Sword Among Us

Mantuo Villa was located on an island in Lake Tai, and the scenery there was beautiful.

Once the boat carrying Happy reached the shore, he walked in this paradise on earth leisurely. While he did so, he saw quite a number of male and female players walking together in pairs to play on the island.

Compared to the martial artists wandering about the land, the disciples of Mantuo Villa lacked some of the rash and unyielding personality wanderers had. They had an elegance and carefree air that disciples from other sects usually did not have.

The disciples of Mantuo Villa generally did not have high qi realms. Less than half of them had entered Moksha Realm. While Happy walked along the path to Mantuo Villa, quite a number of Life and Death Realm disciples were still talking incessantly about how they wanted to carry out quests to exterminate the bandits at Lake Tai.

Happy knew that the reason behind why the disciples in Mantuo Villa leveled up so slowly was because of the geographical location of Mantuo Villa, along with the martial arts system of the sect.

Since Mantuo Villa was located on an island in Lake Tai, there was no place for them to train within a circular area of the island. Even the closest place would require them to take a boat to an island nearby in search for Lake Tai Bandits. If they went slightly further, they would need more than two hours to head back and forth between Mantuo Villa and Gusu City to train!

The time taken to travel through that path alone was already a lot longer than other players.

But Mantuo Villa itself was incredibly beautiful. It made a person to be sentimentally attached to the place once they saw it, and they would occasionally be lost in the scenery of mountains and rivers over here. When they stayed in this place that seemed to be blessed by the gods, they might even have their will to train gradually be reduced. At the same time, they also could not sense the tension and competition in the land of wanderers.

However, while there were those who chased after power and fame in the game, some sought after the path of martial arts, and some went after living the life of a wanderer—free and living however you wanted happily. Naturally, no one could stop these people from living their life as they wanted at the mountains and rivers, brewing wine while they talked about the way of the sword, and having a sentimental attachment to the sceneries in the world of martial artists.

The disciples of Mantuo Villa might belong to this group of people. They were more inclined to a world of entertainment and living in their own world while they observed the large wheel of World of Martial Arts roll down the cliff with the eyes of onlookers.

“Could you send word and tell your mistress that Shaolin Temple’s disciple, Happy, has come to visit Madam Wang of Mantuo Villa?”

With great familiarity, Happy arrived at the door leading to the inner villa. Then, he wrapped his fist around his fist and said to two girls with huge eyes standing at the door.

The two girls were actually trained in the ways of martial arts, and they had long since noticed Happy heading straight to the inner villa. They swept their gazes up and down Happy with skeptical eyes. Then, when they heard Happy’s words, their eyes lit up, and one of them turned around before running inside in a show of wisdom.

The other one had her suspicious and questioning gaze fade away as well. “I see, so you’re a senior from Shaolin Temple. Please enter and wait at the pavilion.”

“Thank you, I will gladly accept your offer.” Happy smiled. He knew that Madam Wang must have told these girls about his arrival before, so he nodded immediately and entered the villa under the girls’ guidance.

The environment in the inner villa was even better.

There was a natural hot spring near the pavilion, making the pavilion to be surrounded by steam, causing it to look as if it was a place in an immortal’s realm, thereby allowing all those who saw it to feel refreshed in spirit.

“It’s no wonder why so many disciples from Mantuo Villa are reluctant to leave this place and why so many female disciples fight to enter this place…”

The girl politely brought out some fruits and snacks to serve Happy, and while he tasted it, he enjoyed the scenery. It caused him to feel as if he was not in the world of martial artists, which caused him to be shocked.

“Young man, you are indeed a trustworthy person. You came really quick.” Madam Wang was dressed in the attire of a noble lady from the palace, which made her appear to be even more noble and dignified. She arrived in this place while she was accompanied by four maidservants.

Happy got up at the opportune moment. “I have already settled the matter at Gusu City and was prepared to leave, but I am still very interested in the secret within the portrait.”

“Young man, why do you insist that there is a secret within the portrait? This is just a portrait I treasured greatly when I was young, and when I see it, it reminds me of someone—”

“There is a pretty good painter in Gusu City, and his skills have already reached the level of a grandmaster. Madam Wang, if you have a need for it, I can pay and ask that painter to copy this portrait for you.”

“How preposterous!” The maidservants behind Madam Wang turned red in anger. “Our lady is a woman of great status. Her portrait is not something the likes of you can keep!”

“Madam, there is no need for us to continue wasting our breath with him! Just capture him and seize the portrait. Then, we can throw him into Lake Tai.” The maidservants behind Madam Wang took over the conversation in great anger.

The other maidservants were also eager to fight. They walked out from behind Madam Wang and surrounded Happy, looking as if they wanted to take down Happy by force.

The development of the matter had exceeded Happy’s expectations. He frowned and cast a glance at Madam, who stood outside the circle the maidservants formed without moving even in the slightest. A hint of surprise showed in his eyes.

This was the first time he triggered such a bad plot.

Logically speaking, since Madam Wang had something to ask of him, she should slowly tell him what the quest was. But up to now, the notification for the quest had still not changed. It still asked him to head to Mantuo Villa to search for Madam Wang and discover the secret behind the portrait.

But Madam Wang was actually already thinking of snatching the portrait by force, which meant that she wanted to seize the quest item that would allow him to trigger the plot. This was something he could not quite accept.

However, the event had taken an unexpected turn, and he had already arrived at this state. Happy could not just back down.

Even though fighting against Madam Wang’s maidservants might cause him to be regarded with hostility and animosity by all of Mantuo Villa, this further proved that there was quite the large secret hidden behind the portrait, and he must absolutely not lose the portrait now.

