“What happened?" Yao Ruolan asked, slightly panicked as she held He Zihao's unconscious body in her arms. She only felt somewhat relieved as she could feel his body heat spread into her own, warming the cold sweat brought on by the dread she had experienced.
Qin Yun approached the fallen man, putting his hand on his forehead before showing a slight smile. All the grey corruption and the feminine apparition's force were gone, returning to calm. However, the battle had left its traces; his body was battered and bruised, yet nothing that couldn't be healed.
“He’ll be fine,” Qin Yun replied. “He might need to sleep it off for a while, but once he wakes up, he should be good as new.”
While she didn't doubt Qin Yun's assessment, Yao Ruolan couldn't stop her mind swirling with worry. She couldn't believe that things were over as long as she didn't witness it with her own eyes.
“What is that corruption supposed to be?” she asked as she turned to her master. “Why haven’t we been told about it until now?”
Her gaze pierced deep into her master's heart, filling him with pain and regret. He could see the distrust within, as if he had betrayed her, yet he could only sigh.
"This isn't something I can tell you," the man replied helplessly. "The council doesn't allow those below a certain level to be told. My hands are tied. If you truly wish to know, only the sect leader has the authority."
Before Yao Ruolan could show her dissatisfaction with this non-answer to her question, Qin Yun cleared her doubts.
"A foreign invader," he said, ignoring the man in white's concerns. "Beyond the world exists creatures that seek to infiltrate it. As for their purpose, no one really knows. We don't even know if they are sentient or just natural phenomena. We can only say that they won't stop until they consume the world. Have you ever wondered why the sand wall you call the Great Barrier came to exist?"
Yao Ruolan’s eyes grew wider as realization came to her.
“I thought it was created by our ancestors to keep the outsiders away from the mainland. Don’t tell me...” she said.
"Do you think mere cultivators can construct such a thing and maintain it for such a long time? Not even immortals could do so. Besides, the outsiders are inconsequential. If the Immortal Beasts Alliance wished to eliminate them, they would have already done so. No, the world created this barrier to keep these creatures away. Still, now it seems they found a way past it."
“Who are you, really?” Yao Ruolan’s master couldn’t help but voice his doubts. “You’re not just another rogue cultivator, are you?”
Qin Yun only shrugged; telling the man the truth would only complicate things.
"Who I am is irrelevant," he replied. "Shouldn't you inform the alliance about what has transpired? However, I'd appreciate it if you left me out of it. I'm not interested in getting swept up in your politics."
Qin Yun's voice was filled with a slight disdain, which the man couldn't help but pick up on. His eyes narrowed as he looked upon the young man at the peak of the Qi Refining realm, feeling a sense of mystery he couldn't place, almost as if looking at an old man worn away by the vicissitudes of life. He couldn't help but find Qin Yun's dismissive attitude somewhat jarring. Even Yao Ruolan felt the same.
“You never said what your goal was," Yao Ruolan said, looking straight as if to burn a hole through him. Qin Yun couldn't help but smile.
“Are we close enough that I should disclose such information?” he replied. “We only met by chance, nothing more. What I seek is for me to know.”
“Don’t you need the alliance’s permission to cross the barrier?” she added. This prompted a slight hint of surprise to flash on her master’s face.
“In that case, only our sect leader can help you," the man said. "Trying to force your way through would only be foolish, as anyone suspected of doing so without proper clearance would be immediately taken down."
Qin Yun remained silent, weighing his options. While what the man said was true, dealing with a Soul Formation expert was something he wished to avoid. After all, using their domains, they might be able to pry into the mysteries of his cultivation or even discover the Heavenly Dao's involvement in all this. It would only complicate things. Still, he hadn't much of a choice at this point. It was either relying on the Moonlight Sword Palace or taking his chances alone.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Qin Yun closed his eyes, feeling the flow of qi within this city. While he didn't possess a divine sense that could allow him to uncover anything he wished within his surroundings, his tribulation qi was attuned to the world, enabling him to feel even the slightest flicker of qi around him.
A few moments later, he frowned and then opened his eyes.
"So be it," Qin Yun said, sighing. "I guess I should meet with your sect leader, at least."
“She'll be happy to hear this," the man replied. "However, she is still in the sect and can't afford to make the trip. You will only be allowed to talk remotely. Arranging this meeting might take a few days. Meanwhile, you are welcome to come back with us to the branch sect. We still need to thank you for saving those two."
Qin Yun's gaze was locked in the distance, and he felt a pair of eyes spying on them. However, it seemed he wasn't the person of interest but someone else among them. Still, due to the distance separating them, Qin Yun couldn't pinpoint its target.
“As you wish,” Qin Yun replied absentmindedly. “Let me indulge in your hospitality.”
That said, the group made their way toward the city's northern district, where the Moonlight Sword Palace's branch office was. Qin Yun couldn't help but feel that, once again, he had been embroiled in something that had nothing to do with him against his will.
