Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 328 - 321 Disguise

Chapter 328: Chapter 321 Disguise

Eradicating members of the exotic cult could indeed justify offering services for free. However, Gu Lince, as the team leader and having experienced numerous real battles in the Dark Mansion, always felt something odd about the team of red robes, as if each of them was also wary of each other within the group.

With that thought, he didn’t say more. He just made a mental note of it.

At this moment, all the Dragon-subduing Arhats around them had been dealt with.

"In that case, shall we continue further inside?" he asked Jian An.

Jian An merely smiled.

"There’s no need to ask, Team Leader Gu. Since we know the situation here, we can go straight to our destination," she said.

It was only then that the two teams noticed an entrance resembling a cellar, which had appeared on the floor of the small hall at some unknown time.

Knowing that it might very well be the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword, Gu Lince also felt a surge of eagerness. Positioned with Chen Fan at the center and Xia Haiji at the rear, he led the way into the entrance.

The team of red robes followed, each keeping a safe distance from one another despite appearing united.

Down at the entrance. Lin Xin had just steadied himself, walking at the rear of his team, he faintly sensed a subtle gaze on his back.

Ever since he had added the evasion attribute, he had become exceptionally sensitive to anyone’s gaze on him.

Ignoring it, he simply heightened his alertness in secret.

Beneath the entrance was another tunnel.

After a short while, they came upon another small hall identical to the previous one, filled with statues of Arhats with three eyes.

Knowing that the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword might be located here, everyone proceeded without delay. With Chen Fan recuperating his breath, it was the team leader, Gu Lince, who made a move.

As for the team of red robes, they were the employers after all, and it was unlikely they would take action.

Approaching the center of the small hall.

Gu Lince held a sword with one hand, rapidly drawing an intricate, strange rune in the air with the other.

The rune gathered in the air, releasing a silver light.

"Thousand Blades Sword Technique, Sweep!"

He gently inserted the blade into the rune.

Instantly, the blade passed through, disconnecting from his palm, and shooting out towards the surroundings.

Shhh-shhh-shhh!!!

A series of piercing sounds, like lightning, caused the statues to tremble before their heads were severed by the blade, reverting to their rigid state.

All twelve Three-Eyes statues had their heads cut off by the fleeting blade light. With experience from before, they ensured the statues did not move.

With a gesture of his hand decision, Gu Lince easily retrieved the blade with a clanging sound as it returned to its sheath.

"Excellent sword technique," said Luo Xin’er, holding a Meteor Hammer, as she murmured her admiration.

"It appears effortless, but who knows, according to records, each of these statues could match a Heart Level expert. To resolve twelve of them instantaneously is a feat worthy of being ranked among the top hundred experts in the Eminent Spirit List," she added.

"You flatter me," Gu Lince merely said with a slight smile.

"This stone cave might be dangerous for ordinary cultivators, but for our two teams, it’s not much at all. I just didn’t expect the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword to appear; although it isn’t a high-grade treasure and isn’t of much use to humans, its practical value is highly sought after by countless of the Demon Race, just the thing we might trade for what you most need. Looks like our luck isn’t bad," Shen Jing said with a smile.

"Let’s go, the final small hall should be where the treasure is located," Jian An said, surprisingly taking the lead and leaping into the entrance that appeared on the ground.

Gu Lince and Chen Fan exchanged glances.

"There’s something off about this Jian An, everyone be alert,"

Gu Lince warned directly through a transmission.

As veterans of constant battles in the Dark Mansion, no one here was a fool, all could see that this team of red robes was concealing something deep.

However, everyone shared the mindset of just completing the mission and then leaving, choosing not to expose them for now.

Therefore, the atmosphere along the way was inevitably somewhat awkward and silent.

"Whether the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword is here or not, I’m not sure, but later, with Chen Fan inside, we three will guard outside. Just in case something happens, we can provide support," Gu Lince transmitted.

"Understood. Team leader, take care of yourself, and if anything happens, just call my name, and I’ll release the Rune Vehicle right away," Chen Fan replied seriously.

The team of red robes gradually moved ahead.

At this moment, the fatigue on Chen Fan’s face instantly disappeared, clearly feigned.

"This place feels similar to the style of the Heavenly Time Cult, founded by the Sandstone Demon; if I’m not mistaken, those statues we defeated earlier have already been restored," he said.

"No problem, this temple isn’t the key, the key is the people," Gu Lince said with suggestive depth.

"Let’s go, don’t keep them waiting too long."

He was the first to move forward.

The others followed closely behind.

At this point, Lin Xin felt increasingly intrigued; he had originally come merely to dabble and see if he could find out where the Demon Talisman Seed was originating from, but he hadn’t expected to encounter such a deeply concealed group.

The techniques and divine powers revealed by Chen Fan and Gu Lince just then actually possessed the power of the Foundation Establishment Stage, but still were not taken seriously by those people, clearly indicating that this group’s strength was profoundly hidden.

