Chapter 150: A Nighttime Rendezvous
Under Shi Hao’s persuasion, Yan Zhuxia could no longer refuse.
She began mobilizing the village’s forces and sent her four sisters, Hong Ou, Cui Ling, Zi Shao, and Lan Tan, as representatives to join Shi Hao in negotiating with the other villages.
They returned to Mount Xieluo.
At Wudang Monastery, Daoist Chuan, Gong Muhong, and another man, around fifty years old, were talking.
Seeing them return, Daoist Chuan introduced the man, “This is Mr. Zhao Peng, younger brother of Lord Zhao, the leader of Azure Dragon City.”
Shi Hao bowed. Daoist Chuan said, “Azure Dragon City agrees to the alliance. What about Wu Village?”
Shi Hao said, “We’ve succeeded. The Wu Zhu of Wu Village has agreed to join us, on the condition that the other villages assist them in improving their weaving techniques and equipment, allowing them to produce and sell silk and brocade.”
Gong Muhong’s face lit up, “Such a small request, of course.”
Shi Hao turned to Daoist Chuan, “Wu Village has sent Hong Ou, Cui Ling, Zi Shao, and Lan Tan to assist us. Please arrange accommodations for them, Abbot. We’ll leave for Shennong Village tomorrow morning.”
Daoist Chuan left to arrange their accommodations and then returned.
Shi Hao turned to Gong Muhong, “The Gong family’s absence from the meeting in Changyan City must have alerted the Hanyang Gang. From now on, both Mount Nangong and Azure Dragon City should post lookouts at key locations, in case of a surprise attack.
“And the Hanyang Gang likely has assassins. Many who refused to join them were killed in their homes at night. Therefore, all important figures should have bodyguards and avoid traveling alone.”
Gong Muhong and Zhao Peng nodded in agreement.
After finalizing the details, Shi Hao had dinner and returned to his room to meditate and rest.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Du Yuejiao entered.
She walked to his bedside and looked at him intently. Shi Hao smiled, “What is it?”
Du Yuejiao sat down beside him, “Brother Shi, I never realized you were such a smooth talker. Seeing you persuade those people these past few days… you’re quite skilled.”
Shi Hao smiled wryly, “Desperate times call for desperate measures. Not everything can be solved with brute force. Diplomacy and alliances have always been important tools, even in these times.”
Du Yuejiao muttered, “You’re so good with words. But when you captured me, you didn’t bother with any explanations, just… tortured me. You were bullying me.”
Shi Hao pulled her closer, flipped her onto the bed, and smiled, “In that situation, words wouldn’t have worked.”
Du Yuejiao pushed him playfully, “But torturing me did?”
Shi Hao, after a moment of thought, grinned mischievously, “It was… effective. And I enjoyed it.” He whispered in her ear, his breath warm on her skin.
Du Yuejiao blushed and pushed him again, but he held her down, teasing her.
“Hey!” Xu Xiaoyan’s voice came from the doorway. She had entered the room, seen them, and then quickly turned and left.
Du Yuejiao snorted.
Shi Hao wondered when those two would finally get along.
After teasing Yuejiao for a while, he finally let her go.
That night, Shi Hao continued practicing the Nine Yin Demonic Transformations.
The benefit of dual cultivation was the constant, simultaneous growth of both his Daoist and demonic energies.
His Nine Yin Demonic Primordial Energy had increased slightly since yesterday.
In the middle of the night, he suddenly opened his eyes and left his room.
He circled the courtyard and, reaching the other side of the west wing, looked through a window.
The sound of a whistling sword and rapid movement came from within.
Xu Xiaoyan was practicing her swordsmanship.
Having sensed her activity with his Primordial Energy, he had come to check on her.
The room wasn’t large, but Xu Xiaoyan moved through it like a butterfly, her movements a blur.
Although her sword whistled, the sound was muffled.
And as her movements became faster, the sound of the blade cutting through the air became quieter.
A thin gauze curtain covered the window. The courtyard outside was dark, but a candle flickered within.
Her figure darted between the walls, around the rafters, then down to the floor, her movements too fast to see clearly, just a blur of motion, like a comet without its tail.
The Black Jade Demonic Meteor Art… that was the demonic technique she was practicing.
