Chương 218: Tianshan Mountains, Snow Mountains

Heading west!

The scenery along the way gradually became different from that of the Central Plains.

The roadside became increasingly desolate, with only occasional livestock and mules crossing the road.

The number of vehicles on the road gradually decreased, and the residential areas on both sides became desolate.

The western region had long been under martial law due to the invasion of the Shang Dynasty, and naturally, the further west one went, the fewer people there were.

Located in the far west of the frontier, the Tianshan Mountains span the territories of three countries. Their peaks soar into the clouds, are covered in snow and ice year-round, and are desolate and uninhabited.

Before the spiritual energy was restored, the Tianshan Sect was already defunct in name only, without even a proper base.

After the spiritual energy was restored, a martial arts practitioner surnamed Zhang, admiring the scenery of Tianshan Mountain, built two thatched huts on a sunny spot halfway up the mountain.

He practiced martial arts day and night and made some progress.

From then on, he styled himself as the leader of the Tianshan Sect.

Decades later, his disciples had grown to a considerable size.

Later, when the various sects of Guixu returned, the people of the Tianshan Sect in Song territory naturally took this opportunity to return to their old homeland of Tianshan.

Unfortunately, the Tianshan Sect has long since disappeared, and the newly established Tianshan Sect has absolutely no connection with them.

So they usurped the position, injured the Zhang family member, recruited a large number of disciples, and rebuilt the Tianshan Sect.

This style is not much different from the original Qingcheng Sect.

They're all equally domineering and rude.

Zhao Rui and his group of four arrived at the border airport by plane, and then traveled westward, trekking through mountains and rivers. It took them a long time to finally find the location of the Tianshan Mountains.

The towering peaks, the vast mountain ranges, and the endless mountain ranges inspire a sense of awe for nature.

"Those guys from the Tianshan Sect, I don't know what they were thinking, building their sect in this godforsaken place. It's cold and remote, it's really infuriating."

The second of the three ugly men of Luohe spat in dissatisfaction.

Although he possessed profound skills, he was naturally averse to cold places. Now that he had climbed the mountain, all he could see was a snow-capped peak, so how could he possibly be in a good mood?

"My lord, the martial arts of the Tianshan Sect have their own unique features, and there are many masters among them. Logically speaking, the evil sects should avoid their sharp edge."

The eldest of the three ugly men frowned and said.

"The Tianshan Mountains are so vast that we wouldn't even be able to find the Tianshan Sect if we didn't have a local guide. It's not surprising that we're in the same place."

Zhao Rui smiled and looked up to see the Tianshan Sect's buildings in the distance.

"Let's go pay them a visit."

After Zhao Rui finished speaking, he walked through the snow and headed towards the Tianshan Sect.

Half an hour later, the newly built Tianshan Sect gate came into view.

Two guards stood solemnly at the entrance, dressed in thick white cotton coats and holding long swords.

The nose was completely covered with snow and frost.

"What brings you here, esteemed guest? Please allow us to explain."

Seeing that Zhao Rui and his companions maintained their composure despite being in the high snowy mountains, and that they talked at length, the two realized that they were martial artists.

They hurried forward on guard, asking questions.

"I am Zhao Rui from the Qingcheng Sword Sect, and I have come to pay my respects to your sect leader."

Zhao Rui clasped his hands slightly and said.

"Zhao Rui?"

The two from the Tianshan Sect exchanged a glance, clearly having never heard of the name.

They had lived in Guixu for a long time, and after arriving on Blue Star, they stayed on the frontier and knew very little about the Qingcheng Sword Sect.

However, the two of them paid more attention to the three ugly men beside Zhao Rui.

His eyes flickered slightly with an odd glint.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guest."

One of the disciples guarding the mountain gate quickly called over the inner sect guards to come and relieve him of his post.

He jogged into the somewhat simple courtyard and informed the elders inside.

"The place isn't big, but the setup is."

Erchou scoffed dismissively.

Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Tianshan Sect at the door immediately glared at him angrily.

"Shut up."

Zhao Rui shouted angrily, silencing Er Chou's idle chatter.

Before long, a large group of disciples wielding various weapons suddenly surged out of the gate and surrounded Zhao Rui and his two companions.

"The Three Ugly Ones of Heluo, how dare you come knocking on our door?"

Four middle-aged martial artists slowly walked out of the door, dressed in long robes and exuding the air of scholars.

However, the four men were tall and imposing, with extraordinary bearing, and their footsteps treaded on the snow without entering it, clearly indicating that they possessed superb martial arts skills.

"Heh, so you recognized us three brothers. What, can't we come to your Tianshan Sect?"

Da Chou snorted twice and said, "We have now reformed and are members of the Qingcheng Sword Sect. We are here to accompany Master Zhao on this visit. Is your Tianshan Sect so lacking in manners?"

The four were taken aback upon hearing this, and then turned their gaze to the young man in the middle of the three ugly men.

He was handsome and distinguished, yet his aura was understated, making him seem like an ordinary person.

