Sword Among Us

The problem of Moon Reflection Temple was actually not complicated. It was a product born from a group of girls’ pride. Even though they had built a temple that stood apart from worldly affairs, they lacked leadership and direction. They could not find a way for them to develop while they were lost.

Red Coral and Black Rose, in comparison, lacked a chance to show off their abilities. It was rare for them to have such a major task land in their hands, and both sides readily became partners. Naturally, Red Coral and Black Rose began to give instructions in a straightforward manner.

They only used one afternoon to get the thousands of Emei Sect disciples in Moon Reflection Temple to start working!

Under Black Rose and Yue Hua’s leadership, they easily conquered a few regions that the Emei Sect disciples originally did not dare to enter. At the same time, they mobilized their forces to begin a rather large scale operation in the areas where the intelligent beasts resided. Once they became familiar with the intelligent beasts’ strength and information, they began to hunt them down for real.

On top of that, they also involved themselves in the excavation of ores. The city that was the closest to Emei Sect was dozens of miles away from it. Besides, it was a region where a great sect was located. An ordinary player sect would not dare to step into such a place. Once they caused any accident, it would lead to a large conflict, and the great sect would place bounties on their heads as well as issue quests to kill them. Even though the great sect in question there was Emei Sect, no one dared to have thought of encroaching upon them.

When Jade Coral, Black Rose, and Yue Hua led the group of Emei Sect disciples for larger activities, as the only male in the group, Happy quietly left their team and went to the back of Emei Sect’s mountain.

It was the place where Zhou Zhiruo trained!

Mistress Annihilation’s death dealt a great shock to Zhou Zhiruo.

To retrieve Heavenly Sword, she poured all of her time in training!

Happy came to wait for the moment Zhou Zhiruo egressed.

Even though he did not know when that day would arrive, he was sure that Zhou Zhiruo would not give up on Heavenly Saber. With Lu Zhangke’s information and support, Happy was certain that he would be able to retrieve it.

When he arrived at the place where Zhou Zhiruo trained, his expression changed. He saw Zhou Zhiruo standing in the training ground stiffly, and there were tears on her face. She looked sad and lonely…

“Young Swordsman Happy, you still haven’t gone down the mountain?”

At that moment, when Zhou Zhiruo saw Happy walking out from behind the fake mountain, a flash of warmth and gratitude shone in her eyes. “Thank goodness. Please help me release my acupressure points. My eldest senior sister stole the sect leader’s jade ring…”

Happy had accompanied Zhou Zhiruo while helping her along the way, and he had also completed many quests that were rather difficult from Emei Sect. Their relationship had progressed from mere trust to bosom buddies.

‘I knew it!’

Happy frowned and quickly went to Zhou Zhiruo.

He pushed his index finger and middle finger together to tap two of her acupressure points on the chest. Zhou Zhiruo groaned and shuddered, then two faint blotches of red appeared on her face.

“Miss Zhou, what exactly happened?”

Happy might know the original plot, but he did not expect that even though Mistress Annihilation announced that Zhou Zhiruo would take over as sect leader of Emei Sect in front of the disciples of the other six great system-allocated sects, that woman, Ding Minjun, would still cause trouble. As expected, her nature to seek fame was difficult to change.

When Zhou Zhiruo heard his question, a miserable look of resignation appeared briefly on her face.

“My eldest senior sister and a group of senior sisters could not accept that I was promoted over them. They worked together and sealed my acupressure points before snatching the sect leader’s jade ring. They intend to elect Senior Sister Ding as the sect leader during the official appointment ceremony.”

The system’s notification arrived then.

“Ding!

“Obtained Zhou Zhiruo’s affection! Affection rate increased!”

The quest notification that Happy expected never rose. The system only notified him that he gained Zhou Zhiruo’s affection after helping her, but they were still bosom buddies. It caught Happy by surprise because he was not involved in the plot.

“… What do you intend to do now?”

Happy never gave up, because there were benefits behind becoming bosom buddies with NPCs. Even if there were no quests, they could still obtain content about the plot.

“My mistress was the one who personally gave me the position of the sect leader. Even though I do not have much power, I have my moral integrity. I will catch up to my senior sisters and persuade them to return the jade ring. I will not fail to live up to the duty my mistress’ gave to me! Otherwise, I will let down my mistress for taking care of me and teaching me for more than ten years.”

There was determination on Zhou Zhiruo’s face.

Happy sighed with a heavy heart.

“When we were at Eternal Peace Temple, I did not manage to protect Mistress Annihilation, and I feel guilty and ill at ease. Now, no matter what, I will not let the jade ring be handed over to thieves. I’ll help you get the jade ring back.”

“Young Swordsman Happy, you are very chivalrous, and I should be grateful to you, but this is a private matter of Emei Sect, and I do not wish for any fights to happen. I wish to resolve this on my own. So please, forgive me.”

Zhou Zhiruo cast a profound glance at Happy and did not reject his kind will with her words. Once she finished speaking, she asked for forgiveness from him before going after Ding Mingjun and her group.

Happy knew that the plot had started, but he did not seem to be part of it. Even so, he was not discouraged. He waited for Zhou Zhiruo to leave into the distance before he followed her. He went after her at a slow pace.

*****

“Ding!”

A few Emei Sect disciples who had been training with a Black Python suddenly heard the system notification.

“Golden Flower Granny came to seek revenge on Emei Sect, and she is searching everywhere for Emei Sect’s leader!

“Stop Golden Flower Granny from taking away Sect Leader Zhou Zhiruo!”

All Emei Sect disciples near Emei Mountain received that notification.

In the beginning, many people did not approve of taking up the quest.

Golden Flower Granny was a powerful martial artist who was at the same level as Mistress Annihilation. She was in Inaction Realm, and for Emei Sect disciples to go and fight her was the same as bringing a lamp into a toilet made of grass. They would just be rushing to their deaths.

“Control Miss A’li, and you will complete the requirement to save Sect Leader Zhou Zhiruo. Those who knock A’li unconscious can choose a Life and Death Realm sword technique manual from the inner sect elders of Emei Sect!”

Boom!

Countless people on Emei Mountain were tempted.

*****

Golden Flower Granny had already stopped Ding Mingjun and the group of Emei Sect disciples at the foot of the mountain. Even though Ding Mingjun had seized the jade ring of the sect leader, she knew how powerful Golden Flower Granny was. Even though she had been talking day and night about looking for Mistress Annihilation, Ding Mingjun did not dare to say anything, even if she was angry. She could only say that her mistress had already passed away.

“Passed away?” Golden Flower Granny fell into a daze and mumbled for a while before she glared at the women. “Then who is your new sect leader? You haven’t decided on one? Stop trying to evade the question. If there is none, then I, Golden Flower Granny, will kill all of you one by one today!”

The expressions of Ding Mingjun and her group changed drastically.

Just when Golden Flower Granny was prepared to attack, Zhou Zhiruo appeared.

“Wait!”

Happy also reached the area. He saw Zhou Zhiruo catch the sect leader’s jade ring Ding Mingjun threw at her in a panic and looked worked up after regaining what she lost. The Emei Sect disciples, in the meantime, were greatly disappointed by Ding Mingjun’s irresponsible act.

When they saw Golden Flower Granny leave with Zhou Zhiruo, the group prostrated themselves on the ground behind them.

“We respectfully send off Sect Leader Zhou!”

Happy said nothing and just sighed in his heart.

Up till then, Zhou Zhiruo retained her pure heart, and she was still a kind girl. If she had not run into Zhang Wuji, who was incredibly popular with girls but kept wavering between them since he was ignorant of their feelings, she might not have been forced onto the path of no return.

“What should I do to save you, Zhou Zhiruo?”

He sighed gently while drifting through the forest.