https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-217-Treasure-Unveiled-at-Emei-Peak/12536300/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-219-A-Powder-Keg-on-the-Mountain/12536304/
Chapter 218: Unraveling the Backstory
Chapter 218: Unraveling the Backstory
The four men traveled upstream on a fast boat provided by the Yangtze Alliance, retracing their route.
Jiang Feng asked Yan Nantian, "Big brother, you're not planning to stop those martial artists from fighting over the treasure, are you?"
Yan Nantian shook his head. "I might want to, but I'm afraid of being besieged by everyone."
Shi Yangtian and Lu Zhongyuan couldn't help but laugh. The reputation of the number one divine sword in the world was indeed enough to deter some people, but it would also unite those blinded by greed against Yan Nantian.
Even with Yan Nantian's exceptional martial arts skills, he might not be able to withstand a siege by dozens or even hundreds of martial arts masters...
Lu Zhongyuan sighed and explained, "Anyone who dares to stop them now will become their enemy. We're going because we're afraid some of our friends might get carried away."
While Yan Nantian and Lu Zhongyuan didn't care about the treasure, the same might not be true for their friends. They didn't want to see anyone come to harm over this, so they were rushing to the rescue.
Of course, they wouldn't reveal that Jiang Feng had obtained the Five Extremes Divine Skill.
Jiang Feng had told them this in confidence, and they had decided to keep it a secret, no matter what.
Even if they wanted to rescue their friends, they would have to find another way.
Seeing Jiang Feng's worried expression, Yan Nantian patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, your big brother is smart. I won't do something as foolish as venturing into dangerous territory and inviting a siege."
Jiang Feng looked at Yan Nantian, choosing to take his words at face value.
Then he turned to Shi Yangtian and asked, "Senior Shi, do you have any connections with the Emei Sect?"
Shi Yangtian sighed. "The new leader of the Emei Sect, Shen Xi, is a friend of mine. Now that I know about this situation, I must go and see him. He's unlucky. He just took over as the sect leader this year, and now he has to deal with this major incident. I doubt he'll be able to celebrate the New Year properly."
...
The Yangtze Alliance's boat was swift. They had set off in the afternoon of the first day and traveled day and night, arriving at the foot of Leshan and the banks of Emei early on the third day. There, they witnessed a large gathering of martial arts masters.
"And this is with the news having spread early. As more people hear about it, if the treasure remains unclaimed, we can expect the Hainan Sect, the Tian Shan Sect, and the Changbai Sect to send people as well!"
Even before they reached Emei, news had reached them.
"Initially, the Emei Sect tried to stop the fighting when they didn't know what was going on. But once they learned the truth, they stopped interfering. However, with eight hundred disciples of the Emei Sect scattered across Emei Mountain, those people dare not act too hastily, fearing that the Emei Sect will take advantage of the chaos."
"But as the news spreads further, more and more masters are heading to the mountain. Those already there are growing restless."
"It's said that the treasure includes detailed explanations of the martial arts of the famous sects and clans. Shaolin, Wudang, Kunlun, and Huashan have already sent people."
"The Tang Family Fortress of Shu has also sent people to the mountain."
"The hermit of Bashan, Gu Daoren, has arrived at Emei Mountain and sided with the Emei Sect."
"One of the Three Swordsmen of Pursuit and Death, Shen Yang, claimed that one of the Five Extremes was his ancestor. He insists that he has a right to the treasure in this underground palace!"
"Jin Dao, Tie Rulong, and the Demon-Subduing Blade, Zeng Lun, have appeared together on Emei Mountain, their twin blades securing them a position."
"The Dragon and Phoenix Double Flight, a pair of swords known for their romantic tales, have also arrived."
"The Jiangnan Swordsman, Feng Xiaoyu, appeared at the foot of Emei Mountain last night. He's probably already made his way up by now."
"The Xiaoxiang Swordsman, Wei Mingfan, and the Jade Dragon Swordsman, Ye Fei, made a joint appearance at the Temple of Encountering Immortals."