"Back to basics?"

The four men's eyes lit up, and they quickly looked at Zhao Rui and asked, "And you are—"

"I am Zhao Rui from the Qingcheng Sword Sect. I have come to your esteemed sect to meet Master Zeng at the request of Master Weichen of the Qingcheng Sect."

Master Zeng is the head of the Tianshan Sect and one of the most renowned experts in the Guixu Song Realm.

"So you're a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect. My apologies."

The four of them naturally knew Master Weichen, and upon hearing that Zhao Rui was a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, they immediately realized.

"please!"

Following the middle-aged man's instructions, the disciples of the Tianshan Sect quickly made way for them.

"snort!'

San Chou snorted coldly and swaggered into the Tianshan Sect following Zhao Rui.

The sect is located in a place with a harsh climate and snow, making it difficult to transport supplies, let alone large building materials.

Therefore, the entire sect's architecture looks rather simple.

"My lord, these people really aren't afraid of the cold."

Da Chou looked around and couldn't help but sigh in a whisper.

"Since it was built here, there must be a reason for it; there's no need to say more."

Zhao Rui replied casually, secretly thinking that it was probably related to the attributes of the cultivation technique.

No one would build their sect on a snowy mountain for no reason.

Logically speaking, this should be called the Snow Mountain Sect, not the Heavenly Mountain Sect.

Soon, after passing through the snow-sculpted and ice-built courtyard, the group arrived at a building that resembled a giant ice sculpture.

"Reporting to the sect leader, our distinguished guest has arrived."

Four middle-aged men stood on either side. As soon as they finished speaking, an elderly man with white hair and beard walked out of the ice sculpture.

Although the old man's hair and beard were all white, his cheeks were rosy and his skin was delicate.

It does have a similar feel to that of Mr. Ge.

"Master Zeng, do you still recognize the three of us?"

As soon as everyone met, Luohe Sanchou called out.

"The Three Wonders of the Luo River?"

The Tianshan Sect leader, known as Master Zeng, remained expressionless, glanced at San Chou, and casually remarked.

"It is the three of us who parted ways at Guixu. Who would have thought we would meet here again? How wondrous!"

Big Ugly laughed heartily.

"Which one of you is Fellow Daoist Zhao of the Qingcheng Sect?"

"This is Master Zhao of the Qingcheng Sect. The three of us were influenced by Master Zhao and reformed our ways."

"Oh? It is a blessing for the martial arts world that the three of you have been able to reform. Master Zhao's merits are immeasurable. I have been negligent."

"I have met Master Zeng. Master Weichen often says that he is detached from worldly affairs and follows the natural way. He is one of the most outstanding senior masters in the martial arts world today. It is an honor to meet him today."

Zhao Rui smiled calmly, then stepped forward to greet Sect Leader Fan.

"Sect Leader Weichen, you flatter me. I never imagined that such a remarkable figure as you would exist in the Central Plains today. I have been away from the martial world for a long time and am truly ashamed. Please."

Master Fan's eyes brightened slightly. Seeing that Zhao Rui's divine light was restrained and impeccable, and that his aura was contained and not released, he knew that Zhao Rui was no ordinary person.

The fact that he could recruit three ugly people who were comparable to experts in their respective fields speaks volumes about his strength.

He turned slightly to the side, inviting everyone inside.

The interior of the building was no different from an ordinary room, with tables, chairs and benches.

However, it looked a bit awkward because it was surrounded by ice walls.

It's just like the dwellings of Eskimos.

Although the cold wouldn't have much of an effect on a master like him.

But even the most ordinary martial artist, who has no desires or wants, would not think of living in an ice cave.

Zhao Rui couldn't help but pay more attention.

The guests and hosts took their seats.

"Please have some tea!"

Mr. Zeng picked up his teacup and said with a smile.

"Good tea, even better water! But is this water from the Tianshan Ice Spring?"

Zhao Rui took a sip and nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. This is spring water obtained from millennia-old ice I collected in the coldest of places, which I then repeatedly boiled with my true essence over a gentle fire."

Master Zeng smiled and introduced the tea, then got to the point and asked, "Master Zhao, is there something important that you've come to our Tianshan Sect this time?"

"There is indeed something!"

"Firstly, I have long admired Mr. Zeng's reputation and have come to pay my respects. Secondly, I wish to inquire about the gathering of heretical masters in Tianshan. I wonder if the Tianshan Sect has heard of this?"

Zhao Rui said bluntly.

"A master of unorthodox methods?"

Master Fan glanced at the three ugly men of Luohe and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"My brother and I have reformed."

San Chou was displeased with Master Fan's mocking gaze, so he glared at him angrily and snorted.

"No, what I mean is that my Tianshan Sect has lived in a desolate place for a long time, and I'm afraid we are not as well-informed as you are."

I truly do not know about this.

Master Fan smiled faintly.

"The three of us are not with these old evil beings, and we do not know the location of the Tianshan outpost."

Da Chou quickly straightened up and said.

