A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 340 People die for money
"Senior, is that you?"

When Fu Tianjiao saw that it was Master Xuanwu, she was startled. Shouldn't he have been taken away from Tianshan by Huo Ying of the Diancang Sect? How did he come back?

"This is a long story, but I'll keep it short. I already know about what happened at Tianshan. Tell your third uncle that he must not make any rash moves before Qu Wei and the people from the Blue Shadow Sect leave Tianshan, otherwise the fate of the Tianshan disciples will be uncertain."

Hearing Master Xuanwu's earnest words, Fu Tianjiao's heart sank. Seeing the other party's slightly solemn expression, she hurriedly asked, "Senior, why is this? Does Qu Weizhen have some backup plan?"

If it weren't for the concern for the poisoned disciples and fellow practitioners, Fu Tianjiao would have already led her junior brothers and sisters to kill Qu Wei. Now, after hearing Xuanwu Shangren's reminder, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of tricks Qu Wei had up his sleeve that made even a master like Xuanwu Shangren wary.

"Before I went up Tianshan, I saw people from the Tang Clan and the Blue Shadow Clan together in Tianshan Town. It seems that these two factions had already made contact long ago."

Upon hearing the name Tang Clan, Fu Tianjiao's expression changed slightly. Tang Clan and Tianshan Sect were sworn enemies. Tang Sen, Tang Yong, and Meng Baichuan had all died at the hands of their fourth uncle. After the Battle of Bailing Mountain, the conflict between the two sects had become irreconcilable. Given the opportunity, Tang Clan would definitely take advantage of their misfortune. This "Thousand Days of Drunkenness" was the best proof of that.

“Besides the Tang Clan, there are several other Miao people whose martial arts are not weak. You must be careful. These Miao people’s methods of using poison are no less than those of the Tang Clan. The most powerful of them is their method of controlling poisonous insects, which is really hard to guard against. When I came here just now, your disciple Juwai had already been poisoned by Qu Wei with Yingchong Gu. Once this Gu touches the body, it will burrow into the body and bite the tendons until the person is reduced to an empty shell. Fortunately, this Gu is active at night and hides during the day. Its life is short, so you don’t need to be afraid during the day.”

Master Xuanwu has only recovered two or three-tenths of his power and is somewhat wary of the Yingchong Gu. If it weren't for the residual power of the Dragon Pearl in his body, which prevented the Yingchong from getting close, he would have almost fallen into the trap.

"Thank you for informing me, senior. I am deeply grateful." After hearing this, Fu Tianjiao was deeply moved. Despite having such a great advantage, she hadn't expected Qu Wei to be so cautious.

Although she had never heard of the Yingchong Gu, after hearing Master Xuanwu's introduction, she immediately listed it as the most dangerous thing.

"Take care of yourselves, I'm off." After conveying everything he knew, Master Xuanwu nodded to Fu Tianjiao and his figure vanished into the night.

Looking at the few golden lights rising outside, Fu Tianjiao's face turned frosty. She then sheathed her sword and turned back to her room.

After leaving his disciples' quarters, Master Xuanwu traveled unimpeded to Qingxin Courtyard. Seeing the golden specks of light dancing outside the courtyard, Master Xuanwu carefully dodged them. Then, he lowered his body, leaped into the courtyard, and, after choosing a direction, tiptoed over there.

"Hey, Sect Leader Guo, you are a hero of your generation, so why can't you see the current situation? The Tianshan Sect is now teetering on the brink of collapse. Why don't you abandon the darkness and join my Blue Shadow Sect? With your martial arts skills, you will surely achieve great things in the sect, and you might even become the new sect leader in the future."

Master Xuanwu peered through the paper window at the room's interior. In the candlelight, he could see two people in blue robes and a stern-looking middle-aged man dressed in coarse linen.

One of the men in blue robes kindly advised the resolute middle-aged man, while the other threatened him verbally. The two worked together in perfect harmony.

