CHAPTER 1180: CHAPTER 741 TIANYUAN

Hongnong.

Under the endless blue sky, a flying beast with a small pavilion on its back came from the south, heading toward the mountains.

In the vast sea of mist of the Tianyuan Mountain, the beast seemed like a lone leaf in a boundless ocean.

Sitting beside the window, Yuan Hao gazed at the place afar which represents the highest authority of the Sect Alliance.

It was his first time coming to this Hongnong,

and also his first time seeing the mountain gate of the Tianyuan Sword Sect, leader of the Sect Alliance.

Though he had previously learned about the Tianyuan Mountain through reports at the Prime Minister’s Mansion, seeing its grandeur in person still left Yuan Hao, accustomed to witnessing storms, in awe.

This was a fog array enveloping the entire mountain range.

And the Tianyuan Mountain stretched over a thousand miles.

"What is Mr. Zhou looking at?"

A clear female voice suddenly interrupted Yuan Hao’s endless thoughts. He turned around to see a woman dressed in exotic southern attire.

The woman’s slender waist was exposed, she lay on the bed, a picture book covering her face, resting herself with her beauty concealed, legs slightly bent, crossed in a carefree manner with her toes swaying gently in the air, exuding a whimsical charm.

As she spoke,

sunlight poured in from the skylight, the woman slightly pulled aside the book covering her face, revealing a beautiful pale green eye beneath, gazing at him with curiosity.

For a moment, Yuan Hao slightly shifted his gaze leftward, looking aside, besides this woman from the Southern Domain, there was another middle-aged man in a straw cloak within the pavilion.

A knife scar started from his eye corner, ran across his entire face, he was silently hugging a sword, leaning against the wall corner with closed eyes resting.

Originally strangers, the three had agreed to travel to Tianyuan Mountain together on this beast, after meeting a few days ago through the Sword Sect’s arrangements.

Normally, according to the cultivation level they showed, each should have enjoyed a "one guest, one beast" treatment from the Sword Sect, but recently, with the special situation arising due to the Prime Minister’s forced passage of the tax law, and the disappearance of the State Preceptor, the Sword Sect, being the leader of the sects, had to make appropriate adjustments.

Whether preparing for war or transporting supplies, a large number of beasts were needed for transportation, so they had to arrange for guests to share one beast.

This wasn’t fitting with the Sword Sect’s hospitality conventions, but such propriety had to take a backseat in the face of a survival war.

With a bitter taste of yellow wine in his throat turning to sweet aftertaste, Yuan Hao gathered his thoughts, speaking with admiration:

"Admiring this Great Fog Array of the mountains, marveling at the Sword Sect’s foundation, it’s important to know that the Tianyuan Mountain stretches over a thousand miles."

The woman from Miao Border asked surprised:

"This is your first time at Tianyuan Mountain?"

Yuan Hao didn’t deny, he counter-asked:

"Very strange?"

Upon hearing this, the woman from Miao Border raised her eyebrows slightly, supporting herself on the bed, she sat up, her long hair slid down from her shoulders like a waterfall, saying with a curious tone:

"Judging from your cultivation and age, you should not have missed the previous two tournaments."

Yuan Hao, clearly aware it was a probe, countered with a false smile:

"Have you participated, Miss Jin?"

"Of course."

"Did you compete?"

"...."

Upon hearing, shadows seemed to flow within the pale green pupils of the Miao Border woman, her beautiful eyes squinted slightly for a moment, she lazily lay back down, covered her face again with the book, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Yuan Hao discreetly glanced at the scar-faced middle-aged man huddled in the corner, smiled and shook his head.

Having lived together for three days, he discerned quite a few things from these two.

These two people were not simple,

especially this woman from Miao Border.

The scar-faced man cultivated an evil technique rarely seen in the world.

In reality, this evil technique was somewhat different from those described in books about evil cultivation, not inherently villainous, just existing in the grey area of Dayan law.

Because practicing evil technique required the demonic aura affecting one’s mind, but didn’t necessarily require mass killing, finding places where creatures died would suffice.

Like battlefields, or areas hit by disasters.

In other words,

practitioners of the evil technique could sense the demonic aura clinging to others, representing the lives they had slain.

From Yuan Hao’s observations over the past few days,

The scar-faced man’s quiet and honest demeanor, affected by the evil technique, was due to fear.

Forget about Yuan Hao himself for now.

Daring to come alone to the currently imperiled Tianyuan Sword Sect naturally meant he had acquired a secret treasure bestowed by the Prime Minister to conceal his aura.

Even though his aura was already incredibly powerful, the scar-faced man could not sense it, leaving the object of this man’s fear clear.

Because of that woman.

This was interesting.

It seems the tax law issued by the Third Young Master in the court, really brought many strange entities to the Tianyuan Sword Sect.

Thinking of this, Yuan Hao gently shook his head, took out a flask of cheap yellow wine from the Sumeru Ring, sipping it alone as he continued,

"Miss Jin, you must have come this time to participate in the competition?"

Seeing the other party speaking again, the Miao Border woman sat up courteously, her eyes curved into a mischievous smile:

"Naturally, but Mr. Zhou has traveled together with us for three days, and only brings it up now, aren’t you trying to probe information about our Gu Clan?"

In the tournament, unless there was an overwhelming strength, gathering intelligence often constituted the key to victory, and as the Gu Clan from the Southern Domain was usually secretive and their methods mysterious, probing deeply isn’t strange.

Understanding the underlying meaning of the other’s words, Yuan Hao was momentarily silent, then said:

"I may not look as young as I appear, I’ve aged enough that I can no longer compete."

"You’re actually that old?"

"....." Yuan Hao.

"..."

The Miao Border woman sat up from the bed, stepping barefoot onto the wooden floor, she sat opposite Yuan Hao at the desk, speaking softly: