Chapter 685: Chapter 684: Holy Monarch
Successfully becoming one of the ten Ghost Guards, Shi Xiaole was granted an independent large three-tier yard at the Left Sect’s headquarters. The yard, about ten acres in size, has a pleasant environment and ten beautiful maids to serve him.
Unlike the Righteous Path, the Devil Path has always been openly indulgent. These ten maids are all untouched virgins, and Shi Xiaole can treat them however he wants.
Zong Xingnan had arrived. As a reclusive external elder, he couldn’t stay at the headquarters for a long time and would return to Mingyuan Town after this visit. He was likely here to say goodbye.
"Yue’er, you did very well this time! Considering your strength and ability to adapt, I have high hopes for your future. However, you must temporarily abstain from women!"
After dismissing the others around him, Zong Xingnan said quietly.
Shi Xiaole exaggeratedly said, "Grandfather, you might as well kill me!"
Zong Xingnan was beyond words, he could only convey through mental energy, "I’m not asking you to give up women forever, but just before winning over the young lady, don’t do anything rash and leave a bad impression."
Shi Xiaole was shaken.
A loyal Ghost Guard shouldn’t ever have designs on the young lady. Yet, Zong Xingnan has repeatedly mentioned this. Could it be..."
"Yue’er, to be honest with you, we are in fact from the Right Sect!"
Zong Xingnan conveyed through mental energy: "I’ve been laying low here since I was ten, always waiting for the right moment. I believe no one would suspect you or me. You must remember that your loyalty lies not with the young lady, but with the Young Master of the Right Sect!"
"Your greatest objective in this mission is to gain Yun Chuoxi’s trust, and preferably win her favor, so that you can act at any time. Do you understand?"
These words jolted Shi Xiaole. Recalling Zong Xingnan’s special training for him and his repeated instructions, he understood, his face full of bewilderment.
He just wanted to investigate Shi Xuanzhong, but instead he ended up an unwilling spy for the Right Sect.
"Actually, your talent has long caused some in the headquarters to take notice and secretly investigate you. I was afraid you were not mature enough to handle it, so I kept it from you previously."
To keep Zong Yue focused on martial arts training, Zong Xingnan took him to Mingyuan Town from a young age. Only after he had greatly improved his martial arts skills, did he send him out for training - killing a few people and collecting underworld experience.
However, Zong Yue is still too young, while Zong Xingnan, wily and seasoned, thought it best to keep it secret until now. Now, as Zong Yue has successfully become a Ghost Guard, he had to reveal the truth to him so as to avoid any confusion about his allegiance.
"So that’s how it is."
Shi Xiaole cradled his head, appearing very flustered.
"Yue’er, Miss Yun is beautiful, isn’t she? As a Left Sect Ghost Guard, you wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on her. But now, if you are shrewd..."
This old man is so cunning!
In the end, Shi Xiaole ’accepted’ his identity and promised to act cautiously, but he didn’t take the whole thing seriously.
He didn’t want to get involved in the power struggle between the two sects. Anyway, once Zong Xingnan left, no one would suspect him. They could do whatever they wanted.
After becoming one of the top ten Ghost Guards, in addition to a huge monthly salary, he would also receive a thousand Mystic Crystal Stones and a hundred Sun and Moon Crystal Stones. These resources were useless to him, but he could take them to Wuling Villa in the future.
Most importantly, Shi Xiaole now had the privilege to enter the book pavilion!
Although the knowledge held by the Ghost Lethal Left Sect was not as complete as that of the unified Ghost Lethal Sect, the secret scriptures they had still far surpassed that of the Qin Family.
Of course, for now, Shi Xiaole could only enter the first three levels and view martial arts techniques of middle level and below. To view higher-level martial arts techniques, he would have to make significant contributions first.
Even so, Shi Xiaole’s gains were tremendous. After exchanging all the martial arts techniques he could access, his reward points soared from the initial 16,000 to 399,000. This was enough for him to purchase three sets of high-level top-grade martial arts techniques!
"A greedy person can’t chew, I should master the four sets of high-level top-grade martial arts techniques I already have."
The days passed in a fulfilling and leisurely atmosphere.
There was no lead on Shi Xuanzhong for the moment, so Shi Xiaole decided to focus on practicing. Every morning he practiced Divine Wind Movement, every afternoon Xuanyin Twelve Swords, and every evening he practiced Dragon Gate Divine Skill and Effortless Seeking Technique, resting only for two two-hour periods.
For him, martial arts practice was a great pleasure, especially the constant improvement, which made him forget all fatigue.
However, a month later.
A Left Sect administrator suddenly visited, respectfully saying, "Ghost Guard, Miss Yun invites you to Ice Heart Pavilion for an important discussion."
...
The Ice Heart Pavilion, Yun Chuoxi’s private yard, is a place where not even internal elders of the Left Sect dare to venture without permission. It’s a place desired by countless disciples.
It turns out that this was the first time Yun Chuoxi summoned them since the Ghost Guards were selected.
By the time Shi Xiaole arrived, six Ghost Guards were already standing in the Ice Heart Pavilion. Seeing him, they all nodded. Everyone was clever enough to keep calm and polite, at least on the surface.
