Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 538 Brother Zhang, look! The sword is ready; stepping out is the start of the martial world.
"Sect Master, elders, disciples of all academies of the Moving Mountain Sect, and stewards of both inner and outer sects are all ready and awaiting the opening trial."

The young man, dressed in a black martial robe, strode forward, stood at the foot of the stone steps, and bowed in respect.

The young man paused for a moment, then lowered his voice slightly: "Most of the attending sects and friendly families from all sides have arrived."

After a slight hesitation, the young man spoke again: "The three sects of Duan Yue, Da He, and Zhen Hai have not yet arrived."

Upon hearing the report, the expressions of the people beside Yue Cengshan changed, and their faces tightened.

The Mountain Sect, with its four major sects united, is an unshakeable force in the martial world.

But for such an important event as today, all the outsiders have arrived, while the other three sects have not yet arrived?

Although they already knew what the other three factions were thinking, none of them were happy to hear the report.

Yue Cengshan waved his hand, signaling the young man who had reported to step aside, before revealing a slight smile and turning to look at the burly man beside him wearing a dark-patterned martial robe.

"Junior Brother Cao, He Yuncheng is becoming more and more composed. Would you be interested in taking him into the Imperial Guard?"

He Yuncheng, whom Yue Cengshan mentioned, participated in the Spring Hunt Trial two years ago. Although he was not a top elite, it was still a valuable experience that greatly improved his knowledge, temperament, and cultivation.

At this moment, the junior brother Cao that Yue Cengshan was calling out to was none other than Cao Chunbao, a key figure in the Mountain Sect's army and a deputy general of the Imperial Guard.

Cao Chunbao left the capital before the new year to return to his sect and participate in the initiation of new disciples.

As a key figure in the Mountain Sect's military, Cao Chunbao can be considered the link between the Mountain Sect and the military.

In the martial arts world, most major sects have such people.

This is also the reason why many powerful martial arts sects have been able to remain standing.

"The sect leader is willing to let me take He Yuncheng and the others away?" Upon hearing Yue Cengyun's words, Cao Chunbao showed a look of surprise and turned to speak.

Beside him, the white-haired, youthful-looking Elder Mu Jincang, and the Enforcement Elder Han Shan, dressed in a blood-patterned black robe with a bronze beast seal hanging from his waist, both turned their heads to look at Yue Cengyun.

Mu Jincang hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Yue Cengyun looked down at the bustling crowd of young martial artists coming to join the Mountain Sect in front of the stone steps, as well as the sect disciples and stewards scattered around. He shook his head, his expression solemn.

"Last month, the Thunderbolt Hall and the Golden Crow Hall fought fiercely for the essence of the Fire Spirit, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. On New Year's Eve, news came that the entire Broken Mountain Sect had been wiped out."

"The sword sects of Eastern Wei have joined forces to target the martial arts sects in the eastern border of Great Qin. Elder Bai Wu of the Great River Sect was seriously injured two days ago."

"In the martial arts world of the Eastern Territory, there is now a Blood Burning Pill circulating. Taking this pill can temporarily boost one's cultivation level, and many people have used it to advance their cultivation to the Grandmaster level."

Yue Cengyun narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance: "I know you are busy with military affairs, Junior Brother Cao. If it weren't for Elder Liang Qiyuan being seriously injured in the battle with Grandmaster Guo Yuanhao of Eastern Wei, I was afraid that the sect's strength would not be enough to hold the line, and I would not have let you return so early."

Cao Chunbao nodded, his expression becoming more serious.

His current cultivation level is also at the Grandmaster level, and he has been tempered in the army. Although he is at the peak of Vajra, he has the strength of a dragon and an elephant.

Yue Cengyun sent a disciple to deliver a letter, requesting him to return to the sect to take charge, and the reason was explained at that time.

Outsiders only know that Liang Qiyuan of the Great River Boundless Sect went into seclusion after entering the Dragon Elephant Grandmaster realm, but few people know that Liang Qiyuan was seriously injured in a fight with the Eastern Wei Grandmaster.

“The martial world of the Eastern Territory is about to change…” Yue Cengyun sighed, a faint surge of blood energy emanating from his body. “We old folks are guarding the foundation of our sect, fearless of death. These young people don’t need to get bogged down in this quagmire.”

"Let them follow you to the capital to make a name for themselves. Even if they die on the battlefield, it's better than fighting in the martial world and dying without knowing why."

Yue Cengyun's words were heavy, which made the elders around him look more resolute.

As Yue Cengyun said, they are guarding the foundation of their sect and the legacy of their ancestors, and there is absolutely no way they will back down.

However, the future of the elites in the sect does not necessarily have to be tied to the sect.

“Actually—” Cao Chunbao hesitated before finally stopping. He wanted to say that, as far as he knew, Zhang Yuan, the Marquis of Qingyang, who was the deputy head of the Zhen Tian Division and now the most trusted head of the Martial Defense Division in the Great Qin Dynasty, had been instructed by the Grand Elder Liang Qiyuan and was considered a disciple of the Mountain Sect.

Moreover, Marquis Qingyang said he would come to participate in the introductory trial.

At that time, the Marquis of Qingyang was not yet the Marquis of Qingyang, nor the head of the Martial Guard, nor the Dragon Elephant Grandmaster, nor the number one expert on the Elite List.

Cao Chunbao didn't know whether he could still fulfill his promise to join the Mountain and Mountain Sect.

Cao Chunbao stared blankly for a moment as his gaze fell upon the surging crowd in the bluestone square below.

Marquis of Qingyang?
He was startled and wanted to take a closer look, but the sect leader Yue Cengshan beside him shouted in a low voice: "The people from the three sects have arrived."

Cao Chunbao looked up and saw the power of grandmasters rising and rolling in from afar.

He looked down again, but the figure that had seemed to be the Marquis of Qingyang was no longer in the square.

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"Brother Zhang, look, that's the sword-testing stone."

At the edge of the plaza outside the mountain gate of the Moving Mountain Sect, a young man wearing a brand-new martial robe looked excited and pointed to the three-zhang-tall golden iron pillar on the bluestone plaza not far away.

This young man was the one who invited Zhang Yuan to travel with him at the inn in Jingyang Town.

His name was Li Sihuan, and he was from Sanmiao County and Jiangyuan Prefecture.

The Li family was considered a small family in Jiangyuan Prefecture. It was his second uncle, Li Changqi, who sent Li Sihuan to the Moving Mountain Sect.

Li Changqi has a mid-stage Innate Realm cultivation level and is the number one person in the Li family. He was also a disciple of the Moving Mountain Sect back then.

"It is said that this Sword Testing Stone is made of meteorite iron from outer space, making it impervious to swords and spears. The Mountain Sect went to great lengths to find it," Li Sihuan explained as he saw Zhang Yuan looking up at the Sword Testing Stone.

These things were told to him by his second uncle; most people wouldn't know them.

"Let's go quickly." Li Changqi shouted in a low voice from ahead and walked straight ahead.

Li Sihuan nodded quickly, tugged at Zhang Yuan's sleeve, and lowered his voice: "Brother Zhang, my second uncle knows some fellow disciples. He will take us to pay our respects, which will make things easier during the trial later."

Although his voice was low, how could Li Changqi, who was in front of him and had innate cultivation, not hear it?
Li Changqi paused slightly, but said nothing and continued walking forward.

Zhang Yuan smiled and nodded, walking side by side with Li Sihuan.

Originally, after Zhang Yuan destroyed the Po Shan Sect, he planned to lead the Zhen Tian Si experts to sweep across the Eastern Jianghu.

On the way back to the inn, he happened to run into Li Sihuan.

Li Sihuan's words touched Zhang Yuan.

At that moment, Zhang Yuanli stood on the stone steps outside the inn, and Li Sihuan walked out of the inn, facing the morning sun after the snow had cleared, his hand on the long sword at his waist, and shouted loudly.

"Brother Zhang, look, the sword is already on, and we're ready to step out into the world of martial arts."

Driven by the saying "Stepping out of the gate is like entering the martial world," Zhang Yuan and Li Sihuan traveled together all the way to the Mountain Moving Sect's mountain gate.

The insights gained along the way were different for Zhang Yuan, who came from a military background.

Unbeknownst to him, his state of mind had improved once again.

Even the power of his mind and spirit became increasingly perfect.

This kind of gain is a pleasant surprise.

(End of this chapter)