"Oh, I wonder who these evil masters are—I hope you can tell me, so that my Tianshan Sect can be on guard."

Mr. Zeng asked in confusion.

"That old bald monk, Vajra Venerable, and the Red Leaf Ghost Woman, Zhang Sanping, White Tiger Fiend Star, I don't know about the others."

Da Chou spoke up, saying that he had heard of these people, but did not know them all.

They were a few scattered individuals, and also the kind who were difficult to manage.

They were given free rein to do as long as they achieved their goal.

He is not one of the same kind as Vajra Venerable and Yin Yang Demoness.

"It's actually Vajra Venerable!"

Mr. Zeng was slightly taken aback, clearly somewhat surprised.

"How could such a master of unorthodox arts—" Before the words were finished, a disciple rushed in from outside, quickly stepped forward, and said, "Sect Leader, there are people outside claiming to be old friends from the Western Frontier who have come to pay their respects!"

"An old friend from Xijiang?"

Mr. Zeng was taken aback, his gaze shifting slightly. After a moment's hesitation, he exclaimed with delight, "It's an old friend visiting! Please have him wait in the side hall!"

"Yes, Sect Leader!"

The disciple quickly agreed.

Upon hearing their conversation, Zhao Rui stood up and said, "Since Sect Leader Zeng has other matters to attend to, we will take our leave now. We will visit again another day."

"Well, alas, this place is too simple to entertain such an honored guest. So, I will not keep you any longer. I hope to have a long chat with Fellow Daoist Zhao another day when I have more free time."

"Yes, I will. Goodbye!"

After bowing respectfully, Zhao Rui turned and stepped out of the ice house.

This Tianshan Sect was completely different from what he had imagined; it lacked the grandeur and scale of the largest sect in the Northern Frontier.

Although the disciples within the sect are indeed exceptionally strong, they always seem somewhat strange.

Zhao Rui, unwilling to linger, took this opportunity to bid farewell.

Some things, if you look at them out in the open, you won't see anything.

The three stepped out and saw the Tianshan Sect disciples who had left earlier leading several men and women dressed in strange clothes toward a side path.

These people moved with light steps, leaving no trace in the snow; they were clearly skilled in martial arts.

Speaking of which, the Tianshan Sect is quite an interesting place.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of snow. If one's martial arts skills were lacking or one's agility was poor, one would feel a significant decrease in height with each step.

Before even opening his mouth, he had already lowered the Tianshan Sect's status by a level.

Therefore, anyone who wants noodles will definitely walk through the snow, and their martial arts skills will be immediately apparent.

Zhao Rui's gaze naturally attracted the attention of the others.

Their eyes met briefly before the other looked away, turned, and disappeared around the corner.

Seeing this, Zhao Rui stopped looking and smiled as he bid farewell to Master Zeng before heading down the mountain.

On the way, Da Chou frowned and said, "Master, there's something fishy about this Tianshan Sect. I feel it's different from what I've encountered before."

"Not quite the same? What do you mean?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just have a feeling something's off. This Mr. Zeng is suspicious."

Da Chou hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said.

"Um?"

Zhao Rui was slightly taken aback, then pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, let's get straight to the point—" After saying that, everyone went their separate ways.

The snow melts on the Tianshan Mountains, and the streams rush and gurgle.

The stream gathered more and more water, gradually becoming a mighty river.

They rushed down the mountain.

Wherever it passed, the water roared and the current was swift. The trees on both banks were lush, birds sang, and deer and beasts cried.

Zhao Rui soared into the air and disappeared into the mountains and forests. He held his breath, concealed his aura, and blended into the entire forest. This mountain path was the only way down from the Tianshan Sect.

Zhao Rui had his doubts, so he naturally went to verify them.

So they lay in wait here, waiting for things to change.

The sky was getting dark.

The brilliant rays of the sunset shone through the gaps in the trees, casting a beautiful, faint rainbow across the forest.

Zhao Rui waited for an hour, and sure enough, the visitor from the mountain appeared in the forest.

The group of seven was the same strangely dressed group of guests who had come up the mountain earlier.

The seven people strode into the dense forest, moving hurriedly and swiftly.

Just then, a gentle breeze swept by, carrying a touch of coolness that permeated the entire mountain forest.

Then the clouds in the sky gradually gathered, and fine raindrops, as thin as silk threads, slowly dripped down in the forest, either pounding on the branches and leaves or falling to the ground.

"The weather in the Tianshan Mountains is really strange. Just now it was covered in snow, but now, only a few thousand miles away, it's drizzling."

One of the seven people stretched out his palm and caught the falling raindrops. They were cool and refreshing, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Having all four seasons on one mountain is not a common occurrence, so what's so surprising!"

The leader said unhappily, "Leave this place immediately and return to the border. Do not cause any more trouble."

"Yes, Lord Wizard."

The other six responded in unison.

"The Witch Master?"

Zhao Rui, who was hiding in the tree canopy, was stunned for a moment when he heard these words.

This name seems to be used only in the land of the Great Shang Dynasty, right?