"The Blue Shadow Sect is truly declining with each generation. It's only been a few years, yet it has become like this. I wonder if the Blue Shadow Ancestor is at peace in the afterlife."

Master Xuanwu had a very poor impression of the two men in blue robes. Their martial arts skills were mediocre, which was one thing, but their verbal skills were quite impressive, which really annoyed him.

The most direct way to subdue an opponent is to beat them into submission, and only then can you try to persuade them with words. This situation is really hard for him to understand. He has been away from the martial arts world for more than ten years. Could it be that this kind of trend has begun to emerge in the martial arts world?
Guo Rui, pale-faced, looked at Liu Xuan and Jiang Jun in front of him. Hearing their offensive words, he said with a righteous expression, "My Iron Spear Sect has never been a vassal of the Tianshan Sect, nor can we claim to have any powerful backing. Moreover, the actions of your sect make it difficult for me to believe what you two are saying. You two don't need to waste your breath."

After Guo Rui finished speaking, he closed his eyes and remained silent, leaving Liu Xuan and Jiang Jun looking at each other in bewilderment. Although Liu Xuan was usually calm, he was still embarrassed by the direct rejection. His expression changed immediately, and he gave Jiang Jun a wink. The latter understood and immediately said, "Sect Leader Guo, you are so upright and fearless. Aren't you worried about the disciples in your sect?"

Upon hearing this, not only did Guo Rui's face turn frosty, but even the Xuanwu Master, who was eavesdropping outside, felt disgusted. He hated such manipulation of people the most in his life, and he never expected to encounter two such cases on Tianshan Mountain.

"You two are threatening me. Well, it seems the Blue Shadow Sect isn't entirely useless. At least their methods of threatening people are consistent. I've certainly seen it for myself."

Hearing Guo Rui's sarcastic tone, the hot-tempered Jiang Jun could no longer hold back. His eyes flashed, and he reached out to grab Guo Rui's neck. But at that moment, Guo Rui raised his hand and struck Jiang Jun's wrist with a palm strike. Jiang Jun felt a pain in his wrist and immediately withdrew his hand, looking at Guo Rui with a serious expression.

"To have such power even after being poisoned by the Thousand-Day Intoxication, Sect Leader Guo is truly amazing."

As Liu Xuan watched Jiang Jun being repelled, a glint flashed in his eyes. He had initially thought that Qu Wei's decision to have the two of them watch over Guo Rui was an overreaction, but now it seemed quite necessary.

"Since Sect Leader Guo still has the energy, we will try to persuade him another day. Farewell."

Looking at Guo Rui's calm expression, Liu Xuan was too lazy to waste any more time with him. In any case, the Thousand-Day Intoxication had already been planted, and even the most skilled person could not last more than three days. When Guo Rui's true energy was exhausted, let's see if he still had any arrogance.

After the two left, a flush appeared on Guo Rui's previously calm face. He then opened his mouth and spat out a stream of black blood onto the ground.

"This Thousand-Day Intoxication is truly vicious; all the effort I've accumulated over the past day has been wasted."

Guo Rui didn't regret making his move earlier. With the Thousand Days of Intoxication in his body, his internal energy would gradually dissipate over time, and he didn't know when it would all disappear. It was better to maintain his last bit of dignity while he still had the ability to fight back.

On the other side, Liu Xuan and Jiang Jun were heading to their own room after leaving Guo Rui's room. Halfway there, a palm strike came from behind. Jiang Jun was caught off guard and was hit in the back. He coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground, his life hanging in the balance. Only Liu Xuan, with a solemn expression, was left to face the black-clad, masked Xuanwu.

"Who are you? You are not from the Tianshan Sect."

Liu Xuan had fought against the Tianshan Sect before, and their palm strikes were pure and peaceful, lacking the wild and violent aura of this group.

"Hand over the antidote to the Thousand-Day Intoxication, and I might spare your lives. Otherwise, both of you will die here tonight!"

