Chapter 1 Silence

Mu Hanfeng and the other two left their swords and departed, leaving a brief silence before the mountain.

“Seeing as it’s nearly noon, we should ascend the mountain! We can contemplate the mysteries of this Sword-Unsheathing Stone later!”

After a moment of silence, Zhao Changlin flicked his sleeves and said loudly, “What do you all think?”

“Indeed!”

Mr. Lan Da retracted his gaze and echoed the sentiment.

While they were interested in seeing the reaction of the Wan Jian Villa's people, they were also greatly drawn to the stone tablet.

Mu Hanfeng could perceive the mystery within it, and so could they.

“That’s right.”

Jin Tonghua of Da Long Men and Yuan Baifei of Zhen Gang Dao exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

Zhao Changlin casually tossed his weapon, a stream of light piercing the mountainside and lodging itself hilt-deep.

Jin Tonghua and Yuan Baifei also threw their respective weapons, embedding them into the opposite cliff face.

Only Mr. Lan Da removed his weapon and calmly handed it to a Xia Yi Men disciple who was welcoming guests nearby. “May I ask, young brother, what did Daoist Wang Quan say when he erected this stone tablet?”

The others also looked towards the disciple.

The Xia Yi Men disciple was first taken aback, then composed himself, adopted the posture, and spoke in the tone he remembered, saying blandly, “If weapons are drawn on my mountain, I fear the world has become a Shura field.”

Mr. Lan Da and the others felt a jolt in their hearts, followed by admiration.

The meaning of Daoist Wang Quan's words was clear: once one sheathed their sword and ascended the mountain, no one would be harmed.

Plain words revealing absolute confidence.

Of course, this was only limited to those who sheathed their swords to ascend the mountain.

However, with this Sword-Unsheathing Stone present, it seemed that only Divine Meridian experts could ascend the mountain while armed.

Divine Meridian experts had already fused their weapons into their bodies, making it impossible to sheathe their swords.

Because a Divine Meridian weapon leaving the body had another name.

Weapon Dismemberment.

As the group ascended the mountain one after another, the other martial artists had nothing to say.

Such experts were sheathing their swords to ascend the mountain, what more could they say?

Immediately, these martial artists all unfastened their weapons.

The welcoming disciples also stepped aside, allowing the many martial artists to ascend the mountain.

The steps of Wang Quan Mountain were thick and even, seemingly constructed from large blocks of stone.

Mu Hanfeng strode forward.

Behind him, Mu Fengliu couldn't help but ask, "Seventh Uncle, why did you just sheathe your sword like that? Wouldn't that make people think we're afraid of Daoist Wang Quan?"

Mu Hanfeng didn't break his stride, saying nonchalantly, "If you have a sword in your heart, what does it matter whether you have one in your hand?"

Mu Fengliu was speechless. "Seventh Uncle, can't you speak properly? Do you have to speak in riddles even with your nephew?"

Mu Hanfeng’s mouth twitched. “You’re right, I am afraid.”

“Ah?”

Mu Fengliu was stunned.

Although he called him Seventh Uncle, Mu Hanfeng was only ten years older than him, but he had already condensed his Qi Meridian and was an absolute expert, a genius, by any measure.

Moreover, he was unruly and often disrespected the older generation.

And now he was revealing his fear?

It would be one thing if it were a person, but it was just a stone tablet.

Mu Qingliu thoughtfully interjected, "Seventh Uncle, are you saying there's more to that stone tablet than meets the eye?"

“Indeed!”

Mu Hanfeng gave Mu Qingliu an approving look. "If I'm not mistaken, that stone tablet contains a wisp of Daoist Wang Quan's divine will. If one insists on ascending the mountain armed, I fear it will activate that divine will."

"Leaving behind a wisp of divine will for such a trivial matter?"

Mu Fengliu was somewhat doubtful.

What difference did it make whether one carried a weapon up the mountain or not?

If one didn't intend to be an enemy, carrying a weapon wouldn't make them an enemy. If one intended to be an enemy, a mere Sword-Unsheathing Stone wouldn't stop all enemies, would it?

"It's just like how my Wan Jian Villa only allows swordsmen to enter."

Mu Hanfeng's eyes gleamed. "This person is establishing rules."

"Establishing rules..."

Mu Fengliu closed his mouth.

Wang Quan Mountain wasn't tall, only a few dozen zhang, so with their speed, it naturally didn't take long for them to reach the summit.

........

Three great suns hung high in the sky, scattering golden rays that shone upon the continuous snowfields.

"Da Feng, it's been so long since I've been here. I truly miss it. The last time I came here must have been twenty years ago! Wang Quan Dao, Daoist Wang Quan, in just two years, he's gone from a dying old man to the top expert in the world, even killing Hong Ri…"

Yang She strolled along the official road covered in snow.

His figure was burly and tall, yet he wore a long robe like an accountant, making one worry that his clothes would burst.

His body emitted a hazy mist, and within its veiled glimpses, his facial features were constantly changing.

Male and female, young and old, handsome and ugly, all freely transformed.

"That old thing, Hong Ri, relied on his seniority for so many years. It's good that he died. It's a pity that his beautiful disciple, Bai Xian'er, seems to have disappeared without a trace…"

Yang She muttered to himself, but his pace was extremely fast, and with a few strides, he had already crossed the long official road.

Seeing Wang Quan Mountain standing at the end of the official road, he said, "I wonder if this Daoist Wang Quan can receive the Sect Leader's…"

"Invitation!"

Amidst the howling wind and snow, his faint words scattered into the blizzard.

.......

The summit of Wang Quan Mountain was flat, as if it had been sliced by a sword.

