Chapter 141: Chapter 139: The 3 Alls Policy

The Cloud Escape Sparrow was one of the Void Sect’s few Fourth-level Demon Beasts, equivalent to a human Cultivator at the Void Realm.

It was enormous. How enormous, exactly?

Let’s just say there was a small palace built on its back, large enough to house over a hundred people.

After bidding farewell to everyone at the Void Sect, Mo Qi’s party boarded the Cloud Escape Sparrow under the mournful gazes of countless Elders and disciples, setting off for the Mountain and Sea Empire.

Watching the Cloud Escape Sparrow recede into the distance, Liu Ruyan clenched her fists.

’Brother Mo, just wait. Ruyan will come to find you soon!’

...

For the Void Sect, today was destined to be a day of farewells.

First, it was Mo Qi, and now it was Liu Hong and his granddaughter.

With Mo Qi gone, neither Liu Hong nor Liu Ruyan had any reason to remain at the Void Sect.

They had only joined the Void Sect in the first place because of Mo Qi.

The moment Mo Qi left, they eagerly bid farewell to the Ni Brothers.

The Ni Brothers exchanged wry smiles. They had all witnessed Liu Ruyan’s affection for Mo Qi over the past several days.

Thus, they were already mentally prepared for their departure.

"I have imposed on the Void Sect for quite some time, and I will not let your service be for naught. Take this Array Core. I’ve spent the past few years setting up a Mountain Defense Array in my spare time. No one will be able to break it, unless all the experts of the Mountain and Sea Empire at the Void Realm or higher attack at once."

A foot-long metal core floated before the Ni Brothers.

The three were ecstatic. With this array, the Void Sect had effectively gained a Life-saving Talisman.

As long as they didn’t incur public wrath, they would be all but invincible.

"Thank you for your immense kindness, Master Liu!"

Liu Hong remained expressionless. He waved a hand dismissively, his voice cold. "There’s no need for that. It was merely an equivalent exchange. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

With that, he took Liu Ruyan by the hand and vanished on the spot.

The Ni Brothers were not surprised by this. Liu Hong would have treated even the Emperor of the Mountain and Sea Empire with the same attitude.

There was just one thing they didn’t understand: why would Master Liu stand by and watch Mo Qi walk into danger?

’Given his status in the Mountain and Sea Empire, all it would take was a word from him to ensure Jin Quan couldn’t die even if he begged for it.’

...

「Seven days later, aboard the Cloud Escape Sparrow.」

One after the other, both Jin Sanpang and Liu Hui broke through their bottlenecks.

The former reached the Vajra Realm, and the latter, the Purity Realm.

The two joyfully approached Mo Qi. It was the new Medicinal Cuisine he had developed that had helped them achieve their breakthroughs.

An excited Jin Sanpang swept Mo Qi up in a bear hug, lifting him high into the air.

Mo Qi was still in a weakened state. Although he had recovered somewhat over the past seven days, he was still a far cry from his peak condition.

Getting squeezed in a bear hug like that by Jin Sanpang nearly forced last night’s dinner back up.

"San Pang, can you put me down so we can talk properly?" Mo Qi’s lips twitched, afraid that Jin Sanpang, in a fit of excitement, might just squeeze him into a dried-up husk.

"Oh, oh, right."

Jin Sanpang quickly put Mo Qi down, rubbing his shaved head with a goofy grin.

"Brother Mo, will San Pang really be able to ring the Dragon Vein Imperial Bell and rescue my father?" Jin Sanpang asked, his face full of anticipation.

Mo Qi rubbed his ribs, which felt like they’d nearly been crushed, and nodded with a smile. "Of course! San Pang is the best!"

’And that wasn’t just empty flattery, either. Jin Sanpang, fifteen years old, Vajra Realm!’

’Who else could compare?’

’You’d be hard-pressed to find another one like him in the entire history of the Mountain and Sea Empire.’

’Mo Qi even suspected that, with talent like that, the Mountain and Sea Empire ought to grant him special privileges even if he couldn’t ring the Dragon Vein Imperial Bell.’

"San Pang is the best! San Pang has to keep cultivating! San Pang is going to rescue Father!"

Jin Sanpang pumped his fist, then ran to the side and immediately entered a state of Cultivation.

Liu Hui knelt on one knee before Mo Qi. "Thank you for making this possible, my Lord!"

Liu Hui was always so formal, always acting the part of a subordinate. Mo Qi couldn’t be bothered to correct him anymore.

"Liu Hui, when you hear the words ’Dragon Vein Imperial Bell,’ does anything come to mind?" Mo Qi asked.

A sharp glint flashed in Liu Hui’s eyes. "Replying to my Lord, I believe this is my opportunity."

"Mm," Mo Qi nodded.

He continued, "According to the information the three Elders gave me, the so-called annual selection can be summarized as: ’A trial at the foot of the Imperial City, then enter an array and defend a pass for three days.’"

"Simply put, your aptitude is tested at the foot of the Imperial City to sort you into tiers. After that, you enter a pass and stay for a full three days. If you last, you pass."

"As for what’s inside the pass, that’s still unclear. However, legend has it that the founding ancestor of the Empire slew a great dragon, refined it into a Dragon Vein, and buried it beneath the Imperial City. I suspect the Dragon Vein Imperial Bell is related to this. You know what to do, don’t you?"

Liu Hui nodded. "I understand. I will coordinate with San Pang and help him ring the Dragon Vein Imperial Bell. At the same time, I will implement the ’Three Alls Policy’—plunder all, steal all, and loot all treasures. We will spare no one, be it the Mountain and Sea Empire or the other contestants!"

Mo Qi nodded, greatly satisfied. "Excellent. You must remember: strength is earned through the hard work of your own two hands!"

"Understood!" Liu Hui agreed wholeheartedly, a fanatical expression on his face.

Hearing the conversation between these two characters, the nearby Yun Xuzi and Ji Lin stumbled, almost falling right off the sparrow’s back.

’Excuse me, but what in the world does the "Three Alls Policy" have to do with "the hard work of your own two hands"?’

’Are you guys sure you’re here for the annual selection and not on a mountain raid?’

For some reason, Yun Xuzi and Ji Lin suddenly felt a little relieved.

’Perhaps the Void Sect was too small a stage for Mo Qi to show his true colors.’

’It seemed that all the chaos back at the Void Sect was the result of Mo Qi holding back.’

’If he hadn’t been holding back...’

At this thought, the two of them felt a deep sense of pity for the Mountain and Sea Empire.

They could already foresee it: in the near future, the trio of Mo Qi, Jin Sanpang, and Liu Hui would likely turn the entire Mountain and Sea Empire upside down!

’As for the Wolf Fang Sect and Zhang Shao... all we can do is offer a moment of silent prayer.’

’Of all the people to provoke, they just had to cross these three rascals!’

...

After another two days, the Cloud Escape Sparrow landed and everyone disembarked.

Yun Xuzi looked at Mo Qi and said, "Junior Brother Mo, we’ve reached the territory governed by the Mountain and Sea Empire’s Imperial City. Outside flying Demon Beasts are forbidden from flying here, so we’ll have to proceed on foot. It’s about a day’s walk from here."

"Alright. We’ll be counting on you to lead the way, Senior Brother."

"Of course."

Mo Qi looked over at Niu Kexin. "Sister Kexin, let me carry you."

Niu Kexin gave a happy smile and shook her head. "I’m not that delicate. Don’t you underestimate me."

After nine days on the Cloud Escape Sparrow’s back, Niu Kexin felt her power growing by the day. With no outlet for it, she felt like she was about to fall ill from being cooped up.

Now that she could finally get moving, there was no way she would pass up the opportunity.

"Alright, then. Just let me know if you get tired," Mo Qi said, not pressing the issue.

"What a pretty little lady. Only a cruel-hearted man would let you travel on foot. Why not join me? Wouldn’t that be lovely?"

A flirtatious voice called out as a luxurious carriage, pulled by sixteen equine Demon Beasts, drove up from the distance and stopped beside the group.

A young man in his early twenties, dressed in opulent robes, stepped out. He was practically dripping with golden light. All ten of his fingers were covered in rings, which pulsed with a brilliant, treasured glow.

The carriage was a High Tier of Profound-Level Magical Treasure; the robe, a Lower Tier of Earth-Level Defensive Magical Artifact. He wore over twenty rings on his hands, and every single one was a Storage Ring!

Mo Qi raised an eyebrow. ’Where did this nouveau riche come from?’

Without a word from Mo Qi, Liu Hui and Jin Sanpang had already moved to flank the young man, blocking his path of advance and retreat.

’A fat sheep delivering himself right to their doorstep! And he even dared to be rude to Sister Kexin. A perfect opportunity to practice the "Three Alls Policy."’