Volcanic Age

Zhou Xuchuan was assigned a VIP room upon arriving at the Martial Alliance.

The first person to visit his room wasn't a servant or a maid but someone he hadn't seen in years.

"Young Hero Zhou. It's been a long time."

It was none other than the Vice Strategist of the Martial Alliance, the man who would later be known as the Heavenly Strategist.[1]

"It's been a long time, Vice Strategist," Zhou Xuchuan quickly greeted, surprised.

As expected of someone named the Jade Master! How am I supposed to go around with any confidence in the future?! It's making me begin to doubt my own appearance…!

According to his memories, Zhuge Xiang was seven years older than him, meaning he'd be around twenty-five now.

Of course, it wasn't as if he was expecting Zhuge Xiang to get wrinkles or anything since they last met, but to think he had become even more impressive than before!

"There's no need to be so formal when it's just the two of us."

Anyway… thankfully, you grew up well on your own.

There were a few things Zhou Xuchuan had to be careful of now that the future had changed. For example, he had to be careful not to let the key figures of history die.

If Zhuge Xiang or Zhuge Xiuluan were to die earlier than expected, there was no future for the Righteous Faction murim.

That was why, in his own way, Zhou Xuchuan was concerned about the two siblings. However, that concern really only covered their life or death.

No matter how much he wanted to help them, there wasn't much he could do at the moment.

Since the people in question were so outstanding, they solved their problems on their own, and their Family also provided them with considerable support.

Moreover, Zhuge Xiang's connections were extraordinary. He had already gotten close to the key figures of the Martial Alliance.

Since the only things he could help them with were in the future, during the war, he was worried about what he could do in the present.

Above all, there was another reason why he couldn't help them easily.

If I say the wrong thing, I might end up being the one suspected.

Zhuge Xiang didn't have Zhou Xuchuan's memories of his previous life. He was still able to predict the future based solely on gathered intelligence and speculation.

It wasn't for nothing that the Dark Heavens Association had tried to assassinate him so many so many times.

His brain was that threatening to the enemy.

If he were to say something wrong to someone with as much intelligence as Zhuge Xiang, he might end up as the one under interrogation.

"I still can't stop thinking about when we lost you and Shengji at the Yangtze River."

"I'm sorry. I should have immediately returned with Shengji the moment I saved him…"

"No, on the contrary, I should be the one thanking you… Well, I guess we should talk about this later. It seems I'm not in a position where I can talk for too long."

Zhuge Xiang smiled bitterly with a regretful expression.

As the Vice Strategist, he wasn't very idle. In fact, since he was considered talented enough to become the Strategist, he had absolutely no free time.

They had so many things to talk about and not enough time.

How have you been? Have you seen Zhang Hong or Zhang Xuen? How is Shengji?

Though he wanted to ask a lot of questions, he had to leave Zhou Xuchuan's room, struggling to swallow his regret.

"Then, get some rest today. I'll see you tomorrow."

***

"Nangong's Tyrant Sword and The Plum Blossom Order Sword have arrived at Martial Alliance."

"Hmm."

The Evil Valley Master scratched his chin.

It had been a week since the Seven Swords War ended. When he first heard the results, he was honestly more shocked than angry.

While it was irritating that he had lost the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic that was right before his eyes, more importantly, he just couldn't believe that the Flower Scattering Palm had been killed by some young brat from Mount Hua.

"Just who the hell is that brat?"

The Flower Scattering Palm was someone the Evil Valley Master had trusted.

In the Evil Faction, trust meant ability.

Not only was the Flower Scattering Palm's cultivation impressive, but his leadership skills and intelligence were commendable. He was a meticulous expert who never let his guard down.

It would have been different if he had been defeated by the Great Void Swordsman, the Raging Fire Blood Demon, or Nangong's Tyrant Sword. But the Evil Valley Master was flabbergasted to hear that he had been killed by some strange bastard.

"He's only eighteen? Really? It seems a talent really has emerged from Mount Hua."

The Evil Valley Master couldn't believe Zhou Xuchuan's age. After multiple investigations, he confirmed that Zhou Xuchuan was only eighteen.

"His talent is extraordinary."

The Evil Valley Master's eyes narrowed.

"We should put a bounty on him anyway, just as a precaution."

While Zhou Xuchuan certainly was impressive, the Evil Valley Master didn't think he was worth worrying about.

"Idiot. If you were exhausted after fighting those dumb cultists, you shouldn't have let your guard down."

The Evil Valley Master considered the Flower Scattering Palm's carelessness as the reason for his defeat. He simply couldn't believe there was any other explanation, especially considering how young and unknown his opponent had been.

"It's a bit unfortunate that he wasn't able to get his hands on the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic, but that doesn't matter. All three Factions took damage anyway."

The number of casualties in each force was similar. Although the Martial Alliance hadn't lost any of their experts, that difference wasn't enough to get upset over.

"It seems like things will be quiet for a while, so I'll take advantage of this calm to clean up the aftermath of the Miao Family Sword Gate and the Flashing Waterfall Saber Gate's shit."

The Evil Valley Master was still struggling because of the two sects.

***

The Demon Cult.

A religious cult founded to worship strength, it was one of the most powerful forces within the murim.

This "'strength" was present in both their ideology and their origin.

"Weakness is sin."

Strength!

This ideology of strength was taken to such an extreme that it became misguided. After all, they weren't called "Demon" for nothing.

If one was strong, any sin could be forgiven.

No…

Frankly, if one was strong enough, there was no such thing as sin at all.

The Demon Cult didn't care if one committed a crime.

They didn't care if one killed someone.

Or if one stole.

There was never a case where the strong were held accountable.

In the Demon Cult, it was as natural as breathing for the strong to take or destroy what the weak had.

This simple, ignorant, cruel and insane image of power persisted for ages, continuing even to the present day.

Within the Demon Cult, the strongest would immediately become the ruler.

They didn't care about character or etiquette.

None of those frivolous things mattered.

If one was strong, that was enough.

Their leader, the strongest of them all, was given the title of Heavenly Demon.

Xinjiang, the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

Men and women were entangled without a single thread of cloth on their bodies, strewn across ninety-nine steps covered with soft carpet that reached up to their ankles while making animalistic sounds.

"So, in the end, the Plum Blossom Order Sword completely destroyed the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic?"

"Yes, he did!"

The Demon Cult had lost the most in the Seven Swords War. The thousands of Demon Cult warriors who had participated were virtually wiped out.

Still, there were a few survivors who had returned to the Demon Cult to report. They described in detail what they had seen and heard on the plateau.

"He must want to die so much he went crazy."

The Demon Cult, unlike the Evil Valley, really desired the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic. They had wanted to use the divine-grade demonic art to increase their power.

While losing cultists or taking large amounts of damage was irritating, none of that mattered. They would just have sent more forces to get the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic.

However, that important Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic was now gone. Moreover, it hadn't just disappeared into oblivion.

It had been burned to ashes.

"Kill him."

The Demon Cult began to chase Zhou Xuchuan.

***

In the Righteous Faction, honor, and even dishonor, was very important.

If a sect did something that brought dishonor upon itself, it had to resolve the issue with its own forces, no matter the cost.

If they didn't, the shame would tarnish their reputation forever, a stain that would be remembered for generations.

The Shaolin Temple now found itself in that very position.

The Shaolin Temple had given birth to the disgraceful Blood Monk, and they were responsible for removing that stain.

However, in the end, they had lost to the Blood Monk and failed to handle their disgrace. As a result, that disgrace was still mentioned to the present day, four hundred years later.

It was a long-standing grudge that the Shaolin Temple was never able to resolve.

Then, the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic appeared after four hundred years.

Although the Shaolin Temple had lost to the Blood Monk, the appearance of the Blood Monk's legacy, a legacy that could bring about disciples who would continue the stain of disgrace, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to resolve the Shaolin Temple's long-standing grudge.

However, due to various circumstances, the Shaolin Temple was unable to participate in the war. Instead, they had received a promise from the Martial Alliance to have the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic handed over to them.

"Whew…"

However, Zhou Xuchuan had burned it in the middle of their journey to erase their shame. That wasn't something that could be easily forgiven or forgotten.

The Shaolin Temple had now lost a once-in-a-lifetime, or perhaps their last, opportunity to resolve its long-standing grudge. Moreover, the Martial Alliance was now in a difficult position because of this.

"That's the current situation," the Completion Sword Nangong Weiwu groaned. The other leaders shared the same troubled expressions.

