Chapter 80: Strategy God Heavens (Part 3)

Yun Xueqing looked at Mei Qujun, his eyes flickering. “Master…”

Mei Qujun merely smiled at him, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

Seeing this expression, Yun Xueqing instinctively fell silent.

Yun Xueqing gazed at the master before him. Even after the vicissitudes of life and a millennium’s passage, the other’s appearance remained utterly unchanged. Yet he always felt that something was different.

Pushing aside stray thoughts, Yun Xueqing said earnestly, “Master, from a personal standpoint, that High Priest was a very important friend to Fu Wuxuan. From the perspective of justice, some of the High Priest’s inside information might concern humanity’s survival. So if you know anything, please don’t hide it—tell us everything.”

The smile faded from Mei Qujun’s face, his expression shifting as he scrutinized Yun Xueqing’s face. Moments later, he suddenly laughed. “Ask whatever you want to know. I’ll answer as much as I can.”

Yun Xueqing restated his earlier question. “Regarding the High Priest… Leng Xian approached you to study the Oracle of divining the future. Did he ever mention what he wanted to know?”

With that, he stood quietly to the side, awaiting the response.

Mei Qujun leisurely picked up the tea from the table and took a sip, his tone calm. “He wanted to know how to ensure the continuation of human civilization.”

Though Yun Xueqing and Fu Wuxuan had guessed that Leng Xian likely wanted to know what methods could truly eradicate the Weird, hearing the real answer still startled them.

Ensuring the continuation of human civilization?

This was far too broad and weighty a proposition, so heavy that no single person could bear it.

With the Weird rampant nowadays, yin overpowering yang, and Weird Domains appearing ever more frequently, the number of humans swallowed up was beyond count. Humanity’s living space was being compressed step by step.

Perhaps one day, humanity would be utterly exterminated by the powerful Weird, and human civilization would come to a complete end.

To ensure its continuation, there had to be power capable of suppressing the Weird.

What Leng Xian truly wanted to know was: how to defeat the Weird—or rather, truly eradicate them—and return the world to its former state.

Fu Wuxuan thought of the content written on that paper and, unusually, felt a surge of pessimism. In a somewhat dejected mood, he voiced his speculation. “Through that Oracle, he saw our future and realized there was no way to truly defeat the Weird. That’s why he left the message on the paper: ‘The apocalypse is irreversible, the Weird unsolvable, no path for the living.'”

“No, there is one way to let humanity survive.” Mei Qujun suddenly spoke up.

His voice was calm, devoid of ripples or any emotion—like a machine without feelings. It carried an inexplicable eeriness.

But everyone’s focus was on the message left by Leng Xian and the pessimism about the end times. No one noticed Mei Qujun’s abnormality.

Wu Xue looked at him. “What method?”

Mei Qujun shook his head slightly, his tone still calm. “I can’t tell outsiders about this method. It’s the core secret of Strategy God Heavens, known only to internal organization members.”

“Even your own disciple can’t know?” Fu Wuxuan smiled. “Do you mean you want to pull us into Strategy God Heavens?”

Mei Qujun nodded reservedly. “If you’re willing, that would be ideal. If not, I won’t force you. After all, Strategy God Heavens is an open and free organization that absolutely never compels others’ will.”

Fu Wuxuan nearly laughed. In a neither yin nor yang tone, he said, “If you don’t force anyone, then what’s with the people you forcibly abducted?”

Mei Qujun looked at him meaningfully. “We never interfere with what some subordinates do privately. That’s unrelated to our organization—it’s just their personal behavior.”

After all, Strategy God Heavens truly was an open and free organization that hardly ever inquired into members’ affairs, as long as they completed the tasks assigned by superiors.

“Really good at passing the buck,” Fu Wuxuan smiled. “From the sound of it, this place is more like Wicked People’s Valley. Villains can commit atrocities privately and then wave the Strategy God Heavens banner.”

Mei Qujun neither confirmed nor denied it.

Yun Xueqing looked at Fu Wuxuan with a complicated expression. “Could you and Wu Xue step out for a bit? I have some private matters to ask Master.”

Fu Wuxuan saw that his complexion wasn’t good but didn’t pry. He simply nodded and reassured him. “If anything comes up, call me anytime.”

With that, he glanced at Mei Qujun with lingering unease.

Once Fu Wuxuan and Wu Xue had left one after another, Yun Xueqing turned to Mei Qujun. “Master, after all these years… you’ve really changed a lot.”

Mei Qujun smiled. “You know it’s been many years—the seas have turned to mulberry fields, a millennium has passed. Who can remain completely unchanged?”

Yun Xueqing’s face grew cold, his icy eyes staring fixedly at him. “No matter the changes, I never imagined that the former upright leader of the Sword Pavilion would become the cult leader and great demon Shen Le of today.”

Mei Qujun smiled. “You figured it out?”

Yun Xueqing gave a bitter laugh. “Master, I’m not a fool.”

If he were truly just a high-positioned idle member as Mei Qujun claimed, how could he have contact with a core figure like the Temple Grand High Priest? How could he know so much inside information about Strategy God Heavens?

