《I Truly Am The Villian》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Rebirth Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Rebirth ¡°My beloved is a peerless protagonist, who one day will don the Golden Armor Holy Clothes and ride the Seven-Colored Clouds, coming to slay me amidst the gaze of a myriad of people!¡± ¡­¡­ The Yuan Central Continent is a world where martial arts are cultivated! It is rumored that in ancient times, mysterious forces divided the Continent into five parts! Located in the Extreme West Region of the Eastern Continent, the True Martial Holy Sect, this enormous entity that rules over thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, is situated right there. Inside the True Martial Holy Sect, cranes cry in unison, auspicious clouds descend from the heavens, and the Spiritual Spring surges like the sea, spouting to the sky. There are cultivators who ride their swords, traveling tens of thousands of miles in an instant. There are strong men who swing their fists, and Mysterious Iron Martial Stones explode into a sky full of fragments. ¡­ Goose Southern Peak is located in the central position of the True Martial Holy Sect, its mountain towering a thousand zhang like a tower, piercing the clouds. Atop the peak, white clouds drift, fog coils around. Xu Zimei, in a simple white robe, is purer than snow, his stray hair dancing with the cold wind, his eyes profound and boundless. His slender figure stands at the edge of the cliff, the breeze making his white robe whistle sharply. ¡°This must be reincarnation, right?¡± Xu Zimei was astonished. After staying silent for three minutes, another three minutes passed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t reincarnation always follow the protagonist¡¯s script? Yet why the hell am I set up to be the antagonist!¡± Xu Zimei began to check his own state; his current situation should be considered soul transmigration. This body was so frail it was hard to believe. He was sure he had returned to his fifteenth year, the very day he was just about to start practicing cultivation. But this rebirth gave him not only all the memories of his past life, but also¡­¡­ Inside his body, in the stomach area, a ball condensed by the Principle was quietly floating. The ball¡¯s light was restrained, and it looked rather ordinary. But if one observed its interior closely, they would discover that the ball had a space of its own, with glorious sunrise, dew on the grass, and the dawn rising from the east. Inside the ball, the scenes changed unpredictably, and the might it emitted, revealing just a thread, seemed as if it could flatten the mountains beneath it. Xu Zimei felt a familiar aura from inside the sphere. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if he had thought of something incredible. The sphere was something he obtained by chance in his previous life, its specifics still unknown, only that it was particularly helpful for tearing through space. Xu Zimei still remembered the day he was defeated. He had infused his Divine Vein Realm cultivation completely into the sphere, hoping to tear through space and escape with its aid, but he never expected to be reborn into his youthful years. He finally understood why he felt a sense of familiarity when looking at the sphere ¨C the energy within the sphere was the Divine Vein Realm cultivation he had infused into it from his previous life. Xu Zimei¡¯s entire body trembled with excitement. He was confident that with just one year¡¯s time, he could leverage this energy to return to the Divine Vein Realm. The Martial Path is difficult! As difficult as ascending to the heavens! Each step is a new heaven! Humans start cultivating from the Mortal Realm, tempering their flesh and blood, polishing their bones, and refining their skin. They cultivate their internal organs and their external flesh, bones, and skin. Once the body is tempered, they must open the Vein Gates to communicate with the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, thus entering the Spirit Vein Realm. Mortal Realm, Spirit Vein, Condensing Vein, True Vein, Empty Vein, Esteem Vein, Emperor Pulse, Saint Vein, and Divine Vein. These nine realms are known as the Nine Heavenly Veins. Xu Zimei looked towards the distant horizon. He was now able to freely control the energy within the sphere. With just a thought, he could complete the Mortal Realm¡¯s tempering and directly reach the Spirit Vein Realm. Within one year, absorbing all of this energy and ascending to the Divine Vein Realm again would not be out of the question. But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry at the moment, firstly because he was within the True Martial Holy Sect, and his father was extremely concerned about his cultivation; he didn¡¯t want others to discover anything abnormal about himself. As for the second reason, Xu Zimei was not eager to improve his cultivation level; he was rather enjoying the current atmosphere. Everything was still here, everything had a chance to be redeemed. His father, Ruhu, Xiao Dingtian, and that girl by the banks of the Yangliu River, who stood in the wind, tears streaming down her face, crying to him that she wanted to spend an ordinary life with him. In the end, he had failed everyone, after a life and death struggle he was ultimately defeated by the protagonist Chu Yang¡¯s sword. ¡­ Xu Zimei gazed into the distance, his white clothing blending with the mist, the wind seeming to grow stronger¡ªhis smile contained a hint of madness. ¡°Chu Yang, in the past life, I was just a slightly larger stone on your path to the peak. Reincarnation Elder, the protagonist¡¯s ¡®golden finger¡¯ grandfather, I was just a negligible chess piece on your board. But in this life, I intend to step off the chess board, I will take control of the pieces, with all beings as pawns, the heavens and earth as my board, dominating the Eternal Ancient.¡± ¡­ The courtyard where Xu Zimei lived was located in the middle of Goose Southern Peak, where medicinal herbs bloomed on both sides, blue rainbows interwoven with purple stripes, and auspicious beasts ran towards the distance, their bodies shining with a radiant halo. The bright fruits on the spirit trees on either side, if placed in the outside world, would be ling fruits for which ordinary people would break their heads fighting over. But here, they were merely decorations to adorn the scenery along the way. Xu Zimei arrived at the courtyard, where his guard Zhang Chongtian had been waiting for him at the door from afar. ¡°Young Master, the Deputy Sect Master just sent someone to say that if you are free, stop by his place, he has something he wants to discuss with you,¡± Zhang Chongtian said respectfully. ¡°Understood,¡± Xu Zimei nodded his head, and accompanied by Zhang Chongtian, he proceeded towards Azure Mountain Peak. ¡­ Three years ago, the incumbent Sect Master of the True Martial Holy Sect, because his cultivation had reached the peak of the Saint Vein Realm and in search of the last sliver of hope to step into the Divine Vein Realm, Had handed over power to the Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan, while he himself went to the mundane world to seek a breakthrough amidst ordinariness and simplicity. From then on, Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan became the highest authority of the True Martial Holy Sect, and Xu Zimei was his only son. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was the True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s Crown Prince. ¡­ Xu Zimei knew that during this time, his father was probably going to talk to him about cultivation. He was now only fifteen years old, just at the right age to step onto the basic threshold of cultivation. Before the age of fifteen, a person¡¯s meridians and internal organs are not fully developed, more fragile, and not conducive to cultivation. Basically, everyone on the Yuan Central Continent starts their journey on the path of immortal cultivation at the age of fifteen. ¡­ Xu Zimei arrived at Azure Mountain Peak, where the most powerful authority of the True Martial Holy Sect resided, which was not very gold and glittery, with pavilions and towers. What was there was merely a simple wooden cabin, a slow and clear stream, and a middle-aged man in a blue shirt sitting on the ground by the river. ¡­ Xu Zimei stood by the river, quietly gazing at his father. He didn¡¯t speak, and Xu Qingshan didn¡¯t speak either. The father and son displayed a remarkable tacit understanding. After a while, a breeze seemed to break the rare silence, and Xu Qingshan slowly lifted his head. This was a very ordinary-looking middle-aged man, dressed in a simple blue shirt with no particularly daunting aura about him. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2: What is the Great Emperor? Chapter 2: Chapter 2: What is the Great Emperor? He was like the countless ordinary people in this world, with a common face, long hair scattered behind him, tied up in a simple knot at the top, with strands of white hair faintly visible at his temples. The only thing that caught the eye were those eyes, which seemed to contain the Circulation Stars. Just one glance, and the guard, Zhang Chongtian, felt like his soul was frozen. You must understand that he himself was a strong practitioner of the True Vein Realm, yet he still felt so vulnerable, unable to withstand a single blow. Indeed, every step was like ascending to the heavens! ¡°You¡¯ve grown up,¡± Xu Qingshan said with satisfaction. Xu Qingshan was somewhat surprised that his son could be so quiet for so long. After all, a true strong practitioner must endure loneliness and solitude. ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve aged,¡± looking at the white hairs at his father¡¯s temples, Xu Zimei said with a trembling voice. In an instant, it felt as if all his emotions surged forth. In his past life, he had set a three-year pact with the protagonist, Chu Yang. They agreed to fight at Secluded Dragon Gorge, but in the end, he could not match his opponent and plummeted into the abyss. His father had tried to avenge him by using the entire strength of the sect to chase down Chu Yang, but he had not expected the latter¡¯s growth to be so unexpectedly fast. Chu Yang managed to escape time after time from those pursuits, growing stronger each time, and finally, armed with a three-foot Green Peak, he personally assaulted the True Martial Holy Sect. It was said that battle caused the clouds to stir, the earth to darken, and the mountains and rivers to shatter. In the end, his father was defeated by Chu Yang¡¯s sword. If it wasn¡¯t for the Sect Master¡¯s sudden appearance to intervene and settle the matter, his father¡¯s life would have been in grave danger! Yet, that incident was such a blow that his father could not cope, his hair turned white overnight, and from then on, he withdrew to the mountains, never to be seen again. But no one had expected that, after he fell into Secluded Dragon Gorge, he didn¡¯t die but instead gained some fortune. Only then did he begin to cultivate seriously, desperately yearning for the increase in strength. In the end, he broke through to the Divine Vein Realm, intending to seek revenge on Chu Yang. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that Chu Yang¡¯s defy-the-heavens talent was beyond what he could fathom; the enemy had so many hidden trump cards that that battle completely shattered all of Xu Zimei¡¯s pride. ¡­¡­ Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Xu Qingshan handed a token to Xu Zimei and said softly, ¡°You¡¯ve reached the age to cultivate now. Go choose a suitable Cultivation Technique for yourself in the Scripture Pavilion. This token will allow you to the highest level of the Scripture Pavilion. There you will find the genuine teachings of four Great Emperors. As for which one to pick, it¡¯s entirely up to you.¡± Xu Zimei took the token and nodded solemnly. In fact, he had already looked over the true teachings of those four Great Emperors in his past life. But there was no choice; many things still required going through the motions. He couldn¡¯t reveal the secret of his rebirth, and even till now, Xu Zimei didn¡¯t know how to use the round pearl. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interfere too much with your cultivation. Whatever Cultivation Technique you want to learn should be based on your interest. In fact, in the end, everyone has to carve out their own path,¡± Xu Qingshan explained after a short silence. ¡°Right now, you¡¯re like a carriage traveling on a cliff. What I can do is remind you not to let the carriage fall off the cliff. As for whether this carriage heads east, west, south, or north, it¡¯s all up to you to control.¡± Xu Zimei nodded. He understood his father¡¯s meaning very well. In fact, whether it¡¯s the techniques left by a Great Emperor or ordinary Cultivation Techniques, in the end, there¡¯s no difference. Everyone will eventually have to blaze their own Martial Path to Heaven. Even if what others left behind is powerful, it still belongs to someone else and will not completely suit you. ¡°Go now. Your mother went to your grandfather¡¯s house recently. I heard that their Ten-Vein Fruits are about to ripen, and she¡¯s thinking of getting one for you,¡± Xu Qingshan said with a smile. ¡°Cultivate well and don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°Disappoint?¡± Xu Zimei murmured to himself, then nodded firmly. In his past life, he indeed disappointed his father. At least before being defeated by Chu Yang and falling into Secluded Dragon Gorge, he hardly ever considered serious cultivation. He was indulgent in wine and women, lost in a fantasy world of his own creation. As the Crown Prince of the True Martial Holy Sect, many treated him with fawning adoration, groveling like a dog wagging its tail. He lacked for nothing and could have lived a better life. Why bother with the hardship of cultivation? Later, he realized that there is no such thing as peace and quiet in this world; it was just someone else bearing the burdens for you. ¡­¡­ Leaving his father¡¯s Azure Mountain Peak, Xu Zimei headed directly toward the Scripture Pavilion. Gazing upon this colossal entity shrouded in immortal mist, the sect brimming with legends. The True Martial Holy Sect was not an ordinary sect, it was also an Imperial Rule Immortal Sect with a legacy of four emperors. In the vast and endless history of the True Martial Holy Sect, which spanned tens of thousands of years, there had emerged four Great Emperors. What is a Great Emperor? The strongest of an era! Legend has it that each era, heaven and earth give birth to a destiny, and the one who stands out among millions to bear this destiny, is the Great Emperor. ¡­ Ten thousand years ago, the Yuan Central Continent was still in the Wild Desolation Era, when humans were as insignificant as ants, as minute as dust, lowly to the point of death. That day, a man named True Martial embarked on a journey with his sword, underwent life-and-death trials, ignited the Divine Fire, solidified his imperial status, and bore destiny. Ultimately, atop the firmament, the man proclaimed, ¡°Destiny is mine alone!¡± After that, the Wild Desolation Era came to an end, and humanity welcomed the unprecedented Era of Emperors. The True Martial Great Emperor was also the first Great Emperor of the Era of Emperors, ushering in an era that was stirring, and magnificent. ¡°We are willing to acknowledge you as the strongest,¡± countless people shouted at the top of their voices, prostrating themselves on the ground under the majesty of the True Martial Great Emperor. ¡­ True Martial Great Emperor bore destiny and eventually came to the Extreme West Region of the Eastern Continent, establishing the True Martial Holy Sect. The day the True Martial Holy Sect was established, guests arrived from all directions to offer congratulations, and multitudes from across the seas bowed in veneration, with countless people breaking heads to join the sect. Moreover, numerous sects eagerly wanted to become the True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s subordinate sects. Henceforth, the mountains and rivers spanning thousands of miles in the Extreme West Region were brought under the dominion of the True Martial Holy Sect, continuing to this day. ¡­ Thousands of years later, another man emerged from the True Martial Holy Sect. The man¡¯s name has long been forgotten by the world, what made everyone¡¯s souls shudder in remembrance was merely the three long blades he carried on his back. ¡°Immortal Slay, Demon Slay, True Self.¡± With these three long blades, the man suppressed his own era. He was the seventh Great Emperor of the Era of Emperors, and the second Great Emperor from the True Martial Holy Sect. ¡°The Great Emperor of the Three Blades!¡± ¡­ Another ten thousand years passed, and the True Martial Holy Sect saw the rise of its third Great Emperor. ¡°Divine Travel Great Emperor.¡± Among so many powerful Great Emperors throughout the eternal past, the Divine Travel Great Emperor was not the most dazzling. But his speed was among the foremost of all the Great Emperors. In the latter part of the Divine Travel Great Emperor¡¯s era, the man gazed profoundly in the direction of the edge of heaven and earth. Leaving behind only the words, ¡°With these feet of mine, I will traverse the radiant mountains and rivers, witness all the splendor of life, and journey to the zenith of the sun and the moon.¡± Then he left, leaving behind only a silhouette teeming with legend in the minds of people. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Annihilation Jue Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Annihilation Jue The three Great Emperors left the True Martial Holy Sect with a profound foundation that ushered the sect into an unprecedented golden age. But everything in this world follows a cycle of rise and fall, and after reaching its peak, a decline is inevitable! In the tens of thousands of years that followed, the True Martial Holy Sect never again saw the emergence of another Great Emperor. Despite still being a colossal presence, it could not escape a gradual decline from the glorious days of yore. Until three thousand years ago, the arrival of a young girl broke this stagnant spell. The girl lived in a simple village under the rule of the True Martial Holy Sect, amidst thousands of miles of mountains and rivers. There she led an ordinary life for fifteen years, until one day she witnessed two practitioners of the Empty Vein Realm battling above her small village. A seed of a new world¡¯s door was thus planted in her tender heart. The girl, drawn by its reputation, sought entry into the True Martial Holy Sect but was eliminated during the aptitude test due to her mediocre innate abilities. Yet, she refused to give up, kneeling on the bluestone steps outside the sect gate, and so she remained, for a full seven days. Battered by wind and rain, scorched by the blazing sun, without a drop of water or a bite of food. At that time she was just an ordinary person, but she endured this torment. Her whole being was only in a daze, without once losing consciousness, her unwavering will touching everyone deeply. In the end, an Outer Sect Elder from within the True Martial Holy Sect, taking pity on her, took her in as an unofficial disciple. She was like a frog in the well longing to leap out, unwilling to be confined to a corner. And like an ant crawling between heaven and earth, it kept on crawling, crawling. Until one day, this crawling ant stood up, and that was when people realized that, without them knowing when, the ant had grown to the point where it stood level with the sky. In the girl¡¯s era, there were far too many stunningly brilliant talents. But in the end, no one expected that a girl with average aptitude would sweep through that era. ¡°Empress Hongtian!¡± This was the revered name of that young girl. Among the numerous Great Emperors throughout eternity, Empress Hongtian was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling. Her brilliance shone not only in her era but even influenced the eras of several Great Emperors that followed. Empress Hongtian led the True Martial Holy Sect into another golden age. ¡­¡­ Reflecting on the history of the True Martial Holy Sect, Xu Zimei¡¯s gaze was profound, hoping that one day, his own name might also appear amidst this epic, starry splendor. ¡­¡­ He made his way to the Scripture Pavilion, located at the heart of the True Martial Holy Sect, containing all the cultivation techniques and Vein Skills collected since the founding of the sect. Contrary to what one might expect, the atmosphere surrounding the Scripture Pavilion was quite relaxed. There were ancient trees that reached for the sky, spiritual herbs carpeting the ground, competing flowers vying for brilliance, vividly colored butterflies fluttering about, and rare medicinal chickens patrolling around, loosening the soil for the spiritual herbs and flowers, fertilizing and catching insects. The Scripture Pavilion had eighteen floors, and standing at the entrance, one was greeted by an air of antiquity; it stood silently as if recounting its tens of thousands of years of history to anyone who would listen. The pavilion¡¯s colors were a mix of aqua and pale yellow, with jade-like pillars and azure rooftiles adorning vermilion eaves. The eaves on both sides were carved with all sorts of exotic and rare beasts. There were eagles spreading their wings, birds soaring high, cheetahs roaring, and lions with furious eyes. There were no guards at the entrance to the Scripture Pavilion, but Xu Zimei could feel a palpitation-inducing aura all around him. This area was laced with high-level formations; should any intruders be discovered, the activation of the formation would ensure that even practitioners of the Saint Vein Realm might not easily escape. ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei placed the token his father had given him into the slot at the entrance, where an Elder assigned to guard the Scripture Pavilion would authenticate the token and grant the corresponding access permissions. The light screen at the entrance vanished, and Xu Zimei walked straight into the Scripture Pavilion. The first floor had a very simple layout, with tens of thousands of bookshelves neatly arranged. Each bookshelf, displaying Vein Skills and Cultivation Techniques, was shrouded in a faint light screen. At the forefront of each bookshelf was a small sign, bearing the name, purpose, and rank of the corresponding books. Xu Zimei didn¡¯t linger much, making his way straight to the highest floor of the Scripture Pavilion, the eighteenth floor. The lighting on the eighteenth floor was slightly dimmer, and there were only four statues. Each of these four statues seemed to exist in its own special space. Xu Zimei stood before the statues, looking from left to right. The first statue depicted a man with long hair cascading over his shoulders, his presence majestic; his eyes, profound as the ocean, demanded a reverence that one couldn¡¯t help but yield to. This was a man who stood with his feet upon the mountains and rivers, and his shoulders against the heavens themselves. The second statue was also of a man, exuding an extreme aura. It was as if he had abandoned everything in pursuit of the ultimate end of something. Proud and unyielding, he carried three strange long blades upon his back. When you saw those blades, you understood that he was a pure swordsman who had dedicated his entire life to reaching the pinnacle of the blade path. ¡°Live by the blade, die by the blade.¡± The third statue featured only a back view, conveying an especially elusive feeling, as if it were both immediately within reach and yet as distant as the end of the heavens. He walked between reality and the void, all to chase after the ultimate profound meaning of speed. The fourth statue was of a woman, her long hair spilling down her back, a thin veil concealing her Qingcheng beauty. Her style was distinct and ever-changing, on the first glance, she seemed innocent and lively like the girl next door with a ponytail on a casual afternoon, reminiscent of first love. On the second look, she appeared as an enchanting and alluring fairy. On the third, she seemed to be a merciless female War God who was no less a hero than any man, with unwavering beliefs and an unrivaled awe-inspiring aura. And on the fourth, she was like the Empress who dominated all, as if all creatures were but ants beneath her gaze, their flourishing civilizations insignificant and unworthy of mention amidst annihilation. ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Zimei gazed at the statues of the four greatest Emperors in the history of the True Martial Holy Sect, feeling a solemn reverence within. In fact, he had no intention of practicing the techniques of others, for in his past life, he had already forged his own unique Martial Path to Heaven. However, to disguise his secret and avoid exposing it, Xu Zimei still chose the technique of the Great Emperor of the Three Blades. He quite admired the Great Emperor¡¯s extremity in the path of the blade and found it to be a suitable transition. Xu Zimei placed his hand on the statue, then closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and strived to comprehend. A vast expanse of white fog obscured everything, and Xu Zimei could clearly feel a stream of memories integrating into his own. It was precisely the cultivation technique of the Great Emperor of the Three Blades: the ¡°Annihilation Jue.¡± All began in annihilation, and all ended in annihilation! Originating from annihilation, culminating in annihilation! Having obtained the technique he sought, Xu Zimei prepared to leave. Before leaving, he subconsciously glanced towards the corner of the Scripture Pavilion, then shook his head with a quiet chuckle and left with satisfaction. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Lin Ruhu Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Lin Ruhu Xu Zimei had not been gone long when a sudden, aged light gasp came from a corner. ¡°Did that little guy just notice me? Impossible!¡± Xu Zimei walked to the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion and casually took a Yellow Tier Vein Skill. The cultivation techniques and Vein Skills of Yuan Central Continent are also divided into eight levels. Universe, Cosmos, Star, Celestial, Heavenly, Terrestrial, Mystical, Yellow! The Universe Tier belonged to the highest, while the Yellow Tier was the lowest. The Vein Skill that Xu Zimei picked up was called ¡°Sword Drawing Technique¡±. It was a very simple Vein Skill, with just one move¡ªthat is, drawing the sword! The Vein Skill was simple and crude: draw the sword, a head falls. As long as your horse is fast enough, even the Great Emperor can¡¯t catch up with you! emmmm¡­¡­terrifying indeed! As long as you draw your sword quickly enough, even the head of a Great Emperor could be chopped off. Xu Zimei left the Scripture Pavilion and began to communicate with the orb within his body, using the power of the Divine Vein Realm he had stored inside to start tempering his body. The internal organs and Extraordinary Meridians within his body were strengthening at a rate visible to the naked eye. From time to time, a ¡°creak creak¡± sound could be heard coming from inside of Xu Zimei. His realm was also soaring in an instant. ¡°Mortal Realm, first layer, Mortal Realm, second layer, ¡­ Mortal Realm, ninth layer.¡± His realm kept rising until the ninth layer of the Mortal Realm, and it stopped just as he was about to open the first Vein Gate. Xu Zimei was not in a hurry to step into the Spirit Vein Realm, as this instant growth had made his foundation somewhat unstable. As they say, a skyscraper rises from the ground; he decided to temper himself first and then advance to the Spirit Vein Realm. Within the True Martial Holy Sect, there was a Gravity Tower specifically for disciples to hone their bodies. The Gravity Tower had ten floors, and the gravity of each floor increased almost tenfold. On his way to the Gravity Tower, Xu Zimei was suddenly stopped by someone. ¡°Zimo bro, wait for me,¡± gasped a little fatty who was running towards him from not far away. The little fatty had short hair, a candy stick in his mouth, and snot hanging at the corner of his lips. ¡°Zimo bro, what are you doing here? No wonder I couldn¡¯t find you all day,¡± said the little fatty as he skillfully flicked his snot away and licked his candy with satisfaction. ¡°Ruhu, long time no see,¡± Xu Zimei greeted the youth in front of him with a nostalgic tone. The little fatty¡¯s full name was Lin Ruhu, the grandson of the third elder of the True Martial Holy Sect, and also a fox and dog friend who had been causing mischief with him since childhood. Since childhood, Lin Ruhu had always been his follower, obedient to his every word. In the previous life, he always played the role of a green leaf, complementing Xu Zimei, but actually, his cultivation talent was not even slightly weaker than Zimei¡¯s, perhaps even stronger. Back then, Xu Zimei thought it was his unique air of domineering arrogance and that charm that reached the sky which deeply attracted Lin Ruhu and made him worship him endlessly. It wasn¡¯t until that late battle, when Lin Ruhu stepped forward, that in the crucial moment, he used his body to block the protagonist Chu Yang¡¯s fatal sword for him. While holding the young man who was already stained red with blood, he yelled, ¡°Why, why?¡± At that time, the youth who was at death¡¯s door finally revealed the truth that had always followed him. At the age of ten, the two of them snuck out of the Sect Gate to play, and halfway through, they suddenly encountered a Droopy-eyed White Tiger. Back then, I shielded Lin Ruhu behind me and faced the White Tiger alone, telling him to run first. Lin Ruhu asked me, ¡°Why do you want to protect me?¡± Because I could have completely abandoned him and run away alone. At that time, I just replied in a very plain manner, ¡°Because we are brothers; I¡¯m the elder, you are the younger. Brothers, elder before younger, it¡¯s natural for me to protect you!¡± From that moment on, even Xu Zimei himself didn¡¯t know, this slightly chubby young boy secretly vowed in his heart. ¡°In this life, he would always stay by his side as a follower, protecting him no matter the changes of time or the transformation of the seas into mulberry fields.¡± After hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Lin Ruhu was a bit puzzled, ¡°What do you mean, long time no see? Didn¡¯t we just meet yesterday?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, nothing,¡± Xu Zimei laughed and shook his head, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to train at the Gravity Tower. Do you want to come with me?¡± Lin Ruhu was about the same age as Xu Zimei, and it was also about time for him to start his cultivation. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Lin Ruhu nodded innocently, as if in his eyes, he would hardly refuse anything Xu Zimei asked him to do. ¡­¡­ Walking toward the Gravity Tower together, Xu Zimei observed Lin Ruhu¡¯s appearance. A runny nose with snot hanging from it, and he would often carelessly flick it around, while occasionally having a piece of candy in his mouth. To say he looked lowly was an understatement, Xu Zimei thought for a moment and decided to remind him, ¡°Ruhu, can you eat less candy and wipe your nose clean, pay some attention to your image.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my image?¡± Lin Ruhu asked, puzzled. Xu Zimei felt that, as a young man at the dawn of romance, he probably cared about what girls his age thought. He tried to persuade him from this angle, saying, ¡°You must have a girl you like, right? Who would like you if you look like this? Listen to Brother Zimo, clean yourself up a bit, and maybe you could win a girl¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Why should I win her heart?¡± Lin Ruhu asked again, puzzled. ¡°Love is a matter between two people; it has to be mutual. You can¡¯t possibly be unrequited, can you?¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°No, I can just take her by force,¡± Lin Ruhu replied. ¡°A twisted melon never tastes sweet,¡± Xu Zimei remarked. ¡°I know, but it quenches thirst,¡± Lin Ruhu retorted. ¡­ ¡°Holy crap, you¡¯re a freaking genius,¡± Xu Zimei stopped in his tracks, somewhat disheveled by the wind. ¡°Why does your utterly nonsensical reasoning sound sensible to me, leaving me at a loss for words?¡± ¡­ They arrived at the Gravity Tower, which had an oval exterior resembling a pagoda. Inside, there were already many disciples practicing. Of course, training at the Gravity Tower wasn¡¯t free, the disciples needed to complete tasks to earn contribution points, which they then used to exchange for training time inside. However, with the identities of Xu Zimei and Lin Ruhu, they were definitely not short on that kind of thing. The first floor of the Gravity Tower doubled the gravity, and from there on up, the gravity increased by nearly tenfold with each level. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Liao Ruyan Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Liao Ruyan At this moment inside the Gravity Tower, disciples were sitting cross-legged, struggling to circulate their Cultivation Techniques. Some swung large hammers with a powerful momentum, while others, with giant rocks strapped to their backs, hopped around the perimeter like frogs. As soon as Xu Zimei and company walked in, they felt an immense force pressing in from all sides. For Xu Zimei, this tremendous force simply made his movements a little slower, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. However, for Lin Ruhu, it was as if he had been struck by a high-speed horse-drawn carriage, sending him crashing to the ground, nearly gasping for air. ¡°Don¡¯t try to resist the gravity with your body,¡± Xu Zimei reminded beside him, ¡°Take deep breaths, let your body adapt to this gravity, then relax your mind and find the trajectory of the gravity, merge your body with the gravity.¡± Hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Lin Ruhu quickly closed his eyes and took several long breaths until he gradually adapted. ¡­¡­ Not long after Xu Zimei started using the gravity to temper his foundation, a group of disciples surrounded them. The leader of this group was a young girl who walked up to Xu Zimei with an air of superiority and asked, ¡°Xu Zimei, Lin Ruhu, what are you two doing here? Are you here to cause trouble again?¡± Xu Zimei glanced at the girl; she was the granddaughter of the True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s Great Elder, Liao Ruyan. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Xu Zimei replied indifferently. ¡°Exactly, nosy as always. Zimo bro isn¡¯t going to marry you in the future anyway,¡± Lin Ruhu also shouted from the side. The Great Elder and Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan had always been at odds. When the Sect Master left that year, the Great Elder had hoped to take over control. To his disappointment, it ended up being Xu Qingshan who gained control, something the Great Elder has held onto ever since. In recent years, two factions had naturally formed within the True Martial Holy Sect. One was the Youth Faction led by Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan, while the other was the Elder Faction led by the Great Elder. ¡­¡­ At this point, infuriated by Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Liao Ruyan said, ¡°Xu Zimei, if you dare, let¡¯s have a spar.¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± Xu Zimei yawned and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Go play somewhere else, don¡¯t disturb my cultivation.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just say it. Admit defeat, and I¡¯ll let you off,¡± Liao Ruyan said arrogantly. Xu Zimei shook his head, exasperated. She was like a spoiled little princess! Right, the Great Elder¡¯s granddaughter, everyone groveled before her; how was this any different from his previous life? He spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not scared; it¡¯s just that a challenge usually involves a bet, right? Can you offer a stake that I¡¯d find satisfactory?¡± Liao Ruyan fell silent for a moment, then pondered and said, ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you a secret.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Xu Zimei quickly shook his head, ¡°Who knows if this secret is of any use to me. What if you were about to confess that you¡¯ve secretly been in love with me all this time?¡± At Xu Zimei¡¯s words, all the young people in the area burst into laughter. ¡°Shameless,¡± Liao Ruyan, her face turning beet red, angrily pointed at Xu Zimei and said, ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you that a couple of days ago, the Medicine Path Holy Chicken my grandfather raises had two chicks. How about that?¡± emmmmmm¡­ With his head full of black lines, Xu Zimei spoke quietly, ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly lost interest in your secret. How about we choose a different one?¡± ¡­¡­ Lin Ruhu, standing nearby, heard the words ¡°Medicine Path Holy Chicken¡± and his eyes widened with excitement. He licked his lips and his gaze darted around as if contemplating something. The Medicine Path Holy Chicken was a rare bird formed by the essence of heaven and earth, utterly scarce in variety. Even in the outside world, they were considered priceless. They were excellent caretakers of the Immortal Fields and Spiritual Medicine, able to fertilize, loosen the soil, and catch insects, practically perfect gardeners. And the Medicine Path Holy Chicken was the finest among them. Like a king amongst beggars, it was a beggar all the same, yet it was on a completely different level than those other flamboyant cheap goods. The Medicine Path Holy Chicken had been nourished by Spiritual Medicine since its infancy. Every piece of its flesh, every drop of its blood, was infused with a rich Spiritual Energy. It was said that a mortal who ate the Medicine Path Holy Chicken¡¯s meat for the first time could extend their life by a whole year. ¡­¡­ ¡°So what wager do you want?¡± Liao Ruyan asked hesitantly. ¡°I heard that your grandfather¡¯s mount, the Dark Heaven Tiger, had a secret affair with the Reincarnation Celestial Cow recently and gave birth to a litter,¡± Xu Zimei said with a sly smile. ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Liao Ruyan asked warily, ¡°The grandfather said he plans to give those young ones away as favors; I wouldn¡¯t dare touch them.¡± ¡°I want two cubs from the Dark Heaven Tiger,¡± Xu Zimei stated outright, ¡°If you refuse, then forget it. There is no need for a competition.¡± Besides, you¡¯ve always been your grandfather¡¯s treasured grandchild. Sneaking out two Dark Heaven Tiger cubs shouldn¡¯t be a problem. In your grandfather¡¯s eyes, are you not more important than two cubs?¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± Liao Ruyan quickly replied, ¡°My grandfather cherishes me very much. I, I, I¡­ okay, I agree to your terms.¡± ¡°That¡¯s settled then. What do you want to compete in?¡± Xu Zimei asked with interest. ¡°Simple, let¡¯s fight. It¡¯s straightforward to see who wins and loses,¡± Liao Ruyan replied, her eyes gleaming with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Lin Ruhu shouted from the side, ¡°You¡¯ve been practicing body tempering for half a year now, while Zimo just started his cultivation. How could he possibly stand a chance against you?¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest we compete in?¡± Liao Ruyan glared at Lin Ruhu, revealing her small tiger teeth as she spoke. ¡°I do have a method, if you don¡¯t mind me being the judge,¡± a voice rang out from the second floor of the Gravity Tower at that moment. Looking up, everyone saw a man descending gracefully from the upper level. Clad in a blue robe, the man¡¯s features were resolute, with a high bridged nose and his long hair all pulled up on top of his head. A jade-green longsword hung at his waist. ¡°Zhong Xin, senior brother,¡± Liao Ruyan hastily ran over with joy upon seeing the man. ¡°Little junior sister, the outside world is treacherous. Try to avoid contact with those with ulterior motives as much as possible,¡± Zhong Xin replied with a smile. Xu Zimei glanced at the newcomer. He was the Great Elder¡¯s personal disciple, known in the martial world as ¡°Glinting Sword Guest.¡± The surrounding disciples, upon seeing Zhong Xin¡¯s arrival, rushed to greet him. Regardless of whether they knew him or not, they all tried to familiarize themselves with him. ¡°What¡¯s your method?¡± Xu Zimei asked indifferently. ¡°No need to rush,¡± Zhong Xin replied with a casual smile and a shake of his head, ¡°Just now, Ruyan promised you two Dark Heaven Tiger cubs if you win against her. But what if you lose? You haven¡¯t stated your wager yet!¡± ¡°If I lose, I will fulfill any request of mine that I¡¯m capable of. How does that sound?¡± Xu Zimei responded. ¡°Fine, if you lose, I won¡¯t make it too hard for you. All you have to do is bark like a dog three times within the sect. How about that?¡± Zhong Xin said with a light laugh. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 I Report Chapter 6: Chapter 6 I Report ¡°You¡¯re all grown up, how can you still be so childish?¡± Xu Zimei shook his head helplessly and smiled at Zhong Xin, ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± He understood the other person¡¯s thoughts, since his father was the Deputy Sect Master, in a way, he was also shaming his father¡¯s face. ¡°I have a Yellow Tier Vein Skill here,¡± Zhong Xin said indifferently, ¡°Both of you can study it for the duration of an incense stick burning, and then we¡¯ll see who has better comprehension and who can use the Vein Skill more skillfully. That will determine the winner.¡± ¡°Fine, I have no objections,¡± Xu Zimei and Liao Ruyan both nodded. Then, Zhong Xin took out the Vein Skill from his Storage Ring, which was named ¡°Swallow Flying Sword Technique.¡± Liao Ruyan¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the Vein Skill. In fact, she had been cultivating a Vein Skill in the Mortal Realm since half a year ago. Just recently, she had cultivated this Vein Skill to the ¡°Entering the Microscopic¡± level. In the Yuan Central Continent, each Vein Skill is divided into four levels: Entering the Microscopic, Abstruse, Other Shore, and Perfection. And the Vein Skill Liao Ruyan was cultivating was this ¡°Swallow Flying Sword Technique.¡± Zhong Xin gave Liao Ruyan a meaningful smile and then said, ¡°If you have no objections, then start cultivating now.¡± ¡°No need for all this trouble,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head, took the Vein Skill and casually flipped through it. ¡°Lend me your sword,¡± he said to a disciple nearby who was watching the excitement. With a ¡°clang,¡± the long sword was drawn from its scabbard, and Xu Zimei held the hilt, lightly slashing through the air. Everyone felt an abstrusely profound sensation flow before their eyes, as the long sword burst forth a blade qi over a meter long. It seemed as though people could hear a swallow singing beside their ears, and the blade qi in front of them transformed into a flying swallow. The air was split with a white trail, and then the swallow disappeared. Xu Zimei casually returned the sword to the nearby disciple and smiled at Liao Ruyan, ¡°Come on, please start your performance.¡± The atmosphere on scene went quiet for a while, before someone unsurely muttered softly. ¡°Was that the true essence of the Martial Path? Has he already cultivated the Swallow Flying Sword Technique to the Perfection level?¡± The crowd was in uproar, as only a Perfection level Vein Skill could evolve the true essence of the Martial Path. Liao Ruyan looked at Xu Zimei, speechless for a long time, ¡°Damn it, yours is already at Perfection, how can I, who am only at Entering the Microscopic, compete?¡± ¡°If you think the duration of one incense stick is too short, I¡¯ll give you a whole day,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and said to the flabbergasted Zhong Xin, ¡°Brother Zhong, what do you think?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Zhong Xin quickly returned to his senses, forcing a smile, ¡°That sounds good, but I think it¡¯s the process that¡¯s important in a competition, what everyone gains from it, not so much the outcome itself.¡± ¡°Bullshit, if the outcome isn¡¯t important, then the competition itself is meaningless,¡± Xu Zimei showed no mercy, shaking his head and sighing, ¡°Brother Zhong, it¡¯s a shame that you¡¯re the Great Elder¡¯s top disciple and yet fail to understand such a simple principle. Is it your own stupidity or is it that the Great Elder¡¯s teaching methods are too rigid?¡± ¡°The master leads the way, cultivation depends on the individual,¡± Zhong Xin replied coldly, ¡°Junior Brother Zimo, if you have a problem, address it towards me, you¡¯re not qualified to insult my master.