Sword Among Us

Langhuan Blessed Ground was filled with all the martial arts in the world.

Even if Happy already had Shaolin Temple’s peerless martial arts, Tendon Changing Classic and Marrow Cleansing Classic, when Happy learned from Madam Wang that the portrait contained the address to Langhuan Blessed Ground, he still could not help but become excited. After all, all the martial arts in the world were inside.

At some point of time, he had been like countless other normal people and thought about having all the martial arts in the world for himself. He thought being able to use both Nine Yin Manual and Nine Yang Divine Skill, being able to use Northern Obscure Divine Skill to protect himself, being able to use Wave-like Subtle Steps to move around, being able to use Six Pulses Divine Sword at will, and being able to use Buddha’s Palm when he raised his hand… Ahem, he was getting off topic.

Happy freed himself from the beautiful imagination and suddenly noticed that Madam Wang’s gaze on him was a little strange. She looked as if she had managed to see through him, and because of it, Happy could not help but turn red in embarrassment.

“Ahem… Madam Wang, are you saying that the reason behind why the portrait attracted Empress Yin to this place is because it contains the secret address to Langhuan Blessed Ground?”

Madam Wang nodded with a stern expression. “That’s right. Ever since the evil cult failed in their quest to ambush the seven sects one year ago, the evil cult realized that the righteous sects in the world of wanderers has great foundations, and they are not something the eight evil sects can destroy. Hence, they began searching everywhere for ways to suppress the sects.”

When she said this, her tone became solemn. “Langhuan Blessed Ground contains all the martial arts in the world, and if the evil cult manages to get it, they will manage to break through all the martial arts in the world, and naturally, they will become even more powerful than before. At that time, this will be a form of disaster to all living beings in the world!”

When he heard Madam Wang’s impractical worries, Happy suddenly felt a faint hint of unease in him. “Madam Wang, what do you mean by that?”

“Ever since I lost that portrait, I have not been able to sleep at night. I was worried that a disaster will arrive sooner or later, and the reason for it is because Langhuan Blessed Ground has landed in the hands of the evil cult. Over the years, I have been regretting why I didn’t burn it in the start, and I have left behind a calamity for myself out of the blue. But now that you have brought the portrait back to Mantuo Villa and even defeated Empress Yin, thereby securing the portrait, I am eternally grateful to you. At the same time, I have a huge burden lifted from my shoulders now.”

“Madam Wang, you want to destroy the portrait?” Happy’s expression changed.

Madam Wang stared at Happy with a slightly awkward and embarrassed look. “I know how tempting Langhuan Blessed Ground is for martial artists, and I know that you will definitely want to learn about Langhuan Blessed Ground’s whereabouts, but I must remind you of one thing.

“Langhuan Blessed Ground is indeed a great, fortuitous chance for normal martial artists, but there is usually an equivalent level of danger hidden behind fortuitous events. This time, the evil cult has already gained knowledge of Langhuan Blessed Ground and the portrait, and they will not give up on it easily. Empress Yin’s departure might just be a plot to gain time, and they can use us to enter Langhuan Blessed Ground!”

“This is something I naturally understand, but I simply can’t find it in myself to not be able to activate a treasure trove that will make countless martial artists mad with envy, much less personally destroy it.”

“I can understand your feelings as well, Young Swordsman Happy. To repay the kindness of you saving my life and the loss of bringing back the portrait, I am willing to give you a martial art manual.”

“A martial art manual? Is it something like Nine Sky Demon Styles?” Happy sighed. “In truth, since you already know about Langhuan Blessed Ground since the start and have been worrying over it, why didn’t you just burn down all the martial art manuals in Langhuan Blessed Ground. Why must you make yourself troubled and worried over such a long period of time?”

“Young Swordsman Happy, you don’t believe me?” Madam Wang stopped talking for a while before she laughed wanly. “Ever since I lost the portrait, I knew that the person who obtained it would have obtained some clues about it. But without my help, even if they wanted to find Langhuan Blessed Ground, they will need a long time to do so. That is why I did not dare head to Langhuan Blessed Ground easily to prevent myself from being used to figure out the path there.

