Chapter 396: Chapter 195: Returning to the Mountain (Part 2)

Zhao Rui was the first to leap down.

He suppressed his breath slightly and looked around.

He saw a group of Emei Sword Sect disciples, along with several high-ranking monks and nuns, looking right at them.

One of the nuns formed a Hand Formula and pointed a finger; a longsword automatically flew into her hand.

Who else could it be but Nun Lejing!

"My apologies for making you masters wait. I am deeply grateful!"

Zhao Rui said politely, clasping his hands in a salute.

"It is no trouble. Donor Zhao, your fortune is profound indeed to have returned from the Land of Return. It is truly astonishing. This humble monk is Wisdom. A pleasure to meet you, Donor Zhao. Please, come inside the temple to rest."

The lead monk said with a smile, reciting a Buddhist chant.

"Thank you, Master!"

Zhao Rui didn’t stand on ceremony. ’This is a favor I can repay later.’

"Master, it’s good to see you’re well! It’s been over a year, but your Sword Qi is as magnificent as ever!"

"You’re too kind, Donor Zhao!"

Nun Lejing returned the courtesy with a complicated expression. The boy she had once looked down upon was now someone the Emei Sect would mobilize in such numbers to welcome.

Even with her many years of Zen cultivation, her heart was still in turmoil.

’How did he cultivate to his current level?’

Falling half a step behind, Nun Lejing couldn’t help but glance at him.

’Such talent, such opportunities...’

Her gaze inevitably shifted to the Five Dragon Envoy following behind Zhao Rui. With their conspicuous and unusual attire, they did not look like good people at first glance.

’If he has fallen to the demonic path, my sword...’

Liao Jing’s eyes couldn’t help but narrow slightly.

...

An hour later, Zhao Rui met with the hastily arrived Daoist Yun Hao and an elder from the Qingcheng Sect.

"Junior Brother Zhao!"

Yun Hao was overcome with excitement. Ever since hearing the message from Emei that Zhao Rui was about to return, neither he nor their senior brother had been able to calm down.

Zhao Rui was still alive.

For some time now, the news from the outside world had all claimed that Zhao Rui had perished along with the Gui Xu Demoness, falling into the Two Realms Passage.

They had even been planning to hold a memorial service for Zhao Rui if there was no news after a while.

They never expected Zhao Rui to actually return alive.

It was truly a blessing from the heavens.

From the Sect’s perspective, the Qingcheng Sword Sect with Zhao Rui and the Qingcheng Sword Sect without him were on two completely different levels.

"Is everything all right, Senior Brother?"

"As long as I’m not dead, the Qingcheng Sword Sect is fine."

Yun Hao replied, still as concise as ever.

"Good. Then I’m relieved."

Zhao Rui clapped him on the shoulder, then met with the elder from the Qingcheng Sect and exchanged a few pleasantries.

After a short rest at the Emei Sect, Zhao Rui led his newly "recruited" servants and followed Yun Hao and the others down the mountain, under the watchful eyes of the Emei monks and nuns.

On the way down the mountain, Zhao Rui made no attempt to be discreet and spoke directly to Zhou Moshu and the others:

"I’m not one to force people. Before we came here, I gave you a choice. Since you’ve chosen to follow me, let me lay down the ground rules."

"As long as you work for me, you are my people. I won’t treat you poorly. But if you have any ulterior motives..."

"Senior, we wouldn’t dare!"

Su Wanyun and the others hastily bowed, repeatedly insisting they wouldn’t dare.

"This place is different from Gui Xu. You can call me Boss Zhao, or President Zhao."

"Yes, Boss Zhao."

Everyone answered in unison.

"...Boss Zhao!"

’What’s this "Boss Zhao"? My junior brother actually has a penchant for being a boss.’

’Sect Leader Zhao or Grandmaster Zhao sounds so much better.’

Listening to Zhao Rui lecture the Martial Artists he had clearly brought back from Gui Xu, Yun Hao’s face couldn’t help but twitch.

But alas, you are not the fish, so how can you know the joy of the fish!

After Zhao Rui had set the rules, the group had already reached the foot of the mountain.

Several cars were parked in the lot at the base of the mountain—the vehicles the Qingcheng Sect had sent to pick them up.

When they first saw these metal contraptions, Zhou Moshu and the others looked bewildered, thinking they were merely implements made of sheet iron.

It was only when they saw Zhao Rui and the others open the doors and get inside that they realized people could actually sit in them.

Confused, they all copied the others and got in.

The car suddenly started and shot forward with a WHOOSH.

"It’s a Divine Weapon and Exotic Treasure?"

Zhou Moshu was stunned!

’What else could this object that moves on its own be, if not a Divine Weapon and Exotic Treasure?’

"This must be this world’s version of a horse or mule, used for transportation."

He Wenhua’s Quanzhen Sect had some history, so he naturally knew a few things about this world.

But his knowledge was limited.

"It’s so magical!"

Zhou Moshu and Cao Yingcai couldn’t help but touch this and that curiously, their eyes shining brightly.

Su Wanyun was more composed and patient, but the curiosity in her eyes was no less than that of the other two women.

As the car drove on, the buildings on the roadside, the clothes of the pedestrians, and even the flashing traffic lights and signs left them in awe.

Only now did they understand what "Otherworld" truly meant.

Everything here was different from Gui Xu.

This was especially true for the three women. Their peripheral sects knew very little about Blue Star.

They only knew that Blue Star also had Martial Arts Sects and that many people from their side had already gone over.

In their hearts, they had assumed it would be a similar environment with a similar Court, with the only difference being who was in power.

Only now did they realize what taking that step through the Two Realms Passage truly meant.

After driving on the highway for two hours, the car finally arrived at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain.

Getting out of the car and looking at the familiar mountain peak and the familiar reception area, Zhao Rui couldn’t help but let out a long breath.

’I’m finally back.’

"Junior Brother Zhao!"

"Elder Zhao!"

Yu Zhengnan and Weiyun, an influential elder of the Qingcheng Sect, who had long been waiting here, both came forward with welcoming smiles.

"Sect Leader, Elder!"

Zhao Rui also greeted the two with a cheerful smile.

"It’s good that you’re back. It’s good that you’re back."

An irrepressible smile spread across Yu Zhengnan’s face. With Zhao Rui’s return, he felt his own back straighten unconsciously.

"Let’s talk more back on the mountain!"

"To the mountain!"

...

In a side hall of the Qingcheng Sword Sect, after returning to the sect, Zhao Rui and Yu Zhengnan had Zhou Moyun and the other guests from Gui Xu settled in. Then, they gathered here to talk at length about what had happened during this time.

"A great battle in the East Sea?"

"It connected to the Realm of Returning Ruins?"

"What about my family..."

Zhao Rui was aghast. He never imagined that not long after he left, the passage connecting Gui Xu and Blue Star hadn’t closed, but had instead continued to expand.

Countless Exotic Beasts of enormous size and astonishing individual strength had emerged from it.

These Exotic Beasts poured out, some diving into the deep sea, others walking on air.

They quickly vanished outside the passage.

The first to bear the brunt of it was the nearby East Woguo.

Exotic Beasts continuously made landfall on the islands, wantonly destroying the buildings there.

It had the immediate feel of monsters making landfall in *Ring of the Pacific Ocean*.

The military had no choice but to mobilize, using high-powered weaponry to attack. Unfortunately, these Exotic Beasts weren’t like dinosaurs—just big lumps of flesh with little power.

Each one of them possessed various bizarre Divine Techniques, with the weakest being comparable to a Dharma Realm Grandmaster.

How could they be dealt with by conventional modern weapons?

Besides the military, the Holy Lotus Sect, which controlled the entire nation, didn’t sit idly by either.

From the Sect Leader on down, all the Divine Envoys, Guardians, and Elders appeared to resist the invasion of these Exotic Beasts.

These monsters didn’t just attack mindlessly like in the movies. Many of them were simply terrestrial creatures that just wanted to get on land.

After a period of engagement and observation...

the Holy Lotus Sect chose to retreat.

From then on, the Shikoku region of East Wodao Island became a paradise for Exotic Beasts.

They nested there, roaring, fighting, and foraging for food.

It had become a mutated version of Jurassic Park.

Besides East Woguo, the sea to the east of Huaxia was also plagued by Exotic Beasts.

Many sects dispatched True Dharma Masters to guard the border cities and defend against sporadic attacks from the Exotic Beasts.

"And it’s not just Exotic Beasts!"

"I heard things aren’t stable across the Pacific Ocean either. It seems an Alien Race has opened a passage between the two realms. They’ve even used thermonuclear bombs over there."

"Don’t tell me the Manghuang Race is also joining the fun."

Zhao Rui’s expression turned ugly. He had originally thought that after returning from Gui Xu, he could finally live a peaceful life.

But things here weren’t much better.

’Why do things like the Two Realms Passage even exist?’

’What exactly is the connection between Blue Star and Gui Xu?’

’Is there nothing on the Moon?’

’What about other planets?’

Zhao Rui’s sharp brows furrowed deeply. He knew that nothing was as simple as it appeared on the surface.

"What about Dongqi..."

"Don’t worry. Two elders of the Cang Generation from the Qingcheng Sect have gone, and with the Taishan Sect and Lao Mountain Sect, their defense is more than enough."

Hearing Yu Zhengnan say this, Zhao Rui couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

"By the way, Junior Brother, about these people you brought back?"

"I have my own plans for them."

"That’s good."

After chatting for a while, Zhao Rui took his leave and returned to his own residence to rest.

Zhao Rui slept for the entire night, only waking lazily to the morning glow.

The sun was rising outside his window, a sight he hadn’t seen in a very long time.