Chapter 2071: 860, as long as your cup hasn’t been stopped, even if I lose, 2
“You will be more likely to be surrounded and attacked there.”
Naturally, strong characters are able to sense each other’s presence.
Elders from the Sword Pool heading to the thirty-thousand-mile battlefield will certainly attract the attention of those strong characters and lead to their encirclement and attack.
Liu Jun’s face stiffened, and he could only nod reluctantly in acceptance.
“In half a month, a group of disciples will reinforce the battlefield and bring some supplies along the way.”
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Zhao Minghe was a disciple of the Sword Hall of the Sword Pool, having cultivated for thirty years with half-step Heaven Realm abilities.
As an elite among his peers, he had already carried out dozens of missions to the Two Realms Battlefield.
However, without reaching the Heaven Realm, one is not qualified to stay long on that battlefield, much less to partic.i.p.ate in the actual combat.
Without Heaven Realm abilities, one simply cannot survive on such a battlefield.
This time, as the leader of the supply transport team, he received a team a.s.signment that surprised him.
Unconsciously, he turned his head to look back at the chariot behind him.
There were eighteen disciples in total, each riding a Flying Cloud Colt, with only three Sword Hut disciples riding in the chariot.
These three Sword Hut disciples were ostensibly responsible for escorting a piece of armor to the Two Realms Battlefield.
Only Zhao Minghe knew that the order he received was to have all the disciples fully protect the Sword Hut disciple named Han Wuxie if they were attacked.
According to the Elder who gave him the order, their task was worth any sacrifice.
“You may preserve your lives, and your swords may break, but you must not let anyone harm Han Wuxie before your own death,” said the Elder, his expression solemn.
The entire caravan moved forward, the atmosphere tinged with a hint of gloom.
The disciples of the Sword Hall behind Zhao Minghe were all among the strongest of their peers.
Although they didn’t interact much on a daily basis, they had heard of one another’s reputations to some extent.
With this mission, after leaving the Sword Pool, they already sensed something unusual.
This made everyone even more cautious.
The caravan traveled nonstop for three days, covering twenty thousand miles without rest.
“Fellow disciples, the city ahead should be Dong Gu City, where Heavenly Tang borders East Sea. We’ll enter the city for some rest, then cross the territory of East Sea Mo Chu and head straight into the Two Realms Battlefield,”
Zhao Minghe turned his head to look at everyone behind him, then his gaze settled on the chariot.
From inside the chariot, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair poked out his head and said with a smile, “Brother Minghe, I’ll leave the arrangements to you.”
Zhao Minghe nodded and led the caravan into the city.
This salt-and-pepper-haired middle-aged man was one of Zhao Minghe’s peers who practiced in the Sword Hut.
Zhao Minghe had met him before.
It was during an operation to encircle and kill a powerful infiltrator from the Linglong Realm.
This Brother, he was very strong.
So strong that to this day, Zhao Minghe dared not look him in the eye.
Dong Gu City had a radius of a hundred miles and was a large city in the East Sea area.
Although Mo Chu was annihilated, remnants of its forces were still in the East Sea; Dong Gu City, as a neighboring territory to the remnants, naturally gathered many Mo Chu strong characters.
At the same time, it was a major trading city with many resources from East Sea entering the Heavenly Tang.
Upon entering Dong Gu City, Zhao Minghe and his group had changed their clothes, and even their swords were concealed.
Thus, to outsiders, they appeared more like a common merchant caravan.
This was also why the Elder Council chose Zhao Minghe to lead the merchant team.
Other disciples from the Sword Pool were often too proud, finding it difficult to hide their swords and enter the city discreetly.
These disciples would rather carry their swords atop their heads, letting everyone know they were sword cultivators of the Sword Pool.
Entering the city in disguise and staying in an ordinary inn, who would have thought that the proud disciples of the Sword Pool would be so low-key?
“Three Brothers, there is a senior from our Sword Pool stationed in Dong Gu City. Shall we pay a visit?”
Once everything was settled, Zhao Minghe turned to Han Muye and the others.
Of the three Sword Hut disciples, apart from Han Muye, there were the salt-and-pepper-haired middle-aged man Gu Chengming and another with a gentle demeanor and not the slightest hint of a sword cultivator, named Guo Lang.
Hearing Zhao Minghe’s question, Guo Lang and Gu Chengming both turned their heads to look to Han Muye.
When they left the Sword Pool, the Elder had already instructed them that their mission was to protect Han Wuxie’s safety.
Although they did not know the reasons, since it was their mission, they would naturally do their utmost to fulfill it.
“We can just report our presence, but let’s skip the visit,” Han Muye shook his head and said softly.
Reporting their arrival was a necessary procedure; disciples from the Sword Pool coming to the city should at least inform the caretaker of Dong Gu City, so that in case of any issues, help could arrive promptly.
Zhao Minghe arranged for someone to report their presence, while everyone else took the opportunity to rest and prepare for any ambushes they might encounter after leaving Heavenly Tang.
