139: Chapter 139 Is he about to be drawn into this conflict?

Early the next morning, she stared at Yin Luoxia with a strange look in her eyes, making the other woman feel uneasy all over.

"What are you looking at?" Yin Luoxia whispered, seizing a moment when no one was paying attention.

"I know about what's going on between you two," Mu Liangyue said with a stern face.

"Since you know, that's that," Yin Luoxia replied, thinking of the events of last night, her tone still defiant.

"Aren't you really afraid... that Senior Sister Hanyi will find out?"

"The teacher belongs to everyone!"

As soon as Yin Luoxia's words fell, Mu Liangyue immediately added, "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony anymore."

The air instantly grew still.

Hearing this, Yin Luoxia froze in place, staring straight at her as if she hadn't quite processed the words.

"You want a piece of this too?"

"If you can, why can't I? In terms of seniority, I was here before you." Mu Liangyue lowered her voice and leaned close to Yin Luoxia's ear, whispering a few words. Their expressions turned subtle, drawing frequent sidelong glances from others.

Just as they were speaking, Li Hanyi walked over.

The two immediately fell silent, each lowering their head to adjust their sleeves, pretending nothing had happened.

"What were you two whispering about?" Li Hanyi stopped, her gaze sweeping over their evasive eyes before settling on Yin Luoxia's slightly flushed cheeks, her tone filled with suspicion.

"N-nothing!" Yin Luoxia hurriedly waved her hands, but her voice was so weak she didn't even believe it herself.

The more she tried to cover it up, the more suspicious it seemed.

Li Hanyi stood beside her, her gaze meaningful.

Yin Luoxia felt her heart grow uneasy under that stare, like a kitten caught stealing dried fish—utterly uncomfortable, yet she could only force herself to remain calm.

Mu Liangyue secretly found it amusing, but didn't show a trace of it on her face.

At that moment, a graceful figure approached, her voice clear and bright: "Hall Master, Deputy City Lord Baili has sent an urgent message."

The newcomer was radiant in appearance, none other than the most outstanding Disciple sent by Snow Moon City to the martial hall this time—Wen Qingxue.

At just twenty-seven years of age, her cultivation had already reached the Peak of the Zizai Earth Realm, making her the top talent among her peers in the Wen family.

Su Rui acknowledged her and took the secret letter she offered.

As their hands brushed for a moment during the exchange, Wen Qingxue subtly traced a line on Su Rui's palm before retreating half a step, bowing her head respectfully and standing with a humble posture.

Su Rui unfolded the secret letter, and his brows suddenly furrowed tightly.

"The Demon Sect's three armies have joined forces, changed their route, and are charging straight for Tianqi City?"

He muttered the words, unable to hide the shock in his tone.

Hearing this, Yin Luoxia quickly stepped forward, seizing the chance to escape Li Hanyi's gaze: "What's happened?"

"See for yourself." Su Rui handed her the letter. "The Demon Sect's army has already advanced to within a hundred miles of Tianqi City. They are now stationed around Qingyun Terrace. I'm afraid the decisive battle is not far off."

Yin Luoxia quickly scanned the contents, her heart jolting—they were moving much faster than estimated!

"They originally planned to advance step by step, taking control of the entire Northern Li territory. Why have they suddenly switched to a direct assault on the central hub? Are they going all-in?"

She murmured to herself, filled with incomprehension.

Shi Feixuan's expression turned solemn as she said in a low voice, "I'm afraid there's been an internal change, or they simply can't wait any longer."

Su Rui pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Perhaps... Ye Dingzhi was severely wounded in Wushuang City."

He had once simulated the other's Sword Intent. Although he hadn't fully comprehended it, he could sense that its Qi flow had already become chaotic.

He might not be dead, but his injuries were definitely serious.

Upon hearing this, Li Hanyi's brows knitted tightly together, and a look of anxiety appeared on her face.

"The Langya Army has already set up defenses at Qingyun Terrace. That place is highly likely to become the site of the decisive battle."

