A group of demonic cultivators is fighting against the Murim Alliance.
The situation looks bad for Justice as their crazed opponent uses whatever there is to their advantage to survive.
"UCK!!"
A demonic cultivator kicks dirt into the eyes of his opponent and quickly stabs him from behind.
Despite the difference in cultivation, the demonic vicious methods overwhelm the chivalrous demeanour of the Murim Alliance cultivators.
"Hold on! Reinforcements will be here soon!" Says a man from the Murim Alliance, he seems to be the commander of the group.
"Too bad." Says a deep voice in his shadows.
!
The commander gathers static electricity around his fist and punches the shadow, the discharge of explosions crumbles the floor. The demonic cultivator sweeps out in time for a counterattack.
It failed as the commander erects a barrier using an artifact to propel the demonic cultivator away.
An eerie mist of aura seeps out of his opponent... The commander felt a chill down his spine.
It's infuriating. The difference in strength is obvious yet the demons are moving like an annoying bug that won't stop pestering. Their techniques are fatal yet inaccurate and their footwork is swift but obvious, which created a sense of anxiety.
The commander manages to grab the demonic cultivator as he leaps around.
"Finally!" However, the demonic cultivator hugs the commander instead of resisting while his allies disregard him and attack the commander.
?!
Before the swords reach the commander's neck, all three attackers were decapitated by a sudden wind.
The commander takes that chance and kills the one clinging to him, pushing his corpse away. "You are..." He mumbles.
"Meirong." She says. "Focus on them."
The commander nods and both charge in. Swiftly, the petty tricks of the demonic no longer work effectively with Meirong covering for the commander. The warriors under the commander step in and match with their momentum, slowly pushing the demonic cultivator back.
"D-Damn it!!" A demonic cultivator shouts when his sword shatters.
"Surrender and I will spare you." Says the commander.
It is blatantly obvious what awaits him if he surrenders. The demonic cultivator takes a final plunge of desperation as he sets off a set of discharges in the Qi of his body.
!!
The demonic cultivator runs at the commander, attempting to self-destruct yet Meirong's intervention stabilised the Qi in his body with one strike of acupuncture and knocks him out.
Seeing absolutely no chance of overturning the battle with Meirong here, the demonic cultivators retreated.
Meirong squeezes her eyes.
"It's weird. Why would they leave a potential traitor that can be extorted for information?" Meirong mumbles.
!!
Meirong pulls open the mouth of the man and realizes a residue of a poison pill remains between his teeth. The bastard committed suicide.
"It's alright." Says the commander. "Thank you for your help. I am Jang Qi Kai, the commander of the 25th group in the Murin Alliance."
"I am Meirong, a loose cultivator."
"Ah! You are the one who was keeping all the criminals on their toes. Thank you once again. Thanks to your appearance as a vigilante, many organisations have come out of hiding and made our lives easier."
Meirong nods.
"Do you have any questions? We can assist you as much as we can. For now, could you take some time to meet the elders? They are eager to meet the young lady." Says Qi Kai.
...
Meirong agrees.
The attacked city being ravaged made her notice she won't be able to defeat evil alone.
Survivors came out of hiding as they thank the cultivators for their help.
Many mortals went to scavenge for their loved ones or belongings in the rubble. A group of men is attempting to lift a huge pile of rocks away from what seems to be a barely alive survivor.
"Miss Meirong? What's wrong?" Qi Kai says when he notices Meirong starting at that group.
Meirong walks to them and digs into the rock with her fingers before effortlessly shifting it aside. The rock reveals a crushed and bleeding woman, grasping the child under her body to protect him.
"Doctor! Doctor! We have someone injured!" The man shouts.
An old man in a green robe walks to the woman and sighs. "She can be saved but the cost will be abundant. Is anyone here willing to pay?" He says in a sly tone.
"Ugh..." Although the men are willing to help, money is the most important asset of survival.
Meirong glares at the doctor and shoves him aside.
