Human Clan Defender

News of an auction featuring three Grandmaster Martial Arts at the Yuanyang Auction House quickly spread, thanks to the auction house's promotion. Word had spread not only in the Capital City but also in the surrounding prefectures.

In the past, the black market was a place for selling stolen goods and trading items that couldn't see the light of day, rarely advertising openly. But this time was different. The person selling the martial arts came from the Demon-Subduing Division. Everyone understood that the Demon-Subduing Division possessed many martial arts techniques. Under normal circumstances, even if someone from the Demon-Subduing Division were selling martial arts, others would have to carefully consider before buying. No one could be sure if the martial arts being sold were from within the Demon-Subduing Division. If they were, then it was likely a trap.

But this time was different. The seller did not hide their identity or name, openly holding the auction. This practically eliminated the possibility of them selling martial arts from within the Demon-Subduing Division. The logic was simple: no one would dare to blatantly promote something while breaking the rules of the Demon-Subduing Division. If someone did so, there was only one possibility: they didn't want to live.

The auction was scheduled with a full half-month as a buffer. If there really was a problem, it would be enough time for the Demon-Subduing Division to deal with it. If the Demon-Subduing Division didn't take action, it meant there was no problem.

Moreover, the name of the person holding the auction, Shen Changqing, added credibility. If it had been a year earlier, not many people would have known the name Shen Changqing. At most, some people in the Jianghu of Guangyuan Prefecture might have heard of him. However, after he slaughtered a Barbarian Clan General amidst tens of thousands of soldiers, the name Shen Changqing truly resounded like thunder.

At the same time, some details of his background also came to light. He had been with the Demon-Subduing Division for less than three years. Originally an ordinary person without any foundation, he had advanced to the later stages of the Grandmaster Realm in just a short time, capable of slaying a Barbarian Clan General. Such rapid advancement would have been impossible without a great opportunity.

Despite understanding that Shen Changqing had a huge opportunity, nobody dared to contest it. The very name "Demon-Subduing Division" was enough to deter people. Similarly, the credibility of his auctioning three Grandmaster Martial Arts greatly increased. After all, given his great fortune, offering three such techniques wasn't much of a problem.

「Saber Blade Sect.」

Unlike the Guiyuan Sword Sect, which was nestled in the deep mountains, the Saber Blade Sect was situated on flat ground. The vast Saber Blade Sect resembled a small town, housing a large number of disciples. Within its great hall, the Saber Blade Sect Master and many elders were gathered.

A burly middle-aged man began, "You've all received the news from Yuanyang Auction House, right?" He sat with his legs splayed, ordinary in appearance but exuding an undeniable aura. This was Wu Que, the Sect Master of Saber Blade Sect. "Now, Shen Changqing from the Demon-Subduing Division is auctioning three Grandmaster Martial Arts. Although our Saber Blade Sect has Grandmaster-level inheritance, it's ultimately incomplete. In such circumstances, reaching the mid-stage Grandmaster Realm is already the limit. Advancing to the later stages is difficult without sufficient support."

After he spoke, an elder of the Saber Blade Sect added, "The news has spread far and wide. If we want to compete for the three martial arts, we will face significant competition, especially from those sects lacking Grandmaster inheritance. For them, the three Grandmaster Martial Arts are almost a necessity. Therefore, when the auction starts, we'll have to pay a hefty price to secure the martial arts."

Everyone wanted Grandmaster Martial Arts. Especially for those sects without a Grandmaster inheritance, auctioned Grandmaster Martial Arts could be life-changing. Thus, it was easy to anticipate how intense the competition would be. Martial arts required cultivation, and becoming a Grandmaster also depended on personal opportunity. If not for this, it would be normal for the price to increase several times over.

Wu Que said indifferently, "Those sects without a Grandmaster do not have the same foundation as our Saber Blade Sect. What they are competing for are only the Grandmaster Inner Strength techniques and the Martial Arts aiming at the Martial Dao True Intent. Our sect already possesses these two types of martial arts; what our sect lacks is Grandmaster-level Outer Techniques. The likelihood of others competing for Outer Techniques is low. Outer Techniques are difficult to train, and below the Grandmaster Realm, Grandmaster Outer Techniques aren't essential. Therefore, the competition for those techniques might be somewhat less fierce."

"However," Wu Que continued, his expression serious, "we still need to be wary of those major sects that *do* have a Grandmaster!"

Wu Que already had a plan in mind. After all, the Saber Blade Sect wasn't considered a top-tier major sect. Although it had a Grandmaster, its inheritance wasn't complete. He knew that few understood, until they broke through themselves, that the Grandmaster Realm was divided into two major systems. Once one reached that realm, the specific cultivation methods became clear. Within these two systems, the Spiritual System was easy to enter but difficult to master deeply. Wu Que felt that since his own breakthrough to Grandmaster, he had made hardly any progress in the Spiritual System. For subsequent breakthroughs, he would likely need to focus on the Physical System. Then, with robust physical vitality to further nurture his spiritual power, it might be possible to progress in both aspects simultaneously.

It was for this reason that Wu Que placed such importance on the news from the Yuanyang Auction House. Had there not been a Grandmaster Outer Technique among the offerings, he wouldn't have considered competing for the Grandmaster Martial Arts. After all, martial arts were valued for their quality, not their quantity. Having one technique of the same type was sufficient. Of course, having more Grandmaster Martial Arts could offer the sect additional ways to advance, but this was not essential.

