A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 387 The Wordless Book
Ren Qianxing and his group traveled day and night, arriving at Juechan Temple without stopping, only to find the temple reduced to ruins with only faint embers remaining. Ren Qianxing's eyes sharpened, and he dismounted, walking to the temple gate. Looking at the broken and charred plaque, Ren Qianxing's heart was filled with turmoil.

"Go check inside, make sure nothing is missed," Ren Qianxing instructed. The people behind him said "yes" and immediately dispersed, heading towards the temple.

Ren Qianxing remained in place, deep in thought. Although Juechan Temple was not a major sect, Master Qu'e was a renowned expert. There were only a handful of people in the martial arts world who could destroy Juechan Temple under his protection.

After considering several people in his mind, Ren Qianxing finally focused his attention on Helian Ba. Apart from the Sword Master and his master, he couldn't think of anyone else who had the ability and motive to deal with Juechan Temple.

"Master, there are no survivors in the temple, only two charred corpses." A disciple reported to Ren Qianxing, who nodded and walked towards the charred corpses.

"As expected, it was Qu E and his junior brother."

Although the corpses were burned beyond recognition, Ren Qianxing still noticed something. The evil one had been cultivating the "Four Symbols of Heavenly Will Technique," and his body naturally absorbed some natural energy. Ren Qianxing was very sensitive to these energies, and after a careful examination, he recognized the two people.

Just as Ren Qianxing was about to investigate further, another member of the gang reported that something had been discovered about a mile ahead by the Qingxi River. Ren Qianxing immediately left a few people behind and then led the rest of his men to the Qingxi River. After a quarter of an hour, Ren Qianxing and his group arrived at the Qingxi River and were met with a horrifying sight. The banks of the Qingxi River were littered with the corpses of novice monks, and the blood had stained the low-lying area of ​​the Qingxi River red. A strong smell of blood made Ren Qianxing frown slightly.

“Master, Xiao Lin just checked and found that these novices died only a day ago. They were all killed with a single blow. Only an ordinary throwing dart was left at the scene, and its origin is unknown. In addition, there should have been several carriages here, but they have disappeared without a trace.”

Ren Qianxing nodded upon hearing this, his brows furrowed. The destruction of Juechan Temple must have something strange behind it, with Helian Ba ​​being the most suspicious. However, it would be extremely difficult for him to destroy Juechan Temple on his own. But if he brought his troops to the territory of the Supreme Alliance, he would not be able to hide it from his master. Unless someone else was helping him, he would not have acted so decisively. Moreover, the so-called clues left behind might just be a smokescreen set up by the other party.

"Bury these bodies."

"Yes!"

After his subordinates had disposed of the body, Ren Qianxing returned to Juechan Temple and ordered people to preserve Qu'e's body. After resting for a while, he headed towards the Supreme Alliance. On his way, Ren Qianxing had already sent a message by carrier pigeon to inform Guan Yutian in detail about what had happened there.

Three days later, in Sword Forging City, the Sword Master put down the letter in his hand and sighed. Seeing this, Gu Xu asked, "Has something happened to the Supreme Alliance again?"

"This time it wasn't the Supreme Alliance, but Juechan Temple. Their disciples reported that Juechan Temple was wiped out by an unknown person, with no one alive. All the books in the Sutra Repository were also stolen."

"Juechan Temple, I heard that Baili Qu'e became a monk there, and even he was poisoned. It seems that the person who made this move must be extraordinary. The city lord seems to have a guess in his heart."

“I do have some suspicions. Baili Qu’e is quite skilled in martial arts. In the martial arts world, the only people who can overpower him are the Taoist priest, myself, Guan Yutian, and Helian Ba. The Taoist priest and I are self-evident. Although Guan Yutian is domineering, he is always straightforward. If he wanted to destroy Juechan Temple, he would definitely make a move beforehand. Excluding these, only Helian Ba ​​has this motive. However, what puzzles me is that Helian Ba ​​alone does not have the ability to destroy Juechan Temple silently.”

It's not that Sword Master underestimated Helian Ba. Helian Ba ​​might be able to kill Baili Qu'e, but he would also be seriously injured. In that case, the other monks in the temple would definitely be able to keep him here, and they wouldn't have ended up being wiped out like this.

"The city lord is blinded by his own involvement. One person's strength is not enough, so it is only natural that others help him. You should know that among the four major sects, the legendary Eagle Fortress is still hiding in the shadows. Although it suffered heavy losses before, its remaining strength is more than enough to destroy the Juechan Temple."

Upon hearing this, the Sword Master was startled. He realized that he had neglected this sect recently. Then, he felt something was amiss and asked in confusion, "Didn't the Daoist say before that Liao Rushen had already pledged allegiance to Guan Yutian? How could he be colluding with Helian Ba? Is he also trying to hedge his bets?"

The more Sword Master thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He had been prejudiced beforehand, thinking that since Liao Rushen had sided with Guan Yutian, he would naturally be an enemy of Helian Ba. However, he also thought that Liao Rushen was the leader of Cangying Fortress, and Cangying Fortress was involved in money transactions, always prioritizing profit. So, this move made sense.