Moreover, San Zhi had said long ago that Fu Mi was the leader Shen Le’s disciple, learning the Divination Technique from Shen Le.

Fu Mi’s demeanor bore at least three parts resemblance to the current Mei Qujun. Everything pointed to the obvious.

Yun Xueqing murmured to himself, “San Zhi said Shen Le wanted to see me, even using the Mountains and Rivers Brush to lure me here to Cold Edge Town… Cold Edge, so that’s it…”

“‘Cold Edge means sword,'” Mei Qujun recited softly, a faint smile on his face. “Though the Sword Pavilion was destroyed a century ago, your master still occasionally feels nostalgic.”

Yun Xueqing’s pupils dilated slightly. “The Sword Pavilion was destroyed?”

The world’s number one sect, the Sword Pavilion, had been destroyed a century ago?

“What’s so shocking about that?” Mei Qujun laughed. “All things in the world follow the cycle of seasons—prosperity leads to decline. Even the Sword Pavilion was no exception.”

He explained, “A century ago, the Heavenly Dao fell asleep, spiritual energy depleted, and the Weird began to emerge. People with Spiritual Root qualifications grew fewer and fewer, and the Sword Pavilion gradually withered.”

Yun Xueqing was somewhat surprised. “It was already imbalanced a century ago?”

Mei Qujun nodded. “Rot is a slow process, from inside to out. By the time we truly realized it, it was too late.”

Yun Xueqing vaguely sensed that the path to salvation lay within this. He hurriedly asked, “Why did the Heavenly Dao fall asleep? How can we awaken It?”

Mei Qujun slowly shook his head. “I don’t know.”

He was ultimately a mortal body—how could he possibly glimpse the will of heaven?

Though he didn’t know the details, Yun Xueqing silently noted this crucial information before turning to Mei Qujun. “Master, I faintly sense the aura of the Tianquan Sword on you…”

Mei Qujun looked at him and slowly nodded. “Correct. Your sword is in my hands.”

He explained, “In that battle a millennium ago, you were gravely injured and suffered a massive loss of vitality. The Tianquan Sword was damaged as well. I placed you in a Mountain Cave, set up seals to prevent others from prying, and took your Natal Sword to reforge and temper it.”

Yun Xueqing hesitated. “Then…”

Before he finished, Mei Qujun retrieved a sword from his Storage Space. “Since you’ve returned, this sword should reunite with its master.”

Without hesitation, he handed the Tianquan Sword over. Yun Xueqing took it and gripped the hilt, still somewhat dazed.

Master… had just given the sword back like this?

He had thought Mei Qujun took his sword for some other purpose, but now it seemed he had misjudged out of excessive suspicion.

The Tianquan Sword in his hand sensed its master’s aura and excitedly let out a sword cry. Yun Xueqing collected his thoughts and carefully examined the long sword.

After tempering, the sword’s killing intent had sharpened further. The silver-white scabbard seemed cloaked in frost and snow.

He drew the blade and saw the familiar black-and-white edge.

The Tianquan Sword was no ordinary blade. It was forged from moonlight and sunlight, aided by heavenly extraterrestrial iron, and imbued with Buddhist incantations.

The left side of the blade was black, the right white—like moonlight and an abyssal mirror. Black and white balanced in yin-yang harmony, embodying Tianquan’s equilibrium.

Gripping this sword, Yun Xueqing felt endless spiritual energy pouring into his body, flowing like gentle spring water, warm and soothing as it mended his hidden injuries.

Yun Xueqing looked at Mei Qujun with some gratitude. The faint suspicion in his heart dissipated. Thinking that Mei Qujun might have unavoidable reasons, he asked, “Master, how did you become the leader of Strategy God Heavens?”

Mei Qujun laughed. “I’ve already answered that—it’s all due to fateful coincidences.”

Yun Xueqing knew the other simply didn’t want to answer, so he asked instead, “Master, are you aware of the bad things Strategy God Heavens has done?”

As soon as he asked this, he already knew the answer deep down.

He just found it hard to accept that the master who once taught him to “do good deeds, accumulate merit, and avoid evil karma” would allow such atrocities under his command.

Mei Qujun looked at him, smiling gently as always. “Xueqing, everything has two sides, yin and yang. Perhaps the side you’ve seen isn’t the whole story.”

Yun Xueqing was stunned. Could there be extenuating circumstances?

Mei Qujun chuckled. “To achieve a great result, some sacrifices are inevitable. They might seem unnecessary to you, but for the continuation of human civilization, someone must carry them out.”

Yun Xueqing grew more confused. “Master, what exactly are you doing? What activities is Strategy God Heavens engaged in behind the scenes?”

Mei Qujun looked at him but didn’t answer directly. Instead, he said, “Xueqing, the path I’ve taken might seem wrong to you, but it will ultimately lead to a good outcome. Not just me—your High Priest made the same choice.”

He gazed at Yun Xueqing with a gentle smile. “If you truly want to know the inside story, join Strategy God Heavens.”