Sword Among Us

While the people in the branch at the Town of Kui were ambushed, Dream Clouds was coincidentally meeting with Japan’s Hanago and Korea’s Do Jin in the back hall of her headquarters.

Hanago was the successor of Japan’s ittoryu, and Do Jin was Fu Cailin’s successor, who was also the master of Bright Sword Sect. They came to be guests under Dream Clouds’ invitation.

The duo never had any contact with Dream Clouds before this. They came alone to the Chinese server with the goal of meeting the elite Chinese martial artists and experience the strength of the top class fighters in different countries. China was not their first stop, but it was one of the stops they will definitely visit.

But what surprised them was that even though they had stayed for a few days in the Chinese server without alerting anyone, Dream Clouds had still managed to find them on the same day and invite them to her headquarters.

As the top representatives of Japan and Korea who were sent out of their countries to invite top-class players to join their sects, they had strong organizations and factions of power supporting them, and naturally, they were not worried about Dream Clouds trying to harm them.

Besides, they decided to visit this time because they wanted to know how Dream Clouds learned about where they were and their status. As for the reason Dream Clouds searched for them? They already had an idea in their heads.

*****

The language the trio shared might be different, and even though there was also a language barrier in World of Martial Arts, they could still clearly understand the meaning behind each other’s words while they spoke to each other with three different languages.

“I heard that both of you like tea, so please try China’s supreme grade Longjing tea. You won’t be able to buy it easily in the game.

“Even though the tea you taste in the game is not real, there are many things that you won’t be able to restore to its original, ancient air in reality anymore, and when you taste it in the game, it contains a different artistic concept.”

Hanago was dressed like a Chinese, and he could definitely pass off as a Chinese, but when he spoke, his strange inflections were completely revealed. “Compared to tea, I should say that I’ve admired China’s martial arts even longer.”

“Heh…” Dream Clouds knew that Hanago liked martial arts, and without batting an eyelid, she changed the topic. “You’ve been in China for a few days. You must find that the view in China is pretty good, right?”

“Hall Master Dream, you did not just call us over here to drink tea and chat, did you?” Do Jin said.

From the moment he came in, he held his sword and did not say anything. He was just like a Chinese swordsman, but was even colder and more arrogant.

“I heard that those in Bright Sword Dao practice Nine Profound Qi Cultivation Techniques, and they form a natural chill around them. It can help them give off an awe-inspiring air, though the effect is not clearly seen. I have admired it for a long time, and today, when I see it, it does indeed live up to its name.”

Dream Clouds’ respectful words caused Do Jin’s expression to become much gentler.

“Hall Master Dream, there is a saying in China that goes like this, yes? Be honest and get straight to the point. Now, we’ve already drunk your tea, so you should be able to say why you searched for us this time.”

“Indeed.” Hanago agreed to his words by the side and looked over. “I heard that China’s Wandering Know-it-all has a Universe Secrets Inkstone. He can understand everything in the Chinese server, but has always turned a blind eye to the matters outside the country. Hall Master Dream, you seem to be even more powerful than Wandering Know-it-all.”

“You praise me too much.” Dream Clouds smiled. “In truth, I’m not that great, but I have been paying attention to the top-class players outside the country. This might be the first time we meet, but I have admired both of you for a long time, and I especially admire the people who entered the top one hundred ranks in the International Influential Rank of the Strong. Right now, since I finally have the rare chance of personally meeting both of you, I will naturally not want to miss it. I hope that you can forgive me for my rudeness and lack of hospitality.”

The duo said nothing. Dream Clouds’ words might not have answered all of Hanago and Do Jin’s questions, which in turn did not make them feel at ease, it was still a universal truth that everyone loved listening to nice words. Hence, it was not good for them to strike someone who treated them nicely. Besides, Dream Clouds’ status in the Chinese server was the same as the leaders of the biggest organizations in their country. She will definitely be strong and not weak, so it was not appropriate for them to say anything in the situation.

But Dream Clouds had extraordinary methods when it came to negotiations.

