Firmament Sword

”Some can spit ice arrows, some can breathe fire, and powerful Earth Spirit Beasts can use Earth Spikes... or raise earthen walls for defense...”

Master Mao spoke, a flash of pride in his cat-like eyes. ”But as for my clan, the Heaven-Swallowing Foxes, those who have truly and fully awakened their bloodline can swallow the heavens!”

”Hahahaha! Master Mao, can you stop being so dramatic?” Xu Luo roared with laughter, looking at Master Mao with amusement.

Master Mao was so furious he bared his fangs and brandished his claws, looking ready to charge over and fight Xu Luo to the death.

”ARGHHH... You brat, you don’t know shit! If you ever get the chance to read the ancient records, you’ll know Master Mao isn’t lying to you!”

”Haha, then tell me about it,” Xu Luo said, still unconvinced. ’Forget Spirit Beasts. Even for human Martial Artists, the pinnacle of cultivation is just the legendary Broken Void—stepping into another plane of existence.’

’Swallow the heavens? Do you think you’re the master of the universe? Can you not make such a ridiculous joke?’

”There’s no point talking to an ignorant brat like you.” Master Mao rolled his eyes indignantly but continued anyway. ”Master Mao can tell you, with full responsibility, that a Heaven-Swallowing Fox that has truly awakened its ancient bloodline is not a Spirit Beast at all, but a Holy Beast of a higher order! Their bodies are so immense they span heaven and earth! In the distant Ancient Era... the ancestors of the Heaven-Swallowing Foxes were one of the hegemons who ruled this firmament!”

”The Ancient Era?” Xu Luo looked at Master Mao doubtfully. ”How could there be records of something from so long ago? Forget the primeval Ancient Era you’re talking about—even the later Ancient Era has long been submerged in the river of history...”

”That’s just your ignorance! Don’t forget, high-tier Spirit Beasts have inherited memories! Although the bloodline of the Heaven-Swallowing Fox clan today is no longer so pure, and it’s unlikely for one to awaken the progenitor’s bloodline, we were once a glorious race! AHHHHH!”

”Alright, I believe you. Tell me about the Ancient Era,” Xu Luo said with a smile.

”The primeval Ancient Era... what’s there to say? Back then, you humans hadn’t even appeared in this world yet.” Master Mao sneered, getting back at Xu Luo for his earlier mockery. ”The world was extremely desolate then, and it didn’t look like what we see now. It was much, much larger!”

”Incredibly powerful ancient beasts roamed everywhere. And these beasts... they weren’t the ’beasts’ you know today. They were beings countless times stronger than even high-tier Spirit Beasts!”

”The world was desolate and constantly plagued by natural disasters. The primeval inhabitants had a very difficult life, not only fighting powerful enemies but also hiding from cataclysms! Through a continuous process of evolution, the first batch of primordial behemoths all figured out their own ways... to adapt to this world.”

”Later on, your human ancestors appeared. At the time, humans were but a speck of dust in the ancient world. To be honest, you were too scrawny to even be considered food for those primordial behemoths...”

”Our Heaven-Swallowing Fox ancestors were mighty enough to swallow rivers and mountains, roaming freely across the eight wildernesses! When they gave a command, none in the world dared to disobey!”

As he spoke, Master Mao grew excited. He looked at Xu Luo and said, ”You know? Ever since I was a kit... I’ve had a great dream! And that is... to restore the glory of my ancestors! To awaken the progenitor’s bloodline and become a true Holy Beast Heaven-Swallowing Fox!”

This time, Xu Luo didn’t try to dash Master Mao’s hopes. Instead, he looked at him seriously and said, ”I believe you can do it.”

This time, the arrogant Master Mao wasn’t his usual cocky self. Instead, he said dejectedly, ”Master Mao is just dreaming. You don’t have to comfort me. Awakening the progenitor’s bloodline... in this shackled world... is simply impossible!”

”A shackled world?” Xu Luo looked at Master Mao, puzzled.

”Ahem... It’s nothing.” For the first time ever, Master Mao didn’t show off his profound knowledge to Xu Luo, instead brushing the topic aside.

Xu Luo didn’t press the issue. Since Master Mao didn’t want to talk about it, he must have had his reasons.

Elsewhere, Xu Su, Guo Ying, and the others were also talking softly.

Although Xu Luo hadn’t shown his face these past few days, there was a profound understanding between the brothers.

Xu Su knew his younger brother was definitely protecting him in secret. The reason he didn’t appear was likely because of Guo Ying.

’He definitely doesn’t want to appear before the people from her sect right now.’ Xu Su thought, feeling a sense of relief. ’I was always so worried about my little brother, but he’s finally grown up!’

”Do you have any plans for after we reach the Imperial Capital?” Xu Su asked Guo Ying.

”Plans...” Guo Ying glanced at the group of women beside her and said hesitantly, ”I have some half-formed ideas, but it... also depends on whether they are willing.”

