249: In the Shifting Sands, a Discussion at the Sword Pavilion

The summoning array in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace glowed with a pale golden halo. Jun Xiaoyao sat on the black iron chair, tapping the armrest with his fingertips, his gaze falling on the crystal panel in front of him.

On the panel, next to the words "The Net," red numbers were pulsing—the law enforcement team from the Xuantian Holy Land outside Qingzhou City had increased to three hundred, and scouts at the edge of the camp were frequently testing the perimeter of The Net.

"Young Lord, Iron Abacus has sent word back from Medicine God Mountain. They are willing to trade ten Sand-Avoiding Beads for the Blood Lotus, but they request to see you in person."

Zhao Gao bowed as he stepped forward holding a secret letter; the paper was still stained with a few grains of Western Region sand. "The Young Lord of Medicine God Mountain's strange illness has reached a critical stage. It is said that he coughed up blood incessantly last night; they cannot afford to wait any longer."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped the panel to bring up the files on Medicine God Mountain.

"Let Iron Abacus take Linghu Chong." He lifted his eyes to look at the summoning array, where the light was growing brighter. "Just say that the Young Master of Tianwaitian is inconvenient to appear, and Linghu Chong can convey my words."

I. New Summon: Immortal of the Sword

The halo of the summoning array suddenly turned azure, like autumn water flowing over bluestone. A figure in white stepped out, walking on the tassels of a sword hilt. The long sword at his waist hummed softly, and the two characters "Pure Yang" on the scabbard shimmered in the light—it was Li Xiaoyao from "Legend of Sword and Fairy."

[Summon Successful]

[Character: Li Xiaoyao]

[From: Legend of Sword and Fairy World]

[Realm: Mid-stage Grandmaster]

[Martial Skill/Cultivation Technique: 1. Shushan Sword Control Technique (Perfection) — Controlling the sword for a thousand miles, the sword moves with the heart. 2. Myriad Sword Art (Major Achievement) — Condensing Qi into swords, ten thousand swords fired at once. 3. Wine God Curse (Minor Achievement) — A supreme strike exchanged for burning life force, use with caution.]

[Loyalty: 80%]

"Yo, so this is the Young Master of Tianwaitian?" Li Xiaoyao flicked his sleeves and shouldered the rusty sword "Dustless," his eyes carrying the liveliness of a youth. "I heard from Manager Zhao that there is a Formation here even trickier than the Demon Locking Tower?"

Jun Xiaoyao nodded slightly and brought up the Formation diagram of Quicksand City: "The 'Bone-Erosion Formation' at the main altar of the Myriad Bone Grotto consumes the surrounding Spiritual Qi every moment, and the core of the Formation is guarded by three Great Grandmasters in turns."

Li Xiaoyao tapped the diagram with his fingertip and suddenly laughed: "These Formation patterns are very similar to the 'Inverted Universe Formation' of Shushan, but with an extra layer of toxic miasma. Wouldn't flying over the top of the Formation with a sword solve it?"

"The top of the Formation is covered with 'Spirit-Devouring Mist.' If a Flying Sword enters, it will be corroded into scrap iron."

Feng Qingyang appeared beside the array, his wooden sword lightly flicking aside Li Xiaoyao's sword tassel. "Youngster, don't trust sword speed too much."

Li Xiaoyao's eyes lit up, and he drew his sword with a backhand motion. The rusty blade actually shimmered with a clear light under the lamp: "Senior also uses a sword? Would you like to spar?"

II. Testing Blades in the Sword Hut

In the depths of the underground palace, inside the Sword Hut, the bluestone floor was carved with dense sword marks.

Feng Qingyang stood on the east side, his wooden sword like a withered branch; Li Xiaoyao stood on the west, the Dustless sword pointing diagonally at the ground, the sword tassel swaying lightly with his breath.

"The Nine Swords of Dugu focuses on 'Breaking Moves,' feel free to attack." Before Feng Qingyang finished speaking, Li Xiaoyao had already stepped on his sword and rose. Driven by the Sword Control Technique, man and sword merged into a beam of white light, piercing straight at his face—it was the opening move of the Myriad Sword Art, "Shooting Star Chasing the Moon."

Feng Qingyang advanced instead of retreating. His wooden sword moved seemingly slowly, crossing horizontally, and landed exactly on the spine of the Dustless sword.

With a soft "ding," Li Xiaoyao felt a subtle force travel along the blade, and his wrist involuntarily skewed by half an inch. The sword tip brushed past Feng Qingyang's shoulder.

