Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 201: Full of Mysteries, Meeting the Previous Generation of Jing Ni
"Brother Chen Sheng!"

At the Shennong Hall's headquarters, the hall master, Zhu Jia, looked at the mirror-like surface of the lake and quietly greeted the man beside him.

"What do you want from me?"

Chen Sheng looked at the lake and remained silent for a moment before asking a question. This man seemed to dislike beating around the bush and went straight to the point.

When Zhu Jia heard Chen Sheng's words, he shook his head helplessly.

"Brother, you're still as impatient as ever."

Chen Sheng snorted and said somewhat unhappily, "After all this talk, it's still the same old stuff. I don't have time to guess. If there's something you need, just get straight to the point. If it works, I'll agree. If not, you can go find someone else."

The Zhu family member's face changed masks back and forth, finally settling on a blue mask.

He then said in a deep voice, "Brother, do you know why the Heroic Leader invited that young Grandmaster from the Heavenly Sect this time?"

Chen Sheng raised an eyebrow. Tian Guang had already explained this to them before. The reason why Taoism was so popular was because of two things: one was blank paper and the other was refined salt.

Farmers aren't particularly interested in paper, but refined salt is a different story.

"Isn't it because of the refined salt?"

Upon hearing this, the mask on Zhu Jia's face changed again, turning into a yellow mask.

He then continued, "Is it just because of refined salt? Have you ever thought that if Xia Kui really intends to do so, then the people he invited should not be Qingxu, but Chisongzi and Xiaoyaozi, since these two masters are the current leaders of Taoism?"

Chen Sheng crossed his arms and frowned.

"I've already said it, just say what you mean, I don't have time to think about those things!"

Faced with this burly man, Zhu Jia shook his head, but he couldn't do anything about him. As the head of the Kuiwei Hall, the man was of equal status to him.

"I suspect that the refined salt came from this young grandmaster. Xia Kui invited Qingxu here because the refined salt is indeed good, but what Xia Kui wants to do is not an ordinary business, but a business that is extremely profitable."

Upon hearing the other party's words, Chen Sheng was taken aback for a moment, then said coldly, "Zhu family, be careful with your words."

Upon hearing this, the Zhu family chuckled.

"Brother Chen Sheng, this is just my guess! As for what the leader of the knights is really thinking, no one can be sure before things happen."

Chen Sheng stood quietly to the side for a while, then spoke up: "What are your plans?"

Zhu Jia sighed softly.

From the perspective of farmers, if Hikaru Wakata really has this plan, it would be a good thing for them.

However, from the perspective of chivalry and morality, it's a different story. In addition, the Zhu family has always been wary of Taoism.

From the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods onward, various schools of thought emerged, but if we were to ask which school had the most profound influence on the learning of the Hundred Schools of Thought, there would be only one answer—Taoism.

Over time, the original Taoism split into three schools: the Heavenly School, the Human School, and the Yin-Yang School, but all three remain formidable forces.

Of course, talking about these things might be a bit far-fetched, but based on the current apparent combat strength of the Heavenly Sect, the Farmers' Clan is already finding it extremely difficult to cope.

It is widely rumored that the six elders of the Six Sages Tomb of the Farmer are all Grandmasters in strength, but those within the family know their own situation, and the six elders are far from what is said.

If the Grandmasters of the world were divided into several levels, then these six would be the weakest Grandmasters. The Farmer's Clan possesses the Twenty-Four Earthly Arrays, which can connect the auras of each individual, multiplying the power of the arrays.

He had heard some secrets from his master: these six people were originally unable to break through to the Grandmaster realm. Later, with the help of the Twenty-Four Earthly Array, the power of the six people was gathered to help one person break through, which is how the six Grandmasters came to be.

However, precisely because of this, their strength was greatly affected, and if they fought one-on-one, they were no match for other grandmasters.

That's why when they besieged Bai Qi, the Lord of Wu'an, the Qin state, they chose to send out six people together, because they were afraid that Bai Qi would turn the tables in the end.

Military strategists possess secret techniques that can concentrate the power of a battle formation into one person, just as General Li Mu of the Zhao Kingdom used this technique when he fought Xiu Yuan.

After a moment of thought, Zhu Jia said in a deep voice, "This is also why I invited you here, brother."

“Brother, you may seem like a rough man, but I know that you are shrewd beneath your rough exterior. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be the head of the Kuiwei Hall. You know the situation of the Heavenly Sect and the situation of our Farmer’s Clan. Under these circumstances, no one knows what the final outcome would be if we broke ties with the Heavenly Sect.”

"But there is one thing: if the Heavenly Sect suffers a disaster, the Human Sect will certainly not stand idly by. Even the Yin-Yang School will consider the bond of kinship. At that time, the Farmer's School will no longer be facing just the Heavenly Sect, but these three sects that share the same origin."