“As for you asking me whether I can bring you something that is at equal value to Sky Demon Slip…? Sky Demon Slip is a supreme classic of the evil cult. Every martial art contained in it has peerless power, and Mantuo Villa truly does not have any martial art that can compare with it.”

Happy pursed his lips and said nothing.

The system had already begun notifying him to hand over the portrait, but Happy was not in a hurry to reply.

Since he knew that the secret of the portrait led to Langhuan Blessed Ground, he found himself to be a little unable to accept the fact that he would just gain a small reward.

Besides, there was no reason for the rewards for the quest to be so little.

Silence was gold. These words were true.

When Madam Wang saw that Happy was hesitant, her gaze flickered with complicated emotions for a while before she gritted her teeth and made a difficult decision. “As long as you promise me to destroy the portrait together, not only will I be willing to give you the manual for Wave-like Subtle Steps, I will also ask Prince Duan of Dali to give you a martial art manual to cover for your loss.”

“Prince Duan of Dali? Duan Zhengguo?”

Happy was shocked.

Two words flashed in his mind at the speed of lightning.

Sun Finger.

A peerless finger technique that was pure genius.

“Will Prince Duan be willing to hand over Sun Finger?” Happy was not surprised that he would get Wave-like Subtle Steps, but Sun Finger was a finger technique that gathered together the spiritual aura in the world, and its power was even above Joined Finger. If he could get two ultimate techniques at the same time, it was not as if he could not hand over the portrait, because he had not heard of anyone in this world obtaining Sun Finger just yet, which meant that this should be an ultimate technique at the level of Moksha Realm.

“Mantuo Villa already has Sun Finger.” Madam Wang’s answer caused Happy to be shocked.

However, when she said those words, her expression was slightly strange.

Happy quickly realized what was going on.

Madam Wang and Prince Duan were an unrightful couple. Wang Yuyan was their daughter, and now, she had married Prince Duan’s own son, Duan Yu. The people in the world did not quite have a full understanding of the complicated relationship between them.

When Happy saw Madam Wang bring out a scroll and a book as if she just did a magic trick, Happy did not ask further into the matter. His gaze just burned much more passionately than before.

“This scroll contains the peerless lightness skill, Wave-like Subtle Steps from Leisurely Sect. I believe that it is much more powerful than the Illusory Cave Steps that you’re currently practicing.”

Happy’s heart burned with excitement while he took over the scroll earnestly.

Wave-like Subtle Steps was a top-class lightness skill for fleeing in Duan Yu’s hands. In the past, Duan Yu had relied on it to escape from many certain death situations in the world of martial artists.

Also, Li Qiushui had also used Wave-like Subtle Steps before. While he fought, his positions were strange and unfathomable. He appeared and disappeared like ghosts, catching people off guard. It was a peerless lightness skill that could be offensive, defensive, and also allow the user to flee with ease.

Once she handed both martial art manuals into Happy’s hands, Madam Wang said, “Wave-like Subtle Steps will require you to have a certain amount of qi before you can practice it, but you’re from Shaolin Temple, and you have a steady foundation in martial arts. You will definitely be able to master it quickly. But Sun Finger’s requirements for qi is incredibly high. Without a large amount of qi, you will not be able to practice it. Even you might not be able to understand the profound secrets behind it within a short period of time.”

“Hmm?”

Once he received those directions from Madam Wang, Happy’s gaze landed on the requirements for both martial arts.

[Wave-like Subtle Steps:

[Practice Requirements:

[Affinity: 200, Body Movement: 200, Comprehension: 200, Qi Realm: Moksha Realm.]

[Sun Finger:

[Practice Requirements:

[Affinity: 400, Arm Strength: 400, Comprehension: 300. Qi Realm: Inaction Realm.]

