Chapter 340: Ancient Heavenly Blade

"And by the way, what exactly are we supposed to do once we get to that godforsaken place? Are we just going sightseeing? These brothers are risking their lives following you—don't you think they deserve to know what they're up against?!"

This question was blunt, but it voiced the thoughts of nearly everyone present.

The noisy dining hall fell silent instantly; everyone put down their chopsticks or wine cups, their gazes all snapping toward Tong Tong Shoutian at the head table.

Chen Mu also slightly lifted his eyes, looking at this young master of Icefire Island.

Seeing this, Tong Tong Shoutian showed no anger; instead, he smiled faintly, set down his wine cup, and rose calmly to his feet.

He swept his gaze across the room, letting it linger on each face, his voice clear and steady: "Since Brother Lu has asked, and all these heroes wish to know, I, Shoutian, will no longer beat around the bush."

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, then spoke loudly: "The reason I've summoned you all to 'Ghost Wail Island' is not without purpose. Recently, I discovered a long-hidden secret from an ancient, fragmented manuscript I happened upon."

A flicker of excitement and curiosity shone in his eyes as he spoke, each word deliberate.

"There is a very high chance that an ancient, forgotten ruin lies on Ghost Wail Island! And based on scattered records and pattern comparisons in the manuscript, this ruin is likely left behind by the legendary, world-dominating sect of the Tiandao Sect from ancient times!"

"What?"

"The Tiandao Sect?!"

"An ancient ruin of the Tiandao Sect?!"

…

As Tong Tong Shoutian finished speaking, the entire hall was stunned.

Gasps, exclamations, and sharp intakes of breath rose in waves.

The ancient Tiandao Sect!

That was the colossal force said to have dominated the Dao of the blade and ruled an entire era!

Its ruin likely still holds lost supreme sword techniques, divine weapons, and even pills capable of Breakthrough Realm.

For any martial artist, especially blade users, this was an irresistible temptation!

Even Chen Mu, in the corner, flickered with surprise.

He hadn't expected that a spur-of-the-moment plan to get close to the "Jianzhuang" breastplate would uncover an ancient secret like the Tiandao Sect.

Ghost Wail Island, it seemed, was no ordinary deserted isle.

And Tong Tong Shoutian's timing in revealing this was clearly meant to ignite everyone's passion and forge stronger cohesion within the expedition team.

The atmosphere in the dining hall was instantly ignited by this explosive news!

"The Tiandao Sect! The legendary supreme technique, 'Heavenly Blade'—that's the ancient art said to have directly clashed with the ancient 'Heavenly Sword'! If one could glimpse even a shred of its true meaning…"

"Who can deny it? Even if you just got one true 'Heavenly Blade,' even the lowest-grade mid-tier Xuan Weapon, you'd rule a region!"

"Pah! You dare dream that big! The Heavenly Blade is no ordinary artifact! Without Earth Altar Realm cultivation and a matching Dao of the Blade, trying to control it would only get you ripped apart by its blade qi! I ask for little—just find a fragment of the Heavenly Blade, meditate on the lingering blade intent, and I'd be satisfied."

"The ruin surely holds more than just the Heavenly Blade—maybe pills, cultivation methods, other treasures…"

…

The dining hall was instantly filled with a feverish, greedy atmosphere.

The martial artists, especially those clearly using blades, were flushed with excitement, breathing Coarse and Heavy, as if the supreme arts and divine weapons were already reaching out to them.

All prior impatience and uncertainty vanished under the weight of those five words: "Tiandao Sect ruin."

Chen Mu sat in the corner, sipping his wine slowly, watching coldly as the others burned with excitement and fantasy.

He was far calmer than any of them.

The name "Tiandao Sect" was indeed terrifying, but Tong Tong Shoutian's actions themselves reeked of deceit.

If Ghost Wail Island truly held a well-preserved, clearly identified ancient ruin of the Tiandao Sect—with unimaginable wealth and legacy—it would be the first priority of any faction to keep it secret, to explore it alone, to monopolize the gains.

But what did Tong Tong Shoutian do?

He didn't keep it secret—he openly recruited unknown, unevenly cultivated "outsiders" across the city, forming this so-called "expedition team."

It was like handing a chunk of meat to hungry wolves and ringing bells to announce there was food here.

Anything out of the ordinary must conceal a trick.

The only explanation: the dangers on Ghost Wail Island far surpassed ordinary imagination!

The Tong family may have tried before—and suffered heavy losses—or assessed that their own strength alone couldn't succeed, perhaps not even reach the ruin's entrance.

That's why they needed these "outsiders" to scout ahead, trigger traps, and exhaust any deadly prohibitions or guardian forces.

Put plainly—in Tong Tong Shoutian's eyes, this "expedition team" was a suicide squad!

He was using the lives of these recruited martial artists to pave the path to the ruin—for his Tong family, or more precisely, for himself, Tong Tong Shoutian.

As for the promised rewards?

You've got to be alive to collect them.

Even if someone somehow got a treasure from the ruin, on this remote island, in the Tong family's territory, whether they could truly take it away remained uncertain.

Chen Mu saw it all clearly, but had no intention of exposing it.

These people were blinded by the "Heavenly Blade," willingly becoming stepping stones—why should he interfere?

Each person has their own fate, their own choices.

Besides, his original goal was merely to get close to Tong Tong Shoutian and obtain the "Jianzhuang" breastplate.

Now that the ancient secret of the Tiandao Sect had surfaced, it had stirred his own interest.

The Tiandao Sect's legacy, especially that "Heavenly Blade" technique said to rival the "Heavenly Sword"—if he could glimpse it, it would greatly aid his own martial cultivation, offering insight and cross-pollination.

As for danger?

Chen Mu had confidence he could handle it.

If things turned hopeless, with his strength and hidden cards, he could escape safely.

As for the others' fates… if you choose to take risks, you must be ready to bear the consequences!

At the head table, Tong Tong Shoutian smiled, satisfied as he watched the martial artists before him, their blood boiling from the name "Tiandao Sect."

That was exactly the effect he wanted.

When the crowd had finished discussing, he clapped his hands lightly.

Clap, clap~

The crisp sound of his palms silenced the noisy dining hall gradually; everyone turned to look at him again, their eyes filled with anticipation and urgency.

Tong Tong Shoutian cleared his throat and spoke loudly, "Heroes and worthies, your spirit moves me! Since all of you are interested in the ruins of the Tiandao Sect, it is time we discuss the specifics."

He suppressed his smile, his expression growing more solemn. "First, we depart at dawn three days from now, when the tide is most favorable."

"We will board the specially crafted sea vessel of my Tong family; in about half a day's voyage, we will reach the waters near Ghost Wail Island!"