Master Xuanwu watched Liu Xuan's subtle movements, snorted coldly, and a flash of cold light appeared. The signal that had not yet taken off was cut in two by a hand chop, and the crack emitted a pungent smell.

Don't try to persuade others.

Liu Xuan felt a numbness in his wrist and was already in shock when he heard the cold, menacing tone of Master Xuanwu outside the hall, and his expression changed drastically.

"The antidote for the Thousand Days of Intoxication is not in my possession. If you wish to obtain the antidote, why not go and ask Elder Qu for it yourself? I, Liu, can guide you there."

Liu Xuan took a deep breath, sensing the unfathomable aura of the person before him. Knowing he couldn't defeat him by force, he considered using someone else to kill him. However, seeing the mockery in the other's eyes, Liu Xuan was startled again. Before he could react, a palm strike was already approaching his forehead. "My life is over!"

Just when Liu Xuan thought his life was in danger, a powerful force suddenly came from behind him. Liu Xuan involuntarily raised his hands and pushed upwards, and the attacking palm wind immediately dissipated.

Elder Qu!

Liu Xuan opened his eyes, turned around and looked back. He was pleasantly surprised to see Qu Wei, but seeing his solemn expression, Liu Xuan dared not say anything. When Qu Wei waved his hand, Liu Xuan immediately stepped aside to check on Jiang Jun's condition. He found that the other party was only seriously injured and unconscious, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"A true master does not reveal his abilities. Please state your name. I, Qu, do not kill nameless individuals."

Qu Wei sensed that the other party's aura was erratic and that there was a hidden killing intent. He became vigilant. There were few people in the entire Tianshan Sect who could pose a threat to him. This person was able to penetrate his defenses and sneak into Qingxin Courtyard without making a sound. He must be no ordinary person. Thinking of this, Qu Wei couldn't help but worry that he might be an elder-level expert who was secretly cultivating in the Tianshan Sect.

When Xuanwu Shangren saw Qu Wei appear, a look of solemnity appeared in his eyes. This person's skill was almost the same as Li Dengping's, but he had an intense and unyielding aura of killing intent. If he were at his peak, there would be no need to be afraid of him. However, now that Qu Wei's skill had not recovered, it was not the best strategy to fight him head-on. But Xuanwu was also unwilling to retreat like this.

After thinking it over, Xuanwu sneered at Qu Wei and said, "Elder Qu, you have quite the audacity to control the entire Tianshan Sect with your own strength. I'm afraid even Shangguan Yun would have to admit defeat to you. I have a long history with Tianshan, and this time I hope Elder Qu will produce the antidote for the Thousand Days Intoxication. Once I have it, I will leave immediately."

Qu Wei chuckled upon hearing this and stroked his beard, saying, "Since you are unwilling to answer my question, then I will not ask. However, I am somewhat displeased that you would take away the antidote with just a few words. Let's consider this a misunderstanding tonight, and I ask you to leave quickly."

Qu Wei didn't want such a variable around him either. He would get the Nourishing Spirit Pill at noon tomorrow, and then everything would be none of his business. He could leave these trivial matters to Tang En and Tang De, so as not to get himself involved.

"Ah, if that's the case, then this old man, though not very talented, will have to ask you for a few pointers. Take this."

Before Xuanwu's deep shout had even finished, a flash of cold light appeared in his sleeve, and a soft sword appeared in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he launched a "Snow Mountain Flying Sword" attack towards Qu Wei. Upon seeing this, the latter's expression changed slightly, recognizing the move as a martial art from the Diancang Sect. Without thinking further, a flash of black light appeared in his right palm, and he met the attack head-on.

The gleaming sword light clashed with the dark palm. With a clang, the straight sword, like an iron nail, pierced heavily into Qu Wei's palm. However, the expected tragic scene did not occur. Instead, the soft sword gradually turned dark.

Seeing this, Qu Wei added more force, suddenly bending the taut longsword. At the same time, the black color continued to spread forward along the blade, covering more than half of it in the blink of an eye. The blade looked as if it had been corroded, and the originally smooth surface became pitted and uneven.