"If we lose this battle, the fall of Tianqi will become inevitable," the Su Sisters said in unison, their tones grave.

Yue Qing stood quietly to the side, a flicker of light in her eyes, but her heart was in turmoil.

She actually didn't know which side she should hope would emerge victorious at this moment.

The grand eastern expedition she had once dreamed of day and night now seemed blurry and indistinct in her heart.

"Baili and Sikong should have already set off," Yin Luoxia turned to Su Rui. "Teacher, should we also depart?"

"Mhm, let's make preparations," Su Rui nodded. "This trip is likely to take some time."

Everyone acknowledged the order.

Su Rui then looked at Wen Qingxue: "You will temporarily oversee the affairs of the martial hall."

"Yes," Wen Qingxue replied respectfully.

In truth, she also wanted to accompany them, but her status was ultimately awkward—she wasn't an official Disciple, and her path to entry hadn't been orthodox.

Despite a thousand wishes, she didn't dare speak up rashly, fearing it might cause displeasure.

Seeing her tactful obedience, Su Rui gave a slight nod.

Compared to before, having these clever women around now certainly made life more pleasant.

Early the next morning, a Giant Roc soared into the sky from Snow Moon City, its wings spreading as it shot into the heavens, vanishing into the sea of clouds in an instant.

The commoners and Martial Artists in the city looked up, watching. Even though it wasn't the first time they had witnessed this, they couldn't help but feel their hearts surge with excitement, theShocking and Unsettling remaining hard to settle.

However, there was one group of people whose faces turned ashen—

Yan Dan and his party had traveled a long distance, rushing to Snow Moon City without stopping. Just as they were about to inquire about the martial hall's location, they looked up and saw that Giant Roc piercing through the clouds and flying away.

Yan Dan and the others: ...

What was this?

They hadn't even arrived, and the person was already gone.

That roc bird was unmistakably the same one they had seen outside Sword Heart Tomb before.

Who else could it be but the master of that martial hall?

Yan Dan stood with his head lowered under the eaves, his wide-brimmed hat concealing the hideous scar on his face. His expression twitched slightly.

After a long while, he finally forced out a low sigh from his throat:

"In the end, we were still too late."

As these words fell, Gao Jianli and Master Xu both remained silent.

They had traveled day and night, pushing themselves to the limit.

But things had gone against their wishes. It could only be said that the Opportunity had not yet arrived.

"Grand Master of the Mohists," Gao Jianli finally spoke up, "should we still wait here?"

Yan Dan was silent for a moment before gently shaking his head: "Let's first go to the martial hall to see what's happening and find out where he went."

With that, he ordered someone to inquire about the martial hall's location.

If one were to ask about the most attention-grabbing news in Snow Moon City recently, it would undoubtedly be the new martial hall established by Su Rui.

Every day, a continuous stream of people entered the city to ask for directions. Over time, even the old man selling tea on the street had figured out the routine—pointing in the right direction could earn him a few copper coins.

An old man accepted the copper coins and pointed into the distance: "Follow this road. The tallest, largest gate tower over there is it."

"Thank you, elder!"

The Mohist group conducted themselves respectfully, their manners thorough and proper.

Upon learning this, Yan Dan immediately led his people there.

Looking from afar, the martial hall stood imposingly. Although the plaque above the gate appeared old, its Aura was undiminished.

However, most of the young talents who had once competed to enter its doors had now dispersed. The main gate was tightly shut, unusually quiet and deserted.

With Yan Dan's keen hearing, he could still detect people moving about inside the courtyard, their voices faintly audible—all of them female.

"The Hall Master has gone to Tianqi. All duties must not be neglected. If he returns to find things in disarray, there will be punishment without fail." Wen Qingxue was standing in front of the main hall, delivering instructions.

Although she wasn't the official hall master, she was the person personally appointed by Su Rui to manage affairs, and she carried out her duties with extreme diligence.

Deep down, she still held onto a sliver of hope: if she worked diligently and responsibly, one day she would catch his Dharma Eye.

