Desolate Devouring Art-Chapter 1003 - Seeking for Help

If the Renowned Sword Manor lost its reputation, their swords wouldn't sell, and the loss of income would only deepen their troubles.

The swelling crowd placed the Renowned Sword Manor at the eye of the storm. One misstep could completely ruin them.

The situation favored the First Sword Manor, and even the neutral standing onlookers began to support them.

Yin Xue sneered. "Miao Jianying, I heard you started practicing swordsmanship at three, comprehending sword aura at five, sword intent at ten, and the sword dao at the age of twenty. Don't you know that you must brave through whatever stands in your way as a swordsman? And yet here you are, acting like a coward."

He resorted to any means available to push Miao Jianying into a corner.

A swordsman had to be unyielding like the sword. If they damaged their dao heart, their swordsmanship would inevitably falter.

Just then, a calm voice rang out from within the Renowned Sword Manor as a middle-aged man with a grim face stepped out.

"We accept your wager. But the duel will be held at the Divine Sword Platform three days from now. We'll also invite experts across the Northern City to witness the duel!"

Miao Jianying called out, "Second Uncle, you mustn't!"

Anyone could tell this was a ploy by the First Sword Manor, and agreeing to their challenge would cost them everything.

However, the middle-aged man dismissed Miao Jianying with a wave. How could he not tell this was a ploy by the First Sword Manor? What choice did they have?

If they didn't accept the challenge today, the First Sword Manor would return tomorrow and continue until they agreed. Any attempt to delay would only chip away at their reputation, little by little.

The middle-aged man chose to gamble, hoping for a slim chance at a turnaround.

"Now, that's decisive! The Second Master should lead the Renowned Sword Manor, not some brat," Yin Xue said. He laughed heartily and didn't forget to hurl one last jab of insult as he left.

Disarray had overtaken the Renowned Sword Manor. A year ago, Miao Jianying's grandfather, the old manor lord, had entered the wilderness and fought a ten-thousand-year serpent. He was mortally wounded and died a few months later.

Tradition dictated that the manor should pass the manor lord's position to Miao Jianying's father according to the line of succession.

However, when Miao Jianying was young, his father had added the wrong materials to the furnace when forging swords, causing the furnace to explode. His father had lost his right arm in the blast, along with it, his ability to forge swords.

The middle-aged man who came out was Miao Jianying's second uncle, Miao Feichen.

Technically, since the eldest son was unfit to inherit the manor lord's position, the sect should have passed it on to the second son. However, Miao Feichen had no interest in managing the Renowned Sword Manor and dedicated his focus to swordsmithing.

He devoted his life to swordsmithing and entrusted the manor's affairs to Miao Jianying.

Now, in his middle years, he remained unwed. As a result, Miao Jianying became the sole successor of the Renowned Sword Manor.

Yin Xue mocked the Renowned Sword Manor with his parting words, claiming it had no worthy successor and had reduced itself to handing its legacy to a brat.

"Second Uncle, we shouldn't have agreed to it. If we lose the Heavenly Xun Sword, how will we answer if that senior returns to reclaim it?" Miao Jianxing asked.

His brows furrowed as he tried to find a solution to this situation.

The Renowned Sword Manor regarded the Heavenly Xun Sword as its soul. Without it, the Northern City would erase the manor from existence.

"We can only take one step at a time. It has been hard for you in the past year," Miao Feichen said, patting his nephew's shoulder.

Even if they hadn't agreed, the First Sword Manor wouldn't let it rest.

When the First Sword Manor's party left, the crowd dispersed, leaving Liu Wuxie behind, standing outside the gates.

"Why are you still here?" asked a disciple from the Renowned Sword Manor. The sect usually forbade outsiders from lingering at the gate.

"I'm Liu Wuxie. I came to visit Ji Qiu and his wife. Can you help me inform him of my arrival?" Liu Wuxie asked calmly.

Given the Renowned Sword Manor's crisis, he didn't want to trouble Ji Qiu and his wife. But he couldn't think of anyone else to help him. He wasn't familiar with Northern City, and having Ji Qiu and his wife's help would ease his burden.

"You know my uncle?" Miao Jianying asked. He had just turned around but stopped when he heard Ji Qiu's name.

"Your uncle?" Liu Wuxie asked, confused.

"Ji Qiu is my uncle, and Tang Hong is my aunt," Miao Jianying explained, looking at Liu Wuxie cautiously. He suspected Liu Wuxie to be someone from the First Sword Manor.

"I see... I met Big Brother Ji two years ago, and I have come to ask for his help," Liu Wuxie explained, brushing past the details about the Heavenly Nether Battlefield.

He had warned them not to reveal anything about the Witcher Clan in the Heavenly Nether Battlefield, and they had kept that promise. They hadn't revealed anything about the Witcher Clan after their return.

