A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 175 Pre-Battle Planning
Nanling Prefecture, Qingshan Temple

In the end, Qing Shi Dao Ren could not suppress his desires. The temptation of the Blood Ruyi was too great. If he could obtain this item, he would not have to become a half-human, half-demon in his current state.

Hundreds of years ago, the founder of Qingshan Temple obtained a cultivation manual called "Qingqiong Baolu". He occupied this blessed land and cultivated diligently for more than ten years. When he emerged from the mountain, he defeated more than a dozen sects, which gave Qingshan Temple a foothold in the martial arts world.

However, none of the abbots lived long lives; very few lived to sixty or seventy. Most died unexpectedly around the age of fifty. Later, the twelfth abbot discovered that the cultivation methods practiced in the temple were not suitable for human cultivation.

Therefore, it took decades of effort to modify it, and it was later revised by three generations of abbots before a "Qingyun Manual" was finally created from that technique. However, it still had flaws. Although lifespan increased, the path of cultivation became much narrower, and the further one cultivated, the more difficult it became to make progress.

Qingshan Temple has no shortage of innate masters, but apart from the founding patriarch, no one has reached the higher level of Tongxuan. The reason is that the Qingyun Technique comes from the Qingqiong Treasure Record, and it still has some of its influence.

"Tong'er, go and invite your Grandmaster Uncle Baishi here. Tell him I have something to discuss with him."

The Taoist Qing Shi spoke calmly to the young Taoist beside him. Upon hearing this, the young Taoist immediately bowed, said yes, and then quickly left the room.

"It seems you already have a plan?" The voice rang in Qing Shi Dao Ren's ears again.

"I am determined to obtain the Blood Jade, but Qingshan Temple alone is somewhat isolated. The major martial arts sects are unwilling to see Yujian Villa become the only dominant force. Perhaps we can use it as a pawn to test the strength of Yujian Villa."

"I'll just tell you one thing: the strength of the Imperial Sword Manor is unfathomable. It's a family that has been passed down for hundreds of years. On the surface, its strength may be less than 10%. There might even be some ancient relics still alive in the world."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Qing Shi nodded and said, "That is very possible. However, since the decision has been made, there is no turning back. Ask Yu Zheng again tomorrow and find out more information."

After a moment, the young Taoist's voice rang out from outside, "Master, Grandmaster Baishi has arrived."

"come in."

White Stone Taoist stepped into the room and bowed respectfully to Green Stone Taoist.

"I've met the head brother."

"Junior brother, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down and let's talk."

As instructed, Daoist Baishi took his seat and looked at Daoist Qingshi at the head of the table with a gleam in his eyes.

"Our sect leader has been in seclusion for several months, and his skills have indeed improved greatly."

"Junior brother, Elder Yu Zheng from Tianqin Mountain has brought back bad news."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Baishi frowned. Although Tianqin Mountain and Qingshan Temple had some connection, they had not been in contact since Le Tang's master died. Now, he had suddenly come with bad news, which made him very unhappy.

But he still patiently asked, "Sect Leader, what bad news is it that makes you so concerned?"

"Mount Tianqin has been destroyed by the Imperial Sword Manor!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Shi jumped up in shock. Although he looked down on Tianqin Mountain, he did not underestimate its strength. Not to mention that the mountain master Liu Xuanwei was a master at the peak of the innate realm, the three elders Gong, Shang, and Yu were also first-class masters. In addition, there was the Tianxie Qin and hundreds of disciples. How could they be so easily wiped out?

Although Yujian Manor is the number one power in the martial arts world, it has always been fair in its dealings and is highly praised. Therefore, all the sects outwardly respect it. When such a massacre happened to it, Bai Shi's first thought was that Tianqin Mountain must have crossed the bottom line of Yujian Manor.

Seeing his junior brother's pensive expression, a glint flashed in Qing Shi Dao Ren's eyes.