"What the city lord said is true. Liao Rushen is cunning and greedy. He failed to seize the Dreamlike Limitless Technique before, so he set his sights on the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique. That's why he approached Helian Ba. The two of them were entangled in interests, which led to the destruction of Juechan Temple. The mystery of this technique is no less than that of the Dreamlike Limitless Technique. If he obtains it, no matter how the situation changes in the future, he will have a trump card."

"The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is actually in the hands of Baili Qu'e."

Sword Master exclaimed in surprise. He had also heard of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique. It was the only martial art passed down by Sword Ancestor, and its power was astonishing. However, it had been lost to the martial arts world for more than a hundred years. He never expected that its reappearance this time would be due to the destruction of Juechan Temple.

"Does the Daoist Master believe that the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique has already fallen into the hands of Ru Shen and Helian Ba?"

"Whether you get it or not is irrelevant. This skill is not so easy to master. Does the city lord know how many people have been able to fully cultivate this Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique since its inception?"

Sword Master was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and said, "I don't know that."

"Only the Sword Ancestor was able to master this technique. The highest level that others achieved was the third form, Thunder God's Wrath, and they all died at the age of thirty due to qi deviation."

Gu Xu glanced at the Sword Master, and was immediately shocked upon hearing this. No wonder the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, despite its great reputation, was little known. It turned out that no one had been able to master it. In comparison, although his own Dragon Riding Slash had reached its end, at least the path had been smoothed out. Those who came after him could naturally follow the methods of their predecessors and cultivate accordingly without any issues of going astray.

"The divine skill is good, but one must be alive to cultivate it. My ninth level of the Dragon Riding Slash is not yet fully stable. To covet the divine skill would be putting the cart before the horse."

Upon realizing this, the Sword Master felt a sense of clarity and comfort, and his internal energy became more active. His aura rose and fell, and after a while, the Sword Master awoke from that wondrous realization.

"The city lord's Dragon-Riding Slash has taken another step forward, and I, this humble Taoist, offer my congratulations."

Gu Xu noticed that the Sword Master's aura had improved again, and immediately offered his congratulations. Upon hearing this, the latter smiled and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "If it weren't for the Daoist's guidance, how could I have made such progress?"

Seeing Gu Xu shake his head slightly, the Sword Master changed the subject. He was already burdened with many debts, and since he had already received many favors from the Daoist, one more wouldn't make a difference. At worst, if the Daoist ever asked for anything in the future, he would use all the resources of the city to help him fulfill it.

"Now that the Sea Shark Palace has acquired the nine islands in the southeast, and the Supreme Alliance is already mobilizing its troops, what do you think our Sword Forging City should do next?"

The sixteen islands in the southeast have been taken back from the Supreme Alliance by the cooperation between Sword Casting City and Sea Shark Palace. However, seven of them were taken over by Sword Casting City, and Sea Shark Palace seems to have tacitly agreed to this move. However, Sword Master knows that his Sword Casting City is still too far away from the islands, and if something happens, he will be unable to help. Therefore, there are not many people stationed on the islands, and the total number of people on the seven islands is no more than 150.

"The city lord must not give up the seven islands in the southeast. Moreover, he must send people to guard them closely. He must not let the Sea Shark Palace take them back. Now the two factions have formed an alliance because of the threat from the Supreme Alliance. If this threat is eliminated, the Sea Shark Palace will definitely turn against the Sword Casting City. The seven islands that are close to the gate are a thorn in the side. Helian Ba ​​will definitely not let them be in the hands of the city lord."

Upon hearing this, the Sword Master's expression turned solemn. The Daoist's words made sense, but Sword Forging City was currently at a critical juncture, and the city's strength could not be weakened, otherwise it would be difficult to withstand the pressure from the Supreme Alliance. "Didn't the Young City Lord already select a group of talented individuals? It would be perfect to send them to the island to guard it for half a year. After that, they would be rewarded according to their merits. This way, they could gain valuable experience without causing instability within the city."

As soon as Gu Xu finished speaking, the Sword Master's eyes lit up, and he immediately clapped his hands and said, "We will do as the Daoist Master wishes."

In the Supreme Alliance, within the Supreme Hall, Guan Yutian sat cross-legged, practicing his martial arts with his eyes closed. The Nine Dragon Stone before him shone with golden light. As he inhaled and exhaled, his aura rose and fell, and a hazy white light emerged from his body, echoing the Nine Dragon Stone. For a moment, the white and golden light filled the entire hall, each occupying half. After a short while, Guan Yutian opened his eyes, flipped over, and embraced Yin and Yang with both hands. The air around him moved accordingly, and a dense white light suddenly appeared, overflowing with qi and shaking the void.

"drink!"

With a deep shout, Guan Yutian's aura erupted, and wherever the energy swept, everything around him was crushed into dust.

"Hard work pays off. I, the Alliance Leader, have finally mastered the Innate Qi. With the help of the Nine Dragon Stone, the weaknesses of the Innate Qi have also been repaired. When Qianxing returns, I will pass on the Sword Across the World to him. With the two of us working together, plus Jianyin's Four Symbols Sun-Shooting Arrow, Sword Forging City will no longer be an obstacle."

