"The Heaven Alliance, full of rebellious ministers and traitors?" Quinn Shepherd was utterly perplexed.
Earth Mother Primordial Lady had once said that it was the Heaven Alliance who killed her, and that her earth-soul escaped by hiding among the roots.
She also revealed another piece of information: after killing her, the Heaven Alliance chopped down the Origin-Root Tree.
Based on these two clues, Quinn deduced that the Origin-Root Tree fell into the hands of the Heaven Alliance, and that the other Earth Mother Primordial Lady was created by a Heaven Alliance expert using the Immeasurable Kalpa Dream Canon—Great Brahma King Buddha's dream-entering Dao—to cultivate a new Earth Mother Primordial Lady within the Origin-Root Tree.
Yet this girl named Lila Swallowfeather claimed she wasn't from the Heaven Alliance!
If she's not from the Heaven Alliance, then the other Earth Mother Primordial Lady wasn't cultivated by them—it must've been someone else!
That was bizarre.
Could it be that the ones who slew Earth Mother Primordial Lady back then weren't the Heaven Alliance?
But how could Earth Mother Primordial Lady have mistaken her killers?
Or maybe the Heaven Alliance did kill her, but someone snatched the Origin-Root Tree from their hands and cultivated a new Earth Mother Primordial Lady? Quinn was completely baffled.
If the Heaven Alliance was strong enough to slay Earth Mother Primordial Lady, who could possibly snatch the Origin-Root Tree from their grasp?
"Still, I might be able to find a clue from this girl named Lila Swallowfeather!"
Quinn lifted his gaze to the slanted mountain peak. As far as he was concerned, as long as Lila Swallowfeather displayed her best divine art, that would leave a trace behind—a clue he could use to uncover who was really backing her.
Lila Swallowfeather descended from the mountain, smiling. "Cult Master Quinn, there's no need to guess where I'm from. No matter how clever you are, you'll never figure out my roots. I've come to see you for another reason: I'm here to take someone away."
The light in Quinn's eyes suddenly faded. He replied coolly, "Who are you taking?"
Lila's gaze shifted from his face to Grace Gongsun, then to Heaven-Guide Venerable.
"Ethan Lan. Heaven-Guide Venerable."
She chuckled softly. "If Heaven-Guide Venerable stays with you, he'll go nowhere—his talents will be wasted. But with me, I can find him the best teachers and fully unlock his potential! One day, he'll shine brilliantly!"
She was beautiful, her looks rivaling Granny Sue and Red Empress Claudia Qi—like a goddess fallen to earth. Yet Quinn ignored her completely. The divine light in his eyes had just faded; now even his aura was withdrawn.
Dragon-Qilin nervously shivered his scales and quietly backed away two steps.
No one knows their master better than their pet. Dragon-Qilin knew Quinn Shepherd inside out—the more withdrawn Quinn became, the heavier his killing intent.
This beautiful woman had crossed Quinn's bottom line, and now murderous intent was rising within him.
Quinn, withdrawn, was like a predator stalking its prey—ready to strike and kill at any moment!
"You know a lot of things."
Quinn's tone was stiff and dry: "A lot of things someone your age shouldn't know. It only makes me more curious about where you really come from."
Lila Swallowfeather brushed a lock of hair by her temple and smiled. "Beat you, take away Heaven-Guide Venerable—how about that deal?"
"Heaven-Guide Venerable is not a bargaining chip—he's the person I respect most."
Quinn's tone grew even stiffer. "Someone entrusted him to me, but even without that, I'd never tolerate anyone treating him as a tool, as a commodity."
Lila studied him, tilted her head, and mused, "There's something seriously off about you. You don't seem to be just the Cult Master Quinn of Everpeace. If you were only the Cult Master, you wouldn't care so much about Heaven-Guide Venerable."
Quinn replied blandly, "Fat Dragon, you all move further away."
Dragon-Qilin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly led Grace Gongsun, Heaven-Guide Venerable, and the water kirin away. He whispered, "Cult Master is angry. Let's hurry and leave before we get caught up in it."
Grace Gongsun asked curiously, "If we all gang up on that fake Earth Mother disciple, couldn't we defeat her? Why do we have to leave?"
Dragon-Qilin whispered, "Did you forget that smiling young lady has other attendants with her?"
Grace Gongsun froze, then understood—he was talking about the maids who accompanied Lila Swallowfeather.
Dragon-Qilin said, "Those maids are probably as skilled as Autumn Cloud Phoenix. Otherwise, how could Lila Swallowfeather have made it here alive? The aftermath of the two Earth Mothers' divine arts would have shattered her long ago. Those maids are likely nearby. If we rush in, do you think they'll just sit back? In a group fight, we'd stand no chance. Cult Master's point was for us to leave immediately, not wait for him!"
The water kirin said, "But just now he told us to move farther away, not to leave."
Dragon-Qilin sneered, "You don't understand Cult Master's thinking. He said that just to lower those maids' guard. They won't notice us sneaking off, and by the time they do, we'll be long gone. Cult Master did this for your master's safety."
Heaven-Guide Venerable asked worriedly, "Will my brother be in danger?"
"Of course there's danger, but we don't need to ask him about it."
Dragon-Qilin said quickly, "Right now, the one in danger is that girl—Cult Master has murderous intent."
Grace Gongsun exclaimed, "That little sister was so pretty just now—could he really bring himself to hurt her?"