"Senior brother, is there any reason for this?" Bai Shi still found it hard to believe.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Qing Shi relayed everything Yu Zheng had said to Bai Shi without missing a single detail. After listening, Bai Shi's expression turned very grim. It turned out that Tianqin Mountain had also suffered an undeserved calamity.

"What does Senior Brother plan to do?"

After a moment, Bai Shi looked at Qing Shi Dao Ren. Although Tianqin Mountain had little contact with them, their connection was still there. In addition, Yu Zheng had come in person to ask for justice, so Qingshan Temple could not sit idly by. However, how far they should go depended on the wishes of their senior brother, the sect leader.

"Tianqin Mountain has suffered an undeserved disaster. It is only right and proper for Qingshan Temple to go to Yujian Villa to verify the matter. If it is true, the entire martial arts world will probably be in turmoil. Junior brother, I need you to go to Yanyun Sword Sect and deliver a letter to Sect Leader Zhuo on my behalf."

Upon hearing this, Bai Shi's eyes flashed slightly. His senior brother's move was quite meaningful. Although the Yan Yun Sword Sect was located in the northwest border region, it was one of the top sects in the world. It was on par with the Qingshan Temple. If the two sects joined forces, even the Yujian Villa would not dare to take them lightly.

"Junior brother obeys."

Qing Shi Dao Ren immediately wrote a letter, affixed his personal seal, sealed it with sealing wax, and carefully handed it to Bai Shi.

"Be careful along the way. If you encounter any obstacles, destroy this letter immediately."

Looking into his senior brother's eyes, Bai Shi nodded solemnly and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, senior brother."

"Go ahead, leave early and come back early."

After Qing Shi gave a few more instructions, Bai Shi bowed, turned and left the room. After packing his things, he immediately went down the mountain.

"Tong'er, go and invite Elder Yuzheng here. Tell him I have something to ask you."

Tianhua Prefecture, Yujian Manor
Yin Hao and Yin Jun were greeting Long Bo. Ever since the Blood Jade was borrowed, Yin Jun had been worried for various reasons. Now that he saw the treasure return to the manor, he was finally relieved.

"Master Yin, now that this item has been returned intact, I can rest assured."

Long Bo opened the wooden box and showed it to Yin Hao. The latter examined it carefully for a while, stroked his beard and smiled, "Young hero, you kept your promise. I was right about you. But if I may ask one more question, this treasure doesn't seem to have any blood energy emanating from it. Could it be that you were unable to use it?"

Once the Blood Ruyi is activated with true qi, some blood qi will leak out to some extent. If it is used too much, its color will become dull. It can only be restored to its original state at the Imperial Sword Manor. However, after observing it carefully for a while, he found that the treasure was perfectly round and showed no signs of being used.

Thinking back to how Long Bo had exchanged the Four Treasures for the Blood Ruyi, Yin Hao felt somewhat ashamed.

"Master Yin is overthinking it. This treasure is exceptionally precious and mysterious. It's just that some unforeseen events occurred, which is why it hasn't been used. It's not the treasure's fault."

Long Bo understood the meaning behind Yin Hao's words and immediately offered an explanation.

He felt quite helpless. He had rushed as fast as he could, but he was still a step too late. Who knew that the clan chief of Tongzhen had passed away and his life had ended? Even the best things were no longer of use.

"I see. I was asking too many questions. Young Master Long, since you have nothing else to do, why not stay at the manor for a few days so that I can show you some hospitality?"

Yin Hao is increasingly satisfied with Long Bo. He is handsome, upright, and comes from a prestigious family. His daughter is also of marriageable age. The two are a perfect match, and among all the young talents in the martial arts world, there is no one more suitable than Long Bo.

Upon hearing this, Long Bo smiled and said, "I will naturally follow your advice, senior. However, I have been away from home for several months and have not seen my parents for a long time. Please forgive me, senior."

"It's alright, it's alright. This is a son's duty. However, it's already late. Even if you're in a hurry, young hero, it won't be long. Why don't you stay here for the night?"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, senior." Long Bo immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a salute, and Yin Hao stroked his beard and smiled.

