Chapter 131: The Dao Sect's Dao Child
To strike at the hearts of the people, to turn their loyalties against them!
Wei Yong felt a chill run down his spine. The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang had reformed the sects, nationalizing the secret arts of all the various schools, clans, and major powers across the land. He established elementary and secondary schools throughout the country, founded the Grand Academy in the capital, and in the martial world, he aggressively suppressed the various sects and schools.
If, after gathering so many resources, they still couldn't produce good disciples—disciples who were inferior to those from the various sects—then what use was the Imperial Preceptor's reform?
This Dao Child of the Dao Sect must be incredibly powerful, absolutely a genius-level figure. Otherwise, the Dao Sect wouldn't have sent him here to slap them in the face!
The face of the Grand Academy was the face of the Imperial Preceptor, and the face of the Emperor. Blocking the gate was a slap in the face. Whether the Imperial Preceptor and the Emperor could save face was still uncertain.
Wei Yong's heart trembled violently. Suddenly, he laughed and said, "The Grand Academy gathers the talents of the world. How could it possibly be inferior to a mere Dao Child from a single sect?"
Qin Mu shook his head, recalling that most of these scholars were probably cultivating the same technique, and he wasn't optimistic.
Although the scholars of the Grand Academy cultivated different techniques, it was hard for them to specialize. They needed a tutor from the Imperial Academy who specialized in that technique to teach them its essence.
In his view, the Dao Sect had come prepared this time. It was likely that the Grand Academy scholars could only be trapped on the mountain.
If the scholars of the Grand Academy couldn't defeat this Dao Child, then the sects of the world would have a righteous cause to oppose the Imperial Preceptor. At that point, if the Emperor didn't execute the Imperial Preceptor, the Emperor himself would lose virtue and the support of the people. It was very likely that all the sects of the world would rebel!
The conflict between the Dao Child and the Grand Academy scholars would be a struggle affecting the entire nation's situation. It couldn't be underestimated.
"Come on, let's go see the skills of this Dao Child!" Wei Yong said excitedly.
Qin Mu went down the mountain with him. They saw that below the Jade Cliff, in front of and behind the mountain gate, the Grand Academy scholars were everywhere. There were quite a few Grand Academy scholars. The Scholars' Residence only recruited ten people a year, but there were many more in the Divine Ability Users' Residence and the Princes' and Princesses' Residence.
Qin Mu stood on the Jade Cliff and looked forward. Sure enough, he saw two Daoists sitting in front of the mountain gate. One was an old man with an ancient and noble appearance, as if he didn't belong to the current era but had walked straight out of antiquity. He wore a gray Daoist robe, his demeanor was very simple and unsophisticated, and he had an air of transcendence, sitting there as if all worldly affairs had nothing to do with him.
Someone with this kind of aura was no ordinary person. This old man was likely a figure of extremely high status within the Dao Sect, known as the number one orthodox sect.
Beside this old man was a handsome young man. A fly whisk was draped over the crook of his elbow. The whisk was pure white, but the handle was cinnabar red. He wore green clothes and sat there very quietly, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding Grand Academy scholars.
Qin Mu silently praised them. This old man and young man looked like Daoists who cultivated their minds and natures, possessing an aura that transcended the mundane.
The two Daoists sat in the middle of the road in front of the mountain gate. The mountain gate was very wide, so they didn't take up much space.
But if they couldn't be driven away, it would be a great shame and humiliation.
Blocking the gate wasn't common in the martial world, unless there was a deep, irreconcilable hatred. This method was used to let the world know that this sect's gate had been blocked by me, to slap the sect's face, to cut down its confidence, and to belittle its techniques as worthless.
Usually, when this happened, it often led to a fight to the death.
But now, the old man and young man from the Dao Sect blocking the gate were slapping the face of the entire Yankang nation, slapping the face of the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang. They aimed to destroy the Imperial Preceptor's flourishing reforms!
Not far from Qin Mu, a prince in a yellow robe said in a low voice, "The Dao Sect was once the number one sect, on par with the Demon Cult. But in recent years, they've been somewhat subdued, disappearing along with the Demon Cult, and no news of them has been heard. This time, the Dao Sect appears, and their first move is no small matter. If the Grand Academy can't force these two to retreat, then after they leave, the Dao Sect will probably rebel. If the Dao Sect rebels, with their prestige..."
