Eternal Saber-Chapter 383 - 95: Back Then, Ming Yue Was Present (Part 2)
"At that time, the old woman tapped my shoulder, and her inner qi instantly sealed all my acupoints. Initially, I thought she was hinting at and warning me."
"But later, I realized that the senior was testing which kind of inner strength technique I was cultivating."
Ming Yue Wanderer smiled without speaking.
Chen Tang continued, "And also, Lady Yun of the Shadow Tower in Qianzhu City treated me somewhat differently than others. If I’m not mistaken, you and Lady Yun should be old acquaintances."
Upon hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed in Ming Yue Wanderer’s eyes.
Ah Li also glanced at Chen Tang, then lowered his gaze again.
"Why do you think so?"
Ming Yue Wanderer asked.
"Just a wild guess."
Chen Tang said, "Lady Yun likes to change into a new outfit every day. One day, I joked with her, saying ’new clothes cannot compare to the old ones, people cannot compare to old acquaintances’. The proprietress must be someone who cherishes old times. Lady Yun’s reaction was a bit strange then." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"Why would cherishing old times make you think of me?"
Ming Yue Wanderer was slightly amused.
"Heh heh."
Chen Tang chuckled and said, "At that time, the bright moon was there, reflecting the colorful clouds. This name, senior, you chose..."
Ming Yue Wanderer nodded and said, "That was indeed my oversight."
In reality, if Chen Tang hadn’t long harbored many doubts and noticed anomalies, he wouldn’t have been able to connect Ming Yue Wanderer from Celestial Cauldron Continent with the proprietress of the Shadow Tower in Qianzhu City out of thin air.
Chen Tang said, "I just can’t understand why senior became the Transmission Elder of the Dongyi Race?"
"Actually, my earlier description was not fabricated."
At this point, Ming Yue Wanderer had no need to conceal anything, and said, "Just omitted some things in between. I had ventured alone to Hermit Continent and was gravely injured by the Transmission Elder and imprisoned."
"It was during that time that I met the Mute Girl and Lady Yun."
"Later, with Lady Yun’s desperate help, I managed to escape captivity, teamed up with her, killed the Transmission Elder, and saved the Mute Girl."
Ming Yue Wanderer described it lightly, but the dangers in between could not be captured in a few words.
If there was any slight mistake, the three of them would have died!
"Hmm?"
Chen Tang frowned and asked, "Isn’t Ah Li the disciple of the Transmission Elder?"
"Yes."
Ming Yue Wanderer nodded.
Chen Tang asked again, "Then why did the senior save her?"
Mentioning this matter, a trace of fierce anger flickered in Ming Yue Wanderer’s eyes and he clenched his fists unconsciously, "That beast..."
On the other side, Ah Li gradually lowered her head.
Chen Tang felt a pang of guilt.
His questioning was like tearing open Ah Li’s scars.
Chen Tang hurriedly changed the topic and asked, "Senior, so after you teamed up to kill the Transmission Elder, you replaced him as the new Transmission Elder?"
"Indeed."
Ming Yue Wanderer nodded slightly.
Chen Tang asked again, "Haven’t people suspected anything all these years?"
Ming Yue Wanderer said, "The Transmission Elder’s movements were mysterious, with no friends or family, appearing once a year during the Elder gathering. While I was imprisoned, I observed some of his habits, and from Ah Li and Lady Yun, I also learned some stories about him."
"After killing him, in the cave dwelling, there were many secret manuals of the Dongyi Race’s techniques. I selected some and, after achieving great success in them, emerged from seclusion."
"It was thanks to these techniques that I managed to integrate what I had learned before, reaching First Grade, becoming a Grandmaster. In terms of cultivation, I was not much different from the Transmission Elder, hence I could replace him."
After a pause, Ming Yue Wanderer added, "As for the Dongyi Race’s culture, traditions, and customs, I am even more familiar because I am originally from the Dongyi Race."
"Ah!"
Chen Tang was stunned.
This indeed took him by surprise.
If Ming Yue Wanderer was originally from the Dongyi Race, then he...
Ming Yue Wanderer seemed to perceive Chen Tang’s thoughts and said, "I haven’t betrayed the Dongyi Race. The one who betrayed the Dongyi Race is the Hidden Sect."