Throwing out the bait of the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword, not even considering Third Grade Magic Artifacts—these are artifacts used by Golden Core Daoist Masters, already qualify as magic treasures, yet still looked down upon by these people.

Obviously, either their cultivations were extremely high, or they had bigger schemes.

Staying at the back, his eyes sparkled with keen interest.

"The origin of the Demon Talisman Seed seems to have fallen on those in red robes. Attending this gathering of the Sons of the Hidden Mansion was indeed the right decision."

*********************************

In the fiery red, enormous circular cavern.

The ground was laid unevenly with red stones and interspersed with variously sized green hot springs, like green gemstones inlaid upon a red carpet.

Each hot spring emitted white steam that spread throughout the cave, forming a cloud-like mist—where electric arcs could occasionally be glimpsed.

In the deepest part of the cave, there was a large ten-meter-wide hot spring, its water a tender green, emanating a faint green light.

Above the large hot spring, amidst the rising steam, an ancient greenish sword hovered, continuously bobbing up and down with the vapor.

The sword was broad and ancient, its blade featuring seven grooves, each embedded with a tiny black lotus seed.

The entire blade emitted a faint black hue, and the carvings of vines, flowers, and other plants were covered with a black substance resembling rust.

The cave faced the other end of the large hot spring at the farthest end.

With a bang, the stone wall was abruptly broken open, stones flying everywhere, revealing an irregularly shaped, dark, human-sized opening.

A group of people in red robes slowly walked in and stood on the stony ground within the cave, surveying the surroundings.

Another group of men and women, dressed in variously styled clothes, slowly walked in and positioned themselves on the opposite side.

"This is Spirit Heart," Jian An’s gaze swiftly moved across the suspended sword blade in the hot spring without lingering, instead searching elsewhere as if looking for something else.

The rest of the people in red did the same, their gazes scanning the other areas but deliberately avoiding the Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword at the center of the large hot spring.

"That’s Spirit Heart Lake. The Green Lotus Spirit Heart Sword is there! This trip wasn’t in vain," Gu Lince said, somewhat exhilarated.

Chen Fan and Mei Zi were also focused on the greenish sword.

Lin Xin was quietly observing the group in red robes.

Jian An’s gaze moved around, seemingly disappointed, then suddenly remembered something, his hand flickered with light, and suddenly he had a string of golden beads.

He chanted sutras, the beads slowly turning red, but one bead turned an odd deep blue, even showing signs of turning black.

Jian An was initially stunned, then broke into ecstatic joy, his eyes filled with unrestrainable happiness.

"It’s here, it’s right here!"

He exclaimed, oblivious to others around him.

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

His laughter caused the entire cave to subtly tremble.

On Gu Lince’s side, Chen Fan and Mei Zi were shocked.

Although they had suspected early on that Jian An and his group were not ordinary, concealing their strength, they had not anticipated them hiding so much.

"We didn’t find the Heavens Extreme Door, but it turns out we found this instead!" Jian An flung the beads harshly.

With a swish, all the beads burst out scattering throughout the cave like living things.

Amid popping sounds, the red beads exploded one after another, but that blue-black bead shot straight toward a stone wall on the left.

Boom!

The bead exploded, turning into blue mist, which enveloped the stone for a short while before dispersing to reveal a four-meter-tall black stone door inside.

The door had an ancient, flawless look, with wisps of black air constantly swirling in front, forming a black vortex that blocked anyone from entering.

"As expected of a high monk mage from Liaoyin Temple," Shen Jing commented, stepping forward with a hint of a surprised smile. "We didn’t find the item, but does our agreement still stand?"

"The item was not found, but this thing alone makes my personal visit worthwhile," Jian An replied, with the corner of his mouth curving slightly.

As he spoke, his form began to blur.

Shen Jing’s expression changed abruptly.

"An afterimage! Do you intend to get ahead!?"

He reflexively waved his hand, and black light flew out, spreading mid-air into a black scythe moon, rapidly spinning as it headed for the black door.

"Scram!"

Jian An appeared in front of the black stone door, casually slapping the scythe moon, cracking it away with a snap.

His entire being resembled a raptor preying, his hands claw-like, he fiercely lunged at the door.

Just then, a red figure suddenly appeared before him.

"Heart Piercing Palm!"

It was the ethereal woman accompanying Shen Jing. Her expression was stern as she thrust out her palm, bringing forth dozens of yellow rings, her palm shooting through the rings and striking harshly at Jian An.

"Think I’m afraid of you?!" Jian An sneered, his body glowing with golden light, hands joined together, fiercely thrusting downward.

Boom!

Where palm met thrust, a golden lotus suddenly exploded, setting off a burst of gold light, both figures were simultaneously thrown to either side, crashing against the stone walls. Rings of ripple-like protective auras surged around their bodies.

Without a moment of hesitation, both got back up immediately and lunged at each other once more.

As they clashed, the exploding golden light and stone shards shot out like bullets, harshly striking those nearby.

Gu Lince and his companions all changed expressions, their bodies surging with protective aura, desperately blocking the golden light and flying stones.