Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
chapter-543

“You… and Mo Nian… are you?” Long Chen felt it was a bit inconceivable.

“Where did your thoughts stray? It’s not like that at all.” Mu Xue was a bit resentful. “Our Muxue Mercenary Unit was very weak when we were first established. We were always suppressed by the other powers.

“During that time, our unit almost completely collapsed. However, those people still didn’t let up, forcing us to the brink of despair.

“It was Mo Gate who couldn’t bear to see that happen and warned our enemies that in the next three years, they were not allowed to do anything to us. Without Mo Gate, we’d have been destroyed before ever maturing.

“I’ve heard it’s something they’re preparing for their junior gate master, Mo Nian. Mo Gate has treated us with kindness, but Mo Gate is too large, and we don’t even have the qualifications to return the favor. This is our only chance to repay them, so no matter what, we have to obtain the Hidden Ground Spider’s core.”

Long Chen understood now. These people were all open and candid. They didn’t like owing favors, but it was impossible for them to repay Mo Gate’s favor. That was a constant knot in their hearts.

So even though this Hidden Ground Spider was extremely powerful, and this mission was extremely dangerous, their honor did not allow them to turn back.

That made Long Chen feel a kind of respect for them. Within the cultivation world, where schemes and inner strife were everywhere, where it was either you deceive me or I deceive you, such people had already almost gone extinct.

“In truth, you should have given this information to Mo Gate, and Mo Gate would have sent several Xiantian experts to fight with you. Wouldn’t that be much easier? Why must you risk this danger?” asked Long Chen.

“There are two reasons we came to attack it on our own. The first is that we noticed the Hidden Ground Spider a year ago, but the Hidden Ground Spider often switches territories, so no one can be sure whether or not it will still be there.

“Other than Mo Gate, Qing Prefecture has three powerful sects. They stood up to publicly challenge Mo Gate at the same time, beginning to fight with them over Qing Prefecture’s natural resources. Right now, Mo Gate is in an extremely disadvantageous position and is very busy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked the Mercenary Guild to set up this mission,” sighed Mu Xue.

Long Chen narrowed his eyes. Was the Pill Tower trying to show their prestige? After being cut by the Huayun Sect, they raised their own blade against Mo Gate, cutting them off from medicinal pills.

Furthermore, now those other sects were fighting against Mo Gate. That would sever Mo Gate not only from the medicinal pills, but from all their other resources. They really were vicious.

As for the three large sects Mu Xue mentioned, Long Chen did have some impression of them. Back in the Jiuli secret realm, Mo Nian had been entangled by three powerful experts. It seemed they were very familiar with each other, and they should have each come from their own powerful sect.

But in the end, two of those experts had been cut down, while the last one’s situation was something he wasn’t aware of because the battle had been too chaotic.

He really hadn’t expected the three huge sects to challenge Mo Gate now. It was without a doubt that there was a powerful backer behind them. And the power supporting them was very likely the Pill Tower.

Recently, the Pill Tower had lost all their prestige because of the Huayun Sect. Now, it seemed they were planning on using Mo Gate to retrieve that prestige and warn the other sects of their power.

“Definitely looking to die,” said Long Chen lightly.

“Whether or not we’re looking to die, we still have to pay back our favor, especially now that Mo Gate is in such an urgent state. We can only do this much.” Mu Xue bitterly smiled.

“I’m not talking about you.” Long Chen shook his head. “Although my own combat strength is the weakest of everyone here, I know a great deal about Magical Beasts’ habits and characters. I can probably help you a bit.”

“Really?” Mu Xue was a bit startled.

“Yes. I often have to deal with brutes and animals, so I’m very familiar with them. This time, I was chased down miserably by a group of brutes, so don’t worry, this is my specialty,” laughed Long Chen.

“Senior apprentice-sister, we’ve set up the tents and food.” One of the women ran over.

“Good, then we should eat. Long Chen, I don’t want to wrong you, so how about you change into our clothes too? Otherwise, it’ll feel odd,” said Mu Xue.

Long Chen was currently wearing blue robes, while they were all wearing black training clothes. He truly did stand out.

Other than that, he was also covered in dust and blood. However, although he had all kinds of various things in his spatial ring, he didn’t have an extra set of robes for himself.

“Then I’ll have to thank you.”

Long Chen naturally wouldn’t refuse. This woman took out a new set of clothes for him.

“Your face is a bit dirty. Let sister help you clean up a bit. I’ll also tidy up your hair.” The woman suddenly brazenly pulled Long Chen over to the lakeside.

“Hey… this is a bit inappropriate.” Long Chen really hadn’t expected this woman to be so direct.

“You two hurry up. Don’t make us wait too long,” called out Mu Xue.

An incense stick’s worth of time later, Long Chen was wearing their black clothes, and his face had also been cleaned up. When he entered the tent, everyone was startled, as they no longer even recognized him.

“Oh, how handsome!”

The other woman in the squad couldn’t help letting out a startled cry.

Long Chen’s sword-like eyebrows framed his starry eyes, and a special aura came from his body that possessed an extremely fatal attraction to women.

More importantly, the other men here all had bulky builds, which made his regular build even more eye-catching.

As soon as he entered, everyone’s gazes landed on him. The other woman’s arm was wrapped around his, and her immensely pleased expression made him feel very unnatural.

“Sit.” Mu Xue quickly recovered and pointed to a seat.

“About that, I see there are a lot more wine over there. I think I’ll sit with those brothers instead. That way it’ll be more convenient for me to drink. Otherwise, I really would feel a bit unwilling.” Long Chen smiled.

His words caused those two women to be a bit disappointed, but Mu Xue nodded with approval. Long Chen clearly wasn’t a thoughtless person.

“Haha, brother Long Chen, quick, come over! Come, let’s properly drink.” Long Chen’s actions also won him the good opinion of quite a few others.

Long Chen wasn’t afraid of anything, but he did feel that as a person, it was best not to be so ostentatious. Furthermore, he had no romantic feelings for these three, so there was no need to provoke anyone.

“Haha, thank you, thank you.” Long Chen cupped his fists and sat down next to that person.

There was a large, circular table in the middle of over twenty people. The table was filled with wine and meat. It was very rich, and just seeing it made Long Chen’s stomach rumble. To tell the truth, he hadn’t eaten anything in the past few days, so seeing all this laid out before him made him stealthily gulp down his saliva.

“I have a good announcement to make. Brother Long Chen has temporarily joined our Muxue Mercenary Unit to help us handle the Hidden Ground Spider,” announced Mu Xue.

“Haha, welcome, welcome. Don’t worry brother Long, when the time to handle the Hidden Ground Spider comes, stand by my side and I’ll protect you.” Zhang Wu patted Long Chen on the shoulder grandly.

Long Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Zhang Wu’s cultivation base was only at the mid Meridian Opening realm. Just what did he plan on using to protect him? It was unknown just who would be protecting who.

“This place is a safe zone. We don’t need any guards tonight. Just eat and drink as much as you want.

“After rushing for nearly a month, I’m sure you’re all a bit tired. So just relax today so that you’ll be in your peak condition for tomorrow. Then we’ll take down that Hidden Ground Spider. Come, cheers!” Mu Xue raised her glass.

The current Mu Xue was truly grand and heroic. She was not lacking compared to any man and was truly worthy of being their squad’s leader.

Everyone cheered and gulped down three cups in one go. Only then did they begin eating and drinking. Long Chen was truly hungry, and he followed along with everyone else, holding a chicken leg in one hand and a chunk of meat in the other, crazily devouring them both.

“Long Chen, come, let me offer you a cup!”

“Another one!”

Long Chen’s mouth was full of food, but no matter who came to offer him a cup, he would down his cup. This was extremely refreshing, and after a few dozen cups, everyone began to become a bit noisy.

This wine was no ordinary wine, but wine made for cultivators. It was extremely potent; thus, they were starting to get drunk.

What Long Chen hadn’t expected was that these fellows were actually conspiring against him to get him drunk. He laughed and drank over and over again, never refusing anyone. In less than two hours, the only ones who were still capable of sitting were just Mu Xue and the other two women. The others had already collapsed, their snoring shaking the tent.

Long Chen knew these fellows hadn’t circulated their qi to resist the alcohol. They were borrowing the wine to make themselves completely relaxed.

After continuous days of weary travel, they were about to face a Xiantian Magical Beast tomorrow. To say they weren’t nervous would be a lie. That was a battle in which the slightest mistake could cost them their lives.

After drinking and eating to his full, Long Chen sat cross-legged, continuing to insert his Blood Qi into his new meridians.

Mu Xue and the other two women were meditating to preserve their strength. Although this place was a safe zone, there were no absolutes. It was always best to not be careless.

After expanding his meridians to their limit, he began to circulate his two stars to urge on the primal chaos space. Although the growth was slow because there were too many trees, this investment would definitely lead to a bountiful harvest in the future. He couldn’t waste his time.

When the sun finally spilled its light over them, the Muxue Mercenary Unit all stood up completely refreshed.

The drinking yesterday had completely calmed their nerves, and then their sleep had been incredibly refreshing. Their mental state had reached a peak.

After the tents were put away, Mu Xue led them towards the west. After four hours, they arrived at a mountain range.

Then after several dozen miles, Mu Xue raised her hand, causing everyone to immediately stop. Everyone held their breaths, because they saw a mountain-like figure ahead of them that emitted an aura that chilled them to the bone.