"One hundred thousand disciples does seem impressive, but how many of them are ordinary disciples? How can they be kept on guard at all times? Once they are targeted by experts, how many will become lambs to the slaughter?"

The Zhu family's words were earnest and meaningful, which also shows that the Zhu family did not want to become enemies with the Taoists.

Chen Sheng stood aside, his eyes flickering. He could tell whether the Zhu family's words were just alarmist talk.

After a while, the man spoke in a deep voice, "We are family."

The mask on Zhu Jia's face turned blue again.

He said helplessly, "Brother is right, that's the root of the problem. If the leader of the Heroic Sect insists on taking action, we, the Six Halls, have no choice but to cooperate."

"Because to outsiders, a farming family is one family, one whole."

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng sneered.

"Then why are you still looking for me? You should talk to the Hero King about this!"

The Zhu family shook their heads.

"Brother, do you think the leader of the Heroic Tribe will listen to me?"

Chen Sheng reached out and rubbed his nose, then shrugged.

“How could that be? He is the leader of the Xia Kuai, the leader of our Farmers’ Clan. His decisions represent the will of our Farmers’ Clan. As long as he is the Xia Kuai, he represents the Farmers’ Clan.”

Zhu Jia put down his hands that were supporting his chin. He had learned some inside information about the peasant family from other sources. The person who had been secretly supporting the peasant family all these years was none other than Lord Changping of Qin. This man was born in Chu and served as prime minister in Qin. It was really hard to say what the future held for him.

"Brother, there's a saying in the martial arts world: 'Leave a way out for others, so you can meet again in the future.' I'm thinking, if it really comes to that, perhaps we can..."

Chen Sheng's eyes narrowed, and his voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

"Womanly compassion. If it really comes to that, we should go all out without holding back. Can you be sure the opponent will be grateful for that? Once they escape, endless darkness awaits us."

"However, your concerns are somewhat valid. We can discuss these matters with Xia Kui, but the final decision is up to him."

Zhu Jia nodded slightly.

"This is the only way!!"

"According to the information sent back by Brother Situ, that young talent should be able to reach Daze Mountain in about three days."

Chen Sheng narrowed his eyes, a fighting spirit rising in his heart. Such a grandmaster at such a young age possessed combat power that was rare in the world. He was very eager to see just how strong the opponent was.

Seeing the other party's expression, Zhu Jia was startled. He knew that Chen Sheng was a born warmonger, wielding the giant sword Juque and sweeping across all directions, causing his ranking on the list of famous swords to soar.

If he were to draw his sword against the young man upon meeting him, there would be no peace, let alone any chance of a peaceful encounter.

"Hello~~ Hello~~"

"Brother, don't be foolish. The Heavenly Sect and the Human Sect are not the same. If we really offend them, they won't show us any mercy."

Chen Sheng slung the giant sword back over his shoulder and replied in a low, booming voice, "I know what I'm doing!"

Sensing the fighting spirit emanating from his opponent, Zhu Jia suddenly felt a toothache. "Know what's what? What a load of rubbish!"

On the other side, Tian Hu arrived at Lieshan Hall to look for Tian Meng.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he called out, "Big Brother!"

Tian Meng, who was in charge of Lieshan Hall, was superior to his younger brother in both cultivation and shrewdness.

He is now pondering Tian Guang's intention in summoning them from the past, and similarly, he is not entirely convinced of the deal's success.

Nobody's a fool. Using such a lame excuse, it's impossible to say there's nothing fishy going on. But instead of exploring the direction the Zhu family was thinking, he thought of another way.

Even the most talented person needs a process to reach the level of a Grandmaster. This process can be long or short, but it is certainly not as short as three to five years. This young man from the Taoist Heavenly Sect has become a Grandmaster at such a young age. There must be a huge secret hidden within him. In other words, the importance of this secret is far greater than external things like refined salt.

The farmers' situation is not very good now. Although the six elders of the Six Sages' Tomb are still there, they are old and no one is sure how many more years they can hold on.

However, their generation has not yet matured. Apart from Tian Guang, who has become a Grandmaster, none of the other six hall masters have reached the Grandmaster realm.

Therefore, the Farmer's Clan is facing a generational gap, which is a very dangerous situation for any sect. However, if they could glimpse the secrets of that young man, the Farmer's Clan's situation would definitely improve.

Just then, the voice of his second younger brother, Tian Hu, came from outside the courtyard. Tian Meng turned around and called out, "Second brother, what brings you here?"

Tian Hu waved his hand.

"Nothing much, I just came to check on things and deliver the latest intelligence to my brother!"

As they were talking, Tian Hu stepped in. He was taken aback to see that only Tian Meng was in the hall.

"Brother, everything else here is fine, but it's too deserted. Where's your wife?"

Tian Meng shook his head.

"She took Yan'er to Shennong Hall to get medicine. Yan'er's health is still a bit weak. By the way, what about the intelligence? What did it say?"

Tian Meng didn't want to talk much about his wife, only briefly mentioning her whereabouts before returning the topic to the intelligence he had brought up.

At this moment, Tian Hu had already come to Tian Meng's side and sat down on the chair next to him.

Upon hearing Tian Meng's words, he took out a secret report from his pocket and handed it over.

Upon seeing this item, Tian Meng nodded slightly, then took it from Tian Hu's hand and began to examine it.

A moment later, the expression on the face of the head of Lieshan Hall changed.

"Why is that old guy here?"

Tian Hu put the Tiger Soul aside, looking puzzled. Clearly, he must have already read the secret report beforehand.

"According to rumors, this old fellow is the foremost sage of Chu, but he hardly ever interferes in Chu's affairs. Why would he choose this time to visit our farming family?" Upon hearing this, Tian Meng reached out and touched his chin.

"If I'm not mistaken, Chu Nan Gong is here for Qing Xu. He had never been involved with our Farmer's Clan before, but now he has chosen this time, which is probably why."

“I heard that Qingxu gave him face in Shouying City. Now that I heard Qingxu came to the farmhouse, he probably knows something, which is why he chose to come at this time.”

Tian Hu gave a cold laugh.

"How dare this old man, nearing the end of his life, meddle in our farming affairs? He's got some nerve, but we can't just ignore him."

Upon hearing this, Tian Meng's eyes turned cold.

Chu Nan Gong had a special status, and was always a distinguished guest, whether in the State of Chu or other countries.

Furthermore, based on the intelligence gathered from the Battle of Shouying, this top sage of Chu was not just an ordinary person, but very likely a highly skilled expert.

The peasant family might be able to handle just one Qingxu, but with the addition of Chu Nan Gong, they would probably be overwhelmed.

"Does the leader know about this?"

After a moment of silence, Tian Meng suddenly asked.

Tian Hu reached out and rubbed his chin, saying uncertainly, "You should know by now, right?"

After a while, Tian Meng suddenly stood up.

"Second brother, go to the leader of the martial arts sect. This information must be made known to him. He's probably up to something big this time, and we need to prepare in advance."

Tian Hu was taken aback; he didn't understand what Tian Meng was saying.

"What do you mean by that, brother?"

Tian Meng paced back and forth for a moment, then looked up at Tian Hu and said softly, "Second Brother, do you think that Xia Kui's meeting with Master Qingxu of Tianzong is only because of the refined salt that Tianzong is currently dealing in?"

Tian Hu reached up and scratched the back of his head.

"Brother, is something wrong?"

Seeing this, Tian Meng's lips twitched twice. Even though he had thought of many possibilities, he forgot that his brother was too straightforward and lacked shrewdness, so he couldn't possibly have thought of the things he was thinking of.

"Forget it, many things are just my guesses. You should set off immediately to see Xia Kui and tell him about Chu Nan Gong. Once Xia Kui receives the message, you can come back right away."

"Squeak!"

Tian Hu didn't ask any more questions this time and turned to leave.

Watching Tian Hu's receding figure, Tian Meng felt a mix of emotions. If Xia Kui had intended this from the beginning, then he was probably powerless to do anything about it now.

Even if all the hall masters from the six halls attacked together, it would probably be a waste of their efforts against two grandmasters.

Time flew by, and three more days passed before darkness fell once more. A carriage arrived at the vicinity of Chunfen Ravine in Daze Mountain at a leisurely pace.

"Master, we'll reach our destination tomorrow. We'll have to make do for tonight."

Situ Wanli waved his hand, and a disciple brought up the food that had been prepared in advance. There were vegetarian dishes, meat dishes, and a bottle of strong liquor. The meal was very plentiful.

He said it was just a makeshift arrangement, but in reality, he did not neglect Qingxu, this distinguished guest, throughout the journey.

Even he didn't expect that Qingxu had already entered the state of fasting, and had low requirements for food, or rather, low requirements for food. Most of the food he prepared ended up in his own stomach.

"Master, wouldn't you like some?"

Situ Wanli shook the small bottle in his hand and, as usual, asked a few more questions.

"Please do as you please, Master, don't worry about me!"

Upon hearing this, Situ Wanli shook his head slightly. After spending the past few days together, he had discovered many surprising aspects of the young man before him.

Take food for example, he hasn't eaten anything for the past few days, but judging from his condition, there's nothing unusual about him.

He was also taken aback by the other party's attitude towards cultivation. In his words, the other party was already a Grandmaster-level expert and had no reason to neglect his studies and meals. However, the other party continued to pursue higher realms.

