A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 416 Wind Gathering
A hundred miles away from Sword Forging City, in a dense forest, the people of the Supreme Alliance are camped.

"Alliance Leader, we are less than a hundred miles from Sword Forging City. If we continue at our current marching speed, we can arrive before nightfall."

"Don't rush. Everyone has been traveling for a month and is under a lot of stress. Let's take a break. Pass on my order: everyone will rest for three days and set off at dawn on November 9th."

Zhu Long was taken aback upon hearing this, then responded with a yes. Seeing that the leader had no further instructions, Zhu Long bowed and left the tent. As soon as he reached the outer room, he saw Xue Jian directing his subordinates to build a campfire and prepare to cook.

"Brother Zhu, what did the alliance leader say?"

Xue Jian actually wanted everyone to get a good night's rest, replenish their strength, and be fully refreshed before heading to Sword Forging City, but he was afraid of delaying the Alliance Leader's important business, so he didn't dare to say it.

"The Alliance Leader has sent word that the army should rest for three days and arrive by November 9th. Brother Xue, although that's what the Alliance Leader said, we must not be careless. We are too close to Sword Forging City right now. If the enemy launches a surprise attack, we will not have the advantage."

Zhu Long's thoughts were exactly the opposite of Xue Jian's. As long as the army entered Sword Forging City, Sword Master would be hesitant to act rashly, allowing them to take turns resting without worrying about safety. However, the Alliance Leader's move had left him somewhat puzzled. But he wasn't one to talk much, and he secretly thought that the Alliance Leader must have other considerations.

"Of course, I have already had poison powder sprinkled around the camp and set up hidden sentries, so there will be no problem."

"That's not enough. Night patrols also need to be arranged. Better safe than sorry. There are many skilled fighters in Sword Forging City, so it's better to be cautious."

“Brother Zhu is right. If that’s the case, then let each of the four halls send thirty people. That should be enough.”

“That’s settled then. I’ll talk to Hall Master Ren, and you can handle things with Chief Li. This is the token the Alliance Leader gave me, which will save you a lot of trouble.”

The Li Chief that Zhu Long mentioned was a member of the Azure Dragon Hall. After Sima Tian and a group of elders died, Guan Yutian took back the power of the Azure Dragon Hall and pushed Li Chief into the position. This man was always shrewd and only obeyed Guan Yutian; he showed no respect to anyone else.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Zhu."

Xue Jian nodded to Zhu Leng, and after exchanging a few more words, Zhu Leng left first, heading towards Ren Qianxing's camp.

At this moment, Ren Qianxing was practicing Qi cultivation to heal his injuries in his tent. On that day, he was invaded by the Seven Absolutes Qin music and was also swept by Gu Xu's residual force. Fortunately, Ren Qianxing had a solid foundation and a golden silk soft armor bestowed by Guan Yutian, so he was not seriously injured.

After swallowing the pill, Ren Qianxing circulated his Qi throughout his body to dissolve the medicinal power. A warm current flowed along his true Qi to his limbs and bones. A moment later, Ren Qianxing opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"This Seven Absolutes Melody is a perfect blend of strength and gentleness. If it weren't for Abbess Sixin's reservations, its power would probably be even greater. Although the melody was neutralized, Gu Xu's residual force is extremely stubborn. No matter how hard I try, I can't budge it at all. If this hidden danger is to erupt when I fight someone, it could be very fatal."

Thinking of this, Ren Qianxing's face turned somewhat grim. He kept thinking about how to eliminate this power. Just then, the voice of his confidant came from outside.

"Hall Master, Hall Master Suzaku has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Ren Qianxing immediately said, "Please invite him in."

As he spoke, Ren Qianxing got up from the simple bed and sat in the seat of honor to wait. After a while, his confidant led Zhu Long in.

"Master Zhu."

"Master Ren."

After exchanging greetings, Zhu Long directly explained his purpose to Ren Qianxing. Upon hearing this, the latter chuckled and said, "I wondered what it was about. For such a small matter, Hall Master Zhu could have just sent someone to say it. Why did you have to come all the way here in person?"

Ren Qianxing greatly admired Zhu Leng and immediately agreed, summoning his trusted confidant to select thirty elite soldiers to hand over to Zhu Leng.

"Thank you, Master Ren."

Zhu Long watched Ren Qianxing's confidant leave, then stood up and gave Ren Qianxing a respectful bow. He had thought it would take some effort, but Ren Qianxing was so decisive. If someone else were to borrow his manpower, he would have to think twice.

"It's all for the sake of the Supreme Alliance. Brother Zhu, there's no need for this. We owe our current power entirely to the Alliance Leader's promotion. If anything happens to the Supreme Alliance, we will all be implicated."

"Of course, Master Ren, rest assured, I guarantee that the thirty disciples on loan will not suffer any mishaps."