Within the Heavenly Tang territory, they were relatively safe, but beyond that, peace would not be guaranteed.
“Brother Minghe, the Cloud Courtyard Daoist, caretaker of Dong Gu City, has invited us over,”
“He says he’s heard of your reputation and there’s a banquet in the city today with a guest from Mo Chu.”
The disciple who had gone to report, returned and handed an invitation to Zhao Minghe’s hands.
Opening the invitation, a hint of hesitation appeared on Zhao Minghe’s face.
If it had been in the past, he would naturally have attended happily, since it was arranged by a senior of the sect.
But this mission was different, it was best to avoid involvement if possible.
“Ming Qu, junior brother, please help me reply—” Zhao Minghe hadn’t finished speaking when a voice already rang out: “Since it’s an arrangement by a stationed senior, one naturally cannot refuse.”
“We’re going to the banquet.”
Zhao Minghe turned his head to see Han Muye had already tidied his clothes and then walked out of the inn.
His words made Guo Lang and Gu Chengming’s faces reveal smiles.
Clearly, Dong Gu City was still under the Heavenly Tang Empire, and all the government offices and military were managed by the Heavenly Tang.
The disciples of the Sword Pool who were stationed there were based out of Eternal Brightness Hall in the city’s west.
When Han Muye and the others arrived, they saw all kinds of carriages and horses already parked in front of Eternal Brightness Hall.
A middle-aged man wearing a black robe hurriedly approached and bowed to Han Muye and his group.
“Fellow senior brothers, Cloud Courtyard Daoist Ancestral Uncle has invited you this time because there is a duel arranged.”
A duel arrangement.
A merchant convoy from the East Sea Mo Chu had come to visit the stationed seniors of the Sword Pool.
Eternal Brightness Hall prepared a banquet to receive them, only to find that several junior disciples within the Mo Chu merchant team wanted to exchange pointers with the Sword Pool juniors.
Initially, the Cloud Courtyard Daoist didn’t care.
Disciples of the Sword Pool were never afraid of exchanges.
But after two bouts, Cloud Courtyard Daoist’s face had already turned grim.
The opponents were clearly provoking intentionally, with the two Mo Chu juniors showing exceptional strength and ruthless tactics.
The two Sword Pool disciples who had sparred suffered heavy injuries.
In Dong Gu City at that moment, one could not find anyone suitable to face off against those from the Mo Chu of the same generation.
This situation made Cloud Courtyard Daoist lose face.
Just then Zhao Minghe sent someone to report.
Cloud Courtyard Daoist had indeed heard of Zhao Minghe’s name before, which is why he invited him to fight.
After hearing the black-robed disciple’s words, Zhao Minghe and the others exchanged glances.
“Alright, then I’ll fight a battle.”
Zhao Minghe nodded and spoke with a solemn voice.
This occasion wasn’t about showing off, but about maintaining the prestige of the Sword Pavilion.
Hearing Zhao Minghe agree, the disciple showed a delighted face and led them quickly into Eternal Brightness Hall.
Pa.s.sing through several plazas, tables had already been set up for the feast in the hall behind.
As Zhao Minghe and the others stepped forward, their extraordinary demeanor immediately attracted many gazes.
Han Muye and his companions didn’t announce their ident.i.ties, with only Zhao Minghe stepping forward to bow to the seated white-bearded elder at the upper end and report his origins.
“Disciple Zhao Minghe pays respects to Cloud Courtyard Ancestral Uncle.”
Cloud Courtyard was the fifty-ninth generation disciple of the Sword Pavilion and had already reached the Half-step Human Immortal realm.
To guard a region, Half-step Human Immortal was already sufficient.
Hearing Zhao Minghe’s words, Cloud Courtyard Daoist nodded and gestured with his hand for Zhao Minghe and the others to take their seats.
Once everyone was seated, quite a few Sword Pavilion disciples came forward to offer toasts.
The table was set with fine wine and spiritual fruits, Han Muye found time to try a few sips.
“Cloud Courtyard senior, this Zhao Minghe, Senior Brother Zhao, is the Sword Pavilion elite you’ve been waiting for, isn’t he?” a voice rang out in the hall.
Everyone looked up, their gaze turning to a female cultivator wearing a green long dress at the front.
The female cultivator’s gaze settled on Zhao Minghe, her eyes sparkling with sharpness.
“This Senior Brother Zhao, we can continue drinking later. I would like to exchange a few pointers with the senior brother, I wonder if Senior Brother is willing to accept the challenge?” she asked.
A direct challenge.
The entire hall suddenly became quiet.
The Sword Pavilion disciples had been defeated in the previous two fights, putting the cultivators of the Sword Pavilion in a difficult position.
Now with this challenge, to accept or not to accept?
Zhao Minghe nodded, lifted the wine pot, and poured a cup of wine in front of him.
“Then let’s have the exchange first, and drink afterward.”
He flicked his hand, and the cup filled with wine spun around.
He had already leapt up, his three-foot-long sword drawn from its sheath.
“If the cup stops spinning before you lose, consider it my loss.”