Chapter 31

Departing Sword Form, Sweeping Sword Form, Frustrating Sword Form, Breaking Sword Form, Waving Sword Form, Falling Sword Form, Lifting Sword Form...

Every form was elegant and unrestrained, ranking among the most handsome sword techniques in the history of martial arts dramas.

Furthermore, although it was not as comprehensive as the original, its offensive initiative was stronger, rather than waiting for the opponent to strike first before countering move for move.

Therefore, in the minds of some, that version of the "Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu" was even more authentic than the one in the original work!

Thus, Jiang Sishui began to wonder if he could comprehend those few forms from the film version.

If successful, setting aside other factors, in terms of aesthetic beauty alone, even Ye Gucheng's "Heavenly Fly Immortal" might not compare.

It was absolutely a supreme tool for showing off and flirting with beauties!

While Jiang Sishui was learning the "Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu," Yao Yue, after four days of long-distance travel, finally arrived at Mount Mount Wuliang.

Gazing at the continuous, undulating mountain range before her, Yao Yue couldn't help but glance back at the maids of Shifted Flower Palace behind her, her brows knitting together.

With so few people, entering Mount Mount Wuliang was like dropping a single drop of water into a river; how could one possibly hope to find a place where a secret manual was hidden?

Thinking of this, Yao Yue felt like biting Jiang Sishui; why hadn't he spoken clearly!

"Hmm? Wu Wu Ya Zi... the Northern Nether Divine Art... judging by the diary's content, there must be a connection between the two."

"Perhaps the 'Northern Nether Divine Art' was Wu Wu Ya Zi's signature skill, which he then left behind in Mount Mount Wuliang."

"The Zhenlong Chess Array has been set up for twenty years, meaning that when he stayed in Mount Mount Wuliang, it was at least twenty years ago!"

"This makes it even harder to find."

"However, a figure of such stature living in Mount Mount Wuliang could not have remained obscure; perhaps the local sects know some old secrets."

Upon this thought, Yao Yue felt a sudden clarity and said lightly, "Yue Nu."

Hua Yue Nu hurried forward and respectfully replied, "Great Palace Master, your servant is here."

"What sects are in Mount Mount Wuliang?"

She only asked what sects existed, not inquiring about their strength.

This was because, overtly speaking, within Yunzhou, the only two that made her wary were the Dali Imperial Family and the Diancang Sect.

"There are two sects in Mount Mount Wuliang: one is the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect, and the other is the Five Poisons Sect."

"The Mount Wuliang Sword Sect is closer to here; it is divided into Eastern and Western branches. The Eastern Branch Master is Zuo Zuo Zimu, and the Western Branch Master is Xin Shuangqing; neither exceeds the Innate Realm."

"The Five Poisons Sect is on the other side of Mount Mount Wuliang; its sect master is Senior Senior Dugu Ba, who is said to possess formidable martial arts, having once killed a late-stage Grandmaster with a single move, though no one knows his exact strength."

"Of course, Senior Senior Dugu Ba is certainly no match for the Great Palace Master."

Hua Yue Nu casually offered a piece of flattery.

Yao Yue ignored Hua Yue Nu's praise and murmured, "Five Poisons Sect? The founding ancestor, the Five Poisons Divine Lord, was indeed formidable back in the day, but unfortunately, the sect has declined now."

When the Five Poisons Divine Lord was alive, the Five Poisons Sect was at the height of its power, forcing even the Shifted Flower Palace of that time to avoid its sharp edge.

Now fortune has turned; the current Shifted Flower Palace has entered the era of 'Bright Moon, Lone Star,' and its strength has overwhelmingly surpassed that of the other side.

As for that Senior Senior Dugu Ba, Yao Yue did not regard him with any concern.

No matter how deeply the opponent hid, as long as they had not entered the Heavenly Human realm, she feared them not in the slightest.

"Since the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect is closer, let us go find them first."

"Yes, Great Palace Master."

"With the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect's strength being so lowly, instead of uniting against external threats, they have split into Eastern and Western branches; what is the reason for this?"

"It is said to be a struggle over the right to reside in the Sword Lake Palace."

"Oh? Is there anything special about that Sword Lake Palace?"

"Opposite the Sword Lake Palace is a stone wall where 'Immortals Dancing with Swords' is said to frequently appear."

"Immortals Dancing with Swords?" Yao Yue narrowed her phoenix eyes, detecting a hint of something unusual in the air.

Without asking further, she led the maids straight toward the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect.

Following behind, Hua Yue Nu watched Yao Yue's back, a trace of worry flowing in her eyes.

In five days, she had gained nearly half a year's worth of true energy and was on the verge of breaking through to the next realm.

If this trend continued, the fact that she possessed a copy of the diary would absolutely not remain hidden.