Hearing Zhu Leng's words, Ren Qianxing didn't show it on his face, but he didn't really care. In a battle between two sides, there would be casualties. Zhu Leng's words were just to comfort him.

"Then I'll trouble Hall Master Zhu to take care of it."

Having achieved his goal, Zhu Long felt a little relieved. After exchanging pleasantries with Ren Qianxing for a while, his trusted confidant returned to report. Upon hearing this, Ren Qianxing immediately left the tent, and Zhu Long followed him.

Looking at the thirty elite disciples standing neatly outside the tent, a chilling aura made Zhu Long's expression turn solemn.

"The White Tiger Hall Master is a veteran of countless battles, and his combat strength is the best among the four halls. He truly lives up to his reputation. These people have all seen blood, and when they gather together, they are like a dark cloud."

"Master Zhu, these thirty disciples are now in your care."

Just as Zhu Leng was sizing up the man, Ren Qianxing finished giving his instructions, walked up to Zhu Leng, and handed him a token carved with a white tiger.

"This is a deputy order. Within three days, they are at the mercy of Hall Master Zhu. If anyone disobeys the order, Hall Master Zhu will deal with them according to the sect rules, and I will not say a word against it."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Long glanced at Ren Qianxing, and seeing his dark, bright eyes, he was startled. He immediately clasped his hands in a salute, and then left with his thirty disciples.

"Master, why?"

"Since Master has given him the power to make the mobilization, we should do our best to cooperate. At this critical moment, there must be no chaos internally. By the way, go and find out how things are going with the Azure Dragon Hall. Let me know when you have the results."

"Yes!"

The trusted confidant responded and, after giving his instructions, Ren Qianxing went back into his tent. He sat cross-legged on the bed, swallowed a few pills, and then formed an idea in his mind. Ren Qianxing mobilized the sword energy he had cultivated through the "Sword Across Worlds" technique, infused it with the medicinal power, and then propelled the sword energy towards the strange energy cluster left behind by Gu Xu. With this strike, the energy cluster was instantly cleaved in two. At the same time, Ren Qianxing's internal energy surged like a raging torrent, constantly impacting his meridians, causing him to sweat profusely and turn pale with pain.

"Come again!"

Feeling the strange force weaken slightly, Ren Qianxing was overjoyed, realizing he had found the right method. He continued to urge his sword energy to strike, repeating this seven times until the strange force finally gave way and shattered instantly. Ren Qianxing felt a surge of relief and immediately mobilized his true energy to expel the strange force from his body.

"puff"

Ren Qianxing opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of black, viscous substance. It landed on the ground and emitted wisps of malevolent energy. Ren Qianxing flicked his finger, and a beam of red light landed on it, instantly dissolving it into nothingness.

Meanwhile, Zhu Long led thirty elite warriors from the White Tiger Hall toward Xue Jian's residence.

Seeing Xue Jian's gloomy face, Zhu Lang gestured to the crowd behind him to stop them, and stepped forward alone to ask, "What's wrong? Is Li Xiao not cooperating?"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhu Long's eyes. Did Li Xiao really think he was someone important? If it weren't for the fact that the alliance leader thought he had some ability, no one would want to work with someone who would kick someone when they're down like this.

"No, he has no choice but to obey the Supreme Order. However, he also played a trick. Although he sent out fifty members, most of them were mediocre and incapable of taking on important responsibilities. If such a person were to become the Azure Dragon Hall Master, it would be a real threat to the Supreme Alliance."

Xue Jian was filled with resentment, and his words became somewhat sharp. Zhu Long's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he coughed lightly. Xue Jian was taken aback by the sound, and looking at the White Tiger Hall members standing behind Zhu Long, he immediately shut his mouth.

"Where is Master Ren?"

"This is Hall Master Ren's attitude. Let's leave the Azure Dragon Hall as it is for now. We'll make suggestions to the Alliance Leader when we return to the Supreme Alliance."

"That's all we have to do."

The two then mixed the people from the four halls together, dividing them into four small teams that took turns patrolling.

After nightfall, a campfire was lit outside the tents, and a group of patrolling disciples checked the area around the camp with torches. As the firelight gradually receded into the distance, two men in black, who had been hiding a few feet away, vanished in a flash.

The two men in black were quite skilled in agility. After running for several miles, they arrived at a cave that was brightly lit. The two men went to the cave entrance, took out their tokens and flashed them at the disciple guarding the cave. Then they quickly walked inside and arrived at the depths of the cave in no time.

Inside the cave, a simple wooden table was placed in the middle, with more than ten chairs arranged around it. A few people were sitting on the chairs, and when they saw Bai Yu'er and Lian Chixue enter, they all looked over.

“Master, we have found out that the Supreme Alliance is stationed in the Maple Forest, three miles to the northeast. They are heavily guarded at night. I am afraid of alerting them, so I dare not make any rash moves.”

Helian Ba, who was sitting in the center, frowned upon hearing this, then nodded and waved for them to sit down. After the two were seated, Helian Ba ​​asked, "Have you ascertained their approximate number and who is among them?"

