[Shi Jing, 17 years old, Apotheosis Stage.]
[Cultivated martial arts: Comprehended the Clear Mind Intelligent Sword in the Heaven Sword Book…]
Chen Luoyang nodded while he read. The Sword Pavilion's direct-line disciples were indeed outstanding and filled with elites. Shi Jing was at the 11th Apotheosis Stage. An Apotheosis Stage martial king at such a young age was extremely rare even in the entire Grand Divine Province.
The Demon Cult Master was able to reach the martial emperor stage at the age of 16 because of a special reason. The Heaven Demon Blood Tree was one of the Demon Cult's three cardinal artifacts due to its ability to help its user build an extremely deep foundation. In short, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say that it could change a person's life.
When the Heaven Demon Blood Tree's fruit was used together with the cult-defining absolute art, Heaven Demon Blood art, it would allow a person's cultivation and strength to make rapid progress. In just a few short years, it allowed the practitioner to complete a long journey that others would find hard to complete in an entire lifetime.
The Cult Master didn't lack any guidance from reputable masters since a young age, and he didn't lack in precious resources apart from the Heaven Demon Blood Tree's fruit.
The Cult Master himself was also an unprecedented martial dao prodigy and a heaven-defying figure.
With so many factors combined, it created the youngest martial emperor in the Grand Divine Province's history.
As the Sword Sovereign's disciple, Shi Jing's life encounters were definitely superior to countless people; however, as compared to the Demon Cult Master, there was still a gap.
Nevertheless, when he reached the 11th Apotheosis Stage at the age of 17, he actually caught up and surpassed his Third Senior Nie Hua and Fourth Senior Xie Xingmang. His extreme talents were truly rare. He had ventured the world at a young age, and his life experiences were truly extensive. If they were all written on paper, it could probably make a book.
As Chen Luoyang read Shi Jing's thick stack of information, his heart was constantly scheming. Chen Luoyang's previous guesses were probably correct. Shi Jing might be young, but he was the connecting point for all the different factions and held an important role. Chen Luoyang even suspected that the opposition's schemes were all plotted by this youth.
After reading for a long while, Chen Luoyang finally withdrew his mind from Shi Jing's information.
It is a complete match with the information on the other side…
One of the greatest advantages of this black pot was that it only required a small amount of blood-red serum to update the latest information on a person's life experience that was already provided. Chen Luoyang would then be able to find out what that person had done recently.
Chen Luoyang revealed a faint smile: Shi Jing, Nie Hua, Li Tai… Your helper is also my helper…
…
The night passed by quickly, and the next day's noon had arrived. Shi Jing, Nie Hua, and Sixth Prince Li Tai watched as Ying Qingqing left.
"Let us make our preparations too." Li Tai smiled and said, "The Demon Sovereign's wrath is no small matter."
Shi Jing nodded. "For the rescue of Fourth Senior, I will have to trouble Sixth Highness and Master Mingfa."
Li Tai laughed and said, "Fifth Sir is too polite."
Standing before Li Tai, an old monk who was wearing a black kasaya had also laughed and said, "This old monk shall risk his life to accompany the prince."
Li Tai looked far away and said, "After knowing that Ying Qingqing's Clear Sky Sword Qi has been crippled, the Demon Sovereign will probably be rushing over soon, right?"
Shi Jing nodded.
"What if he doesn't come?" Li Tai suddenly asked.
"There are two possibilities," Shi Jing answered. "Either he is still severely injured. In which case, we shall go over and look for him. Or he is pretending to be severely injured and tricking us to fall into his trap."
Li Tai laughed. "If it was This Prince, I would probably use Fourth Sir as a hostage to threaten Third Sir and Fifth Sir to go over voluntarily. However, as it is the Demon Sovereign, he wouldn't accept this humiliation, with his arrogant and overbearing temperament. If he is still able to fight, he wouldn't disdain to pretend and would directly come over to finish us."
Shi Jing said, "If it is a trap, someone will help us to stomp it."
"Fifth Sir is extremely correct." Li Tai rubbed his palms and laughed.
Shi Jing spoke, "Let's start our preparations then."
Li Tai and Master Mingfa departed. When they vanished, Nie Hua let out a long and smothered breath. "It is fine to deal with the Sixth Highness, but it is truly a headache to deal with that Demon Monk as well."
Shi Jing shook his head gently. "It is just a temporary stratagem to use a demon to deal with a demon. He probably won't do anything for us and will be acting pragmatically."
Demon Monk Mingfa originated from the Buddhist faction's number one sacred land, Qingliang Temple.