¡± ¡°Say whatever you like,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about when my two Dark Heaven Tiger cubs will be delivered.¡± Zhong Xin paused and then looked towards Liao Ruyan. The Dark Heaven Tiger is an imperial creature, and even the entire True Martial Holy Sect doesn¡¯t have many; as for those few cubs of the Dark Heaven Tiger, the Great Elder had already planned to use them as gifts for some people. Therefore, Zhong Xin did not dare to take action on his own. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, just say it, I¡¯m not keen on it anyway,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a faint smile, ¡°But some people, if they can¡¯t stand the heat, shouldn¡¯t get into the kitchen to save our True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s face. I reminisce about the glorious days of the True Martial Great Emperor, and although we can¡¯t surpass the glory of our ancestors, please don¡¯t disgrace it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if you can¡¯t stand the heat, don¡¯t get into the kitchen and waste other people¡¯s time and energy,¡± Lin Ruhu added, playing the wingman, ¡°A great emperor once said that time is money, time is life, wasting others¡¯ time is like plotting to rob and kill.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to beat around the bush, I admit defeat, I won¡¯t go back on the bet,¡± Liao Ruyan shouted with a flushed face and then turned and ran away. ¡°Brother Zimo, are we being too harsh?¡± Lin Ruhu tugged at Xu Zimei¡¯s shoulder and asked quietly, watching Liao Ruyan leave. ¡°Too harsh?¡± Xu Zimei shook his head while smiling. First, he didn¡¯t intend to make trouble, but it was Liao Ruyan who took the initiative to provoke him in order to humiliate him. Second, that ¡°Swallow Flying Blade Technique¡± Liao Ruyan had mastered it a long time ago, and Zhong Xin bringing it up for a contest, wasn¡¯t that even more despicable? Third, I¡¯m a villain, the kind who¡¯d wipe out your entire family for glaring at me, so what if I¡¯m over the top? Zhong Xin gave Xu Zimei a deep look, then hurriedly chased after him. ¡­ ¡°Bullying a girl, what kind of skill is that,¡± suddenly, an incongruent voice came from the gathered crowd. The voice was low, and with so many disciples gathered, Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t make out who it was. ¡°Who¡¯s gossiping behind the scenes?¡± Lin Ruhu widened his eyes and asked the many youths in the area. The youths looked around at each other and tacitly shook their heads. ¡°You know, I really hate when people gossip behind backs. Speak up like a man,¡± Xu Zimei walked forward with a light laugh and said to everyone: ¡°I know, surely some of you heard who said that just now. How about this, whoever tells me who was gossiping just now, you can hang out with me and you¡¯ll be my person. My person? Ah, spit, that sounds so misleading! You¡¯ll be my subordinate, yes, that¡¯s right, a subordinate, a lackey.¡± As soon as Xu Zimei finished speaking, he saw someone raise their hand next to him. ¡°Brother Zimo, I report, it was him gossiping just now.¡± ¡°Yes, it was him gossiping, I heard it loud and clear.¡± ¡°Indeed, he and I get along well usually, and he often criticizes you; I guarantee with my integrity and honor.¡± Right then, the youths in the scene completely erupted, each acting like a detective prince. All fingers were pointing at the disciple in the white robe in the middle. The reported youth was utterly confused at the moment; he had dared to comment only because of the crowd¡¯s presence. He hadn¡¯t expected such a cunning maneuver! These people, to become Xu Zimei¡¯s lackeys, had all transformed into bootlickers. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Beating You Up Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Beating You Up A dog licks to the end, only to end up with nothing. The boy looked at the others with scorn, his face full of indifference. ¡°Who are you?¡± Xu Zimei stepped forward and asked. ¡°My name is Cui Yuan, and my grandfather is an Inner Sect Elder, Cui Yaoguang,¡± the boy declared proudly. Lin Ruhu slapped the back of the boy¡¯s head and exclaimed, ¡°My grandfather is a Great Elder, and I haven¡¯t spoken up, since when did an Inner Sect Elder¡¯s grandson become so badass?¡± In the True Martial Holy Sect, since the Sect Master had left, the one with the greatest power ought to be Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan. Then came the seven Great Elders, followed by the Inner Sect Elders and the Outer Sect Elders. ¡°What right do you have to hit me?¡± Cui Yuan said defiantly. ¡°If you have the guts, let¡¯s have a proper fight.¡± ¡°Do you want to compete with me?¡± Xu Zimei asked with a smile. ¡°Then, do you have a wager that would satisfy me?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s fight directly, no tests of insight,¡± Cui Yuan said. He had started his cultivation a year ago and had already opened his first Vein Gate, reaching the Spirit Vein Realm, making him an Outer Sect Disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect. ¡°If you win, I can mortgage this Dragon Ball to you,¡± Cui Yuan said, pulling out a dark yellow sphere from his Storage Ring. This sphere had many intricate and seemingly chaotic patterns. Xu Zimei originally didn¡¯t care much, but the moment he saw the sphere, he was stunned. ¡°In my past life I walked through iron shoes in endless search, now in this life it is effortlessly found,¡± Xu Zimei snatched the sphere, excitedly inspecting it closely, and finally made sure. He looked at Cui Yuan and asked, ¡°Where did you get this bead from?¡± Cui Yuan was startled by Xu Zimei¡¯s intense gaze and stammeringly replied, ¡°I, I found it playing by the river behind the mountain.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Xu Zimei nodded in approval and said, ¡°This bead is now mine.¡± ¡°But we haven¡¯t competed yet,¡± Cui Yuan quickly said. ¡°What competition? If Brother Zimo wants your stuff, it¡¯s because he sees potential in you,¡± Lin Ruhu chimed in with wide eyes, speaking threateningly. ¡°You¡¯re bullying me,¡± Cui Yuan stepped back, his voice filled with grievance. ¡°Piss off,¡± Xu Zimei waved his hand dismissively and said to Cui Yuan, ¡°Go play on the side, or else I¡¯ll beat the crap out of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Cui Yuan cried, tears streaming down, as he hiccupped and ran toward the exit of the Gravity Tower. Xu Zimei was not afraid. These were children¡¯s quarrels, and as long as they weren¡¯t too excessive or life-threatening, adults generally didn¡¯t intervene. Moreover, as a qualified antagonist, deceit and theft were all part of the norm. Would you expect a villain to fairly compete with you? You¡¯re dreaming! ¡­ The Prison Suppression Pearl, maybe no one knew the secret of this bead yet, but Xu Zimei was well aware of it, being one of the former protagonist Chu Yang¡¯s strongest trump cards, it had caused him a lot of suffering. ¡­ After securing the Prison Suppression Pearl, Xu Zimei cultivated in the Gravity Tower for an entire day. The double gravity of the first layer was starting to feel insufficient, so Xu Zimei directly ascended to the second layer. Because the gravity on the second layer was twenty times that of the first, and the large gap could prove too much for some disciples, the Sect Gate feared they couldn¡¯t withstand such intense gravity. He added some gravity to the staircase going from the first to the second floor, from threefold, fourfold all the way to nineteenfold, just enough so that reaching the second floor would equate to twentyfold gravity. Xu Zimei just sat on the stairs leading from the first to the second floor, exactly at the place where the gravity was tenfold. He cultivated like this for an entire day, and only when the sun set behind the Western Mountains did Xu Zimei let out a long sigh. His foundation within his body became more and more solid, he exhaled a long breath of white air, preparing to advance to the Spirit Vein Realm in the next few days. As night fell, Xu Zimei bid Lin Ruhu farewell and didn¡¯t return to the Goose Southern Peak where he resided. Instead, accompanied by the escort Zhang Chongtian, he made his way to the Divine Armory of the True Martial Holy Sect. He was there to select his own weapon. ¡°Saber, spear, staff, club, sword, halberd, axe, hook; the eighteen types of weapons,¡± Xu Zimei still remembered the words his father had once told him, ¡°every weapon has a soul; never treat it as just an ice-cold tool. Indeed, many powerful individuals¡¯ weapons have been with them ever since the very moment they embarked on the Martial Path. Between a Vein Practitioner and a weapon, there lies a mutual fate; you choose it, and it also chooses you. It is your companion on the Martial Path, not a tool for slaughter. A true Vein Practitioner is one who can activate the spirit within the weapon, allowing the weapon¡¯s spirit to acknowledge you. Only then can you truly claim to own your weapon.¡± The Divine Armory had a total of ten floors, and, on the Yuan Central Continent, the hierarchy of weapons was actually the same as that of Vein Skills and Cultivation Techniques. There were eight tiers, Cosmic Stars, Heaven and Earth Mysterious-Yellow. The first floor of the Divine Armory housed ordinary weapons forged from superior materials. Many disciples would wonder, given that the materials are of high quality and could forge Earth Tier or even better Heavenly Tier weapons, why would Forging Masters deliberately reduce the quality to that of ordinary weapons. This was a question many disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect did not understand, so when they chose weapons, they typically started from the second floor of the Divine Armory. From the second to the ninth floor of the Divine Armory, there were weapons of the eight different tiers, including Cosmic Stars and Heaven and Earth Mysterious-Yellow. On the tenth floor of the Divine Armory, stored there were the Great Emperor¡¯s True Artifacts left behind after the successive Great Emperors ascended. Great Emperor¡¯s True Artifacts had accompanied the Great Emperors throughout their lives in battle, and during the time when the Great Emperors bore their Destiny, their weapons were also tempered by Destiny. Their power was far more formidable compared to Universe Tier weapons. Xu Zimei did not choose any of those weapons with known tiers; he went directly to the first floor where the ordinary weapons were displayed. ¡°Young Master, all the weapons here are ordinary ones that have not been tempered by Spiritual Energy, what use would choosing them be?¡± the escort Zhang Chongtian asked in confusion. ¡°It is precisely because they retain their most natural state that I choose them,¡± Xu Zimei explained with a smile: ¡°An unshaped piece of jade, given to you to polish, will it be discarded as is, or will it become a priceless gemstone, all depends on the skill of the polisher and carver.¡± Xu Zimei uttered reflectively, ¡°Art pieces of inestimable value, indeed!¡± While everyone yearns for weapons of Universe Tier or Cosmos Tier, in fact, many weapons evolve step by step from being ordinary ones. They have not accompanied those weapons through their weakest periods, so how could those high-tier weapons recognize them? ¡­ In his past life, Xu Zimei knew a Forging Master, an old man who throughout his life only forged ordinary weapons and never created those with a tier. He told Xu Zimei that if a weapon was a Universe Tier at the time of its forging, having not gone through the phases of ordinary, Yellow Tier, or Mysterious Tier weapons, its spirit would inevitably be incomplete. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Tyrant Shadow Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Tyrant Shadow The weapons on the first floor of the Divine Armory looked ordinary, lacking dazzling radiance or awe-inspiring sharpness, merely laid out in a plain array. As Xu Zimei entered, a faint scent of rust filled the air. Disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect seldom came here to select weapons, hence many of the mundane weapons forged on this floor were dust-covered due to long stretches of time. At the entrance of the first floor, an old man was napping on a lounge chair. He glanced interestedly at the arrival of Xu Zimei and another person, then said, ¡°Feel free to choose any weapon inside, but you can only pick one each. Just let me know when you leave.¡± After speaking, the old man turned over and continued to sleep with his eyes closed. ¡°What kind of attitude is that?¡± Zhang Chongtian complained disapprovingly. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head, took a deep look at the old man, and then entered. He didn¡¯t spend much time on selection, walking directly to a corner where a dense array of weapons hung on one wall. There were swords, spears, clubs, and sticks¡ªmany of which were seldom heard of by common folk; all sorts of weapons were present. Among the numerous weapons, Xu Zimei¡¯s gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous blade in the bottom left corner. The blade was five feet long, its edge seemingly very sharp, with a slight curvature to its body. Holding it felt like it weighed dozens of pounds, the handle separated by layers of grid-like patterns which felt substantial in his palm. ¡°This one then,¡± Xu Zimei picked up the blade and walked towards the dozing old man under the astonished gaze of Zhang Chongtian. The old man was woken up, seemingly reluctantly, and glanced indifferently at the curved blade chosen by Xu Zimei before saying, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s yours now. Hurry up and scram, don¡¯t disturb an old man¡¯s sleep.¡± Xu Zimei nodded, said nothing further, wrapped the blade¡¯s sheath around his back, and then left. ¡°By the way, its name is Tyrant Shadow,¡± the old man¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°Tyrant Shadow, huh? I know that now,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a smile at the corner of his mouth, without turning back, his figure gradually disappearing in the gentle breeze. ¡­ Xu Zimei was sure that he would remember his father¡¯s words for his entire life. ¡°A true swordsman is one who can awaken the spirit within the blade and then earn the spirit¡¯s recognition.¡± In his past life, Xu Zimei initially didn¡¯t care much about this saying¡ªafter all, he considered weapons merely tools for killing, not worth imbuing with any further significance. That was until the battle at Secluded Dragon Gorge, when Tyrant Shadow was broken by the weapon of the protagonist, Chu Yang. It was at the moment of the blade¡¯s shattering that Xu Zimei truly felt the lament carried by the weapon. At that time, he finally came to a realization, though regrettably, it was too late. ¡­ Later, Xu Zimei returned to his residence, where he sat cross-legged and began his cultivation. In his past life, he initially cultivated the Annihilation Jue from the Great Emperor of the Three Blades. It wasn¡¯t until he reached the Emperor Pulse Realm that Xu Zimei truly embarked on his own Martial Path to Heaven. He then discarded the Annihilation Jue, beginning to research, deduce, and create a brand-new cultivation technique of his own. Xu Zimei named his technique the Sole Great Freedom Jue. This technique primarily cultivated the past, the present, and the future. Once fully mastered, it allowed tracing back to the origin of time, establishing links with his past self and his self from future epochs, spanning several temporal realms. ¡°Unfortunately, in his previous life, when the cultivation technique had evolved to the Divine Vein Realm, Xu Zimei found himself troubled by a mental block, and no matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t advance any further. That¡¯s why he went to find Chu Yang to resolve his mental block, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be defeated so miserably. However, his rebirth had sparked a flash of inspiration in Xu Zimei regarding the past and future. He believed he could definitely perfect the cultivation technique and step into the realms beyond the Divine Vein Realm. ¡­ For every Vein Practitioner, evolving their own cultivation techniques is the ultimate path because no matter how powerful the techniques left by others are, they can only serve as a reference and can never completely suit you. ¡­ Xu Zimei kept evolving and cultivating until dawn, then stood up and stretched lazily. Despite not having slept all night, he still felt full of energy. This was one of the benefits of cultivation, he was now at the ninth level of the Mortal Realm, and even if he went without sleep for seven days and nights, he would feel at most a bit tired. ¡­ At daybreak, Lin Ruhu arrived at Goose Southern Peak early to visit Xu Zimei. He had a large burlap sack on his back, his expression was sly, and he kept looking back every other step as if he was sneakily guarding against something. ¡­ ¡®What¡¯s wrong, Ruhu?¡¯ Xu Zimei, having finished washing up, asked curiously. ¡®Zimo bro, I¡¯ve got something great to show you,¡¯ Lin Ruhu chuckled, then opened the sack on his back. Inside lay two unconscious chicks, calmly nestled together. These two chickens were completely golden-yellow, with purple crowns and neatly arranged feathers, tapering off to a bright red at their tails. Their beaks looked like jade, clear and pure. At first glance, these two chickens were extraordinary. ¡®Medicine Path Holy Chicken?¡¯ Xu Zimei asked in surprise. ¡®Where did you get these?¡¯ ¡®Ah, I went to Elder Liao¡¯s Heavenly Gorge Peak this morning to play with Liao Ruyan, and then I saw these two chickens discarded on the ground. I felt sorry for them, so I just took them,¡¯ Lin Ruhu said, his innocent large eyes twinkling. ¡®You stole them, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Xu Zimei asked doubtfully. ¡®How can a scholar¡¯s action be called stealing?¡¯ Lin Ruhu argued back, not accepting the accusation. ¡®I just picked them up.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t mind, since they are the Great Elder¡¯s beloved pets,¡¯ Xu Zimei smiled lightly and said to Lin Ruhu, ¡®I heard the Medicine Path Holy Chickens have been raised on Spiritual Medicine since they were young. Each piece of their meat contains dense Spiritual Energy. It¡¯s a good thing there are two, one for braising and one for steaming.¡¯ ¡®Yeah, yeah,¡¯ Lin Ruhu licked his lips, excitedly said. ¡®Braising the Medicine Path Holy Chicken with ordinary firewood would be somewhat wasteful,¡¯ Xu Zimei pondered, then spoke to the guard, Zhang Chongtian, ¡®Go to Ancient Medicine Peak and get some branches from the Spirit Trees.¡¯ ¡®Sir, those Spirit Trees and ancient medicines are the second Elder¡¯s treasures,¡¯ Zhang Chongtian said with difficulty. ¡®If the second Elder finds out I¡¯ve cut his branches, he¡¯ll definitely flay my skin.¡¯ ¡®He won¡¯t,¡¯ Xu Zimei explained. ¡®At this time, the second Elder should be at the Outer Sect secretly watching the female disciples bathe, he won¡¯t notice you.¡¯ Zhang Chongtian hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡®Sir, if anything really happens, you must cover for me, I¡¯m now your man.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here so there¡¯s no problem,¡¯ Xu Zimei assured him. ¡®Also, you are my guard, not my person. Make sure to clarify our relationship, otherwise it might lead to misunderstandings.¡¯ Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Zhuge Cuihua Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Zhuge Cuihua After Zhang Chongtian left, Xu Zimei and Lin Ruhu also began their preparations. Boiling water, slaughtering chickens, plucking feathers, preparing spices. By the time Zhang Chongtian sneaked back with a large pile of Spirit Tree branches, Xu Zimei and his companion had finished their preparations. ¡°Why did it take you so long?¡± Xu Zimei asked curiously. ¡°I stopped to watch the fun,¡± Zhang Chongtian said with a smile, ¡°Yesterday, the Second Elder sneaked a peek at the female disciples bathing, and he got caught. Thinking quickly, the Second Elder transformed into the appearance of his senior disciple, Xiao Xinghe. Now, Xiao Xinghe himself is being hunted by all the female disciples in the sect.¡± ¡°Having such a master, Senior Brother Xiao is really unlucky,¡± Lin Ruhu said with a laugh. Xu Zimei lit the Spirit Tree branches, then set up a rack and placed a Medicine Path Holy Chicken on it to roast. In another pot, he prepared to steam the chicken, not just the Medicine Path Holy Chicken but also other ingredients like Dragon Spirit Grass, Heavenly Heart Flower, and Refreshing Mint. The Spirit Tree branches were lit, emitting a faint fragrance, and the water was boiling. At this moment, the maid Chun Xiao came over and said, ¡°My lord, the Great Elder¡¯s granddaughter Liao Ruyan is here, she said she has something to discuss with you.¡± In the courtyard of Goose Southern Peak where Xu Zimei lived, aside from him and his guard Zhang Chongtian, there were also two maids who took care of his daily needs. Chun Xiao and Xia Qiu. ¡°Let her in,¡± Xu Zimei said. Not long after, Liao Ruyan came over holding a cub of the Dark Heaven Tiger in one hand. Her hands were gripping the neck of the young Dark Heaven Tiger, lifting it casually, and the two little tigers had faces full of despair. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you the bet I promised; from now on, we¡¯re even,¡± Liao Ruyan said. Her eyes were somewhat red, as if she had just been crying, and she looked very dejected. ¡°Who bullied you?¡± Lin Ruhu asked curiously. ¡°Two chicks from my Medicine Path Holy Chicken disappeared,¡± Liao Ruyan said in a wronged tone, ¡°I was just playing with them yesterday.¡± Lin Ruhu glanced at the barbecue grill and the pot where the water was already boiling, fell silent for a moment, and started looking up at the sky. As Liao Ruyan was about to cry, Xu Zimei sighed and said, ¡°Ruyan, I thought you were an exceptionally wise girl, but it turns out you¡¯re quite foolish.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Liao Ruyan asked with wide eyes, curious. ¡°Every creature has its own path,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said, ¡°Chickens will meet their end eventually, be it braised or steamed. But no matter how they die, as long as they die a death that matters, a death that has value, that death is meaningful and worthwhile. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Liao Ruyan nodded blankly, ¡°So I should stop looking?¡± ¡°After searching for them a thousand times in the crowd, suddenly turning back, the chickens are right there where the lights are dim,¡± Xu Zimei said, ¡°Some things, the more you look for them, the less likely you are to find them. When you stop looking, maybe they will show up on their own.¡± Liao Ruyan nodded seriously, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°Ruhu, let¡¯s split the two young Dark Heaven Tigers between us,¡± Xu Zimei said to Lin Ruhu. The Dark Heaven Tigers were still young and about the size of a domestic cat, even resembling a cat in appearance, except for an additional pair of wings as thin as cicada wings. They were entirely dark in color, with a pattern of stripes across their bodies, and they looked incredibly cute. At this point, the two Dark Heaven Tigers were putting on quite a show: one was rolling around on the ground acting cute, while the other was ferociously biting Xu Zimei¡¯s shoelaces. They say you can tell the grown-up from the cub, and a creature¡¯s behavior when young often indicates its adult temperament. The Dark Heaven Tiger rolling around with seemingly no prospects clearly looked like it wouldn¡¯t amount to much, whereas the one gnawing on shoelaces would surely grow fierce¡ªa mighty mount indeed. So, Xu Zimei wisely chose the one that was rolling around and acting cute. Dark Heaven Tiger: ¡°¡­MMP.¡± ¡­ ¡°Zimo bro, why don¡¯t you name these two cubs?¡± suggested Lin Ruhu. ¡°As descendants of Emperor Pulse Monster Beasts, they are destined to carry on the glory of their ancestors. One day, their names will be known far and wide, shaking Hengyu, sweeping through desolation, so we need a name with some punch,¡± Xu Zimei said earnestly, gazing toward the horizon: ¡°From today on, your names will be¡­ Zhuge Cuihua, Situ Goudan! Lin Ruhu: ¡­ Liao Ruyan: ¡­ The two Dark Heaven Tigers: ????? ¡°Brilliant, just brilliant,¡± Lin Ruhu paused, then suddenly clapped his hands in admiration: ¡°Although the names are but a few characters long, they are grammatically precise, carefully chosen, and skillfully constructed, rolling off the tongue with ease. They perfectly articulate the namer¡¯s blessings and heartfelt emotions toward these little animals¡ªconcise yet profound, worth their weight in gold. Every word captivates the soul and moves one to tears. This clearly reveals the namer¡¯s solid foundation in literature, effortless writing skills, and painfully brilliant creativity¡ªtruly admirable! And ending with an exclamation mark is the crowning touch, bringing the work to life, with a deep and far-reaching artistic conception that echoes the preceding text, elevating the theme, and fully expressing the emotor¡¯s emotion. It elicits endless emotion and longing, an innate sense of harmony¡ªit is the epitome of naming, the ultimate in blessings.¡± After finishing his speech, Lin Ruhu saw everyone¡¯s flabbergasted expressions and asked, ¡°Was I wrong?¡± Xu Zimei came to deeply understand the saying, ¡°Shamelessness is invincibility.¡± ¡°Right, you¡¯re absolutely right,¡± others responded, failing to withhold a mix of laughter and tears. ¡­ Meanwhile, the Medicine Path Holy Chicken on the grill had turned a golden brown and was sizzling crisply. Drops of grease fell from it as Xu Zimei hurried to sprinkle on the seasoning. The delicious aroma wafted around, making everyone involuntarily lick their lips. ¡°Oh right, Ruyan sis, are you feeling better now?¡± Xu Zimei inquired. ¡°Much better,¡± Liao Ruyan said, her stomach growling as she focused on the roasted chicken. ¡°Then if you¡¯ve got nothing else, go ahead and leave. We¡¯re busy here, so we can¡¯t entertain you,¡± Lin Ruhu said with a forced laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do, and it¡¯s boring to go back,¡± Liao Ruyan said nonchalantly: ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet; do you mind if I scrounge a meal?¡± ¡°Are we that close to you?¡± scoffed Lin Ruhu. ¡°If you don¡¯t feed me, I¡¯ll go tell the Great Elder on you,¡± Liao Ruyan said with a huff: ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t recognize it¡ªyou¡¯re using branches from the Heavenly Tier Spirit Tree, the Seven-Star Heaven Light Tree. Only this kind of tree would create those starburst crackles when burned.¡± ¡°Oh dear, such a hot temper,¡± Xu Zimei stood up and said: ¡°You see, I can¡¯t be forced, but ask me nicely and maybe I¡¯ll agree. You threaten me? Ruhu, close the door, release Goudan and Cuihua.¡± Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The story begins Chapter 10: Chapter 10 The story begins ¡°Brother Zimo, just give me a little to eat, please, ying ying ying,¡± Liao Ruyan quickly acted spoiled and cute when she saw the situation. ¡°You¡¯re acting like a fawning dog now, making me happy with your flattery, then I¡¯ll agree,¡± Xu Zimei huffed coldly. ¡°I refuse. A person like me would never bend over just for food. I can¡¯t possibly tell blatant lies with my eyes open,¡± Liao Ruyan looked at Xu Zimei seriously and said word by word, ¡°I¡¯ve always believed that words are the most charming things in this world. But your handsomeness is something words can¡¯t describe; even a glance feels like a desecration to you. Oh no, it¡¯s the feeling of my heart racing. Quick, turn your head away; don¡¯t let me see your handsome face, or I¡¯ll get all fluttery. I¡¯m afraid if my little deer flutters too fast, what if it dies from the impact?¡± ¡°What big nonsense you¡¯re spouting,¡± Xu Zimei said reproachfully with a glance at Liao Ruyan, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll reward you with a chicken leg later.¡± Lin Ruhu and Zhang Chongtian both silently thought to themselves, ¡°Shameless. One really dares to praise, and the other dares to accept it with peace of mind.¡± ¡­¡­ The group put out the fire, and then served the two chickens. The braised Medicine Path Holy Chicken already had a golden hue, making it look irresistible. The steamed Medicine Path Holy Chicken, as soon as the lid was lifted, hit them with a thick wave of spiritual energy, as if all the essence was concentrated in the light white soup. ¡°Come on, bottom up this bowl of chicken soup,¡± Xu Zimei lifted his bowl and announced loudly. When the chicken meat entered his stomach, Xu Zimei could clearly feel a warm sensation inside, with a particularly strong spiritual energy circulating within. He was almost unable to suppress his realm, about to break through the Spirit Vein Realm. Everyone enjoyed the meal thoroughly, and after eating, they all felt invigorated, as if endowed with boundless strength, feeling as carefree as immortals ascending to heaven. ¡°Where did you buy this chicken, it¡¯s so delicious, I¡¯ll have my grandpa buy me one when I get back,¡± Liao Ruyan said while gnawing on a chicken leg. ¡°Stop talking; can¡¯t eating even shut you up?¡± Xu Zimei clamored in response. ¡­¡­ At that time, on Azure Mountain Peak where Xu Qingshan was located, a woman arrived, walking on air, and descended onto the summit of Azure Mountain Peak. The woman was dressed in purple, with her graceful figure in full view. Her long hair was coiled behind her head, secured with a blue ribbon. Her face was exquisite, and she carried an aloof, overbearing air that made people dare not look directly at her. ¡°Sixth Elder, is there something you need?¡± Xu Qingshan turned around and asked. This woman was indeed the Sixth Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect, known as the Bright Moon Fairy, whose real name was Xiao Yuexuan. Within the True Martial Holy Sect, from the Great Elder to the Fifth Elder, these five elders each had cultivated for a thousand years before reaching the Saint Vein Realm, and with their profound aptitude and their admired accomplishments, they were promoted to be one of the seven Great Elders. The Sixth Elder, Seventh Elder, including the Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan, were all of outstanding talent, who after just over a hundred years of cultivation, advanced to the Saint Vein Realm. With their powerful strength and exceptional talent, they had earned their current positions, which could be said to have been fought for with great effort. ¡°Deputy Sect Master, I might leave the sect for a while soon,¡± Xiao Yuexuan said in her cool voice: ¡°Before I started cultivating, I used to rely on an older sister for living. But later, as I became devoted to stepping onto the Martial Path to Heaven and joining the True Martial Holy Sect, I unintentionally lost contact with her. Now that I have achieved some success in my cultivation, I often think of her in the dead of night, so I plan to leave the sect to find her.¡± ¡°No problem, go ahead,¡± Xu Qingshan waved his hand and said. The True Martial Holy Sect had strict regulations, and ordinary disciples had to report before leaving the sect. Even the internal and external elders had to ask for permission from their superiors when leaving. As for the core seven Elders, they usually go directly to the Sect Master or Deputy Sect Master to report. Of course, Xu Qingshan wouldn¡¯t deliberately make it difficult for one to leave, after all, it was just a formality. The Sect Gate is the place many people consider their home, but it is also a small community with rules; you can¡¯t just come and go as you please, acting entirely on your own whims. Unless one day you become strong enough to ignore the rules. ¡­¡­ After leaving the True Martial Holy Sect, Xiao Yuexuan headed east. She walked on air, her gaze clear and profound, her purple robes fluttering slightly in the wind, a commanding aura swirling around her. As she passed a forest, the Monster Beasts below trembled violently. ¡­¡­¡­ Atop Goose Southern Peak, Xu Zimei stood on the summit, his eyes gazing toward the east. ¡°Chu Yang, at this time, you should also be about to embark on the path of cultivation,¡± Xu Zimei said, a strange smile curving at the corner of his mouth, ¡°With the protagonist¡¯s arrival, the main heroine too must begin to unveil this grand narrative.¡± His thoughts seemed to drift back to his past life, filled with memories he loathed to recall. ¡°Baili Xiao, Baili Xiao, you deceived me for so long in my previous life, and after using me, you kicked me into the Abyss and transformed into the main heroine. This life, let us start anew; the control of this game now lies in my hands.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Laughing out loud, Xu Zimei descended Goose Southern Peak and made his way toward his father¡¯s Azure Mountain Peak. Actually, he wasn¡¯t worried at all; instead, he felt a fresh sense of excitement. Every story has its protagonist and antagonist; the protagonists always enjoy the favor of the Heavenly Dao, possessing a halo of immortality, serendipity, and charm. In essence, they are like indestructible cockroaches, always turning danger into safety; even if they fall off a cliff, they can¡¯t die and will somehow find a divine technique or meet an old man who teaches them martial arts. Their side is never short of women; as long as they are beautiful, they end up in the harem, utterly devoted to the protagonist, and, coincidentally, these women come from terrifying family backgrounds. What about the antagonists? They are always the tragic characters, squandering good opportunities, eventually losing everything, serving merely as a stepping stone for the rise of the protagonist. ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei felt that protagonists could rise only because the antagonists¡¯ schemes were downright foolish. They could use their absolute strength to kill the protagonist outright, but they always preferred to send some random minions to give experience to the protagonist. If they fattened up the protagonist and only started paying serious attention when it was too late, by then, the protagonist would have already matured and begun to rise. Xu Zimei chuckled lightly, ¡°In my previous life, I was precisely one of those foolish antagonists.¡± ¡­¡­ Now, Xu Zimei knew everything about the protagonist Chu Yang, including the little village where he currently was¡ªhe knew exactly where it was. If Xu Zimei wanted to kill Chu Yang, now would be the best opportunity; he didn¡¯t need to send any subordinates. Xu Zimei could just go directly and ask his father Xu Qingshan for help; with a Saint Vein Realm powerhouse taking action personally, it wouldn¡¯t matter if Chu Yang were the protagonist, even ten lives wouldn¡¯t be enough. A protagonist¡¯s luck does offer them protection, but even that protection has its limits. If there were no limits to that protection, the protagonist could just go directly to the major sects to court death in the early stage, confident that fate¡¯s favor would keep them alive. Then why would they need to start from the bottom and work their way up step by step toward higher levels? An attack from a Saint Vein Realm powerhouse, even if the Reincarnation Elder were there, what would it matter? There¡¯s no escape from it. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Protagonist Appears Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Protagonist Appears Qingyang Village was located at the eastern edge of the Extreme West Region, within the vast mountains and rivers governed by the True Martial Holy Sect. As the sun rose in the east and the sky began to brighten, a large group of youngsters got up early. Led by the strongest person in the village, Coach Mo, they began their morning physical training on the square in front of the village. Coach Mo was the strongest person in Qingyang Village and also the only Vein Practitioner at the ninth layer of the Spirit Vein Realm in the village. He had a broad back and a sturdy waist, with muscles bulging high on his body. He wore a black tank top, and his hair was the explosive kind, all messy on top of his head. At this moment, he stood in front of these youngsters and said loudly, ¡°You must understand that you are not the offspring of big families. You don¡¯t have superior Cultivation Techniques, nor do you start with the aid of various Pills. The only thing you can rely on is yourselves, and the only thing you can do is to work hard. Apart from hard work, it¡¯s still hard work. A strong person is made of ninety-nine percent effort and one percent talent. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± all the youngsters shouted in unison. At this moment, they were squatting in horse stance, their little cheeks flushed red, but their eyes were filled with hope and desire for the future and the Martial Path. ¡­¡­ In the last row of these youngsters, there was also a boy who looked much frailer than the others. At this moment, the boy was gritting his teeth, his face pale, persisting in holding the horse stance, unwilling to give up easily. The boy wore a coarse white garment patched up with stitches, featuring a handsome face that, from the side, somewhat resembled arched eyebrows and starry eyes. His gaze was determined, showing a stubbornness not commonly seen in his peers. Next to this boy stood a girl with long hair cascading down her back, her skin fairer than snow, with red lips and white teeth, and a high-bridged nose. Especially her eyes, which were like a clear spring¡ªso captivating that they could make all things pale in comparison. Although the girl wore a cheap white shirt, it still could not hide her stunning appearance. She was young yet already stood tall and graceful like a slim and delicate jade. ¡°Chu Yang brother, are you okay?¡± The girl, seeing the boy¡¯s stubborn perseverance, couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern. ¡°Xiao¡¯er, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± the boy named Chu Yang managed a forced smile and shook his head. However, just as the boy¡¯s words fell, his body suddenly went limp and he collapsed to the ground. ¡°Chu Yang brother, take a rest for a while,¡± the girl hurriedly helped Chu Yang and sat down with him under the big tree nearby. At that moment, the youngsters in the square, upon seeing this scene, felt a sense of imbalanced envy in their hearts. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Baili Xiao, with such good conditions, would take a fancy to a piece of trash like Chu Yang.¡± A youngster beside complained in a low voice. After all, this girl named Baili Xiao was the goddess in the hearts of all the youngsters in Qingyang Village, but she only had eyes for Chu Yang and ignored other boys, treating them with extreme coldness. ¡°Exactly,¡± another youngster joined in, ¡°If she followed me, my family has several cows; we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food and drink for a lifetime. As for Chu Yang, he¡¯s been an orphan since childhood, surviving only on the charity of the villagers. Plus, he¡¯s always been a sick child, frail and weak, the epitome of a useless person.¡± The youngsters in the square suddenly broke into a cacophony of discussion, while Coach Mo beside frowned slightly, looking at the disorderly scene. His voice contained an undertone of Spiritual Energy as he shouted loudly, ¡°What are you all chattering about? Are you too relaxed? Later, everyone will run ten laps around the village for me.¡± After hearing Coach Mo¡¯s words, the youngsters in the square immediately quieted down, their faces filled with bitterness. ¡°Next, I will demonstrate a set of Fierce Tiger Fist for you. Make sure you watch carefully. This Fierce Tiger Fist is a Yellow Tier Vein Skill. I will only demonstrate it once,¡± Coach Mo said proudly. He was well aware that for these youngsters, who were just starting to walk the Martial Path, it was important not only to make them understand the hardship of martial cultivation but also to give them some hope and temptation in proper measure. Under the astonished and curious gaze of all the youths, Coach Mo puffed out his chest and raised his head, his right hand clenched into a fist, with spiritual energy surging around him. His entire presence seemed to morph into that of a fierce tiger, with a faint yellow glow enveloping his fist. Then, with a light shout, he soared into the air and brutally struck the rock beside him. With a ¡°boom,¡± the rock burst apart, dust flying everywhere. Coach Mo let out a long breath, walked proudly to the front, and said, ¡°Whoever among you is the first to complete the body tempering and advance to the Spirit Vein Realm, I will teach them this Fierce Tiger Fist.¡± Hearing this, the youths in the arena boiled with enthusiasm, their eyes blazing with a competitive fire. ¡­¡­¡­ Just then, a youth pointed to the sky and said while looking up, ¡°Coach Mo, there¡¯s someone flying in the sky.¡± ¡°Stop messing around,¡± Coach Mo gave the youth a glare. A vein practitioner capable of flight, that would have to be a powerhouse at the Empty Vein Realm at least. When Coach Mo was young, he had served in Mysterious Yuan City; he was a patroller of the city¡¯s walls, intimidating in his days. No matter where he went, those stall vendors who saw him would flee in panic, scared witless. Well, a city patroller also had another nickname, urban management officer. He had seen the world too, but even in Mysterious Yuan City, the strongest was only at the True Vein Realm. The Empty Vein Realm was still a large tier away, an existence he had never seen in his life. ¡­¡­ The youth said aggrievedly, ¡°It¡¯s true, I¡¯m not lying to you.¡± Coach Mo was about to reprimand the youth again when he suddenly felt a powerful pressure descending from the sky. He quickly turned around, his scalp tingling. A woman was seen slowly descending from the sky. This woman¡¯s aura was tumultuous, boundless in his perception, inscrutable. ¡°May I know the purpose of this honored guest¡¯s visit to our Qingyang Village?¡± Coach Mo hurriedly stepped forward to greet her. ¡°Is this Qingyang Village?¡± Xiao Yuexuan asked uncertainly. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Coach Mo quickly nodded. ¡°Then do you recognize a woman named Xiao Qingya?¡± Xiao Yuexuan¡¯s voice was cold, yet held a hint of hope. ¡°Xiao Qingya, that sounds vaguely familiar,¡± Coach Mo pondered aloud. ¡°You should have an impression. She lived here decades ago,¡± Xiao Yuexuan promptly added. ¡°Oh, I remember now,¡± Coach Mo slapped his forehead, enlightened. ¡°Where is she?¡± Xiao Yuexuan asked anxiously. ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Coach Mo said solemnly. ¡°Dead,¡± Xiao Yuexuan was somewhat dazed, visibly trembling as she took a step back, her complexion pale, ¡°How could she be dead!¡± ¡°Oh, right, she left behind a daughter,¡± Coach Mo suddenly added. ¡°Can¡¯t you just say everything all at once?¡± Xiao Yuexuan glared at Coach Mo, her presence overwhelming like a torrent. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Eternal Ancient, Only I Am Invincible Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Eternal Ancient, Only I Am Invincible ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Coach Mo nodded eagerly, addressing the girl resting under the tree, ¡°Baili Xiao, come here quickly, someone is looking for you.¡± The girl seemed timid, looking towards the boy beside her; it was only under the encouragement reflected in his eyes that she slowly stepped forward. ¡°Baili Xiao, with a compound surname Baili, sister, you really can¡¯t forget that man,¡± Xiao Yuexuan murmured in a low voice. ¡°The resemblance is striking,¡± she said, looking at the girl who walked in front of her, asking with concern, ¡°Is your mother called Xiao Qingya?¡± ¡°Are you Aunt Yuexuan?¡± after pondering for a moment, Baili Xiao suddenly asked. ¡°You know me? Did your mother mention me to you before she passed away?¡± Xiao Yuexuan nodded rapidly, asking excitedly. ¡°Mother often talked about you before she passed away, saying that she missed you very much,¡± Baili Xiao nodded, replying in a soft voice. ¡°Your mother and I were orphaned at a young age, reliant only on each other for survival. However, at that time, I was single-mindedly focused on the martial path and always wanted to join the True Martial Holy Sect. I stubbornly left Qingyang Village and lost contact with her,¡± Xiao Yuexuan¡¯s eyes moistened slightly as she looked at the coarse linen the girl wore, stating firmly, ¡°Now that your aunt has achieved success in her cultivation and is the Sixth Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect, I can protect you. Would you be willing to go to the True Martial Holy Sect with me?