If a large number of purple Dragon Qi pillars hadn’t burst out from the Great Abyss and changed the power field of the Back Mountain of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, attracting the attention of the outside world, even those god-level beings who dominated everything would not know the secret of this place.
Ding Hao, who gradually calmed down, was no longer as panicked as before.
Unfortunately, the Saber Master and the Sword Master were still trapped in the golden light ball in his sea of consciousness at this time, so he could not get in touch with them. Otherwise, he would communicate with the two predecessors in such a situation because they would definitely know something.
The Saber Master and the Sword Master had always kept the secret of the cave and their backgrounds a secret. Ding Hao asked them about those several times, but they said that it was not the right time yet, so they could not tell him anything. It should be related to some big secret and could only do harm to him if his strength had not reached a certain level when he knew it.
After calming down, Ding Hao carefully observed the cave. He turned around and left after finding nothing else.
For him, this cave was no longer a secret that belonged only to him.
No matter what was hidden here, it was something that Ding Hao could not predict or control as it startled those god-level beings. Since those god-level experts who had appeared here did not take anything away or leave anything behind, nor did they disturb the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, it meant that the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect was not in danger for the time being. There was still time for him to prepare.
By the time Ding Hao arrived at the top of the Great Abyss, the sun almost set at the mountains in the west.
The setting sun was scarlet.
Ding Hao strolled around the Back Mountain that had been transformed into a new city. A layer of invisible mist was rippling around him. An ordinary warrior could not sense his presence at all even if he passed by.
The new city was a little strange to Ding Hao.
Three years ago, it was still a pile of ruins, dirty and smelly. The disciples of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect never came here. There were thatched cottages and sewage everywhere. The people who had lived here were the low-status odd-jobmen of this huge sect. Ding Hao had lived in such an environment for nearly ten years.
For this place, Ding Hao always had a different feeling.
Because he had amazed the world with a single brilliant feat and because of the eruption of the purple Dragon Qi columns in the Back Mountain, this almost forgotten area had changed completely. The poor living in the garbage area moved away, and a prosperous and clean new city was built.
At that time, because of Ding Hao’s words, the poor people living here received great preferential treatment and compensation when they moved. They got the right to live in the beautiful area in the front mountain of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect and had the spacious and bright houses that had been built. Their lives had undergone earth-shaking changes and their status had greatly improved.
Many children born in the slum also had the privilege to be admitted by the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect.
Huanhuan and Nizi, who were born in the slum, were now elites in the middle level of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. They were also famous heroines in Snow Province. At the sect banquet yesterday, Ding Hao met these girls. Even Gao Xue’er, who had followed him to the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, had reached the Primordial Realm.
Because of Ding Hao, many people’s fates changed.
In the past, the Gao family could not survive through the winter in Valley Village. But in the end, because of Ding Hao’s appearance, it grew into a big family. Gao Xue’er, who had almost married the eldest son of the Li family as a concubine, had become a little pearl of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. Many young talents were desperately pursuing her.
Ding Hao thought of Guo Nu, who had rested in peace. In order to fulfill his duty as a warrior, the burly and straightforward man did not give up his efforts until he died. As a warrior, Ding Hao was shocked by Guo Nu’s persistence. That was also the first time that Ding Hao thought about why he practiced martial arts and what he should do after becoming a powerful man.
The burly and straightforward man was just a low-level rogue cultivator. In this cold and cruel world, warriors like him died at any time. He would not be remembered by people, and no one would spread his story. Only the few people who were weaker under his protection would feel sorrow and miss him temporarily…
But it was this person who was second only to Qi Qingshan and Li Jianyi, two giants of martial arts, who had a great impact on Ding Hao’s road of martial arts.
It was also the first time that Ding Hao began to think about his responsibility and role after time-travel.
Thinking of this, Ding Hao suddenly wanted to go to Guo Nu’s grave in Snow Dragon Mountain. He would visit this generous and unparalleled sworn brother with a cup of good wine!
He strolled around the new city and soon arrived at the front mountain.
He passed by a quiet forest, which was covered with knee-high white snow. In the natural and serene forest, he saw the footprints of squirrels and beasts, which had a unique kind of beauty in the setting sun.
He looked up and saw a slender figure in a red gauze dress standing quietly in the deep forest. On the other side of the forest was a cliff. It was high. Standing on the edge of the cliff, one could see mountains and rivers in the distance.
At first glance, Ding Hao felt that this figure was a little familiar, but he couldn’t remember who she was.
At this moment, another figure, who was also clad in a red dress, came from the distance. She was so curvaceous that she could impress anyone who saw her at a glance from a distance. Ding Hao knew this gorgeous lady. She was Li Yiruo.