"The Bashan Divine Sword, the Three Rings Swordsman, the Jiangnan Swordsman, the Xiaoxiang Swordsman, and the Jade Dragon Swordsman... Five of the Seventeen Famous Swords in the world have already appeared on Emei Mountain. The couple known as the Mandarin Duck Swords, Chu Pingyuan and his wife, are not included in the Seventeen Swords due to their combined skill with twin swords, but their strength is by no means inferior."
"And over there is the Southern Sky Hero, Lu Zhongyuan. Although he's not one of the Seventeen Famous Swords, his sword skills surpass those on the list!"
"And next to him is the leader of the Yangtze Alliance, Shi."
"Compared to them, the likes of Tiger Lin's Seven Princes, Sick Tiger Chang Feng, Jiangbei's Dragon of the North, Tian Ba, the Eight Champions of Sichuan, and the King of Huainan are nothing to sneeze at."
"Alright, stop thinking about the treasure. Just being able to witness so many masters gather is worth a lifetime."
"That's not necessarily true. With so many experts here, who knows how many will end up injured or dead? Perhaps we'll be able to scoop up some benefits."
"We won't be that lucky!"
"Why not?"
"Because someone spotted members of the Twelve Zodiac in attendance."
"What?!"
"The Azure Snake, Yellow Ox, White Ram, Golden Ape, and the Fruit Offering God."
"Oh heavens, four out of the Twelve Zodiac are here? No, five!"
"Do you think we stand a chance against them?"
"I don't want to die!"
The four men present had sufficiently refined inner strength, so none of these whispered conversations escaped their ears.
"Who would've thought that a single treasure would attract so many masters," Lu Zhongyuan exclaimed. Many of the names mentioned were individuals he wouldn't dare underestimate.
Jiang Feng was also surprised. In the original story, this place only appeared once, providing Xiao Yu'er with the Five Extremes Divine Skill before being flooded. He never expected it to attract so many masters!
In the original story, Xiao Yu'er continuously threw out jewels to lure in greedy martial artists. Now, they had all arrived at Mount Emei a full decade early. Jiang Feng wondered if they would also meet their ends a decade early.
Jiang Feng stroked his chin and suddenly asked, "Big brother, what do you think brought these people here—the Three Rings Swordsman Shen Yang, the Dragon and Phoenix Double Flight, the Demon-Subduing Blade Zeng Lun, and the others? Was it the promise of martial arts manuals or gold and silver treasures?"
"Definitely the martial arts manuals," Yan Nantian replied confidently. "Shen Yang, Chu Pingyuan and his wife, and Zeng Lun are not lacking in wealth."
Jiang Feng nodded. He had been curious before. In the original story, Xiao Yu'er threw out jewels to lure in mountain dwellers and pilgrims to rescue them, but he never expected it to spark a massive martial arts free-for-all, resulting in the deaths of numerous skilled martial artists, even those that Shen Qinghong considered powerful.
Shen Qinghong was a guard, and the Fruit Offering God was a robber—it made sense for them to risk their lives for known treasures. But for renowned masters like Shen Yang and Zeng Lun to engage in a massive brawl over scattered jewels that appeared out of nowhere seemed odd.
After all, what truly attracted people to Yan Nantian's treasure map wasn't the potential wealth but his godly, unparalleled skills.
Unless...
Unless they had already learned about Ouyang Ting's secret treasure and believed that the jewels were from the underground palace, thinking that they could find the palace with these jewels!
And with the jewels appearing, it meant that someone had discovered the treasure and perhaps even fought over it, which was why they were in such a hurry.
Indeed, Xiao Meimei had lived in the underground palace for over a decade, abducting many young men into the palace. She often loitered nearby, so some vague rumors must have spread, capturing the attention of those with hidden intentions.
Take Shen Yang, for example. According to Shen Qinghong, his Three Rings Sword could cause millions in gold and silver to change hands, divert the path of a thousand men, reconcile sworn enemies, and turn close friends into bitter foes.
Would such a person come to fight for these mysteriously appeared jewels on Mount Emei? But if his ancestor was truly one of the Heaven and Earth Five Extremes, then perhaps he really did know about the underground palace beneath Mount Emei.
Jiang Feng nodded, another piece of the backstory falling into place.
(End of Chapter)
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