Suddenly, she stopped, her body spinning.
With a barely audible hiss, her sword shot out the window.
Shi Hao tilted his head, the sword passing by his ear.
He walked around the building, opened the door, and said, “Are you trying to kill me? If I had been a little slower, you would have stabbed me in the head.”
“Kill you?” Xu Xiaoyan pouted, “If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t have been able to dodge.”
She swung her sword, the blade passing through the candle flame without disturbing it, the sound of cutting air completely absent.
She smiled, “See?”
If she had attacked with her full power, there wouldn’t have been even that slight sound.
Of course, Shi Hao had been watching from outside; he would have been able to dodge even without the sound.
Shi Hao said admiringly, “It seems you’ve mastered the Black Jade Demonic Meteor Art and the Seven Swords of the Mystic Gates.”
Xu Xiaoyan, dressed in her colorful skirt, spun around, the short, narrow Plain Sword in her hand as light and delicate as a needle.
When Daoist Tie Yu had asked him about his requirements for the sword, he had requested something simple and easily concealed.
Now, however, with his increasing prominence, the sword wasn’t suitable for him anymore.
He had initially intended to maintain a low profile in the jianghu.
But after returning to the Primordial Grotto Heaven and learning the strategies of Guiguzi and the art of war from the Holy Jade Immortal, he realized that although discretion was valuable, in these turbulent times, being too low-key meant being overlooked, one’s potential wasted.
For a lone wanderer, a low profile was beneficial.
But as the Young Master of the Evil Lotus Sect, as someone who wanted to make a difference in this world, being inconspicuous meant being ignored, achieving nothing.
The Taisu Immortal Pavilion was secretive, its location and the number of its members unknown.
But their descendants, when they appeared, always made a grand entrance.
Like Yun Caiyao, previously unknown, her appearance on Dragon Head Mountain during the full moon had shaken the martial world.
She had only appeared once, but her legend had already spread.
Shi Hao wasn’t that powerful yet. To achieve his goals in the Ba Mountains, he had to be more proactive, more visible, letting his light shine.
In that case, this Plain Sword wasn’t suitable for him.
But it was perfect for Xu Xiaoyan and her Black Jade Demonic Meteor Art and the Seven Swords of the Mystic Gates.
He decided to let her keep it.
In her hand, the sword moved like a blur, its light dimmed, its sound muffled, as if enveloped in a dark aura, its true nature concealed.
She sheathed it smoothly, the sword disappearing into its wooden handle, without a sound.
The swordsmanship itself couldn’t achieve this. It was the Black Jade Demonic Meteor Art, creating an invisible field around her, suppressing the sound and light.
The Seven Swords of the Mystic Gates was a swift and unpredictable sword technique.
But without the Black Jade Demonic Meteor Art, it couldn’t achieve this level of stealth.
“Your Nine Yin Demonic Transformations are more interesting,” Xu Xiaoyan turned and walked to the table, poured herself a cup of cold tea, took a sip, and looked at him, “Those tricks you showed me earlier are quite impressive. I’m almost tempted to learn the Nine Yin Demonic Primordial Technique myself. But I’ve chosen the Black Erosion path. Although I can still practice it, it won’t be very effective.”
“And it seems that without the Secret Canon, even if you cultivate the Nine Yin Demonic Primordial Technique, the Nine Yin Demonic Transformations won’t be very powerful.”
Shi Hao walked behind her and smiled, “It’s not the Secret Canon you need, but the Demonic Lotus Heavenly Yin. But if you really want to learn it, I can help you.”
He whispered in her ear, “I can… Ouch!”
Xu Xiaoyan stamped on his foot, “Go help your little lover! And stay away from me! I don’t want that vinegar jar glaring at me as if there’s something between us.”
She glared at him, holding her teacup, and turned away.
Shi Hao followed her, “That’s not fair… Hey, it’s late. I’ll let you rest.”
He walked towards the door and quickly left.
Xu Xiaoyan, sipping her tea, turned and glanced out the window. A figure flickered in the darkness.
She looked towards the door and snorted, “Men!”
Shi Hao hurried back to his room, took off his robe, and prepared for bed.
A soft voice called out from outside his window, “Brother Shi?”
He went to the window, opened it, and looked out, “Yuejiao? It’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep?”
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