Qin Mu looked at the prince and thought to himself, "This person has extraordinary insight."
That prince suddenly felt something and turned back. His eyes lit up, and he quietly left the side of the other princes and squeezed over to Qin Mu.
"Cowherd..."
The prince had a slightly chubby baby face and smiled, whispering, "Did you really come to the capital to see me?"
Qin Mu looked "him" up and down. The prince looked familiar, and he blurted out, "You are... the chubby Seventh Young Master..."
As soon as he said that, he suddenly realized. Wasn't that "chubby Seventh Young Master" actually Ling Yuxiu, disguised as a man?
Hearing this, the prince was furious. He took a large iron hammer from his back and was about to smash it at Qin Mu!
Qin Mu quickly changed his tune, laughing, "Good sister, I didn't recognize you just now. Brother Wei, this is the Seventh Princess, Ling Yuxiu. Sister Yuxiu, this is Wei Yong, from the Duke's mansion."
Ling Yuxiu couldn't really smash him to death in front of everyone, so she put the large iron hammer back. Wei Yong was startled and muttered to himself, "The Seventh Princess? How did Brother Qin manage to hook up with the Seventh Princess? Can you mess with a girl from the royal family? That's a beheading offense... I've heard that this Seventh Princess is exceptionally talented and ambitious, but why is her weapon so rough and unrestrained..."
Qin Mu didn't know what he was thinking. He looked Ling Yuxiu up and down. The girl had grown even more beautiful. Although she was disguised as a man, she had a vibrant, upward spirit and an extraordinary bearing. And although she was dressed as a man, her chest, like other women's, had become fuller, also chubby, and she didn't hide it.
Back in the Great Ruins, her chest hadn't been this full.
Qin Mu smelled a familiar fragrance on her, probably the scent of Heavenly Silk, and said, "Sister, I haven't seen you for a few days. Your appearance has changed. I almost didn't recognize you in the palace."
Ling Yuxiu's eyes sparkled, and she blushed a little, smiling softly, "What's changed about me?"
Qin Mu gestured above her head, honestly saying, "You've grown taller than before, taller than me. You look a bit better, and you're stronger too. The muscles on your face and chest..."
Ling Yuxiu was furious and kicked him off the cliff.
Qin Mu, mid-air, felt quite wronged and muttered, "I didn't say she was fat. Why is she angry?"
Hu Ling'er gloated, saying, "Master is right. This woman is being unreasonable. Let's ignore her!"
Thump.
Qin Mu landed firmly on both feet. He looked up, wanting to jump back up, but worried that Ling Yuxiu would kick him down again.
Wei Yong beside him stared straight ahead, not moving.
Ling Yuxiu glared at him fiercely. A cold sweat broke out on Wei Yong's forehead, and then he leaped off the Jade Cliff.
Ling Yuxiu snorted and jumped down the cliff as well.
Not far away, a prince frowned. Suddenly, his primordial energy formed a large hand behind his head, reached down the cliff, and grabbed her back. He said gently, "Seventh Sister, don't cause trouble. Mind the royal family's dignity."
Ling Yuxiu had no choice but to behave, saying, "Second Brother, that person just now was the divine physician who treated the Empress Dowager. He's an old acquaintance of mine..."
The Second Prince's expression was indifferent, and he said, "I know. I also heard from General Qin that you met him in the Great Ruins and were quite close. Seventh Sister, we are children of the royal family. We are not our own masters. Don't cause trouble. Now, the world is in chaos. A great calamity is right before us. If it erupts, it will mean the fall of the nation and the destruction of our family. The royal family will become homeless dogs!"
Ling Yuxiu was startled and said, "Second Brother, what do you think of this Dao Child's skill?"
"He hasn't made a move yet, so I don't know his background. But since the Dao Sect dares to bring him here to block the gate, he must be extraordinary!"
The Second Prince looked at Qin Mu down the cliff and frowned slightly, saying, "Seventh Sister, although that Qin Mu is a generation's divine physician, he is ultimately an abandoned child from the Great Ruins. Don't get too close to him, lest people mock the royal family for not knowing their place."
Ling Yuxiu frowned.
