Chapter 159.2: News of the Moonlight Kingdom, The Mysterious High Priestess

Only after several dozen breaths did the suffocating pressure in the hall finally dissipate.

A man's face darkened. "A senior like the Blood-Clothed Sword God actually attacked us juniors! He is utterly shameless!"

By now, they had almost confirmed the truth: that turtle-shell-wearing man was the Blood-Clothed Sword God. Not only was Xu Yeli from the Blood-Clothed Alliance, Xu Tongchen's deferential attitude toward that man also spoke volumes. Moreover, some prodigies had heard rumors that the Blood-Clothed Sword God entered through the backdoor. They had initially assumed it was merely some junior from the Blood-Clothed Alliance. Who would have thought it was the Blood-Clothed Sword God himself?

"Strange," one prodigy muttered. "The origins of worlds differ. Those who comprehend Origin Divine Techniques should be repelled when entering another world. Why isn't he affected?"

As a result, they had treated the turtle-shell man as just another prodigy like themselves. Same generation, same level, what was there to fear? Yet, the Blood-Robed Sword God crushed them effortlessly and even wanted a fair fight with Gu Xiaoyao.

The old monster had no sense of honor at all. Completely bullying the younger generation!

"The Blood-Clothed Sword God bullies the weak and seeks to monopolize the Moonwatch Continent. He’s making an enemy of us and of the entire Eastern Lands!" Ling Jiao said coldly, "He may be powerful, and the destruction of Bright Palace was shocking, but opposing the whole Eastern Lands is courting death. I will report this to my grandmaster!"

"

Hmph

. Does he think hiding in Moonwatch Continent means we can't touch him?"

As much as they’d like to avoid open conflict with the Blood-Clothed Sword God, Moonwatch Continent was tied to their escape routes. It had to be contested.

Ling Jiao snapped angrily. "This isn't over! Does he think the sun revolves around hi—"

Mid-sentence, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Her aura collapsed, her face turning deathly pale in an instant. She became thin and fragile like a dying thread.

The others were shocked. "Ling Jiao?!"

Had the Blood-Clothed Sword God not actually left? Was this punishment? Their faces changed drastically. No one dared speak again or mention the Blood-Clothed Sword God.

***

High above the sky, several streaks of light flashed past.

Qi Yuan glanced at Luo Xi beside him. "You've been to the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground, haven't you?"

Luo Xi's heart jolted. "Senior, how did you know?"

Jiang Ya shot Qi Yuan a strange look.

Qi Yuan replied thoughtfully, "In the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone, doing push-ups and sit-ups makes you stronger. But the price is that you lose your hair."

Those rules had once been set by him to help Jin Li grow stronger.

Luo Xi was shaken to the core, as if his world were turning upside down. How could an outsider possibly know these secrets?

Qi Yuan calmly stared at him. "Can you tell me about the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone?"

Luo Xi fell silent. He didn't know Qi Yuan's true identity, and the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone involved secrets far too great. How was he supposed to explain it?

Qi Yuan lifted his head and looked at the enormous Ancient Qichun Tree towering in the heavens. His thoughts seemed to drift back to a time long past. He had once sat by the shores of Seventh Moon Lake. The Moon Maiden had been beside him, fishing alone through the cold river snow.

"Go on, tell me. It's fine," Qi Yuan said. His voice, once again, carried a subtle, bewitching power.

Luo Xi, who had still been hesitating, finally said slowly, "When I was young, I followed my parents to the Moonlight Kingdom. By chance, I joined it and became one of the Moon Oath members."

"So the Moonlight Kingdom still exists..." Qi Yuan murmured.

He thought of the people near Seventh Moon Town, and of the Moon Maiden who had once left a crescent-moon mark on his arm. Glancing at his arm, he saw that it was smooth and unblemished. The crescent mark from the past had long since faded away.

"Those who become part of the Moon Oath can enter the Xuanyuan Forbidden Ground to strengthen themselves and serve the Moon God," Luo Xi explained. His face was filled with reverence at the mention of the Moon God. "Later, when the Moluo Clan invaded and Fenggui fell into crisis, I requested leave from the leader. The leader allowed me to return to Fenggui to defend it."

Qi Yuan listened and looked up at the moon in the sky. His thoughts grew tangled and heavy.

Lord Moon God, Moonwatch Continent, Moon Maiden, Moon Token, Master... Are these things connected?

He didn’t know whether coming here would allow him to meet the person he wished to see.

Just then, Jiang Ya said, breaking his thoughts. "Senior, how do you plan to deal with the Moluo Clan?"

"Simply kill them," Qi Yuan replied without hesitation.

Jiang Ya went on with worry in her eyes. "The Moluo forces around Fenggui and the other six empires aren't particularly strong. With your strength, you could likely sweep them aside in a few days. But once you reveal your power, you'll alert the Moluo Clan's true experts. Their Yin Spirits will come for you. At best, ten-plus days. At worst, a few months. Senior, not only are you alone, you’ve already offended so many major powers of the Eastern Lands. Facing the Moluo Clan, I fear..."

Concern filled her gaze. The Moluo Clan was terrifyingly strong. Otherwise, the Yin Spirits of the Eastern Lands wouldn't be losing ground against them.

Qi Yuan said calmly, "This is my home. Should I forfeit it to the enemy just because they are strong?"

If vile guests had come, then naturally they would all have to be killed.

Jiang Ya fell silent. She felt that talking to the Blood-Clothed Sword God was difficult, much like talking to Jiang Lingsu's senior brother.

True Lord Great Wisdom declared firmly, "The head may fall, and blood may flow, but the home must never be given away!"

Xu Tongchen remained silent, choosing not to join the conversation.

Qi Yuan then looked at Luo Xi. "Who told the Moonlight Kingdom about the secrets of the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone?"

Only Jin Li knew, not even the Moon Maiden. Yet the Moonlight Kingdom had somehow learned of it.

"I don't know," Luo Xi replied, puzzled by the question.

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly. It seemed he would have to make a personal trip to the Moonlight Kingdom to uncover the truth.

Could it be that later on, Jin Li had gone beneath the Ancient Qichun Tree to wait for me and eventually joined the Moonlight Kingdom?

Unanswered questions swirled in his heart.

He asked again, "Is the Moonlight Kingdom still located near the Ancient Qichun Tree? Is there still anyone by Seventh Moon Lake?"

"Yes," Luo Xi nodded. "Nowadays, the Moonlight Kingdom keeps a low profile, but its experts emerge one after another. Seventh Moon Town is its holy land. The High Priestess has always lived in Seventh Moon Town, in the wooden cottage by Seventh Moon Lake."

At the mention of the High Priestess, Luo Xi's eyes brimmed with reverence once again.

For some reason, the moment Qi Yuan heard 'High Priestess', his left eyebrow twitched. "What is the High Priestess name? What does she look like?"

Luo Xi's eyes burned with fervor. "The High Priestess has the body of a child and has not changed for a hundred years. Her face is always covered with a veil, so no one can see her true appearance. She’s the strongest expert in all of Moonwatch Continent. Her swordsmanship is unrivaled under heaven. No one can match her."

Clearly, in the hearts of the Moon Oath members, the High Priestess held an exalted status.

Then, Luo Xi said, "The High Priestess is also the closest to the Moon God."

Qi Yuan's mind raced.

Swordsmanship? A childlike body? Could it be the Moon Maiden?

Given how much time had passed, the Moon Maiden should have either reached adulthood or perished in the long river of time. Was it merely a coincidence? All of his questions could only be answered by going to the Moonlight Kingdom.

For some inexplicable reason, he felt a faint sense of dread after arriving on Moonwatch Continent. It felt like everything would amount to nothing in the end. Nevertheless, the thought lingered for only a brief moment.

"

Hmph

. I will become a Hunyuan Saint, a Great Golden Immortal[1]. Even if everything turns out to be empty, I'll turn illusion into reality!" Qi Yuan swore silently.

He decided that after slaughtering the vile guests around Fenggui and the other seven empires, he would head straight to the Moonlight Kingdom and uncover the truth.

"Twenty-one days will pass quickly," Qi Yuan murmured.

1. Both Hunyuan Saint and Great Golden Immortal are immortal beings from chinese myth. ☜