“Thief, we’ll give you one last chance! Hand over the portrait and leave Mantuo Villa on your own! Or else, we’ll capture you, seize the portrait, and throw you into Lake Tai to feed the crocodiles!”

Madam Wang’s maidservants sounded very conceited.

But Happy ignored the threat from the four Inaction Realm maidservants. He redirected his gaze on Madam Wang and stared into her eyes.

“This is why you asked me here?”

Madam Wang stayed silent. A complicated look flashed in her eyes, but she just stood where she was without answering Happy. She also showed no intention of moving forward.

When he saw this, Happy suddenly had a flash of suspicion rise in his heart.

His gaze landed on the four maidservants once more, and it was only then that he noticed that these maidservants were not the same group of maidservants who followed Madam Wang when she visited the Murong Clan.

‘Strange… There’s indeed something strange about this…’

The maidservants who followed Madam Wang to visit the Murong Clan were naturally the ones who were the closest to her.

At that time, those maidservants were incredibly respectful to Madam Wang and listened to her every word.

Even though the maidservants in front of him followed Madam Wang here, they had been making their own decisions since just now. While Happy could not exclude the possibility of Madam Wang telling them to act this way beforehand, based on Madam Wang’s complicated and troubled gaze, along with the maidservants’ strange behavior, Happy was still able to see some problems in the situation.

He said nothing.

“Our mistress is a merciful person, and she is not willing to harm you. She just wants to give you a final chance!”

“Thief, have you thought things through?”

The maidservants continued chattering on, and they had none of the elegant and quiet demeanor of those in Mantuo Villa. Instead, they had the ruthless and aggressive air of those from the evil cult.

“Your mistress has not even said anything, and yet you’re causing such a ruckus while making your own decisions? Hmph! You have no place to say anything before me and Madam Wang!

“You should be punished!”

Happy had already gained a vague understanding of what was going on. When he said his final four words, he charged forward and instantly drew close to the maidservant who was the last to speak those conceited words at him. He attacked swiftly.

“You—” She was shocked.

Slap!

Hidden force, Dragon Capture, and Dragon Swings Its Tail.

Before the maidservant could register the situation, she already had the series of attacks viciously crush the true qi she gathered in her body. Her face burned with pain, and she was thrown off the ground. She tumbled out of the area.

“Attack!” Maidservant A had a savage expression appear on her face as she grimaced in pain. She pointed at Happy and screeched without hesitation. “Kill him!”

Maidservant A’s murderous words and how the other three maidservants attacked him at the same time unthinkingly caused Happy to be more certain that his assumption was true. Madam Wang’s act of not taking any action caused him to feel at ease, and he knew that he could still change the progression of the quest.

However, at that moment, ghastly and chilling sword qi surged out of the four maidservants’ hands!

Even though these four maidservants were in Inaction Realm, they were clearly using some sort of sword formation. That ghastly sword qi instantly connected with each other and acted like four walls. Then, with a fierce momentum, they swiftly closed in on Happy from the outside, just like a meat grinder.

“It’s a pretty decent sword formation, but a pity, your strength is still too weak.”

When he faced the ghastly sword wave that came at him, Happy unhesitantly raised his hand and flung his sword.

Clang!

A clear sword whine and a black sword glare descended from the sky like a black bolt of lightning. It tore open a black gash on the ghastly, snow-white sword will straightaway.

This was strength.

Without sufficient strength, once someone managed to see through the weakness in their skill, the user would be full of openings.

Bang!

One of the maidservants was sent flying horizontally with a pale face. She crashed violently into the rail near the pavilion. With a loud groan, she coughed up a mouthful of red blood, and the floor was a terrifying sight when it was dyed red with her blood.

When the other three stared at Happy, their gazes instantly turned much more shocked and terrified.

Once Happy gained his momentum, he was unforgiving in his attacks. Since Madam Wang did nothing about the situation, he knew that it was because he was still not vicious enough in his attack. His gaze turned cold, and he quickly drew closer to the other three before he executed Dragon Capture with both hands. With neat and quick movements, he defeated the remaining three maidservants while disarming them of their weapons as well.

The four maidservants were injured at the same time. They glared at Happy ruthlessly.

“Thief, you’re dead!”

The person who said those words received a merciless slap in the face without mercy. Her face was flung to the side, and her cheek was swollen. Blood gushed into the air.

Happy looked away and finally stared at Madam Wang. “Madam, are you still not intending to tell me what is going on?”

Madam Wang remained quiet for a while before she smiled in anguish. “Someone leaked the information that you have my portrait in your hands, and Yin Weed Faction seeped into my villa. Right now, all of my maidservants are under Yin Weed Faction’s control, and even my qi has been sealed. I can only apologize to you for involving you in this.”

“Yin Weed Faction?”

Happy was shocked. Then, he tried to investigate what was going on with Madam Wang, and indeed, her qi was incredibly chaotic. He immediately frowned. “If that’s the case, Yin Weed Faction came for the portrait, and those maidservants are actually Yin Weed Faction disciples?”

“Indeed.”

“But they’re just lackeys. There must be someone controlling them behind their backs. I wonder just who is the Yin Weed Faction leader of this operation.

“Please show yourself!”

Happy wrapped his fist in his palm and invited that person to appear.

Right when he finished speaking, a cold snort appeared from everywhere. Happy had no idea where it came from.

“If you know that Yin Weed Faction is here, why aren’t you leaving in a hurry? How dare you open your mouth and ask for me? Aren’t you a little bit too bold, Shaolin Temple disciple?”

When he heard this voice, Happy’s expression instantly turned incredibly dark.

Empress Yin!