Qin Yun looked at the people ranked ahead of him on the Earth roll.
“Although most cultivators in this world do not have powerful bodies, there are some who cultivate in secret heritages. They are few in number but those ranked in the Earth roll’s top ten have had special experiences and possess formidable means,” thought Qin Yun. “If I had a powerful body, an opponent at the same level would find it difficult to kill me. I could disregard a hundred or even a thousand slashes but a single strike from me would take my opponent’s life. It’s no wonder they are ranked so high on the rankings.”
“If this were my homeworld, those with weaker bodies would use talisman amulets and Dharma spells to keep up. If not that, they would use their Dharma treasures to fight from a distance away. However, this world doesn’t have divine powers or Dharma spells. All they engage in is close combat. It gives those with powerful bodies a striking advantage.”
Qin Yun sighed as he looked at the rankings.
The Heaven and Earth spiritual energies were thin so divine powers and Dharma spells were nonexistent. If his homeworld were to exist for several hundreds of millennia more, it might also end up in the same state.
However, the development of close combat arts was extremely substantial. It was very appealing to him, as a sword immortal that had stepped into the Dao. So much so that he wanted to travel to Sovereign Capital in search of more manuals.
******
Three months later.
On a river.
A large cruise ship was heading east along the river towards Sovereign Capital. It was the ship that Qin Yun, Liu Qingsha, and Dong Wan were on. There were obviously sailors and female attendants on board, all arranged by the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect ahead of time. The ship was also equipped with a chef that prepared delicacies every day. On the voyage, the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect would even send people to deliver fresh produce to the ship.
Qin Yun was enjoying some drinks while taking in the scenery of the two riverbanks. It was beautiful, with all sorts of bestial and avian sounds that could be heard coming from the woods along the river.
“Oh?” Qin Yun, who was enjoying the scenery, suddenly frowned as he looked at the river up ahead. There was a large ship being obstructed by many tiny boats. Experts from the tiny boats leaped onto the large ship and began an attack.
“Dong Wan, go ahead and see what’s the matter,” instructed Qin Yun.
On the main deck, a youth dressed in an azure-robe, Dong Wan, stood up and grabbed his sword. He immediately accepted the order respectfully. “Yes, Elder.”
The ship moved rapidly down the river.
Dong Wan shouted from afar, “The Zhou Mountain Sword Sect needs to pass. All parties are to make way!”
His voice rumbled forward.
“Brother, a ship from the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect!”
“So what if it’s the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect? How can our Gigantic Shark Sect be afraid of it? At best, we’ll give them the mercy of not being robbed. But they want us to make way?”
“That’s quite a biting tone. This is our Gigantic Shark Sect’s territory.”
A group of experts on the river banks was only there to watch the battle. When they heard the rumbling voice, their expressions changed drastically. The Gigantic Shark Sect was a large local sect and their sect master was a Connate intent realm expert. They also had dozens of perfected Postnatal realm experts in the sect. With thousands of members, it was one of the more famous sects in the surrounding hundred kilometers.
The Gigantic Shark Sect’s sect master, Guiyong, had a large ugly scar on his face. He looked coldly at the distant cruise ship that Qin Yun was on when he instructed, “Third Brother, go take a look. See who is it from the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect. That’s quite a demanding tone.”
“Yes, Brother.” Immediately, a lanky man responded. Following that, he dashed across the river towards the distant Zhou Mountain Sword Sect ship, leaving shadows in his wake.
When he came hundreds of feet away from it, he stood on the surface of the lake and looked at the ship. Dong Wan, who was standing on the deck with sword in hand gave the lanky man a fright. He immediately shouted, “I’m Qiancong from the Gigantic Shark Sect. Is that Lockheaven Sword, Young Hero Dong?”
Dong Wan had grasped the Heavenly Dao’s intent realm by the age of twenty-five. He was quite famous in the world.
“That’s me. My sect’s Grand Elder is on the ship with me. Is your Gigantic Shark Sect going to make way quickly?” shouted Dong Wan coldly.
“Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s Grand Elder?” The lanky man felt his heart skip a beat. He immediately shouted, “Yes, yes. We will immediately make way.”
Sou!
The lanky man rapidly crossed the river while shouting. “Men! Retreat! All of you, retreat!”
“Retreat?”
The sect members on the tiny boats were perplexed. Some had already charged up the merchant ship.
“Old Qian, you are calling for us to retreat?” shouted an ax-wielding stocky bald man on the merchant ship.
“Helmsman Liu, retreat! Quickly retreat!” shouted the lanky man angrily.
The bald man was somewhat perplexed. However, faced with the deputy sect master’s angry tirade, he had no choice but to obey.
“Let’s go! Retreat!”
“Retreat!”
The three helmsmen on the merchant ship begrudgingly led their men to take whatever treasures they could grab and disembark the ship before breaking away.
There were many guards doing their best to protect their charge on the merchant ship. The magnate, Wanghai, was still cowering in fear with his family. He did not care for the treasures that were taken away outside. The most important treasures were carried on him.
“My Ju family was fleeing as fugitives, but somehow the Gigantic Shark Sect learned of our location. They came to plunder our riches.” Wanghai, his wife, and daughter watched as the tiny boats on the river departed rapidly. “I pleaded with them for mercy and even made a failed attempt to bribe them. Why are they retreating now?”
“Father, are they all gone?”
“Yes, they are gone.”
The family was still reeling in panic.
As for the Gigantic Shark Sect’s sect master and company on the river bank, they received the report from Qiancong. “Sect Master, that ship has Lockheaven Sword, Dong Wan, as well as the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s Grand Elder, Meng Yiqiu.”
“Meng Yiqiu?” Guiyong’s ugly face revealed a look of shock. He immediately shouted, “Fifth Sister, quickly prepare some treasures. There’s no need for a lot but it can’t be too little either. Make it worth around ten thousand taels. And be quick about it. We have to apologize.”
“Yes.” Fifth Sister was a beautiful woman. A beauty was obviously needed when apologizing.
“Meng Yiqiu?”
“The Grand Elder of the Blood Saber Palace, Fang Chenshu, was killed by Meng Yiqiu who remained unscathed.”
“Back then, he fought one against fifteen. All fifteen of them were Connate experts. One strike a person, and five of them died instantly. Five Connate intent realm experts fell one after another. Terrifying.”
The Gigantic Shark Sect members trembled in fear.
To survive in this pugilistic world, the most important thing was to have a discerning eye! One had to receive accurate intelligence or one might end up offending a terrifying figure without knowing it, immediately causing a calamity to befall them. For example, Meng Yiqiu could have easily wiped out their Gigantic Shark Sect. The sect master, Guiyong, would not even survive one strike from Meng Yiqiu! The Gigantic Shark Sect naturally had to act obsequiously in front of such an existence.
Soon, the Gigantic Shark Sect had prepared the gifts.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Guiyong brought Fifth Sister with him as they sat on a boat. With his Connate Quintessential Essence, he steered the boat rapidly forward. It went straight for the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect cruise ship. It stopped only when it was about a hundred feet away.
“I stand before you humbly as Guiyong from the Gigantic Shark Sect. I’m terribly sorry for disturbing Young Master Meng and causing any unrest just now. I have specially brought some gifts with me to seek your forgiveness.” Guiyong’s ugly face was beaming with a smile as he bowed respectfully. Fifth Sister immediately went forward. After two taps on the river surface with her feet, she leaped onto the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect ship’s deck, handing over a box respectfully.
“Alright, you may leave.” Dong Wan instructed indifferently as a female attendant received the gift.
“Yes.” Fifth Sister smiled as she quickly retreated back onto the small boat.
Guiyong kept up the warm and respectful look on his face. He controlled his boat to stay far away as he watched the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s cruise ship depart.
“Phew.”
Only then did Guiyong heave a sigh of relief.
