Chapter 128: The World Trembles (1)

Chapter 128: The World Trembles (1)

The thirteen continents of the world spanned 80,000 li east to west and 60,000 li north to south. They occupied a massive area, teeming with hundreds of millions of lives!

Only a little over 200 of all these beings were Grandmasters listed on the Land Rankings. Every single Grandmaster was a formidable powerhouse, capable of governing territories and acting as a pillar of nations.

In clashes between martial artists, life and death hung precariously in the balance. Therefore, unless they were absolutely certain of victory, Grandmasters were usually reluctant to engage in combat. A small slip-up could lead to death, delivering a crushing blow to their respective factions.

Battles between Grandmasters were thus extremely rare! At least, they were rarely publicized. In times of peace, only around three to five Grandmaster-level battles might occur each year, most of them ending without fatal outcomes.

Take the Jiang Continent, for example. The last duel to the death between Grandmasters dated back to the Battle of Hillstride a decade ago. That battle claimed the life of a Grandmaster and shaped the current state of the Jiang Continent, putting the Great Jin Empire’s eastward expansion on hold for the past decade.

At least hundreds of thousands of civilians caught glimpses of Wu Yuan and Chen Luo's battle. More importantly, it was intertwined with the succession dispute within the Jin royal family. Such a clash caused a far larger impact than the usual Grandmaster showdowns, rivaling the epic battle between Grandmaster Yu and the East King Jin Jiu at Hillstride ten years ago!

...

In the heart of winter, the headquarters of Yuanhu Villa remained cloaked in unyielding layers of snow.

Deep within a grand hall situated atop the highest peak.

"Bastard! That damn Shadow Blade!" Old Yuanhu roared, his countenance contorted in rage. "An expert that can rival a Grandmaster, stooping so low as to target a couple of juniors?"

Within the grand hall, a crowd knelt on the ground, shivering with fear. They naturally understood why their lord was so furious.

The news had just come in: Shadow Blade, a Savant expert who had killed two division heads over a year ago, actually possessed the strength of a Grandmaster.

Upon receiving this news, they too had been dumbstruck. A Grandmaster? With such monstrous strength, did Yuanhu Villa even stand a chance at avenging their fallen? While Old Yuanhu was strong, he was getting on in his years. How much longer could he endure?

"Bastard!" Old Yuanhu abandoned all decorum, venting his anger without restraint as he demolished one object after another. A massive bookcase was pulverized with a single punch, sending splinters into the air.

Fear gripped the hearts of everyone present, and none dared to raise their heads. This was the second occasion they had seen their lord in such an agitated state. The last time was over a year ago when the news of Chen Tangru and Wang Zhushan's deaths had reached their ears. Again, it was all because of Shadow Blade!

After a long while, the grand hall fell into a gradual hush.

"Everyone, out. Now," Old Yuanhu abruptly commanded. "Ming Lie, you stay." Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Shuffling sounds echoed as the crowd hurriedly retreated.

"Ming Lie, step forward," Old Yuanhu ordered.

"Master." The youth clad in beast hide rose, one severed arm hanging listlessly by his side. However, the aura he exuded was far stronger than two years ago. The loss of his arm had not crushed the spirit of this once-promising talent of Yuanhu Villa.

"Master, you...?" Ming Lie stuttered in shock, struggling to comprehend the sight before him.

The Wu Sect, the foremost martial arts sacred sect in the world, was reestablished a thousand years ago?

"Do you know that the Nine Immortals Pavilion was once the number one sect in the world? Why was it named 'Nine Immortals'?" Old Yuanhu answered his own question, "Because of the coming of immortals."

In a flash, Ming Lie had an inkling of understanding, and couldn't resist voicing his curiosity, "Master, do immortals truly exist in this world?"

Legends of real immortal beings had circulated since ancient times, but how many had actually seen one? Let alone an immortal, how many had even crossed paths with a Heavenly Ranker?

"Immortals may or may not exist.” Old Yuanhu said in a low voice, "Only a Heavenly Ranker can answer this question."

"Alright!" Old Yuanhu sighed, "Ming Lie, as your master, I will stake everything on one last gamble. If we succeed, Yuanhu Villa might still have a chance to preserve its legacy. But if we fail...Heh, I will take care of everything."

The more Ming Lie listened, the more perplexed he became. Yet, he had a faint feeling that his master seemed to be making his final arrangements, as if preparing for the inevitable.

"It all hinges on this Shadow Blade. Remember, you must never harbor thoughts of revenge against Shadow Blade again!" Old Yuanhu stared at Ming Lie, "Do you understand?"

"Yes." Ming Lie clenched his jaw. Did he want to? Of course, he didn't. But what could he do about it? He understood his master's concerns. The gap between them was too vast, revenge was futile.

"In addition, never disclose the truth about your encounter with Shadow Blade," Old Yuanhu instructed. "From this day forward, if anyone inquires, you must insist that Shadow Blade severed your arm with a single stroke and spared your life."

Ming Lie was taken aback.

"Do you understand?" Old Yuanhu glared.

"I understand, Master." Ming Lie bowed his head.

"Thirdly, starting today, cease all investigations into Shadow Blade's identity and whereabouts. Declare that your senior brothers' deaths a year ago were solely their own fault, unrelated to Shadow Blade," Old Yuanhu continued.

"Master," Ming Lie finally couldn't help himself. How could he not understand by now? His master was afraid of Shadow Blade and was proactively lowering his head.

"Master, I'm not willing to let my senior brothers' deaths be in vain," Ming Lie gritted his teeth, "Shadow Blade may be powerful, but Yuanhu Villa is not weak. If push comes to shove, the outcome is uncertain."

"Foolish boy," Old Yuanhu’s tone held no rebuke. "If I were 30 years younger, I would never have given up on revenge. But alas, I have grown old, and cannot protect you anymore."

"Go on, carry out your tasks," Old Yuanhu sighed with exhaustion and weariness, "Let me have some peace."

Ming Lie closed his eyes, ultimately choosing not to say another word.

He slowly departed from the grand hall.

As he descended the steps, Ming Lie glanced back. Beyond the slowly closing doors, the grand hall stood in disarray. A solitary figure, tall, thin, and white-haired, stood facing away from the entrance, a poignant image of loneliness and age.

"Master." A hint of reluctance flashed in Ming Lie's eyes.

He understood that his proud Master had truly grown old.