"Oh, I didn't call you here to blame you, so don't worry. Your actions weren't all bad."

Nangong Weiwu's eyes, hidden by his pure white eyebrows, curved like a crescent moon and smiled kindly.

"If only you had considered things a little more before acting…" the Hebei Peng Family's elder, Peng Junping, muttered resentfully.

"Hmph! Asking those idiots to think before they act, hmph! If I were you, I would have killed myself immediately!" the Beggar Gang's elder, Stick-Holding Beggar Huang Gou, said.

It was hard to tell whether he was joking or being serious.

Peng Junping, sitting next to him, turned to him and shot him a murderous glare. However, Huang Gou merely shrugged, pretending not to notice.

"Yes, I understand the situation," Zhou Xuchuan nodded.

Not long after the Martial Alliance's meeting had begun, he was called in as a witness, where he explained everything that had happened.

Of course, he only focused on the events after the Seven Swords War began. He didn't mention anything about the moles before that.

His story wasn't anything special.

It wasn't like Zhou Xuchuan had been the only one on the plateau that day.

This story had already been reported several times by others.

The only real difference was that now, the person who was actually involved was explaining it.

While the reason the Martial Alliance leaders had called Zhou Xuchuan was mainly for procedural reasons, they also had to give the Shaolin Temple an explanation.

"Zhou Xuchuan."

By Nangong Weiwu's side, an old man wearing a scholar's robe, called him.

"Yes, Sir Strategist."

The Strategist, Zhuge Zhonghu.

He was not only the Vice Strategist Zhuge Xiang's teacher but also his grandfather.

Although he had originally planned to leave the general public after passing on the position of Patriarch to Zhuge Yun, he accepted the Strategist position at the request of his close friend.

He was one of the few leading figures who had been active for two generations alongside the Completion Sword Nangong Weiwu.

"If it's okay, I'd like to strangle you a little. May I?"

Zhuge Zhonghu was the one who had opposed the Shaolin Temple's participation in the war. So, from his perspective, Zhou Xuchuan was the main culprit that had ruined everything.

He was so angry that he almost lost his temper when he saw Zhou Xuchuan.

"Relax, old friend." Nangong Weiwu said with a bitter smile, holding Zhuge Zhonghu back.

"Ha… even in my old age, I'm still suffering because of a horrible close friend, and now even my grandson wants to kill me! Do you know how long it takes for those hermits to open their mouths?!"

Zhuge Zhonghu snapped angrily, massaging the back of his neck.

"Sir Strategist. You mustn't get so agitated. Please think of your health."

Zhou Xuchuan was genuinely worried about Zhuge Zhonghu.

This elder doesn't have much time left…

Zhuge Xiang hadn't even turned thirty when he became the Martial Alliance's Strategist. It wasn't just because of his ability, Zhuge Zhonghu's age had also played a role.

As far as Zhou Xuchuan remembered, Zhuge Zhonghu had died shortly after the Great War of Good and Evil began, two years into it at most.

"Could you leave this matter to me?"

"Child. I think you're really misunderstanding something here. We didn't call you here to solve this issue."

Huang Gou snickered in disbelief.

Judging from how the corner of his mouth went up, the elder was clearly mocking him.

"For now, as the culprit who fucked up, there are things we need you to report. Moreover, since it was your fault, you need to explain to Mount Hua exactly where the hell you messed up and figure out a way to appease the Shaolin Temple's anger."

"Elder Huang, have you forgotten that we're in a meeting right now? I hope you can be more considerate and careful with your words," the Emei Sect elder, Jingren Shitai, said with a frown.

Huang Gou grumbled and apologized.

"I have a plan."

"A plan? A brat with a plan decided to burn the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic?!" Zhuge Zhonghu flared up. He was ready to pounce at any moment.

"Old friend, please, please calm down. You should at least listen to what he has to say. Tsk, tsk."

Nangong Weiwu clicked his tongue, as if he couldn't help himself.

"Whew… whew…"

Zhuge Zhonghu took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. When he was finally able to calm down a little, he spoke in a quiet voice.

"Fine. Speak."

"Well, it's a little awkward to speak about it here."

"I'll kill you!"

1. We changed his title from Vice Alliance Leader to Vice Strategist. That's my bad; I misread it earlier. ☜