“Brother, by retreating we are already giving this Young Master Meng face. Why do we need to make recompense?” asked Fifth Sister to the side.
“What do you know?” said Guiyong. “Back when this Young Master Meng was poisoned, his beloved abandoned him. His master died because of him. After experiencing so much hardship, do you know what personality he might have now? He might have become a ruthless person who will not rest until he achieves his revenge. Although we withdrew as much as we could, that Young Master Meng might think that we are not giving him face if we didn’t take the initiative to make recompense. He might one day rob me of my life in passing.”
Guiyong sighed. “Anyways, in front of such an expert, one has to give them their due respects. He must not be slighted. Besides, no one would find fault in receiving too many gifts!”
“I understand.” Fifth Sister nodded.
…
“So it’s the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect’s Grand Elder, Meng Yiqiu.” Wanghai understood the moment he saw the scene play out. He could not help but beam with delight. “It’s our great luck we encountered him. As long as we follow behind his ship—not too close, just a thousand feet away—it will be enough to ensure that no one will dare attack us.”
“Meng Yiqiu? The Meng Yiqiu who destroyed his future prospects by being poisoned because of Fairy Gong?” said a girl to the side.
“Shut up!” Wanghai glared at her.
The girl immediately covered her mouth.
“I have to send some gifts. Don’t you mess things up for me! My wife, watch this lass well.” Wanghai immediately led two subordinates and rode a boat to Qin Yun’s ship to deliver some gifts of appreciation.
******
Moments later.
Qin Yun was enjoying his drinks while Liu Qingsha chatted with him. At that moment, Dong Wan carried two boxes over and said politely, “Elder, this is compensation from the Gigantic Shark Sect. And this is a gift of appreciation from the shipowner up ahead, Wanghai.” With that said, he opened the two boxes. Inside one of them was a pearl the size of a fist. It was indeed rare and was worth more than ten thousand taels of silver.
Ten thousand taels of silver was a considerable amount. However, it was easy for the Gigantic Shark Sect to produce it.
And in the other box was a piece of white jade the size of a palm. The jade had a faint shimmering splendor, for it contained spiritual energies. It was worth tens of thousands of taels in silver as well.
“A magnate is giving such a sizable gift of appreciation?” Qin Yun was somewhat surprised.
Dong Wan said with a smile, “I’m guessing Wanghai wants to follow us. By doing so, his safety is ensured. He’s probably wary of offending us, so he sent such a considerable gift.”
“Okay.” Qin Yun nodded.
Indeed.
The ship ahead was beginning to decelerate. It did not dare to stay ahead and allowed Qin Yun’s ship to pass. Wanghai’s ship followed about a thousand feet behind. Even if one had a bad temper, one would not mind after receiving such a sizable gift. Besides, they were staying a thousand feet behind. And true enough, Wanghai’s family did not encounter any further trouble for the rest of the voyage.
Several days later.
“I’ve finally arrived in Sovereign Capital.” Qin Yun walked to the deck and looked up ahead. There was a massive and majestic city in front of him. Sovereign Capital had been the capital of many kingdoms in history. It had a long history and a current population of ten million. It could be considered as the number one city in the present world.
…
And on the eastern pier of Sovereign Capital.
The Quelling Duke’s family, the Duan family, was already waiting there. There were guards on two sides, and in the middle there was a group of luxuriously-dressed men and women. Meng Yuxiang was escorted as two beautiful female attendants stood by her side. Also there was the second young master, Duan Qifeng, who escorted his wife gingerly. Ever since the news of Meng Yiqiu killing Fang Chenshu spread, Meng Yuxiang’s standing in the Duan family, which had been declining drastically, soared. The matriarch of the Duan family turned more cordial to Meng Yuxiang. The various members of the harem also treated Meng Yuxiang with greater respect. Even the amorous Second Young Master Duan paid more attention to his wife.
“According to the Zhou Mountain Sword Sect, my brother will arrive sometime soon.” Meng Yuxiang looked up. She knew very well that the Duan family treated her this way because of her brother.