Chapter 322: Sword? What Sword?

Wang Sheng's shabby phone truly lived up to its name as the official model issued to cultivators. Not only did it monitor every action of a cultivator, but he didn't even have to answer phone calls anymore. It would pick up automatically!

I absolutely need a new phone! Who would bear the blame if I were to be disturbed like this during a critical breakthrough in secluded cultivation and end up falling into qi deviation?

—Fei Yu, there's trouble on Sakura Island. Has a devilish sword fallen into your hands?

"Yes, we have it." Wang Sheng lifted his chin slightly. The three-dimensional projection of his mistress turned around 180°, finding the blood-colored devilish sword restrained by enchanted power.

—Destroy it immediately.

Wang Sheng nodded at once. He had still been hesitating whether to use the sword as bait, but his mistress's command tipped the balance in his heart.

A flash of sword radiance lit the room. Wang Sheng held Spiritless and swung it down in a simple, basic strike.

Spiritless glowed a cold azure. Within it, the shadow of an immortal—one that had completely fused with the celestial-grade sword itself—seemingly flickered and swept past as gracefully as a startled swan.

Clang!

Spiritless seemed to have only lightly hit the longsword. Wang Sheng then slowly withdrew it. For the first two seconds, the longsword appeared unchanged, but faint cracks soon spread across its blade down to its hilt.

A surge of blood light erupted. The longsword shattered, flooding every corner of the room with waves of blood mist.

Mu Wanxuan raised her slender hand, making the surging blood mist recoil. A Tai Chi diagram appeared at the center of the blood light and absorbed all of it. She then pointed forward, sending the Tai Chi diagram out to the balcony and into the skies.

Before long, muffled thunder rolled across the heavens. The blood mist burst apart and scattered, releasing a shockwave through the air.

Chi Ling shook her head.

—Destroying it is enough; we don't have to study it. Devilish swords like that have already appeared across the world, causing disasters everywhere. We often receive intelligence about similar weapons, especially from Africa.

Wang Sheng asked, "Mistress, who supplies those devilish swords?"

—The Jialington Arms Group, which is also the backbone and chief technology provider of the Dark Faction. The Hua Republic's corrupt cultivators were the first to create those swords in ancient times. Those weapons are the remnants of the Yin-Yang All-Creation Sect that we failed to eradicate.

—This matter will be investigated later. For now, I need you to be on your guard. Your situation over there may become troublesome. I have not yet received detailed intelligence, but the sword you destroyed is definitely tied to the Jialington Group.

"We're on Sakura Island, though," Zhou Yinglong muttered softly.

Huai Jing replied, "Wherever there is a military base of the Dami Empire, that group leaves its mark. Since the sword has been here with us all this time, the enemy surely left behind contingencies. They may have even already locked onto us."

"The man who contacted us earlier is climbing the building," Xi Lian reported. "Uh, seventy-four weak cultivators are also gathering nearby. The commotion earlier probably drew them over."

Everyone released their spiritual consciousness and spiritual perception, immediately detecting the scene around the hotel. Beneath the moonlight, people in ninja garb raced up the outer glass wall of the skyscraper at a 45° angle. They ran as though they were on level ground. By comparison, the seemingly crude method of flying using an object-controlling technique looked unexpectedly fresh, elegant, and effortlessly stylish.

Chi Ling quickly issued instructions.

—Have the scientists transferred at once. At a critical moment like this, we cannot trust the officials of Sakura Island. Don't forget: the Hua Republic has officially declared the Jialington Group as an enemy.

—The camouflaged and monstrously strong mercenaries you met on the Saros Empire's snowfield were their lower-tier experimental products. If they attempt to retaliate, you are to avoid harming innocents, Fei Yu. Apart from that, you may handle the situation as you see fit. If you're going to strike, make sure it hurts them!

"Understood." Wang Sheng nodded calmly. He then turned to Xi Lian, who looked regretful. "Big Sister, please protect the researchers. Move them to a safer hotel secretly, preferably one run by our fellow Hua people."

Though reluctant, Xi Lian still nodded.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Sister Hao, Qianzhang. Assist Big Sister."

"Alright!"

"

Mm!

Understood!"

Shi Qianzhang yawned. "Brother Sheng, I'll just sleep here for a bit. I'll join you later."

He rolled over on the sofa, curled up, and fell fast asleep.

Just as they finished dividing tasks, a black shadow leaped up from the balcony and lunged toward the room.

Snap!

Mu Wanxuan flicked her fingers. Two streams of yin-yang qi enveloped the intruder, instantly killing off all their momentum. They froze for a second in midair, then dropped into the swimming pool below, splashing water everywhere.

"It's me! It's me! Akiu Masayo!"

"Big Sister, go inform them," Wang Sheng calmly instructed. Sword in hand, he walked toward the balcony.

Xi Lian waved her small hand lightly. Together with Zhou Yinglong and Hao Ling, she turned toward the door. Meanwhile, Chi Ling dropped the call to remotely arrange reinforcements. Perhaps because the martial siblings were with them and Xi Lian, a highly skilled senior, was overseeing things, the others did not feel much tension.

The shadow dweller climbed from the pool, drenched from head to toe. After bowing respectfully toward the room, he quickly strode inside and asked anxiously, "Where is the sword?"

Huai Jing immediately asked, "Sword? What sword?"

"It's the..." Akiu Masayo lowered his head and sighed. With sincerity, he said, "I only came to confirm that the sword has been destroyed. We obtained footage of two women appearing near the site of the incident."

"

Amitabha,

" Huai Jing intoned with a smile.

Wang Sheng said calmly, "Earlier, Big Sister Xi Lian went out to buy something. On the way, she picked up a devilish sword. When I saw its great evil, I destroyed it."

Akiu Masayo breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly said, "Please forgive me. If possible, I will arrange for a new hotel for you immediately to avoid unnecessary conflict and trouble. I am truly sorry for failing to provide you with a safe and comfortable environment."

Out of curiosity, Wang Sheng asked, "Officer Akiu, does your position put you in an awkward situation right now?"

"

Hm?

Why do you say that?"

Wang Sheng smiled and gestured behind him. Akiu Masayo turned his head and saw, standing on the balcony's glass wall, over ten people in gray robes, each one with two

ninjatō

[1]

on their back. Most of them had cold gazes tinged with hostility.

In Sakura Island's language, one of them deeply and steadily said, "Akiu, we will take over negotiations with the Hua Republic cultivators from here. Thank you for your hard work."

Akiu Masayo stammered, "T-Teacher? Why are you here?"

In a deeper tone, the man answered, "This is beyond your control, Akiu. Don't worry. We will never do anything to embarrass this nation. However, the Dami Empire's soldiers are already on their way. We must give them an explanation. If we cannot strike a deal, then sacrifices will have to be made."

Standing at the sliding door to the balcony, Wang Sheng frowned slightly.

What are they talking about?

Shi Qianzhang, their interpreter, was fast asleep. For now, they could only guess what they were saying through tone and expression. Regardless, he had to seize control of the situation.

Wang Sheng stepped forward. "Are you here to demand accountability for the devilish sword?"

If they say yes, they can't blame me for being merciless.

He had regretted not taking part in the grand confrontation between the two nations' cultivators. Now, a new matter had come straight to their door.

This is truly... Ahem, love and peace.

If they admitted to coming for the sword, then that meant they were with the arms company that nurtured such weapons. The moment they revealed that they were the Hua Republic's enemies, he'd be able to let loose and unleash his wrath.

"No, no! They mean no harm, Teacher!" Akiu Masayo shouted. "Daoist Master Wang, please restrain yourself!"

After all the things he had been through that morning, he knew all too well how powerful these people were, especially Wang Sheng. He also knew that his teacher had always been a firm advocate of a strong military stance toward the Hua Republic and that he never bothered with the news or surfing the web. His teacher might not have even recognized the young cultivator.

Akiu Masayo's teacher, who had a somewhat peculiar build, stepped forward. Floating, he snorted coldly and said in the Hua Republic's language, "Please cooperate with us, Hua Republic cultivators."

Wang Sheng nodded slowly. That answer was enough.

Mu Wanxuan strode forward and stood beside him. Her beautiful face turned cold as she raised her right hand and pointed her fingers, which were like polished jade, straight ahead.

"Teacher, they're—!"

Before Akiu Masayo could finish, Mu Wanxuan clenched her left hand lightly. As her slender fingers curled, the ninjas standing on the balcony lost control and stumbled forward, seemingly seized by their collars. Before they could fall, she thrust her clenched fist outward.

Bzz—!

A violent gale surged. Yin and yang stirred!

An invisible force burst forth from her fist, sending shockwaves across the balcony. Jets of water exploded from the swimming pool, and the nearby glass walls shattered instantly. The ninjas were instantly blown away and scattered like blossoms cast down from the heavens.

1. The

ninjatō

looks like a katana with a straight blade. It is alleged to be the preferred weapon of feudal Japan's shinobi. Modern ninjutsu practitioners portray it as the weapon of the ninja. ☜