Still, there was nothing he could do. There were too many experts in this city. Sneaking past the barrier would prove impossible, much less forcing his way through. Relying on the Moonlight Sword Palace was his safest bet.
******
“Xu Weizhe, are you sure he’s from that sect?”
The voice was clear and sharp as if the words alone could slash the world in two, yet it also felt calm and serene, a duality that was hard to conceive.
In a magnificent hall, a woman was seated on a luxurious wooden throne. Her long white dress fell to the floor like a waterfall, only showing the tip of her naked feet. To her side was a sheathed sword, yet its might couldn't be held back by the metal scabbard. It propagated outward, filling the hall with its sharpness.
On each side of the hall were three men and one woman, each seated on the ground, only a single cushion carrying their weights. Despite being older than the woman on the throne, they had nothing but respect in their eyes as they looked at her.
“I can’t be completely certain,” Wu Weizhe said after taking a moment to carefully choose his words. “Still, if my disciple’s account is to be believed, I can’t conceive a man like him coming from any other place. Except for...”
"You are thinking of the inner regions?" the woman interrupted him. "It's not a bad guess, but I doubt it. Those fools never cared about what happened to the outer regions. They think that if we fall, they can simply stop it at the border. Their arrogance knows no bounds."
"Sect leader is right," an old woman added as she looked toward the misty image of a man projected in the middle of the all, resembling the man in white Qin Yun had encountered. "They have no concept of what we are against. If it could be so easily dealt with, it would have already happened long ago. Why was the Great Barrier erected, if not out of necessity?"
"We all agree on this," the woman in white said, waving her hand to stop the old woman. "Still, a man able to fight against corruption, despite only being at the peak of the Qi Refining realm, is certainly interesting. Almost make me want to see him for myself.”
Her eyes had a slight glint as if her competitive spirit had been awakened, yet it deflated just as fast, regaining her serenity. The elders around easily noticed the change and became somewhat flustered. Most held their tongues, knowing better. Yet, the old woman had no such reservations.
“So, the integration is still incomplete?” she asked. “As we thought, is it impossible?”
The woman frowned, clenching her hand tightly enough that her nails dug into her palm. Yet, they drew no blood, remaining pristine as she slowly let go, sighing with dejection.
“I refuse to believe it can't be done." the woman said, her face a mask of indifference as if she had slain all her emotions. "Achieving this is the only way to stand against the four major sects and the Immortal Beasts Alliance. Only then can we finally remove ourselves from this unending war. Too much of our blood has already been shed as a shield for others."
“Junior sister..." the misty figure of Wu Weizhe said as he looked at the woman in white. "While I share your thoughts on this, the threat concerns more than just us. It's only right for someone to stop the corruption from spreading. Our Moonlight Sword Palace values righteousness above all else. How can we stay true to our roots if we ignore this threat to our existence and others?"
“Are you saying we should continue to bleed so that others can profit from our sacrifice?" the woman said as she rose from her throne, her voice deep and majestic. "Every year, their sects grow in strength, ever trying to seek a place within the inner region to escape the calamity at their backs, leaving all of us to fend for ourselves. Didn't you notice that their support dwindles every year? Even the other local sects in the alliance only fight halfheartedly. More and more traitors are found each time, and there are even rumours of sects trying to negotiate with the outsiders. We are slowly losing this war, and they think of nothing but their own profit. Why should we be any different?!”
Her words echoed off the marble wall, stunning the surrounding elders into silence. Even Wu Weizhe could only look at her with sadness, knowing just how difficult her position was. She was only a few years younger than he was, much too young to assume the weight of her responsibility. Unfortunately, she was the only one worthy.
“Even our master died in this conflict," she added as she sat back down, a trace of sadness on her face. "It's my responsibility to ensure our sect has a future. If it means forsaking our obligation so our disciples don't have to die in vain, then I am willing to bear that infamy. Anything is better than seeing the sect our master cared for being destroyed by our own hands."
“If we were to do that, the corruption would devour the land. Nowhere would be safe anymore. We cannot let that happen,” Wu Weizhe said, a tear welling at the corner of his eye at the thought of their late master.
“Do you think I want it to come to that? But what else can we do?" she said as she let out a long sigh. "This corruption isn't something that can be stopped by the few of us. Maybe if we all join hands, something could be done, but can you expect them all to put away their grievances to serve a greater cause? If so, you are much too naive..."
“There may be another path," the man said, catching the attention of the entire audience. While slightly hesitant, his words sparked a flame in their hearts. Even the woman felt the atmosphere shift, realizing something. She frowned slightly as she looked at the blurry image of her senior brother.
“You think he has something special?” she asked, yet she barely believed her own thoughts. “Is he worth betting on?”
“My disciple seems to think so, and I am inclined to agree. What I witnessed was something I couldn't conceive before. It's a slight hope where there was none before. Still, it would require further tests and trials."
“If so, I should meet him myself," the woman said, showing a slightly intrigued smile.