Guan Yutian's confidence soared after mastering the Innate Qi, and he believed that he would be on par with Gu Xu even if he faced him. Thus, the outcome of the Ling Shuang Sword incident was no longer uncertain.

"Having obtained the Frost Sword, I, the Alliance Leader, will start by attacking you."

Guan Yutian's eyes flashed with malice. The thought that it was because of Gu Xu's existence that his steps to unify the martial world had been flawed made him unable to suppress his killing intent.

Just as he was deep in thought, the voice of his disciple came from outside the hall.

"Alliance Leader, Hall Master Ren sent a message by carrier pigeon."

"Bring it in."

The palace door was quietly pushed open, and the light from outside shone in, falling directly on Guan Yutian. The golden light was dazzling and radiant. The disciple dared not look at him for long and immediately bowed to present the message.

"Juechan Temple was destroyed. Hmph, this is deliberately trying to smear this leader and cause trouble. Unfortunately for this leader, trouble is the last thing I fear."

Guan Yutian casually tossed the message aside and said to the disciple who delivered it, "Summon the two hall masters, Xuanwu and Zhuque."

"Yes."

A short while later, Zhu Que, the leader of the Vermilion Bird Hall, and Xue Jian, the leader of the Black Tortoise Hall, appeared in the hall. After the two bowed, Zhu Que stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "What are your instructions, Alliance Leader?"

After Sima Tian's death, the elders of the Azure Dragon Hall wanted to elect another person, but Guan Yutian rejected them all. Seeing this, the elders knew that the situation was beyond saving, so they all relinquished their duties and went to the back garden to retire. With the elders gone, the members of the Azure Dragon Hall were also afraid of being disliked by Guan Yutian, so they all sought ways to join. Except for a few branch leaders, most of the rest joined the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise Halls. As a result, these two halls, which had a very low profile, have become quite conspicuous recently.

Zhu Long was also somewhat uneasy at this moment, fearing that Guan Yutian would reprimand him for stealing the limelight from the White Tiger Hall.

"You two must immediately gather your troops and accompany me to Tanxi City. This time, I will completely break the backbone of the Sea Shark Palace."

"Alliance Leader, this..."

Zhu Long's expression changed drastically. It was one thing for his two halls to lead their men, but the alliance leader was of noble status and could not be at the forefront. He wanted to offer some advice, but seeing the alliance leader's resolute expression, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

"Yes, I obey."

Zhu Long and Xue Jian exchanged a glance and immediately obeyed. Jian Guan Yutian gave no further instructions, bowed again, and turned to leave the main hall. Just as the two were leaving, they encountered Ru Shen walking over with a feather fan in his hand.

Liao Rushen watched the two leave in a hurry, a glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he walked without stopping to the Supreme Hall. After announcing his arrival, Liao Rushen entered the hall.

"Liao Rushen, do you know that the Sword Ancestor once left behind three blank heavenly books and a Thousand Spirits Chess Manual?" Guan Yutian stared intently at Rushen and said slowly.

Liao Rushen was startled upon hearing this, but he remained expressionless. After pondering for a while, he said, "The wordless book and the thousand-mile chess manual that the Alliance Leader mentioned, are they the things that are rumored in the martial arts world and can be used to unlock the treasure of the Chess of Life and Death?"

"This is it. The wordless book is a map, and the Thousand Spirits Chess Manual is the key to unlocking the treasure. Now that the Sea Shark Palace and the Sword Casting City have joined forces, I, the Alliance Leader, feel great pressure. If we can obtain the Chess of Life and Death treasure, we can subdue these two factions, and the unification of the martial world will be just around the corner."

"If the Alliance Leader has any requests, please give them. Liao Ru Shen will do his utmost to fulfill them."

"Very good. Eagle Fortress is the best at gathering information. Now I, the Alliance Leader, will give you a task: find the whereabouts of the Wordless Book and the Thousand Spirit Chess Manual as soon as possible. If you find them, I, the Alliance Leader, will reward you handsomely."

Guan Yutian's deep voice made Ru Shen's heart sink. Judging from the meaning of his words, it seemed that there would be no good outcome. Fortunately, he had made preparations in advance.

"Rest assured, Alliance Leader, Liao Rushen will complete the mission as soon as possible and will not delay your important matters."

Liao Rushen waved his feather fan lightly and chuckled, saying, "It's quite a coincidence. As you know, Alliance Leader, I have a close relationship with the Sai Huatuo couple of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust. During our previous conversation, I unintentionally learned that the couple had two blank books in their possession. Whether they are the blank heavenly books that Alliance Leader mentioned, we still need to verify them."

"What? The wordless book has fallen into the hands of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust? Haha, it's like finding a needle in a haystack, only to have it come to us effortlessly."

Guan Yutian knew that Ru Shen only dared to speak when he was 70-80% sure. Since that was the case, the wordless book must be real. Thinking of this, Guan Yutian looked at Ru Shen and said solemnly, "I am very confident in entrusting this matter to you. You must not disappoint me, the leader of the alliance."

(End of this chapter)