¡± Baili Xiao hesitated, her gaze shifting to the boy next to her, her eyes full of struggle. ¡°What are you hesitating for? Say yes quickly,¡± Coach Mo urged anxiously from the side. These young boys and girls were still too young to understand what the True Martial Holy Sect meant. But he understood, it was a great opportunity that was nothing short of ascending to the heavens! The True Martial Holy Sect was the absolute dominator of the Extreme West Region, ruling over thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, and even on the Yuan Central Continent it was one of the top powers. Moreover, her position within the True Martial Holy Sect seemed quite high. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Xiao¡¯er,¡± Chu Yang¡¯s face was somewhat pale, but he still encouraged her with a forced smile, ¡°Once you get to the True Martial Holy Sect, you must cultivate diligently. I will come to find you when I have time.¡± ¡°Brother Chu Yang, you must come find me,¡± the girl¡¯s voice carried a sobbing tone, even a hint of pleading. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely will,¡± the boy¡¯s voice was firm, giving off an irresistible confidence. Baili Xiao nodded firmly and then turned to Xiao Yuexuan, saying, ¡°Aunt, I am willing to go with you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Xiao Yuexuan smiled with satisfaction and, looking at the boy next to her, she asked with interest, ¡°Your name is Chu Yang?¡± ¡°Yes, senior,¡± Chu Yang nodded, replying somewhat nervously. ¡°Take this bottle of pills,¡± Xiao Yuexuan said as she took a small bottle of pills out of her Storage Ring and handed it to Chu Yang. Inside this bottle were three pills, all crystal clear and of particularly good appearance. ¡°What do you mean by this, senior?¡± Chu Yang didn¡¯t take the pills but instead frowned and asked. He was somewhat repelled by such an act inside his heart; what was this, charity? ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of it. I¡¯m not belittling you or looking down on anything, I¡¯m just stating a fact objectively,¡± Xiao Yuexuan spoke softly, ¡°Xiao¡¯er is leaving Qingyang Village and will follow me back to the True Martial Holy Sect. It is a world beyond your imagination. To put it bluntly, from now on, you will not be from the same world. I can see she has feelings for you. If you wish to find her at the True Martial Holy Sect, you will need some resources. This pill can perform Marrow Cleansing and Body Tempering; consider it a meeting gift from an elder. If you indeed achieve something in the future and come to find her at the True Martial Holy Sect, I won¡¯t oppose it.¡± Hearing Xiao Yuexuan¡¯s words, Chu Yang fell silent for a moment. He knew her words sounded polite, but it was just an attempt not to hurt his pride. In the end, he simply looked down upon himself, believing he would never be worthy of Xiao¡¯er. At that moment, Chu Yang really wanted to shout at the other person, ¡°Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, do not bully the poor just because they¡¯re young.¡± But ultimately, he remained silent, he didn¡¯t shout. The reason was simple, why should he? What right did he have to utter such a phrase? He wasn¡¯t the protagonist of this world, nor did he have a grandfather or any magical aids. He was just an orphan who had lost both parents, just a very ordinary young man in this average little mountain village. When he shouted those words in such a status, others wouldn¡¯t look at him with new respect. Instead, they would think him naive, immature, or even ridiculous. ¡°Brother Chu Yang, just take it,¡± Baili Xiao persuaded him from the side. She knew that Chu Yang had been weak since childhood, and these few pills might be able to completely transform him. ¡°Alright,¡± Chu Yang eventually lifted his head, squeezing out a smile at the girl, and slowly accepted the pills. Xiao Yuexuan smiled satisfactorily. She wasn¡¯t actually interested in the young man before her. The reason she did this was simply to leave a good impression on Baili Xiao, since they had never met before, and such a sudden encounter would always feel a bit awkward. As for this young man named Chu Yang, she didn¡¯t take him to heart at all. Once Baili Xiao went to the True Martial Holy Sect, and saw that broader world, met more outstanding young talents, she would understand that the things she was insisting on now were utterly meaningless. ¡­¡­¡­ Outstanding people always end up with other outstanding individuals. ¡°People change,¡± Xiao Yuexuan firmly believed in this saying. She glanced at Coach Mo nearby, waved her right hand, and a pile of pills and books appeared on the ground. ¡°These cultivation techniques, Vein Skills, and pills are my way of expressing thanks to Qingyang Village,¡± said Xiao Yuexuan indifferently. ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± Coach Mo excitedly rushed to give his thanks. He looked at the pile of pills on the ground with excitement, knowing that with his current ninth level of the Spirit Vein Realm, the Condensing Vein Realm was within reach. Although he hadn¡¯t looked at the pills yet, Coach Mo understood that with her status, she definitely wouldn¡¯t give just some ordinary pills. ¡­¡­¡­ Xiao Yuexuan grabbed Baili Xiao¡¯s arm, soared into the sky, and headed off toward the True Martial Holy Sect, their robes fluttering. ¡°Brother Chu Yang, I will wait for you,¡± the girl¡¯s shouting voice echoed in mid-air. Chu Yang only felt a hollowness in his heart, as if something precious had been lost. He stood stupefied, watching the girl¡¯s receding figure, his mind filled with images of her past smiles. ¡­¡­¡­ Rain began to drizzle from the sky, and Chu Yang looked up, regarding the suddenly overcast heavens, and trudged home in a daze. That dilapidated little wooden house, whenever it rained, would leak everywhere. And so, he just sat blankly on the bed in his room, seemingly lost in thought. ¡­¡­ ¡°Eternal and invincible,¡± an old voice suddenly rang in his ears. ¡°Who? Who¡¯s there?¡± Chu Yang was startled and quickly scanned around the room. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Ten Pulse Fruit Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Ten Pulse Fruit ¡°Boy, stop searching, I am inside the ring you¡¯re wearing,¡± the ancient voice said. ¡°Ring?¡± Chu Yang was startled and quickly looked at the ring in his hand, noticing that the simple ring was now emitting a faint blue glow. This ring was left by his mother before she passed away, telling him only that it was a family heirloom, without ever mentioning its use. Therefore, Chu Yang had always kept the ring close, as a token of remembrance for his parents. Chu Yang looked at the ring in amazement and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± He wasn¡¯t panicked; he knew he was just an ordinary person, with nothing of value for others to covet. ¡°You may call me Ink Elder,¡± the voice from the ring came again, with a hint of admiration, ¡°The True Martial Holy Sect, ah, the sect founded by that True Martial fellow, was indeed quite remarkable.¡± ¡°Ink Elder,¡± Chu Yang pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°Elder, why are you hidden inside this ring?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you should know now,¡± Ink Elder said, ¡°Do you want to become a cut above the rest? Do you want to be with your childhood sweetheart forever? I can help you!¡± ¡°How can you help?¡± Chu Yang asked with a tense expression. The old man did not reply but smiled, and a pale blue book flew out from the ring. The book appeared worn and ancient, its corners slightly curled, its yellowed cover inscribed with a few bold characters. Step Battle Immortal Jue! ¡°What is this?¡± Chu Yang felt an overwhelming fighting spirit bursting forth from those bold characters, as though a vision unfolded before him. A man stood at the zenith of the heavens, battling heaven and earth, slaying gods and demons, with a sky full of yellow sand and an expanse of white bones behind him. ¡°¡®Step Battle Immortal Jue,¡¯ the Cultivation Technique practiced by the thirty-seventh Great Emperor of the Era of Emperors, the Step Battle Great Emperor,¡± Ink Elder¡¯s voice carried an unyielding momentum, replying earnestly, word by word. The young man stared at the book before him, his pupils dilated suddenly, his mind went blank, feeling a sense of arrogance that seemed to scorn the Eternal Ancient. ¡­¡­ Atop Goose Southern Peak, Xu Zimei received the message from a servant that his mother, Wenren Yun, had returned to the True Martial Holy Sect and asked him to go to Azure Mountain Peak. His mother¡¯s family, the Wenren Family, was not located in the Eastern Continent but far away in the Northern Continent. The Wenren Family was also an especially vast clan, with a status on the Northern Continent that was only slightly inferior to that of the True Martial Holy Sect. This time, for his sake, his mother went back to her family to ask for the Ten-Vein Fruit, which must not have been easy. The Ten-Vein Fruit was a Cosmos Tier spiritual fruit, flowering once every thousand years, bearing fruit every thousand years, and then waiting another thousand years to mature. One has to wait a full three thousand years to taste it, and a single tree bears no more than ten fruits at most. ¡­ When Xu Zimei returned to Azure Mountain Peak, besides his father Xu Qingshan, there was also a woman present. The woman was dressed in a vivid red robe that swept the ground, fanning out around her. Her black hair was pinned up behind her head, adorned with delicate and unique jewelry. Although his mother was several hundred years old, she seemed untouched by the passage of time. Her face was more delicate than white snow, only showing extra indulgence upon seeing Xu Zimei arrive. ¡°Mo Er, come to your mother,¡± Wenren Yun embraced Xu Zimei, kissed him gently on the face, and asked with a smile, ¡°Did you miss me while I was gone these past few days?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m already fifteen, can¡¯t you stop kissing me all the time?¡± Xu Zimei responded helplessly. ¡°What? Are you feeling shy?¡± Wenren Yun looked at him with amusement in her eyes, ¡°Let me tell you, no matter how old you are, you are still my son.¡± Confronted with his mother¡¯s cure-all response, Xu Zimei could not help but feel speechless. ¡°This is the Ten-Vein Fruit that Mother has gone to great lengths to obtain for you. It will be of great help to your cultivation,¡± Wenren Yun said as she handed a fruit over to Xu Zimei. The fruit was the size of a fist, translucent and sparkling, with a strange power swirling inside it. The Ten-Vein Fruit didn¡¯t directly increase strength, but its effects made many people drool with envy, desiring it but unable to obtain it. ¡­ It is well known that there are twelve Vein Gates hidden within the human body. Once all twelve Vein Gates are opened, one can transcend the limitations of one¡¯s species, achieving a sublime state of body with unimaginable longevity and power. The so-called cultivation, in fact, is simply the process of continuously opening these Vein Gates, thereby embarking on the path to transcendence. Opening the Vein Gates is a difficult process, especially in the later stages, where it becomes even more challenging to achieve. The function of the Ten-Vein Fruit is to help living beings open their Vein Gates more easily. After consuming the Ten-Vein Fruit, the power contained within will divide into ten parts and then hide around the first ten Vein Gates within a person¡¯s body. When you need to open a Vein Gate, these hidden powers will burst forth instantly, clearing your meridians with overwhelming force and providing you with more strength to open the Vein Gates. Of course, the power of the Ten-Vein Fruit can only affect the first ten Vein Gates; it cannot reach the last two, which are too profound and elusive. ¡­¡­ The human body is a creation of complexity. The twelve Vein Gates are hidden throughout the body, and their names are: ¡°Lun Quan, Xuan Gu, Zhao Yingfeng. Kun Hai, Illusion Blood, Muhuansong. Lin Que, Cheng An, Shen Poxu. Bi Yuan, Enlighten, Xin Duankong.¡± ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei took the Ten-Vein Fruit and nodded heavily in response. He remembered his previous life when, after his fall into Secluded Dragon Gorge, his mother, like his father, delved into the Demonic Path seeking revenge for him, an ending that was lamentable. ¡­¡­ ¡°Father, there¡¯s something I need to discuss with you,¡± Xu Zimei fell silent for a moment, then breaking his train of thought, he said. ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Qingshan looked up slightly and asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in Heavenly Sword City, there¡¯s a family called the Chang Family. This family has been established there for five hundred years. Their roots run deep, but their people are known for their arrogant and overbearing ways, for extorting wealth from the populace, and for their myriad of evil deeds. The City Lord sent by the Imperial Dynasty has been rendered powerless, and even the branch of our True Martial Holy Sect established there is taken lightly by them.¡± ¡°You rarely venture beyond the Sect Gate, where did you hear such news?¡± Xu Qingshan asked in surprise and suspicion: ¡°Has this Chang Family offended you?¡± ¡°Offended me?¡± Xu Zimei shook his head. In this life, he had not yet met anyone from that family, so there was no talk of being offended. But what about his previous life? Moreover, setting aside his own grudge against that family, there was something within that family he absolutely had to obtain. ¡°Our True Martial Holy Sect governs the mountains and rivers of this Extreme West Region, which means all the people within these lands are our subjects. Now that so many of our subjects are oppressed by this family, I think it¡¯s necessary to impose a sanction,¡± Xu Zimei thought for a moment, then said. Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Dog Food Galore Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Dog Food Galore ¡°Bullshit,¡± Xu Qingshan said sternly, ¡°You hardly ever go out. Where did you get such news? And even if we were to punish them, we would need evidence to proceed. As the dominators of the Extreme West Region, it¡¯s all the more reason for our True Martial Holy Sect to set an example and not leave others under the impression that we use our power to bully people.¡± Xu Qingshan was feeling quite infuriated inside. He did not want his son to turn into a spoiled scion, who would misbehave relying on his father¡¯s reputation. ¡°Mom, dad is scolding me,¡± Xu Zimei quickly said, looking pitifully at his mother when he saw he couldn¡¯t win over his father. ¡°Can¡¯t you speak nicely, what are you scolding your son for?¡± Wenren Yun stepped forward, grabbed Xu Qingshan¡¯s ear without any concern, and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a small family. If you¡¯re worried about ruining your reputation, I¡¯ll personally extinguish them.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you¡¯d give me face in public? Let go,¡± Xu Qingshan quickly stood up, complaining, ¡°What does a woman understand?¡± ¡°Oh, so you despise me now?¡± Wenren Yun instantly got angry and started to make a scene, ¡°Now you despise your wife, but back then, why did you chase after me? Who was it that lurked around my house all day, hoping for a glimpse of me? Don¡¯t think that I didn¡¯t know. If it wasn¡¯t for your sincerity, why would I agree to be with you?¡± ¡°Stop talking, our son is here. Can¡¯t we talk about this after we go back?¡± Xu Qingshan hurriedly covered Wenren Yun¡¯s mouth with his hand, pleading urgently. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do, I want to speak,¡± Wenren Yun slapped away Xu Qingshan¡¯s hand, crying more bitterly as she felt more wronged, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve chased me and caught me, you start to despise me. Hmph, all men are pigs.¡± Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Xu Qingshan decided to forcibly stabilize the scene. He wrapped his arms around Wenren Yun¡¯s head and kissed her fiercely. Then, they saw Wenren Yun, who was just making a fuss, instantly quiet down as the two of them began to kiss passionately, forgetting themselves. Xu Zimei was full of black lines, ¡°Hey, you two, there¡¯s still a living person here. Can you please be considerate of my feelings?¡± ¡°Get lost already. What crappy family. I¡¯ll just have the Black Guard go with you to deal with it later,¡± Xu Qingshan said without turning around, impatiently waving him away. Then Xu Zimei saw his mother slightly raising her right hand and waving at him. ¡°Holy shit, who was it just now talking about needing evidence for everything and considering the Sect¡¯s image? How come it¡¯s all changed so quickly,¡± Xu Zimei left Azure Mountain Peak, feeling dejected after being force-fed a mouthful of dog food. ¡°Men!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ After returning to Goose Southern Peak, Xu Zimei resumed his cultivation. He consumed the Ten-Vein Fruit given to him by his mother, prepared to break through to the Spirit Vein Realm. The standard for advancing to the Spirit Vein Realm was to open the first Vein Gate, ¡°Lun Quan.¡± After consuming the Ten-Vein Fruit, Xu Zimei felt a particularly warm power flowing within his body, then it began to lurk in various parts of his body. The location of the first Vein Gate, Lun Quan, was on the back of each person¡¯s left hand, and opening it was no challenge for Xu Zimei. He directly mobilized the energy within the mysterious orb, and with the increasing cultivation of the Divine Vein Realm, he broke through effortlessly as if it was uninhabited territory. Fusing with the power of the Ten-Vein Fruit, Lun Quan was opened directly. Xu Zimei only felt a sense of clarity washing over him, as if his brain had become much clearer. Spiritual Energy surged within his body, and a pattern resembling Tai Ji appeared on the position of his left hand. However, this pattern was transparent in color and did not have the black and white ¡®S¡¯ delineation. Outside the pattern was a pale blue circle, and inside was a point of light. When he used his strength, there was a ¡°bang,¡± and the Vein Gate opened. A few centimeters above the back of his left hand in the air, a pattern appeared, identical to the one on his hand but enlarged. This was the vision manifested upon opening the Vein Gate. ¡­¡­¡­ After activating Lun Quan and entering the first level of the Spirit Vein Realm, Xu Zimei didn¡¯t immediately halt his progress. He continued to channel this energy, pushing his realm upward again. Spirit Vein Realm first level, Spirit Vein Realm second level, ¡­¡­¡­ Spirit Vein Realm ninth level. It wasn¡¯t until he was close to advancing to the Condensing Vein Realm that he gradually stopped. This rocket-like ascension speed was also the confidence that Xu Zimei had in advancing to the Divine Vein Realm within a year. In the following period, he would start polishing his foundation, stabilizing this overly substantial growth. Then, he would prepare to advance to the Condensing Vein Realm. ¡­¡­¡­ Early the next day, Lin Ruhu also arrived at Goose Southern Peak. Yesterday, with the help of his grandfather, he had begun the cultivation of tempering his body. Xu Zimei glanced at Lin Ruhu, who still had a candy in his mouth and was carelessly wiping his runny nose. He asked helplessly, ¡°What cultivation technique did you choose from the Scripture Pavilion yesterday?¡± ¡°My grandfather chose for me, the True Martial Great Emperor¡¯s ¡®True Martial Sword Jue¡¯,¡± Lin Ruhu replied. ¡°That technique isn¡¯t suitable for you,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head. Because of his past life experiences, he knew precisely which path was best suited for Lin Ruhu. Lin Ruhu was more fit for the path of strength, that simple, brutish way where physical combat was more savage. The True Martial Sword Jue was too delicate and not quite suitable for him. ¡°Should I go back and change it?¡± Lin Ruhu inquired. ¡°No need, there¡¯s no Great Emperor¡¯s Technique suitable for you in the True Martial Holy Sect at the moment,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head, ¡°I do have a technique here that would suit you, but you must promise me one thing. You must not reveal the source of the technique to anyone, even if your grandfather asks, you just say it came from your own fortune and not disclose my involvement.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zimo brother,¡± Lin Ruhu affirmed. Xu Zimei nodded. In fact, he had great trust in Lin Ruhu, and this was just a reminder, just in case. He didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about his reincarnation. ¡­.. Xu Zimei picked up a pen and began to write extensively on a piece of paper. He wrote it according to his memories from his past life, and the cultivation technique¡¯s name was simple, just two characters: ¡°Force Jue.¡± The founder of Force Jue was the Tyrant Emperor. The Tyrant Emperor was the sixth Great Emperor of the Era of Emperors and also the first emperor from the Beast Race. His true form was a brown bear that contained the bloodline of the Wild Desolation. In that era, it was with its pair of iron fists that it battered its way to the very summit of the Firmament. In its own words, there was nothing in this world that couldn¡¯t be solved with one punch; if there was, then two punches would suffice. Ultimately, it carried the mantle of Destiny and became a Great Emperor. The ¡°Force Jue¡± that it cultivated also became the coveted technique of countless strength cultivators thereafter. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15: A Length of 10 Miles of Empty Space Chapter 15: Chapter 15: A Length of 10 Miles of Empty Space Lin Ruhu¡¯s eyes brightened after reading the Cultivation Technique written down by Xu Zimei. After reading it once, he felt a flicker of excitement. He felt that the method of cultivation was perfectly suited for him. Previously, he had no interest in cultivation, and even the Cultivation Techniques were chosen by his grandfather. But now, having seen the Cultivation Technique given by Xu Zimei, his heart unexpectedly stirred with eagerness. ¡­¡­ The practice of ¡°Force Jue¡± required the fresh blood of countless Monster Beasts to be infused into the body, and these Monster Beasts had to be known for their strength. ¡­ At noon, a bald man dressed in black arrived at Xu Zimei¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Subordinate Black Thirteen obeys the Deputy Sect Master¡¯s orders to accompany the young master to Heavenly Sword City,¡± said the bald man. Dressed in black, with a sturdy build and a deep scar on his face, topped with his bald head, he exuded an especially fierce and menacing aura. ¡°Black Thirteen, he must be one of the men from my father¡¯s Black Guard,¡± Xu Zimei pondered. Then, he said to Lin Ruhu, ¡°Ruhu, go to the mission hall and issue a mission. As for the mission content, just write it as accompanying me to Heavenly Sword City. The mission reward will be ten Spirit Crystals per person, requiring no more than three individuals, and their cultivation must be at least at the Condensing Vein Realm or above. We¡¯ll set out in three hours.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Ruhu nodded and then went to the mission hall. ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei looked at the Black Thirteen standing before him and asked with interest, ¡°What is your cultivation level?¡± ¡°Subordinate is at the Empty Vein Realm,¡± Black Thirteen touched his shiny bald head and said naively. Touching his chin, Xu Zimei said, ¡°If there are no surprises, then the strongest person in the Chang Family would only be at the True Vein Realm, having opened up just three Vein Gates.¡± ¡­¡­ In the afternoon, Lin Ruhu returned from the mission hall, bringing three people with him. Two men and one woman. Among them, one man and the woman had Condensing Vein Realm cultivation, and the other man dressed in a green robe was of the True Vein Realm. ¡°Junior Brother Zimo,¡± the three greeted him immediately upon their meeting and introduced themselves. The man and the woman were named Tang Huaiyuan and Xiao Yu, respectively, and the young man at the True Vein Realm was named Feng Buyu. ¡°I thank you all for this time,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. The group hastily waved their hands, humbly dismissing the thanks. ¡­¡­ Afterward, the party went to the Sect¡¯s Beast Taming Pavilion and hired several first-order Monster Beasts known as Desert Flying Horses, and they set off mightily towards Heavenly Sword City. Among them, only Black Thirteen, who had reached the Empty Vein Realm, was able to fly on his own, the others needed to travel by Monster Beast. ¡­¡­ When they left the Sect, Xu Zimei felt something and looked up into the sky. He saw Sixth Elder Xiao Yuexuan flying overhead with a young girl, who also seemed to sense something and looked down, locking eyes with Xu Zimei. ¡°Oh, the plot is starting,¡± Xu Zimei smiled slightly, ¡°Baili Xiao, welcome to the True Martial Holy Sect!¡± ¡­ After traveling for a while, they arrived at a small village by evening and decided to stay there for the night. ¡°Hundred Desolate Village,¡± Xu Zimei looked at the name on the stone stele in front of the village and said with a laugh, ¡°Interesting, truly interesting.¡± The person greeting them was the village chief, a middle-aged man wearing a black beastskin vest. ¡°I¡¯m the chief of this Hundred Desolate Village. You can just call me Wang Tao,¡± the middle-aged man said boldly. He then led Xu Zimei and his companions towards his home, while many villagers curiously peeked at these strangers from in front of their houses. ¡°` ¡­¡­ After declining the dinner Wang Ta had prepared for everyone, the group all returned to their rooms. ¡°I always feel there is something strange about this village,¡± Feng Buyu said, frowning as he spoke first. ¡°What¡¯s strange about it?¡± Lin Ruhu asked curiously. ¡°I also sense something is off, but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it,¡± the only woman in the team, Xiao Yu, also spoke up. ¡°Why think so much about it, let¡¯s all just go to sleep early,¡± Xu Zimei said with a light laugh before heading outside the house. ¡°Brother Zimo, where are you going?¡± Lin Ruhu asked curiously. ¡°I am just going out for a walk,¡± Xu Zimei turned his head and said to Black Thirteen beside him: ¡°Thirteen, you don¡¯t need to follow me, I am confident about my safety.¡± ¡­¡­ After leaving the room, Xu Zimei walked towards the western edge of the village. Walking on the cobblestone path, a soft breeze gently came through, and there were sporadic lights on in the houses on both sides. Xu Zimei arrived at the west end of the village, where there was a small shop. A yellow flag was planted on a wooden board above the door, with several black characters written on it. ¡°Ten-Mile Blacksmith Shop.¡± By now it was late, and dim yellow halos radiated from the light bulbs inside the shop. A man in a black shirt was still busy inside the shop. His figure was not burly; in fact, he was rather lean. In his left hand he held an unfinished longsword, and in his other hand was a hammer. Each heavy fall of the hammer sounded with a ¡°thud.¡± The man continued to hammer away tirelessly; if one were to watch for a while, they would notice a rhythm to his strikes. Xu Zimei sat on a stone stool outside the blacksmith shop, watching the blacksmith with great interest. The blacksmith worked briskly, placing the completed model into the furnace to heat. After a while, without using anything to protect his hands, he took the now red-hot iron sword out. He blew on it gently a few times, then placed the iron sword into the water trough beside. A ¡°popping¡± sound was heard as wisps of white steam rose from the water. The water around the iron sword began to bubble and boil. ¡­¡­ ¡°Do you want to learn?¡± the blacksmith suddenly turned, looking at Xu Zimei and asked. ¡°You cannot teach me,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, shaking his head in response. The blacksmith did not argue; he took the iron sword from the water and headed back inside. ¡°Even if you are a Sword Venerable, it would still be impossible,¡± Xu Zimei suddenly said. The blacksmith¡¯s steps halted, and he slowly turned around. Those eyes seemed to explode with countless longswords, sword qi crisscrossing, the aura intensifying bit by bit as he stared intently at Xu Zimei. ¡°I am very curious; why would the Sword Venerable Shili Changkong choose to live in such a small village, becoming an ordinary blacksmith?¡± Xu Zimei said as if unaffected by the looming pressure emanating from the other side. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Shili Changkong responded, his voice magnetic and indifferent. ¡­¡­ ¡°I think, I can help you,¡± Xu Zimei said. He knew that Shili Changkong was currently lost because he had already opened five Vein Gates and reached the realm of a Sword Venerable. The next step would be to forge his own path on the Martial Way, but he was stuck there. He was hesitant about the Sword Dao he had been obsessed with for half his life, unsure of which path to choose, or rather, which path suited him best. ¡°` Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Massacre of the Village Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Massacre of the Village ¡°How can I help?¡± Shili Changkong didn¡¯t question and asked indifferently. ¡°I have here a ¡®Heaven-singing Sword Jue¡¯ that Emperor Yintian cultivated, and the ¡®Three Talents Sword Formation¡¯ left by the Three Talents Great Emperor,¡± Xu Zimei said slowly. What Shili Changkong was lacking now was experience, the absence of a path laid down by predecessors. Don¡¯t think that Xu Zimei could casually mention several Great Emperor¡¯s Techniques; their preciousness is unimaginable. At least someone of Shili Changkong¡¯s realm had never come into contact with a Great Emperor¡¯s Technique. This just conformed to the old saying, ¡°Ten years of hard work can¡¯t compare to being born into a good family.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°What are the conditions?¡± Shili Changkong naturally knew there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. ¡°I¡¯m planning to establish a power and would like to invite you to manage it,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Impossible, I will not be your subordinate,¡± Shili Changkong shook his head decisively, ¡°My Sword Dao is indomitable, and if I really were to submit myself to others, my heart would not be clear, and what then of the path of the Sword Dao?¡± ¡°The way of the sword should possess an unyielding sharpness but also the restraint of returning to the scabbard,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Just like being a person, sometimes you have to stand upright, while sometimes you need to bow and scrape.¡± Watching Shili Changkong¡¯s contemplative gaze, Xu Zimei continued, ¡°Perhaps for some people on the Martial Path, it truly is about moving forward bravely without backing down. Just like the Great Emperor of the Three Blades from the past, he took an extreme path ¨C for him, there was no such thing as defense. Even if he were to fall under someone else¡¯s blade, he would never back down, and his blades never knew fear. But you¡¯re definitely not an extreme person like the Great Emperor of the Three Blades, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be hiding in this small village, content to be a blacksmith. Your sword should be able to advance or retreat freely, its sheath ready to split the heavens with sharpness, and once returned, it should conceal its brilliance and return to simplicity.¡± Hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Shili Changkong¡¯s inner resolve began to waver, and he pondered for a long time. It felt as though he had grasped something, but at the same time, he was even more confused. ¡­¡­ ¡°I will leave tomorrow. The opportunity is yours to take; to me, a Martial Artist of the Esteem Vein Realm is not overly scarce. It¡¯s just that passing by here, I lamented the waste of talent,¡± Xu Zimei stood up and slowly walked towards the house where he was staying. ¡°But for you, such an opportunity is not often encountered. Even if someone can bring out a Great Emperor¡¯s Technique, it¡¯s not necessarily better suited for you than these two of mine.¡± ¡­¡­ Watching Xu Zimei¡¯s receding figure, Shili Changkong furrowed his brows even more and lowered his head into deep thought for quite a while. In the dead of night, Shili Changkong stood up resolutely, picked up the iron sword he had just forged, and walked step by step towards the interior of the village. The Mad Wind kicked up dust everywhere; his figure gradually disappeared into the wind, the once thunderous reputation of the Sword Venerable seemed to have returned. ¡­¡­ A quiet night passed, and early the next day, sunlight peacefully shone down. Xu Zimei had cultivated all night and felt full of energy. ¡°It¡¯s strange, nothing happened last night,¡± Feng Buyu said. ¡°Do you still hope we run into danger?¡± Xu Zimei replied with a smile. He stretched lazily and then walked out of the house together with everyone else. No sooner had they stepped out of the house than they felt something was amiss. It was too quiet; the entire Hundred Desolate Village had plunged into deathly silence. There was a faint smell of blood in the air. Feng Buyu kicked open the doors of houses along the street, and a particularly pungent smell of blood emanated from inside. All of the villagers had been killed in their sleep the night before, including Village Chief Wang Ta who had hosted them yesterday; he too lay in a pool of blood on his bed. ¡°Everyone, they¡¯re all dead,¡± Feng Buyu said after a moment of silence. ¡°I finally understand what is amiss,¡± Xiao Yu shouted from the side, ¡°Since we arrived here last night, we haven¡¯t seen any elderly, children, or women; all the villagers are young, robust men.¡± Upon hearing Xiao Yu¡¯s words, everyone else also came to a realization. ¡°These people are definitely not ordinary villagers,¡± Feng Buyu said, frowning in thought, ¡°But who killed them then?¡± ¡°Shili Changkong, it seems you have made your choice,¡± Xu Zimei remained calm throughout. Even seeing the whole village slaughtered didn¡¯t surprise him in the slightest. He fetched a bucket of water from the village well for himself and washed up as if nothing had happened. ¡°Junior Brother Zimo, do you know something?¡± Feng Buyu asked, puzzled. He felt that Xu Zimei was too indifferent, not even frowning upon seeing so many dead people. ¡°Why concern ourselves with these matters? They¡¯re insignificant and meaningless,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, shaking his head and then walking towards the outskirts of the village. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry on our way and try to reach Heavenly Sword City by noon.¡± ¡­ Each person, lost in their own thoughts, rode their Desert Flying Horses slowly out of the village. As they were about to reach the village entrance, a man suddenly ran out from a house nearby. ¡°Save me,¡± the man, gravely injured and spitting blood continuously from his mouth, was on his last breath. Xu Zimei dismounted and walked over to the man. Noticing the pleading look in the man¡¯s eyes, he drew the Curved Blade, Tyrant Shadow, from behind him. With one strike, he split the man¡¯s body in two. The man still had a pleading expression in his eyes as he died. ¡­ Feng Buyu wanted to say something but opened his mouth and, in the end, fell silent. He thought Xu Zimei was too heartless. If they had saved the man, they might have discovered who had slaughtered the entire village. Xu Zimei killing the only survivor meant that they had lost their lead. Or was it that Xu Zimei had killed these villagers himself? But Xu Zimei had been in his room all of last night and hadn¡¯t gone out. ¡­ Xu Zimei glanced at the Tyrant Shadow, wet with blood for the first time, and sheathed it. Then, he mounted his Desert Flying Horse and galloped out of the village at a swift pace. Now, not only was Feng Buyu unable to comprehend, but Xiao Yu and Tang Huaiyuan were also utterly puzzled. Black Thirteen followed Xu Zimei quietly; he wasn¡¯t concerned with these matters. His only duty was to ensure Xu Zimei¡¯s safety. Lin Ruhu, as usual, was just a spectator, unfazed by everything. He had a very relaxed attitude. He had absolute faith in Xu Zimei, believing that whatever Xu Zimei did, there was a reason for it. If Xu Zimei wanted to tell him something, he would naturally do so; if not, Lin Ruhu wouldn¡¯t ask. ¡­ Having just left Hundred Desolate Village, they saw a man waiting for them up ahead. Shili Changkong, dressed in white, was riding a cracked brown horse, with a golden Longsword hanging at his waist. His black hair was draped over his back, his eyes sharp as swords, their penetrating gaze making it difficult for anyone to look directly at him. From a distance, he carried himself with an elegant demeanor. ¡°The people from this village were all bandits,¡± Shili Changkong explained casually. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Heavenly Sword City Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Heavenly Sword City ¡°Their identity is of no importance to me,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said, ¡°I just look at the results.¡± Xu Zimei admitted that he wasn¡¯t a bad person, but he certainly wasn¡¯t a good person either. He didn¡¯t care about the views of the common folk or the feelings of others; everything he did was simply on a whim. When in a good mood, he could rescue those he¡¯d never met before; when in a bad mood, he could even slaughter an entire city with which he had no involvement. Xu Zimei had once heard a story. An angel asked a demon, ¡°Why, when I have only killed a single person, so many criticize me. Yet you merely saved one person, and there are many singing your praises.¡± The demon said, ¡°Because you had previously saved many people, and now they can¡¯t stand the shock of you killing one. As for me, I was once a hands-drenched-in-blood broker; now that I suddenly saved one, naturally, they are happy to praise my change.¡± It was a story filled with irony. If a good person wishes to become a Buddha, they must endure countless trials and tribulations. And a bad person? They simply lay down the butcher¡¯s knife and immediately become a Buddha. ¡­ The moment Shili Changkong appeared, Black Thirteen felt a strong sense of oppression. ¡°This is a master,¡± he gripped his longsword at his waist with both hands, his spirits tense as he warily eyed the other. ¡°He¡¯s one of us, no need to be so tense,¡± Xu Zimei said to the others. ¡­ Afterward, everyone set out on horseback. Feng Buyu and others felt that Xu Zimei was too mysterious, and they couldn¡¯t see through the events this time. And who was this man who suddenly appeared? ¡­ At noon, drifting clouds obscured half the blazing sun, slightly cooling the weather, and the group finally arrived at Heavenly Sword City. This ancient city, nearly a thousand years old, sat like a colossal beast in its place. From a distance, Heavenly Sword City resembled a sword piercing the sky, its edge naked and striking, awe-inspiring. The brown city walls were several dozen meters tall; standing beneath them, one was met with an overwhelming presence, the silent walls as if narrating their past glory. ¡­ Though the True Martial Holy Sect was the overlord of the Extreme West Region, it rarely managed these cities, acting more like a supervisor most of the time. Looking down from on high at all below. In the Extreme West Region, there were two particularly vast empires. The Purple Sun Empire and the Green Wood Empire. And this Heavenly Sword City was one of the cities under the management of the Purple Sun Empire. ¡­ As the group entered the city, the streets paved with Qinggang Stone seemed somewhat crowded. Vendors on both sides hawked their wares energetically, with freshly steamed buns still emitting steam and the fragrance of just fried Monster Beast meat filling the entire street from the neighboring restaurants. Others sold various Cultivation Techniques, weapons, and pills. ¡­ When Xu Zimei had left this time, he also brought along the two Dark Heaven Tiger cubs. He and Lin Ruhu each held one, and touching the sleeping cub in his embrace, Xu Zimei smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s find an inn first!¡± ¡°Junior Brother Zimo, our True Martial Holy Sect has branch halls in every city; we can go straight to the branch hall,¡± Feng Buyu spoke. ¡°This branch hall in Heavenly Sword City seems like a mere formality,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s head to the branch hall.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ As the group was about to set off, they suddenly heard a series of urgent horse neighs nearby. Xu Zimei looked up and saw a luxurious carriage hurtling from the city gate. The second-order Monster Beast pulling the carriage, the Hummer in the snow, seemed out of control, charging forward like it had gone mad, even trampling several pedestrians to death along the way. As the carriage was about to charge at Xu Zimei and his companions, the coachman hurriedly shouted, ¡°Get out of the way, quickly get out of the way!¡± Feng Buyu¡¯s expression tightened at the side, and with ¡°bang bang bang,¡± three Vein Gates on his body opened all at once. ¡°Lun Quan, Xuan Gu, Zhao Yingfeng.¡± Feng Buyu stood at the front, his expression slightly tense, and his hands were enveloped in a yellow glow as he was the first to make a move. ¡°Vein Skills: Mixed Yuan Prajna Palm.¡± He eyed the crazed Hummer in the snow charging towards them, took a slight half step back with his right foot, and violently grabbed the reins on either side of the horse. His body shifted slightly, deflecting much of the force head-on, and then with a flick of his wrists, the horse twisted and sprinted to the right. Due to inertia, the whole horse was flung to the ground. The coachman on the carriage was thrown out as well, and the carriage behind him came crashing down, shattering to pieces. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± A troop of guards clad in black armor quickly rushed over. The leader of the guards was an elder, dressed in a black robe that shrouded his entire figure within. ¡­¡­ ¡°Ouch, I¡¯m going to die,¡± a woman¡¯s voice shouted from within the wrecked carriage. ¡°Who was it that knocked down my Hummer in the snow?¡± A woman crawled out from the carriage. The woman, appearing to be only around seventeen or eighteen, with her hair in a ponytail and dressed in a white brocade and jade gown, looked extremely willful. Feng Buyu impassively explained from the side, ¡°It was your prized horse that got frightened and charged us first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you two options,¡± the woman sized up Xu Zimei and the others, her eyes lighting up when she saw the Dark Heaven Tiger in Xu Zimei¡¯s arms, and said, ¡°Either you compensate me with that little tiger, or I¡¯ll have my men chop you up and feed you to the dogs.¡± ¡°Quite the bold words,¡± Feng Buyu scoffed coldly, ¡°Heavenly Sword City has its own laws and regulations. Is the City Lord Mansion serving no purpose but to eat its own food, allowing you to kill at will?¡± Xu Zimei gave Feng Buyu a look, thinking that this guy must only know about cultivation and be completely oblivious to the dangers of the outside world. If you are just an ordinary person and offend somebody, even if they can¡¯t kill you openly, what¡¯s to stop them from stealthily murdering you in the dead of night? ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°City Lord Mansion?¡± The woman let out a light laugh, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°You are people from the City Lord Mansion?¡± Feng Buyu glanced at the black-armored guards who had already surrounded them and finally realized the situation. By now, the surrounding vendors and residents had hastily kept their distance, chattering among themselves. ¡°These people seem to be newcomers, they don¡¯t look like they¡¯re from Heavenly Sword City.¡± ¡°Their attire appears quite decent, but sadly they¡¯ve offended the City Lord¡¯s daughter, everyone knows Zhong Ling¡¯er is a notorious shrew.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ With her hands on her hips, the woman said with an air of arrogance, ¡°Now that you know my background, you should understand what to do. Hand over those two little tigers, and I might consider sparing your lives.¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Chang Wei Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Chang Wei Feng Buyu¡¯s gaze turned to Xu Zimei, waiting for his orders. ¡°That¡¯s enough, what¡¯s the point of arguing with a little girl? Let¡¯s find a place to stay first,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and turned to leave towards one side of the street. ¡°Hey, did I say you could leave?¡± Zhong Ling¡¯er hurriedly grew anxious as she watched Xu Zimei and his companions about to depart. ¡°Little girl, you should know when to stop,¡± Xu Zimei turned his head and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you. Otherwise, not to mention if your father is the City Lord, even the Monarch of the Zi Yang Empire would be of no use.¡± Zhong Ling¡¯er¡¯s tone stalled, and she was actually frightened by Xu Zimei¡¯s words. She quickly turned her head towards the black-robed elder and said, ¡°Uncle Liang, this guy is bullying me.¡± However, the black-robed elder simply shook his head slightly at Zhong Ling¡¯er and pondered as he watched the backs of Xu Zimei and his group leaving. By this time, a pair of guards had already surrounded Xu Zimei and his people. When Xu Zimei was leaving, he was blocked by those guards. ¡°Step aside,¡± Xu Zimei said indifferently. But the guards remained unmoved, only glancing at Zhong Ling¡¯er, as without the young lady¡¯s command, they would not let them pass. At this moment, a dazzling slash of blade light flashed across the sky, and before the crowd even saw Xu Zimei draw his sword, the heads of several guards rolled onto the ground. Feng Buyu¡¯s pupils contracted, ¡°Sword Drawing Technique.¡± Even though it was just a Yellow Tier Vein Skill, he had not even seen clearly the movement of Xu Zimei drawing his sword. ¡­¡­ Watching the retreating backs of Xu Zimei and his group, Zhong Ling¡¯er stamped her foot in anger, and said to the elder, ¡°Uncle Liang, why didn¡¯t you let me stop them just now?¡± ¡°There were a few people in there whom even I couldn¡¯t see through,¡± the elder known as Uncle Liang pondered, ¡°We don¡¯t yet know the identities of these people. It¡¯s best not to act rashly for now. Just now, that person¡¯s tone showed some disdain for the entire Zi Yang Empire. Such a person is either pretending or has a significant background.¡± ¡°So what should we do?¡± Zhong Ling¡¯er asked. Uncle Liang said to a guard beside him, ¡°You go and secretly follow them, see where they will settle down.¡± Then he said to Zhong Ling¡¯er, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re just within Heavenly Sword City, they won¡¯t be able to run far in a while.¡± ¡­ Xu Zimei and his companions arrived at the Heavenly Sword City¡¯s branch hall, which was managed by Guan Zhenhai. Generally speaking, disciples assigned by the True Martial Holy Sect to the various city branches are usually those with lower talents. Guan Zhenhai was over forty years old this year but was still stuck at the peak of the Condensing Vein Realm, unable to break through. According to the rules of the True Martial Holy Sect, if one did not break through to the True Vein Realm before the age of forty, they would be assigned to a branch hall in one of the cities. Upon receiving news of Xu Zimei and his group¡¯s arrival, Guan Zhenhai hurriedly came out smiling. ¡°Several junior brothers have come from far away, and you didn¡¯t even notify your senior brother in advance,¡± he said smiling to everyone, ¡°If there is any negligence, I hope the junior brothers will be lenient.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing; we are just passing through Heavenly Sword City and decided to drop by on a whim,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go inside to sit. I¡¯ll order people to prepare food and drinks to welcome and refresh you,¡± Guan Zhenhai said eagerly to Xu Zimei. ¡­¡­ After touring the branch hall for a while, most people assigned to a branch by the sect are in a semi-abandoned state. These disciples seem to be aware of this as well, each looking like they are just passing the time, lacking the vitality and sharpness of martial artists. Xu Zimei looked around and shook his head, one¡¯s innate talent cannot be chosen. This depends on the luck you¡¯re born with, or having the powerful change your fate against the heavens. But a lack of talent can be overcome by effort afterwards, and Empress Hongtian is a prime example of that. However, if one¡¯s attitude and thoughts regarding martial cultivation are flawed, then a life of mediocrity is all they can hope for. ¡­¡­ Guan Zhenhai quickly arranged the meal at the best restaurant in Heavenly Sword City, the Bright Moon Pavilion. The Bright Moon Pavilion had an especially big reputation throughout Heavenly Sword City, and it was said that their dishes were unmatched. All the private rooms were full, and after seeking Xu Zimei¡¯s opinion, Guan Zhenhai booked a seat by the window. ¡­ Once everyone was seated, Guan Zhenhai proved to be a master of conversation, and they all chatted quite happily. But before long, they saw a young man ascend to the second floor. The young man was clad in a richly embroidered brilliant robe, flanked by two extremely beautiful women, followed by a servant. Without regard for the other patrons already dining, the young man yelled at the owner of the Bright Moon Pavilion, ¡°Shopkeeper, I¡¯m taking over the Bright Moon Pavilion today. Clear everyone out within half a quarter of an hour.¡± ¡°Young Master Chang, please don¡¯t make this difficult for me,¡± the shopkeeper said, ¡°Some of the people here today are not to be trifled with.¡± ¡°Who is it? Who dares to disrespect the Chang Family?¡± the young man said nonchalantly. ¡°People from the branch of the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± the shopkeeper pointed towards Xu Zimei¡¯s table as he spoke. ¡­¡­ Only then did the young man notice Guan Zhenhai and hurriedly walked over with a smile, saying, ¡°Uncle Guan, you¡¯re here too! Just a few days ago, my father was mentioning that you should come over for a meal!¡± ¡°Wei,¡± Guan Zhenhai smiled and replied, ¡°I came here to have a meal with some fellow disciples.¡± ¡°Uncle Guan, may I discuss something with you?¡± the young man spoke softly, ¡°The Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire has recently arrived at our Chang Family, and today, I would like to celebrate for His Highness here at the Bright Moon Pavilion. If it¡¯s convenient for you, you could visit my father at our Chang Family to catch up, and perhaps leave the Bright Moon Pavilion for your nephew to use today?¡± The young man continued to talk with Guan Zhenhai, never once glancing at Xu Zimei or the others from the beginning to the end. In his eyes, someone like Guan Zhenhai who had been assigned to a branch would only know friends of little significance. Probably just disciples with as little talent as he himself had. ¡°Wei, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be possible today. I need to host a welcome and cleansing feast for my fellow disciples,¡± Guan Zhenhai said, while frantically signaling to the young man with his eyes. ¡°Damn, the Xu Zimei in front of him is the son of the Deputy Sect Master of the True Martial Holy Sect, the real Crown Prince. If this young man could make a connection with Xu Zimei, what Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire? They¡¯re all garbage, seriously.¡± However, the young man failed to catch Guan Zhenhai¡¯s hints, and instead, with a smile, said to Xu Zimei and the others, ¡°Could the fellow disciples from the True Martial Holy Sect do me a favor? You will all be esteemed guests at our Chang Family in the future.¡± ¡°Your name is Chang Wei?¡± Xu Zimei asked with interest. The young man nodded hastily. ¡°Then do you know someone named Lai Fu?¡± Xu Zimei inquired. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± The servant behind Chang Wei asked, puzzled. Xu Zimei smiled and shook his head. ¡°I wonder how my fellow disciples feel about this?¡± Chang Wei asked. ¡°Really thinks he¡¯s the king of the land,¡± Lin Ruhu replied impatiently from the side, ¡°Get lost.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Ji Baiyu Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Ji Baiyu ¡°Boy, how dare you speak to my young master like that?¡± Before Chang Wei could open his mouth, his servant Lai Fu had already impatiently stepped forward. Xu Zimei signaled Black Thirteen with a glance, and everyone heard a ¡°clang¡± as a streak of blood sprayed from Lai Fu¡¯s neck. Then they saw Lai Fu¡¯s body heavily fall to the ground. ¡°You killed him,¡± Chang Wei stepped back in shock, exclaiming in horror. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Guan Zhenhai felt that something wasn¡¯t right as well, killing someone just like that was too impulsive. ¡°Go back and tell your father that I will personally visit the Chang Family tomorrow at noon,¡± Xu Zimei said with a faint smile. ¡°You, you,¡± Chang Wei pointed at Xu Zimei, struggling to find words, but in the end, he nodded and said, ¡°Fine, our Chang Family will be waiting for you.¡± ¡­ Watching Chang Wei hurriedly leave, Guan Zhenhai frowned slightly and asked Xu Zimei, ¡°Junior Brother, why?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, have some more dishes, they taste quite good,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a smile, and without speaking further, he picked up a piece of beef and continued to eat, then shouted, ¡°Shopkeeper, take care of this body, so it doesn¡¯t spoil the view.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take care of it right away,¡± the Bright Moon Pavilion¡¯s shopkeeper quickly came upstairs and, with the help of two workers, swiftly carried away the body. Then he said to Xu Zimei with a smile, ¡°If there¡¯s anything about today¡¯s meal that doesn¡¯t suit your taste, please feel free to say so. This meal is on the house for you talented disciples.¡± ¡°Charge as usual, I¡¯m not in the habit of running up a tab without paying,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, shaking his head. ¡­ After the meal, Xu Zimei asked Guan Zhenhai with a smile, ¡°Senior Brother Guan, does Heavenly Sword City have any brothels?¡± ¡°What brothels?¡± Guan Zhenhai quickly shook his head and said, ¡°However, in our Heavenly Sword City, there is a place where many talented men often visit. I can take you there to have a look.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Cloud Mist Pavilion, right?¡± Xu Zimei asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°Seems Junior Brother Zimo also has a taste for such pleasures,¡± Guan Zhenhai nodded eagerly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the ladies of Cloud Mist Pavilion don¡¯t sell their bodies, only their arts. If Junior Brother really has the ability, making one of those ladies willingly follow you would indeed be a wonderful tale.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. Tang Huaiyuan, Xiao Yu, and Feng Buyu, the three of them, did not wish to visit such a place of pleasure and left ahead for their respective divisions. But Xu Zimei and his party went to the Cloud Mist Pavilion. The Cloud Mist Pavilion was located by the moat of Heavenly Sword City, a three-story pavilion built with Azure Cloud Bamboo. Now, with the spring breeze caressing the face, the river¡¯s surface shimmered with ripples, and the willows on both sides swayed with the wind, creating a very pleasant scene. In front of Cloud Mist Pavilion, the entrance was bustling. Two lovely and elegant girls greeted guests at the door, among them both graceful scholars and bloodstained martial artists. On the river, beauties accompanied the talented as they composed poems and enjoyed the beauty of flowers and snow. Xu Zimei and his companions walked into the Cloud Mist Pavilion, where the inside was very spacious. On both sides, the seats were filled with guests, and in the middle, five lithe women were playing music and dancing. Lin Ruhu displayed a generous demeanor, tossing a Spirit Crystal onto the table and shouted, ¡°Madam, bring out your best girl, the top courtesan here.¡± ¡°Oh, this gentleman looks like a new face,¡± the madam of Cloud Mist Pavilion, a still-charming woman, sashayed over with a smile, twisting her voluptuous figure. ¡°Spare me the chatter, just call out your top courtesan for me,¡± Lin Ruhu demanded, acting like a spoilt rich young master. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, young master? Our top courtesan, Miss Baiyu, isn¡¯t taking guests today,¡± the madam chided as she caressed Lin Ruhu¡¯s chest, ¡°How about I find you a few other girls to ensure the young master enjoys himself?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you take patrons? Is it because I¡¯m not handsome enough, or is the money I¡¯m offering insufficient?¡± Lin Ruhu handsomely flicked his nose and asked. ¡°It has nothing to do with either of those. I can¡¯t intervene in Miss Baiyu¡¯s affairs, but if this young master truly wishes to meet Miss Baiyu, there is still a way,¡± the madam paused, then continued, ¡°Miss Baiyu once left behind a piece of calligraphy and painting, stating that if anyone could answer the question posed by the painting, she would fulfill one request for that gentleman.¡± ¡°That exciting, huh?¡± Lin Ruhu smiled and said, ¡°Take me to see that painting.¡± Standing beside him, Xu Zimei asked with interest, ¡°What¡¯s the full name of your Miss Baiyu?¡± ¡°Her surname is Ji, full name Ji Baiyu,¡± the madam explained with a smile. ¡°Sword Dancing Immortal, Ji Baiyu,¡± Xu Zimei murmured, then smiled. The madam led everyone to a side hall, which had already gathered many scholars and literati. On the wall directly opposite hung a painting; on it was a lifelike white crane. The white crane stood in a dirty quagmire, with one foot on the mire while the other was slightly raised, resembling the stance of a golden-rooster standing on one leg. ¡°Miss Baiyu¡¯s question is, why does the white crane stand in the mud with this posture?¡± the madam said with a smile. ¡­¡­ ¡°Because the white crane loves cleanliness and doesn¡¯t want the mire to soil it,¡± Lin Ruhu tentatively replied. ¡°That answer is very close, but is not what Miss Baiyu wants,¡± the madam said, shaking her head with a smile. Beside him, scholars began to venture guesses in response. ¡°Because this white crane is practicing a peculiar form of martial arts?¡± ¡°The white crane stands this way to demonstrate its pride.¡± ¡°The white crane is defecating!¡± ¡­ All were eagerly answering, but the madam only kept shaking her head calmly. Some had come several times but still couldn¡¯t answer the question, only to sigh lightly, their faces filled with regret and disappointment. ¡­¡­ ¡°Gentlemen claim to be suave scholars, yet you do not understand the hearts of women,¡± Xu Zimei said with a light chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°Why should you laugh at us, brother? We are all but novices,¡± someone next to him said, looking at Xu Zimei: ¡°Could it be that you know the answer?¡± ¡°What is so difficult about it?¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said, ¡°In fact, Ruhu had already half guessed it correctly earlier. The white crane stands on one foot simply because it does not wish to be soiled by the mire. Miss Baiyu, in fact, likens herself to the white crane. Even though she lives in a brothel, she still strives like the white crane to lift one foot, staying unsoiled amidst the filth¡ªpure and unsullied.¡± On hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s explanation, a light seemed to dawn on the people present, and the puzzles in their minds cleared instantly. ¡°Please wait a moment, young master. I will go and consult Miss Baiyu,¡± the madam said, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes, as she quickly spoke. ¡­ Watching the madam leave, everyone on scene seemed stirred up, each inquiring after Xu Zimei¡¯s name. But Xu Zimei just shook his head and whispered to Shili Changkong at his side, ¡°Stick with me when we go up later; this woman is not just any ordinary brothel woman!¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Descendants of Emperor Feiyu Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Descendants of Emperor Feiyu ¡°I certainly haven¡¯t disrupted anyone¡¯s routine,¡± Shili Changkong said as he sat aside, sipped a cup of tea, and smiled, ¡°What if I inadvertently troubled a beauty.¡± ¡°This woman is no ordinary person; watch out that you don¡¯t capsize in a ditch,¡± Xu Zimei cautioned, saying no more. ¡­¡­ After about three minutes or so, the old madam came over with a smile and said to Xu Zimei, ¡°Young Master, Miss Baiyu says if you don¡¯t mind, could you please visit her boudoir?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile to Shili Changkong. Then, the two men went upstairs amidst the envious glances from everyone. Shili Changkong did not follow Xu Zimei inside but stood guard outside the door. When Xu Zimei opened the door, a serene fragrance wafted out from inside, somewhat akin to a blend of roses¡¯ richness and peonies¡¯ freshness. The room was divided into an inner chamber and an outer hall, and Xu Zimei sauntered in nonchalantly. The outer hall was simply furnished, with pink walls adorned with many feminine trinkets. Colorful clothes covered the surroundings, and from the inner chamber, there came the melodious sound of a zither, as soothing as a stream babbling under a small bridge, refreshing the mind and spirit. A delicate Washed Silk Veil of pink at the entrance between the outer and inner chambers obscured the view, but Xu Zimei could vaguely see through the veil, a graceful figure sitting inside, playing the zither. ¡­¡­ ¡°These women, always so keen on formality,¡± chuckled Xu Zimei as he walked in. He lifted the Washed Silk Veil and entered the inner chamber. The room was clearly a lady¡¯s boudoir, with a soft pink bed, and to the left by the window stood a vanity table. Directly in front of Xu Zimei was a table made of sandalwood, and the woman sat on the opposite side, her delicate hands playing the zither, her eyes smiling as she watched Xu Zimei arrive. The zither music stopped, and the woman covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°Young Master, you really are quite amusing. When meeting others, they get captivated by my beauty, yet when you came in, the first thing you did was look around my room.¡± ¡°Some things I look at with my eyes, some people, however, I observe with my heart,¡± said Xu Zimei with a smile and then began to take in the woman before him. She wore a white dress embroidered with flowers, tightly wrapping her bosom, and covered with a white gauze outer layer. Her appearance somewhat resembled the women from the Western Region, all her features exceptionally delicate. Arched eyebrows, a particularly high nose bridge, those large black eyes, and cherry lips. Her hair cascaded down her back, simply tied with a pink silk ribbon into a butterfly knot. ¡­¡­ ¡°What do you think of my zither playing?¡± Ji Baiyu asked with a smile. ¡°Your service attitude isn¡¯t very good, not even offering me water,¡± Xu Zimei sat down on the floor, poured himself a cup of tea, and then slowly asked, ¡°Can you play those songs of war and heroes? The kind that really get the blood boiling. As for these tender and graceful tunes you play, I can¡¯t appreciate them, so I¡¯m in no position to discuss their quality.¡± Ji Baiyu looked at Xu Zimei very seriously for a moment, her lips pursing slightly as she said, ¡°Young Master, you really are different from others.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different? It¡¯s the same mouth, two eyes; I don¡¯t have three heads and six arms, do I?¡± Xu Zimei replied with a laugh. ¡°Your Highness, you possess a unique temperament that isn¡¯t simply charm but rather feels quite distinctive and individualistic,¡± Ji Baiyu pondered before speaking. ¡°That¡¯s not it; I just prefer not to follow others,¡± Xu Zimei responded with a smile, shaking his head. ¡°What do you think of me, Your Highness?¡± Ji Baiyu asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Zimei countered. ¡°I am but a courtesan; do you think me fickle and look down upon me?¡± Ji Baiyu spoke with a fallen expression. Her voice was soft and frail, and her forlorn demeanor irresistibly invoked a desire to embrace and protect her. ¡°How could I,¡± Xu Zimei put down the teacup he was holding, looked at Ji Baiyu with a smile, and continued, ¡°If I were to look down on the founder of Cloud Mist Pavilion, one of the twenty-four Sword Immortals, Sword Dancing Immortal, then there would be no one in this world who could catch my eye.¡± There was a momentary pause in Ji Baiyu¡¯s expression, then she smiled and said, ¡°So you¡¯ve known all along!¡± She straightened up, no longer the picture of pity as before, instead, she appeared quite at ease and confident. ¡°I should have played along with your performance, but I chose to ignore it instead,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°May I know why Your Highness sought me out?¡± Ji Baiyu asked, ¡°If Cloud Mist Pavilion has offended Your Highness in any way, please feel free to speak openly.¡± Xu Zimei laughed silently, picked up the teacup, took a sip, let out a long breath, and exclaimed, ¡°Good tea.¡± ¡°If Your Highness likes it, I can send some to you. This tea is fried with a unique secret recipe of mine; it¡¯s not something you can taste just anywhere,¡± Ji Baiyu replied with a smile. ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Zimei¡¯s eyes were filled with reminiscence as he slowly spoke, ¡°I remember, a long time ago, I seem to have tasted this tea. It was in a place called Linyun City on the Northern Continent. Isn¡¯t it curious that there was also a small family there with the Ji surname, just like yours? I heard that this family descended from Emperor Feiyu, only to have fallen from grace.¡± Xu Zimei clicked his tongue, his tone full of regret. However, Ji Baiyu beside him changed complexion dramatically, staring tensely at Xu Zimei, her body trembling slightly. Her face turned somewhat pale as she forced a smile and said, ¡°What are you trying to say, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Nothing much, I just find it quite a coincidence. I heard that a few decades ago, that family was suddenly exterminated; the entire family, hundreds of them, all died in battle,¡± Xu Zimei spoke with regret, ¡°Later, there were rumors that the daughter of the Ji Family Head, bearing the legacy of the past Emperor Feiyu, managed to escape. How can there be such coincidences in this world? That girl who escaped was also named Ji Baiyu, it seems.¡± As the words left Xu Zimei¡¯s mouth, Ji Baiyu¡¯s complexion instantaneously shifted dramatically. ¡°Thump, thump, thump,¡± four Vein Gates on her body burst open, the overwhelming power of the Empty Vein Realm erupted, and her Spiritual Energy encircled her like a flying dragon. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s just a story; is there any need to be so nervous?¡± Xu Zimei asked with a calm smile. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Ji Baiyu¡¯s voice trembled as she stared fixedly at Xu Zimei. ¡°My father is the Deputy Sect Master of True Martial Holy Sect, so in a sense, I suppose you could consider me a ¡®second-generation official¡¯,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a light smile. ¡°True Martial Holy Sect?¡± Suddenly, an ancient voice sounded from behind Xu Zimei. Suddenly, an old man dressed in a black robe appeared silently behind Xu Zimei. ¡°Young man, what are you here for?¡± After some contemplation, the old man then looked at Xu Zimei, gradually increasing the pressure surrounding him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to still be alive,¡± Xu Zimei looked at the old man, seemingly unaffected by the increasing pressure of the old man¡¯s aura. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Emperors Blood Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Emperor¡¯s Blood ¡°Do you recognize me?¡± The old man looked at Xu Zimei with a puzzled expression. ¡°Emperor Feiyu once had nine War Generals under him, and among these nine War Generals, the Fourth War General was said to have taken a disciple at the time of his imminent death. He imparted all his life¡¯s learning to that disciple,¡± Xu Zimei said with a faint smile, ¡°After receiving the heritage of the Fourth War General, that disciple also made a name for themselves on the Northern Continent starting from scratch. Later, people gave him the nickname, Black Wood Elder.¡± Hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, the old man laughed in surprise and said, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected that after so many years, there are still people in this world who remember my moniker.¡± Then, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Xu Zimei, he said, ¡°Boy, you have a clear understanding of our origins; what exactly are you after?¡± ¡°I have no designs on you,¡± Xu Zimei said, ¡°To be precise, I am interested in something in your possession.¡± ¡°What do you desire?¡± Ji Baiyu asked from the side. ¡°The Emperor¡¯s Blood left behind by Emperor Feiyu,¡± Xu Zimei said to Ji Baiyu, every word deliberate. ¡°Impossible,¡± Ji Baiyu¡¯s expression changed, and she quickly shook her head. ¡°So it seems that the Emperor¡¯s Blood is indeed with you,¡± Xu Zimei smiled, before he wasn¡¯t sure, but now, seeing Ji Baiyu¡¯s reaction, he had his answer. ¡°This Emperor¡¯s Blood is meant for the later generations of the Ji Family to rebuild their bloodline, we cannot possibly give it all to you,¡± Black Wood Elder also followed up in a stern tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted it all, just one drop is enough for me,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°What will you give in exchange?¡± Black Wood Elder asked curiously. ¡°A promise,¡± Xu Zimei said confidently, ¡°When I carry the mandate of Heaven and ascend to the status of Great Emperor in the future, I can offer you a promise. During my era, I will protect your Ji Family, allowing you to return to the glory of your ancestors.¡± ¡°Ascend to the status of Great Emperor, you?¡± Ji Baiyu scoffed, ¡°Why should we believe you? Just for your meaningless promise, you want our Emperor¡¯s Blood?¡± ¡°You have no choice but to believe me,¡± Xu Zimei said indifferently, ¡°Either I kill you all and take the Emperor¡¯s Blood myself. Or you believe my promise, and we both profit from this cooperation.¡± ¡°Kill us all?¡± Black Wood Elder chuckled, ¡°Do you, a mere newcomer to the Spirit Vein Realm, dare to be so arrogant?¡± No sooner had Black Wood Elder finished speaking than a dazzling sword light attacked from the outside. The sword light was as fast as thunder, seemingly with the force of ten thousand jin, heading straight for Black Wood Elder whose expression turned grave. He extended his right hand, which was hidden in the cuff of his sleeve. His right hand, resembling a dry old tree root, was enshrouded in dead, dark air. A glint of sharpness flashed in his eyes as he grabbed the oncoming sword light. And quenched the sword light in the dark air. ¡­ Shili Changkong, carrying a longsword on his back, walked in slowly with a light laugh, ¡°Quite the lively scene, isn¡¯t it!¡± Black Wood Elder stared fixedly at Shili Changkong, his face showing a slight change, and said, ¡°Is this your trump card?¡± He shook his head gently, and the sound of several ¡°bangs¡± could be heard as five Vein Gates simultaneously opened on his body. This old man was also a powerful warrior of the Esteem Vein Realm. ¡°If this is your trump card,¡± Black Wood Elder said, with an understated but surging aura, ¡°it¡¯s not enough.¡± ¡­ Shili Changkong was also a strong warrior of the Esteem Vein Realm. With both men at the same realm, even if Shili Changkong was slightly stronger, if the old man wanted to flee, Xu Zimei would be helpless to stop him. ¡°Just wait a moment,¡± Xu Zimei spoke to the old man, then he lowered his head and began to search through his Storage Ring. Shortly after, he took out a silver-white Jade Token and smiled, ¡°This Jade Token was given to me by my father; he said to open it when I encounter danger. Inside it contains his Divine Incarnation, although this Incarnation is not as powerful as his real body, it does possess the strength of a Half-Step Saint Vein Realm. Do you want to give it a try?¡± This Jade Token was given to Xu Zimei by Xu Qingshan long ago, out of concern for Zimei¡¯s safety. Xu Zimei wasn¡¯t lying; the Divine Incarnation inside the Jade Token indeed had the strength of a Half-Step Saint Vein Realm. However, this Jade Token was so precious that Xu Zimei generally didn¡¯t want to use it lightly. Originally, Xu Qingshan had split a part of his Incarnation and merged it into this Jade Token. For this reason, Xu Qingshan had suffered a serious injury and took a full year of cultivation to recover. Black Wood Elder examined the Jade Token with its many complicated patterns, these intricate designs so profound that even he, a powerful being of the Esteem Vein Realm, could not understand them. After contemplating for a long time, Black Wood Elder finally said, ¡°I can agree to give you the Emperor¡¯s Blood, but in addition to the promise you just made, you must agree to one more thing.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t agree,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head. ¡°emmmmm, Won¡¯t you listen to what the condition is first?¡± Black Wood Elder said, confused. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. I don¡¯t like it when others try to barter with me,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°I want Ji Baiyu to join the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± Black Wood Elder said calmly. ¡°Grandfather Black Wood, why?¡± Ji Baiyu asked with a puzzled face. But Black Wood Elder merely shook his head, looking at Xu Zimei and asking, ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so good about joining the True Martial Holy Sect? It¡¯s better for her to come be my maid; the future would be boundless. The day I fulfill my destiny, I could even name her as a War God Venerable,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°No need, my family¡¯s Baiyu, though of ordinary status, is not someone to be ordered around,¡± Black Wood Elder rejected with a shake of his head. ¡°All right then, you missed your chance, just don¡¯t regret it later,¡± Xu Zimei smiled, unconcerned, ¡°In a while, it will be time for the True Martial Holy Sect to open its mountain gate and recruit disciples. When the time comes, just have her come and mention my name, I will make arrangements in advance.¡± ¡°Good, remember your words today,¡± Black Wood Elder nodded and said. ¡­ Suddenly, Ji Baiyu took out a small bottle from her Storage Ring, the outside of which seemed to be embedded with a star, incredibly dazzling. Inside the bottle were three distinct droplets of blood, clearly separated from one another. From the outside, these three droplets of blood appeared unremarkable, seemingly no different from ordinary blood. But as soon as Ji Baiyu opened the bottle, miraculous events occurred in quick succession. There was the sun rising in the east, the full moon like a disk, great trees reaching to the sky, and birds singing in unison. Numerous mysterious visions began to manifest at the mouth of the bottle. ¡°This single droplet of Emperor¡¯s Blood weighs tens of thousands of pounds, ordinary containers cannot bear it. It must be stored in a Nebula Bottle,¡± Ji Baiyu said as she took out another new bottle from the Storage Ring. She poured one droplet of the Emperor¡¯s Blood into the bottle, then reluctantly handed it over to Xu Zimei. ¡­ Xu Zimei received the Nebula Bottle, examined it in his hand, then with a smile on his lips, he stored it inside his Storage Ring. ¡°My lady, if you have no further business, you may leave. I am a bit tired,¡± Ji Baiyu replied indifferently. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Chang Family Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Chang Family ¡°Just now you were saying how special I am, that I possess a unique and independent temperament. Why the disdain all of a sudden,¡± Xu Zimei chuckled, ¡°Ah, women.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you can know someone¡¯s face, but not their heart,¡± Ji Baiyu said indifferently. ¡°Then, when we have the time, let¡¯s get to know each other more deeply,¡± Xu Zimei said as he watched Ji Baiyu¡¯s gritting expression, laughing heartily as he and Shili Changkong left. ¡­¡­¡­ Watching Xu Zimei¡¯s retreating figure, Ji Baiyu asked discontentedly, ¡°Grandfather Black Wood, do you really believe he can bear Destiny?¡± ¡°The Great Emperor is the strongest of an era. How could just anyone be capable of bearing Destiny?¡± the Black Wood Elder said, shaking his head. ¡°Then why did you let me give him the Emperor¡¯s Blood?¡± Ji Baiyu asked, confused. ¡°If he had opened the Jade Token just now, maybe I could have risked my life to escape, but what about you?¡± the Black Wood Elder said helplessly, ¡°You mustn¡¯t judge him by his constant smiling; I can tell, this person would definitely act without hesitation. He would certainly have killed you and then stolen the Emperor¡¯s Blood.¡± ¡°Despicable,¡± Ji Baiyu said, looking in the direction Xu Zimei had left, speaking resentfully. ¡­¡­ Meanwhile, Shili Changkong curiously asked, ¡°Was that really the Emperor¡¯s Blood?¡± ¡°Do you want to try consuming it? A single drop is said to enlighten and ascend one to immortality,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Not interested. What¡¯s the use of Emperor¡¯s Blood? My Martial Path is ultimately my own to walk; no matter how strong external forces are, they¡¯re just support,¡± Shili Changkong replied with pride. As the two were walking down the stairs, they found Lin Ruhu and Guan Zhenhai sitting in the private room. Guan Zhenhai was frolicking merrily, surrounded by several girls on each side. On the other hand, Lin Ruhu was wolfing down the food and drink, showing no interest in the girls beside him. ¡°Brother Guan, you enjoy yourself; we¡¯re going to head back,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Ah, Junior Brother Zimo, you¡¯re leaving so soon?¡± Guan Zhenhai looked at Xu Zimei with a suggestive gaze and said, ¡°Junior brother, you should take care of yourself. Kidney problems are no small issue.¡± ¡°Get lost,¡± Xu Zimei laughed and cursed, then left with everyone. ¡­¡­ At the same time, in the Chang Family, Family Head Chang Tianxiong pondered over his son Chang Wei¡¯s words. He was burly, wearing a light blue robe with white clouds embroidered at the sleeves and collar. His complexion was rugged, yet his thoughts were delicate. Sporting a large beard, he asked, ¡°Did that disciple say where he came from?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± Chang Wei shook his head and said, ¡°What status could the brother of a useless person like Guan Zhenhai have? Birds of a feather flock together; one is known by the company one keeps.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be complacent. If he is just an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple, we have some connections within the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± Chang Tianxiong said thoughtfully, ¡°But if he is an elite Inner Sect Disciple or a True Disciple, that could complicate things.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± Chang Wei also asked, somewhat apprehensively, ¡°I just wanted to cozy up to the Crown Prince by booking the entire Bright Moon Pavilion for him.¡± ¡°Have the people we sent to inquire at the Holy Sect¡¯s branch returned yet?¡± Chang Tianxiong asked, ¡°Guan Zhenhai has often benefited from us; it should be time for him to be of some use!¡± Chang Wei shook his head and said, ¡°The people we sent to the branch were driven away, and they didn¡¯t even see Guan Zhenhai¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just wait for his arrival and see exactly what kind of dragon or snake he is,¡± Chang Tianxiong snorted coldly and said, ¡°Try to let the Crown Prince know about this incident. It would be best to drag the Imperial Household into this.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Chang Wei nodded. ¡­¡­¡­ In the afternoon, Chang Wei was beaten with one hundred heavy strikes by the family head in front of many elders and clan members. It was said that Chang Wei had an altercation with a disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect because he intended to book Bright Moon Pavilion exclusively for a banquet in honor of the Third Prince. This news began to spread wildly within the entire Chang Family. As darkness fell, a crescent moon hung in the sky. In the rear courtyard of the Chang family, a young man and an old man stood by the window of a side room. The young man had a handsome face and wore a blue and white long robe, radiating an irresistible domineering presence, as if a natural-born monarch. The elder was very low-key, and if one did not pay attention, they might not even notice his presence. He wore a gray long robe, and his gaze was as deep as a black hole, his hair peppered with white, appearing like an elder in the twilight of his years. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°What does the Third Prince think of the rumors spreading outside?¡± the elder asked, inquiring. ¡°The Chang family has provoked the True Martial Holy Sect and wants to drag me into the water,¡± the young man chuckled lightly and replied, ¡°But this True Martial Holy Sect is really overbearing, their disciples are all full of arrogance.¡± ¡°Your Highness, please be cautious with your words. There are some matters we are not in a position to discuss,¡± the elder quickly shook his head, advising. ¡°Is the True Martial Holy Sect really that strong?¡± the young man asked, somewhat skeptical. He was the Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire, one of the two largest empires in the Extreme West Region. His father was even a mighty practitioner of the Emperor Pulse Realm, and the country had nearly a hundred practitioners of the Esteem Vein Realm and countless of the Empty Vein Realm. Yet, the True Martial Holy Sect weighed on them like a high mountain, with everyone in the empire bowing in submission to the sect. The young man felt extremely dissatisfied in his heart. ¡°Your Highness, not just you, even if the monarch himself were here, he would need to hold a sense of reverence towards the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± the elder said with emotion, ¡°Do you know why your An Family was able to become the ruler of the Purple Sun Empire?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because our An Family¡¯s ancestors fought for and secured this empire step by step?¡± the young man asked, puzzled. ¡°The Purple Sun Empire has been in existence for nearly ten thousand years, and during this time, there have been many rulers. The ruler of the previous generation did not bear the An surname. That ruler was too arrogant and covertly defied the orders of the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± the elder shook his head and said slowly, ¡°Later, an elder walked out from within the True Martial Holy Sect. Within a single day, that generation¡¯s ruler, including his clan members and all those related to him, were wiped from existence. Since then, there have been no others, and only after your family passed the tests were they appointed as the new rulers. Do you realize that power, empire, throne, in front of those absolute strengths, are nothing but a joke?¡± ¡°I understand now. I didn¡¯t intend to have a conflict with the people of the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± the young man nodded and said, ¡°But this time, I came all the way to the Chang family in the struggle with my brothers for the selection of the Crown Prince. However, this Chang family has been dragging their feet on our proposal, unwilling to make a decision. If we could help them solve their problem this time, perhaps we could win them over to become a strong support for me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what the status of the visitor is tomorrow,¡± the elder pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°If it¡¯s an ordinary disciple, then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. But if it is a True Disciple, even our intervention would be futile.¡± Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 is not a brainless villain, huh? Chapter 23: Chapter 23 is not a brainless villain, huh? ¡°` After returning to the branch hall, Xu Zimei began his cultivation practice as well. Night fell, darkness engulfed everything like a gigantic beast, and a bright moon hung in the sky. The moon over the willow treetops! Xu Zimei was currently practicing the Great Emperor of the Three Blades¡¯ Annihilation Jue. Once the cultivation of the Annihilation Jue was successful, a Qi of Annihilation would be born within the body. In his previous life, Xu Zimei had cultivated this very technique, so everything came naturally to him, without any difficulty at all. What he was mainly focused on now was deducing his own cultivation technique, the ¡°Sole Great Freedom Jue¡±. In his past life, he had deduced this cultivation technique up to the Divine Vein Realm, but then he could advance no further. However, this rebirth had given him a deeper understanding of the past and the future. Xu Zimei believed that it wouldn¡¯t take long before he could deduce the cultivation techniques beyond the Divine Vein Realm. ¡­ The night passed in silence, and Xu Zimei got up early the next morning. The only Vein Skill he was practicing now was the ¡°Sword Drawing Technique¡±, and Xu Zimei was confident that even if martial artists at the Condensing Vein or even at the True Vein Realm were to face him, they would be unable to react to the speed of his sword drawing. But he felt it wasn¡¯t enough, for there was no limit to speed. Moreover, he could integrate the comprehended Qi of Annihilation into the Sword Drawing Technique, which would greatly enhance both its power and speed. Xu Zimei also set a daily training goal for himself: to practice drawing his sword a thousand times every morning and evening, and swinging it a thousand times as well. As the saying goes, diligence can make up for lack of talent, and even though he was reincarnated, he couldn¡¯t be complacent. Effort was an indispensable part of becoming powerful. After breakfast, Xu Zimei was busy all morning before finally taking a break, as he had to visit the Chang Family at noon. Xu Zimei¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, ¡°I should also start gathering those things as soon as possible.¡± ¡­ Under the accompaniment of Guan Zhenhai and a few others, they made their majestic way to the Chang Family. As the Overlord King of Heavenly Sword City, the Chang Family¡¯s mansion naturally occupied the most bustling section of Central Street. Standing at the entrance to the Chang Family¡¯s home, two doorkeepers stopped them, saying they had to report inside before letting them in. Xu Zimei wasn¡¯t polite, he was here to make trouble in the first place, no need to be courteous with them. Lin Ruhu kicked each of the two doorkeepers to the ground with one foot and then strutted inside, causing a commotion. The entire Chang Family mansion looked grand and magnificent. Pavilions and terraces could be seen throughout, with rockery courtyards, lotus-filled waterways, and the place was resplendent with gilt and splendor while still exuding a majestic atmosphere. ¡­ ¡°I wonder which talented young disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect has honored our Chang Family with a visit. Please forgive us for not coming out to meet you sooner,¡± Chang Tianxiong, dressed in a green robe and exuding an imposing aura, laughed heartily as he stepped forward to greet them. Behind him followed five elders of the Chang Family, as well as representatives from various clans. ¡°True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s elite Inner Sect Disciple, Feng Buyu,¡± Feng Buyu stated, presenting his identity token with an indifferent tone. At this moment, Chang Tianxiong¡¯s heart sank. Elite Inner Sect Disciples had the strength of the True Vein Realm, a force that could contend with the highest battle power of the Chang Family. And he could tell that among this group, Feng Buyu wasn¡¯t the main character; the true leader was the young man in a purple robe at the very front. ¡°Things seem to have gone beyond what was expected,¡± Chang Tianxiong said, frowning slightly. The identities of his guests were even higher than he had anticipated! ¡°Could it be that the talented individuals from the Holy Sect have come to our Chang Family because of my worthless son?¡± Chang Tianxiong pondered for a moment, then waved his right hand. ¡°` Chang Wei was dragged out by the servants, his hands and feet bound tightly. Chang Tianxiong spoke loudly and resolutely, ¡°My Chang Family has always closely followed the Holy Sect¡¯s lead, swearing to uphold the authority of the Holy Sect. If my foolish son has indeed offended any of the talented disciples, my Chang Family will certainly not shelter him. Today, I shall hand him over to the talented disciples to deal with as you see fit, and my Chang Family will not utter a single word of complaint.¡± Xu Zimei watched Chang Tianxiong¡¯s solo performance with a smile, thinking to himself, ¡°Indeed, this man is still the crafty sovereign he was in the last lifetime.¡± As the Family Head of the Chang Family, Chang Tianxiong was an overlord figure in Heavenly Sword City. But he was no frog at the bottom of a well; he knew the vastness of the world outside and would evaluate his own strength, standing firm when he needed to be tough and showing weakness when it was strategic to do so. Even if it meant sacrificing his own son, he would do it without a change in expression. Xu Zimei knew that the other party was digging a pit for him. Chang Tianxiong first spoke of how loyal his Chang Family was to the True Martial Holy Sect. He then presented himself as upright, not making excuses or pleading for mercy, and directly brought his son out, bound hand and foot. If Xu Zimei truly killed Chang Wei over such a trivial conflict, what would outsiders think of the True Martial Holy Sect? ¡­¡­ ¡°Family Head Chang, what are you talking about? It¡¯s normal for young people to be proud and have conflicts. But nobody takes it to heart. I already forgot about yesterday¡¯s conflict,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m here today because I heard from Brother Guan that Heavenly Sword City couldn¡¯t be as prosperous as it is today without the help of your Chang Family. I simply came to visit out of admiration.¡± Originally, Xu Zimei had intended to start trouble directly, but he temporarily changed his mind. The other party was not the kind of brainless antagonist who would start fighting at the slightest disagreement. Indeed, it would be inappropriate to behave that way. As a professional antagonist with a code of conduct, Xu Zimei felt it was important to convincingly and willingly make others accept his dominance. ¡­ ¡°The breadth of mind of the talented disciples is too much stronger than my useless son¡¯s,¡± Chang Tianxiong, with a stern gaze, kicked Chang Wei to the ground and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to roll to the backyard and reflect on your actions? Don¡¯t spoil the enjoyment of the gathering here.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Chang Wei nodded hastily, shakily standing up with the help of the servants and leaving. He knew this was his father protecting him, signaling for him to leave at once and bring an end to the matter. ¡°It¡¯s not every day that we have the talented disciples visiting my Chang Family. How can we have you standing outside? Please come inside quickly. I¡¯ve already asked people to prepare food,¡± Chang Tianxiong hurriedly said with a smile. Xu Zimei nodded with a smile and walked inside with Lin Ruhu and the others. Chang Tianxiong¡¯s gaze was profound as he pondered silently. When Xu Zimei forgave Chang Wei, Chang Tianxiong knew there was something unconventional about the situation. The purpose of Xu Zimei¡¯s visit to the Chang Family was not because of his son. Or to put it another way, from the beginning of his visit to Heavenly Sword City, Xu Zimei¡¯s target was their Chang Family. Even if his son had not had any conflict with him, Xu Zimei would have still come to the Chang Family. Chang Tianxiong couldn¡¯t figure out where they had offended Xu Zimei or if there was something that attracted him. After a moment of contemplation, he more or less guessed the intentions of Xu Zimei and his party. ¡­ During the meal, Chang Tianxiong kept probing from the sidelines, but Xu Zimei just smiled while eating, never mentioning his purpose for the visit. Finally, after the wine had circulated five times and Xu Zimei¡¯s party had their fill, he said with a smile, ¡°I heard from others that your Chang Family¡¯s ancestors were once just ordinary villagers in a small mountain village. Later on, they found some opportunities and began their journey of martial cultivation, which led to the prosperity of the Chang Family today.¡± Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Prison Suppression Pearl Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Prison Suppression Pearl ¡°The word on the street cannot be taken lightly,¡± Chang Tianxiong laughed. ¡°Indeed, our Chang Family ancestors did come across some cultivation techniques, but he was from a wealthy family. How could he possibly be a villager from the countryside?¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that your Chang Family ancestor didn¡¯t just come across some cultivation techniques,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. Chang Tianxiong¡¯s hand, originally holding a wine cup, suddenly paused. He laughed and said, ¡°Rumors, as you know, tend to get more mysterious as they spread. They can¡¯t be taken as truth.¡± ¡°I heard that your Chang Family ancestor also obtained a Heavenly Bead,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Since I¡¯m mentioning it, I must be confident in my sources.¡± Upon hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Chang Tianxiong¡¯s thoughts cleared up instantly. Xu Zimei was after the Heavenly Bead, but that was something from several hundred years ago. Apart from the successive Family Heads of the Chang Family, no one should know about it. So how did Xu Zimei find out? Their Chang Family ancestors had always left an ancestral instruction, indicating that hundreds of years later, a person destined by fate would come. At that time, the Chang Family was to present the Heavenly Bead to this destined individual, and then the whole family was to pledge allegiance to them. This person of destiny would one day ascend to the throne of the Great Emperor, and their Chang Family would also shine brightly in this era. ¡­ Chang Tianxiong had no idea whether Xu Zimei was the person of destiny, but he had an intuition that Xu Zimei was not the one they were waiting for. ¡°What exactly is this Heavenly Bead that Young Master Xu speaks of? I truly have no idea,¡± Chang Tianxiong shook his head and said. ¡°Why must the Family Head be so obstinate?¡± Xu Zimei let out a laugh and said, ¡°As good as the Heavenly Bead may be, one must still be fated to possess it. Let¡¯s not sacrifice your family¡¯s centuries of foundation over a trivial matter.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, young sir? Are you saying that just because of a made-up bead, the True Martial Holy Sect is going to annihilate our Chang Family?¡± The Great Elder of the Chang Family said, ¡°Our Chang Family has always supported the Holy Sect. If, in the end, a fabricated accusation leads to this outcome, I will certainly make this known to the world, letting everyone judge the actions of the Holy Sect. Or are you saying that this matter has nothing to do with the Holy Sect, and it¡¯s merely your personal scheme?¡± Xu Zimei realized clearly that he had no authority to stand on, and the Chang Family was defiant, even trying to use the moral high ground as a shield. ¡°You are mistaken. Our Holy Sect governs the vast lands of the Extreme West Region, and all of you who reside here are subjects of the Holy Sect. We can barely protect you as it is, why would we harm you?¡± Xu Zimei laughed. ¡°Then what did Young Master Xu mean by his earlier words?¡± Chang Tianxiong asked. ¡°I meant nothing in particular, just wondering if the Family Head has considered this scenario,¡± Xu Zimei downed a cup of wine with a laugh and said, ¡°Today I visit the Chang Family, we converse joyfully, and then I leave. But then at night, a man dressed in black comes and exterminates the whole Chang Family, taking the Heavenly Bead away. That incident would have nothing to do with our Holy Sect. If anyone dares to claim I orchestrated it, they will need to present evidence, or else it would be slander. After a while, I capture this black-clad individual, and take the Heavenly Bead back. In the end, the Heavenly Bead still ends up in my hands; it¡¯s just that the process is a bit more indirect.¡± Chang Tianxiong¡¯s face changed slightly upon hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words. What he feared was not the hypocrite, nor the outright villain. But rather, someone who clearly held great power, yet utterly disregarded the rules of the game. It was a blatant threat. If he did not hand over the Heavenly Bead today, that night a man in black would come to exterminate their Chang Family. Chang Tianxiong didn¡¯t expect the other party to be so brazen, and worse, there could be no claim that it was the Holy Sect¡¯s doing. ¡°` To achieve his goal, he would use any means necessary, even if it meant being despicable and shameless, and he was particularly self-confident, were Chang Tianxiong¡¯s impressions of Xu Zimei. ¡­ ¡°Young Master Xu, what do you mean by this?¡± Chang Tianxiong asked with an embarrassed expression. ¡°Nothing, nothing, thanks to Family Head Chang for the hospitality. I¡¯ve eaten my fill and should be leaving,¡± Xu Zimei stood up and said to Feng Buyu, ¡°Brother Feng, please go and inform the people at the City Lord Mansion, tonight no one is permitted to leave Heavenly Sword City. Close the city gates, and we¡¯ll talk more tomorrow morning.¡± Seeing Xu Zimei was about to leave, Chang Tianxiong instantly panicked. He stood up and quickly said, ¡°Young Master Xu, I just remembered that our Chang Family seems to have a spherical pearl, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the one you¡¯re looking for. If you need it, I¡¯ll go get it for you right now.¡± ¡°Is that so? Family Head Chang, don¡¯t force yourself. I couldn¡¯t possibly take something someone cherishes,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°No, not at all. Just wait, I¡¯ll go fetch it for you now,¡± Chang Tianxiong said, then hurriedly walked outside. His heart raced with panic. The moment Xu Zimei left, Chang Tianxiong suddenly felt a sense of impending doom. Although the ancestral teachings left by his forefathers were important, he couldn¡¯t let the Chang Family be destroyed on his watch. Otherwise, he would be the sinner of the entire Chang Family. It wasn¡¯t long before Chang Tianxiong returned with a box in hand. The box appeared ancient, adorned with the pattern of armor on it. The box was dark black in color, and Chang Tianxiong handed it to Xu Zimei, saying, ¡°Young Master Xu, take a look. Is it the pearl you¡¯re looking for?¡± Xu Zimei opened the box, and inside was a dark yellow spherical pearl, with a multitude of chaotic and intricate lines etched onto its surface. Lin Ruhu looked at the pearl, asking curiously, ¡°How come this pearl looks so familiar? It seems like I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before.¡± Xu Zimei merely smiled and remained silent, putting the pearl away. Of course it looked familiar, for the pearl¡¯s true name was the Prison Suppression Pearl. Previously, Xu Zimei had snatched a Prison Suppression Pearl from Cui Yuan¡¯s hands at the Gravity Tower. This was the second one. Xu Zimei nodded and smiled, ¡°In that case, many thanks to Family Head Chang.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Chang Tianxiong quickly shook his head and smiled, ¡°This pearl has been with my Chang Family for hundreds of years, yet no one knew its use. Now that it has fallen into your hands, Young Master, perhaps it will shine brightly.¡± Xu Zimei then took his leave from Chang Tianxiong, leading his group away from the Chang Family¡¯s residence. As Chang Tianxiong watched their departing figures, he slapped the table beside him forcefully. With a ¡°bang¡± sound, the table splintered apart, teacups shattered into pieces, and Chang Tianxiong¡¯s face was terrifyingly grim. ¡­¡­ Having left the Chang Family, Xu Zimei was in a great mood; this thing was vital to him, and he was nearly ready to gather all the pieces. He said to Black Thirteen, ¡°Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, I don¡¯t want to see the Chang Family exist in this world anymore.¡± On hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, the people around him were all shocked. ¡°Junior Brother Zimo, haven¡¯t the Chang Family given you the Heavenly Bead? Why still exterminate them completely?¡± Guan Zhenhai asked hesitantly from the side. ¡°` Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Annihilation Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Annihilation ¡°It was given to me, but when did I ever say that if they gave me the Heavenly Bead, I wouldn¡¯t annihilate their entire clan?¡± Xu Zimei countered. ¡°Uh,¡± Guan Zhenhai looked utterly confused, ¡°That seems to be something that was never said.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Zimei replied. ¡°Even if I had said it, so what? Can¡¯t I go back on my word and regret it now?¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Guan Zhenhai paused for a moment, then quickly nodded in agreement. Everyone present felt that Xu Zimei had completely shattered their worldview¡ªsuch blatant shamelessness, and he spoke it with such righteous indignation. The three could only sigh to themselves, I¡¯ve never seen such an unashamedly thick-skinned person. To think that the True Martial Holy Sect is a prestigious and orthodox sect, the Deputy Sect Master a hero of his generation, who at a young age broke through the seven Vein Gates and ascended to the Saint Vein Realm. They never expected the son to be so scheming and unpredictable. ¡­¡­ As night deepened, the occasional bark of a dog could be heard on the streets, with the entire Heavenly Sword City already sunk deep into slumber. Only the Chang Family¡¯s residence was brightly lit, with several influential family members gathered in the meeting hall. ¡°This True Martial Holy Sect has gone too far, completely disregarding our Chang Family,¡± the Great Elder spoke forthrightly, his white beard bristling with anger. ¡°Why should they even consider you? Any elite Inner Sect Disciple from their ranks could wipe out our entire Chang Family,¡± the Fifth Elder whispered softly on the side. ¡°I think we should protest to the Holy Sect. I know one of the Outer Sect Elders,¡± the Second Elder quickly added. ¡°What use is an Outer Sect Elder, if he can¡¯t even control their Inner Sect Disciples,¡± the Fifth Elder said weakly once again. ¡°Old Five, no one would mistake you for a mute if you didn¡¯t speak,¡± Chang Tianxiong glanced at the Fifth Elder, speaking calmly. ¡°Exactly, we¡¯re already enraged, and you won¡¯t even let us vent,¡± the Third Elder huffed coldly from the side. ¡­¡­ ¡°Everyone, stop arguing. I think if there¡¯s something to be discussed, it can be done at leisure in hell,¡± a sudden voice sounded. Everyone there was startled and quickly turned to look towards the entrance. A figure in black clothes entered the room slowly with a sword, fresh blood still dripping from its blade. It seemed like the guards outside had all been killed. ¡°Who are you?¡± Chang Tianxiong frowned slightly, with three of his Vein Gates wide open. The other Elders in the hall were also on high alert, watching the newcomer intently, their auras subtly connecting and pressing down on the stranger. ¡°Lun Quan, Xuan Gu, Zhao Yingfeng,¡± the black-clothed figure said softly. With each step he took, another Vein Gate opened on his body. Then, as he took a fourth step, the fourth Vein Gate, Kun Hai, also opened, and his powerful aura surged like massive waves that concealed the sky, pressing down wave after wave, leaving everyone in the hall struggling to breathe. The Lun Quan Vein Gate is located on the back of the left hand. The Xuan Gu Vein Gate is on the back of the right hand. Zhao Yingfeng is situated in the chest area. And Kun Hai corresponds with the chest, its Vein Gate situated on the back. As all four Vein Gates opened, everyone in the Chang Family¡¯s faces changed color as they exclaimed in shock, ¡°Empty Vein Realm.¡± The man in black clothes slowly raised his sword, the blade pointing straight at his chest, and with a slight flick of his right wrist, a sword light flew out swiftly. The Great Elder beside didn¡¯t even have time to react before being cleaved into pieces by the sword light. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t panic, attack together to hold him off. I¡¯ll go to the City Lord Mansion for reinforcements,¡± Chang Tianxiong shouted, then promptly fled. The black-clothed man¡¯s sword light shot out from his right hand again, this time in the shape of a cross. Chang Tianxiong did not even have a chance to react when the sword light already loomed large before his eyes, about to plunge into his chest. Suddenly, the Fifth Elder rushed in front of Chang Tianxiong, taking the fatal blow for him. ¡°Family Head, run! Our Chang Family cannot end like this,¡± the Fifth Elder said before spitting out a mouthful of blood and losing consciousness. ¡°Although you tend to babble too much normally, when it really matters, you¡¯re the reliable one,¡± Chang Tianxiong said sorrowfully. ¡­¡­ The man in black held a sword in his left hand and in the palm of his right hand, clumps of fireballs gathered. He threw these fireballs into the Chang Family¡¯s compound, and the buildings along the way collapsed in the explosions, starting to burn. The sky was filled with flames, and columns of smoke rose slowly above the Chang Family compound like a shroud blocking out the sun. In the Chang Family¡¯s backyard, the Third Prince and the old man realized something was wrong immediately. The old man tried to escape with the Third Prince, but they were stopped by the man in black. ¡°Sir, this is the Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire. He has absolutely nothing to do with the Chang Family, and we have always been supporters of the Holy Sect,¡± the elder explained hastily. Hovering in mid-air with four Vein Gates wide open, he was also a formidable practitioner of the Empty Vein Realm. ¡°Holy Sect or no Holy Sect, I¡¯m just an ordinary Loose Cultivator. I couldn¡¯t stand the Chang Family¡¯s behaviors, so I decided to eradicate evil for the sake of justice. It has nothing to do with the Holy Sect,¡± said the man in black indifferently. ¡°Yes, yes, nothing to do with the Holy Sect. Sir, your chivalrous heart is admirable,¡± the elder said quickly. ¡°Go. You¡¯ve seen nothing tonight,¡± said the man in black. The elder quickly expressed his gratitude and left with the Third Prince. ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei sat in the courtyard of the side hall, admiring the bright moon while watching the red glow of the distant fires lighting up the sky. In his past life, it seemed that the Chang Family was the first power to join Chu Yang. They had even presented the Prison Suppression Pearl to Chu Yang. Even though the current Chang Family was pitifully weak to him, Xu Zimei still did not want to leave any future troubles. ¡­¡­ ¡°You¡¯re from the True Martial Holy Sect,¡± Chang Tianxiong roared furiously as he looked at his family¡¯s home destroyed in an instant. ¡°Why? I¡¯ve already surrendered the Heavenly Bead, why do you still do this?¡± ¡°Does the death of a weakling need a reason?¡± said the man in black lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand where our Chang Family offended him,¡± Chang Tianxiong said heroically, looking around. Five hundred years of wandering and striving by generations had all been ruined in his own hands. He remembered the day his father had passed the position of Family Head to him. ¡°My son, you must find the person of Destiny and lead our family to truly glorious times, not just dwelling in obscurity, letting the cage of Heavenly Sword City bind the wings of our family from soaring.¡± He slowly picked up the sword in his hand amidst the crying of the children, the screams of his clansfolk, and the ruins of his family¡¯s five hundred years of glory within the flames. Raising his head to the overcast sky, he did not know when his hair had come undone. With his long hair scattering down, he let out a heroic cry and brought the sword slashing toward his own neck. With a ¡°ding¡± sound, the longsword fell to the ground as Chang Tianxiong half-knelt, blood spurting from his neck as his vision blurred. Eventually, his body collapsed powerlessly to the ground. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Breakthrough Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Breakthrough Early the next morning, a piece of news began to circulate throughout Heavenly Sword City that shook it to its core. ¡°The Chang Family has been annihilated.¡± This was something no one had expected; a family with a history of five hundred years had disappeared overnight. Guards from the City Lord Mansion had cordoned off the entire Chang Family estate. The blazing fire from the night before had burned throughout the night and even now, there were still tiny flames flickering. City Lord Zhong Yanying stood amidst the ruins feeling the poignant sorrow of the situation. ¡°Clean this place up, let this be the end of it, and don¡¯t pursue it any further,¡± Zhong Yanying said indifferently to the guards. ¡°Sir, the one my young lady and I encountered that day must have been them,¡± the elderly man known as Uncle Liang spoke up. ¡°They are people from the Holy Sect, and their status is not low,¡± Zhong Yanying contemplated before adding, ¡°These next few days, have Lin¡¯er stay indoors. We don¡¯t know the purpose of their visit to Heavenly Sword City.¡± The old man nodded and withdrew. ¡­ Meanwhile, Xu Zimei was practicing with his sword in the courtyard when he suddenly received a report from a servant, saying that a man claiming to be the Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire was looking for him. Xu Zimei briefly recalled in his mind that this prince seemed to be a tragic character in his previous life. ¡°Let him in,¡± Xu Zimei said. Straightaway, a young man with a determined face walked in, wearing a white robe and a longsword at his waist. ¡°Young Master Xu, I am An Yifeng, the Third Prince of the Purple Sun Empire. My apologies for the imposition,¡± the young man said with a smile. ¡°Do you need something from me?¡± Xu Zimei asked. ¡°The Purple Sun Empire falls under the governance of the Holy Sect. I¡¯m planning to return to the Imperial Capital tomorrow, and hearing that you were here, I thought to pay a visit,¡± An Yifeng explained. ¡°You came to Heavenly Sword City intending to win over the Chang Family to compete for the title of Crown Prince, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. An Yifeng fell silent momentarily before responding, ¡°Since Young Master Xu is already aware, I won¡¯t conceal it anymore. Indeed, I planned to win over the Chang Family, but it¡¯s unfortunate I encountered a hero who eliminates evil. Having been away for so long, I should return to the Imperial Capital,¡± An Yifeng replied with a rueful smile. ¡°Do you have an elder brother named An Yiheng?¡± Xu Zimei asked, stroking his chin. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s my second brother,¡± An Yifeng nodded and replied. ¡°Do you aspire to be the Crown Prince?¡± Xu Zimei suddenly inquired. An Yifeng was taken aback; his heart began beating rapidly for some reason. He swallowed hard, his eyes blazing as he looked at Xu Zimei and nodded. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll give you an opportunity,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and said, ¡°As long as I hear the news of An Yiheng¡¯s death, I assure you will be the future Crown Prince of the Purple Sun Empire.¡± An Yifeng was stunned, ¡°Is he suggesting that I kill my own brother?¡± His face showed struggle, uncertain how to respond. Was the throne more important than his half-brother shared by the same father? ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be conflicted. Think it over slowly when you return. My offer will always stand,¡± Xu Zimei waved his hand and added, ¡°But I should remind you, without my help, you won¡¯t stand a chance of claiming the title of Crown Prince.¡± Xu Zimei was not lying with this statement; in his previous life, An Yifeng¡¯s brother An Yiheng indeed became the future Crown Prince. The protagonist, Chu Yang, had risen from Qingyang Village and made his way to Heavenly Sword City, reclaiming the Chang Family. In the end, he went to the Imperial Capital, met the Second Prince An Yiheng, and the two became close friends. Ultimately, with Chu Yang¡¯s help, An Yiheng successfully became the Crown Prince. As for An Yifeng, in the end, he was merely a pitiful creature. ¡°I will give it serious thought,¡± An Yifeng nodded then withdrew. ¡­¡­ Afterward, Xu Zimei summoned Black Thirteen. ¡°Thirteen, I have a task for you, and you must not mess it up.¡± ¡°Young Master, please give your instructions,¡± Black Thirteen nodded solemnly. ¡­ The morning in Qingyang Village unfolded as usual, with Coach Mo leading the young trainees in their morning exercises. Since taking the pills Xiao Yuexuan left for Qingyang Village, he had successfully broken through to the Condensing Vein Realm, and his spiritual energy surged powerfully¡ªa result of years of accumulation. The young members of the team were all practicing the horse stance; their faces turned red from the effort, having persisted for over an hour. But at the very back, the youth named Chu Yang wore a resolute expression, steady as an ancient pine, seemingly unaffected by fatigue. Ever since he started cultivating the Step Battle Immortal Jue given to him by Ink Elder and took the pills left by Xiao Yuexuan, Chu Yang¡¯s body had undergone several refinements, reaching the ninth level of the Mortal Realm. For him, this level of training was child¡¯s play. When the morning exercises ended, all the young trainees were so exhausted they could hardly stand straight, yet Chu Yang alone remained relaxed and unfazed. Coach Mo walked over, patted his shoulder, and said, ¡°Keep it up, you may achieve far greater things than I ever will.¡± Chu Yang smiled and nodded firmly in response. ¡­ After breakfast, Chu Yang made his way to a forest outside Qingyang Village where a vast gorge lay hidden within. A river gathered above the gorge, cascading like a waterfall from the sky, stirring up waves upon impacting the earth. Below the river lay a small pond. Golden carps swam in the pond, and a turtle rested quietly sunning itself on glossy stones at its edge. Chu Yang arrived at the pond¡¯s edge, where Ink Elder¡¯s voice echoed from within a ring. ¡°Yang, sit under the waterfall, use the force of the water to help you open the first Vein Gate, and try to break through to the Spirit Vein Realm today.¡± The waterfall plunged like a direct drop from heaven, as if the Milky Way itself had descended to earth. Looking up at the waterfall resembling a mighty dragon, Chu Yang gritted his teeth and slowly sat down beneath it. No sooner had he taken his place under the waterfall than he felt the pressure of the cascading water, tearing pain in his muscles as if ripping them apart. It felt like his blood was flowing backward, as if his veins might burst. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a roar toward the sky. ¡°Hold on,¡± encouraged Ink Elder¡¯s voice, ¡°circulate the Step Battle Immortal Jue, repair your body bit by bit and then gradually adapt to the pressure.¡± Chu Yang nodded with difficulty, enduring the pain through clenched teeth. Gradually, his body became somewhat numb, and his consciousness started to blur. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep, push through now to break into the Spirit Vein Realm; otherwise, it will damage your foundation,¡± Reincarnation Elder shouted from the side. Chu Yang opened his eyes in a haze, mumbling to himself, ¡°Right, I can¡¯t sleep, I have to find Xiao¡¯er.¡± He remembered the feeling of helplessness on the day the girl had left. A glint suddenly flashed in his eyes and with a ¡°bang,¡± it was as if shackles within him had been unlocked. The cascades showered down tumultuously, and Chu Yang excitedly watched the transformations in his body. Then, he caught a glimpse of something behind the waterfall¡ªa cave seemed to be hidden there. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Hundred Great Battle Bodies Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Hundred Great Battle Bodies ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Chu Yang looked at the cave, a burst of surprise. The cave was hidden in an especially concealed location, perfectly obscured by the waterfall cascading from above, its entrance overgrown with vines and weeds. Chu Yang had been cultivating here for several days, yet he hadn¡¯t discovered it. He decided to take a look, standing at the very bottom of the waterfall, ever since he had opened the first Vein Gate and advanced to the Spirit Vein Realm. The impact of the waterfall on him wasn¡¯t so severe anymore. He leaped up, briefly dispersing the waterfall with the spiritual energy surrounding him before jumping into the cave halfway up the mountainside. The cave was filled with a faint scent of flowers and wasn¡¯t stuffy, as if the air wasn¡¯t stagnant despite being concealed for a long time. The view inside the cave was slightly dark, and Chu Yang proceeded with great caution, unaware of the potential dangers within. He didn¡¯t even know how deep the cave was. After walking for quite some time, Chu Yang suddenly noticed a light emanating from ahead, the view in front of him broadening. At the very end of the cave, there was a moon-shaped groove emitting the light. Embedded above the groove was a dark yellow pearl, which, if Xu Zimei were present, he would recognize as identical to the one he had fought Cui Yuan for, and to the one from the Chang Family. The light shone down from the groove, precisely illuminating a corner of the cave. In this corner, a pile of dry grass lay spread out, and on top of it was a silver-white sword. The sword sheath emitted a silver-white radiance, adorned with an etching of a dragon. ¡°This, this is,¡± Chu Yang¡¯s gaze was utterly captivated by the longsword. Whereas Ink Elder¡¯s attention remained focused on the pearl. ¡°This is a mundane object, but it is forged from Heaven and Earth Mysterious Iron, impressive,¡± Ink Elder commended. ¡°A mundane object,¡± Chu Yang felt a tinge of disappointment. ¡°Yang, it¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s a mundane object that I praise it. If it were an Earth Tier weapon, I¡¯d actually think less of it,¡± Ink Elder said: ¡°All weapons must evolve from their most basic form. Weapons born at Earth Tier or Heavenly Tier often have limited potential.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yang felt a surge of joy. He took the longsword in his hands and drew it out bit by bit. The moment the sword was drawn, it seemed as though a silver dragon was roaring, a flash of sword light zooming past. The sword was three feet long, its blade meticulously crafted, gleaming coldly, with three letters inscribed on its surface. ¡°Wandering Dragon Sword,¡± Chu Yang murmured delightfully. ¡°Yang, take the pearl from that groove so I can have a look,¡± Ink Elder said earnestly. Chu Yang nodded and took out the dark yellow pearl, which was somewhat cloudy inside, though its surface was covered with patterns. ¡°What use is this pearl?¡± Chu Yang asked curiously. Ink Elder pondered for a long while before asking slowly, ¡°Have you ever heard of the legend of the Hundred Great Battle Bodies?¡± ¡°What are the Hundred Great Battle Bodies?¡± Chu Yang looked puzzled. ¡°Our current epoch has gone through three eras, namely the present Era of Emperors, the previous Wild Desolation Era, and the even more distant Mythical Era,¡± Ink Elder explained gradually: ¡°Legend has it that at the dawn of the Mythical Era, which is the beginning of this epoch, Heaven and Earth graced us with a hundred great battle bodies. Anyone who could merge with one of these battle bodies would undergo a fundamental transformation of their life essence, endowed with extraordinary talents and extreme strength.¡± ¡°That powerful? How can one possess a Battle Body?¡± Chu Yang asked in amazement. ¡°They are scattered across heaven and earth, and no one knows where these battle bodies are,¡± Ink Elder said: ¡°Even the Battle Body ranked at the very bottom, number one hundred, is sought after by many Great Emperors to no avail. Throughout history, more than seventy of these scattered battle bodies have been discovered across heaven and earth. Yet, more than twenty remain in the world, luring many with their allure. However, what baffles many is that while there have been bits and pieces of news about the other battle bodies, there has been absolutely no word of the top three among the Hundred Great Battle Bodies. Many even doubt the existence of the top three battle bodies, and some sages have predicted that these three great battle bodies will not emerge easily, but once they do, they will manifest together and forge a glittering and unparalleled splendid epoch.¡± ¡°Does Ink Elder know of any place where a battle body might be found?¡± Chu Yang inquired. ¡°I do not know, but I have once read an ancient tome from the Mythical Era, which stated that the top three battle bodies are not the same as the others,¡± Ink Elder said slowly: ¡°The other battle bodies are all a single entity. As for the top three, each of them is divided into three parts, scattered throughout the cosmos. Only by collecting all three parts can one fuse and form the battle body.¡± ¡°Ink Elder means to say, could this bead be one of the three parts of the top three battle bodies?¡± Chu Yang asked. ¡°The first-ranked battle body is known as the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, the second as the Axe Breaker Emperor Body, and the third as the Crimson Flame Emperor Body,¡± Ink Elder nodded, adding, ¡°But what I cannot ascertain is which of the top three battle bodies this bead in your hand constitutes one-third of.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it for now. There may come a chance to complete it in the future,¡± Chu Yang said excitedly. At that moment, they heard a series of footsteps approaching from outside. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Chu Yang was alarmed and quickly drew his sword, looking towards the entrance of the cave. A figure clad in black walked in slowly. He looked at Chu Yang and said indifferently, ¡°Hand it over.¡± ¡°What exactly?¡± Chu Yang took a step back, asking in confusion. He could feel the powerful aura emanating from the stranger, clearly beyond his abilities as someone within the Spirit Vein Realm to defeat. ¡°You insect,¡± the black-clothed man sneered. His sword glinted, and even before Chu Yang could react, he felt his chest split open. Blood flowed instantly, staining his chest red. ¡°Who are you, exactly?¡± Chu Yang endured the pain; he had not expected that he would be targeted just after acquiring this fortuitous opportunity. The man in black did not respond but continued to advance towards Chu Yang step by step. If it weren¡¯t for Xu Zimei¡¯s order, Black Thirteen would have slain Chu Yang with that sword stroke just now. Several days ago, upon receiving orders from Xu Zimei, he had made haste to Qingyang Village without delay. He had not disturbed the grass or startled the snake, lurking around the outskirts of Qingyang Village, shadowing Chu Yang. It wasn¡¯t until today, when the other party inadvertently discovered the cave behind the waterfall, that Black Thirteen knew his mission was about to reach its completion. ¡­¡­ The three Prison Suppression Pearls that Xu Zimei sought to collect were indeed the three components required to assemble the first-ranked Prison-Suppressing Divine Body. In his past life, Chu Yang had assembled the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, and it was one of his greatest trump cards. Based on his experiences from his past life, Xu Zimei only knew of the existence of these three Prison Suppression Pearls, with the location of one completely unknown to him. Another was in the possession of the Chang Family, and a third had been obtained by Chu Yang in Qingyang Village. As for where exactly in Qingyang Village it had been found, Xu Zimei was also unclear. He had not expected to inadvertently receive the pearl whose location was unknown to him from Cui Yuan¡¯s hands, and then to combine it with the pearl from the Chang Family. Because he was unclear about the pearl¡¯s location in Qingyang Village. Thus, he had Black Thirteen follow Chu Yang, for the protagonist would surely obtain the pearl by virtue of fortuitous encounters. When that happened, he could simply reap the benefits. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Gathering the Prison Suppression Pearls Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Gathering the Prison Suppression Pearls Xu Zimei guessed that in his past life, Cui Yuan must have been a little monster that delivered experience points. After being slain by Chu Yang, he obtained the last Prison Suppression Pearl, which was why he himself didn¡¯t know its origin. In this life, he had unintentionally stolen the Prison Suppression Pearl from Cui Yuan¡¯s hands¡ªit could only be said that fate plays tricks on people. Watching Black Thirteen approach step by step, Chu Yang hurriedly backed away. He only felt a burning pain in his chest and due to the massive blood loss, his head was also somewhat dizzy. ¡°Am I really going to die like this?¡± Chu Yang thought unwillingly. He had the guidance of the Ink Elder, he practiced the Great Emperor¡¯s Cultivation Technique, and he still needed to find Xiao¡¯er. He was unwilling to die here, so very unwilling! ¡°Yang, don¡¯t worry, no one can hurt you with me here,¡± the voice of the Ink Elder came from the ring. ¡°Ink Elder, you,¡± Chu Yang looked at the ring doubtfully. He saw the phantom of an old man slowly reflecting out from the ring. The moment the old man appeared, it seemed as if the whole world went silent. The sun and the moon rotated, the cycle of reincarnation never ceasing. An intangible aura congregated around the old man, who stood with hands behind his back, his temples white, wearing a cyan robe. With a long sigh, that aura of lone dominance shocked the surroundings; he slowly extended his right hand, as if the entire time and space had solidified and stopped. ¡°This, this is,¡± Black Thirteen looked gravely at the aged figure. ¡°During my prime, I didn¡¯t even regard Esteem Vein experts in high esteem, yet an ant of the Empty Vein dares to kill the one I¡¯ve chosen,¡± the old man said indifferently. ¡°You said it yourself, it was during your prime. How much strength do you have left now?¡± Black Thirteen said as he slowly took out a jade token. This jade token was given to him by Xu Zimei, containing a Divine Incarnation of Xu Qingshan, which could unleash the power close to Half-step Saint Vein once activated. ¡°Not good,¡± the old man instantly saw the use of the jade token. He didn¡¯t expect the other party to come prepared. Just as he started to show off, why did he encounter such a thorny issue? With a wave of his right hand, a cage descended from the sky, enveloping Black Thirteen within it, and then he directly grabbed Chu Yang¡¯s shoulder and shouted, ¡°Go.¡± This ordinary cage couldn¡¯t possibly contain Black Thirteen. The old man could be said to have used up all the power he had accumulated over the years, and then he took Chu Yang to a faraway place. ¡­¡­ In a dense forest, the old man slowly put Chu Yang down. By now, his phantom had become somewhat dim, as if it could dissipate at any moment. ¡°Ink Elder, are you alright?¡± Chu Yang shouted anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± the Ink Elder said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve just used too much Divine Soul power, I¡¯ll recover after some time. If you find any Divine Soul-related herbs in the future, remember to keep an eye out for me.¡± After speaking, the Ink Elder entered back into the ring. Chu Yang nodded, took a deep breath, and the bleeding from his chest had already stopped. But his head was still slightly painful. He leaned against a tree nearby, wanting to rest for a while. Suddenly, footsteps sounded again. Chu Yang was alarmed¡ªsurely the man from before wasn¡¯t chasing after him. He turned his head to look and saw a man carrying a longsword walking over slowly. The man wore white robes, looking elegant and amiable with a smiling face. Just as Chu Yang was about to speak, he felt an incredibly strong aura pressing down on him. He grunted, feeling completely unable to move an inch. This swordsman felt even more powerful than the man in black he had encountered earlier. The swordsman walked up to him, slowly bent down, and took the Prison Suppression Pearl from Chu Yang¡¯s chest. ¡°Who are you?¡± Chu Yang¡¯s gaze was piercing as he looked at the other and asked. ¡°Shili Changkong,¡± the man replied with a smile and then left with the Prison Suppression Pearl in tow. Only after the man had left did Chu Yang feel his body relax, and he couldn¡¯t help but gasp for air deeply. ¡°Ink Elder,¡± Chu Yang called out tentatively. ¡°That person was very strong. I didn¡¯t dare show myself. He must be at least at the Esteem Vein Realm,¡± Ink Elder said gravely. ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯ve been clearly arranged by someone else, as if an invisible hand is controlling everything?¡± Chu Yang pondered aloud. ¡°Who are these people?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, just focus on your cultivation,¡± Ink Elder advised, ¡°You¡¯re still too weak now. When you¡¯re strong, one day you will get your retribution. It¡¯s just a pity about that pearl.¡± Chu Yang nodded firmly, his eyes bright with determination. ¡­¡­¡­ Xu Zimei took the last Prison Suppression Pearl brought by Shili Changkong, suppressing the joy in his heart, he said, ¡°Good job, it must have been tough.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me kill him?¡± Shili Changkong asked, puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a sad thing in this world not to have a real opponent?¡± Xu Zimei smiled, ¡°I want to give him endless hope, and then crush him into despair, over and over again. That¡¯s interesting!¡± ¡°What about the thing you promised me?¡± Shili Changkong inquired. Xu Zimei, smiling, handed over two cultivation manuals to Shili Changkong; the manuals were none other than the ¡°Heaven-singing Sword Jue¡± and the ¡°Three Talents Sword Formation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, can I go back on my word?¡± Xu Zimei laughed. Shili Changkong looked at Xu Zimei, but said nothing. He suddenly felt that being friends with Xu Zimei was far better than being enemies with him. The next day, early in the morning, a group set off and left Heavenly Sword City. Before leaving, Xu Zimei warned Guan Zhenhai, ¡°Some things should be stopped at the proper time.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Guan Zhenhai nodded repeatedly. He knew that Xu Zimei was referring to him using the name of the True Martial Holy Sect for personal gain in dealings with the Chang Family over the past two years. Xu Zimei didn¡¯t dwell too much on Guan Zhenhai¡¯s actions; he knew that this world was a blend of black and white, so why bother trying to separate the two so explicitly? There are no absolute good people or absolute bad people. As long as certain actions are kept within limits, within the rules of the game, there¡¯s actually no harm in them. ¡­¡­ These days were the busiest times for the True Martial Holy Sect, as the Sect Gate was about to open to broadly recruit disciples. Across the ten thousand li of territory this supreme place held, countless youths were eager, rubbing their hands in anticipation, hoping to be admitted to this sanctuary that existed in the hearts of countless people. Even some smaller sects nearby wanted to send their talented disciples to the True Martial Holy Sect. It was a broader world, offering more opportunities and better resources. ¡­¡­ At the very front of the Sect Gate, there were one hundred eighty-eight steps. All the young people who wished to join the True Martial Holy Sect had to climb these steps, which represented the first test. The first hundred steps had twice the gravity, the middle eighty steps had five times the gravity, and the final eight steps had gravity ten times heavier than normal. This test assessed the disciple¡¯s perseverance; it was unrelated to personal strength because no matter how strong you are, gravity doesn¡¯t change. The only way one could pass these one hundred eighty-eight steps was to rely on their willpower. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Coming of the Demon Lord Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Coming of the Demon Lord ¡°` Xu Zimei returned to the True Martial Holy Sect, but Shili Changkong did not follow him. He had to create a force for Xu Zimei, an intelligence force, whose power might not need to be very strong, but the news must be timely and accurate. The scope of the force aimed to cover the entire Yuan Central Continent, and he needed to be the first to know about all major events happening on the continent. This was a very long process, not something that could be accomplished overnight. But Xu Zimei was not in a hurry; he could wait, and he certainly didn¡¯t lack the funds to create a force. Setting aside his identity, just from the loot he plundered from the Chang Family, Xu Zimei could spend for a very long time. The accumulation of a family for five hundred years was unimaginably vast. ¡­¡­ After returning to Goose Southern Peak, Xu Zimei came to the peak alone. The cold wind whistled at the mountaintop, thousands of zhang high, strewn with jagged rocks, the mountain path rugged and overgrown with wild grass. Xu Zimei slowly took out the three Prison Suppression Pearls, as the breeze made his broken hair even more disheveled. ¡°Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, the Eternal Ancient No.1 Body,¡± Xu Zimei lamented, even he didn¡¯t know all the secrets of this divine body. In his previous life, he had only seen Chu Yang use it, leaving him with regret and envy. He slowly infused spiritual energy into the three Prison Suppression Pearls, as the wind blew his robe flapping noisily. Suddenly, the three Prison Suppression Pearls shattered, and the sky filled with dark clouds, lightning flashing and thunder booming overhead in a dark mass. Silver dragons of lightning snaked through the clouds, thunder rolling as if the whole sky was about to collapse. From within the three Prison Suppression Pearls, three balls of light emerged, forming a triangular shape, winding around each other. In the sky, the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder seemed to grow larger and larger as if the firmament itself was angry. The clouds accumulated thickly but were slow to release their rain, the air carrying a faint hint of moisture. The three balls of light suddenly shone brightly, and a skeleton flew out from within. One ball of light released two arms, another released two legs, and the last one the torso and skull. As the skeleton fully assembled, the demonic qi surged between heaven and earth, as black mists appeared on the bones, with countless scriptures crawling over its body like ants. The skeleton¡¯s eyes emitted a pure black qi, and it mechanically turned its head and charged straight toward Xu Zimei. Just as the skeleton was about to charge into Xu Zimei¡¯s body, Xu Zimei hurriedly took out Emperor Feiyu¡¯s Emperor¡¯s Blood. He dripped the Emperor¡¯s Blood onto the skeleton, and the entire skeleton suddenly shook and then turned into a stream of light that flew into Xu Zimei¡¯s body. Xu Zimei felt as if his bones were fusing with something, an agonizing pain that reached deep into his soul, nearly causing him to faint. His heartbeat quickened a lot, and his blood, originally red, was turning black. Xu Zimei felt an incredible clarity in his head as if all distractions were nonexistent. His hair all blew back, curling up like an explosion, and turned into a fiery red. Numerous purple lines mixed with black appeared on his face, with some kind of power flowing within them. Wisps of black qi were emanating from Xu Zimei¡¯s body. He knelt on the ground, gritting his teeth and enduring the pain that was transforming his entire body. ¡­¡­¡­ In a very distant place across the Yuan Central Continent, the sky was covered with rolling demonic qi, so dense that not even the scorching sun could penetrate it. There was no distinction between day and night here because it was always shrouded in darkness. At the very center of this land stood an ancient column, sealed in dust. This column reached thousands of zhang high, silent for thousands of years. ¡°` Suddenly, the dust-sealed fragments began to fall from the column, and streaks of red light started to flicker across its surface. In this world, silent for hundreds and thousands of years, someone finally spoke. ¡°The Sky Piercer has felt its master¡¯s power; the Demon Lord has been resurrected!¡± ¡°Where is he? Shall we go find him?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know, or rather, no one will know where the Demon Lord is. Precisely because no one knows, the Demon Lord can grow safely and survive.¡± ¡°One day, that man will reign over this place once more. All we need to do is wait in silence.¡± ¡°But the path to the Ancient Demon Cave has been sealed, and ordinary creatures cannot enter.¡± ¡°The Demon Lord is no ordinary creature,¡± a gentle female voice slowly said: ¡°He will follow the summoning of the Sky Piercer, as if he¡¯s listening to a war song from the distant heavens. Chanting softly while proceeding towards his weapon, the Sky Piercer. Nothing can stop him, for he is the most powerful creature in the world.¡± Someone beside them laughed maniacally, their laughter filled with too much madness and excitement. ¡°Demon Lord, welcome back!¡± ¡­¡­¡­. The moment the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body merged with him, Xu Zimei¡¯s second Vein Gate within his body was directly opened. The opening of Xuan Gu also meant that Xu Zimei had advanced directly to the Condensing Vein Realm. His realm, under the enhancement of the power from the Divine Vein Realm within, grew bit by bit. ¡°Condensing Vein first layer, Condensing Vein second layer, ¡­¡­¡­.. Condensing Vein ninth layer.¡± His realm settled at the Condensing Vein ninth layer, and Xu Zimei took a deep breath. What surprised him even more was his state just now, with hair turning entirely fiery red and his face covered with purple-black patterns. In that moment, Xu Zimei felt like he himself was the Demon King incarnate, possessing power beyond belief. ¡°Is this the power of the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body?¡± Xu Zimei was somewhat astonished; in his previous life, he had seen Chu Yang use the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body, but his own form seemed different. Perhaps everyone has their own path to follow; it¡¯s normal to be different. The increase in strength caused Xu Zimei¡¯s body to crackle with snapping sounds, and the dark clouds in the sky began to disperse bit by bit, ultimately failing to bring rain. The sun was shining brightly, and atop Azure Mountain Peak, Xu Qingshan watched the anomaly with a look full of puzzlement. ¡°An ominous sign, I don¡¯t know if it is good or bad,¡± Xu Qingshan couldn¡¯t tell the origin of the omen and could only shake his head, not dwelling on it further. ¡­¡­¡­ Later, Xu Zimei sought out Lin Ruhu. Today was the day the True Martial Holy Sect was recruiting new disciples, and Xu Zimei wanted to participate and see what the excitement was all about. According to the rules of the True Martial Holy Sect, Xu Zimei, having not cultivated for long and not passed the entry assessment, didn¡¯t count as a disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect. At most, he was nothing more than a family member of the Deputy Sect Master of the True Martial Holy Sect. By the rules, Xu Zimei today had to pass the trials along with everyone else to be considered a true disciple of the Holy Sect. But in this world, there¡¯s no absolute fairness. With power comes the privilege to act capriciously. With Xu Qingshan around, rules and such don¡¯t matter at all. Rules are made for the weak; the strong are in charge of setting the rules, but they never take them seriously. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: 30th Chapter: The Trial of the Newborns Chapter 30: 30th Chapter: The Trial of the Newborns Xu Zimei and Lin Ruhu arrived at the Sect Gate when the trial for recruiting new disciples had already started. The one hundred and eighty-eight steps were now densely packed with disciples. At the very top of the steps, there were two Outer Sect Elders and one Inner Sect Elder in charge of assessing them. The Inner Sect Elder belonged to the Great Elder¡¯s faction, and when he saw Xu Zimei arriving, he just harrumphed indifferently without paying much attention. But one of the Outer Sect Elders, who was from Xu Qingshan¡¯s lineage, was extremely enthusiastic. ¡°Zimei, my dear nephew, has arrived,¡± the Elder said with a smile. ¡°Elder Jin, hello,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and replied, ¡°How is the trial for the new disciples this year? Are there any promising ones?¡± The Inner Sect Elder ignored Xu Zimei, and Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t be bothered with him either, so he started chatting directly with Elder Jin. ¡°There are a few not bad ones,¡± Elder Jin replied, ¡°Look at the disciples on those eight steps in front; they are relatively outstanding.¡± The one hundred and eighty-eight steps in front of the True Martial Holy Sect¡ªthe last one hundred steps had double gravity, the middle eighty steps had five times the gravity, and the very front eight steps had ten times the gravity. Xu Zimei glanced over and noticed that Baili Xiao was among them, and then he asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that girl brought back by the Sixth Elder? Why does she have to participate in the trial too?¡± ¡°She requested it herself, and we couldn¡¯t refuse,¡± Elder Jin said with a smile. Xu Zimei smiled without saying anything; the girl was more mature than he had imagined. She went from being an ordinary village girl to an overnight drastic transformation, becoming the niece of the Sixth Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect. But she didn¡¯t get lost in it; instead, she managed to keep her true self. Xu Zimei¡¯s lips curved up into a smile, murmuring to himself, ¡°Indeed, worthy of being the chosen successor of the Empress!¡± ¡­ ¡°If young nephew Zimei wants to attract forces, you might try courting a few of them.¡± Afterward, Elder Jin began introducing the talented disciples from the trials to Xu Zimei. The disciple standing at the very front of the eight steps was a young man in white, carrying a longsword on his back. The young man exuded a sharp edge; despite the astonishing gravity on the steps that made each step quite a struggle. However, his expression remained calm, without any intention of retreating. ¡°He is a scion of the Huang Family from Northwest City,¡± Elder Jin explained, ¡°His name is Yan Buhui, arguably the most talented of this batch.¡± ¡°Why would a scion of the Huang Family come to our True Martial Holy Sect?¡± Lin Ruhu curiously asked. The Huang Family, though not comparable to the True Martial Holy Sect, was also a large family in Northwest City. The founder of the Huang Family was the Sword God, a powerhouse of the same era as Emperor Yin Tian. Legend has it that he had once contested for destiny with Emperor Yin Tian, and even though he ultimately failed, One who qualified to compete with a Great Emperor for destiny was certainly not an ordinary person. A scion of the Huang Family coming to the True Martial Holy Sect would definitely not have any privileges; they would be just like ordinary disciples. To get good cultivation resources, they had to fight for them themselves, which wouldn¡¯t beat staying with the Huang Family! ¡°He is a child born to a concubine from the Huang Family; his mother was a lowly maid, and his birth was just an accident,¡± Elder Jin clarified, ¡°He didn¡¯t get good resources in the Huang Family, and instead faced opposition at every turn. His name is Yan Buhui, after his mother¡¯s surname.¡± ¡°He is quite good,¡± Xu Zimei recalled the memories of his past life, smiled, and said, ¡°One day he will carry the glory of his ancestors and pass on the brilliance of the Sword God.¡± ¡°Does young nephew Zimei really think so highly of him?¡± The Inner Sect Elder disdainfully remarked. Xu Zimei glanced at the Inner Sect Elder and said indifferently, ¡°Unrelated, like a woman without melons.¡± The face of the Inner Sect Elder turned awkward, he huffed coldly and stopped bothering with it. ¡°I won¡¯t say much about that girl named Baili Xiao; I heard the Sixth Elder is quite fond of her, and her talent probably isn¡¯t far off,¡± Elder Jin continued. ¡°Down the steps, those two girls are twins, one named Xue Qianxue, and the other named Xue Mengmeng. They are locals from Little Yang Town under our Holy Sect; their previous Family Head was also one of our Inner Gate Elders. Before they came here, the current Family Head of the Xue Family specifically asked me to take good care of them. They are twins, and it¡¯s said that they cultivate a kind of combined attack Cultivation Technique, which when used together, can double the power of the technique. With their strength, it would be very challenging to enter the front eight steps, but due to the boost from the combined attack Cultivation Technique, their talent can be considered barely passable.¡± Xu Zimei smiled; he still remembered the twin sisters. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, these two later became Baili Xiao¡¯s maidservants, which could be said to be quite glorious. ¡°Moving on, the bulky one is named Gao Xiong,¡± Elder Jin said, continuing, ¡°He¡¯s from an ordinary mountain village in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Amongst these people, his realm is the lowest, only at the ninth layer of the Mortal Realm, not even having entered the Spirit Vein Realm. However, his physical body is one of the most potential-filled ones I¡¯ve seen in years; it was purely by the strength of his body that he stepped onto these front eight steps.¡± After listening to Elder Jin¡¯s introduction, Xu Zimei said to Lin Ruhu, ¡°Ruhu, let¡¯s also participate in the trial to avoid idle talk from others.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Ruhu nonchalantly nodded. The two walked to the bottom of the mountain and started moving forward step by step from the first step. There weren¡¯t many strict requirements for walking up these steps; defensive Spiritual Artifacts couldn¡¯t be used, and it was necessary to proceed one step at a time. Even if one could leap up several steps at once, it wasn¡¯t allowed. As Xu Zimei stepped onto it, he felt gravity coming from all directions. His cultivation state, which was somewhat unstable at the ninth layer of Condensing Vein, began to solidify, and the Spiritual Energy inside him became more condensed. ¡°Ruhu, don¡¯t resist this gravity; try to merge with it,¡± Xu Zimei advised, ¡°Not only will that reduce the weight of the gravity, but it will also help better temper your body.¡± Lin Ruhu nodded; his talent wasn¡¯t worse than Xu Zimei¡¯s, especially after cultivating the Force Jue, the muscles on his body became increasingly pronounced. Showing signs of bulging, estimating that he would likely become a muscular man in the future. ¡­ Xu Zimei, looking content, stepped up the steps one at a time. While tempering himself, he also integrated himself into the gravity. He took about ten minutes, without rushing, to pass the last hundred steps of double gravity. Then came the eighty steps of five times gravity. Xu Zimei stood there and slightly adjusted to the gravity, before continuing to walk up as calmly as a breeze. Lin Ruhu wouldn¡¯t show weakness either; although it was always a bit hard, he managed to keep up with Xu Zimei¡¯s pace. Finally, the two completed the eighty steps and arrived at the last eight steps. According to the rules of the True Martial Holy Sect, as long as you could walk onto the steps with ten times the gravity, you were considered to have passed. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Level 2 Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Level 2 But at True Martial Holy Sect, Outer Sect Disciples are also divided into ordinary and elite. Stepping onto the eight steps with tenfold gravity is considered being an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple. And if one can complete all eight steps, they can become an elite disciple. Elite disciples definitely receive far more resources; for cultivation, wealth, companions, methodologies, and territory are indispensable. Therefore, every year many newcomers wish to challenge this and directly become elite disciples, leaving behind a splendid story. Xu Zimei stepped onto the steps with tenfold gravity, the force of the gravity growing stronger. He loosened his body a bit and took a deep breath. As he stepped onto the first step, he encountered the twin sisters standing there. Xu Zimei looked down and gave them a once-over, his gaze pausing briefly on the twins¡¯ bosoms. ¡°What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen a beauty before?¡± the younger sister Xue Mengmeng retorted, showing her small tiger teeth and glared at Xu Zimei. ¡°I live at Goose Southern Peak,¡± Xu Zimei tapped their shoulders three times and then walked towards the second step with a big laugh. ¡°What does he mean by that?¡± Xue Mengmeng asked her sister, puzzled. Her sister Xue Qianxue clenched her silver teeth, angrily saying, ¡°He¡¯s telling us where he lives and even patted our shoulders three times. It means he¡¯s asking us to go to Goose Southern Peak to find him at midnight.¡± ¡°Shameless,¡± Xue Mengmeng watched Xu Zimei¡¯s departing back, her little fists clenched tight and her face flushed red. ¡­¡­ Stepping onto the third step, Xu Zimei saw a stocky young man named Gao Xiong and smiled at him. ¡°My name is Gao Xiong, nice to meet you,¡± the young man named Gao Xiong said, scratching his head with a simple smile: ¡°Me ma used to say that as a kid, I could go head-to-head with the brown bears in the forest without being the least bit weaker, so she named me Gao Xiong.¡± ¡°The Little Prince of Close Combat, huh,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, ¡°Young man, I think highly of you. Want to hang with me?¡± ¡°Are there any benefits?¡± Gao Xiong asked curiously. ¡°When I carry out my destiny and ascend to Great Emperor, I¡¯ll appoint you as my second War General; how about that?¡± Xu Zimei said with a laugh. As for the position of first War General, it had already been reserved by Lin Ruhu. ¡°But I want to be a Great Emperor too,¡± Gao Xiong said with a laugh, showing off a set of big white teeth with a naive expression. ¡°If you contest the destiny with me, I¡¯ll have no choice but to kill you then,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Maybe I can counter-kill you,¡± Gao Xiong laughed dismissively. ¡°Haha, interesting, really interesting,¡± Xu Zimei laughed heartily for a few moments, then looked at Gao Xiong thoughtfully, ¡°Inheritor of the Ancient Power Bear bloodline, you indeed have the qualification to contend for the destiny. It¡¯s a pity that you were born in the same era as me.¡± Gao Xiong¡¯s expression changed as he looked intently at Xu Zimei. His Ancient Power Bear bloodline was always his secret; how could the other party know? Leaving behind a contemplative Gao Xiong, Xu Zimei continued upwards to arrive before the fifth step. He looked at the young girl in front of him, Baili Xiao, who was also looking at him, their eyes meeting. ¡°I really regret the idiotic things I did back then,¡± Xu Zimei said gently. The girl looked at him with eyes full of confusion. A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the lake, and the branches of the willow trees on either side swayed with the wind, while several birds flew from afar, their wings beating softly. ¡°The game has started, but this time I am the one in control,¡± Xu Zimei suddenly smiled, paying no attention to the girl, stepped into the void, radiating confidence and an air of unrestrained grace. ¡­¡­ Yan Buhui stood with his sword, his body erect, resembling a drawn sword. Sword Qi enveloped him, his white clothes fluttering in the wind, his long hair slightly gathered into a bun with a sideways fringe covering half his eyebrow, dancing in the breeze. ¡°Do you want revenge?¡± Xu Zimei asked, stepping onto the stairway, smiling as he looked ahead the same time as the young man. ¡°If you help me eliminate the Huang Family, my life is yours,¡± Yan Buhui turned his head, eyes glittering as if there were swords flashing within, gazing intently at Xu Zimei. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t vengeance be more satisfying when carried out with one¡¯s own hands?¡± Xu Zimei smiled and, without giving the youth¡¯s astonished look any further attention, stepped up to that final stair. His momentum was overwhelming, spiritual energy surging around him like a mighty river, his purple robe draped behind him as he turned to look at the countless youths still struggling against gravity to climb. Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t help but think of the True Martial Great Emperor, that man who bore his destiny and stood at the zenith of the heavens, and who proclaimed ¡°Destiny is mine alone¡± before the whole world with such grandeur. ¡°Young Master Zimo truly has an extraordinary talent,¡± an Inner Gate Elder said with a sardonic tone nearby: ¡°He truly lives up to the Deputy Sect Master¡¯s continuous nurturing.¡± What the Inner Gate Elder meant was that Xu Zimei was only able to outshine the other newcomers because his father was the Deputy Sect Master, suggesting he was built upon by superior resources. ¡°Always leave room for maneuver in your actions; don¡¯t deprive yourself of even the opportunity to beg for mercy in the future,¡± Xu Zimei glanced indifferently at the Inner Gate Elder and remarked. The Inner Gate Elder¡¯s face changed, and he looked deeply at Xu Zimei before falling silent. ¡­¡­ After Xu Zimei climbed the one hundred and eighty-eight steps, Lin Ruhu, too, struggled for a long time before finally reaching the top. Yan Buhui, surrounded by swirling Sword Qi which seemed to soar into the skies, followed by the sound of sword cries, eventually made his way up as well. Although Baili Xiao had no particularly stunning performance, she step by step, step by step, just kept walking up. Against all odds, with her body feeling like it was going to be crushed by the intense gravity, she gritted her teeth and ultimately made it to the top. After that, no other disciples were able to finish climbing the one hundred and eighty-eight steps, but nevertheless, many disciples managed to step onto those eight steps afterward. The trials of the True Martial Holy Sect were divided into three phases, and after all three phases were complete, the scores from each phase would be added together. The top one hundred ranking disciples would then be allowed to join the True Martial Holy Sect and become Outer Gate Disciples. ¡­¡­ As for the second phase, it was a test of aptitude, which is absolutely crucial for martial artists. Even the Empress Hongtian, that girl with mediocre talent, had to seek ways to enhance her aptitude step by step on her journey to Becoming Emperor. The True Martial Holy Sect classified aptitude into nine levels, with first-level being the strongest and ninth-level the weakest. Typically, an aptitude of fourth-level or above is considered to be competent. Xu Zimei did not participate in this phase, confident in his aptitude after merging with the Eternal Ancient No.1 Body and the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body. In this phase, Gao Xiong and Yan Buhui both possessed first-level aptitude, while Baili Xiao had second-level aptitude, and the twin siblings had third-level aptitude. Aptitude was tested specifically with an Enlightenment Stone, one of the Taoist Stones from nature, which, after modification, was used explicitly for testing aptitude. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 King-level Aptitude Chapter 32: Chapter 32 King-level Aptitude The aptitude testing on the Enlightenment Stone continued, with most disciples who came to the True Martial Holy Sect having third or fourth class aptitudes, and many also possessing first or second class aptitudes. Just as the aptitude testing was about to come to an end, everything changed when a young man clad in a black robe placed his hand on the Enlightenment Stone. Instantly, lines of Tao became visible on the stone, the patterns emitting beams of golden light that shot straight up into the sky. ¡°King-level aptitude,¡± an Outer Sect Elder excitedly declared. ¡°The last time we saw a king-level aptitude was ten years ago, if I remember correctly,¡± an Inner Sect Elder said with a smile. King-level aptitude was not rare within the True Martial Holy Sect, but it definitely belonged to those with considerable potential and extraordinary talents. King-level aptitude was one notch above first class aptitude. The young man seemed to have known about his talent all along; he was not at all surprised, instead, he proudly basked in the envious glances of the other youths around him. ¡°What is your name?¡± an Inner Sect Elder stepped forward and inquired. ¡°Disciple Yu Bo,¡± the young man hurriedly answered with respect. ¡°Would you like to become my direct disciple,¡± the Inner Sect Elder asked, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t pass this trial, I can still take you as my disciple if you agree.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master. I am willing,¡± Yu Bo did not stand on ceremony and began to kneel and kowtow immediately. The youths nearby were filled with envy, ¡°Just arrived at the True Martial Holy Sect and already taken as a direct disciple by an Inner Sect Elder, Yu Bo¡¯s future is boundless!¡± ¡°Brother Yu¡¯s talents are unrivaled, hardly comparable to mere mortals like yourselves,¡± a keen disciple by the side began to butter up right away. ¡°Zimo, shall we recruit him to our side?¡± Lin Ruhu asked as he looked at Yu Bo. ¡°He¡¯s just a jumping clown,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head. In his past life, Yu Bo indeed had a moment of glory, but all he had was talent; his Dao heart was unstable, and ultimately, he faded into obscurity. As a martial artist, one can work on gradually improving inferior talents; there¡¯s always a way. But if there¡¯s an issue with one¡¯s Dao heart, then one is unlikely to achieve much in this lifetime. Therefore, among martial artists, there¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°If you have an invincible Dao heart, then you have the qualification to become a strong person.¡± After the second stage of the aptitude test was over, everyone rested for a short spell before moving on to the third stage. The third stage was to test the Dao heart. The True Martial Holy Sect would create an illusion, and the person who remained lucid the longest within would score the highest in this stage. If one could remain lucid until the end of the illusion, a full score would be attained. Generally, there were two types of lucidity: one where the spirit doesn¡¯t fall into delusion from the start, demonstrating a resilient Dao heart; the other is where a person succumbs but manages to extricate themselves from the temptation of the illusion and achieves self-awareness at the last moment¡ªa Dao heart with imperfections, yet teeming with potential, meriting a full score as well. After the brief rest, a young man emerged from within the Holy Sect. The youth was dressed in the special blue robe of the True Martial Holy Sect, his features resolute, and there seemed to be a sort of magic in his eyes that could make one lose themselves if looked into for too long. The Seventh Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect was an Array Master, under whom were five direct disciples, famously known in the martial world as the Ten Thousand Arrays Five Disciples. These Five Disciples each specialized in different formations: some excelled in killing arrays, others in defense formations, and some in auxiliary formations. The young man named Qi Shan was the most skilled in illusion arrays among the Ten Thousand Arrays Five Disciples. ¡°I¡¯ll be setting the challenge for the third round,¡± Qi Shan said lightly as he looked at the young men before him, ¡°I¡¯ll lay out a Seven Emotions and Six Desires Formation. Just from the name, you should guess the purpose of this Formation, so I won¡¯t explain further.¡± Spiritual Energy surged in Qi Shan¡¯s palms as he began to form Array Seals with his hands, crafting each one, the size of a thumb, from the Spiritual Energy. He formed the seals at a rapid pace. In just a few breaths, a hundred Array Seals were conjured. Formations also have a strict hierarchy, similar to the realms of a Vein Practitioner. Based on the number of Array Seals, ten seals would constitute a first-tier Formation, while one hundred seals belonged to a second-tier Formation. Once these one hundred Array Seals were set in their strategic positions on the ground, lined up in order, and merged into the Spiritual Energy, Qi Shan¡¯s hands once again stirred up Spiritual Energy, transforming it into a beam of light that fell into the Formation, which was then instantly activated. The inside of the Formation was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, making it impossible to see what was within. Outside the Formation were white streams of Spiritual Energy, forming a circle of light that was both luminescent and mist-laden, ¡°The assessment will last a quarter of an hour. After a quarter of an hour, I will dismantle the Formation,¡± announced Qi Shan. The new disciples each made their way into the Formation, sitting cross-legged and relaxing their minds, seeking to be in the best state to face the assessment. ¡°Let¡¯s go join the fun,¡± Xu Zimei suggested to Lin Ruhu. He led Lin Ruhu into the Formation and had just settled down when the Formation began to operate. Layers of mist enveloped everyone. The surrounding youths were instantly subjected to illusions, but Xu Zimei remained unaffected, taking a moment to survey the Formation. In his view, although it was full of flaws, it was still decent by the standards of a second-tier Array Master. Xu Zimei emptied his mind and allowed the mist to draw him into an illusory world. If he hadn¡¯t been willing, such a low-level Formation would never have been able to compromise his mind and spirit. ¡­¡­ All around was a vast expanse of white. Laughter, clear as silver bells, reached Xu Zimei¡¯s ears. Several scantily clad women approached him with a sultry gait, their ample bosoms and long legs exposed, and their black hair billowing loosely behind them as if they had just bathed. However, before these women could come close, Xu Zimei lashed out with a palm strike, dispelling all the illusions. ¡°How uninspired, clich¨¦. Beautiful women are fleeting; in the end, they¡¯re nothing but skeletons.¡± The next moment, thunderous cheers suddenly erupted in Xu Zimei¡¯s ears. He saw himself standing at the summit of the firmament, surrounded by Destiny. He looked regal in a purple robe, his presence monumental and unstoppable, as if he were the Great Emperor who ruled over the world. No, he was the Emperor, the mightiest of his era. Countless beings knelt before him in worship. ¡°Having been reborn in this life, I am destined to ascend the Firmament and become the Great Emperor. Why should I indulge in these fantasies?¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and shattered the illusions with a punch. At the next moment, the scene before Xu Zimei¡¯s eyes transformed. He became an ant, crawling between heaven and earth, while ten Great Emperors strode through the air above the summit of the Firmament. Their imperial majesty swept across vast distances, their purples aura spanning ninety thousand miles, holding the sun and the moon, plucking stars from the sky. ¡°Xu Zimei, do you plead guilty?¡± the ten Emperors challenged him simultaneously, their gazes divine, their statures colossal, shoulders carrying the heavens, feet treading upon clouds. Their oppressive might bore down like the collapse of the nine heavens, leaving Xu Zimei gasping for breath. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Legacy of Empress Hongtian Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The Legacy of Empress Hongtian The Ancient Emperor, the Vast Emperor, the Soaring Emperor, the Great Emperor Tianqi¡­ Looking at these emperors who were admired by future generations, Xu Zimei¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he indifferently said, ¡°What crime have I committed, even if you carry destiny and substitute the will of the heavens, what can you do?¡± At that moment, Xu Zimei really wanted to shout out loud, ¡°We cultivators naturally defy the heavens; who dares to place themselves above all? Today I will shatter the heavens, my fate is my own, not dictated by the heavens.¡± But, upon second thought, he felt it was somewhat adolescent, his gaze grew sharp, he drew Tyrant Shadow from his back, and with his lean figure, he looked up at the ten emperors in the sky, his lips curled into a smile, ¡°What does it matter if I pull you down from your pedestals!¡± He walked on air, Tyrant Shadow in hand reflecting a blaze of glory, roaring as he charged towards those emperors. ¡°The world¡¯s turmoil starts because of us, Once involved in the rivers and lakes, time hurries by, Imperial ambitions and supreme rule are all but jests, In the end, life is nothing more than a drunken revelry.¡± ¡­ Qi Shan waved his hands, and the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Formation gradually dissolved, the fog cleared, and Xu Zimei had a smile on his lips. This Seven Emotions and Six Desires Formation could bring out a person¡¯s most primitive desires, whatever you most longed for, it could create within the illusion for you. Authority, wealth, beauty, or strength. In the arena, many of the young men were already disheveled, with clothes askew and hair scattered, looking very wretched. Even those who were in better condition had faces either pale or flushed, their entire bodies covered in a sheen of cold sweat. ¡°Ruhu, what did you see in the illusion?¡± Xu Zimei asked with interest. ¡°I saw many women without clothes, but I wasn¡¯t interested, so I blasted them away,¡± Lin Ruhu said, ¡°I also saw myself carrying destiny, becoming an emperor. But I knew that in this life, the emperor must be Brother Zimo, so I killed all those who worshipped me too.¡± Xu Zimei suddenly realized that this kind of illusion was actually just a way to stir up the desires in one¡¯s heart, but for someone like Lin Ruhu who had no desires, it was pointless. ¡°Ruhu, what do you like?¡± Xu Zimei asked curiously. ¡°I just like following behind Brother Zimo,¡± Lin Ruhu said with a simple smile. ¡°Let me make it clear, my personal aesthetics are very normal,¡± Xu Zimei hastily clarified. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Lin Ruhu quickly said, ¡°I already have someone I like.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Xu Zimei blinked, Lin Ruhu always seemed quiet and reserved, but unexpectedly, this broad-browed, big-eyed man turned out to be the kind who was restless inside. ¡°The daughter of the Seventh Elder,¡± Lin Ruhu replied in a muted voice. ¡°Shh,¡± Xu Zimei drew in a breath of cold air, ¡°Truly terrifying indeed!¡± Xu Zimei had seen the Seventh Elder¡¯s daughter before, and he hadn¡¯t expected Ruhu¡¯s taste to be so intense. ¡°What do you like about her?¡± Xu Zimei felt it was necessary to ask clearly. ¡°I think her personality is quite good,¡± Lin Ruhu said with a silly smile, seeming to reminisce about something, his smile as radiant as the spring sunshine. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Xu Zimei nodded silently, not continuing the conversation. ¡°He¡¯s a werewolf.¡± ¡­ At this time, the Inner Sect Elders had already begun to announce the names of the top one hundred disciples. The named young men were all tremendously excited, looking around with pride, standing tall with their chests out. As the list of one hundred names neared completion, the remaining young men looked downcast, their year of anticipation turning into utter despair. ¡°Those youths who failed to join the Holy Sect shouldn¡¯t give up, the path of a martial artist is fraught with setbacks; it can¡¯t all be smooth sailing,¡± an Inner Sect Elder stood at the front, consoling them, ¡°You can come back next year or choose to join another sect, which is also a fine choice.¡± In the Extreme West Region, aside from the True Martial Holy Sect, there were indeed many other sects. However, no matter how one looked at it, the True Martial Holy Sect was the strongest. ¡­ The Inner Sect Elder then gave an inspiring speech to the remaining hundred youngsters who had joined the True Martial Holy Sect. The main message was, ¡°The sect is for me, and I for the sect.¡± After the speech ended, the Inner Sect Elder took out a hexagonal crystal. The surface of the crystal was polished smooth like a mirror, twinkling with specks of light. The Inner Sect Elder didn¡¯t tell everyone what the crystal was for, but had everyone line up and try placing their hand on the crystal one by one. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Lin Ruhu asked curiously from a distance. ¡°Legacy Crystal,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a smile. He had already anticipated the result, this was a moment that could be recorded in the history of the True Martial Holy Sect, and also the moment when Baili Xiao truly stepped through the dragon gate. But Xu Zimei didn¡¯t try to stop it because everything seemed so interesting, so beautiful. So beautiful that he didn¡¯t even want to shatter someone else¡¯s hope. ¡­¡­ The youngsters placed their hands on the crystal one by one, yet the crystal showed no reaction. The Inner Sect Elder¡¯s expression was calm, as he had anticipated this outcome, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a successor chosen by the Empress.¡± The queue began to dwindle, whether it was Yan Buhui or Gao Xiong, or even the pair of twin sisters, they all failed in turn. It wasn¡¯t until the girl nervously walked forward and placed her hand on the crystal that Baili Xiao felt a warm current flow from the crystal. Immediately after, the whole crystal suddenly emitted a dazzling silver light. ¡°This, this is,¡± said the Inner Sect Elder who stood at the front, looking at the crystal in a state of shock, rendered speechless. Not far away, Xu Zimei¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Tsk tsk, such a historic moment, it¡¯s a pity there¡¯s nothing to record it.¡± ¡­ As the crystal emitted the dazzling light, there suddenly appeared, up in the sky, over a dozen figures rising into the air. Each figure radiated a Heaven Shaking presence, and as these figures appeared at the same time, their auras faintly joined together, solidifying the surrounding air with a force as vast as the sea. Among these figures were the True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s seven Elders, including the Deputy Sect Master, all present. This crystal was a treasure of the Sect Gate, naturally, it would not be so easily entrusted to an Inner Sect Elder. In fact, every time a new successor was sought, these high-ranking officials were secretly present, preferring not to reveal themselves. ¡°Brother Zimo, what¡¯s happening?¡± Lin Ruhu, seeing the high-ranking officials of the sect at the center, asked in astonishment. The crystal slowly rose into the sky, emitting a brilliant light, as if something was about to emerge. Xu Zimei said with a smile, ¡°Before the four Great Emperors of our True Martial Holy Sect ascended, they all left their legacies within the sect. They hoped that one day a suitable person would obtain the legacy and then lead the Holy Sect to a golden age. The legacy of the Divine Travel Great Emperor was obtained by our current Sect Master, while the legacy of the True Martial Great Emperor was obtained by my father. Now, only the legacies of the Great Emperor of the Three Blades and Empress Hongtian remain vacant. And today, the successor to Empress Hongtian has appeared.¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Receiving the Mission Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Receiving the Mission Everyone was shocked by the scene before them, as the smooth crystal gradually dissolved, revealing a shadow that stepped out from within. This shadow seemed to have traversed the nine heavens and ten earths, crossing through time and the River of Fate. All was silent, and not a bird could be heard chirping. The majestic imperial might swept across the entire Yuan Central Continent. At this moment, whether it was the ancient creatures who had cultivated for countless years or the naturally talented evil beings, none were exceptions. All were stunned by this enormous momentum, their gazes involuntarily turning towards the True Martial Holy Sect. ¡°It¡¯s the Empress,¡± someone shouted. All the people of the True Martial Holy Sect knelt on the ground, looking up at the sky with devotion. Endless radiance fell from the shadow, as if a mist covered it, preventing anyone from seeing the Empress¡¯s face clearly. The Inner Sect Elders swallowed hard and exclaimed in a lost voice, ¡°The Empress¡¯s successor, she is the one chosen by the Empress.¡± The shadow looked back at the world for a moment, as if freezing time and space, then transformed into a streak of silver light, flying into Baili Xiao¡¯s body with an indomitable momentum. Then, everyone only heard a thunderous explosion as the Legacy Crystal of the Empress shattered. A complete skeleton flew out from within, radiating with bright silver light, surrounded by strands of lunar brilliance. ¡°The Flying Immortal Body,¡± an Elder exclaimed, ¡°It is the Empress¡¯s Flying Immortal Body. She left it behind when she ascended without taking it with her.¡± Everyone gasped, their eyes filled with disbelief as they looked at Baili Xiao. Those in the know understood just how great an opportunity this girl had received. The Flying Immortal Body, ranked seventh among the Hundred Great Battle Bodies and renowned as the Battle Body that represents the ultimate speed. It is known that among the four True Martial Great Emperors of the True Martial Holy Sect, only Empress Hongtian obtained the seventh-ranked Flying Immortal Body, while the True Martial Great Emperor obtained the fifteenth-ranked True Martial Sword Body. The other two Great Emperors, even after carrying Destiny, were unable to obtain a Battle Body. The legacy of the True Martial Great Emperor was inherited by Xu Qingshan, but it did not include his own inherited Battle Body. No one expected that Empress Hongtian would actually leave her Flying Immortal Body behind. ¡­¡­ As the Flying Immortal Body merged into Baili Xiao¡¯s body, she fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Xu Zimei understood the pain of transforming her entire body. Sixth Elder Xiao Yuexuan quickly flew down from the sky and encouraged her at the side, ¡°Xiao¡¯er, hold on. This is an important moment for you to change your destiny. You must endure.¡± Under the anxious eyes of everyone, Baili Xiao gradually calmed down, sat cross-legged, suppressed her own spiritual energy, and then slowly exhaled. ¡°Auntie,¡± Baili Xiao said upon seeing Xiao Yuexuan and quickly greeted her. ¡°Child, you really are blessed,¡± Xiao Yuexuan said contentedly, ¡°You have received the Empress¡¯s legacy, and you have merged with the Flying Immortal Body. You are definitely qualified to compete for your destiny in this life.¡± ¡°I will try my best, so I won¡¯t let Auntie down,¡± Baili Xiao nodded and replied. ¡­¡­ The trial for new disciples had ended, and the girl had become the sole protagonist of this trial. Xu Zimei was now also an Outer Sect Disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect. According to the rules of the True Martial Holy Sect, an Outer Sect Disciple must complete three Sect missions within a month. There was a special mission hall within the Sect where disciples took on missions. Xu Zimei did not concern himself with how much of a sensation this trial had caused within the True Martial Holy Sect. He, along with Lin Ruhu, headed to the mission hall. Completing and submitting tasks all had to be done in the Task Hall; hence when Xu Zimei arrived, the hall was usually crowded. The scene could be described as bustling. There was a long queue waiting to take on tasks, but Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t be bothered to line up and went directly to the front of the queue. At the front, a disciple was in the process of accepting a task. The disciple smiled at the one distributing tasks behind the counter and said, ¡°Senior brother, I¡¯d like to take on a task.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your cultivation level?¡± asked the young man at the counter without looking up. ¡°Fifth layer of the Spirit Vein Realm,¡± the disciple quickly replied. ¡°Spirit Vein Realm can only take on level five tasks,¡± the young man said indifferently, then carelessly tossed a wooden token to the Outer Sect Disciple. The Outer Sect Disciple hurriedly caught the task token, glanced at the assignment detailed on it, and his expression changed. He then said with a forced smile, ¡°Could you perhaps give me a different level five task, senior brother?