Chapter 455 Man“s Mutual Good Friend.

In the burial ground, Lu Ming stared at his communication device and frowned.

The signal…

There was no signal.

He knew about the Swordsman a.s.sociation's requirement of having a network. Therefore, there was only one possibility—Someone destroyed the signal tower.

Team Meng went in a different direction from the signal tower.

The only possibility was it was done by outsiders!

And the only people that could enter this place had to be…

Swordsmen!

Only one of their own could enter! And like them, they had to be surrounded by the sword gleams of seven-star Swordsmen to successfully do so!

Therefore…

“Is this an internal strife?”

Lu Ming squinted his eyes.

It seemed the conservatives would not yield easily.

Xiao-Xiaojian listened dazedly to Lu Ming's a.n.a.lysis.

Wait a minute. How did he manage to link it to the counterattack of the conservatives just from the demolition of the signal tower?!

“What were you thinking about just now?”

Lu Ming looked into the distance.

“Uh—”

Xiao-Xiaojian thought of what had just been said. “Some useless operator used the server to download small movies?”

Lu Ming looked at it and sighed.

Forget it.

It was hopeless.

He did not harbor any hope that it would be his think tank.

It was c.r.a.p!

However…

Come to think of it, although enemies are present, due to limitations in combat abilities, they are most probably peak six-star! Well… since it is an internal struggle, the team must be stronger than Meng s.h.i.+san's team.

Therefore…

This is troublesome.

Lu Ming sighed.

With the help of the cards, he had released his full potential. He could still be considered a peak six-star! If he went any further, it would be too much of a stretch.

However, their enemies might be able to destroy the entire Swordsmen team!

That kind of combat abilities… Lu Ming could not compete with.

As such, Lu Ming's only choice was to foray into the unknown area by himself.

It was only in the undeveloped place unknown to all, that they would have a chance of winning!

Furthermore…

He was certain that if Meng s.h.i.+san was smart enough, he would have thought of the same idea.

As such…

Lu Ming quickly made the decision—to enter the unknown area!

Xiao-Xiaojian had a blank look on its face.

Wait a minute.

How are these things related?!

“Xiao-Xiaojian.”

“Huh?”

“When you go back, you should read more books… Don't hang around Xiao-Xiaobai the entire day… Even if you can't read books, try reading some novels…”

“Huh?”

Whoos.h.!.+

Sword gleams surged.

A man and a sword disappeared in the sky.

Somewhere.

Many figures emerged. It was the team of Swordsmen led by Meng s.h.i.+san.

At the moment, they looked like they were in a disarray. There were not many clothes on them. Whatever clothes they had seemed to be barely hanging on their bodies and everyone was scarred.

“d.a.m.n it!

“I knew that something was wrong with Old An, but I never expected that the scoundrel would bring reinforcements. I will kill that b.a.s.t.a.r.d sooner or later!”

Meng s.h.i.+san cursed him.

They had just been attacked by a group of unknown Swordsmen. An Mingdong betrayed them and almost killed them. They had fought very hard before they barely escaped!

Of course, the most important thing was that someone helped to block an attack that was directed at him.

With that…

He s.h.i.+fted his weight while he carried someone on his back— Xiaowu.

Their enemy had had a detailed plan. They suddenly launched a raid and at that moment, An Mingdong betrayed them, trying to kill their leader!

He was unable to react in time!

However, just at that critical moment.

Xiaowu blocked the sword that was directed at him…

“Xiaowu”

Meng s.h.i.+san asked in a low voice, “Are you okay?”

Xiaowu's breath was a whisper.

“Xiaowu!!!”

Meng s.h.i.+san yelled, “Wake up right now! You can't fall asleep! We will look for Lu Ming! He is a Card Creator. He will definitely know how to create a Healing Card. He will be able to save you!

“You must not sleep!”

Meng s.h.i.+san gritted his teeth. “Have you forgotten your goal in this mission?!

