NOVPUBStanding since the Wild Desolation era, its four major sub-academies span the entire northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest continents.
The Heavenly Dao Academy has produced countless strong figures over the years, teaching without strict adherence to any one method, instead adapting to the material at hand.
This academy is the place of many a person’s youthful dream.
People consider it an honor to become a student of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
...
Xu Zimei glanced over and saw that, aside from the scholarly robed elder leading them, the Heavenly Dao Academy group consisted of five students, three males and two females.
Six people, in total, were seated by a window-side table, they ordered a few simple dishes, and chatted in low voices while eating.
Since their voices were really low, Xu Zimei couldn’t hear much.
The six did not stay at the inn, they left after finishing their meal.
As the six left, the inn’s atmosphere, which had been somewhat silent, instantly became noisy again.
"What do you think, why would people from the Heavenly Dao Academy come to our little town? Could it be because of that incident?"
"Very likely, there have been a lot of strong individuals passing through our town recently, I never expected the Huayuan Sect to make such a big fuss."
"So, do you think we should go and enjoy the commotion?"
"Forget it, right now, that place has become a huge cake. Without the strength, approaching it means courting death.
We, regular folks, should just stay put and mind our own business."
Hearing the conversation of the people around him, Xu Zimei pondered for a moment.
He summoned the inn’s server to inquire further.
"Are you asking about the matter of the ruins, sir?" the server asked with a dawning realization and a smile.
"It’s not really a secret; it has been the talk of the town here in Fierce Fire City."
"Go on," the Divine Emperor prompted from the side.
To the north of our Fierce Fire City, there is a sect called the Huayuan Sect.
It is a quite ordinary third-rate power, with their Sect Gate established on Huayuan Mountain.
Recently, for reasons unknown, Huayuan Mountain collapsed.
Auspicious lights soared towards the sky, and later, there were rumors about it being the ruins of some powerful individual.
In these recent times, strong figures from various places have been gathering there, passing through our Fierce Fire City."
"Huayuan Mountain," Xu Zimei murmured to herself.
"Right, if the sir is heading towards White Bone City, you would need to pass by the domain of Huayuan Mountain," the server reminded.
"When you do, it might be safer to take a detour.
Those people have occupied Huayuan Mountain and do not allow anyone to approach the vicinity."
"Understood," Xu Zimei nodded slightly.
As they were speaking, the sky had completely darkened, and two more individuals walked into the inn.
These two individuals wore coarse grey hemp garments and had white blade cloths wrapped around their wrists.
One carried a curved blade on his back, completely wrapped in blade cloth and tied behind him.
The other cradled a longsword, which was without a sheath but also wrapped in cloth, with three feet of the exposed blade edge sharp and clear.
Both were of similar height, had the same hairstyle, and even their faces looked quite similar, appearing as though they were twins.
The moment the two entered the inn, a faint Blade Qi and Sword Qi enveloped their bodies.
"Buddy, we want the two best rooms," the man carrying the curved blade stated indifferently.
"Right away, sirs. Would you like to order some food?" the server asked eagerly.
The man carrying the curved blade did not respond but turned his gaze towards the inside of the inn’s first floor.
His eyes narrowed slightly as Blade Qi burst forth from his gaze, shattering various illusions.
The clamor on the first floor came to an abrupt halt, and the man who had just been talking and laughing at the table, now had a stream of fresh blood spilling from his neck.
Then his head fell onto the table, and the people sitting there stared with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"He was too noisy," the man with the curved blade said indifferently.
"You’re courting death," the other three at the table erupted in rage, immediately grabbing the nearby swords and lunged at the man.
As he watched the people attacking him, the man still did not make a move; his eyes suddenly widened.
A Blade Intent that no one had time to react to ravaged through the inn. In that instant, the bodies of the three men across suddenly froze.
"Take us to our room," the man holding the longsword said lightly.
"Ah," the innkeeper hesitated, then with a puzzled look, glanced over at the three men.
The trio remained motionless, then copious amounts of blood began to flow from their bodies.
In the blink of an eye, their bodies shattered into pieces, dropping to the floor like chunks of broken meat.
"Ugh," someone eating nearby couldn’t bear it and vomited on the spot.
As he caught the gaze of the man with the curved blade, the innkeeper’s body trembled slightly.
He quickly forced a smile, "This way please, gentlemen."
As the two ascended to the second floor, the Divine Emperor took a sip of wine and said to Xu Zimei with a smile,
"Interesting, he has grasped the essence of a sharp blade."
Xu Zimei continued to eat unbotheredly, not even a frown for the pile of minced meat next to him.
There are many kinds of Blade Intent—Fire Blade, Ice Blade, and even Flying Blade that prioritizes speed.
However, the intent of the sharp blade is the strongest in terms of attack power.
"The man holding the sword beside him is not simple either," Xu Zimei mumbled unclearly while eating.
Watching the two go upstairs, the remaining guests in the first floor’s hall had lost their appetite as well.
Someone whispered in a hushed tone, cautiously saying, "Don’t you think those two looked like something just now?"
"Looked like what?" someone asked in confusion.
"The Blade and Sword Divine Emperor," the person before explained.
"Impossible, what kind of existence is the Blade and Sword Divine Emperor?" another exclaimed in disbelief.
"But according to the legends about their attire, it really does match."
"Are they also here for the ruins of Huayuan Mountain? The Heavenly Dao Academy was fine, they brought some students to gain experience.
But why would such beings come here?"
The Blade and Sword Divine Emperor have been famous for a long time, both of them mighty beings of the Divine Vein Realm.
It is said that since childhood they were twins, growing up together.
After starting their cultivation, one exclusively loved the Blade Dao while the other favored the Sword Dao.
In their cultivation, they helped each other, spurring on friendly competition.
Eventually, they achieved grand mastery of their respective daos of the blade and sword.
Listening to the discussions of other people in the inn, Xu Zimei and the Divine Emperor finished their meal and went upstairs to rest.
Without a word throughout the night,
at dawn in Fierce Fire City, when the night had not fully receded, the two set off for White Bone City.
Heading northward from Fierce Fire City, around noon, Xu Zimei arrived at the territory of Huayuan Mountain.
In the lush vegetation up ahead, an ancient stele was standing tall.
This stele was covered in dense cracks, but the words "Huayuan Sect" were still clearly visible.
Less than a kilometer north of the stele, the ruins of a collapsed mountain were still distinctly visible.
A large group of people were guarding the entrance by this stele, defending this place.