"What a 'Sword Breaking Style'!" Li Xiaoyao flipped in mid-air, his sword moves changing abruptly. Ten thousand strands of Sword Qi surged from all directions, surrounding Feng Qingyang in the center. This was the essence of the Myriad Sword Art: condensing Qi into swords, making it hard to distinguish reality from illusion.

Feng Qingyang closed his eyes, his wooden sword swinging based on intuition, each strike landing where the Sword Qi was thickest. The seemingly chaotic sword moves were like an invisible net, dismantling all the Sword Qi one by one. When the last strand of Sword Qi dissipated, Feng Qingyang's wooden sword was already resting against Li Xiaoyao's throat.

"Your sword is too fast, but it lacks 'stagnation'." Feng Qingyang retracted his wooden sword. "Just like rushing water; it looks fierce, but it scatters upon hitting a reef."

Li Xiaoyao sheathed his sword and bowed, the liveliness in his eyes gone. "Senior is right. Shushan sword techniques always think of breaking skill with force, forgetting the principle of 'defending while attacking'."

Jun Xiaoyao sat by the tea table outside the Sword Hut, listening to the sword hums and the conversation inside.

He tapped his fingertip on the panel—The Net sent news that the Law Enforcement Elder of the Xuantian Holy Land had taken a copy of the "Xuantian Sword Scripture" to meet Iron Abacus, seemingly wanting to win over the Hundred Herbs Hall.

"Zhao Gao." He didn't even lift his head. "Have the 'Shadow' group of The Net go to the Hundred Herbs Hall and 'borrow' that Sword Scripture back."

III. Secret Letter in the Sand

Three days later, Linghu Chong returned from Medicine God Mountain with ten Sand-Avoiding Beads. The beads glowed with a warm light in his palm, capable of dispersing toxic miasma within three zhang.

Accompanied by the beads was a handwritten letter from the Young Lord of Medicine God Mountain. The handwriting was scribbled, clearly written while struggling: "In three days, I will bring the Disciples of Medicine God Mountain to guide you, only asking that the Blood Lotus can save my little daughter."

"Medicine God Mountain has three hundred Disciples who are skilled in using poison and Formations; they can serve as the vanguard for Quicksand City." Feng Qingyang looked at the beads, his wooden sword tapping the ground lightly. "With these beads protecting us, flying with swords to break the Formation is feasible."

Li Xiaoyao toyed with the Sand-Avoiding Beads and suddenly said: "I went for a sword reconnaissance just now and found that the people of the Xuantian Holy Land have set up a new camp outside Quicksand City. The banner says 'Assist in Clearing the Myriad Bone Grotto,' I'm afraid they want to reap the benefits."

Jun Xiaoyao brought up the real-time transmission from The Net. In the image, the Law Enforcement Elder of the Xuantian Holy Land was secretly talking to the outer Protector of the Myriad Bone Grotto. Both held a piece of a broken jade pendant—clearly, they had colluded long ago.

"They want to reap the benefits?" A cold arc curled at the corner of Jun Xiaoyao's mouth. "Then let there be a drop of blood next to the word 'benefit'." He said to Zhao Gao, "Have Adjutant Chen take the Black Armor Elite Soldiers and sneak into the outskirts of Quicksand City. Once the people from Medicine God Mountain make a move, burn the Holy Land's camp for me."

"And the Bone-Erosion Formation of the Myriad Bone Grotto..." Zhao Gao asked.

"Li Xiaoyao." Jun Xiaoyao looked toward the Sword Hut. "Do you dare to charge into the Formation with your sword?"

Li Xiaoyao darted out of the Sword Hut, still biting on half a pastry: "What's there to be afraid of with the Sand-Avoiding Beads? It's just the right time to see if the Shushan sword techniques can break this poisonous Formation!"

IV. Dual Layout

The Young Lord of Medicine God Mountain arrived on schedule with fifty Disciples. Each person had a Sand-Avoiding Bead hanging from their waist, and the toxic miasma automatically receded beside them. Before leaving, Jun Xiaoyao handed a black token to Linghu Chong: "If you encounter people from the Xuantian Holy Land, show this; they will think you are one of their own."

The token was engraved with the character "Xuan," which was exactly the Xuantian Holy Land secret agent token found in the residence of Captain Wang. Linghu Chong took the token and stepped on his Flying Sword side-by-side with Li Xiaoyao, the halo of the Sand-Avoiding Beads weaving into a shield around them.

Feng Qingyang stood on the mountain peak, watching two beams of sword light rush toward Quicksand City, his wooden sword humming softly: "One sword is fast, the other is clever; they complement each other."

On Jun Xiaoyao's crystal panel, the red dots of The Net were moving along the underground river of Quicksand City—Adjutant Chen's Black Armor Elite Soldiers had already reached the rear of the Holy Land's camp, their torches like snakes lurking in the night.