"Tianqi?" Yan Dan frowned.

That place was now where the storms of Northern Li converged, the situation as turbulent as boiling water.

Was Su Rui going there to get involved in this conflict?

Just as he was pondering this, another Disciple rushed over with an urgent report.

"Grand Master of the Mohists, according to our investigation, the Demon Sect previously intended to set up a formation in Snow Moon City, named 'Guxu,' spanning a hundred miles, aiming to seal off the entire city."

"But before it was completed, the martial hall master intervened and disrupted it—four streaks of Sword Qi shot across the sky, and the entire grand formation instantly collapsed! That canyon stretching dozens of miles that we saw on our way here was left by that single strike!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.

"Preposterous!" Gao Jianli exclaimed, his voice rising sharply, almost a shout. "How could a canyon like that be split open by human power?"

As a sword Grandmaster, wielding the divine weapon Shuihan, even exerting his full strength, he could only carve a fissure of a dozen zhang into mountain rock.

But that chasm before them stretched for dozens of miles, like a tear in the earth itself. Comparing the two was like comparing a firefly to the bright moon.

Could there truly be such a person in this world, whose sword prowess had reached such a Realm?

For him, this was no different from the collapse of a belief.

Even Yan Dan couldn't help but be moved.

Figures like Land Immortals were certainly extraordinary, but to alter the terrain for dozens of miles by one's own power... This already exceeded the bounds of common sense, bordering on myth and legend.

Although the Daoist Northern Darkness Master had also reached this Realm, he had never displayed such world-shaking methods.

Instead, it was heard that he had retreated from the world and attached himself to Great Qin, which was lamentable.

Deep down, Yan Dan felt a trace of contempt—if Northern Darkness Master truly possessed such power, why would Mount Taiyi fear external enemies? What did it matter if thousands of troops and horses pressed upon its borders? A single sword strike, and ten thousand armies would crumble.

He himself, being close to the Land Immortal Realm, knew well that facing a large-scale military siege, even with heaven-defying abilities, one would be outnumbered and have no choice but to retreat and survive.

But if one possessed such earth-shattering, heaven-destroying power...

Even a million-strong elite army would be nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs.

"Grand Master of the Mohists," the Disciple continued, "the commoners in the city all speak of this matter. There are even eyewitnesses who claim to have seen it with their own eyes. I'm afraid it's not false."

Yan Dan slowly let out a breath, his expression growing even more solemn.

Yet deep within, his desire to win Su Rui over burned even more fiercely.

If such a person could be used for their cause, he would undoubtedly be a great help in achieving their grand undertaking.

Not to mention his talent for nurturing people and transmitting the Dao, just in terms of combat power alone, one person could equal a thousand armies.

"Let's set off for Tianqi," Yan Dan said in a deep voice. "The Snow Moon group should have already arrived."

"That's quite possible," Gao Jianli nodded.

"They traveled in disguise. Based on theItinerary calculation, they've probably been in Tianqi for several days already," Master Xu added.

"Rest tonight, depart tomorrow," Yan Dan finalized the decision.

What did traveling a thousand miles to pursue a peerless master amount to?

Inside Tianqi City.

Within an elegant pavilion.

Xuenü, dressed in a plain white long gown with a light veil covering her face, was whispering softly with Duanmu Rong.

"The atmosphere in the city isn't panicked right now. It seems the imperial court has a plan in mind."

The Demon Sect's army had already advanced to within a hundred miles, yet the tension within Tianqi City wasn't obvious. At most, the ordinary commoners were just slightly uneasy.

"Perhaps it's because the Langya Army is garrisoned at Qingyun Terrace, giving the people confidence," Xuenü said softly.

"That's also possible," Duanmu Rong nodded, then frowned slightly. "But I've noticed that there are quite a few people in the city secretly gathering information. Have you noticed?"

"Indeed."

"And among them are quite a few top-tier experts. I even spotted traces of assassins from the Net of Heaven," Xuenü said in a low voice.