¡± There were various types of tasks in the Task Hall: some involved slaying Monster Beasts, some entailed eradicating bandits, some required escorting caravans, and some involved mining rare minerals. Some tasks were issued by the Inner Sect Elders, while others were posted by people from outside. As long as there was a Spirit Crystal reward and the task didn¡¯t harm others, it could be posted within the True Martial Holy Sect. Hence, even if they were all level five tasks, some were easier and some more challenging. The one this Outer Sect Disciple had taken on involved killing a Monster Beast. The frown of the young man issuing tasks deepened as he said displeasedly, ¡°This one¡¯s picky about tasks, that one¡¯s picky about tasks, if I give all the easy tasks to you, then who¡¯s going to complete the rest?¡± The Outer Sect Disciple meekly nodded, not daring to object. These task-issuing disciples held significant power, and most didn¡¯t dare to provoke them. If you really angered them, there would be nothing you could say if they deliberately gave you the hardest task next time you came to take on a task! ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei patted the shoulder of the Outer Sect Disciple in front of him and said with a smile, ¡°Brother, let me cut in.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± The Outer Sect Disciple frowned and glanced at Xu Zimei, his tone annoyed. Since Xu Zimei usually resided at Goose Southern Peak, many Inner and Outer Sect Disciples were not very familiar with him. Xu Zimei hadn¡¯t even spoken when suddenly, a disciple from behind exploded, kicking the Outer Sect Disciple to the ground and said fiercely, ¡°Open your damn eyes and see, this is the son of our True Martial Holy Sect¡¯s Deputy Sect Master, brother Zimo. It¡¯s your honor that he¡¯s cutting in front of you. Don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± The Outer Sect Disciple¡¯s complexion changed as he hastily apologized to Xu Zimei and then left in disgrace. Xu Zimei looked at the disciple who had defended him and asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Guilin, just call me Xiao Guizi, senior brother,¡± the disciple hurriedly answered. ¡°Not bad, Xiao Guizi. From now on, you can hang out with me,¡± said Xu Zimei with a smile. Xu Zimei didn¡¯t like flatterers, but having a lackey by his side could save him a lot of trouble. ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity, senior brother. Maybe you don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve always respected you like the endless waters of the river, leading on ceaselessly, like the Yellow River¡¯s flooding that¡¯s beyond containment,¡± Zhang Guilin said with a smile. Then he suddenly slammed the counter and urged the young man issuing tasks, ¡°What are you staring at? Senior brother Xu has come to take a task. Hurry up and bring out some of the better ones!¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Sing, Dance, Rap Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Sing, Dance, Rap ¡°Oh,¡± the young man issuing the missions was taken aback and hurriedly pulled out a bunch of wooden plaques and placed them on the table for Xu Zimei to choose from. Xu Zimei watched Xiao Guizi acting bossy beside him but did not speak up to stop him. Smiling, she asked, ¡°Could you show me some of the ungraded missions?¡± Generally, when outsiders post missions at the True Martial Holy Sect, the levels of danger for some missions are unclear even to those who post them. Therefore, these kinds of missions are classified as ungraded. If a disciple takes on one of these missions and completes it later, they will be rewarded according to the difficulty of the task. The young man nodded his head and pulled out another bunch of wooden plaques, reminding her, ¡°Disciple Xu, the levels of danger for these missions are unknown, so be careful when you choose.¡± Xu Zimei smiled and nodded, looked through them, and then picked up a wooden plaque. The mission on this plaque was that the Hu family in Ten Mile Town had recently been troubled by ghosts and wished to hire martial artists with capable skills to capture the evil ghost. Holding the wooden plaque, Xu Zimei left the mission hall, and along the way, Lin Ruhu asked curiously, ¡°Brother Zimo, do ghosts truly exist in this world?¡± ¡°That depends on how you understand ghosts,¡± Xu Zimei explained with a smile: ¡°Those born from heaven and raised by earth do not, but those created by human hands do.¡± ¡­¡­ At this moment inside the great hall of the True Martial Holy Sect, the Deputy Sect Master Xu Qingshan and the seven Great Elders were present. ¡°Deputy Sect Master, I think we should allocate a large amount of resources preferentially,¡± said the Sixth Elder Xiao Yuexuan: ¡°Xiao¡¯er has inherited the Empress¡¯ legacy and acquired the Flying Immortal Body. She is absolutely qualified to compete for destiny, and perhaps in this generation, the True Martial Holy Sect could see the rise of another Empress.¡± ¡°The Sixth Elder is getting too emotional,¡± the Great Elder interjected: ¡°Destiny is not something that can be easily competed for, and besides, Baili Xiao has only recently joined the True Martial Holy Sect and lacks a sense of belonging.¡± ¡°Oh, then what does the Great Elder suggest?¡± Xiao Yuexuan asked blandly. ¡°Yu¡¯er is the most talented of this generation of the Holy Sect, with an Emperor-level talent that everyone has witnessed,¡± the Great Elder said slowly: ¡°Moreover, he has grown up under all of our watchful eyes and can be safely cultivated.¡± ¡°I think my own senior disciple Xiao Xinghe is also quite outstanding,¡± the Second Elder added in. ¡°Xiao Xinghe won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve heard he often peeps at female disciples bathing, and his conduct is not upright,¡± the Great Elder said with a frown. The Second Elder fell silent for a moment, wanting to defend his senior disciple. At that moment, he really wanted to stand up and shout at everyone, ¡°The one who peeped at the female disciples bathing was me; it has nothing to do with my disciple.¡± But the Second Elder feared for his later years and thought to himself, as the saying goes, ¡®Once a teacher, always a father.¡¯ And since the son must pay for the father¡¯s debts, with this in mind, the Second Elder felt much more at ease in his heart. He felt no remorse for setting up his disciple. ¡°What does the Seventh Elder think?¡± Xu Qingshan pondered for a moment, then turned to look at the silent man in the corner and asked. The Seventh Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect gave off an especially scholarly and refined impression, looking like a lettered scholar. He wore a gray robe and tied his hair in a topknot. He did not carry an imposing aura and appeared rather ordinary, like an average schoolteacher. ¡­¡­ The Seventh Elder smiled and replied: ¡°I think Baili Xiao¡¯s talent is quite promising. If we look into it and there are no problems, she deserves to be heavily cultivated. I¡¯ve heard that the Divine Sun Holy Sect has already determined their Saint Heir and Saintess candidates, ready to nurture them for the competition for destiny. We shouldn¡¯t lag behind others.¡± Upon hearing the Seventh Elder¡¯s words, Xiao Yuexuan smiled and said, ¡°The Seventh Elder¡¯s disciples, the Ten Thousand Arrays Five Disciples, are each endowed with exceptional talents, not much less than Xiao¡¯er.¡± ¡°They are not suitable,¡± the Seventh Elder shook his head, without elaborating further. ¡­¡­ ¡°The selection of the Saint Heir and Saintess cannot be taken lightly,¡± Xu Qingshan contemplated for a moment, then said, ¡°Since no one can decide, why not have a competition?¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± Xiao Yuexuan objected, ¡°Xiao¡¯er has only been exposed to martial arts for a short time; this kind of competition would be unfair to her.¡± ¡°Sixth Elder, there¡¯s no such thing as absolute fairness in this world. Besides, Baili Xiao has inherited the Empress¡¯s legacy; she may not be that far behind,¡± Xu Qingshan said, ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting we compete now. In half a year, our True Martial Holy Sect will host a competition among the seven sects. We can determine the candidates for Saint Heir and Saintess based on their performance in the competition. After all, we need to judge from multiple aspects, not just talent alone.¡± Hearing that the competition would be held in half a year, Xiao Yuexuan thought it over and felt that there was ample time, so she agreed. ¡°I have no objections,¡± the other Elders nodded in agreement one after another. ¡­¡­¡­ After the conference ended, Xu Qingshan called Xu Zimei aside to Azure Mountain Peak. ¡°What do you think of the girl named Baili Xiao today?¡± Xu Qingshan asked tentatively. ¡°Just so-so,¡± Xu Zimei knew what his father was implying. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with the Sixth Elder and decided to betroth her to you,¡± Xu Qingshan said after a pause. ¡°As expected,¡± Xu Zimei laughed, the same script as in his past life! In his previous life, he had met Baili Xiao for the first time at the moment she inherited the Empress¡¯s legacy. He was deeply attracted by her appearance, temperament, and talent. When his father was preparing to betroth Baili Xiao to him, he was ecstatic. Baili Xiao readily agreed and did not object to anything, making everything seem so natural. Only later did Xu Zimei realize he was just a pawn in her game. Back then, Xu Zimei was like a dog that licked its owner, often hanging around the young girl. She, however, was extremely cold to him, and whenever Xu Zimei was about to give up in disappointment, Baili Xiao would throw him a bone, reigniting his hopes He was being played in the palms of others. Baili Xiao¡¯s aunt was the Sixth Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect, and with Xu Zimei as her fianc¨¦ and leveraging Xu Qingshan¡¯s power, she could do as she pleased within the entire True Martial Holy Sect, strengthening herself bit by bit with the resources of the sect. Then, when she truly grew strong, she destroyed the engagement with a single word and turned to embrace her brother Chu Yang. The True Martial Holy Sect was just a stepping stone in her life; probably no one expected that a girl from an ordinary small mountain village would harbor such ambition. Recalling the miserable first half of his past life, Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t help but laugh at himself. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°She¡¯s not my type,¡± Xu Zimei¡¯s thoughts returned to the present, and he said with a smile, declining. ¡°What type do you like?¡± Xu Qingshan asked in return. ¡°I like,¡± Xu Zimei paused for a moment, then confidently responded, ¡°Singing, dancing, rap, and basketball.¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Great Dao Walks Alone Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Great Dao Walks Alone Seeing his father¡¯s expression growing ever more serious, Xu Zimei quickly replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about marriage, and you don¡¯t need to talk about parental orders or matchmaker¡¯s words, nowadays free love is all the rage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand,¡± Xu Qingshan explained, ¡°Baili Xiao is destined to receive the Sect Gate¡¯s full support, even to compete for Destiny. I¡¯m doing this for your sake as well.¡± Plus, feelings can be cultivated slowly!¡± ¡°So, did you and mother also developed your feelings gradually?¡± Xu Zimei asked. ¡°How could that be,¡± Xu Qingshan hurriedly replied, ¡°With the spring breeze brushing the face, by the willow-lined riverbank, a handsome young man, a graceful young girl, your mother and I fell in love at first sight.¡± ¡°I want to find love at first sight too,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Are you possibly thinking of vying for the title of Great Emperor?¡± Xu Qingshan looked at Xu Zimei, asking earnestly. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to be a Great Emperor?¡± Xu Zimei countered. ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Qingshan paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Go ahead, in half a year, the Sect Gate will hold a competition between the Seven Sects, get yourself prepared in advance. When you win the contest, I can rightfully name you as the Saint Heir.¡± In fact, Xu Zimei wasn¡¯t interested in the position of Saint Heir but still nodded and left Azure Mountain Peak. ¡­¡­ Afterwards, he took Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi with him to Ten Mile Town. The group first went to the Beast Taming Pavilion, each rented a Desert Flying Horse, and then left the True Martial Holy Sect in a grand manner. It was spring, the roadside willows were budding, flowers were blooming in desperate competition, and gusts of spring breeze blew in from afar, kicking up clouds of dust. On the combat stage of Qingyang Village, an intense competition was underway. Chu Yang, looking at the young man before him, unsheathed his Wandering Dragon Sword and used the Shadow Thirteen Swords taught to him by Ink Elder. The longsword buzzed in the air, creating thirteen afterimages that charged at the young man across from him. The young man on the other side held a sword in each hand, struggling to fend off the swift sword shadows. As he fought and retreated, he was getting closer to the edge of the combat stage. A gleam flashed in Chu Yang¡¯s eyes, the sword shadows accelerated, and then he took the opportunity to kick his opponent off the combat stage. ¡°I declare, the winner of this combat competition in Qingyang Village is Chu Yang,¡± Coach Mo announced proudly from the side. He had personally witnessed this young man¡¯s rise from the beginning, when his body was frail and he couldn¡¯t even stand steadily in a horse stance, to now, being at the fifth level of the Spirit Vein Realm, and becoming one of the distinguished young generation of Qingyang Village. And this young man had only taken a mere few weeks to reach this level, unruffled, showing no pride over his modest achievements. The future is promising indeed! ¡­ ¡°Coach Mo, I think it¡¯s time for me to leave Qingyang Village. Thank you for your care during this time,¡± after the competition ended, Chu Yang found Coach Mo and expressed his thoughts sincerely. Coach Mo was taken aback for a moment, then he understood and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s true, I should have expected this. A hidden dragon can¡¯t remain in the shallow waters forever, one day you will soar to the heavens. This small world of Qingyang Village isn¡¯t your battlefield, it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect this day to come so soon. You have the best talent of anyone I¡¯ve ever seen, you¡¯re in no way inferior to those young masters from big families in the Imperial City.¡± ¡°No matter what happens in the future, I will always remember I¡¯m from Qingyang Village,¡± Chu Yang replied firmly. ¡°Great, that¡¯s the spirit,¡± Coach Mo laughed heartily, then asked, ¡°Where are you planning to go? Have you decided on a place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was thinking of heading north towards the Imperial City to broaden my horizons,¡± Chu Yang laughed. ¡°When I was young, I worked in Mysterious Yuan City for a while. If you don¡¯t mind, I can recommend you go there to have a look,¡± Coach Mo said. ¡°Sure, I have to pass through Mysterious Yuan City anyway on my way to the Imperial Dynasty,¡± Chu Yang chuckled. Then Coach Mo took out half of a jade pendant, handed it to Chu Yang, and said, ¡°Take this half of the jade pendant to the army camp in Mysterious Yuan City, find a man named Du Tianyin, and tell him you¡¯re Mo Tianqi¡¯s nephew, he will know what to do.¡± Chu Yang took the jade pendant and offered his gratitude solemnly. Coach Mo smiled, waved his hand, and said, ¡°Go ahead, a broader stage awaits you outside, your journey has just begun!¡± ¡­¡­ The next day, at the crack of dawn, before the sky lightened with the pale color of fish bellies, Chu Yang had already packed his luggage. He left Qingyang Village, stepping into the fading darkness of the night. The young man looked back at the small village where he had lived for over a decade, a humble place that had withstood the test of time for many years. In Chu Yang¡¯s eyes was an endless depth of fondness and reluctance to leave. ¡°Yang, stop looking back. It¡¯s time for us to go,¡± the voice of Ink Elder rang in his ear. Chu Yang turned his head, shouldered his luggage, and slowly walked towards the distance. ¡°Ink Elder, have you ever encountered people or things in your life that you miss?¡± ¡°At such a young age, you¡¯ve already learned to be nostalgic,¡± the old man laughed heartily. Then, he fell silent for a moment and slowly asked, ¡°Yang, do you understand what it means to walk the Great Dao alone?¡± ¡°Walk the Great Dao alone?¡± The youth¡¯s voice was full of confusion. ¡°The summit of the Martial Path, is loneliness, is solitude, is an endless quest, is the chilling solitude that comes with great heights.¡± The old man replied with a sigh, ¡°The Martial Path is, after all, a solitary celebration. The powerful are always destined to be alone. When you stand at the beginning of this road, you will have many companions by your side. As you silently move forward, you will lose some of these people, and you¡¯ll get to know some new friends as well. You will endure the scorching sun and the driving rain, stained with blood and tears, walking through mountains of blades and seas of fire. When you look back again, you will find that those who once accompanied you have all disappeared. Some gave up on their Martial Path to settle down, to build families, with new ties, choosing to live out their lives in simplicity. Others reach the end of their lifespans and ultimately fall upon this path, becoming nothing but scattered bones. The road is long, and the farther you travel, the more solitary you become, with fewer and fewer people remaining at your side. In the end, either you will be like the others, your life at its conclusion, adding just another set of bones to the road, or you will have reached the summit of the Martial Path, and only then will you understand how incredibly, incredibly lonely it is to be invincible.¡± ¡­¡­ Xu Zimei and his companions had been traveling for half a day when they suddenly heard the sounds of fighting not far ahead. ¡°Brother Xu, it seems there are bandits robbing people up ahead,¡± Xiao Guizi said. ¡°Interesting,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look.¡± The group rode their Desert Flying Horses towards the scene of the fight, only to see a group of people dressed in black outfits with their faces covered had already taken control of the situation. At the center, a carriage that seemed quite luxurious was surrounded. The guards escorting the carriage had almost all been killed, with only a very few desperately holding on. ¡°This carriage belongs to the Situ Family. You bandits must have the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard to not fear Situ Family¡¯s retaliation,¡± said an elderly guard of the carriage sternly. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Situ Yunqing Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Situ Yunqing ¡°What does it matter if it¡¯s the Situ Family¡¯s carriage?¡± the lead bandit laughed heartily. ¡°Brothers, after we rob your carriage, we¡¯ll just find another place to settle down. The sky is high and birds are free to fly; surely your Situ Family¡¯s power doesn¡¯t extend over the entire Eastern Continent.¡± By this time, all the guards of the carriage had been killed, leaving only an old man at the ninth tier of the Spirit Vein Realm who was still struggling to hold on. This group of bandits consisted mostly of martial artists at the Spirit Vein Realm, with the exception of their leader who seemed to have just advanced to the Condensing Vein Realm. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to kill the old man; instead, like a cat playing with a mouse, he teased, ¡°Let the people inside the carriage come out; I actually want to see which person from the Situ Family is inside.¡± ¡°Boss, someone¡¯s coming,¡± at this moment a lesser bandit noticed Xu Zimei and his companions and hurriedly informed the bandit leader. The bandit leader turned his head, holding a hooked saber in his hand, and walked arrogantly forward, addressing Xu Zimei and his group, ¡°The kid over there, since I¡¯m in a good mood today, you¡¯d better scram. Take one more step forward, and I¡¯ll chop off your head.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving. As a bandit, shouldn¡¯t you at least have some professional ethics?¡± Xu Zimei retorted, ¡°What gives you the right to rob them and not rob us? Why look down on us? Are we any less than them?¡± The bandit leader was dumbfounded, ¡°Is this guy sick? I let him go, but he insists on being robbed.¡± With a grand wave of the bandit leader¡¯s hand, swarms of bandits rushed forward, encircling Xu Zimei and his companions. ¡°Xiao Guizi, it¡¯s your turn,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xiao Guizi replied confidently, pulling out an iron rod from behind. Go to ????????????????????.co Don¡¯t be fooled by Xiao Guizi¡¯s usual obsequious demeanor; he was a genuine Inner Sect Disciple of True Martial Holy Sect, a martial artist at the fifth tier of the Condensing Vein Realm. Dealing with this group of bandits was well within his capability. Swinging the iron rod in his hand, a single strike from Xiao Guizi burst open the bandits¡¯ heads as easily as smashing watermelons. ¡°Brothers, tough nut to crack, let¡¯s go together,¡± another bandit shouted. Xiao Guizi didn¡¯t flinch; he jumped off the Desert Flying Horse, his iron rod whistling through the air with impressive momentum, each strike carrying a tremendous force that seemed to weigh over a thousand pounds. The pressurized air around him emitted sonic booms. In just a few exchanges, all the bandits were already lying on the ground, wailing nonstop. Seeing the tide turning, the bandit leader quickly mounted his horse in an attempt to flee. Xiao Guizi¡¯s gaze was sharp, and he hurled his iron rod. The rod buzzed through the air, turning into a black streak of light that pierced through the back of the escaping bandit leader. Its descent unimpeded, the iron rod impaled the bandit leader before slamming into a massive boulder up ahead. The rod sank deeply into the rock before finally coming to a stop. ¡°You¡¯ve got the Mad Demon Stick Technique down pat,¡± Xu Zimei commented. ¡°This Vein Skill of mine has just reached the Other Shore level, still short some of reaching Perfection,¡± Xiao Guizi replied. Entering the Microscopic, Abstruse, Other Shore, Perfection. These were the four levels of Vein Skills. ¡°Don¡¯t take the literal meaning of the Mad Demon Stick Technique too seriously; ¡®mad¡¯ here doesn¡¯t denote craziness, and ¡®demon¡¯ isn¡¯t about those mass-murdering demons,¡± Xu Zimei casually advised, ¡°The essence of the Mad Demon Stick Technique is the vigor of pursuing one¡¯s effort, the spirit of pressing forward relentlessly.¡± Observing Xiao Guizi lost in thought, Xu Zimei rode his horse forward. Standing beside the carriage, the sole surviving elder hurriedly expressed his thanks to Xu Zimei. ¡°It¡¯s not your place to thank me,¡± Xu Zimei said calmly, ¡°Let the person inside the carriage come out.¡± The elder hesitated for a moment before a voice that sounded like a hundred larks singing flowed out from the carriage. ¡°Uncle Fu, it¡¯s all right. I should meet my savior,¡± the voice said. The curtain of the carriage was drawn back, revealing two women stepping out gracefully. The woman on the left was dressed like a maid. The one on the right wore a light cyan dress adorned with lotus flowers embroidered at the cuffs and neckline. Her pale and inviting collarbone, the long black hair that rested on her shoulders, tied with a pink ribbon. She looked pure and fresh-out-of-this-world, with light makeup, expressive and intelligent large dark eyes, a delicate nose, and an oval face. ¡°This humble girl, Situ Yunqing, offers her thanks for the gentleman¡¯s lifesaving grace,¡± the woman said softly, bowing slightly. ¡°Tsk, tsk, such a delicate little face,¡± Xu Zimei said, with a straw dangling from his mouth in a suggestive tone. As he said this, he reached out with his right hand to touch her cheek, but Situ Yunqing turned her head away. Xu Zimei¡¯s right index finger hooked her chin, admiring her with his gaze, and Situ Yunqing¡¯s complexion turned deathly pale with fright. Still, she pursed her lips, locking eyes with Xu Zimei. ¡°Brother Xu, if you want, I can go over there and keep watch for you,¡± Xiao Guizi said from the side. ¡°Let go of our young lady,¡± the maid tried to push Xu Zimei away, only to be grabbed by Lin Ruhu by the collar and thrown to the side. ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to force others against their will,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, withdrawing his hand, ¡°If you want to thank me, you should at least show some sincerity, not just words.¡± ¡°I have nothing on me right now. If the gentleman doesn¡¯t mind, he can accompany me to Zhouque City. Once we reach the Situ Family, I will surely repay you generously,¡± Situ Yunqing said sincerely, looking at Xu Zimei. ¡°You¡¯re the young lady of the Situ Family? Who are you kidding,¡± Xiao Guizi questioned from the side: ¡°Though not much to speak of, the Situ Family is still a great family of Zhouque City. You travel without even a Condensing Vein Realm guard to protect you, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been robbed by bandits. You think we don¡¯t know anything?¡± ¡°My mother was just an ordinary woman from a small town; her meeting with my father was purely accidental,¡± Situ Yunqing paused, then continued: ¡°My mother is strong-willed, not wanting to live at someone¡¯s mercy or endure disdain, so she raised me alone over the years. We didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the Situ Family, but as my mother was seriously ill and worried about me before her passing, she sent me to find my father in the Situ Family for a place of refuge.¡± Hearing Situ Yunqing¡¯s words, Xu Zimei seemed to understand. Probably, Situ Yunqing¡¯s mother was just an ordinary woman and her father was the Family Head of the Situ Family¡ªa huge disparity in their statuses. Situ Yunqing¡¯s mother, unwilling to live under the Situ Family¡¯s roof, raised her daughter on her own outside. That is to say, many in the Situ Family might not even know that their Family Head had an illegitimate daughter out there. ¡°The Situ Family, huh,¡± Xu Zimei suddenly remembered some things from a previous life. The Situ Family was originally just a small clan in Zhouque City, with influence and fame limited to the surrounds of the city. But later, it was heard that a woman emerged from the Situ Family who established the Situ Commerce Association, expanding its business across the entire Eastern Continent and leading the then insignificant Situ Family to rise to power completely. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Zhouque City Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Zhouque City In my previous life, I heard that the extraordinary woman was named Situ Yunqing, but Xu Zimei never met her at that time; he only occasionally heard about her in the casual conversations of others. Speaking of it, Xu Zimei¡¯s previous life also had its dramatic moments. In the beginning, as the Crown Prince of the True Martial Holy Sect, he was someone everyone wanted to flatter. But later on, after Chu Yang had cast him down into Secluded Dragon Gorge and his father turned white-haired and retired to the forest overnight, without the support of the True Martial Holy Sect, Xu Zimei¡¯s status plummeted straight from the clouds; those people he had never cared for became unattainable. Even before this, Xu Zimei had wanted to establish his own power, but managing it alone proved too much for Shili Changkong. Moreover, Xu Zimei should consider what form his power should take. If the power was to remain in the shadows, then surely Xu Zimei couldn¡¯t always be the one to foot the bill for everyone¡¯s daily expenses. Xu Zimei envisioned bringing this power into the open, perhaps in the guise of a restaurant. In that way, the power could be self-sustaining, and the restaurant would be one of the best channels for gathering information. Many people tend to talk about recent events while dining and drinking. Xu Zimei didn¡¯t need his power to provide him with any particularly secret intel, but he still needed to be the first to know about remote regional news. If the Situ Yunqing he currently faced was the same person he had heard about in his past life, then she would be capable of managing this power for Xu Zimei. Xu Zimei was contemplating how to entice her over, and to do so in such a way that she would come willingly. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡­¡­ ¡°We¡¯re approaching Zhouque City. Let¡¯s rest there for the night,¡± Xu Zimei suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement, then watched as Xu Zimei jumped onto the carriage and entered the compartment, causing a few of them to stare in surprise. Next to them, Xiao Guizi quickly got the gist and said to Situ Yunqing, ¡°What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and join our Brother Zimo.¡± Situ Yunqing glanced at the others and then silently stepped into the compartment. A maid beside her seemed like she wanted to say something, but after seeing Lin Ruhu¡¯s ferocious gaze, she hurriedly backed away. The carriage advanced slowly. A faint scent filled the compartment as Xu Zimei rested his head on Situ Yunqing¡¯s lap and closed his eyes to sleep. Zhouque City loomed in the distance, resembling a steel beast lying silently on the land. Situ Yunqing watched Xu Zimei as he slept peacefully, her lashes fluttering gently. Xu Zimei was not the type with striking features that could set a heart racing at first glance. But he was the kind that grew on you the more you looked; his mischievous smile gave off a bad-boy vibe. Situ Yunqing pursed her lips, extended her right hand, and gently poked Xu Zimei¡¯s cheek with her index finger, then for some reason, she suddenly smiled knowingly. ¡°Shall I engage in a deeper conversation with you?¡± Xu Zimei suddenly opened his eyes and asked indifferently. Situ Yunqing was startled, her face instantly flushing red as she looked down without saying a word. ¡°You know, you shouldn¡¯t bother going back to the Situ Family. I just so happen to need a maid to warm my bed,¡± Xu Zimei said casually. ¡°Thank you for the honor, Master, but unfortunately Yunqing is not so fortunate,¡± Situ Yunqing replied calmly after collecting herself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to reject it so quickly,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Do you think the Situ Family people will welcome you?¡± ¡°What does the Master imply?¡± Situ Yunqing asked hesitantly. ¡°You don¡¯t really think this robbery was just an accident, do you?¡± Xu Zimei asked oddly. Situ Yunqing¡¯s expression changed; with her bright mind, she naturally thought of the worst scenario. The struggle for power in large clans is always especially brutal. If the Situ Family acknowledged Situ Yunqing, the illegitimate daughter, then naturally, she would have a share in the Situ Family¡¯s wealth in the future. She might even contest for the position of the next Family Head. No one would welcome an additional competitor out of the blue, so many in the Situ Family would certainly not wish to see Situ Yunqing¡¯s arrival. ¡­¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, we can make a bet,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°Bet on what?¡± Situ Yunqing asked curiously. ¡°Once we enter Zhouque City, someone will definitely come looking for trouble with us,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Because I have disrupted their plan, and even now, we¡¯re surely under someone¡¯s surveillance.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bet,¡± Situ Yunqing shook her head, as she herself also agreed with Xu Zimei¡¯s statements. ¡°Boring,¡± Xu Zimei yawned and stretched luxuriously before squeezing his head into Situ Yunqing¡¯s embrace and began to sleep again. As they drew closer to Zhouque City, more people started to appear around them, and the carriage slowly made its way into the city. The Central Street, paved with Qinggang rock, was bustling with activity, crowded and steaming with vendors calling out their wares, wafting tempting aromas from both sides of the street. ¡°My father has sent someone to pick me up, I should go,¡± Situ Yunqing woke the sleeping Xu Zimei and said softly. At the front of the carriage, a group of soldiers clad in blue armor stood, led by an elderly man whose face glowed with health. ¡°Miss Yunqing, my surname is Tian, and I¡¯m a protector from the lord¡¯s side. The lord sent me to pick you up,¡± the old man said warmly. ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Uncle Tian,¡± Situ Yunqing nodded. As Xu Zimei stepped down from the carriage, Uncle Tian¡¯s gaze sharpened as he asked, ¡°Is this Miss Yunqing¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°You guys talk, I¡¯m just here for the ride,¡± Xu Zimei waved his hand and said to Lin Ruhu and the others, ¡°Let¡¯s find an inn first.¡± Situ Yunqing had wanted to invite Xu Zimei to stay at the Situ Family¡¯s residence, but after thinking it over, she decided against it. After all, she was not sure of her own safety, let alone how the Situ Family would react to her arrival. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Linjiang Restaurant,¡± Xu Zimei looked at the sign in front of him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go with this one.¡± The three walked into the restaurant, and Xiao Guizi threw his silver pouch onto the table with a clang, shouting, ¡°Shopkeeper, got any rooms left?¡± The restaurant¡¯s shopkeeper, wearing a hat and sporting a mustache, hurriedly came over with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s plenty of guest rooms. Which type would you like, sirs?¡± ¡°I want three rooms facing the street, with windows to the north and south, where you can see both the sunrise and sunset,¡± Xiao Guizi held up three fingers and said. ¡°Alrighty, and would the gentlemen like to have their meals in the rooms or downstairs?¡± the shopkeeper asked attentively. ¡°Downstairs is fine, so it won¡¯t be too much trouble to clean up if a fight breaks out later,¡± Xu Zimei said something bewildering. The shopkeeper was puzzled but didn¡¯t ask further and went to prepare the food. Xu Zimei and his companions ordered a pot of wine, and as they drank, three men emerged. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 begins your performance Chapter 39: Chapter 39 begins your performance These three men, the ones on the left and right appeared to be subordinates, while the man in the middle, muscular and with a prominent scar on his face. His body radiated a dense evil qi, suggesting he was the sort to lick his wounds after a battle. At that moment, Xu Zimei and his company were having their meal when the scar-faced man walked straight to Xu Zimei¡¯s table, picked up a chicken leg from the bowl, and started gnawing on it without a word. ¡°Who are you, didn¡¯t you see this is our food?¡± Xiao Guizi stood up and said fiercely. The scar-faced man glanced sidewards at Xiao Guizi and with a right hand surging with spiritual energy, he slammed his palm onto the table in front of him. Instantly, the table splintered into pieces, and all the food toppled to the ground. ¡°Who is this person, acting so arrogantly?¡± questioned a diner eating nearby. ¡°That¡¯s the leader of the White Crane Mercenary Group, Xiao Baihe, a ruthless character. Don¡¯t make a sound,¡± someone at a neighbouring table advised. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Xu Zimei asked with a smile on his face, unfazed. Xiao Baihe was startled, his expression slightly changing, but still said carelessly, ¡°Who sent me? I just don¡¯t like your face.¡± Xu Zimei smiled, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then all that could be seen was a flash of a blade before everyone¡¯s eyes, and Xiao Baihe¡¯s legs were severed from the knees down. Even then, Xiao Baihe hadn¡¯t managed to react, as the speed was too fast and he hadn¡¯t felt any pain. Only when his legs fell to one side and he lost his support, collapsing onto the ground, did the piercing pain hit his nerves. He looked at his legs, screaming in agony, his face going pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡­¡­ ¡°Who sent you?¡± Xu Zimei continued to ask with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xiao Baihe retorted defiantly. A sharp blade swept across his neck, and a line of blood sprayed a meter out; Xiao Baihe¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief in his dying moments. The two subordinates who had come with him seemed to be frozen in shock, standing still and not moving. Only when Xu Zimei¡¯s gaze swept over did they shudder, coming back to their senses. They hastily knelt down and started kowtowing, begging for mercy. ¡°Who sent you?¡± Xu Zimei asked again. ¡°The Situ Family, it was their head housekeeper from the inner court who found our leader,¡± one of them hastily replied. ¡°Are you willing to go with me to the Situ Family to testify?¡± Xu Zimei inquired. ¡°I,¡± the man hesitated. The flash of a blade, and a head of someone who died with eyes still open fell to the ground. ¡°Are you willing to testify?¡± Xu Zimei turned towards the last remaining of the three and asked. The man¡¯s face struggled, then he began to frantically kowtow on the ground before Xu Zimei, his forehead already bloody and dripping, ¡°Please, spare me, my lord. If I testify, my whole family won¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°You had your chance and you proved worthless,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head, and with another stroke of his blade, the severed head rolled on the ground like a ball. He yawned, shook his head in resignation, and muttered to himself, ¡°Boring.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°This brother is too impulsive,¡± a young man dressed in white garb, holding a folding fan, came forward and sighed while shaking his head at Xu Zimei. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Zimei asked the other party with confusion. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zheng Guangkai,¡± the young man unfolded the folding fan in his hand and spoke slowly, ¡°I see that you are not an ordinary person either. If you had left one of these three alive, even just one, you could have sought justice at the Situ Family. But now that you¡¯ve killed all three, there¡¯s no human or physical evidence left, isn¡¯t that a pity?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Xu Zimei retorted. ¡°Um,¡± the young man was stunned, having embarrassed himself, and stood aside without speaking further. Xu Zimei glanced over at Xiao Guizi and said, ¡°Xiao Guizi, please begin your performance.¡± Xiao Guizi nodded, then picked up the iron staff from his back and swung it directly at Xu Zimei. Xu Zimei kicked him to the ground with one foot and demanded harshly, ¡°Speak, who sent you?¡± ¡°It was the chief steward of the inner court of the Situ Family. I am willing to testify,¡± Xiao Guizi hurriedly replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then we will go to the Situ Family and settle accounts,¡± Xu Zimei said, pulling Xiao Guizi while Lin Ruhu followed behind, and they set off mightily towards the Situ Family. The young man named Zheng Guangkai, bewildered, watched the departing group with widened eyes, ¡°Damn, is that even a thing?¡± ¡­¡­ As they walked along the bustling streets, Lin Ruhu asked curiously, ¡°Brother Zimo, why did the Situ Family come looking for trouble with us?¡± ¡°Because we saved Situ Yunqing and disrupted someone¡¯s plan,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. Lin Ruhu nodded in semi-understanding and asked, ¡°So, our pretending that Xiao Guizi is from the White Crane Mercenary Group, will the Situ Family believe it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get it yet? Whether Xiao Guizi is actually from the White Crane Mercenary Group doesn¡¯t matter. Whether they believe it or not doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°What¡¯s important is that we have the bigger fist.¡± Lin Ruhu was startled, ¡°A bigger fist? He seemed to understand now. Just because one has a bigger fist, white can be argued as black, and black as white.¡± ¡­¡­ At this moment, the Situ Family, due to the arrival of Situ Yunqing, was in a state of apprehension as if a storm was brewing. The atmosphere in the family¡¯s council hall of the Situ Family was somewhat heavy. The Great Elder looked at Situ Yuntian, the Family Head seated at the top, and said, ¡°Family Head, we are all happy that Niece Yunqing could return, but to have her acknowledge her ancestry and record it in the family annals as soon as she comes back, isn¡¯t that somewhat improper? After all, she didn¡¯t grow up in the Situ Family, should we not delay this matter a bit?¡± ¡°I agree with the Great Elder,¡± the second and third Elders, as if having discussed beforehand, nodded simultaneously. ¡°Are you expressing dissent against my decision?¡± Situ Yuntian asked, frowning. ¡°We are only thinking of the future of the Situ Family,¡± the Great Elder said solemnly. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not just us who oppose this. The entire family is rife with rumors. I think the Family Head should consider the big picture.¡± As they were talking, they saw a servant rush in flusteredly. ¡°Family Head, Elders, three people have come outside looking to seek justice from our Situ Family. They¡¯ve injured several of our patrol team, and Instructor Lou tried to stop them but was killed by one of them with a single strike,¡± the servant reported. Situ Yuntian¡¯s eyebrows creased slightly. Instructor Lou was responsible for the family¡¯s security patrols and was one of the strongest in the entire Situ Family, aside from him and a few Elders. ¡°The newcomers declared themselves disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect and claimed that someone from our Situ Family had ordered others to assassinate them,¡± the servant continued. ¡°True Martial Holy Sect?¡± Situ Yuntian also immediately felt the problematic situation, with this behemoth like a mountain looming over the entire Extreme West Region. ¡°We don¡¯t seem to have provoked any disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect, have we?¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Situ Yuntian Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Situ Yuntian ¡°Let¡¯s take a look,¡± Situ Yuntian said with a frown. When he led three Elders to the entrance, they only saw several patrolling disciples lying in pools of blood, and Coach Lou¡¯s body was also to one side. It seemed that he had been killed with a single sword strike, the wound on his neck was very fine. ¡°I wonder what business brings the Talented Disciples of the Sword Sect to the Situ Family?¡± Situ Yuntian asked as he looked at Xu Zimei. ¡°And you are?¡± Xu Zimei asked casually. ¡°I am indeed the Family Head of the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come just in time; I wanted to ask if we have somehow offended the Situ Family to have someone sent to kill us?¡± Xu Zimei asked. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Situ Yuntian asked, frowning. ¡°I can testify, I am with the White Crane Mercenary Group from Zhouque City, and at noon today the chief steward of your family¡¯s inner courtyard found our leader, saying he needed our leader¡¯s help to kill a few people,¡± Xiao Guizi hurriedly said. He was sniveling and crying theatrically with exaggerated acting skills. ¡°And you are?¡± Situ Yuntian asked, looking at Xiao Guizi. ¡°I am a new subordinary of our leader Xiao Baihe,¡± Xiao Guizi replied. ¡°Gentlemen, don¡¯t be hasty, there might be some misunderstanding here,¡± Situ Yuntian pondered for a moment and then said to a servant beside him: ¡°Go and call Hai Dafu for me.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co The servant hurried off and before long, a corpulent fat man with a swaggering gait approached. He was so overweight that he had to pant after walking just a few steps. ¡°That¡¯s him,¡± Xiao Guizi, sharp-eyed, immediately pointed at the fat man and shouted. Situ Yuntian¡¯s frown deepened slightly. Hai Dafu approached Situ Yuntian and, hurrying to show respect, asked, ¡°Family Head, did you need me for something?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± Situ Yuntian asked sternly. ¡°Family Head, I truly do not know,¡± Hai Dafu quickly shook his head, replying anxiously. ¡°I ask you, did you hire someone to assassinate some of the Talented Disciples from the Holy Sect?¡± Situ Yuntian asked. ¡°Family Head, please see clearly, even if I had a hundred guts, I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Hai Dafu quickly knelt down, also sniveling and crying with acting skills that outdid Xiao Guizi by several streets. ¡°Gentlemen, could there be some kind of misunderstanding?