“Have you forgotten…

“What did you say when you came here?!

“You joined the mission because of the rewards! You said that you want to earn enough money to woo the girl that you liked. Have you forgotten?!

“You said that she was worried about the poor sales of her grandpa's tea leaves…

“You have to stay alive to go back to buy tea leaves!

“Have you forgotten about this?”

Meng s.h.i.+san hollered.

“Tea leaves…”

Xiaowu was slightly awake.

Yes.

He had promised the girl that when he returned he would look for her! As long as he helped her sell tea leaves, she could look for him with peace of mind!

At the thought of this…

He was filled with a fighting spirit.

I…

Must stay alive!

“Hang on, we will reach our destination,” Meng s.h.i.+san said.

“Yes.”

Xiaowu felt pain from the injuries on his belly.

It hurt.

The group of men in black… were rough. They were not as gentle as Lu Yan.

“You must endure it!”

Meng s.h.i.+san kept talking to him.

Suddenly, he asked, “Why did you save me?”

He did not understand.

They were not very close.

They only began to know each other through this mission. It had only been a few days. Yet this child blocked the attack for him.

He could not understand.

“Because…

“We have hope only if you are alive,” Xiaowu said in a low voice.

Meng s.h.i.+san was the leader. He had the strongest combat abilities.

If he died…

None of them would be able to escape. This was why when he realized that An Mingdong was planning a sneak attack, he blocked it without any hesitation. Of course, it was also due to…

“Don't worry.

“I'm very experienced.

“I-I am used to being stabbed…

“Once, I was stabbed by Lu Yan. After that, I began researching what is the safest and most comfortable angle to be stabbed at.”

Xiaowu broke into a smile.

Meng s.h.i.+san felt ashamed.

This new generation of Swordsmen was forced to mature and learn the ropes as soon as possible.

Hence, the Swordsmen struggled to escape.

Somewhere.

An Mingdong swept his cold gaze across his surroundings.

He was somewhat surprised that Meng s.h.i.+san had managed to escape. He did not expect that a Swordsman who was not close to Meng s.h.i.+san would block the sword for him!

It was a pity…

If he could kill Meng s.h.i.+san…

None of them would get away!

“Can't you send more men over?”

An Mingdong looked at the men in black, feeling displeased.

“We have already sent as many as we could.”

The man in black said in a low voice, “Do you know how difficult it is to hide it from the Swordsmen who stand guard and send people in?!”

“Humph!”

An Mingdong sneered.

“Oh right.”

The man in black was puzzled. “I checked the numbers. One person seemed to be missing. He is called Lu Ming…”

“Don't bother about him.”

An Mingdong pursed his lips. “That fool is only a five-star. He is too weak and could not cross the ravine. You don't have to worry about him.

“Besides…

“It is good to leave him behind.

“After everything ends, we will be able to explain what happened,” An Mingdong said.

“Okay.”

The man in black nodded.

As for Lu Ming…

There was nothing much to worry about.

The small world might be huge, but it was pretty linear.

There was only one route from the entrance to the undeveloped area! If Lu Ming caught up with them, there was no way to hide from them. They could kill him easily.

Well…

Eh?

A man in black suddenly looked at the sky.

“What's the matter?”

The person next to him asked.

“Nothing.”

The man in black shook his head.

That was strange…

There seemed to be something in the sky…

Was it an illusion?

Perhaps.

He took a closer look. There was indeed nothing there.

Sword Kinesis Flight?

No way!

Apart from people who had rare abilities, average people would not be able to fly!

Sword Kinesis Flight was exclusive to seven-star Swordsmen! After all, they created the Sword Embryo themselves and ordinary energy would not be able to activate it!

He could not possibly fly into the air by stepping with his right foot then his left foot and so on?

“Let's go.

“This is an opportunity created by a senior…

“He deliberately hindered the development of this area because he discovered something… We have to get it!”