"Come with me," Miao Jianying said.

Since Liu Wuxie was a friend of his uncle, he couldn't turn him away. He led Liu Wuxie into the Renowned Sword Manor. They passed through the gates and arrived before a vast martial field, where many disciples were training.

The Renowned Sword Manor was enormous, equivalent to a second-tier force in the Central Plains.

When Liu Wuxie stepped into the manor, he immediately sensed something was off. The Renowned Sword Manor lacked spirit, as true swordsmen should be unyielding and advance fearlessly.

Though these disciples were diligent in their practice, they lacked energy and spirit.

Liu Wuxie glanced at them briefly before looking away. Every force guarded its secrets. Watching others practice could be seen as disrespectful and misinterpreted as spying.

They passed through the martial field and entered the main hall. A disciple had already gone to notify Ji Qiu and his wife.

A young maid served tea, placing it before Liu Wuxie, and quietly retreated.

"How did you come to know my uncle?" Miao Jianying asked casually after sitting down.

"During a training expedition," Liu Wuxie answered vaguely.

His reply piqued Miao Jianying's curiosity even more. His uncle and aunt had rarely left the Renowned Sword Manor, especially in recent years. He didn't recall them mentioning being acquainted with Liu Wuxie.

But Miao Jianying didn't press on since Liu Wuxie refused to speak. He could tell Liu Wuxie had a strong sense of vigilance.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Ji Qiu and his wife entered. They were guiding disciples when they heard someone calling out to them and rushed over immediately, even though they didn't know who wished to see them.

The moment they saw Liu Wuxie, their eyes lit up as they rushed forward.

Ji Qiu rushed over and hugged Liu Wuxie. "Brother Liu!"

Liu Wuxie had saved their lives. If not for him, they would have died in the Heavenly Nether Battlefield.

Not just once, but he had saved them twice.

"Big Brother Ji!" Liu Wuxie greeted Ji Qiu warmly, happy to run into an old friend in a foreign land.

Ji Qiu was in his forties, so addressing him as 'Big Brother' was appropriate.

"Brother Liu, have a seat! What brings you to the Northern City?" Ji Qiu asked.

He knew Liu Wuxie came from the Southern Province, so why was he in the Northern City?

"To be honest, I've come to seek your help," Liu Wuxie replied without beating around the bush.

"There's no need for such formality between us. Just say the word, and I will help you," Ji Qiu said.

Ever since they had parted, the couple had wanted to repay Liu Wuxie for saving their lives, but they could do nothing without knowing where he lived.

"I need help finding two people," Liu Wuxie said, pulling out the portraits of Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi.

Miao Jianying stood up out of curiosity, and his gaze lingered longer than expected when he saw the portraits.

"Brother Liu, are you certain they're in Northern City?" Ji Qiu asked after taking a look.

"I'm sure. They were brought here by an old nun a few months ago," Liu Wuxie said, putting away the portraits, his eyes radiating with concern when he spoke of the two women.

"An old nun..." Ji Qiu and his wife exchanged a look. There were many nunneries in the Northern City, and finding them wouldn't be easy.

"Big Brother Ji, it's fine if it's inconvenient. I'll figure it out myself," Liu Wuxie said.

He didn't want to trouble Ji Qiu and his wife too much, especially when the Renowned Sword Manor had their own problems.

"Brother Liu, you saved our lives, and we'd be unworthy of calling ourselves human if we refused. Take some rest. We'll search the nearby nunneries and find your friends," Ji Qiu said with a grave expression, patting Liu Wuxie's shoulder.

The Renowned Sword Manor had strong connections with the nunneries in the surroundings. If the nunneries held any clues, they would learn of it quickly.

"Thank you, Big Brother Ji!" Liu Wuxie replied.

"Little Ying, come and greet Brother Liu," Tang Hong called out, waving her hand at Miao Jianying.

From the look in the couple's eyes, Miao Jianying could tell they held Liu Wuxie in high regard.

"Greetings, Brother Liu!" Miao Jianying said politely, cupping his fists together.

Liu Wuxie returned the greeting, "Greetings, Brother Miao!"

From the first moment he had seen Miao Jianying, he could sense that the latter was no ordinary person. Given a few more years, he would lead the Renowned Sword Manor into a golden age. But it was a pity that the First Sword Manor wouldn't give them that chance.

"Uncle, Aunt, Brother Liu, I'll take my leave. I have matters to attend to," Miao Jianying said, leaving the main hall.

The Renowned Sword Manor would duel the First Sword Manor in three days, and a loss could destroy them.

Ji Qiu and Tang Hong both let out a sigh at this sight.

"That child has never had peace since birth," Tang Hong wept quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "His mother died young, his father lost an arm, and when he came of age, his grandfather died. Now, he carries the burden of the entire Renowned Sword Manor."

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆novelkiss