Call off your people immediately, or it’s a fight to the death!"
The Heavenly Destiny Divine Fortune Teller spoke only one sentence, his voice frosty enough to make the very void around him turn cold.
The Chi Evil Great Witch’s face changed several times. Giving up on killing Shi Xiaole now, would not only mean he’d lose face, but it’d also create a demon in his heart due to being pressurized by Qin Elder and his companions, which would be detrimental to his cultivation.
"Decisions made by me will never be changed."
Taking a deep breath, the Chi Evil Great Witch clenched his teeth and made up his mind. He didn’t believe Qin Elder and his companions would really commit an act despised by the world for Shi Xiaole’s sake.
Besides, if it really came to that, all he needed to do was protect his own people. For the future of Miaojiang, what does it matter if some unrelated people die?
The auras of both sides clashed like towering waves against a shore, neither yielding. Amidst the cracking sounds, the void shattered like a massive mirror into countless pieces.
Dozens of kilometers away from the eight grandmasters, within the clouds,
Shi Xiaole suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Before him, a woman appeared with skin as smooth as jade but with rather androgynous features, smiling at him.
And behind him, an incredibly powerful presence manifested, its venomous eyes laser-focused on Shi Xiaole’s back as if they could penetrate his body.
"You two are really persistent, harboring a death wish for me in the land of fate, and now even following me to the Bei Liang Dynasty."
Shi Xiaole said lightly.
"Hehe, Young Hero Shi is truly dazzling. Without your death, many would lose sleep, so for the sake of the majority, you’d best submit quietly," said Scorpion Lady, the corners of her mouth curling into a merciless curve.
Both she and Black Abyss Elder had more than enough strength to defeat Shi Xiaole, but killing him was another challenge, which is why this time the two had no choice but to join forces.
Even the five great pseudo Sky Origin masters had to take concerted action to create an environment for them, which goes to show that to kill Shi Xiaole, Miaojiang sent their strongest lineup yet.
This was an unprecedented event in thousands of years.
"I advise you to leave. You cannot kill me."
Shi Xiaole said.
"Why waste words on this brat? There isn’t much time, kill him!"
With a stern shout, Black Abyss Elder cut off Scorpion Lady and Shi Xiaole, his body charging forward like thunder, bringing about an unstoppable momentum to his punch as he ferociously aimed at Shi Xiaole.
Scorpion Lady did not waste any time because while they were talking, she had already secretly executed the "Scorpion Killing Skill."
An invisible scorpion tail suddenly shot out from between Scorpion Lady’s eyebrows, its hook sparkling with a compelling spiritual sheen, like a peerless blade, swiftly piercing towards Shi Xiaole’s spiritual sea.
Scorpion Lady’s smile grew wider.
Her spiritual refinement had reached 38 percent, and with the catalyst of the fate stone, she’d made great progress in the past few months, reaching 40 percent.
With her spiritual prowess at such a level, even Black Abyss Elder would have difficulty resisting it, and once struck, a mere moment would be enough for her to kill Shi Xiaole ten times over.