As Yao Yue's personal maid, she knew all too well the other's domineering personality of placing herself above all others.

If Yao Yue discovered she possessed something identical to her own, there was no guarantee that Yao Yue wouldn't do something to her.

Precisely because of this, Hua Yue Nu had never dared to tell Yao Yue the truth.

Including this journey to Mount Mount Wuliang; she understood Yao Yue's purpose yet had to pretend ignorance.

"Diary copy, oh diary copy, are you ultimately my fortune or my calamity?"

Hua Yue Nu sighed inwardly.

The group made no attempt to conceal their tracks, heading straight for the Mount Wuliang Palace.

However, upon arriving, they found the architectural complex already deserted.

There were no signs of fighting at the scene, yet tables and chairs were overturned everywhere, and various pieces of furniture were askew, as if the original inhabitants had fled in a panic.

"Could it be... that the Five Poisons Sect came to attack the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect, and the latter heard wind of it and fled in advance?"

Hua Yue Nu cautiously voiced her guess.

The moment her words fell, a gust of wind swept past her side, leaving the spot empty.

Hua Yue Nu was stunned; turning to look, she saw that although Yao Yue had not moved from head to toe, her body had already shot out, swift beyond measure.

The entire process seemed as if she were riding the wind!

By the time Hua Yue Nu recovered from the shock of Yao Yue's world-shocking lightness skill, the latter was already fifty zhang away.

Yao Yue flicked her long sleeve, sweeping out a surge of fierce wind, instantly blasting a middle-aged man hiding behind a bush out into the open.

The middle-aged man spat blood, his pale face unable to hide his shock as he looked incredulously at the breathtakingly beautiful young woman before him.

He never expected that despite the great distance between them, the slight noise he had just made would be detected by her.

Is this even human?!

He did not know the mystery of the "Jade Maiden Art," one aspect of which was greatly enhancing one's hearing.

At Yao Yue's current realm, as long as she focused her mind, her range of hearing could extend as far as a hundred zhang!

Yao Yue naturally had no intention of explaining this to him; looking down from above at the middle-aged man, she said indifferently, "Speak. Who are you?"

Her voice was clear and cold, ethereal and elusive, impossible to grasp; within her indifferent tone lay a hint of ruthlessness that sent a chill through the middle-aged man's heart.

He dared not act tough and hurriedly replied, "Replying to the female hero, this humble one is Gong Gong Guangjie, a disciple of the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect."

A disciple of the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect?

A slight joy arose in Yao Yue's heart, and she asked again, "Why is the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect completely empty? Explain the entire course of events clearly."

"Yes, yes!" Gong Gong Guangjie dared not disobey and immediately poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube, recounting the events of the past few days in full detail.

Three days ago, two young girls arrived at Mount Wuliang Palace, specifically demanding an audience with the Sect Master, Zuo Zuo Zimu.

After Zuo Zuo Zimu received them, the other party actually ordered him to lead the way to the forbidden grounds of the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect.

Zuo Zuo Zimu naturally refused; seeing their attitude was unyielding, he acted to test the two girls' strength.

Unexpectedly, after exchanging only a single palm strike, Zuo Zuo Zimu succumbed to poison and died on the spot.

Within Yunzhou, the greatest sect specializing in poison was none other than the Five Poisons Sect, which happened to be the neighbor of the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect.

In recent years, perhaps fearing the suspicion of the Dali royal family, the Five Poisons Sect had kept a low profile, almost never proactively stirring up trouble or massacring sects, thus maintaining a peaceful coexistence with the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect.

But who could guarantee the Five Poisons Sect would remain this way forever?

Seeing their Sect Master dead, all the disciples assumed the Five Poisons Sect was about to move against the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect, so they scattered in a panic.

Gong Gong Guangjie was no exception.

However, before leaving, he saw those two girls capture his Martial Uncle, Rong Ziju, and force him to lead the way to the forbidden grounds behind the mountain.

Yet in the days that followed, disciples who lingered around the perimeter of the Mount Wuliang Sword Sect never detected any invading actions from the Five Poisons Sect.

It seemed they had been frightening themselves all along.

Thus, people gradually began sneaking back to Mount Wuliang Palace to investigate the situation, and Gong Gong Guangjie was one of them.

However, he was rather unlucky; just as he reached the edge of Mount Wuliang Palace, a commotion arose from below the mountain.

Gong Gong Guangjie dared not make a sound and lay flat on the ground, not daring to move a muscle.

Only when Yao Yue and her group had moved far away did he assume he would not be exposed and attempt to slip down the mountain.

Who would have known that the moment he moved, he would be discovered by Yao Yue.

And so, the current scene came to pass.

"Two young girls... the forbidden grounds behind the mountain..."