”General Xu, Miss Guo, please just tell us what you need. We are willing to work like horses and oxen to repay your kindness.”

The young woman who had become the group’s spokesperson said to the two of them.

Throughout the journey, these worldly girls were well aware that if not for these two people leading them out of Adamant, they never would have been able to escape on their own!

They would have either grown old and died alone in a filthy, terrifying place like Adamant—a fate worse than death—

or they would have died on the road trying to escape it.

Even if they had been lucky enough to return to the secular world, what other path was there for them besides falling into a life of vice... to be trampled upon by others?

”Well... I... I’m finding it hard to say.” Guo Ying was normally a straightforward and decisive person; it was rare for her to be like this.

Xu Su also raised an eyebrow slightly, wondering what exactly Guo Ying was planning.

The young woman chosen by the others to be their representative seemed to realize something. Her expression changed, and she asked dejectedly, ”Miss Guo... surely you don’t want us to become... women of the night?”

As soon as she said this, the faces of all the other women changed.

Before being abducted and taken to Adamant, regardless of whether they were rich or poor, these women had one thing in common: they were all respectable women of good character.

The world of pleasure... who would be willing to enter it unless they had absolutely no other choice?

Xu Su couldn’t help but shake his head vigorously. He looked at Guo Ying and said seriously, ”Is that really what you’re thinking? That idea is improper, truly improper. They are all good and virtuous women. How could you ask them to do such things?”

Guo Ying couldn’t help but give a bitter smile and explain, ”You’ve misunderstood me. I do want to establish a large pleasure quarter, but I don’t want to force any of you to do anything.”

With that, Guo Ying glanced at the group of women, then her gaze fell on Xu Su. ”They are all homeless now. A group of beautiful young women like this will attract attention wherever they go. And even though the destruction of Adamant had nothing to do with them, do you think... my sect will let them go if they find out about this?”

The women’s faces all changed instantly, their complexions paling with fear.

Xu Su looked at Guo Ying without speaking.

Guo Ying continued, ”The best place to hide is naturally a pleasure quarter. My sect has establishments like this in many cities throughout the Da Han Empire, using them to gather intelligence from the secular world and earn money. What I want to do isn’t that kind of flesh trade. I’m a woman, too. How could I force you to do something like that? If I did, what would be the difference between me and those scumbags from Adamant?”

The women’s expressions eased a little as they looked at Guo Ying.

Guo Ying continued, ”Most of you are educated, knowledgeable, and skilled in the four arts of zither, go, calligraphy, and painting. I can also teach you some martial arts for self-defense. If you are willing to join me, then I can promise you one thing: you can all become famous courtesans who sell their art, not their bodies!”

As she spoke, Guo Ying glanced at Xu Su. ”I trust that with Brother Xu Su’s influence in the Imperial Capital, achieving this shouldn’t be difficult.”

Xu Su nodded slightly. ”If anyone dares to use force against you, we naturally don’t need to fear that. It’s just...”

Guo Ying chuckled lightly. ”I understand your concerns. Don’t worry, if I do this, it will have absolutely no connection to the Xu Family. When the time comes, I’ll just need you to provide some protection on the official side of things.”

Guo Ying looked at Xu Su and said, ”Most importantly, I think you understand, my dear brother, that we need our own source of intelligence. Especially with... your father’s position at court...”

Guo Ying didn’t say any more, but Xu Su already understood.

For so many years, the Xu Family had been showered with glory, but they were also frequently constrained by various factions at court. To put it bluntly, the Patriarchs of the Xu Family, generation after generation, had all been Military Generals. None of them ever thought of expanding into commerce, and they looked down on running establishments like brothels and taverns.

And yet, places like these were precisely the source of some kinds of information!

Xu Su had witnessed many things over the years and was keenly aware that not having their own intelligence network was a huge disadvantage in the struggles between great families.

Xu Su had entertained a similar idea before joining the army, but before he could even mention it, he was scolded back into line by Xu Ji.

”The Xu Family does not need to get involved in such sordid businesses!”

In Xu Ji’s eyes, no amount of scheming or plotting was as important as raw power. ’No matter how many crooked schemes you have churning in your gut, I’ll just lop off your head with one strike, and the world will be quiet again!’

It had to be said that sometimes, the Grand General of National Guardian, Xu Ji, who was by no means a stupid man, simply preferred to solve problems with force rather than his brain.

This... was probably a common failing among most people who had served in the army for many years.

”This matter... I need to think it over carefully. If possible, I’d rather you did something else,” Xu Su said.

Guo Ying smiled faintly and said, ”Would you look down on me for doing this, my brother?”

”That... I wouldn’t,” Xu Su said honestly, though he was smiling bitterly inside. ’What’s the point of you saying that? I can’t marry you... Perhaps that’s the very reason you’ve chosen to walk this path?’

’Is it because you heard Mu Yao is a business genius, and you want to compete with her in this area?’ Xu Su wondered.