An Mingdong sneered.

“Understood!”

The men in black responded.

Hence, they entered the unknown area as well.

Unknown area.

It was above a towering mountain range.

After all…

The places that had been developed had been leveled. Areas that had yet to be developed were natural mountain ranges. There was snow and windstorms everywhere. There were also the traces of beasts.

And there was a rich supply of energy. It was so rich that it was suffocating!

“We have arrived.”

Meng s.h.i.+san and the rest looked happy.

He turned around to check. The Swordsmen were exhausted. He said in a deep voice, “Let's take a short break to restore our strength and energy before we set off again.”

“Okay.”

Everyone hurried to restore their energy.

Two Swordsmen took the initiative to keep a look out.

An Mingdong would hunt them down very soon. They did not have much time.

Buzz—

Faint energy dissipated.

Their depleted energy was quickly recovered. Everyone's ability was slightly enhanced.

However, everyone was in low spirits. They were suddenly hunted down and they saw no hope in this undeveloped area… This time…

Would they really make it back alive?

What was the goal of An Mingdong and his group?!

“Don't be afraid!”

Meng s.h.i.+san bellowed. “They are only slightly stronger than us. This is an unknown area. We still can't say for sure who will be the winner!”

“That's right,” Xiaowu agreed.

Their location was full of energy. He was in a slightly better state of mind.

“Are you okay?”

Meng s.h.i.+san looked at him with concern in his eyes.

“Yes.”

Xiaowu nodded. “Although the injuries are serious, they have stopped deteriorating… My injuries should be able to stabilize. I will definitely make it back alive!”

“Okay.”

Meng s.h.i.+san was glad.

Seeing that everyone was in low spirits, he glanced at one of his companions. “Xiaowu wanted to make it back alive… What about you? What is your dream?”

“My dream?”

The Swordsman was stunned and he answered instinctively. “It is to rebuild my father's…

“Forget it.”

He rubbed his head. “This is what I have been taught since a young age. In fact, I am the least interested in my father's business. I only want to walk my own path!

“I want to have a proper cultivation!

“I want to travel the world by myself, just like one of my friends.

“She traveled to all kinds of legacy sites.

“She is knowledgeable and an intellectual.

“She is my idol!”

The Swordsman was in high spirits.

“Oh?”

Meng s.h.i.+san encouraged him. “What is her name?”

“Mu Mu.”

The Swordsman smiled. Mu Mu was a very intellectual woman.

Meng s.h.i.+san's expression stiffened.

Mu…

Mu Mu?!

Wait a minute.

This sounds familiar…

“Uh.”

He paused. “Is she the one who updates her social media every day? Is she the pretty lady who tells everyone what she bought, ate and saw that day?”

“Huh?”

The Swordsman was in a daze. “Do you know her?”

“Uh, no.”

Meng s.h.i.+san paused briefly. “I know someone by the name of Lei Lei.”

Eh?

The Swordsman next to them seemed to have remembered something. He checked his friends on his communication device. He was dumbstruck as he stared at the address book.

“I have someone… by the name of Lei Lei as well.”

“Mine is called Anna.”

“Mine is called Xiaoshou.”

The Swordsmen looked dumbstruck.

They compared their friends with each other and were shocked to discover that the mutual friends as well as the places they had been to were the same?!

Shus.h.!.+

The Swordsmen fell silent.

Suddenly…

A Swordsman looked at his companion. “How about you?”

“They added me but I deleted them…”

“Why did you delete them? You should raise them!”

“Raise them?”

“Yes. All of yours are at a very low level. Look at my Mu Mu. She has become mature and has started to sell things by herself!”

Some of the Swordsmen who had real feelings for them silently lowered their heads.

Heartache.

“R-right.”

One Swordsman was all excited. “Mine is called Tian Tian and is mature now. She has begun to sell tea leaves!”

Xiaowu who was watching the fun with a smile on his face suddenly stiffened.

Wait a minute…

Selling tea leaves!?

Shus.h.!.+

He pulled the speaker towards him and stared at his communication device.

“I am very happy that I met you. The days that I spent chatting with you are my happiest days. But, I'm sorry, I have to leave… My grandfather is not in good health. The sales of the tea leaves are poor. I decided to stay in my hometown… I hope that my grandfather will spend his last days happily…”

Xiaowu had an emotional breakdown.

He could not believe…

That it was exactly the same text as his!

It was the same!

He suddenly figured it out.

Since Swordsmen were homebodies, they seldom interacted with others. They spent their leisure time chatting on the internet, they did not expect that…

All of the people they were talking to were liars!

Xiaowu's face became ashen at the thought of this.

There was so much pain in his chest.

It was even more painful than when he was stabbed…

“Uh—”

Xiaowu fell to the ground weakly.

“Calm down! Calm down!”

Meng s.h.i.+san hurried to hold him. “Xiaowu, don't give up! Although they are liars, there is still the possibility that they are real! Have you forgotten that all the stories are taken from real lives?!

“So…

“You must make it back alive!

“You must ask her personally.

“Have you ever thought about the fact that if it is really a misunderstanding and you give up, it would be the same plot as ludicrously unrealistic television dramas?”

Meng s.h.i.+san hurried to console him.

There was some light in Xiaowu's eyes.

Yes, he had to ask her personally!

Hence…

He found the motivation to live again.

“Very good.”

Meng s.h.i.+san heaved a sigh of relief, but at the same time he was worried. How was he supposed to break the news to him when they returned!!! What should he do if Xiaowu tried to end his life when they returned?!

After all, he had saved his life…

Forget it.

He would worry about it when they were back.

At most he would get his daughter to marry him!

Well…

That was if his daughter fancied him.

If not, he would pretend to be the lady who sold tea leaves to chat with him for a few days, letting him believe that she was not a liar. After which, he would end it saying that they did not get along well!

Well, there was nothing wrong with that!

Meng s.h.i.+san was worried sick for him.

After a long while…

Everyone felt better after resting.

“Let's go.

“An Mingdong and his group will be here soon.”

“Okay.”

The Swordsmen got up.

Meng s.h.i.+san carried Xiaowu on his back, walking forward.

However, as they went deeper and deeper, the energy around them became more intense, even gaining a hint of terrifying thoughts and a cold chill.

The deeper they went, the more intense it became.

The snowstorm was like a blade.

The wind whistled, enveloping everyone. It was bitingly cold.

After a long while…

When they arrived at the heart of the area, they saw the source of the cold!

In the deepest area of the fallen land.

There was half of a Sword Embryo in the mountain valley… This was from the ancient Swordsmen! It was an ancient Sword Embryo that had existed for countless years!!!

“Sword Embryo…”

The Swordsmen were filled with pa.s.sion and excitement.

It was no wonder the Sword Auras of their seniors could not reach it!!!

It was an ancient Sword Embryo.

If they had it…

They would be able to groom a Swordsman who could easily become a seven-star! This was the real legacy! This was something that all Swordsmen dreamed of!

At the thought of it…

All the Swordsmen became excited.

However…

Just when they were about to get close, there was a burst of laughter.

“Hehe.

“You guys are here.”

The familiar laugh sounded ominous.

The Swordsmen halted in their steps and looked into the distance. A black ma.s.s as well as the traitor, An Mingdong, stood next to the Sword Embryo!

“I've been waiting for you for a long time.”

An Mingdong smiled faintly.

“How did you get to the front?”

Meng s.h.i.+san squinted.

“Haha.

“How do you think?”

An Mingdong waved his hands and a card emerged in his hands. They could barely see the words on the card—Ground Traversal, this was a six-star card!

“We came fully prepared.

“It is natural to have all the necessary cards.

“It is such a pity.