"Corpse-Transforming Palm!"

Master Xuanwu finally recognized the skill Qu Wei used. His expression changed, and he exerted a little force in his hand. The long sword trembled, and a burst of true energy instantly shook off the black color on the sword. However, when the force arrived, it caused the soft sword to break in half. But Master Xuanwu did not retreat but advanced. Holding the broken sword, he leaped forward. The sword light flashed, and the area within several feet around him was immediately filled with dense sword energy. A sharp aura rushed towards Qu Wei.

"Thousands of mountains stretch endlessly."

Qu Wei already knew who the visitor was—a master from Diancang. In a flash, he was trying to figure out who this person was when a name suddenly popped into his mind, and he realized he had forgotten about him.

"Senior Xuanwu is also a grandmaster of a sect. Why would he do something so secretive? If others find out, it will probably damage his reputation."

As Qu Wei loudly proclaimed his identity as Xuanwu, he simultaneously moved both palms, and a dark aura condensed in front of him, causing the dense sword energy to either be deflected or dissipated whenever it touched it, without causing any harm to Qu Wei.

Master Xuanwu was attacking with his sword when he heard that Qu Wei had recognized him. He paused, but quickly sped up and rushed forward. The broken sword shimmered with light, and a three-inch sword beam suddenly grew from the broken edge, which was very dazzling in the dark night.

"Sword light!"

When Qu Wei saw Xuanwu unleash his sword light, he was startled. This sword light was incredibly sharp, and if he was not careful, he might die here. He immediately shouted and his palms shone with dark light. A dense ball of light, like an ink cloud, slowly gathered in his hands. Just as the sword light was about to hit him, Qu Wei pushed the ink-black ball of light forward. The white sword light and the ink-black ball of light collided. First, a bright light flashed, followed by a shocking explosion. The rolling air waves forced Qu Wei to retreat. When he cleared away the turbid air in front of him, Xuanwu Shangren had already disappeared.

"Send more people. Not a single one of those people in Qingxin Courtyard can leave until I obtain the Nourishing Spirit Pill!"

"Yes, I obey."

Just as things were changing in Tianshan, Xue Wanshan and his group were already on their way back to Tianshan.

"Brother, what's wrong with you?"

Shen Henian rode his horse to Xue Wanshan's side. Seeing the solemn expression on Xue Wanshan's face, he couldn't help but ask.

The Zhongxin Hall is no longer a force to be reckoned with, and Shangguan Yun has been taken away by Cha Mulong. They should be happy, so why do they look so worried?

"I've been feeling uneasy these past few days, fearing that something might happen on Tianshan Mountain. You know, there's still the Blue Shadow Sect on the mountain that hasn't been dealt with yet, which makes me quite worried."

"Senior brother, there's no need to worry. With Third Junior Sister and Tianjiao there, those people from the Blue Shadow Sect can't cause any trouble."

Shen Henian didn't look down on the Blue Shadow Sect, but the gap between the two sides was very obvious. Not to mention Tianjiao and the others, even the ordinary second-generation disciples alone were no match for the Blue Shadow Sect, let alone all the sects on the mountain combined.

"We should hurry on our way. I won't be able to rest easy until we reach Tianshan."

Hearing the words coming from ahead, Ni Qingfeng's mind stirred slightly. He closed his eyes and communicated with the main body located in the Tianshan Grottoes, instantly understanding what was happening on Tianshan.

"People die for wealth, birds die for food. A mere Spirit Nourishing Pill has caused this turmoil. Consider it a training exercise for Tianjiao and the others, otherwise they will never grow up."

Ni Qingfeng didn't take Qu Wei seriously at all. Such a person could be wiped out with a flick of his finger. Fortunately, he didn't kill a single Tianshan disciple. Otherwise, he would have had to clean up the mess before everyone returned to the mountain.

(End of this chapter)