¡± Situ Yuntian turned his head, looked at Xu Zimei, and said, ¡°And could you gentlemen perhaps show me some proof that you are disciples of the Holy Sect? It¡¯s not that I doubt you, but just to be cautious.¡± ¡°I have an Inner Sect Disciple¡¯s Token here,¡± Xiao Guizi hurried forward, placing his own token in front of Situ Yuntian, and said. ¡°Does it need to be this real?¡± Situ Yuntian felt as though he¡¯d been dealt a bad hand, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just claiming to be a member of the White Crane Mercenary Group? How come now you¡¯ve suddenly become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Holy Sect.¡± But it was this mix of truth and falsehood that made Situ Yuntian feel a bit troubled; if the other party really was an Inner Sect Disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect, with even an Inner Sect Disciple¡¯s status being that of a messenger, then what an astonishing identity this young man might possess. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know anything?¡± Xu Zimei stepped forward and asked, ¡°Or rather, might you not be the mastermind, maybe someone else is directing you?¡± ¡°I truly do not know,¡± Hai Dafu said with a frantic look, glancing aimlessly towards the three Elders and hurriedly spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t need to rush to deny it,¡± Xu Zimei said, ¡°In our True Martial Holy Sect, we have a method of Soul Search that can inquire about all the memories of a person from within a month. ¡°But the price is that the person on whom the Soul Search technique has been cast could either die or, at the very least, become mentally incapacitated.¡± Hai Dafu¡¯s complexion changed, his expression struggling. And Situ Yuntian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked to the side and noticed that the expressions of the three Elders had changed as well. ¡°Hai Dafu, won¡¯t you admit it?¡± Situ Yuntian bellowed, spiritual energy surging in his palm, opening three Vein Gates on his body as the peak aura of the True Vein Realm burst forth. With a hit on Hai Dafu¡¯s shoulder, Hai Dafu¡¯s entire body burst with blood flowing from his seven orifices. ¡°Rest assured, esteemed Talented Disciples of the Holy Sect, our Situ Family will certainly not shield any suspects,¡± Situ Yuntian said firmly, ¡°Regardless of whether Hai Dafu is suspect or not, we owe you all an explanation.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± a few of the Elders at the side also heaved sighs of relief and hurriedly responded. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, perhaps some leads have now been severed,¡± Xu Zimei sighed as he looked up, then smiled at everyone and said, ¡°But no matter, there¡¯s plenty of time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not often we have the honor of hosting the Talented Disciples of the Holy Sect at our Situ Family. If you don¡¯t mind, shall I have a feast prepared?¡± Situ Yuntian asked with a smile. ¡°I have no objections,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and followed Situ Yuntian into the main hall. Xu Zimei realized that many people prefer to bond over a meal. However, the Situ Family also gave Xu Zimei some ideas; perhaps he could advance his plans for establishing his power. Subduing the Situ Family, using them as a stepping stone, proved to be a fine opportunity. During the meal, Xu Zimei had a few drinks and tentatively asked, ¡°Family Head Situ, the Situ Family has always lived in seclusion in Zhouque City, have you ever thought about expanding outwards?¡± Situ Yuntian was taken aback for a moment; he understood what Xu Zimei meant. With the current strength of the Situ Family, expansion was simply not feasible, but with Xu Zimei¡¯s help, it was a different story. But Situ Yuntian could also see what was at stake; right now, the Situ Family still bore the Situ surname. If they truly cooperated with Xu Zimei, then the Situ Family would effectively become part of Xu Zimei¡¯s faction. Although they would gain in strength, many things would no longer be under their control. After all, the premise of cooperation is that both parties are not significantly mismatched in strength, and the Situ Family was certainly not on an equal footing with Xu Zimei. ¡°Young Master Xu jests, our Situ Family simply wishes to live in peace and stability; we have no other ambitions,¡± Situ Yuntian responded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Xu Zimei nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Steady and solid development is also robust.¡± ¡­¡­ After dinner, Xu Zimei declined Situ Yuntian¡¯s offer for them to stay with the Situ Family and, along with Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi, took their leave. He didn¡¯t encounter Situ Yunqing; after all, she was an important part of his plans for establishing influence. Back at Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei stood at the window of his room, watching the sun slowly setting in the distance. He tapped on the windowsill three times with his right hand and said with a smile, ¡°Black Thirteen, come out!¡± From behind, a shadow suddenly materialized out of nowhere. Black Thirteen was somewhat puzzled; he was very confident in his ability to conceal himself and didn¡¯t know what had gone wrong. ¡°Young Master, the Deputy Sect Master was concerned for your safety and had me follow you secretly. I would not have revealed myself had there been no threat to your life,¡± Black Thirteen explained his mission. ¡°Help me kill someone,¡± Xu Zimei said indifferently. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The Death of Situ Yuntian Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The Death of Situ Yuntian ¡°Young Master, please give your order,¡± Black Thirteen said quietly after a moment of silence. ¡°The Family Head of the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian,¡± Xu Zimei whispered. ¡°I understand,¡± Black Thirteen started, slightly startled. He nodded slowly and then his figure disappeared from the room. Xu Zimei looked around the now silent room, lifted his head slightly, and gazed at the bright moon gradually emerging from behind the clouds. ¡°What a pity, I wanted a family that acts like a lapdog, but you had too many ideas of your own.¡± ¡­¡­ In the inner courtyard of the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian had just begun to undress, his mind still preoccupied with the day¡¯s events. He always felt that things wouldn¡¯t end so easily, and he couldn¡¯t fathom Xu Zimei¡¯s attitude. Just then, a gust of wind blew, snuffing out the lamplight in the room. Situ Yuntian¡¯s gaze sharpened as he saw a black figure suddenly appear in front of the window. Before this, he hadn¡¯t noticed anyone at all. The immense strength of the Empty Vein Realm enveloped the entire room, and the bed curtains stirred gently in the breeze. ¡°Who are you?¡± Situ Yuntian took a deep breath as the presence of the True Vein Realm rose bit by bit within him. Go to ????????????????????.co He felt a murderous intent, his heart beating seemingly faster than usual. A tangible intent to kill filled the room. The man in black raised his knife slightly, his figure casting a lingering shadow in the air. Situ Yuntian¡¯s eyes sank in, and his complexion turned to shock. He couldn¡¯t react in time before he felt a chill throughout his body. He looked down slightly to see his waist had been severed, his body now in two halves. He looked up again at the man in black but could not utter a word. Blood spurted from his mouth, and he fell to the ground. ¡­¡­ Inside Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei nodded slightly while listening to Black Thirteen¡¯s report. ¡°Now that the man is dead, there must be a scapegoat.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Young Master?¡± Black Thirteen asked, puzzled. ¡°The three Elders of the Situ Family might be a good choice,¡± Xu Zimei mused aloud. ¡°But why would they willingly take the blame?¡± Black Thirteen inquired, still confused. ¡°Everyone in this world seeks something, wealth? Status? Beauty? Or strength?¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°I understand,¡± Black Thirteen nodded, watched Xu Zimei wave his hand, and then his figure also gradually vanished. ¡­¡­ Without a word spoken all night, the next morning dawned with gloom hovering over the entire Situ Family. Situ Yuntian was dead¡ªhis demise sent shockwaves throughout Zhouque City. The Situ Family was engulfed in mourning. Situ Yuntian had three sons, and with the addition of Situ Yunqing, there were four children in total. At that moment, Xu Zimei, accompanied by Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi, had just entered the Situ Family residence when they saw a crowd surrounding a stretcher amidst loud wailing. The body of Situ Yuntian had been stitched together and was wrapped in a white cloth. ¡°Father, I will surely find your killer to appease your spirit in heaven,¡± Situ Yuntian¡¯s eldest son, Situ Bo, vowed fervently. Situ Yunqing also knelt to one side, her gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present, studying each expression, hoping to discern something. Her eyes then returned to the man on the stretcher; though their acknowledgement of each other had not been for long, since her arrival at the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian had doted on her extremely. She had originally been somewhat indifferent towards Situ Yuntian, resenting him for neglecting her and her mother for so many years. But that was merely the indignation of a young girl¡¯s thoughts; in truth, her heart had long since accepted this father. But now, her father lay bloodied on the stretcher, and she couldn¡¯t help feeling a wave of sorrow. ¡­ At this moment, Xu Zimei looked at the scene unfolding before him, pushed through the crowd surrounding the stretcher, and leaning beside the body of Situ Yuntian, he said mournfully, ¡°Brother Yuntian, although we had but a brief encounter, as they say, ¡®heroes admire one another without question of origin.¡¯ I didn¡¯t get the chance to discuss life with you, and I never expected that in just a single night¡¯s time, we would be separated by yin and yang. Indeed, ¡®good people do not live long; creation plays with man, creation plays with man indeed!''¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be too upset, the dead cannot be brought back to life,¡± Xiao Guizi quickly comforted from the side. ¡°How could I not understand? It¡¯s just a pity for Brother Yuntian to pass away¡ªhe was truly a hero,¡± Xu Zimei took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with sorrow. He turned to look at Situ Yunqing, who was sobbing softly, and advised, ¡°Don¡¯t be too heartbroken, the urgent matter now is to quickly find the murderer and avenge your father.¡± Situ Yunqing nodded slowly, looking at Xu Zimei expectantly as she said, ¡°I know you¡¯re a capable person, can you help me?¡± No matter how formidable Situ Yunqing from her previous life might have been, the her of now was just a helpless girl. With no one to rely on and no power to support her, it was simply unrealistic for her to find the murderer all by herself. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to help, but this is an internal matter for the Situ Family, and my intervention as an outsider could easily lead to rumors,¡± Xu Zimei said, appearing troubled. Situ Yunqing fell silent for a moment, not sure what to say. ¡°Prepare for your father¡¯s funeral sooner rather than later. Although I can¡¯t directly participate in the investigation, I will keep an eye out for the murderer in secret,¡± Xu Zimei offered a few words of consolation before leaving with Lin Ruhu and the others. ¡°Zimo bro, are you thinking of taking control of the Situ Family?¡± On the way back, Lin Ruhu asked curiously. ¡°You see it?¡± Xu Zimei asked with a smile. ¡°Not certain, but it seems like you care a bit too much about the Situ Family,¡± Lin Ruhu said. ¡°More or less, but now is not the time; the fire isn¡¯t burning fiercely enough,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile. ¡°What should we do?¡± Xiao Guizi asked from the side. ¡°You, go to the Wang Family and the Wan Family, and get those two families to join forces to suppress the industries of the Situ Family,¡± Xu Zimei instructed Lin Ruhu. In Zhouque City, only these two families could rival the Situ Family. Now that Situ Yuntian, a key figure, was no longer present, these two families would undoubtedly be interested in the juicy morsel that was the Situ Family¡¯s fortune. ¡°Xiao Guizi, you go and stir up some trouble among Situ Yuntian¡¯s three sons. Make them fight each other for the position of Family Head,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, young master, I¡¯ll make sure the entire Situ Family is turned upside down,¡± Xiao Guizi confidently replied. ¡°When everything gets out of control, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll step in to settle the chaos,¡± Xu Zimei said slowly, ¡°I want Situ Yunqing to willingly join my forces.¡± ¡°Zimo bro, if you ask me, why not just fight directly and be done with it? Is all this trouble really necessary?¡± Lin Ruhu asked, perplexed. ¡°You need to understand one thing, we might be villains, but we are definitely not brainless,¡± Xu Zimei laughed, ¡°What I want is not just the person Situ Yunqing, but also her heart. Besides, the Situ Family really is a good stepping stone. Also, Black Thirteen, go to Heavenly Sword City and find Shili Changkong, ask him to come over here.¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Ancestral Coffin Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Ancestral Coffin In the meeting hall of the Situ Family, dark clouds loomed overhead, with many people¡¯s faces showing signs of unease. ¡°Great Elder, the Wang Family and the Wan Family have been attacking our businesses like mad dogs these past few days,¡± a servant reported from below: ¡°Several of our pill workshops and weapon vaults have already been forced to close.¡± ¡°In the past, our three families developed peacefully. I didn¡¯t expect that as soon as Father passed away, they wouldn¡¯t be able to contain themselves,¡± Situ Bo, the eldest son, said indignantly, ¡°If you ask me, we should just fight them. Let them know we¡¯re not to be trifled with and get them to think twice before they act.¡± ¡°Even if we wanted to fight now, we couldn¡¯t,¡± the Great Elder said without lifting his head: ¡°The Family Head was at the peak of the True Vein Realm, and he constantly kept the other two families¡¯ heads in check. Now that he¡¯s gone, how can we fight?¡± ¡°The people of our Situ Family are all in a panic. I think it¡¯s better to choose a capable leader first,¡± the second son, Situ Yu, stood up and said. ¡°I believe the second brother has a point. I may not be very talented, but I¡¯ve extensively read poetry and literature. I am willing to lead our Situ Family through this crisis,¡± the third son, Situ Jing, said with a resolute tone. ¡°Third brother, you overstate the matter. There¡¯s a saying that the eldest brother is like the father. Since our father is gone, as the eldest brother, I naturally have to take up the mantle,¡± Situ Bo hastily said. ¡°I think the position of the Family Head shouldn¡¯t be decided by age but by ability. After all, it concerns the welfare of the entire clan,¡± Situ Yu spoke with neither inferiority nor arrogance: ¡°I believe I do have some talent.¡± The Great Elder, sitting at the head, frowned and slammed the table, saying, ¡°Arguing over the position of the Family Head like this, what kind of dignity is this? I will temporarily act as the Family Head until we decide on a new candidate.¡± ¡°At least give us a standard, Great Elder. How about we have a contest? Whoever wins can inherit the position of the Family Head,¡± the three brothers exchanged glances and looked at the Great Elder. Although there was significant competition among the three of them, they were all intent on securing the Family Head position but were reluctant to just let the Great Elder take it so easily. ¡­ Go to ????????????????????.co Situ Yunqing sat silently in the corner, watching the arguing crowd and couldn¡¯t help but feel sorrow for the family. A sincere sorrow. All of these people were fixated on seizing power, yet they lacked the capability, and they were all driven by their selfish desires, paying no heed to the family¡¯s safety and wellbeing. Situ Yunqing even felt that if she were in charge of the Situ Family, she would do a much better job than any of them. Unfortunately, she was powerless and without influence and had no means to contest for anything. At this time, the first person to cross her mind was actually Xu Zimei. She had also inquired into his identity, which was said to be a disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect, and with no trivial background. Situ Yunqing pondered, unwilling to be just a mere figurehead, to live a dull life without significance. Three days later, because of the covert confrontations among the three major families of Zhouque City, the people inside the city were all somewhat on edge, as if dark clouds hovered over the city, with an impending sense of a storm about to break out in the building. ¡°Have you heard? Situ Bo, the eldest son of the Situ Family, was the victim of an assassination attempt the day before yesterday.¡± In the Linjiang Restaurant, someone discussed in a low voice, ¡°Exactly, the Situ Family really is beset with one misfortune after another. I heard their second son was also targeted for assassination last night.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I hear that their third son also seemed to have been targeted for an assassination?¡± The Linjiang Restaurant was crowded with people, but most of the conversations centered on the Situ Family. Many people were not optimistic about the future of the Situ Family. ¡°Do you think it was the doing of the Wang and Wan Families? They want to take advantage of the situation to annihilate the Situ Family and change the three-legged stand-off.¡± ¡°Who knows? It could even be someone from within the Situ Family, all vying for the position of Family Head.¡± ¡­ Within a guest room at the Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei listened to Xiao Guizi¡¯s report, rhythmically tapping his right hand on the windowsill. ¡°I¡¯ve already warned the Wang and Wan Families, and they definitely haven¡¯t sent anyone to assassinate,¡± Xiao Guizi said, ¡°Those assassinations must have been carried out by someone from inside the Situ Family.¡± ¡°Once everything is ready, we¡¯ll move in for the capture tomorrow. There¡¯s no need to waste any more time,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll go make the arrangements,¡± Xiao Guizi nodded and left. The night was seductive, with sparse dim stars clinging to the edge of the sky, as the whole Zhouque City lay in slumber. Early the next morning, when all things were still groggy and not fully awake, The disciples of the Wang and Wan Families had already surrounded the entire Situ Family. Wang Cheng, the Family Head of the Wang Family, and Wan Cangqiong, the Family Head of the Wan Family, strode forward to the gates of the Situ Family. ¡°Are you intending to wage war against my Situ Family?¡± the Great Elder bellowed, awakening the whole of Zhouque City still in the early stages of rousing from sleep. ¡°Situ Mang, don¡¯t struggle in vain. Today, we shall erase your Situ Family¡¯s name from Zhouque City,¡± Wan Cangqiong declared loudly. His True Vein Realm peak aura radiated outward, causing a slight change in the Great Elder¡¯s expression. Although he too was in the True Vein Realm, he was only at the seventh level and was no match for Wan Cangqiong. ¡°Family Heads of the Wan and Wang Families, we seem to have no grudges. Why must you push us to our death?¡± the Great Elder began to persuade, ¡°Even though our Situ Family¡¯s Family Head is no longer here, we are not easily bullied. I can assure you, our Pill Workshops and the Weapons Pavilion within Zhouque City are willing to share profits equating to fifty percent with your two families.¡± ¡°Situ Mang, you¡¯ve been in power for decades. Haven¡¯t you understood?¡± Wang Cheng scoffed, ¡°Might makes right, conquering your Situ Family needs no reason. It¡¯s survival of the fittest.¡± ¡°If you all are intent on fighting, then I am prepared to see it through to the end,¡± the Great Elder said solemnly to the people behind him, ¡°Summon the ancestor.¡± Following that, a purple-black coffin engraved with pieces of red Crystal Stone was brought out. It appeared to have been stored for a long time. ¡°You both better think carefully. Once I open the ancestral coffin, it will be a fight to the death,¡± the Great Elder asserted menacingly. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try then. I¡¯d like to meet the previous head of the Situ Family,¡± Wan Cangqiong was not panicked, he just became slightly more vigilant, he said. Lying within this ancestral coffin was the previous head of the Situ Family. In fact, many strong figures who have little life left and no hope of breaking into higher levels will choose to seal themselves away. The red Crystal Stone on the outside of the coffin is called Dust Blood Stone, which can effectively slow down the passage of time. These ancestors sealed themselves within the coffins adorned with Dust Blood Stones, and under the influence of the stones, their lifespan consumption would be reduced to the lowest. This meant that, although they originally only had five years of life left, because the flow of time was slowed, they might extend their life to ten or even twenty years. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Situ Yunlei Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Situ Yunlei Of course, the price for being sealed in the ancestral coffin was that they could no longer cultivate and could only slowly die off like this until one day, even the time-slowing effects of the Dust Blood Stone were no longer sufficient, and life would reach its end. However, the benefit was that they could live for a much longer time, having more time to guard their own family. Generally, these old relics would not emerge easily because each time they left the seal of the Dust Blood Stone, it would consume a lot of their lifespan, and moreover, the Dust Blood Stone was extremely valuable, usually beyond the reach of smaller families. Unless a family faced imminent extinction, people would not easily open the ancestral coffin. ¡°Are you really sure you want to make enemies with my Situ Family?¡± the Great Elder said sternly. ¡°Situ Mang, your Situ Family is doomed today,¡± Wan Cangqiong replied. ¡°Open the ancestral coffin,¡± the Great Elder roared, and the pitch-black coffin lid was slowly pried open. The seal that had been in place for decades was finally exposed to daylight once again. An intangible aura was gathering above, and a sigh emanated from within the coffin, ¡°Has our Situ Family finally come to this point?¡± The person inside the coffin was unaware of what had happened outside, but he understood that the moment the ancestral coffin was opened, it signified that the Situ Family was on the brink of extinction. Other than this reason, no one would normally open the ancestral coffin. ¡°Old Family Head, it is our incompetence. We failed to bring the enterprise you passed down to us to glory; instead, we have caused this situation,¡± the Great Elder knelt in front of the ancestral coffin and said sorrowfully. ¡°Where is Yuntian?¡± the voice inside the coffin asked again. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°The Family Head is dead. The murderer has not been found yet,¡± the Great Elder reported truthfully. ¡°Life is like a dream,¡± the person in the coffin sighed. Then, with a ¡°rattle¡± sound, the coffin lid was completely opened, and an elder with white hair and a youthful face stepped out. The elder wore a light cyan robe, many parts of which were embroidered with patterns of white clouds. His temples were covered with white hair, he was not tall, his skin was somewhat withered, tightly clinging to his bones. At first glance, this old man looked just like an ordinary elder in the twilight of his years, but his eyes sparkled, and his aura was rapidly intensifying like a landslide. His aura remained at the peak of the True Vein Realm, and just when it was about to break through to the Empty Vein Realm, it stopped. People often say that the path of the Martial Path is difficult, hard as climbing to Qing Tian, every step a new heaven. It was this slight barrier between the True Vein Realm and the Empty Vein Realm that trapped the life of the man before us. In fact, there were many people like the elder who lacked the support of major forces¡¯ resources; many lone travelers spent their entire lives lingering in the Condensing Vein Realm. ¡­¡­ ¡°Situ Yunlei?¡± Wan Cangqiong looked at the elder and asked. ¡°Wan Family¡¯s youngling and Wang Family¡¯s youngling, you both have done quite well,¡± Situ Yunlei said, slightly squinting at the people surrounding the entire Situ Family compound. ¡°Elder Situ, we all respect you a great deal, but some things leave us no choice,¡± Wang Cheng said. ¡°Words are pointless. It¡¯s been a long while since these old bones have moved,¡± Situ Yunlei laughed heartily, then his aura surged like a torrent, as he charged directly towards Wang Cheng and Wan Cangqiong. Both Xu Zimei and Wang Cheng did not dare to be careless, even though everyone was at the peak of the True Vein Realm. However, the opponent had become famous much earlier, so they both attacked Situ Yunlei together. ¡°Protect our home, charge!¡± The Great Elder yelled at the disciples behind him, then took the lead and charged out. Suddenly, the younger generations of the three families were embroiled in a fierce battle. Although the Situ Family¡¯s disciples were brave and fierce, they still faced the problem that two fists are no match for four hands. Under the combined forces of the Wang and Wan Families, they were continuously driven back. Although Situ Yunlei was initially able to suppress Wang Cheng and Wan Cangqiong, as the battle dragged on, his age began to show, and he struggled to keep up with the physical demands of the fight. In this battle, over half of the Situ Family was destroyed, and bodies were gradually strewn about the vicinity. Seeing Wan Cangqiong and Wang Cheng growing more vigorous as the battle waged on, Situ Yunlei gritted his teeth in fury, completely ignoring their attacks, planning to fight to the death. He used his Flying Cloud Palm, and thousands of white clouds amassed together, an incredible momentum bursting forth from his palms. His palms struck the chests of Wan Cangqiong and Wang Cheng, the white clouds exploded, and the infinite shock wave completely scattered the three of them. Both Wan Cangqiong and Wang Cheng each spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, while Situ Yunlei¡¯s injuries were also severe. He had just taken a punch and a kick from the two, and with a sweet taste in his throat, although he forcibly swallowed the blood down, the condition inside his body was painful, with his internal organs churning in agony, and his face turning pale. ¡°Do you still want to fight?¡± Situ Yunlei asked indifferently, standing up straight, his blue clothing like a robe and his white hair like snow. ¡°Fight,¡± Wan Cangqiong roared, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, ready to attack again, but was stopped by a voice. ¡°Gentlemen, can we please calm down for a moment? Allow me to say a few words,¡± Xu Zimei came walking over, step by step, under everyone¡¯s surprised gaze. The Great Elder looked at Xu Zimei and hurriedly said, ¡°Young Master Xu, we hope that you can uphold justice for us.¡± Wan Cangqiong frowned and looked at Xu Zimei, asking, ¡°Does Young Master Xu represent the intentions of the Holy Sect?¡± ¡°No, no, no, the Holy Sect does not interfere in any healthy competition,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said, ¡°I am merely representing myself.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Young Master Xu?¡± Situ Yunlei pondered for a moment, then asked Xu Zimei. ¡°This is a matter for your three families, and it is indeed a bit inappropriate for an outsider like me to meddle,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, ¡°However, if the Situ Family is willing to become a personal affiliated force of mine, I can help you get through this difficult time.¡± Hearing Xu Zimei¡¯s words, Situ Yunlei was stunned; without a doubt, this arrangement would greatly benefit the Situ Family. Not only could they escape this crisis, but they could also rely on Xu Zimei¡¯s support, gain access to his resources, and then grow and strengthen. But the question was, would the Situ Family, once under Xu Zimei¡¯s command, really be the same Situ Family it was before? ¡°In addition, I can help you find the murderer of Situ Yuntian,¡± Xu Zimei continued. ¡°You know who the killer is?¡± Situ Yunlei¡¯s eyes gleamed as he asked. ¡°I would not make an unsubstantiated claim,¡± Xu Zimei said casually, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three minutes to think it over. Take your time, after all, it should be a willing cooperation.¡± ¡°I agree to your terms,¡± Situ Yunlei knew he had no room for choice, so he simply and directly agreed. ¡°Now can you tell me who killed Yuntian?¡± No sooner had Situ Yunlei¡¯s words fallen than the three Elders of the Situ Family suddenly erupted in violence. With a sword strike, a punch, and a palm hit, they landed on Situ Yunlei, who didn¡¯t even have time to react, and he was gravely injured. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Life is Like a Play Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Life is Like a Play ¡°You,¡± Situ Yunlei said, incredulously staring at the three elders of the Situ Family. He hadn¡¯t expected that at the critical moment, it would be his own people who betrayed him. Situ Yunlei spat out a mouthful of blood, seemingly realizing something; he deeply looked towards Xu Zimei. ¡°Gentlemen, I guess there¡¯s no need for me to spell out who wants the Situ Family Head dead,¡± Xu Zimei said with a smile, looking at the three Situ Family elders and speaking to everyone. ¡°It¡¯s the three elders,¡± someone still in disbelief muttered to themselves. ¡°I get it now, it must be the three elders, coveting the position of the Family Head, conspiring to kill him,¡± a disciple said with wide eyes, analyzing the situation. ¡°Young Master Xu, this matter originally had nothing to do with you. Why did you have to interfere?¡± the Great Elder sneered viciously, taking steps towards Xu Zimei. ¡°No helping it, I am just a warm-hearted person,¡± Xu Zimei replied with a smile. Then, with a snap of his fingers, an enormous pressure descended from above, causing everyone present to change their expressions. Black Thirteen stood in mid-air, his black robe fluttering loudly, carrying a longsword on his back, his demeanor stern, silently watching the three great elders. Under this pressure, the three elders found themselves unable to move, their faces filled with inexplicable terror, sweat dripping from their foreheads. Xu Zimei smiled, walked up to Situ Yunqing, and said, ¡°Do you want to avenge your father?¡± Situ Yunqing was taken aback, looking at the longsword extended to her by Xu Zimei, she dumbly accepted it. ¡°Everything must come to an end,¡± Xu Zimei patted Situ Yunqing¡¯s shoulder and seriously said. Go to ????????????????????.co Situ Yunqing nodded firmly, longsword in hand, slowly advancing towards the three great elders. All three elders¡¯ faces drastically changed, then the Great Elder roared in fury, ¡°I have dominated my entire life, I admit defeat this time. But even in death, I refuse to die at the hands of a little girl.¡± The three elders exerted their strength simultaneously, waves of spiritual energy surging around them, momentarily breaking Black Thirteen¡¯s imposing aura. All three elders grasped their longswords and plunged them into their own abdomens. With a ¡°pff,¡± the blades pierced through flesh, each man spat out a mouthful of blood, and they all fell to the ground. ¡°The Situ Family is finished,¡± onlookers muttered to themselves, witnessing the scene. The upper echelon of the Situ Family¡¯s fighting force was entirely decimated, with very few capable of shouldering the heavy burden any longer. Xu Zimei turned around, addressing Wan Cangqiong and Wang Cheng, ¡°Gentlemen, the Situ Family will now be under my control. Do you want war, or shall we develop peacefully?¡± Both men, looking at Black Thirteen striding on the air, hurriedly swallowed and laughed, ¡°Young Master Xu jests. Since the Situ Family will be yours, naturally, we should support each other.¡± ¡°Right, right, neighbors should live harmoniously, fortune comes with harmony,¡± Wang Cheng said with a smile as well. ¡°Alright, have your people clean up around here,¡± Xu Zimei told Wan Cangqiong and company. After that, he looked at Situ Yunqing and asked, ¡°I am thinking of entrusting you with managing the Situ Family in the future. Are you interested?¡± Situ Yunqing was stunned, her big, watery eyes widening in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t rush with your answer, consider it carefully tonight, and give me your response tomorrow,¡± Xu Zimei smiled and then left with Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi. ¡­¡­ The great battle of today, although over, its aftermath was still spreading throughout Zhouque City. Inside Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei listened to Xiao Guizi¡¯s report. ¡°Young Master, I have already made arrangements with the Wang and Wan families. They played along with us in this act, and in return, I will select two talented juniors from their families to be admitted to the True Martial Holy Sect.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how talented those two juniors are, what is important is that they must be direct descendants of their families; once they are at the Sect Gate, they will be tied to our warship,¡± Xu Zimei nodded and said. ¡°I understand,¡± Xiao Guizi nodded and continued, ¡°All three of Situ Yuntian¡¯s sons died, they died in today¡¯s battle, and now, the only one in the Situ Family who is eligible to inherit the position of Family Head is Situ Yunqing.¡± ¡°Handle this matter discreetly, don¡¯t let anyone catch a hold of it,¡± Xu Zimei said, ¡°I don¡¯t really care about Zhouque City, but make sure the Great Elder¡¯s people don¡¯t find out, so they don¡¯t tattle to my father.¡± ¡°I understand, the person in charge of Zhouque City¡¯s Holy Sect branch is from the Elder Faction, and he will definitely pay attention to this matter,¡± Xiao Guizi nodded. At that moment, they heard a series of knocks on the door. Xu Zimei paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and the three Elders of the Situ Family walked in unharmed. ¡°Young Master Xu,¡± the three Elders greeted with smiles. ¡°Weren¡¯t you dead?¡± Xiao Guizi was taken aback; he had personally seen the three Elders draw their swords and stab themselves in the abdomen today. ¡°Does a stab to the abdomen necessarily lead to death? How can a martial artist be so fragile, especially one at the True Vein Realm,¡± Xu Zimei shook his head and said. ¡°Was this all just a play?¡± Xiao Guizi was taken aback, as he originally thought he knew the entirety of Xu Zimei¡¯s plan, yet he realized he only understood half of it. ¡°Otherwise, why would I have the Wan and Wang families clean up afterwards? I was afraid of exposure,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Young Master, what about the promise you made to us before?¡± the Great Elder asked with an ingratiating smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will let you join the Holy Sect and help you break through to the Empty Vein Realm. You better go back now; I will have Black Thirteen take you back to the Holy Sect under the cover of night, try not to be seen to avoid exposure,¡± Xu Zimei said. ¡°Then we thank you, Young Master,¡± the three hurriedly nodded and then left. ¡°They killed Situ Yunlei and even took the fall for killing Situ Yuntian, just to break through to the Empty Vein Realm?¡± Xiao Guizi said, somewhat disbelieving. ¡°Breaking through to the Empty Vein Realm, not only does one¡¯s strength surge dramatically, but one also gains an extra hundred years of lifespan, and joining the Holy Sect gives them a brighter future. Aren¡¯t these enough?¡± Xu Zimei asked in return, ¡°Compared to these, what does a minor Situ Family count for to them?¡± Xiao Guizi fell silent; his father was an Outer Sect Elder of the True Martial Holy Sect, and he grew up within the Holy Sect, not very familiar with many of the situations outside. But now, this matter seemed to have opened a cruel skylight for him. ¡­¡­ Actually, Xu Zimei had planned from the very beginning that whether it was Situ Yunlei, Situ Yuntian, his three sons, or the three Great Elders, none could remain in the Situ Family. Because Xu Zimei was determined to hand over his power to Situ Yunqing to manage, the presence of any of these people would be a major complication. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The Frog in the Well Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The Frog in the Well That¡¯s why he had reached out to the Wang Family and the Wan Family, seeking to exploit the chaos to kill Situ Yuntian¡¯s three sons. That included Situ Yunlei, the last ace up the Situ Family¡¯s sleeve. As for the three Great Elders, how to deal with them? Xu Zimei¡¯s lips twisted into a smile. By now, Xiao Guizi had returned to his room. He still found Xu Zimei somewhat unfathomable, always feeling his senior brother didn¡¯t play by the usual rules. ¡­¡­ The sky gradually darkened, and Zhouque City seemed unusually quiet tonight. In Xu Zimei¡¯s room, he looked at Black Thirteen and ordered, ¡°Send those three old men away.¡± ¡°Leave Zhouque City?¡± Black Thirteen asked, puzzled. ¡°No, leave this world,¡± Xu Zimei said indifferently. Black Thirteen was startled but nonetheless nodded and left the room. ¡­ Outside the city of Zhouque, four figures were rushing along. The Great Elder, looking at Black Thirteen leading the way, politely said, ¡°It is quite late, yet it troubles you to escort us to the Holy Sect, our thanks for your efforts.¡± Black Thirteen shook his head indifferently. Go to ????????????????????.co The evening breeze blew gently, casting a ghastly white gleam on the ground from the moonlight. The wind tonight seemed especially cold. From behind, within the silent city, it seemed as if the barking of dogs could be heard. As the view gradually receded, the sight of Zhouque City became increasingly blurred in the eyes of the group. Finally, the group arrived at the foot of a tall slope where Black Thirteen came to a halt. He stood at the very top of the slope, the cold wind whipping his hair into disarray. His emotionless eyes looked at the three Elders as though he was looking at corpses. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the Great Elder chuckled dryly, asking. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s time for you to hit the road,¡± Black Thirteen said flatly, drawing his long saber and looking at the three men. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Second Elder¡¯s brow twitched, stepping back slightly in a guarded manner, asking. Black Thirteen did not answer again, but only the ¡°clang¡± of the saber being drawn could be heard. ¡°Thump thump thump thump,¡± the Vein Gates of Lun Quan, Xuan Gu, Zhao Yingfeng, and Kun Hai all opened. The aura of the Empty Vein Realm enveloped the surroundings like a mountain. ¡°Despite being disciples of the True Martial Holy Sect, I knew we couldn¡¯t fully trust those people,¡± the Great Elder shouted. Then, the three Elders took their positions in three different directions, their bodies pulsing with Spiritual Energy as their Vein Gates flung wide open. Each Elder took an Array Plate from their Storage Rings, furiously channeling their Spiritual Energy into the plates. Once activated, the Elders simultaneously tossed the Array Plates into the sky. A brilliant black light shined forth, and the three Array Plates merged into one, forming a dark cage that enveloped Black Thirteen. The Array Plates shattered, and countless Array Seals flew out, arranging themselves in an organized pattern according to the rules of the formation. ¡°Luckily, we came prepared,¡± the Great Elder said smugly. Array Plates are used to store Array Seals, as Array Masters fighting others normally have to form seals on the spot, which is too slow and allows the opponent to easily evade. Thus, long ago, someone devised the Array Plate, enabling the pre-arrangement of Array Seals, which could then be stored within the plate. If battle necessitated it, all one had to do was directly shatter the Array Plate, and these Array Seals would instantaneously activate and set themselves up. All of this seemed very complex, but in actuality, it all happened in the blink of an eye. Black Thirteen looked at the black prison cage surrounding him and frowned slightly, his long knife bursting forth with a brilliant azure light. The blade¡¯s glow swept up a sky full of dust, even cleaving a path through the ground beneath his feet, its momentum as unstoppable as a rainbow. But when it struck the black prison cage, it was as if it got devoured, failing to even stir up a ripple. ¡°Give up, it¡¯s no use. This is a fourth-level Formation, the Dark Prison Cage. Though we can¡¯t kill you, we can trap you for one night,¡± the Great Elder said with satisfaction, ¡°Since it was Xu Zimei who first made a clean break of things, he can hardly blame us. We¡¯re off to Zhouque City now to spread the word about this affair, to show everyone the true face of that bastard.¡± ¡°Exactly, we must expose all his crimes,¡± the Second Elder said through gritted teeth. The guy had promised them that he would lead them to join the True Martial Holy Sect and even help advance them to the Empty Vein Realm. But now he had gone back on his word and was even trying to kill them to silence them. The three Great Elders had betrayed the entire Situ Family for this, only to end up with such an outcome. The rage within them was unimaginable. ¡°Don¡¯t think everyone else is a fool,¡± the Third Elder said with a cold snort, ¡°From the very first day you sought our cooperation, we planned a contingency, preparing the fourth-level Formation just in case. Little did we think it would actually come into play.¡± ¡°A frog in a well knows nothing of the ocean,¡± Black Thirteen said, giving up on breaking the formation and choosing to sit cross-legged, not attacking any longer. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± the Great Elder asked with a frown. ¡°I acknowledge that you¡¯re not stupid for keeping a backup plan, but you¡¯ll never understand just how vast this world really is,¡± Black Thirteen said calmly. ¡°Who are you trying to scare,¡± the Third Elder said indifferently, ¡°Now that you can hardly protect yourself, you still dare to talk big.¡± Black Thirteen gave the three men a cold look, said nothing more, and closed his eyes to meditate and recuperate. ¡°What shall we do now?¡± Just as the three men were discussing their next move, a voice suddenly rang out from above. ¡°It seems the young master was right¡ªthree little mice, actually fantasizing about jumping out of their cage.¡± ¡°Who is it? Who¡¯s talking?¡± The three men shouted in unison, anxiously looking up. Shili Changkong, dressed in white, held a sword in his arms as he walked on air, yawning nonchalantly. ¡°Who are you?¡± the three Great Elders swallowed nervously and asked. The ability to walk on air indicated that the other party¡¯s realm was at least in the Empty Vein Realm. Though the stranger hadn¡¯t revealed a hint of his aura, the pressure the Great Elders felt was even greater than when facing Black Thirteen. ¡°The farce is over,¡± said Shili Changkong, too lazy even to draw his sword, instead casually tracing a stroke in the air with the sheathed blade. The next moment, a dazzling sword light bloomed before the eyes of the three Great Elders, their lives frozen at their final moment. ¡­¡­ The next day in Zhouque City, things appeared no different from before. Vendors woke up at their usual time, set up their stalls in their regular spots, and the city gradually began to buzz and flourish at the usual hour. ¡°I am willing to help you manage the Situ Family,¡± Situ Yunqing, who had tossed and turned the previous night, found Xu Zimei early in the morning and said earnestly. Xu Zimei introduced Shili Changkong to Situ Yunqing, ¡°From now on, he will be your guard. The two of you will manage the Situ Family together, and he can protect you if there¡¯s any danger.¡± After sending Situ Yunqing away, Xu Zimei called Shili Changkong over to the side alone.