He ordered someone to take Long Bo to the guest courtyard to rest. Yin Jun, who had been silent until now, took the opportunity to turn around and ask Yin Hao, "Brother, you seem to admire Young Hero Long very much. Could it be..."

“Tianxue is not young anymore, and it is time for her to be betrothed. Long Bo is a first-rate talent, and he is more than a match for Tianxue.”

Yin Jun agreed with this, but...

“Brother, we still need to ask Tianxue about this matter. If Tianxue doesn’t agree, then this matter is not settled.”

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao felt somewhat helpless. Tianxue was a good girl in every way. If she weren't a girl, the important task of taking over the manor would have been handed to her in the future. However, Tianxue was always very calculating, and once she was unwilling to do something, not even ten oxen could pull her back.

"This matter is still negotiable. By the way, how is the Tianqin Mountain matter being handled?"

Although the main figures of Tianqin Mountain are dead, those who escaped are still a menace. Therefore, Yin Hao did not hesitate to mobilize some of the hidden forces of Yujian Villa to search for those disciples of Tianqin Mountain and make sure to eliminate them completely. "Most of the disciples of Tianqin Mountain have been dealt with. Only a few have willingly given up their martial arts and retired. However, news has recently come that Yu Zheng has appeared at Qingshan Temple."

Upon hearing this, Yin Hao frowned. As Master Gu Xu had said, things had become complicated. Qingshan Temple was far away in Nanling Prefecture, but it was powerful and had some connection with Tianqin Mountain. If Yu Zheng were to sow discord among them, it would not be a good thing.

Although the Imperial Sword Manor is not afraid, the necessary preparations must not be neglected.

“Brother, although Qingshan Temple has no connection with us, if they know about the Blood Ruyi, they might be tempted. What should we do if they unite with other factions to question us?”

Yin Jun knew a lot about Qingshan Temple. This sect had been passed down for hundreds of years and had a deep foundation. If it were to oppose Yujian Villa, it would inevitably lead to a protracted struggle, which would be very bad for Yujian Villa, which always hoped for peace in the martial arts world.

"We have the strength and the right to speak. If the other side persists, we will respond accordingly. Although Yujian Manor hopes that the martial arts world will value peace, if the other side continues to press us, then don't blame us for showing no mercy. What happened back then will just be a repeat of what happened back then."

The murderous tone startled Yin Jun. Listening to his brother's words, Yin Jun's thoughts drifted back to eighteen years ago. Back then, the seven major sects took advantage of the weakened strength of the Imperial Sword Manor to force their way in. However, they were utterly defeated by his brother, who single-handedly wielded his sword. Not only that, but his brother also led his men to breach the gates of the seven major sects one by one. As a result, the seven sects were severely weakened and went from first-rate sects to last-rate ones.

"Second brother, have your men report back immediately. If Qingshan Temple dares to make any unusual moves, we won't hold back."

"Yes, brother."

In the courtyard, Long Bo was meditating and practicing his martial arts. The spirit-gathering bead around his neck emitted a soft light, continuously attracting the surrounding spiritual energy.

"This thing was originally given to me by Daoist Gu Xu. No wonder it is so magical. It's a pity I didn't get to see it in person."

Half an hour later, the light from the Spirit Gathering Pearl faded, and Long Bo opened his eyes.

Reaching out to stroke the Spirit Gathering Pearl, feeling the warmth emanating from it, I felt a surge of excitement.

Although he knew this thing was extremely precious, he never expected it to be made by the mysterious Daoist Gu Xu, whose name he had seen many times in his family records.

"When we get back, we should talk to Father about the matter of the Blood Jade."

Long Bo recently sensed an unusual aura spreading, and upon investigation, he was astonished to discover that the source was the Blood Ruyi. With his keen mind, he guessed that it must have been caused by the previous succession ceremony of the Imperial Sword Manor.