Dragon-Qilin sped away with them, saying, "To Cult Master, she's not beautiful at all—so of course he could."
Grace Gongsun said earnestly, "But she really is beautiful. She makes me feel plain by comparison."
Dragon-Qilin used the tilting mountain peaks for cover as they fled, shaking his head. "Her chest is small. Cult Master doesn't think girls with small chests are pretty."
Grace Gongsun's eyes widened. She looked down, tightened her clothes, and grew a little gloomy.
At the foot of the slanted peak, Quinn's breathing was steady, with no hint of aura or blood leaking out—utterly calm.
Lila Swallowfeather's beautiful eyes blinked, puzzled by how Quinn had suddenly become so ordinary, like any mortal.
Suddenly, she realized: "Completely withdrawn! That's martial arts!"
Just as she thought that, a thunderous boom sounded in her ear—Quinn stepped a hundred yards in an instant and appeared before her.
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The air between them was compressed into something tangible, then shattered like glass. Behind the wall of broken air was Quinn's face—still and deep, showing no emotion at all.
Lila Swallowfeather's heart skipped a beat and she flipped backward, soaring like a startled swan to the peak of the slanted mountain. She smiled, "Aren't you Earth Mother's disciple? Why are you using martial divine arts?"
She had just landed on the summit when suddenly her back grew warm—Quinn was already pressed against her, arriving at the peak almost simultaneously!
"The martial path's battle skills—killing techniques!"
Lila let out a low laugh. Magnetic divine light burst forth, transforming into two magnetic divine blades.
Quinn shifted his footwork, the sword in his hand gleaming coldly as he stabbed into empty space—again and again, each thrust aimed at nothing.
As his steps moved, Lila dared not expose her back to him and shifted her own stance. Yet every sword thrust into empty air landed exactly where she would appear in the next instant.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The sounds of collision rang out, dense as rain. Her magnetic divine blades danced, blocking each sword strike perfectly and forcing the sword light back.
Suddenly, Quinn's sword split in two, then four, and in the blink of an eye became thousands of flying swords swirling around them.
He was like a thousand-armed divine demon, constantly switching swords. The flying swords in the air attacked Lila from every angle, each one using a different sword technique.
Lila Swallowfeather twisted her blades—two magnetic divine blades sent forth more blades, clashing against the flying swords in the air.
The summit of the slanted peak spanned dozens of acres; the youth and maiden darted across it like startled swans and butterflies. Blades and swords flashed and collided in a chain, each instant fraught with peril.
Close-combat killing techniques from the martial path were displayed to their fullest between them—dangerous, yet strangely beautiful.
Suddenly, the two separated. Quinn turned, now empty-handed, and thrust both palms forward. Magnetic runes swirled around his hands—magnetic divine light burst forth!
Countless runes formed a star river of billions of stars. Magnetic divine light surged between the stars—a technique of Granny Sue's, learned by Quinn after seeing it once!
Granny Sue had used this divine art to trigger the breaking of the seal on the Earth-Mother Origin World, transforming heaven and earth and bringing the Origin World back into existence!
This move was Granny Sue's supreme magnetic divine art, perfected at the Dao realm of magnetism. When Quinn unleashed it, the terrifying geomagnetic force pressed everything down—the slanted peak sank under unimaginable pressure, plunging toward the earth!
Lila turned at the same time, laughing, "Earth Mother Primordial Lady's Dao Twelve!"
She thrust both palms forward, unleashing magnetic divine arts!
This girl actually chose to clash head-on with Quinn!
The two raced forward and collided with a thunderous crash. When their palms met, magnetic light burst from their hands—slicing clean through the peak of the slanted mountain!
Half of the slanted peak beneath their feet plunged into the earth!
Quinn's hair bristled with rage as he roared—suddenly, a tide of blood surged behind him, like a vast ocean, multiplying his vitality a thousandfold in an instant!
"Martial Emperor's Dao One!"
Lila Swallowfeather was stunned—she couldn't react in time. Quinn turned his palm into a fist and punched, sending the ocean of blood behind him surging forward as pure energy!
Lila grunted as she was sent flying. In the air, countless Quinn shadows appeared, chasing after her—each one attacking with a different martial divine art!
Boom—
On the mountainside of another towering peak, a human-shaped hole appeared, followed by a massive fist imprint. The punch crashed into the mountain, shaking it violently.
Quinn appeared before the cave, raised his hand, and pressed a finger to his brow. Countless flying swords soared over, gathering before him into a sword pellet.
Quinn pointed his sword finger and thrust—a sword light over ten miles long pierced into the cave, then shot out the other side of the mountain!
The sword light shone brilliantly, like a pillar of dazzling radiance!
"Sword Dao's Dao One!"
Lila Swallowfeather's voice echoed from the other side of the mountain.
Quinn's pupils contracted. He lifted a willow leaf, revealing a third eye—light shot from it, chasing after the sword light!
At the same time, he struck with a palm seal—crystals of heavenly fire burst out in all directions, bombarding Lila on the far side of the mountain!
"Youdu Dao's Dao Twenty-Three, Xuandu Dao's Dao Two!"
Amid terrifying tremors, Lila's voice rang out clear: "Cult Master Quinn, your divine arts are impressive! But have you ever seen Dao One?"
(Author's note about reader rewards and book review contest—skip, as it's irrelevant to the novel.)