Once she buttered them up, she smiled even brighter, even though she knew that they were still slightly wary of her. If anyone was in a foreign country and was valued so highly and flattered so much, they will still feel comforted.

“So, I reckon that you have come to China to challenge our elites?”

Once they became closer, Dream Clouds naturally began to gradually let their conversations run free.

After Hanago stated his goal, Do Jin widened his eyes. “When it comes to challenges, we must start from the weakest to the strongest…? Hanago Hyung, I do not agree to your statement. I just want to meet up the heroes of the Chinese plains and spar against the strongest in the server.”

His words completely revealed the pride in his soul.

When Dream Clouds saw the displeasure on Hanago’s face, she quickly redirected their attention elsewhere. “My friends, since you came for the strongest in the Chinese server, I wonder if your goal is Happy or One Emperor.”

“Of course it’s Happy!”

“One Emperor!”

Hanago’s answer was completely different from Do Jin’s.

Both of them glared at each other again.

“Do Jin-san, I should give you a word of advice this time. One Emperor might be ranked at the top of the International Great People Rank, but that is something man made, and the people are ranked based on points. You can’t judge that One Emperor is the strongest because of that.”

Before Hanago’s words faded away, Do Jin had already countered without backing down in the slightest. “Hmph! And is Happy strong just because his qi realm is slightly higher? Happy just relies on having a lot of martial arts and ultimate techniques in his disposal, but One Emperor is different. He focuses on practicing the sword, and he has become one with one. Once he reaches a breakthrough, Happy will not be able to fight against him with all his mixed up martial arts.”

“My friends—”

“Happy!”

“One Emperor!”

Both shouted at each other until their necks were red while they boasted about their targets, and their eyes were cold! They stuck to their own views and argued nonstop.

When Dream Clouds saw this, she could not help but feel a headache bloom in her head as well.

‘These two are seriously natural born enemies…’

At that moment, a messenger pigeon flew in, and right before Do Jin and Hanago’s eyes, it landed on Dream Clouds’ shoulder. Then, their argument came to an end.

When Hanago saw that Dream Clouds’ expression changed as quickly as a person flipping through a page in a book to an expression that stated that she ran into something incredibly unpleasant but still had to force herself to hold back her emotions, he immediately lowered his voice and stated tentatively, “Hall Master Dream, you don’t look so well.”

Do Jin also cast his cold gaze curiously on Dream Clouds.

They wondered what news could possibly cause the hall master of Class One Hall, who had a few hundred thousand elites with her, to lose her composure in front of them like this.

“It’s nothing.” Since she had guests with her, Dream Clouds did not explode on the spot. She sucked in a deep breath, but she could not help but have her heart waver.

‘They actually attacked right now…? Did they send vanguards to clear the road ahead of them, or…? No, it shouldn’t be a huge force.’

When she thought of this, she quickly wrote a letter in front of Hanago and Do Jin to have Blood Robes handle the matter at the Town of Kui.

The Town of Kui was attacked.

More than four hundred Class One Hall members died within a short period of time.

Compared to the shocking matter of how the entire Class One Hall had been hunted down previously because they attacked those with military titles, having hundreds of their people die was a really small matter.

But the place that was attacked was the Town of Kui, a place where no one bothered to show interest, was dead, and forgotten by the people.

The army of four hundred was entirely destroyed.

Based on the explanation by the branch master in the Town of Kui, they were quietly ambushed while they were on sentry duty in the barren lands. None of them survived, and the people who were left behind to guard the town also did not manage to escape.

Since it was dark and their vision was limited, aside from knowing that this was Mu Clan’s doing, they know very little of everything else.

The Town of Kui should have fallen completely by now.

[Use all resources to gather information and tell the people in the branches nearby to be on high alert. Blood Robes, find your mole and ask about the situation.]

Once Dream Clouds sent her letter, she released a breath of relief.

The Emperor’s Announcement event had not ended just yet, and it was not time for the major event. Those people should just be there to scout the area back.