Such a rare treasure would not be easily let go by anyone. Even if the Imperial Sword Manor was powerful, it would inevitably cause trouble. Long Bo did not want to cause trouble, and Longze Manor did not want to get involved in the grudges and feuds of the martial arts world. That's why they refused Yin Hao's offer.

The next day, after bidding farewell to Yin Hao, Long Bo traveled eastward and returned to Longze Manor.

However, just as Longbo returned to the mountain villa, things were far from peaceful at Qingshan Temple in Nanling Prefecture.

At the junction of Nanling Prefecture and Tianhua Prefecture, in a heavily guarded valley, several major sects were discussing matters. The three leading figures were none other than Qing Shi Dao Ren, the abbot of Qingshan Temple, Zhuo Yuanhang, the leader of Yanyun Sword Sect, and Shen Hua, the leader of Shuimo Sect.

“Master Qing Shi, we understand what you are saying, but the Imperial Sword Manor is not to be trifled with. Look at what happened to Tianqin Mountain. If we are not careful and our sect is destroyed, we will have no face to meet our ancestors.”

The Taoist priest with the blue stone whisk flicked his wrist and looked with a smile at the black-bearded, yellow-faced swordsman who was speaking. This man was Liu Da, the sect leader of the Heavenly Blade Sect.

Qing Shi Daoist looked down on this man, and speaking to him would be beneath his dignity. He nodded to a middle-aged man below him, who immediately stood up and bowed to Liu Da.

"Don't worry, Sect Leader Liu. Although Yujian Manor is powerful, it is not strong enough to stand against the entire martial arts world on its own. Everyone knows how much resources Yujian Manor has occupied over the past hundred years. If we continue like this, our small sect will have nowhere to go."

Aside from the three major sects, the leaders of the smaller sects all nodded in agreement with what the middle-aged man said. If it weren't for the immense power of the Imperial Sword Manor, which controlled nearly 40% of the martial arts world's resources, their sects would have long since joined the ranks of the major sects.

They have only one attitude towards anything or anyone that hinders the development of their sect: move it away, smash it, and turn it into their stepping stones.

"The Imperial Sword Manor has a profound foundation, with countless elixirs, divine weapons, and cultivation techniques. If we could obtain even a little bit of it, it would be enough for us."

Upon hearing this, the smaller sects were all excited, as if they could already see those good things falling into their own pockets.

Seeing that the crowd below was already in a good mood, Qing Shi Dao Ren felt reassured and nodded to Zhuo Yuanhang and Shen Hua beside him, who both understood.

"Master Qing Shi, what are the specific arrangements?" Liu Da, who was the most impatient, asked first.

"Sect Leader Liu, please don't be anxious. This matter requires careful planning. The Imperial Sword Manor is not easy to deal with. The first hurdle is the Iron Guard. Each member is an elite. I'm not underestimating you, but if you encounter them, one person might be fine, but if two of you go together, it's a sure thing."

Hearing Qing Shi Dao Ren's words, Liu Da and the others were not convinced, but they had to admit that his words still gave them some face. The ordinary Iron Guards were no match for them, but the elite Iron Guards could easily defeat them. The mountain lord of Huo Kong Mountain, the Old Ancestor Lie Huo, was killed by Tie Feng with a single sword. Such a tragic scene was still vivid in their minds.

"The second challenge is the various branch manors. It's not so bad in Nanling Prefecture, but in Tianhua Prefecture, every important town has a branch manor of Yujian Manor. If we don't eliminate this force, we will easily be attacked from both sides when we besiege Yujian Manor, and then we will definitely fail."

Without stopping, the Taoist Qing Shi revealed the third challenge.

"There are quite a few senior masters hidden in the Imperial Sword Manor. As far as I know, Yin Mang of the Dividing Light Sword and Yin Rui of the Separating and Joining Sword are still alive."

"what!"

This shocked not only Liu Da and the others, but also Zhuo Yuanhang and Shen Hua. At the same time, they cursed Qing Shi Dao Ren in their hearts. Why didn't he say it earlier? Why did he have to say it now? If he were to back down now, his subordinates would definitely not agree. Now they were in a dilemma and it would be difficult to get out of the predicament.