Soon after, Fu Ying and three others arrived. A long-faced young man named Qian Wei glanced at Shi Xiaole with a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"Please sit."
In a cool voice, Yun Chuoxi, dressed in a green robe, walked in and sat at the head, "You are the exceptional individuals chosen from thousands of candidates in the Ghost Lethal Sect, and you will be entrusted with great responsibilities. Now, I have the first task for you."
Huh?
Shi Xiaole couldn’t help but look up, wondering if Yun Chuoxi was being too direct. She just started giving orders upon their first meeting, without too much motivation or promise. Could this really be alright?
While stealthily observing the nine others around him, Yun Chuoxi’s cold yet pleasing voice reached his ears, "Our mission this time is to attack Chongyang Gate."
With only two sentences, Yun Chuoxi refused to speak further, allowing the flower-scented woman standing beside her to elaborate on the mission.
"Chongyang Gate is a premier force within the Martial World. It has thirty-six Terrestrial Immortals and hundreds of master practitioners at the peak of the Dragon Gate Realm. The leader, Yuchi Chong, known as the ’Nine Heavens Heavy Sword,’ is an apex Earth Immortal. Your task during this mission is to guard the outskirts of Chongyang Gate, preventing anyone from escaping."
Several Ghost Guards breathed a sigh of relief, as they had thought Yun Chuoxi was about to throw them towards certain death.
"Madam, why are we attacking Chongyang Gate?"
The speaker was a youth who appeared to be in his thirties, Xiao Yujian, one of the ten Ghost Guards from the headquarters. Considering the elders’ positions, it seemed that they were preparing to groom him to be the chief of the Ghost Guards.
"It’s simple. It’s because Yuchi Chong is from the Right Sect! Over the years, he has been secretly winning over many people for the Right Sect under the guise of the Righteous Path. This man must die!"
Aunt Mei, the flower-scented woman, said coldly.
The crowd finally understood and wisely refrained from asking further questions.
After Aunt Mei gave them specific arrangements, they took their leave one by one. Given their identities, it was unlikely that the Left Sect would treat them unfairly.
As he was leaving the backyard of Ice Heart Pavilion, Shi Xiaole was startled!
Not far from him, he saw a statue carved from white jade. The statue had an indistinct face, but its graceful and celestial posture was remarkably similar to the person he had seen in a painting - Shi Xuanzhong!
Due to the impact, Shi Xiaole didn’t notice that everyone else had already left, leaving only him lingering in the Ice Heart Pavilion.
"Is it you?"
Shi Xiaole sighed in his heart, unable to recover from the shock for some time.
"Zong Wei, you should leave now!"
A disbelieving voice echoed in his ears. At some point, Aunt Mei had appeared at Shi Xiaole’s side, her gaze carrying a hint of ridicule.
This Zong Wei, as the rumors said, was known for frequenting brothels in Mingyuan Town and had a penchant for women. However, he hadn’t touched the maid assigned to him during the entire month.
Aunt Mei certainly didn’t believe that he had suddenly turned over a new leaf. It was probably an act for others’ sakes. But who was he performing for?
Now that he arrived at the Ice Heart Pavilion and purposely lingered around, he definitely had ulterior motives.
"Aunt Mei, may I ask who this sculpture is?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
Aunt Mei glanced at him, "This is the Holy Monarch, the one that the Ghost Lethal Sect reveres the most. You seem interested in him?"
Holy Monarch?
While investigating the Ghost Lethal Sect, Shi Xiaole had vaguely heard about it, but he wasn’t fully aware of the specifics. He turned back to gaze at the Ice Heart Pavilion, softly asking, "Aunt Mei, could you please tell me about him?"
Aunt Mei was clearly becoming impatient, "We’ll talk after completing this mission. Zong Wei, remember who you are!"
Touching his head sheepishly and grinning, Shi Xiaole looked like someone whose trick had been exposed and quickly took his leave.
"Miss, this man is lustful. I think he has inappropriate ideas about you. He is really like a toad wishing to eat swan meat."
Upon returning to the pavilion, Aunt Mei spoke with disdain.
Yun Chuoxi, who had been maintaining a cold face all along, looked even colder, but she didn’t really take it to heart. After all, it was easier to control him this way.
...
The ten Ghost Guards set off that very day, leading hundreds of top Left Sect practitioners on a secret voyage southwards. They travelled relentlessly, finally arriving near Chongyang Gate ten days later.
As expected, Xiao Yujian was given command of the operation. He immediately split the ten of them into three groups, each team leading a group of powerful fighters. He instructed, "We’ll split into three and block off the three strategic locations of Chongyang Mountain, permitting no one to escape."
Given the expanse of Chongyang Mountain, their few hundred men could at best guard one location. The Ghost Guards guessed that they were likely sent for practice and to gain some merit. The real battle that lay ahead would naturally involve other top figures from the Left Sect.
It might have been intentional on Xiao Yujian’s part, but Shi Xiaole ended up in the same group as Fu Ying and Qian Wei. The others observed them with amused gazes.
Qian Wei was bursting with laughter inside.
After being publicly defeated by Shi Xiaole previously, he harbored immense hatred for him. He was worried that he would not find an opportunity to get back at Shi Xiaole. However, this seemed like an excellent opportunity.