"Reporting to Master, the Supreme Alliance has mobilized its entire force this time, with no fewer than a hundred elites and a total of around five hundred people. In addition to Ren Qianxing, Zhu Long, and Xue Jian, there are also experts such as the Three Wandering Immortals and the Two Ghosts of the Southern Cave."

"The defenses at the Sword Forging City gates have become much tighter. The guards are all quite skilled, and my junior sister and I didn't dare to get close. We could only take a few glances from afar before returning."

Bai Yu'er and Lian Chixue carefully recounted the intelligence they had gathered. After listening, Helian Ba ​​and the others became even more solemn. Although the Three Wandering Immortals and the Two Ghosts of the Southern Cave were only the bottom tier among first-rate experts, they were still real combatants. In the past, Helian Ba ​​would not have taken such people seriously at all.

But that's no longer the case. Besides Bai Yu'er and Lian Chixue, the only other capable fighters the Sea Shark Palace can offer are these four people present. Of these four, only one is from the Sea Shark Palace; the other three are all fellow practitioners invited by Helian Ba ​​to assist in the battle.

The white-browed, long-bearded old man was none other than Changyangzi, the master of Changling Cave, whose staff technique of striking rocks into the air was famous throughout the southwestern martial arts world.
The middle-aged man wearing a white jade crown, a flowing robe, and holding a jade flute was none other than Fu Xiao, the leader of the Qingpeng Sect of the East Sea, who was skilled in the Eighteen Swords of Qingpeng.

The last one, dressed in black and masked, with only his long, narrow, red eyes visible, was Zhao Qian, a skilled rogue cultivator from Sichuan. His Crimson Sand Palm was extremely vicious; anyone struck by it would be reduced to a bloody mess, leaving no trace of their body.

"My three friends, it seems we need to change our plans."

Helian Ba ​​looked at Changyangzi and the other two. Changyangzi exchanged a glance with the other two, and then Changyangzi said in a deep voice, "I wonder what parts Brother Helian needs to change?"

The reason why the three of them were persuaded by Helian Ba ​​to participate was not only because they were at odds with the Supreme Alliance, but also because they wanted to take advantage of the chaos. Regardless of the outcome, the battle between the two major sects would be beneficial to their sects. In addition, after several months of planning and deduction, they had already laid out a fairly solid plan. Now that Helian Ba ​​wanted to change it, it was likely to harm their interests.

"The original plan was to sit back and watch Sword Forging City and the Supreme Alliance fight to the death, but according to the intelligence we have gathered, these two factions are not unprepared. They may deliberately set a trap to annihilate us, and then each of them will compete for the Frost Sword based on their own abilities. Everyone, we must be on guard."

After Helian Ba ​​finished speaking, the expressions of Changyangzi and the other two changed slightly. After pondering for a while, Changyangzi continued to ask, "Brother Helian, if you have any brilliant ideas, please share them so that we can all discuss them. One person's idea is short-sighted, but two people's ideas are long-sighted."

Fu Xiao and Zhao Qian nodded in agreement. Helian Ba's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and then he said solemnly, "First, help the Supreme Alliance deal with Sword Casting City, and then kill Guan Yutian. Once Guan Yutian is dead, the Supreme Alliance will be leaderless. Even if the Frost Sword falls into their hands, they won't be able to keep it for long. I promise that I only need the Frost Sword. As for everything in Sword Casting City and the Supreme Alliance, I only need 10%, and the rest will all belong to the three of you. What do you think, my friends?"

After Helian Ba ​​finished speaking, Changyangzi and the other two exchanged glances, nodded to Helian Ba, and immediately agreed.

"Brother Helian, please tell us exactly how to do it, so that we can cooperate."

"The details are as follows."

Helian Ba ​​then explained his plan, and the three of them, including Changyangzi, became increasingly alarmed and wary as they listened.

Sword Forging City, Volcanic Lava Pool
Gu Xu pointed his finger, and the five-colored light shield blocking the two of them slowly dissipated. Gu Xu nodded to the Sword Master, and the two of them walked in together. When they arrived at the edge of the pool, they saw that the Frost Sword had turned ninety percent white. The Sword Master's face showed excitement. The Sword Family had spent sixty years to finally forge this divine sword.

"Once the sword light turns into a white rainbow, put the Nine Dragon Stone in, and this sword will be forged. Daoist, this sword is related to the stability of the world, so I entrust everything to you."

Sword Master bowed solemnly to Gu Xu, who helped him up and said in a serious voice, "City Lord, rest assured, since this sword was born in Sword Forging City, it can only remain in Sword Forging City. The Demon Sword Clan is a thing of the past and should not come out to stir up trouble again. After this battle, the martial world should be at peace."

"That's good."

Sword Master glanced once more at the Frost Sword flashing with white light, then left with Gu Xu.

(End of this chapter)