When he saw the requirements for Sun Finger, Happy instantly found himself unable to control himself from sucking in a sharp breath, and that breath was even stuck in his throat.

It was not because of Sun Finger’s requirements being ridiculously high and he was temporarily unable to change it into his own strength and advantage for the time being, but because Happy knew just how great the benefits of an Inaction Realm ultimate technique were.

As of current, aside from Evil Emperor obtaining the Inaction Realm Great Dao Heart Demonic Seed Art in the game, there was practically only a handful of other Inaction Realm ultimate techniques around.

Happy knew full well the meaning of having such a martial art in his hands.

“Young Swordsman Happy, look, is the offer I made enough to obtain your trust and have you return the portrait to me?”

“But of course.” Happy no longer hesitated. He brought out the portrait he obtained from Mountain Villa of Ten Thousand Beasts from his Universe Bag and personally handed it over to Madam Wang.

“Madam, do you truly intend to destroy it?”

Even though his rewards were extraordinary this time, the portrait still hid the secret of Langhuan Blessed Ground, which was a place that tempted all martial artists and made them burn with passion. Happy was still unable to let go of it completely.

“Langhuan Blessed Ground was the hope that could allow them to return from desolation and restore Great Yang Dynasty to the Murong Clan in the past, but now, it is the greatest disaster left behind in the world of martial artists. The Murong Clan master has also told me that if someone activates Langhuan Blessed Ground and the imperial palace figures out that the Murong Clan made this place in the past through their investigations, the Murong Clan will definitely be destroyed.”

Madam Wang’s tone had already become relaxed at this point.

“Right now, I have regained the portrait, and unless someone tries to pry the secret from my mouth, it will be absolutely impossible for them to find Langhuan Blessed Ground now.”

As she spoke, Madam Wang brought the portrait to a candle.

The beautiful portrait of a beauty which contained the secret address to Langhuan Blessed Ground, the greatest secret in the game, was lit up in flames just like that.

Whoosh.

The portrait was burnt to a crisp in the flames.

Madam Wang finally put on a relaxed expression, as if she had been freed of her burden.

As Happy watched the portrait being swallowed by flames, he could not help but sigh.

Perhaps this was how a martial artist would feel.

“Since the matter over here has ended, I will now make myself scarce and stop bothering you. After all, I still have something important to do.” Once he made his leave to Madam Wang, Happy took with him two valuable ultimate techniques and left Mantuo Villa with complicated feelings.

*****

Before he left Gusu, Happy naturally did not forget to send a letter to Wandering Know-it-all to ask him about what happened to the three Wild Wolves.

The results surprised him.

Wandering Know-it-all had actually kept a level head and chose not to chase after them so that he could reduce those three to nothing in the Chinese server. Instead, he allowed them to take a short cut, travel down the stream, and escape to the sea.

[It’s rare that you have time to ask about this. Looks like you’ve settled your task at Jiangnan.]

[It’s about done.] Happy replied.

He originally thought about searching for Duan Yu and his wife, but he did not expect that he would run into Madam Wang halfway through and even obtain a great benefit from it, so it was only par for the course that he was in a great mood.

[Your words are written with bold strokes, so I assume that everything went smoothly for you. You should have encountered quite the fortuitous event.]

It was no wonder why Wandering Know-it-all was acknowledged by Universe Secrets Inkstone. Indeed, he did have abilities that were different from normal people.

Happy had not practiced Wave-like Subtle Steps just yet, but Wandering Know-it-all had actually managed that his trip to Jiangnan had been incredibly smooth through other aspects.

‘He’s amazing!’

[By the way, you should log off for a bit. Your fight against the three Wild Wolves has not only shocked the Chinese plains, but many countries in the world are also shocked by it. I believe that the manager for the pay-to-view battle replay system is already to get your battle replay. You shouldn’t miss the chance to get rich.]

Wandering Know-it-all’s letter caused Happy to be speechless. [You actually managed to guess that as well? Are you actually a real life diviner?]

[Who knows?]