In recent days, the pressure from this young man has been increasing. He doesn't know what's going on, but the aura that the other party unintentionally revealed is like a vast ocean.

As night deepened, Xiu Yuan, who was still meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. He then gave Situ Wanli a look, and Situ Wanli nodded slightly.

Watching the boy disappear into the bushes, Situ Wanli said with amusement, "Having not had a drop of water for so many days, I'm quite curious, where did the water he excreted come from?"

As his footsteps carried him further and further away, Xiu Yuan soon arrived at a hilltop two hundred meters away from the campfire. Upon arriving, Xiu Yuan did not rush to relieve himself, but instead sat down cross-legged on the hilltop.

After a moment, the boy suddenly spoke up: "Come out!"

The night was pitch black and all around was quiet, except for the chirping of insects. The boy's voice was not loud, but it was very clear.

"Are you Master Qingxu of the Taoist Heavenly Sect?"

A voice came from behind a big tree, and then a person walked out from behind the tree. Judging from the voice, it sounded like a girl.

"If the Heavenly Sect doesn't have a second Qingxu..."

Xiu Yuan's voice was somewhat distant. Judging from Situ Wanli's realm, the current hall masters of the Farmer's Clan should not be very strong, but the person who came this time has already reached the Grandmaster realm.

Without even thinking much, he had already determined the identity of the person who came. Being from a farming family, at this time, and a master-level expert, there was almost no other candidate.

Apart from Ren Jingni, who was saved by the Sword Saint Nameless, there was no other Grandmaster-level woman in the Farmer's Clan at this time.

"I want to make a deal with you!"

This was Jing Ni's second sentence, and upon hearing it, Xiu Yuan couldn't help but smile.

"You trust me that much, sir?"

A mountain breeze blew by, and the woman stopped three meters away from Xiu Yuan, carefully examining the young man before her.

As a former top-tier assassin of the Luo Wang organization who once controlled Jing Ni, her insight was undoubtedly outstanding. In just a few breaths, she realized that the young man in front of her was far beyond her ability to match.

This was feedback from the assassin's consciousness, so when facing Xiu Yuan, her heart was in her throat, and she dared not be careless in the slightest.

"Master, don't you want to hear what my bargaining chips are?"

Xiu Yuan looked up at the starry sky. The night was beautiful, with countless stars outlining a series of human miracles.

"You want to get rid of Tian Meng?"

The boy's words were soft, like a breeze blowing into her heart, but to her, they were like a thunderclap.

Her expression instantly turned panicked.

She never expected that this young man would know what she was thinking, and even guess her identity.

"Who are you??"

Her identity as an assassin is a past she least wants to mention, so she still harbors a sliver of hope.

"Didn't you already know?"

Xiu Yuan shook his head.

"You may not believe in anyone, but you must believe in yourself. The last friend you have in this world is yourself. When no one can save you, you must learn to save yourself."

A glint of light flashed in the woman's eyes—self-redemption? This is a new concept.

"Master, do you know who I am?"

After a moment of silence, the woman spoke again, but this time her voice was noticeably more tense and apprehensive.

"A person who should never have existed in this world."

As soon as the boy finished speaking, a beam of cold light shot out.

When her biggest secret was revealed by the boy, Jing Ni could no longer remain calm, and a short blade flew out of her hand.

At the same time, she flashed and instantly covered a distance of more than three meters. Her speed was so fast that she even caught up with the short blade. Just as Xiu Yuan tilted his head to dodge the short blade, she suddenly grabbed the handle of the short blade and launched a counterattack.

"madness."

Jing Ni raised an eyebrow but remained silent. When she realized that the short blade was only an inch away from the boy's body and could not advance any further, her expression froze.

If that's the case, wouldn't the opponent stand still and be unable to break through their defenses? She couldn't accept such an outcome.

"You are just as foolish as your next sword master, rushing out without understanding the strength of both sides. I'm very curious where you got the courage to attack someone far stronger than yourselves!"

Jing Ni pushed off with her feet and flew backward at high speed.

This time, she stood a full three zhang away from the boy before slowly coming to a stop.

Recalling what the other person had said, she was now certain that the other person knew her identity.

"Are you a member of the Net?"

Xiu Yuan chuckled.

"I admit that there are many experts in the Luo Wang, but have you ever seen a Grandmaster working for the Luo Wang? Besides, if I were a member of the Luo Wang, do you think I would be talking nonsense to you?"

Jingni's eyes flickered slightly, but she remained silent.

"How did the master know my identity?"

Upon hearing this question, Xiu Yuan thought for a moment and replied, "Your next sword master is named Ni Chang. She is currently my subordinate. Why do you think I know you?"

"Little Ni Chang??"

(End of this chapter)