?!
"What are you-"
"I can save her." Says Meirong. She takes out a batch of blue grass and crushes them in her hands. Afterwards, Meirong them on the wounds of the woman and circulated Qi around the patient's body.
The grass glows and integrates itself onto the wound, acting as a temporary skin and improving the recovery rate.
"A-Azure dragon grass?! Brat, where did you get that?" The old man exclaims.
Meirong ignores her and checks the woman, she opens her eye and glance at her saviour.
"Your child is fine." Meirong smiles at the lady who returned a weak smile.
Bystanders around glare at the old doctor who grits his teeth in embarrassment. "Y-You dare humiliate me like this? I am an elder from the Medicine sect of Juhong."
"Did I ask?" Says Meirong.
"I-I..." The elder mumbles.
Meirong returns to Qi Kai and they continue.
Unbeknownst to Meirong, Qi Kai and his subordinates glare at Meirong for her mindless unnecessary consideration.
They arrive at tall buildings constructed on the walls of the mountain near the border city of Juhong. Many people are moving in and out of the place with carriages of goods and weapons.
It is one of the headquarters of the Murim Alliance. Meirong instinctively thought because of the large number of barriers surrounding it.
Qi Kai guides Meirong into the gargantuan tower in the middle. From the inside, many ancient paintings that excrete a deafening aura fill the wall. Domineering...
Meirong is ushered by Qi Kai to a room, where a bearded man stands on the other end. He seemed to have patiently waited for Meirong.
"Good evening, Head Chief. I've brought her as you commanded." Says Qi Kai who bows.
"Good job. You may leave." The bearded man says.
Qi Kai bows and leaves the room, closing the door on his way out.
"Have a seat, I am the head chief of the Murim Alliance, Huang Zhiwang."
Meirong refuses to comply and stands firmly with her sword.
...
"I will respect your cautious decision." Says Zhiwang, sitting on the chair himself. "Young lady, I will get to the point. The Murim Alliance wants to support you, we can provide information about notorious organisations and develop a unit that caters to your strength, helping you if you choose to."
"You are providing information for free?" Meirong asks.
"An enemy of an enemy is a friend. Since we have a common goal, there is no harm in helping you." Says Zhiwang.
...
"I understand. Is there anything else?" Says Meirong.
Zhiwang slips a circular silver coin out of his robe and tosses it to Meirong, she catches it. "With that coin, you have the authority of a chief and can request various help and orders with any Murim Alliance headquarters in Kunlai." Says Zhiwang.
...
Meirong swiftly pretends to leave the headquarters after she is done and set up an array to spy on Zhiwang's conversation with Qi Kai about her.
"You are giving her that much authority?" Exclaims Qi Kai.
"I understand your thoughts. But her position is only temporary, we will dispose of her once we are done. Don't you know how much we can profit from her image and action? The number of commissions will increase and we can charge our patrons more!"
Meirong clenches her fist. Her master's word of advice was right. They warned her that nobody should be trusted in the Murim Alliance, It is a place full of hypocrites that play with the lives of the weak. In fact, the Murim Alliance is the vicious one when compared to the demonic sects.
The only possibility of victory against manipulation is being manipulative. Meirong needs the Murim Alliance's support, at least for now before she develops a reliable organisation, one that is loyal and dedicated to helping the weak.
On a side note, Meirong's strength is lacking... She sets off for the land of fairies to collect a certain material essential to make a breakthrough.
-------------------
At the Heavenly Divine Dragon Sect
-------------------
"Li Ye, I will be entering seclusion for a long time," I say.
"Ah, noted. I wish the Patriarch best of luck."
When Li Ye's attention is on me, Li Ruo sneaks in and slips a piece of admission paper into the pile already on Li Ye's desk.
As the Patriarch of the sect, I've attracted too much attention for me to freely move without anyone noticing.
I want to become an outer disciple to keep an eye on that mysterious lady and at the same time, establish a new identity...