In front of the mountain gate, the young man who was the Demon Cult Patriarch walked down the mountain, stood before the old man and young man of the Dao Sect, and greeted them with a bow. The old Daoist quickly stood up with the young Daoist and bowed in return.
The young Patriarch laughed and said, "Danyangzi, what is the meaning of bringing the Dao Sect's Dao Child here?"
The old Daoist laughed and said, "Brother, why ask knowingly? The Dao Lord of our Dao Sect is as old as you. He doesn't want to see the world's sects become vassals of Yankang, so he sent me here. The Dao Child will only block the gate for three days. If within three days, the Dao Child is defeated, the Dao Sect will not rebel. If no one can defeat the Dao Child in three days, then the world will change its master."
The young Patriarch sighed and said, "The Dao Sect has always been transcendent. Can't you sit still anymore?"
Danyangzi looked at his nose, and his nose looked at his heart, saying, "The Dao Lord sees the great trends of the world, rolling like a tide. Those who follow it prosper, those who go against it perish. Our Dao Sect does not seek to revive our own teachings, only to find peace of mind. If the Imperial Preceptor wants to destroy the world's teachings, so be it. But the Dao Lord wants to see if the elementary schools, secondary schools, and the Grand Academy, which the Imperial Preceptor uses to replace the world's sects, are qualified! Our Dao Sect has trained a Dao Child. The Grand Academy occupies the world's resources, far surpassing the Dao Sect. If the scholars they train are still inferior to our Dao Sect's Dao Child, then the Imperial Preceptor's reforms have no reason to exist, and the world needs a new master."
"I understand."
The young Patriarch turned and left, his voice spreading across the entire mountain, saying loudly, "The scholars of the Grand Academy, hear my command! Regardless of your cultivation level, you may descend the mountain and challenge!"
As soon as these words were spoken, they were heard throughout the mountain.
"I'll go!"
A Divine Ability User walked out of the mountain gate and strode towards the Dao Sect's Dao Child. The Dao Child stood up, bowed, and said, "Senior Brother."
That Divine Ability User was also a Grand Academy scholar who had entered the academy a few years earlier. He bowed in return and said, "What is the Dao Child's cultivation level?"
The Dao Child said unhurriedly, "The Six Harmonies Realm."
The Divine Ability User laughed and said, "I am also in the Six Harmonies Realm. My name is Qu Ping. Today, I am your enemy not because of personal grudges, but to uphold the reputation of the Grand Academy!"
The Dao Child nodded and said, "My secular name is Lin Xuan. Senior Brother, please."
"Dao Child Lin Xuan, please!"
Qu Ping's eyes flashed with sharp light. Suddenly, he burst into action, but instead of charging forward, he retreated. His body floated backward. He pinched a sword pellet between two fingers. The sword pellet hummed and shot out a brilliant sword beam, as thick as a pillar. It was faintly visible that this was a pillar of sword light formed by countless sword beams, spinning rapidly around a central axis!
Using this sword pillar as his sword, Qu Ping slashed down. Wherever it passed, the sword wind howled, and its momentum was immense!
Qin Mu was astonished by this sight, and his heart trembled violently. "Has the sword art of Yankang already reached this level? Is this a profound sword technique from the Grand Academy?"
His eyes were sharp, and he could see the extraordinary nature of this sword strike. Qu Ping's slash seemed simple, but in reality, the control of his primordial energy over the sword had reached an unimaginable level.
This slash of his seemed like a simple strike, but the countless sword beams within the sword pillar all needed to be controlled by primordial energy. Just this one move made Qin Mu feel that he was far behind!
This sword technique seemed to subtly transcend the basic sword techniques of thrusting, lifting, chopping, and slashing, developing into another kind of swordsmanship not encompassed by basic sword techniques!
"The Grand Six Harmonies Sword Technique!"
Wei Yong exclaimed, his eyes shining brightly, saying, "This is the Imperial Preceptor's sword technique, a divine ability that only Divine Ability Users can cultivate!"
"The Imperial Preceptor of Yankang's sword technique?"
Qin Mu's heart trembled slightly. No wonder he felt that this sword technique transcended the scope of basic swordsmanship. He didn't expect it to be a sword technique created by the Imperial Preceptor of Yankang!