Ding Hao stopped.
His current strength was far beyond that of anyone in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. If he did not show up, no one would discover him.
After Li Yiruo walked gently to the slim figure, she sighed softly and said, “Junior Sister Tianyin, are you still thinking about Senior Brother Tianyi?”
The slim figure nodded slightly. “It’s been three years. I don’t know if Senior Brother Tianyi is dead or alive. There’s been no news of him… Senior Sister Yiruo, I… I really miss him!”
Li Yiruo gently stroked the slender figure’s long hair. She did not know how to comfort this sad girl.
In the distance, when Ding Hao heard them, he suddenly remembered that the slim figure was Tianyin, a disciple of the Western Academy of red shirts.
He remembered that Li Yiruo had been taking care of him for a whole night when he got drunk after the one-year assessment of nominal disciples. The next day, he sent Li Yiruo back and came to the No.8 Courtyard of the Western Academy of red shirts for the first time. It was also the first time he saw Li Yiruo’s two roommates, Tianyin and Qingtan.
At that time, Fang Tianyi was also present.
This beautiful girl named Tianyin was Fang Tianyi’s love.
This beautiful girl, holding Fang Tianyi’s hand with blushes, plucked up her courage and said to Ding Hao in the end, “Senior Brother Ding, you are the genius of our sect. Maybe I don’t have the right to talk to you, but I beg you not to disappoint Yiruo. You don’t know how much she has suffered for you in the past year…”
That scene was still vivid in Ding Hao’s mind. It was so clear as if it had happened yesterday.
Unfortunately, after the great change in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect—the invasion of the Heaven-splitting Swordsmanship Sect, many disciples of the sect were killed. Fang Tianyi disappeared in the mining area in the Back Mountain. It was said that he accidentally fell off the cliff, and his condition was unknown.
Later, Ding Hao took back the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect with one sword and searched for him many times, but he could not find his whereabouts.
Ding Hao had never forgotten this Junior Brother of his, who had outstanding swordsmanship talent and was straightforward and determined.
At that time, he was occupied dealing with affairs related to the sect, so he did not think of comforting Tianyin. Later, he left Snow Province and had never seen her again.
Thinking about it at this point, Ding Hao couldn’t help blaming himself.
When Fang Tianyi was missing, Tianyin must be heartbroken. In the whole sect, she was more worried about the safety of her love than anyone else. But as Fang Tianyi’s best friend and most trusted Senior Brother, he did not make the time to comfort Tianyin.
Li Yiruo said again, “Don’t worry, my silly sister. Senior Brother Tianyi is lucky and won’t die easily. He must have gone somewhere and can’t get out for the time being. He will return to the sect sooner or later.”
However, Li Yiruo knew very well that if Fang Tianyi was really trapped in a place for three years, he would probably die without eating or drinking. Nonetheless, she could not say that. She could only hope for the best and comfort Tianyin.
“If possible, I wish it was me who fell into the Great Abyss. I’m willing to die in place of Brother Tianyi…” Tianyin said, with tears streaming down her thin and fair cheeks.
“Silly sister, don’t talk nonsense. Senior Brother Tianyi will definitely come back.” Li Yiruo gently held Tianyin in her arms and added, “Don’t worry. When Senior Brother Ding Hao comes back, he will definitely explore the Great Abyss again. With Brother Hao’s strength, he will surely go down to the bottom of the abyss and help you find Senior Brother Tianyi this time.”
Tianyin’s eyes lit up when she heard this, but then her face darkened. She said, “Now Senior Brother Ding Hao is already in a league of his own, but I’m just an ordinary inner disciple. I have no access to see him…”
Li Yiruo patted her back gently and said with a smile, “Senior Brother Ding is not the kind of person who doesn’t care about our past friendship. You think too much.”
Tianyin nodded and thought of something. She looked up at Li Yiruo with a little concern and said, “Senior Sister Yiruo, now Senior Brother Ding Hao and Sect Leader Li Lan… What about you and Senior Brother Ding?”
A trace of sadness flashed across Li Yiruo’s face and quickly turned into a smile. She said, “We are fine. Don’t worry.”
Tianyin nodded and said indignantly, “Senior Sister Yiruo, you were the first to start a relationship with Senior Brother Ding, but Sect Leader stole a march on you. What was Senior Brother Ding doing? He said that he would treat you well, but he actually had a child with another woman…”
Li Yiruo shook her head with a smile and said, “It’s not Senior Brother Ding’s fault. In fact, he spent almost as much time with Senior Sister Li Lan as he did with me. It’s just that we didn’t know that Senior Sister Li Lan was a girl before. Maybe Brother Hao has his own reasons for doing this.”