The Moon Sect headquarters was situated in Moon Embrace City, about fifty li south of the White Sun Heavenly Gate. Truth be told, Moon Embrace City was rather small, perhaps the size of Silver Ginkgo Town, yet for a sect stronghold, this was already quite an accomplishment. The residents of Moon Embrace City were, without exception, disciples of the Moon Sect, meaning that it was hardly an exaggeration to say everyone there practiced martial arts—a fact I learned from the Ranger's Handbook. Even from a distance, a towering city wall rose abruptly from the plain. Though still far off, I could clearly make out the arrow slits, as well as massive defensive weaponry such as Chu-Nus (ballistae) and catapults. On the ramparts, both above and below the walls in the outer perimeter, patrols of soldiers in gleaming armor marched diligently.

However, as I neared the gate, I was immediately surrounded by a pair of warriors from the Purgatory Killing Squad.

"Who goes there?" The leader, whose strength seemed to be at the peak of a high-tier warrior, wore a look of intense gravity.

"Take me to the Sect Master," I said, pulling out a token. Yan Luo had given this to me. Forged from black iron, it bore a crescent moon design on the front and a large character for 'Hall' on the back, symbolizing the honored status of a Hall Master. Such tokens were typically issued to the most important inner-chamber disciples on official business outside the sect, given to me by Yan Luo as a precaution to ensure easy passage in and out of Moon Embrace City should I ever need to visit the Moon Sect. I never expected the day would actually come when I'd need to use it.

"The Divine Moon Token." The squad leader recognized the insignia immediately. Though a hint of confusion lingered regarding my identity, he bowed respectfully, "Please, follow me."

Flanking the path were dense rows of square buildings resembling barracks. The open areas were filled with weapon racks laden with every sort of armament. Figures moved rapidly across these clearings, and occasionally, the deep, resonant sounds of eating and drinking carried on the air. Following the noise, I saw Moon Sect disciples, under the guidance of instructors, repeatedly practicing their charge formations. Further in the distance, dazzling clusters of seven-colored light illuminated the horizon with an uncanny glow—likely large-scale offensive magic cast by the mages.

Moon Embrace City didn't feel like a city at all; it felt more like a military fortress. Indeed, Yan Luo had informed me that Moon Embrace City's very purpose was defense against the Orc armies that periodically surged out of the southern forests to harass the human settlements. It served as the southern gate to the White Sun Heavenly Gate. The entire Moon Sect bore the sacred mission of repelling the southern Orc invasion, so the present appearance of Moon Embrace City was entirely justified.

Following the stone-paved military road for about ten minutes toward the city's core, I finally saw the Moon Sect headquarters, towering centrally over the entire city. The outer perimeter was a high, thick wall forming a graceful arc, with only the single gate facing the main road remaining open. The citadel enclosed at the very center was reminiscent of a full moon embraced by surrounding mountains—Moon Embrace City was named after this castle's unique architectural silhouette. This castle was the Moon Sect's headquarters, the Unembraced Moon Castle.

There was no complex notification process; I was swiftly escorted into a vast hall. The floor was covered with a carpet woven from an unknown, fur-like material, dyed a solemn, dark crimson. Directly ahead was a towering main seat, somewhat resembling the Dragon Throne in the Forbidden City. Seated there was a woman of imposing dignity, wearing a cascading tassel coronet. I could not make out her features, but through the slight gaps in the tassels, I sensed two gazes, sharp as solid objects, piercing me, making me feel utterly exposed, as if every thought was laid bare. Behind the seat was a gigantic relief carving of a bright moon illuminating myriad mountains, which instinctively compelled one to prostrate oneself in worship. Along both sides were rows of exquisitely crafted chairs, each occupied by women radiating stern authority. They all appeared to be around thirty years of age, possessing beauty that could be described as truly peerless, yet my impression of them was decidedly negative, as their faces were etched with arrogance and cold detachment. They stared at me unblinkingly, as if they had been waiting for me for an entire century.

Was it just my imagination? I muttered inwardly.

"This junior, Xing Chen, pays respects to all the venerable seniors of the Moon Sect," I quickly bowed deeply. Truthfully, I felt intensely awkward with such formality, but to avoid trouble, I adhered to the common continental etiquette expected of a junior.

"Xing Chen. You are Yan Luo's friend." The majestic woman on the main seat spoke.