“Due to the inherent thinking of a Swordsman, you have neglected what is underground…”

An Mingdong smiled with relish.

“Tsk.

“If only you were smarter…

“It is really stupid to only focus on the ground.”

An Mingdong mocked them.

Shus.h.!.+

Many rows of men in black appeared behind them, blocking their way. There was also a row of men in black next to An Mingdong.

The Swordsmen were being surrounded.

“Since you are here…

“All of you will stay…”

An Mingdong said coldly.

Shus.h.!.+

He waved his hands.

Sword gleams flashed and the men in black attacked.

“Oh no!”

The expression Meng s.h.i.+san and the rest changed drastically.

They were being attacked from the front and the back!

There was no way out!

“What should we do?!”

The Swordsmen's countenances changed.

“Let's fight them!”

Xiaowu, who was on Meng s.h.i.+san's back, took out his sword.

Finally…

Dying was nothing!

“Let's fight!”

Meng s.h.i.+san hollered.

“Let's fight!”

The Swordsmen took out their Sword Embryos and their morale was high.

“For honor!”

Meng s.h.i.+san roared.

“For honor!”

The Swordsmen yelled.

“For…”

Meng s.h.i.+san paused briefly. “Tea leaves?”

The Swordsmen smiled and broke into laughter. “For tea leaves!”

Bang!

The Swordsmen attacked. They looked mighty.

An Mingdong and the rest were dumbstruck. What the h.e.l.l did fighting for tea leaves mean? Anyway, it did not matter. He was not interested in dead people.

“Kill them.”

He waved his hands indifferently.

“Understood.”

All the men in black launched their attacks.

Bang!

Bang!

A battle erupted!

An Mingdong was surprised that the Swordsmen who were at a disadvantage rode on the momentum and were able to fend off the attacks launched by the men in black.

This was because they no longer cared about surviving!

This was because of arrogance.

The men in black who had the upper hand could not make any progress. They felt that it was unnecessary to sacrifice their lives when they had the obvious advantage.

The battle had reached an uncanny stalemate.

“There is hope.”

The Swordsmen were thrilled.

However…

At that moment, An Mingdong joined the fight.

Pfft!

He stabbed a man in black who kept retreating as he did not wish to get injured. He smiled saying, “Are you that desperate to not be hurt?”

Shus.h.!.+

There was pin-drop silence surrounding them.

Obviously…

No one thought that An Mingdong would kill one of his own!

Because of this, the men in black were stimulated and they no longer dared to retreat. They charged forward without fear, forcing the Swordsmen to retreat. They were in a desperate situation.

They had lost.

“Look.

“It is easy, isn't it?”

An Mingdong smiled faintly.

It was to the extent that…

He took out his white handkerchief to wipe the blood that was splattered on him.

He was older than them. He had an advantage over them as he was older and had more experience in fights. To him, killing was very ba.n.a.l.

“Although I know that all of you won't agree…

“I still have to ask.”

An Mingdong looked toward the Swordsmen. “Does anyone want to join me? Join me in fighting for the real Swordsman legacy, instead of those losers.”

“Get lost!”

Meng s.h.i.+san spat on his face. “You are a vermin!”

One was a Swordsman as long as one had a Sword Embryo and mastered swordplay! Why must one learn from the so-called legacy?!

Xiaowu was able to create his own swordplay!

Swordsman!

It was never a niche vocation!

“It did not matter!”

An Mingdong wiped his face. “Since you don't agree, I will kill all of you.”

He waved his hands indifferently.

Shus.h.!.+

Cold lights flashed.

The men in black prepared to attack.

However…

At this moment.

A calm voice suddenly sounded. “Well… can I join?”

“Who is that?!”

An Mingdong suddenly turned back.

Behind them…

In the mountain range not too far away.

This was someone who should not have been here. Lu Ming was found sitting there!!!

An Mingdong's pupils constricted.

What is he doing here?!