"Young Lord, the people from Medicine God Mountain have already engaged with the outer guards of the Myriad Bone Grotto." Zhao Gao's voice carried a hint of tension. "The Law Enforcement Elder of the Holy Land is indeed holding his ground, only sending ten Disciples to 'watch the battle'."

"Let Adjutant Chen wait a bit longer." Jun Xiaoyao looked at the two light dots approaching the Formation core on the panel—Li Xiaoyao and Linghu Chong had broken through the first layer of toxic miasma. "Wait until they get the Blood Lotus, then make a move."

In the Sword Hut, Feng Qingyang was sharpening the Dustless sword left behind by Li Xiaoyao. As the wooden sword slid over the rust, sparks splashed onto the scarred bluestone floor, looking exactly like the fire about to ignite over Quicksand City.

V. Variables in the Formation

Inside the Bone-Erosion Formation of Quicksand City, Li Xiaoyao's sword control suddenly stalled, and the Flying Sword wobbled in the toxic miasma. "Something's wrong! There's something in this fog gnawing at Spiritual Qi!" He looked down at the Sand-Avoiding Bead; the halo of the bead had faded by more than half.

Linghu Chong's Nine Swords of Dugu continuously slashed open the surging poisonous vines, but his sword moves gradually became sluggish: "It's the Formation core absorbing Spiritual Qi! The 'stagnation' Old Feng mentioned is this!" He suddenly remembered Feng Qingyang's words, and his sword moves changed. Instead of hacking hard, he moved along the winding trajectory of the poisonous vines, causing them to tangle themselves into a ball.

"Go northwest! The fog is thinnest there!" Linghu Chong pointed forward, which was the weakness of the Formation core marked by Feng Qingyang.

Li Xiaoyao gritted his teeth and injected half his Internal Energy into the Sand-Avoiding Bead, and the halo burst forth violently: "Hold tight!" The Flying Sword turned into a beam of white light, breaking through the entanglement of the toxic miasma and diving toward the northwest—there, a blood-colored lotus was emerging from the black stone, crystal dew rolling on its petals; it was the Blood Lotus.

Just at this moment, ten Disciples of the Xuantian Holy Land suddenly killed their way out from the shadows. The leader raised a law enforcement token: "Bold fanatics, how dare you break into the territory of our Holy Land's ally!"

Linghu Chong backhanded the "Xuan" token and said coldly: "Acting on the Elder's order to take the Blood Lotus for medicine, do you dare to stop me?"

The Disciple was stunned. The markings on the token were indeed genuine. Just as he was about to give way, he saw Linghu Chong's sword pierce his throat—the "Sword Breaking Style" of the Nine Swords of Dugu, specifically for breaking sudden ambushes.

"Go!" Linghu Chong plucked the Blood Lotus and stepped on the Flying Sword with Li Xiaoyao to rush out of the toxic miasma. Behind them came the screams of the Holy Land Disciples and the roars of the Myriad Bone Grotto guards.

On the mountain peak, Jun Xiaoyao watched the "Blood Lotus Obtained" prompt light up on the panel and said to Zhao Gao: "Let Adjutant Chen make a move."

VI. The Fisherman's Disaster

The camp of the Xuantian Holy Land suddenly burst into flames. The Black Armor Elite Soldiers were like divine soldiers descended from heaven, and the torches illuminated the night sky.

The Law Enforcement Elder had just obtained the "Secret Agreement of Cooperation" from the Protector of the Myriad Bone Grotto. When he turned around and saw the camp engulfed in a sea of fire, his eyes split with rage: "It's the people from Tianwaitian!"

He wanted to rush back into the fire, but was blocked by a beam of sword light—Li Xiaoyao held the Dustless sword, blood dripping from the tip: "Elder, please stay. Your opponent is me."

Linghu Chong rushed toward Medicine God Mountain with the Blood Lotus. Behind him, the guards of the Myriad Bone Grotto and the Disciples of the Holy Land were locked in a chaotic battle, and screams kept coming from the toxic miasma.

Feng Qingyang looked at the firelight down the mountain and said to Jun Xiaoyao: "The Young Lord's move has turned the 'fisherman' into a 'fire-man'."

Jun Xiaoyao picked up his teacup, the firelight in the distance reflecting in the tea mist: "If they want a share of the soup, they have to pay a price."

On the panel, the numbers next to "The Net" jumped to green—the law enforcement team of the Xuantian Holy Land had lost more than half its members, and in the direction of Medicine God Mountain, Iron Abacus was rushing toward the Young Lord's sickbed with the Blood Lotus. Everything was proceeding according to plan.