He betrayed the Qingliang Temple 30 years ago and obtained the title of Demon Monk in the martial world. However, he wasn't a member of the Demon Cult and actually had some hatred towards the Demon Cult.
He wasn't tolerated in the orthodox factions either and had a feud with the evil dao.
Mingfa then joined the Great Xia Empire and worked under the Xia Emperor directly, becoming the Great Xia Empire's consecrated expert. During normal times, he would be cultivating in seclusion and wouldn't exit easily. However, this trip to conquer the south was going to change the direction of the world to a certain extent. As such, experts from all over the Great Xia Empire were in this battle. Apart from the imperial clan's experts, consecrated experts like the Demon Monk Minga had no choice but to participate in the battle.
"Shi, Dao, and Ru — none of the Three Demons are good." Nie Hua shook his head. "The Xia Emperor is rather unscrupulous when trying to strengthen his power."
"Master and the Saber Sovereign have given him too much pressure. The Demon Sovereign came as an additional pressure," Shi Jing said. "Those Three Demons have also gone into seclusion because of it, and it is ultimately a good thing. There will be a time when crimes and sins will be settled. Right now, it is better to pay more attention to the south and north first."
Nie Hua changed the topic and said, "Now that you mention it, it was extremely dangerous to accompany me to see the Demon Sovereign. Why would Li Tai send his trusted aide 'Snow Tiger' to go with me instead of the Demon Monk? As a result, something really happened. His strongest subordinate had been killed by the Demon Sovereign. His residence only had one martial king, and now, that the martial king is dead. No number of martial masters would be able to compensate for the loss!"
Shi Jing said softly, "I am not certain, but it seems like 'Snow Tiger' Han Dao had been frequently seen with the First Highness. Sixth Highness might have been suspicious of Han Dao changing sides."
"…So that was the case." Nie Hua chuckled and said, "I felt that it was rather strange. When he saw Han Dao's corpse, he might have seemed like he was sad and lamenting, but there was a hidden cold ruthlessness. It turns out that it is actually intentional."
Shi Jing nodded silently before he looked far away and was lost in his thoughts.
"Are you worried about Fourth Junior and Young Lady Ying?" Nie Hua asked.
Shi Jing didn't deny it and gave a simple "mm".
"Fifth Junior, we have been too excessive with Young Lady Ying," Nie Hua said.
"Not we, it is me and Li Tai. It doesn't include you, Third Senior," Shi Jing said. "But the Demon Sovereign is powerful, and we cannot contest with him. In order to conduct the rescue, we have to do our best, and there are things we have to be ruthless about. I am truly ashamed towards Young Lady Ying."
Nie Hua took a deep breath and made sure only the two of them were around before he said with a deep voice, "Master is severely injured and has already used all sorts of spirit medicine. He will still need around a hundred days before recovering. I don't believe that the Demon Sovereign can recover so quickly. His Demon Cult might have sacred medicines, but they are likely not superior to the Central Province's miraculous elixirs!"
"Logically, it is indeed impossible," Shi Jing said. "But when crossing moves with the unrivaled great demon, it might not be enough even if we are most careful. It is hard to say if the opposition has any other methods. Take the Demon Cult's most mysterious cardinal artifact, the Ancient Divine Pot for example. Even until now, no one knows its exact details."
Nie Hua sighed and looked far away just like Shi Jing while feeling anxious for Ying Qingqing and Xie Xingmang.
Ying Qingqing's current feelings weren't as peaceful as her appearance either. While looking at that massive palace on the mountain peak, she had a certain hazy misconception. After entering the main hall, the vague feeling in her young lady's heart finally vanished. She looked up at the stairs within the main hall and saw a youth seated on the throne.
The youth's eyes were flickering with black radiance, and it was none other than Chen Luoyang.
"Young Lady Qingqing, I trust you have been well." Chen Luoyang's voice sounded very far away and faintly discernible. "You were once the guest of This Seat. You went somewhere else, and there are people who don't know the proper way of treating a guest. It has been difficult for you. This Seat had to teach them some manners."
Ying Qingqing bowed to Chen Luoyang and responded, "Thank you, Cult Master Chen."
"Did Nie Hua and the others play any tricks?" Chen Luoyang asked.
Ying Qingqing stayed silent for a moment while the martial master that escorted her said, "Reporting to Cult Master Chen, the Sword Pavilion's Third Sir and Fifth Sir have a letter for you."
Chen Luoyang remained in his place while Vajra received the letter and inspected it before handing it to Chen Luoyang. When Chen Luoyang opened it up and read the contents, he raised his brows slightly. He put down the letter and looked at Ying Qingqing. "Nie Hua and Shi Jing crippled your sword dao cultivation?"