Chapter 341: Chapter 346: Bull Head Mountain_1
The five of them chatted idly for a while before finally getting down to business. Zhang Jiao waved his right hand, projecting a yellow beam of light that formed a defensive Formation, shielding them from any external scrutiny.
"Your Majesty, according to the leader’s arrangements, our Abyss Guard’s branch in the Middle Region currently has more than four hundred thousand spies. It has become the Taiyi Saint’s Court’s largest underground organization and has already begun its infiltration!"
"The Taiyi Saint’s Court has seventeen provinces. We’ve secretly taken control of two and now possess twenty-nine Semi-Emperor martial artists and thousands of Saint King martial artists..."
Sima Yi completed his report, then sighed with a touch of regret, "It’s a pity we lack the support of Emperor-level martial artists. Otherwise, we could have achieved even greater success!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Wudao and the others were incredibly surprised. They had never imagined that the covert faction, established so casually back then, could have grown so formidable. Given more time, they might even gain complete control over the Taiyi Saint’s Court.
"Excellent!" Qin Wudao praised. Still curious, he asked, "What about the Primordial Supreme’s legacy? Do you have any specific intelligence on it?"
This time, Zhang Jiao stepped forward to report. He saluted and said, "Your Majesty, the Primordial Supreme’s legacy appeared suddenly, without any prior signs. Its emergence was unlike any past inheritance. Neither we nor any other Holy Land in the East Border possess specific intelligence!"
"However, intelligence from within the Taiyi Saint’s Court suggests they deduce that the Primordial Supreme’s legacy is perilous. As for how perilous, we have no way of knowing!"
At this, Zhang Jiao added with concern, "Your Majesty, you must be extremely cautious when you enter the secret realm of the inheritance!"
Qin Wudao nodded, his fingers tapping on the armrest of his chair as he sank into deep thought.
Like Ancient Moon before him, he sensed that something was amiss. In the past, inheritances typically appeared either upon discovery or emerged gradually; a sudden manifestation like this was unprecedented. Qin Wudao’s sharp intuition told him there was definitely a problem. However, much like the Emperor-level patriarchs of the Middle Region, he wouldn’t shrink back even if he confirmed an issue.
Guo Jia, seated nearby, also sensed the abnormality and instinctively reached for his wine gourd, taking a swig.
As for Li Yuanba, he sat to the side, blissfully unaware. He generally didn’t trouble himself with such complex matters.
"Early tomorrow morning, I will head to Bull Head Mountain," Qin Wudao announced after a moment of contemplation, looking up. "I am very pleased with the Abyss Guard’s progress in the Middle Region. When I return, I will devise a way for you two to achieve your breakthrough!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Jiao and Sima Yi exclaimed, standing up and saluting respectfully, their eyes blazing with fervor.
If they could break through to become Emperor-level martial artists, they were confident they could seize half the Taiyi Saint’s Court’s territory!
「The next day」
As the sun rose in the east, Qin Wudao led his contingent aboard a Spirit Boat, continuing their journey. They would need to traverse the territories of three Holy Lands to reach Bull Head Mountain.
"So many formidable experts!" Li Yuanba remarked, shouldering his giant bronze hammer, his voice deep.
Along their route, they had sensed the auras of numerous Emperor-level martial artists in the regions they passed—about a dozen or so, though they were all ordinary Emperor-level cultivators.
The areas they traversed were but a small fraction of the Middle Region. Extrapolating from this glimpse, they could deduce that there were at least several hundred Emperor-level martial artists throughout the Middle Region.
"Truly a sanctuary of the mighty!" Guo Jia exclaimed with heartfelt admiration. Only by venturing out could one truly comprehend the vastness of the world and the power of its experts. Remaining in a small place like the East Border would only lead to a narrow perspective.
Qin Wudao stood at the prow of the Spirit Boat, hands clasped behind his back. He gazed down at the magnificent landscapes of the Middle Region and declared confidently, "One day, the Qin Dynasty will set foot in the Middle Region!"
Witnessing the Middle Region’s strength had fully ignited his desire for conquest.
The Spirit Boat traveled at an impressive speed, and five days later, they arrived at the outskirts of Bull Head Mountain. This once-obscure mountain range had become renowned throughout the lands due to the Primordial Supreme’s legacy.
After landing, Qin Wudao disembarked from the Spirit Boat and surveyed the mountain range. Extravagant and luxurious tents dotted the forests, and banners of various factions fluttered in the wind. Numerous powerful auras staked out territories across the mountains; the stronger the faction, the closer their encampment was to the summit.
However, the area nearest the peak was conspicuously empty.
Qin Wudao guessed this space was reserved for the Holy Lands of the Middle Region. All the factions on the mountain understood that to survive in the Middle Region, one must not offend the Holy Lands.
"You lot, scram! This is my territory!" a bald, heavily bearded middle-aged man, accompanied by several disciples, shouted coldly as he strode toward them.
Qin Wudao frowned slightly but ignored him, continuing towards the mountains.
"How dare you ignore me! Stop right there!" the bald middle-aged man roared, his fury evident. A vast aura pressed down on them.
He was the ancestor of the Middle Region’s Lei Feng Sect. He had successfully advanced to the Emperor level thanks to the spiritual energy tide. Leveraging his sect’s prestige and his own formidable strength, he had become the most powerful figure camped at the mountain’s base.
He had a penchant for showing off and enjoyed bullying the weak. As he often said, "I just love to see you fuming, yet utterly helpless against me!"
"Look, the Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor is bullying people again!"
"I don’t get what the Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor is thinking. He could have camped halfway up the mountain but insists on staying at the foot!"
"Sigh! That’s the seventh minor sect he has picked on. I hope they don’t all get wiped out!"
The surrounding minor factions commented with feigned sympathy, yet none intervened, all adopting the expressions of spectators.
In the martial world, those with kind hearts often died the quickest!
"Seeking death!"
Qin Wudao still said nothing, but Li Yuanba was enraged. The aura of an Ancient Emperor-level expert erupted from him without restraint, and a dense, bloodthirsty Evil Qi permeated the sky.
The Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor’s face froze, his jaw nearly hitting the ground. This ’minor faction’ actually has an Ancient Emperor-level martial artist? Why would a faction with an Ancient Emperor-level expert camp at the foot of the mountain instead of heading to the mountainside? Isn’t this just bullying? How could he happily show off anymore?!
"Sen... Senior, please calm your anger! I was momentarily muddled... just pretend I farted!" The Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor, an adaptable man, slapped himself twice across the face and said with a fawning smile.
"Die!" Li Yuanba’s expression was glacial. In his heart, Qin Wudao was a supreme god. The Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor daring to curse his god was, in Li Yuanba’s eyes, a capital offense.
The Void trembled. Before the terrified eyes of the Lei Feng Sect’s ancestor, Li Yuanba’s giant bronze hammer thundered down. The ground shuddered, and where the ancestor stood, only a pile of gore remained.
Qin Wudao, hands clasped behind his back, leisurely began to ascend towards the mountainside. Guo Jia, sipping his wine, followed. Li Yuanba casually shook the blood from his hammer and trailed behind them.
After their departure, the foot of the mountain erupted into a commotion. Martial artists from all the minor factions stared in horror at the bloody mess on the ground. An Emperor-level martial artist, eliminated just like that?
Even though the number of Emperor-level martial artists had increased, they were still undeniably regional overlords! A Dao Domain, with a population numbering in the tens of billions or even hundreds of billions, might not produce a single Emperor-level martial artist. To these onlookers, Emperor-level cultivators were still beings to be deeply revered.
Yet now, one had been smashed to death with a single blow!
Such terrifying power!