"In those years, Your Majesty did not mistreat the Dongyi Race. To be exact, Your Majesty had a broad mind and grand ambitions, treating all foreign races equally. He believed that a true dynasty should be as inclusive as the sea, embracing all races."
"Actually, it’s not just Your Majesty; now the Four Great Clans of Qian Country, Yuwen, Murong, Dugu, Changsun, including the Royal Family Yuan Clan, which was formerly the Tuoba Clan, are all foreign races."
"In the past, there were only the Xia people in Beiqian’s land. Due to foreign invasions, Divine Land was overrun, and some Xia people migrated south as the north was plunged into years of war. It was because of the emergence of Emperor Wu that the tribes were pacified, establishing the Wu Dynasty. But unfortunately, alas."
At this point, Ming Yue Wanderer sighed deeply, showing a look of nostalgia and emotion.
Chen Tang had heard the old fatty mention this history once.
At that time, the north of Divine Land was ravaged by war, leaving only one in ten left. If not for Emperor Wu’s emergence, the Xia people in the north might have been annihilated.
Ming Yue Wanderer said, "At that time, the Dongyi Race had split into two factions. One was willing to stay in Divine Land, stay on their homeland. Your Majesty would grant us land and not make things difficult for us."
This, Chen Tang did believe.
Not only the Dongyi Race, even the Yuwen Clan and Murong Clan, who were once enemies of Emperor Wu, were forgiven after surrendering.
But it was precisely because of this that sowed the seeds of future troubles.
After the defeat in the south, Emperor Wu was wounded, the army suffered heavy losses, and the Yuwen and Murong Clans rebelled one after another, leading to the disintegration and eventual destruction of the Wu Dynasty.
Ming Yue Wanderer said, "The other faction was the Hidden Sect lineage, which was bewitched by the Profound Celestial Sect to assassinate Your Majesty. Initially, Your Majesty did not hold the Hidden Sect accountable, but after repeated assassination attempts, Your Majesty became furious."
"Eventually, a considerable number of Dongyi people were forced to leave Divine Land with the Hidden Sect, leaving their homes and crossing the sea to Hermit Continent."
"It was the Hidden Sect that betrayed the Dongyi Race, leading them step by step to this downfall!"
Ming Yue Wanderer’s face grew cold as he said, "Back then, if not for Your Majesty’s rescue, I would have been killed by the Hidden Sect!"
Chen Tang did not continue to question.
But from Ming Yue Wanderer’s words, it seemed that the Dongyi Race was divided into two factions, with the Hidden Sect wielding power, enforcing an extreme purge, leading to today’s situation.
Ming Yue Wanderer gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "To live a peaceful life, to live earnestly, who would want to become neither human nor ghost, reduced to an unfeeling, killing tool?"
"When you visited Qianzhu City, did any Dongyi person there ever show a real smile?"
Chen Tang remained silent.
The sense he got from Qianzhu City was one of lifelessness.
The people living there, whether hermits or commoners, seemed like walking corpses, devoid of light in their eyes, with no hope on their faces.
Chen Tang felt a little oppressed just by staying there for over twenty days.
Let alone those who had lived there for years or decades.
"What are your senior’s plans for the future?"
Chen Tang asked.
Ming Yue Wanderer said, "If I were still Li Yuechen, I could accompany you to Divine Land to search for Your Majesty’s traces. However, the Li Yuechen of that time is already dead."
Mentioning this, Ming Yue Wanderer showed a look of sentiment and said, "The Shen Family has done me great kindness; I cannot leave just like that."
"Moreover, once I head to Divine Land, it would take at least a year or more round trip. My identity as Transmission Elder on Hermit Continent could be exposed at any time, putting many in danger."
"Unless I can eliminate the Hidden Sect!"
Mentioning the Hidden Sect, Ming Yue Wanderer’s eyes were as sharp as blades, filled with determination.
For him, eliminating the Hidden Sect was not only for avenging Emperor Wu and Shen Han but also for the future of the Dongyi Race!
Unfortunately, all these years, he hadn’t had the opportunity or absolute certainty.
The chance to strike is only once, and if it fails, it’s the abyss of destruction.