"Yes," I replied respectfully.

"You are the Blue Lightning," said one of the women beside her, seemingly striving to suppress her excitement. I could still detect a hint of joy in her voice. It appeared these older women had been expecting me all along, yet they maintained such an intimidating posture. Such pride, I thought.

"I am," I confirmed, maintaining a respectful expression despite my internal reservations.

"Yan Luo explained your purpose in her letter," the Moon Sect Master stated.

"Since that is the case, this junior will now present the Zhurma Head to the Sect Master." I quickly retrieved the Zhurma Head from my spatial pouch.

Everyone couldn't help but stare intently at the Zhurma Head, their eyes filled with astonishment and delight.

Soon, a young female disciple took the Zhurma Head from my hand and passed it up to the Moon Sect Master.

"This is the Zhurma Head, the key to opening the treasure of the Sabak Dungeon," at this moment, an irrepressible smile of elation spread across every face.

For the Moon Sect, this long-sought treasure was finally in hand. For me, this hot potato was finally offloaded. At least, I hoped no one would be hunting me down over it anymore.

"Young one, very well done. Yan Luo’s letter explained the immense hardships you endured to seize the Zhurma Head." After her initial joy, the Moon Sect Master did not forget me, the primary contributor. "Tell me, how should I reward you?"

"Well, hehe." Honestly, I hadn't considered what reward I wanted.

"Don't be modest. Name any wish you have, and as long as it is within the Moon Sect's capabilities, we will endeavor with all our might to fulfill it." The Moon Sect Master declared.

"A wish?" I paused slightly. My true wish was to storm the lair of the Red Moon Demon, but perhaps I should let that go. If they couldn't even handle the Zhurma Patriarch, asking them to face the Red Moon Demon would surely be putting them in an impossible position. Beyond that, I genuinely couldn't think of anything else they could offer me.

"The reason this junior risked snatching the Zhurma Head was solely to help Yan Luo fulfill her wish. As for a reward, this junior hasn't given it any thought," I stated frankly.

"Yan Luo's wish, you say?" A blue-clad woman seated nearby spoke with evident emotion. "I think I understand what you truly desire." The blue-clad woman smiled as she looked at me. "Young man, you are truly remarkable. For the sake of a friend's wish, you willingly put yourself in peril, challenging the Zhurma Patriarch, one of the ten most terrifying monsters on the continent for a thousand years. I doubt many in this era possess such courage." The blue-clad woman continued, "Rest assured, I will fulfill Yan Luo's wish, but that is something she earned, so it doesn't count as your reward. You are still entitled to ask for one request; that, too, is what you deserve."

"Senior," I was momentarily at a loss. Yan Luo's wish? She already knew about it? But what did she know? I was completely bewildered. It seemed she had misunderstood something; I hadn't said a word.

"What? Still haven't decided?" The woman on the main seat displayed a rare flicker of warmth.

"In truth, this junior genuinely cannot think of anything he desires," I admitted, feeling somewhat lost. Yes, what I truly wanted, they could not grant. And besides the bile of the Red Moon Demon, there was nothing else that truly tempted me.

"Hahahaha." This time, not only the Moon Sect Master laughed, but the eight women flanking her also wore expressions of profound amusement. "If anyone else had said that to me, I would have assumed they were being affected and artificial," the Moon Sect Master chuckled lightly. "But you are different. I perceive that you truly might not need anything."

"This is indeed rather tricky," the blue-clad woman said, feigning difficulty, while the other seven women regarded me with smiling yet strangely piercing gazes, muttering things that sounded peculiar, as if scrutinizing something. "Yan Luo that girl has good taste."

"Though she is a bit young," chimed in a green-clad woman nearby, her expression equally suggestive, making me vaguely feel that these elder women had jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"What does age matter? She can grow up in a few more years."

"Hahaha, the rumors about them circulating in the outside world have already spread. I didn't believe them at first, but now it seems they must be deeply fond of each other."

"Indeed. To go to such lengths for the woman one loves... even I am starting to be moved," said a red-clad woman, her eyes sparkling as she fixed her gaze on me, her former stern demeanor completely vanished.

If I hadn't understood what they were saying, I might as well have been a complete fool.

"Um, Seniors, you've misunderstood." My head began to ache dreadfully. In that instant, I remembered the rumors circulating in the outside world about Yan Luo and me being intimately involved. It seemed even this group of powerful women believed it now.