Zhuo Yuanhang's face darkened, but he quickly composed himself. Since things had come to this, he could only move forward. However, he would remember the score that Qing Shi Dao Ren had set for him.

Shen Hua, on the other hand, was probably thinking something, but given his shrewd and calculating nature, finding the most advantageous path for himself shouldn't be too difficult for him.

“Yin Mang, Yin Rui, and Daoist Qing Shi, both of them are at the Innate Realm. We don’t have many experts like them on our side.”

A young scholar at the next table, holding a folding fan, asked in a deep voice.

"There are people to deal with Yin Mang and the others, so there's no need to worry. The key is the two brothers, Yin Hao and Yin Jun. These two are highly skilled, especially Yin Hao. Although there are rumors that he has only mastered the Pai Shan Palm, as the head of the manor, he must have some trump cards. The only certainty is that his swordsmanship is superb."

"As the head of the manor, one must diligently practice the family's sword techniques. It's not surprising that he has such skill. Daoist Qing Shi, do you have a way to keep this person occupied? If we can capture Yin Tianqi, Yin Tianxue, and Yin Tianhe, the chances of success in this battle will be much greater," Zhuo Yuanhang suddenly said.

"These three are the future of Yujian Manor. After this incident, they will definitely be more heavily guarded from now on. Unless we break into the manor, this is just wishful thinking."

Qing Shi Dao Ren also wanted to capture the three, but he still needed to sneak into the manor. However, Yu Jian Manor was like an iron barrel, and they were not confident that they could capture the three without alerting Yin Hao and the others.

Shen Hua then spoke up, "How will we know if we don't try? We can also take this opportunity to see the true strength of the manor. If there is a passage that you are willing to explore, our sect is willing to offer four Yue Ling Pills as a reward."

Upon hearing this, both Qing Shi Dao Ren and Zhuo Yuan Hang looked at Shen Hua in astonishment. This Yue Ling Dan was an unparalleled treasure. Taking one pill would undoubtedly expand one's meridians and purify one's true qi, enough to save several years of arduous cultivation. This item was extremely difficult to refine, and even in Shui Mo Mountain, only those who had made great contributions could obtain it. They never expected that Shen Hua would have such courage.

Looking at the excited crowd below, Daoist Qing Shi and Zhuo Yuanhang exchanged a glance, then pondered for a moment. Daoist Qing Shi said, "In that case, our sect is willing to offer four substitute death jade talismans."

As soon as Qing Shi Dao Ren finished speaking, Zhuo Yuanhang, not to be outdone, said loudly, "Our sect is also willing to offer the Crimson Fire Pearl as a reward."

Hearing about the generous reward, Liu Da and the others were filled with excitement. They had only heard of Dongxu and other small sects, but had never seen them before. Now, these offers were being offered to them on their own initiative.

Before long, people began to volunteer to take on the responsibility. They were all experts in their fields, and would be considered top-notch masters in the martial arts world.

Upon seeing this, the three Taoists clapped their hands, and three figures emerged from behind the stone wall, each carrying a tray.

The three walked up to the crowd, and as a gentle breeze blew by, the red cloth covering them was lifted, revealing the real object inside.

On the central tray were four rectangular jade talismans, their surfaces gleaming with a clear, bright light. They were outlined with gold lines, their surfaces glowing with a hazy, rosy light, and they were also engraved with strange patterns. They were quite impressive.

On the tray to the left were four red orbs, the fiery energy within them making people feel hot and bothered. Moreover, they seemed to contain a powerful force that, once released, would surely cause a cataclysmic event. Liu Da and the others unconsciously took a few steps back.

On the tray to the right were four round, smooth white pills. A delicate medicinal fragrance wafted into the nose, making one feel completely comfortable. One's true energy was involuntarily mobilized and became very active. It was clear at a glance that it would greatly benefit one's cultivation. One wished one could hold this item in one's arms.

(End of this chapter)