A brand-new Daoist temple stood at the end of the jade-like platform, the temple not large, only about a few li in size.

The summit was very quiet, but it wasn't deserted; there were many people.

Mu Hanfeng raised his eyes to look.

He saw that there were no fewer than two thousand people on the large platform, seated on the left and right sides, leaving a wide gap in the middle.

Following this gap, he could see.

At the end of the road, before the Daoist temple, sat a white-robed Daoist.

Beside him sat Wang Jianglong, the chief of the Beggars' Sect, Xia Wang Yun Haitian of Xia Yi Men, San Yin of Huang Jue Temple, and the monk San Mu.

Behind the Daoist was a gate with a peculiar pattern, two-colored throughout, like two black-and-white fish circling each other.

The pattern was unprecedented, with black in white and white in black, their tails intertwined, giving one an indescribable Daoist aura at a glance.

The Daoist sat before that strange pattern, his expression calm, but his aura was heavy and profound, like mountains and deep seas, or like the starry sky suspended high above.

Looking at him, one couldn't help but feel great freedom, and couldn't help but fall into tranquility.

He could feel that this vast summit was enveloped by an invisible and intangible force field.

The reason why the square where thousands of people had gathered was so silent was because of this Daoist.

"Such formidable divine will!"

Mu Hanfeng felt a jolt in his heart, and a sense of awe arose spontaneously.

Beside him, Mu Fengliu and Mu Qingliu could barely stand on their feet in this intangible force field.

"Wan Jian Villa has come uninvited to congratulate the Daoist on establishing his sect!"

Mu Hanfeng took a deep breath and said loudly.

His voice was high-pitched and soaring into the clouds, resounding for dozens of li around, instantly breaking the tranquility of the summit.

Swish swish swish~

On the summit, thousands of martial artists turned their heads together to look at the three of them, as well as Zhao Changlin, Mr. Lan Da, and the others who had just arrived.

"Ji Shen Zong congratulates the Daoist on establishing his sect…"

"Da Long Men…"

"Bai Yue Villa…"

"Zhen Gang Dao…"

Zhao Changlin, Mr. Lan Da, and the others also felt a jolt in their hearts, and then clasped their hands in unison and spoke loudly.

The sound of true qi surging, together with Mu Hanfeng's lingering voice, resounded through the clouds and the summit.

"Guests have come from afar."

An Qisheng slowly raised his hand, pressed down slightly, and the sound waves echoing in the sky seemed to vanish in an instant.

"Please, be seated!"

An Qisheng's voice was neither high-pitched nor resounding, but simply calm, yet it immediately suppressed the voices of the five, which were amplified by their surging true qi and internal force.

The entire square instantly calmed down, without the slightest ripple.

The five glanced at each other, presented their gifts, and took their seats.

"The Daoist's martial arts are becoming increasingly supernatural."

Wang Jianglong couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Sound waves were intangible, easy to suppress, but extremely difficult to eliminate. However, as soon as An Qisheng spoke, the voices of the five disappeared on their own. This technique was something he was seeing for the first time.

"Just a few small tricks. If Brother Wang is interested, I'll teach you later."

An Qisheng looked down at the entire square, his eyes deep and calm.

Wang Jianglong smiled and nodded. "To be honest, I'm very interested."

Any martial art was extremely valuable, let alone An Qisheng's 'small trick'?

Other Divine Meridian grandmasters might feel it was a bit embarrassing to ask someone for guidance, but he naturally wouldn't have such thoughts.

Coming from the Beggars' Sect, what hadn't he experienced?

His Dragon Subduing Palm was formed by gathering the various martial arts of the Beggars' Sect.

Yun Haitian looked at the sun hanging high in the sky and cupped his hands slightly. "Brother, everyone who should come has come. It's time to begin."

"Not yet."

An Qisheng raised his hand slightly, his gaze leisurely falling down the mountain.

"There is still one who has not arrived…"

“Hmm?”

Yun Haitian and Wang Jianglong had a slight thought in their hearts and looked down the mountain.

Rumble!

Only the sound of booming waves was heard down the mountain, as if thunder was rolling down from the mountain.

As the sound rose and fell, a hurricane had already roared in, blowing across the vast square, causing the clothes of more than a thousand people to flutter.

"Who is it?"

Everyone was shocked.

Looking back, they saw that at the end of the mountain road steps, on the edge of the summit, in the gradually falling airflow, a burly man in a long robe stood tall, his constantly changing facial features turning into a rough, cold, and hard face as the airflow fell.

And thick beards grew out one by one.

"Unfixed features, the Hundred Transformations Demon Lord, Yang She!"

"The master of the Six Prisons Demonic Sect, a Divine Meridian expert, Yang She?!"

"People from the Six Prisons Demonic Sect are also here?"

Exclamations rang out in the square, and many people recognized Yang She's identity.

Some subconsciously wanted to draw their swords, but after touching empty air, they secretly cried out in dismay. Many of them had arrived in Nanliang County early and knew of the Sword-Unsheathing Stone's existence, so they hadn't brought any weapons.

"Daoist Wang Quan?"

Yang She stood coldly, his arm drooping, and a seven-foot-long, ferocious curved saber had already appeared in his palm.

"I heard that you erected a Sword-Unsheathing Stone at the foot of this mountain. It doesn't seem to have much meaning…"

His voice was neither high nor low, but the sarcasm within it was overflowing.

Before the mountain gate, many people's expressions changed secretly.

"Allowing you to carry your saber up the mountain…"

An Qisheng rested his hands on the armrests of the grand master's chair, his expression serene with a hint of coldness.

"Is because I fear you won't die convinced!"