After a pause, Wu Que said, "I'm not very clear about the other sects, but the situation with Qiyao Sect is similar to ours at Saber Blade Sect. This time, during the competition for the Outer Techniques, I fear the Qiyao Sect may also have designs on them."

"Qiyao Sect!" The faces of many elders turned grim.

In the Jianghu of Guangyuan Prefecture, there were not many large sects, and the Saber Blade Sect and Qiyao Sect were two of them. Moreover, although the relationship between the two sects wasn't exactly hostile, it definitely wasn't friendly either. Under the surface, there was a fair amount of friction between them. If the martial arts ended up in the hands of the Qiyao Sect, it would be a significant blow to the Saber Blade Sect.

"How much silver currency can the sect mobilize now?" Wu Que asked, looking towards the Internal Affairs Elder.

Upon hearing this, the elder didn't hesitate, immediately clasping his fist in response. "Reporting to the Sect Leader, the sect can currently mobilize approximately 730,000 taels of silver."

Seven hundred and thirty thousand taels! Wu Que nodded slightly. This amount was not small. Being able to move it freely meant that these 730,000 taels were in cash. This didn't even count the businesses the Saber Blade Sect had in various places.

Thinking of this, Wu Que said, "Gather up 1,000,000 taels, all in silver notes. I will take them to the black market when the time comes."

"Yes!" the Internal Affairs Elder nodded.

Then, the expression on Wu Que's face became solemn. "Additionally, there have been quite a few strange occurrences at Minor Hillock Mountain recently."

"Minor Hillock Mountain!" When this matter was mentioned, the complexion of all the elders changed slightly.

Immediately, someone looked puzzled. "Isn't Minor Hillock Mountain sealed off by the Demon-Subduing Division? Even if there are Demon Evils there, it shouldn't cause any major problems, right?"

More than a year earlier, for no apparent reason, Minor Hillock Mountain had been sealed off by the Demon-Subduing Division. Regarding this, many speculated there must be some powerful Demon Evil there. But since the Demon-Subduing Division had intervened, nobody was overly concerned. After all, the Demon-Subduing Division specialized in dealing with Demon Evils. As far as they were concerned, there hadn't yet been any Demon Evils that the Demon-Subduing Division couldn't handle.

Wu Que said, "Although Minor Hillock Mountain has been sealed by the Demon-Subduing Division, the information I've obtained indicates that many people have disappeared there. It also seems that some experts from the Demon-Subduing Division have perished there. Up to now, not only has the encirclement not been lifted, but the strength of the forces surrounding it has increased."

"Does this mean that there really is a powerful Demon Evil there?" an elder asked in shock.

Wu Que shook his head. "If it were just a powerful Demon Evil, the Demon-Subduing Division's actions would be more decisive. I suspect that what's at Minor Hillock Mountain isn't just an ordinary Demon Evil. But one thing seems certain from what we can see now: the Demon-Subduing Division can't handle whatever it is. If that weren't the case, they wouldn't just be surrounding it without taking action." He spoke with a heavy tone.

Minor Hillock Mountain was only a few dozen miles away from the Saber Blade Sect. If there was indeed something powerful there, it would pose a great threat to the Saber Blade Sect. Wu Que had taken notice of this matter when the Demon-Subduing Division first laid siege to Minor Hillock Mountain. However, at that time, with the Demon-Subduing Division's involvement, he wasn't too worried. But now, the Demon-Subduing Division had besieged it for over a year. Not only had they not withdrawn their forces, but they had also reinforced the blockade. This suggested there was definitely something suspicious going on inside.

"However," Wu Que pronounced each word carefully, "what I'm most concerned about is that a forbidden land might have appeared there!"

"A forbidden land!" an elder exclaimed in disbelief.

"Hasn't it been many years since a new forbidden land appeared within the territory of Great Qin?" another asked.

"A forbidden land, how is that possible!" a third chimed in.

"No, it can't be—"

Many elders were in denial, their faces filled with disbelief. A forbidden land! How could it be a forbidden land!

Very few understood what a forbidden land was. They only knew it to be a terrifying place, one that even the Demon-Subduing Division couldn't destroy and could only dispatch defenders to guard. Moreover, forbidden lands grew; their range expanded. Anyone who fell into a forbidden land would never be able to leave. If a forbidden land truly appeared at Minor Hillock Mountain, then the Saber Blade Sect would have to consider moving.

Wu Que calmly said, "Whether a forbidden land exists at Minor Hillock Mountain is not something we can be 100 percent certain of at present. However, judging from the Demon-Subduing Division's reactions, the probability is not small. Our Saber Blade Sect has stood here for hundreds of years; this place is where our foundation lies. However, if there truly is a forbidden land at Minor Hillock Mountain, we must also prepare an alternative."

With that, the room fell silent. No one wanted to abandon the foundation the Saber Blade Sect had built over hundreds of years. If they had to move, it was bound to cause a great deal of turmoil. But if there really was a forbidden land at Minor Hillock Mountain, then the Saber Blade Sect would have no choice but to leave. Because the alternative was a dead end.