"Hehe, young man, you are quite thin-skinned. But it’s fine; you won't have any issues once you turn eighteen," said a yellow-clad woman, her face alight with anticipation, starry-eyed—a total fangirl. "It's been far too long since our Moon Sect celebrated a happy union!"

"En!" The Moon Sect Master nodded slightly. "Since you will be family soon enough, we can skip this reward. Why be so precise about matters when we are all connected?"

Sweat beaded on my brow. This woman was truly ruthless! She maneuvered around the issue just to save on this so-called reward. I was defeated. However, I wisely chose to remain silent at this juncture.

There is a saying: explanation is concealment. The more I tried to explain, the more animated these older women would surely become.

"However, since you are family, we cannot be stingy," the Moon Sect Master conceded. "I know quite a bit about the rumors surrounding you. It is widely known in the Ranger World that your Lightning Sword and Lightning Knife strikes are incredibly fast, showing you favor the agile and quick style of martial arts." As she spoke, the Moon Sect Master removed a ring from her hand. She walked slowly down from the main seat and approached me. "This ring is called the Gale Ring. It is a divine artifact from the Ancient Era. Wearing it will significantly boost your speed."

"Ah! The Gale Ring!" I was greatly astonished. In Legend, the Gale Ring was a rare treasure, but I never expected such a marvel to exist in the real Marfa World. While I might refuse other things, the Gale Ring was something I absolutely could not refuse, because it was perfectly suited for me.

"This junior accepts with no disrespect." I did not hesitate and reached out to take the Gale Ring.

"Hehe, excellent. Your delight is written all over your face, whether you like it or not," the Moon Sect Master said, greatly pleased. "I can see you are very fond of this ring."

"Yes," I replied happily. "My sword techniques rely entirely on speed for victory. With the aid of the Gale Ring, the power of my swordsmanship will increase substantially."

"I am happy that you like it," the Moon Sect Master said. "However, I must remind you, the Gale Ring is ultimately an external object; do not rely on it too heavily. Cultivation progress relies on your own diligent effort. I hope you understand how to use this ring."

"..." I was momentarily stunned, but quickly grasped the Sect Master's intention. "Yes, this junior will absolutely not use the Gale Ring lightly unless in a situation of absolute emergency."

"It is best that you understand. Furthermore, besides the Gale Necklace, there is reportedly another matching ring and the Gale Necklace. If you manage to find them all, your speed can increase by at least a factor of two," the Sect Master said, returning to her seat.

"Finding one more Gale Ring and the Gale Necklace could double my speed?" I was shocked. What did doubling my speed imply? If my current sword drawing speed could double, then within 0.3 seconds, I could deliver six strikes—translating to a drawing speed of two strikes every 0.1 seconds, or one strike every 0.05 seconds. What kind of concept was that? No one, especially someone from the modern era like me, understood the implications of such terrifying numbers better. If I could truly reach that realm, my attacks would be unstoppable. The fastest human reaction time is only about 0.1 seconds. In this world, I had only encountered Jian Chi who possessed such reaction speed. As for Eagle True Madman or Dragon Abyss Flying Snow, they probably couldn't exceed that limit either. And the legendary Eagle True Madman's sword drawing speed was said to reach an astonishing twenty-plus strikes per second. Initially, I thought it was mere exaggeration, but thinking closely, if Eagle True Madman genuinely possessed a special item similar to the Gale Necklace, combined with his exceptional speed talent, reaching twenty strikes per second might not be impossible. The Marfa World holds countless wonders beyond human comprehension. Having witnessed the terrifying magic of spatial teleportation conferred by Return Scrolls, I wholeheartedly believed in these unbelievable things.

"You have just arrived at the Moon Sect, and many here do not know you. We all forgot to introduce ourselves just now. Let's take this opportunity to introduce you," as I was lost in thought, the Moon Sect Master's voice rang out again. I quickly collected my thoughts and adopted an attentive posture.

"I am the Palace Master of the Divine Moon Palace, and also Yan Luo’s master," the blue-clad woman stood up.

"I am the Palace Master of the Bright Moon Palace, Ming Yue."

"Palace Master of the Twin Moon Palace, Chao Yue," said the green-clad woman.

"Ting Yue of the Listening Moon Palace," said the red-clad woman.

"The four ladies here are all Elders of the Moon Sect Elder Hall!" The Moon Sect Master said respectfully. It seemed even she held the Elder Hall in high regard.

"This junior, Xing Chen, pays respects to the esteemed members of the Elder Hall," I quickly bowed respectfully. Until now, they had remained silent, merely watching the proceedings with gentle smiles, leading me to almost overlook them. Now I realized they were honored Elders, demanding absolute reverence.

"There is no need for such formality," smiled the green-clad woman on the far left; the other three also nodded slightly.

"From now on, you are family. This is your first time in Moon Embrace City, I presume? Let Yan Xi show you around," the Moon Sect Master instructed.

"I thank you for your trouble."

I knew that after receiving the Zhurma Head, they would certainly have much to discuss, as figuring out how to obtain the treasures of the Sabak Dungeon would require significant effort.

............................................

Yan Xi was of similar age to Yan Luo and was a direct disciple of the Moon Sect. She too was a rare beauty, with a tall figure, a lovely face, and—even more remarkable—a calm, composed, and leisurely temperament, possessing an air of otherworldly detachment.

"Senior Sister," I hesitated, but then asked, "I heard that when the Twin Moon Palace was previously dispatched on a mission to the Bichi Mining Area, what happened to Jin Bo and Aunt Lan?" Actually, upon arriving at the Moon Sect, this matter had been weighing heavily on my mind, but I hadn't dared ask in the main hall. Now I finally found an opportunity.

"You know Senior Sister Jin Bo and Senior Brother Jin Niu?" Yan Xi looked surprised.

"Yes, we were comrades who shared life and death in the Coffin of Death." I said with feeling.

"Rest assured," Yan Xi replied with a light smile. "Although Jin Bo and Aunt Lan were captured, Palace Master Chao Yue managed to ransom them back."

"Ransomed back?" I was momentarily taken aback.

"Yes," Yan Xi confirmed. "In previous battles, we also captured several important figures from Sabak. Exchanging them for Jin Bo and Aunt Lan was perfectly normal."

So, it was a prisoner exchange. I was surprised that the Marfa World actually had such a humane system of negotiation. However, learning that Jin Bo was safe brought me considerable relief. My only regret was that I had made the trip to the Moon Sect but couldn't meet them.

........................................

In the following days, I temporarily settled into the Moon Sect headquarters. There was no choice; now that my identity was exposed, remaining outside would surely be unsafe. Moreover, I had no interest in wandering the city, especially with a Gale Ring tucked away in my pouch.

It was a courtyard dwelling with siheyuan-style rooms, likely reserved by the Moon Sect for guests, though now I occupied it alone. After putting on the Gale Ring, I eagerly made my way to the center of the courtyard.

I carefully examined my body’s sensations; there seemed to be no obvious change. Did the Gale Ring not work? Or perhaps I was using it incorrectly? Thinking this, I instinctively channeled my Battle Qi into my right, sword-wielding hand that wore the Gale Ring.

This time, a strange sensation arose. It felt as if my entire right arm, centered on the ring finger of my right hand, was being pulled by an invisible surge of energy. Immediately, an ineffable sense of exhilaration and fluid grace enveloped my whole body—a feeling of being light as a swallow.

Hah! The Dragon Shadow Sword was drawn with a sudden flash, and in one motion, a three-line lightning thrust shot out.

Whoosh! Three rapid sword whistles were barely discernible due to the incredible drawing frequency, blending into one sharp sound. After the move concluded, I still felt an urge for more.

So fast! Although I lacked a dedicated timer, I could sense that my sword-drawing speed had definitely increased—by at least a quarter compared to before.

Overjoyed, I executed the three-line lightning thrust again, but this time, I allowed my instincts and feelings to guide my body along my sword intent.

Swish-swish! The four swords thrust out in the lightning strike took only the time previously required for one three-line thrust. This meant that at this moment, I could execute four thrusts in 0.3 seconds. Realizing this, I was ecstatic. It meant that even against a speed-focused swordsman like Jian Chi, I could now hold an absolute speed advantage. Unless I was unlucky enough to encounter a freak like Eagle True Madman, no one would be able to block my rapid sword. I never imagined that this trip to the Moon Sect would yield such a wonderful treasure; it was entirely worth it.

From this moment on, perhaps, I truly earned the moniker of the Blue Lightning.

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